Greenwich Magazine, December 2019

THE HOLIDAY ISSUE

DECEMBER 2019 | $5.95

The MAGIC of BILL HERZ FROM CUBA TO COPPERFIELD, A LOOK INSIDE HIS EPIC CAREER

Giving Presence Getting to the heart of the season with

ROMONA NORTON DECKING THE HALLS Chic and festive home décor

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Thank you to all my wonderful clients for an exceptional year.

I look forward to a stellar 2020 at my new Sotheby’s International Realty office in Greenwich.

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david.ogilvy@sothebyshomes.com

Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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H O L I D AY M A G I C H A P P E N S

GREENWICH

contents DECEMBER 2019 vol. 72 | issue 12

features

departments

56

18 EDITOR’S LETTER 20 FROM THE FOUNDERS Of Perfect and Imperfect Presents

GIFTED & TALENTED Romona Norton isn’t your typical glam lady who lunches. The philanthropic actress and mother of two not only puts her heart and soul into giving during the holiday season, but all year round.

25 STATUS REPORT BUZZ Taking our buzz department literally, we chat with Stacey Orrechio about her new mobile drinks business, Lifted Spirits SHOP Holiday fashion for you, gifts for them and toys for the kids—a few newcomers have you covered.

HOME Winston Flowers gives us tips on how to festively deck the halls … and tables and mantels.

by rian n sm ith

64

EVERY LITTLE THING HE DOES IS MAGIC

DO A moving look inside the immigrant experience on a local level

He reps David Copperfield, can make an airplane disappear and has been known to render U.S. presidents (think Obama, Clinton, Bush and Reagan) speechless. But one of his best tricks was producing Cuba’s first magic festival. We sit down with the jovial and supremely talented Bill Herz.

40 G-MOM Downloading your apps and checking them twice 43 PEOPLE & PLACES Candace Bushnell book signing; Greenwich Riding and Trails Association; Winston Preparatory School; Brunswick School Fashion Show and luncheon; Greenwich Sentinel Foundation

by ja m i e m a r shall

72

55 VOWS Woolworth–Brown

THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE Oh, Greenwich, you know how to bring your fashion A Game! From wild prints and budding florals to hot reds, chic whites and sleek metallics—your looks wowed at this year’s benefits and galas.

85 CALENDAR 95 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

on the c over: at home with romona norton

Holiday vibes

/ photo gr aphy by k y l e nort on

HAIR AND MAKEUP BY NATALIE BENHABIB AT GLAMBLOW; JEWELRY BY GRAFF AT THE VAULT, GREENWICH; STYLED BY LILY PISKIC AT RICHARDS; MONICA NARO AT SAKS, GREENWICH

GREENWICH MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019, VOL. 72, NO. 12. GREENWICH MAGAZINE (USPS 961-500/ISSN 1072-2432) is published monthly by Moffly Media, Inc., 205 Main St, Westport, CT 06880.

Periodical postage paid at Westport, CT, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes (Form 3579) to GREENWICH MAGAZINE PO BOX 9309, Big Sandy, TX 75755-9607. greenwichmag.com

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MOFFLY MEDIA’S BIG PICTURE/KYLE NORTON

72

by m e g an g agnon

96 POSTSCRIPT

JOIN US ONLINE! december 2019

GREENWICHMAG.com CELEBRATING THE SCENE STEALERS OF OUR TOWN

WHAT’S ON OUR EDITORIAL DECK?

WE’VE GOT PLENTY OF GREAT THINGS IN STORE!

JANUARY

OUT & ABOUT

Visit our galleries for all the fun

CAPTURING THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND MOMENTS THAT MAKE GREENWICH EVENTS SO SPECIAL. JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY TO SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND TOWN.

FEBRUARY

POWER PLAY

This issue celebrates power in a variety of forms. Meet your neighbors who are leading the way in media, entertainment and politics.

MARCH

GARDEN PARTY

Tips for those looking to simply refresh their outdoor spaces as well as overthe-top ideas for those in search of the true wow factor.

FOLLOW US ON:

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EVENT PHOTOGRAPHS BY MOFFLY MEDIA’S BIG PICTURE /MARILYN ROOS; INSET 1 BY JULIE BIDWELL; INSET 2 BY THOMAS MCGOVERN; INSET3 BY JULIE BIDWELL

ALL ABOUT YOU

Health is a state of mind and body.

We talk fitness, beauty and off-the-grid getaways to help you be the best you in 2020.

BUYING? SELLING? RENTING?

PUT THE POWER OF ELLIMAN TO WORK FOR YOU

Greenwich | $8,495,000 | Web# CT108045 5-BR, 6.3-BA | Approx. 9,800sf | New Modern Home Steven Magnuson O: 203.622.4900 M: 203.610.2923

Greenwich | $3,595,000 | Web# CT107913 5-BR, 5.5-BA | Approx. 6,029sf | Pool & Gardens Monica Webster O: 203.622.4900 M: 203.952.5226

Old Greenwich | $3,599,000 | Web# CT106228 5-BR, 6.2-BA | Approx. 5,151sf | New Construction Monica Webster O: 203.622.4900 M: 203.952.5226

New Canaan | $3,185,000 | Web# CT170234261 5-BR, 5.5-BA | Approx. 6,301sf | Lakeside with Pool Monica Webster O: 203.622.4900 M: 203.952.5226

New Canaan | $1,699,000 | Web# CT170200964 4-BR, 3.5-BA | Approx. 6,350sf | New Construction Jennifer Leahy O: 203.622.4900 M: 917.699.2783

Westport | $1,398,000 | Web# CT170242414 6-BR, 5.5-BA | Approx. 5,357sf | Pool & Tennis Court Jennifer Leahy O: 203.622.4900 M: 917.699.2783

Greenwich | $1,295,000 | Web# CT107644 3-BR, 3-BA | Approx. 2,395sf | Waterfront Views Alexander Glazer O: 203.622.4900 M: 203.561.5898

Greenwich | $1,249,995 | Web# CT108236 5-BR, 3.5-BA | Approx. 3,093sf | Renovated Alexander Glazer O: 203.622.4900 M: 203.561.5898

Cos Cob | $950,000 | Web# CT107991 3-BR, 2-BA | Approx. 1,613sf | Superb Location Sharon Kinney O: 203.622.4900 M: 203.536.2014

elliman.com/connecticut

CONNECTICUT | NEW YORK CITY | LONG ISLAND | THE HAMPTONS | WESTCHESTER | NEW JERSEY | FLORIDA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO |MASSACHUSETTS| TEXAS | INTERNATIONAL 88 Field Point Road, Greenwich, CT 06830 | 203.622.4900 © 2019 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. WHILE, THIS INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, IT IS REPRESENTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL PROPERTY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO SQUARE FOOTAGE, ROOM COUNT, NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PROPERTY LISTINGS SHOULD BE VERIFIED BY YOUR OWN ATTORNEY, ARCHITECT OR ZONING EXPERT. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.

Heaven in ConneCtiCut Far from the madding crowd, in the Litchfield Hills, lies a quiet getaway. Set on 113 acres and bordering extensive woods and lakes, Winvian Farm was created to recharge and indulge. The five-star cuisine, the wines, the spa and the service are as unexpected as the experiences that one ultimately enjoys— and it’s just around the corner.

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The most advanced care.

Yale Medicine neurologists.

Greenwich Hospital touch.

Today’s most personalized neurologic care is available right here at Greenwich Hospital. Our team includes Yale Medicine neurologists, neurosurgeons and skilled specialists who use advanced diagnostics to identify and treat specific conditions including stroke, spine disorders, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease. Innovative technologies and techniques mean more customized and effective treatment plans. It’s one of the advantages of being part of one of the country’s best health systems — Yale New Haven Health. Even as our medical capabilities advance, we stay committed to our roots as a caring, compassionate hospital with a singular focus — getting you back to the life you love. greenwichhospital.org

Alice Rusk, MD

GREENWICH L I F E T O L I F E S T Y L E S I N C E 1 94 7 vol. 72 | no. 12 | december 2019 creative director

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editor’s letter

DECEMBER 2019 / CRISTIN MARANDINO

I

love the holiday season in all its goldgilded, garland-strewn glory. I enjoy the stress of shopping and the time commitment of wrapping. I revel in the exhaustion of too many parties and not enough sleep. I buy the tree the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas-ize every room by Cyber Monday. Yup, I love a few good festive weeks.

It’s a time to not only enjoy, but also be thankful for the privilege of where we live, how we live and who we live it with.

I like to think that our holiday issue does the same.

This month Romona Norton, a recognizable face on the Greenwich philanthropic party circuit, shares her Guyana upbringing along with the sense of obligation that her generous and hard-working parents instilled. Today, Romona is dedicated to helping the less fortunate near and far in some very hands-on ways. These are not one-off acts of goodwill; they are ongoing efforts that shape who she is and how she is raising her lovely young daughters (“Gifted & Talented,” page 56).

And what would the holidays be without a little magic? We take that literally and sit down

greenwichmag.com

18

with renowned magician Bill Herz. If you get the opportunity to meet Bill in person, don’t let his unassuming nature fool you. His talent has rendered U.S. presidents, Supreme Court justices and corporate titans speechless. (If that’s not magic, we don’t know what is.) But overcoming language barriers and a less-thanideal infrastructure to produce Cuba’s firstever magic festival is perhaps his biggest trick of all. Bill takes us behind the curtain on this and other adventures in “Every Little Thing He Does is Magic,” (page 64).

And finally, our market editor Megan Gagnon once again turns her tasteful eye to the Greenwich social scene for our annual fashion roundup, commenting on what makes the looks work so well (“Elements of Style,” page 72). Considering all of the benefits throughout the year, she had plenty to work with. You are a philanthropic and fashionable bunch.

As another year draws to a close, we’d like to thank you for being a part of our family.

It is indeed a privilege to live this life with you.

WILLIAM TAUFIC

LET THE FESTIVITIES BEGIN!

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founder’s letter

DECEMBER 2019 / DONNA MOFFLY

T

The Browning over and under shotgun Jack presented to me on our first wedding anniversary wasn’t so well received.

is the season to remind ourselves that it’s more blessed to give than to receive. On the other hand, what fun it is to look back on the unforgettable gifts we’ve exchanged over the years—some wonderfully special, some, well, not so much.

Sue Bodson treasures a note from her grandmother during her freshman year at Gettysburg—a note that one day her sister would have embossed on a plate for her. It read: Build those bridges. Make those roads.

Love, Grammy. “I cry every time I see it,” says Sue, the first in her family to go to college. “It warms my heart and soul. Isn’t that what the ultimate gift is meant to do?”

“When I was sixteen,” recalls Bonnie Levison, “I worked a full semester on a quilt for my parents.” It was strange mustard and black colors and not big enough for their king-size bed, but that quilt stayed at the foot of it until the day they died. “The real gift to me was how much they loved it,” she says. “It always gave me such joy to see it there.”

While Kim-Marie Evans’s daughter Macie was studying abroad last spring, she bought postcards in the towns she knew her backpacking mother had once visited and adored. On the back of each card, she wrote Kim-Marie notes about why she chose to stop there and what she loved about the place.

Ali Gray goes for the gift of alone time, Mom’s off-duty treats like facials, pedicures greenwichmag.com

20

and massages. But she’ll never forget a little black and white bunny her college boyfriend gave her for Easter. She named her Nina and kept her in her dorm room, feeding her side salads from the 7-Eleven down the street. But Nina also liked leather, nice leather, and took to nibbling away at her roommates’ handbags tucked under her bed. So Ali went home to “do laundry” one weekend and accidentally forgot to bring Nina back to school.

But regifting works, too. When young Bobbi Eggers was working on Madison Avenue, a gentleman down the hall left a very large box on her desk. It contained a chic Fendi reversible fur coat. She confronted him, but he flatly refused to take it back. It kept reappearing on her desk. What is a girl to do? “I sent it to my mother, of course!” says Bobbi. Two days later, her mother called, “and completely out of character said, ‘I just opened the box and I want you to know I’m sitting here wearing your fur coat—naked!’ ” The Browning over and under shotgun Jack presented to me on our first wedding anniversary wasn’t so well received. Turned out he wanted it himself for skeet-shooting.

But on a very special note is the gold pendant he designed and had made in 2009 to commemorate our fiftieth. It’s a miniature greenwich magazine—four pages engraved with a tribute to our partnership in business and in marriage, and the names of our

VENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY, GREENWICH, CT

OF PERFECT AND IMPERFECT PRESENTS

founder’s letter

A special Valentine present my mother sent to Jack

children and grandchildren. The clever elves upstairs at Betteridge were thrilled with the project and unwitting had left just enough room to sneak in Timothy Moffly, born on 8/9/10. A lucky boy, what?

Another favorite is something given to me on the auspicious occasion of my second birthday—the first stock certificate signed by my grandfather Rudolph Paul Ahrens as treasurer of the New York Central Railroad. It hangs in what we called the “money john,” because another pièce de résistance in there is a gift my mother sent Jack for Valentine’s Day—a Lucite toilet seat embedded with mint coins—as a hint that we should redecorate the downstairs loo.

Then there’s the wedding present I’ve always wondered about—a handsome set of steak knives from one of Jack’s old girlfriends, Betsy Brown. Strangely, they were so imperfectly balanced that when I’d go to clear the table after dinner, they’d slip off the plates and impale themselves in the wood floor of the dining room just inches from my foot. Even our little kids would say: “Oops, there goes Betsy Brown again.” I think she was out to get me.

Funny, we used to laugh at some of the things Jack’s mother would come up with for Christmas. Often, they were “guess me” surprises like the baleen from a whale she had seen flensed in Iceland or a wooden clacker that woke sailors for their watch or a Tibetan mold used by Buddhist monks to make butter sculptures—things she found fascinating or beautiful, as did we. But sometimes they were things that simply cluttered up her life as the years went by. Once she gave Jack a silver shot glass not noticing it was engraved as an usher present from his friend Bill Prickett. Then came his father’s old wallet—empty.

At the time, this seemed weird to me. However, as I look around our house today, I understand exactly how Granny felt. Of a certain age, you don’t want more things unless you can drink or eat them. Hmm. Let’s see.

What could I wrap up around here? It would sure save a lot of shopping.

Have a jolly—and memorable—holiday. G

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We brought the best pediatric specialists closer to you.

Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital’s newest Pediatric Specialty Center brings top specialists to one convenient Greenwich location. From allergies to cancer treatment, your child will be cared for by specialists from a children’s hospital that ranks among the best in the country according to U.S. News & World Report. In addition, Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital physicians provide 24/7 emergency services and onsite care for children at Greenwich Hospital.

Everything your child could need from our top-ranked children’s hospital is close to home.

Find the right specialist for your child: 877-YALE-MDS ynhch.org

Your Source for Holiday Entertaining A selection of high-quality ingredients and hand-crafted dishes made by our chefs.

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buzz STATUS REPORT

by mary k ate ho gan

Get ready to have your spirits lifted this holiday season.

A MOVEABLE TOAST VENERA ALEXANDROVA

STACEY ORRECHIO TAKES THE PARTY ON THE ROAD—STRAIGHT TO YOU

C

ocktail party season’s in full swing, and the excellent selection of caterers and food trucks in our area makes it easier than ever to host. Stacey Orrechio, a former corporate events planner, noticed the food truck trend and decided

to roll out a business focusing on the drinks side of the party equation. “The idea was to elevate the experience by bringing in talented bartenders and a fun mobile bar trailer offering drink specials and cocktails,” says Stacey. “We’re taking it to a higher level than DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

25

what’s typically offered by a caterer.” Her new mobile drinks biz, LIFTED SPRITS, delivers bar service on demand, which includes liability insurance, all of the alcohol, drink signs, mixers, everything you need.

On the road for just over a year, Lifted

buzz

BAR TIPS SIMPLIFY Keep your crowd in mind and stick to no more than one or two signature drinks. Stacey likes “The Class Mom,” a very low sugar Tito’s mojito with lime and club soda.

INFUSE To create a more flavorful, sophisticated cocktail without adding sugar, consider infused spirits. Norwalk-based Teroforma makes 1pt tea infusions that add complexity, like the Tahitian Vanilla spice or Marrakech blend with rose and hibiscus, to put an interesting twist into vodka or gin. teroforma.com

From creative cocktails to chic decor, the talented bartenders will provide one-stop shopping for your next festive fête.

Spirits has raised the bar at events such as in-home parties, private school fundraisers, Fashion Week launch parties, art openings, Harbor Fest and Moffly Media’s Best Bartenders event, among many others. When Stacey donated a two-hour happy hour for a school fundraiser auction, it got the highest bid of the night’s items. She typically works with clients to create a signature drink for each event, using a set base such as Tito’s vodka or Casamigos tequila. Stacey can plan for a margarita bar, Bloody Mary bar, Bellini bar and other special drinks depending on the event, like her Gin & Chronic, a G&T laced with drops of a flavored CBD on top. Lifted Spirits serves mocktails, too.

For bar and bat mitzvahs, they mix up milkshakes and signature mocktails, as well as boozy milkshakes for adults if they choose.

Basic pricing is per person—$10 per person per hour for events of less than fifty people and $8 per person per hour for parties of fifty and more.

What Stacey enjoys most about her work: “Being creative with every different event is fun for us. Our tagline is ‘party more, work less, get lifted.’ It’s nice to see people get to be a guest at their own party.”

–Stacey’s motto

GIFT

JOCELYN’S HOMEMADE IRISH CREAM

Depending on the size of the gathering, it’s nice to send guests home with a small memento. After Stacey’s holiday parties and her family’s Christmas Eve, everyone receives a bottle of her mom’s homemade Baileys.

She says, “It’s amazing alone or with coffee on Christmas morning.”

3 Eggs 1 Teaspoon Instant Coffee 1 Teaspoon Coconut Extract (may substitute with Vanilla Extract) 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 Tablespoon Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup 1 Cup Jameson Whiskey 2 Cups Heavy Cream In a bowl, beat eggs, instant coffee and coconut extract. Add sweetened condensed milk and Hershey’s Syrup.

Beat for thirty seconds. Add whiskey and beat for thirty seconds. Pour mixture into a blender and add two cups of heavy cream and blend for twenty seconds.

Pour into festive glass bottles and keep refrigerated for up to fourteen days. greenwichmag.com

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VENERA ALEXANDROVA

“ part y more, work less , get lifted”

ENTERTAIN “An element of surprise makes things memorable,” says Stacey, who recalls the time clients hired a Trump impersonator to visit the party.

PURE HOLIDAY

Magic

For over 75 years, Winston Flowers has been making holidays sparkle. Allow us to set a festive scene for your family’s most memorable moments with extraordinary floral designs and enchanting displays of interior and exterior holiday dÊcor. winstonflowers.com | (203) 622-4222 | Greenwich | New York | Boston

shop by megan gagnon

AT YOUR SERVICE Nordstrom is here to help

MAKE IT EASY • Express services, a pilot program for the brand, include online order pickup, easy return kiosks and curbside delivery via the Nordstrom app.

• On-site alterations and tailoring • On-call beauty and personal stylists

PAMPER YOURSELF

WHAT’S IN STORE AT THE NEW NORDSTROM? JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING

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top left: Sleek shelves house evening clutches top right: Ready-to-wear collections on the women’s floor center: A variety of Valentinos bottom: The bar setup at Bazille

he beloved department store brand is hoping to attract customers with the promise of more than your average shopping experience. Even the space had to be different, with a wall of windows allowing natural light to pour in and open-concept areas to encourage exploration.

And there is plenty to explore across three levels and 140,000 square feet, an anchor in the newly opened SONO COLLECTION. Tables of Louboutins catch your eye as you enter from the mall, tempting you to try a pair before realizing that the sea of shoes also includes exclusive styles from Prada, Valentino and Golden Goose. Amid other firstfloor accessories sit dedicated handbag boutiques featuring the latest carryalls from Chloé, Mansur Gavriel, Givenchy and Longchamp.

For beauty, the store has overhauled the traditional makeup

counter setup and launched Nordstrom Beauty Haven, highlighting wellness, haircare and must-have products from more than 100 beauty brands.

There’s no lack of options on the second floor, where you’d be wise to enlist one of the store’s stylists to help navigate the racks of your favorite designers, like Veronica Beard, Saloni and Oscar de la Renta. You’ll find looks for greenwichmag.com

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every occasion and sizing options for every body type (even the mannequins reflect a variety of sizes).

After you’ve hit your shopping limit, treat yourself to a meal or drink on the top level. At Bazille, the store’s full-service restaurant and bar, you’ll have views of the men’s offerings, home furnishings and finds for babies and kids.

Whether you’re a Nordstrom devotee or discovering the store for the first time, they’re hoping you’ll stop by, try on, have a glass of wine and shop some more.

• Plant-based and chemical-free manis and pedis in the Base Coat Nail Salon • A menu of facial treatments from the Light Salon range from spot treatments to peels

REFUEL OR RELAX Bazille features contemporary bistro cuisine, handcrafted cocktails and a varied wine list Smoothies, coffee and grab-and-go items are available at Ebar on the first floor

TOP LEFT BY GARVIN BURKE; TOP RIGHT AND CENTER, CONTRIBUTED; BOTTOM BY VENERA ALEXANDROVA

RETAIL,REIMAGINED

• Brow reshaping and sculpting at the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Suite

DEFY INVENTOR

T H E W O R L D ’ S M O S T P O W E R F U L S PA C E S H I P. F O R N O W.

T H E F U T U R E O F S W I S S WATC H M A K I N G S I N C E 18 6 5

Z E N I T H - W AT C H E S . C O M

T I M E T O R E AC H YO U R S TA R

shop

PRESENT PERFECT SMALL-SHOP OWNERS TURN GIFTING INTO BIG BUSINESS

Make It Personal

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t’s been a busy year for SHEILA GROW , owner of SHE LA LA on Greenwich Avenue. She added both a third location to her roster of successful gift boutiques (New Canaan and Westport residents know her shops well) and a third daughter to her young family. While she has plans to expand the business even further with both e-commerce and, eventually, more brickand-mortar stores, her current focus is enjoying her new spot in town. Her decision to open in Greenwich arose from what she saw as a void in the gifting

Personalized finds and gifts for every occasion are scattered throughout the store. greenwichmag.com

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TOY STORY

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or Jared Greenman, toys are a family business.

As the current owner of the new Funky Monkey on Greenwich Ave., Jared draws on the experience of four generations in the industry; his father, Stan, founded the popular Noodle Kidoodle stores before opening Funky Monkey on Long Island fifteen years ago. Both men saw potential in the Greenwich market and decided it would be the perfect place to open a second location and introduce customers to their vision of a colorful destination that is both modern and fun, featuring a wide assortment of the latest in on-trend toys and beloved classics. As the holiday season kicks off, Jared is excited to share

his expertise with a new community of shoppers.

Get started on December 5th, when Funky Monkey partners with the Junior League of Greenwich: All toys will be 10 percent off, and 10 percent of sales will be donated to Neighbor to Neighbor.

Funky Monkey, 86 Greenwich Ave., 203-769-5884, funkymonkey.toys

Jared and Stan Greenman of Funky Monkey

above: Iridescent Bling Boom Box with LED Speakers

HOT FOR HOLIDAY below:

Blazin’ Moto Transforming and Dancing Voice-Activated RC Fire Truck

GROW: XENIA PHOTOGRAPHY; STORE INTERIOR , THOMAS MCGOVERN; GREENMAN: BOB CAPAZZO

Sheila Grow in her new space

space for a destination that truly had it all, from home decor, fashion accessories, clothing and entertaining staples to an entire baby and kids’ department. And then there’s the jewelry. There’s truly something for everyone (and in a range of prices that starts under $24), with fun and colorful statement earrings to luxe pieces from designers like Julie Vos. In-house personalization on most everything sold on the floor makes gifts that much more special, but there is also a variety of gifts-on-the-go that are ready to grab at the last minute.

Celebrating the holidays in her latest space will involve decking the store with seasonal decor and setting up her favorite gifts like hand-painted ornaments and monogrammed aprons, but we’re guessing it’ll also be a time to reflect on the year when she welcomed a new baby and was welcomed into a new community. She La La, 73 Greenwich Ave., 203-7695444; shopshelala.com

“We believe you deserve to feel beautiful, confident, and ready to live your best life today and everyday.”

Dr. Kim Nichols is a board-certified dermatologist.

She is also a lead physician trainer for Allergan; the makers of Botox-Cosmetic®

KIM NICHOLS, MD, FAAD Board-Certified Dermatologist www.KimNicholsMD.com 203.862.4000

Graduated from Harvard University

1997 Received Doctor of Medicine degree from NYU School of Medicine

Named Chief Resident for the Division of Dermatology at King/ Drew-Harbor/UCLA Medical Centers in Los Angeles

Associate Dermatologist at Skin Specialty Dermatology, Upper East Side, NYC

Founded NicholsMD of Greenwich, a boutique dermatology in Greenwich, CT

2006

2007

2013

2002

The NicholsMD Difference: Boutique Care for Beautiful Skin.

50 OLD FIELD POINT ROAD, THIRD FLOOR, GREENWICH CT 06830

Named “Expert Injector”

by New Beauty Magazine

2015

Awarded as one of the top cosmetic dermatology offices in the natiaon by SkinCeuticals.

Founded the first ever Non-Surgical Greenwich Mommy Makeover, featuring EMSCULPT®

2017

2019

home TA BL E S C APE S

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“We chose an untraditional palette, featuring plum-colored vanda orchids and black calla lilies with golden magnolia leaves, to put a modern twist on holiday table décor. To keep the look cohesive, we pulled colors from the floral arrangement to use throughout the table setting. The gold chargers, bronze silverware and magnolialeaf place cards tie in perfectly with the pine cones and other natural elements in the centerpiece arrangement.”

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MERRY & BRIGHT

WHETHER YOUR HOLIDAY STYLE IS SOLIDLY TRADITIONAL OR GRAVITATES TO THE SLIGHTLY UNEXPECTED, DAVID WINSTON, CO-OWNER OF WINSTON FLOWERS, OFFERS SOME THOUGHTS ON HOW TO DECK YOUR HALLS WITH CHIC FESTIVE FLAIR

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“Pine cones and faux bois containers give this sophisticated setting an organic, seasonal look.

Intricately textured arrangements, featuring paper-white anenomes, silvery astrantia, and ivory ranunculus with cascading pieris, evergreens and scarlet berries are placed at different heights to fill the large table and add visual interest. Pairing silver and gold metallics with all those earth tones adds some shimmer and keeps the look feeling fresh.” greenwichmag.com

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CONTRIBUTED

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“This bright, playful setting is perfect for a holiday brunch or lunch. Choosing white and pink double apple blossom amaryllis instead of the traditional red creates a fun, unexpected look that pairs perfectly with whimsical accents like peppermint candies and gingerbread men. We used pine cones, pepperberries and evergreens for the table runner and place settings to keep the look rooted in the season.”

203.489.3800 y hiltonarchitects.com

home

T H E M A NTE L

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“This mantel décor was inspired by the gorgeous metallics found in the room’s existing décor.

Antique gold-painted pine cones, stunning silver ornaments, colorful feathers and elaborate ribbon punctuate the handwoven garland, tying in seamlessly with the beautiful surroundings of the home.”

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T HE T R EE

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“A large grand entryway requires an equally grand tree. Our team customordered this incredible Christmas tree and decorated it with gorgeous red and gold ornaments.

Choosing just one or two colors gives your tree a festive look without feeling too busy or cluttered.”

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THE CENTERPIECE

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“This home is unique in that the architecture is quite traditional, but the décor is very modern. We mirrored that dichotomy by choosing classic holiday elements— pine cones and ilex berries— but using them in a fresh and interesting way. We lined up sugar pine cones in a long, rectangular tray and dispersed berries in water tubes throughout for a clean, modern take on a holiday centerpiece.”

CONTRIBUTED

4

Everything you need from a doctor.

From primary care to specialty care.

It’s important to have a doctor who treats you with expertise and understanding. The physicians and medical staff of Northeast Medical Group rank among the top in the nation for outstanding patient satisfaction.* With more than 130 locations, it’s easy to find the right physician. And with Northeast Medical Group, you have access to the resources of one of the best health systems in the nation – Yale New Haven Health.

855-NEMG-MDS NortheastMedicalGroup.org

*Press Ganey Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CGCAHPS) national survey

Elyse R. Erlich, MD

do by valerie foster

WELCOME HOME

A MOVING AND FASCINATING EXHIBIT EXPLORES A VARIETY OF LOCAL IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCES

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aha Karamahad, Diana Venegas and Icli Zitella might not know each other but they speak the same language—one of hope, perseverance, resilience, courage, bright futures, opportunity and love of country. They are all immigrants, all living the American Dream, and all are part of the inspiring exhibit An American Story: Finding Home in Fairfield County, now at the Greenwich Historical Society through Monday, January 6.

The current exhibit, originally organized by the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants and the Fairfield Museum and History Center, has been expanded to incorporate the story of

twelve immigrants to Greenwich. They hail from Chile, Italy, India, Mexico, Moldavia and the Soviet Union. “We wanted to bring in more Greenwich stories,” says Debra Mecky, executive director and CEO of the Greenwich Historical Society. “Each story is so moving, so important. I have never met more grateful people.”

These local stories, however, have global significance. “This exhibit is a chance for us to talk about the immigrant experience in Greenwich, and it is also so important because of the timeliness of the topic, with all the controversy around immigrants and refugees.”

Here is a preview of some of the compelling stories being told.

greenwichmag.com

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Maha Karamahad fled Syria five years ago with her two young daughters, leaving her husband and home behind. For her, the bombings and civil strife were just too much. “I longed for a safer place for me and my daughters. I wanted them to feel safe, to have a future.” She fled to Egypt, working as an English translator and teacher for three years until she was granted resettlement here through the United Nations. She lives in Greenwich, works at Save the Children and has a large circle of friends. Her children are thriving, exactly what she wished for when she made the almost-impossible decision to flee her homeland. “Once I had no hope.

Now, I have so much.”

“i l onged for a safer pl ace for me and my daughters.”

Family Ties

On a High Note

Diana Venegas was only two when her parents emigrated from Colombia twenty-four years ago to a one-bedroom apartment on Greenwich Avenue. It was there her brother was born. Her father worked many jobs—line cook, delivery man, in movie theaters—and her mom cleaned houses. By the time she entered high school, her parents had scraped together enough money to buy a home in Stamford. After high school she joined the Marines and is now a senior at the University of Connecticut.

Her future plans: a criminal justice master’s degree from the University of New Haven and then a career in the FBI. “The United States gives us all the opportunity to grow regardless of our socioeconomic status. My family is the stereotypical hardworking immigrant family and that makes me so proud. I want them to know that everything they sacrificed wasn’t in vain.”

Icli Zitella was a violinist with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Venezuela and a professor of music.

In 2012 he came to the United States to work on his master’s degree, was granted a 0-1 Visa, given to those who demonstrate an extraordinary ability in their field, and now lives in Greenwich with his wife and son. “I love the United States,” Zitella says.

“To live in a country where there is respect and unalienable rights is a gift. If you don’t have rights, you have nothing. The United States is not perfect, but for me, it is the most perfect country in the world.”

“t o live in a c ountry where there is respect and unalienable rights is a g ift. ”

“the united states gives us all the opp ortunit y t o grow regardless of our so cioec onomic status.”

GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY

For the Little Ones TODDLER STORY TIME Educator Deborah Kupper enchants the littlest listeners with international folklore, songs and movement. Weekly on Wednesdays, 11 a.m., free.

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46 Strickland Road, Cos Cob; 203-869-6899 Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m–5 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, noon–4 p.m.

MAHA KARAMAHAD AND DIANA VENEGAS BY CAREN WINNALL; ICLI ZITELLA BY ELAINE UBINA

Searching for Safety

Congratulations

Michael R. Parker Light a Fire 2019 Best Health Advocate

Laurel House, Inc. thanks Michael for his years of service as a Board Director and mental health advocate

Method for Life

ÂŽ

109 Greenwich Avenue | www.greenwichbarrestudio.com | 203-900-1400 DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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g–mom by eileen bartels

APP-Y HOLIDAYS! GET YOUR MERRY ON WITH A FEW QUICK DOWNLOADS

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN!

CHRISTMAS RADIO (XMAS RADIO)

Countdown the days, hours, minutes, seconds and even number of heartbeats until Christmas with this app that works like an Advent calendar for your phone. Learn holiday facts, select a Christmas-themed wallpaper and unwrap a virtual gift every day.

No need to be beholden to limited Sirius holiday channels. With over 140 stations from Kristmas Kountry to Christmas Carols, Christmas Radio puts a jingle in everyone’s step. And to help keep the kids believing a little longer, there’s a station that broadcasts from the North Pole.

LIVE CHRISTMAS WALLPAPER Access a variety of live 3-D Christmas wallpapers that will count down the days until Christmas or the New Year.

THE BIG NIGHT Christmas Eve is finally here! Use these apps to watch Santa’s progress as he makes his way to your chimney.

GOOGLE SANTA TRACKER Following in the footsteps of NORAD, Google Santa Tracker allows kids to visit Santa’s village, play games and count down to the St. Nick’s arrival.

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NORAD SANTA TRACKER Every December since 1955 North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)has launched its annual Santa tracking event.

The app features games and videos as well as up-to-the-minute tracking of Santa as he makes his way around the world.

ELF ON THE SHELF IDEAS

We know, Elf on the Shelf is the bane of most parents existence. This app features photos for creative inspiration— from quick and easy (you’re half asleep and realize the Elf hasn’t been moved) to creative and complex (you’ve got some time on your hands and want a great Instagram post). There are also ideas on how the Elf can send a farewell message to your family when he (thankfully) departs for the season.

ELFYOURSELF

Upload a picture of yourself, your child, husband, friend or even the dog and the app will create a video featuring any one of you as a dancing elf— of course, shareable across all social media platforms.

PHOTOGRAPH OF CELLPHONE ©INDYSYSTEM - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

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he lists, th e shopping , the wrapping … at this time of y ear it’s ea sy to feel more fren zied than festive.

So we’ve rounded up s om e apps to h elp you g et—and stay—org anized an d in the spirit. Th ey’re all fr ee at the App S tore or G oogle Play, but some featu re ads and/o r addition al upgrades for a fee.

Don’t forget to activate th e family sh aring featu re to allow the whole fam ily to download and share .

DEAR SANTA There are a number of wonderful new apps that allow your children to connect with the Big Guy right from your phone.

FREE CHRISTMAS RINGTONES

Select from an assortment of very merry ringtones to keep every call and notification jolly. Set different ringtones for different friends.

ALL APP ILLUSTRATIONS CONTRIBUTED

MY MENORAH 4 CHANUKAH

Designed for young children, this 3-D interactive game lets kids set up their own menorah each day, spin the dreidel to get the color of the next candle and light candles with the friendly Menorah character as their guide. Children can celebrate and have fun learning Hebrew/ English numbers and foundational Hebrew skills and knowledge about the festival of Chanukah and the special mitzvah of lighting the Menorah.

PORTABLE NORTH POLE (PNP)

ONE TODAY

The holidays are a time for giving and luckily, there’s an app for that. One Today features a different U.S. nonprofit organization every day, based on your interests. You can then choose to donate between $1 to $10 for each project. Your entire donation goes to the nonprofit, you get a convenient year-end tax receipt, and your private contact info is not given to the nonprofits. You can even set up a donation rally with your friends on social media.

TRIPIT: TRAVEL PLANNER Make traveling for the holidays easier by using this handy app to store your travel details like flight numbers, confirmation codes and destination addresses.

Parents can arrange for kids to receive personalized videos direct from the North Pole. Video messages are free, but for an additional fee parents can access more detailed personalizations and views of Santa’s village.

An added feature is the Reaction Recorder that allows parents to capture their child as they speak to Santa in a picture-in-picture recording. A huge first name database ensures that Santa can pronounce even the most unique name.

SANTA’S SECRET KEEPER

Organizing a family, class or book club gift exchange is easy with this app. You set gift-giving details, gift minimums and maximum, and invite participants.

The app does the Secret Santa matching and sends emails notifying participants who they’ll be shopping for.

MESSAGE FROM SANTA! Request free personalized calls or videos from Santa, call Santa’s voicemail or text him. The app allows customization of interests for a variety of children.

SANTA’S MAGIC PHONE This app allows children to call or text Santa. Parents can work with Santa so he can congratulate a child for good manners or let them know they have been taken off the naughty list.

MAKING A LIST & CHECKING IT TWICE If you are a list maker, use one of the following apps to shop, stay on budget and remember what you already wrapped in the closet.

ANYLIST

WHERE IS SANTA LITE

Looking for something to track more than just holiday shopping?

From groceries to gifts, AnyList allows you to create and share a variety of lists with family. The app also organizes holiday menus and recipes.

Keep kids up to date by showing them where Santa Claus is right at the moment, even in the off-season. Allow the app to know your location, and it will show your home on GPS with a countdown to when Santa will arrive.

CHRISTMAS LIST APP This app allows users to create a wish list, add items from around the web, share the list with family and friends and track budgets and shopping progress. No idea what to get someone? Check out the curated list of gift ideas.

SANTA’S BAG Santa’s Bag helps you keep track of just what each person wants, how much you want to spend, and even if you’ve wrapped the gift.

(Sorry this one is iOS only.) G

DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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Come For Our Holiday Mix. Before Your Holiday Mixer.

BOTOX® And Juvederm® It’s the holiday season. Now’s the time to schedule an appointment at Greenwich Medical Spa for our special Holiday Mix. Before the holiday mixers. Mixing treatments of BOTOX and Juvederm works like magic to rejuvenate your skin, smoothing and flattening wrinkles, while lifting and replacing lost volume. The result is a fresher, more youthful appearance. We can schedule both injectable treatments during one appointment. Don’t wait. Schedules have been filling up fast. Look your holiday best. Come in now for our Holiday Mix. Before the holiday mixers.

e s t. 2 0 0 5

Greenwich • Westport • Scarsdale greenwichmedicalspa.com • 203.637.0662

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Medical Director: Mitchell Ross, MD, Board Certified Dermatologist Catherine Curtin, APRN • Amanda Pucci, APRN • Shilpa Desai, PA

people&PLACES by alison nichols gr ay

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CANDACE BUSHNELL & GREENWICH MAGAZINE / Saks Fifth Avenue

Sex in the ’Burbs?

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he shoe department at Saks looked even more glam than usual on the night greenwich magazine welcomed author Candice Bushnell to town. The Sex in the City creator was stunning in a brocaded mini dress by Stella McCartney while she read passages from her new novel, Is There Still Sex in the City? Saks Fifth Avenue generously donated 10 percent of the event’s sales to benefit the Greenwich United Way’s Sole Sisters initiative. greenwichunitedway.org »

1 Anastasia Mi, Candace Bushnell 2 Victoria Newman, Sarah Fugelsang, Melissa Frey, JoAnn Slattery 3 Victoria Triplett, Ali Wolfe 4 Teresa Ward, Joe Gambino 5 Alexandra DeBourcey, Caroline Hanson 6 Claudia Montufar, Jennifer Ringelstein 7 Irina Protsenko, Dr. Inna Lazar DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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people SAKS FIFTH AVENUE & GREENWICH UNITED WAY Saks Fifth Avenue 1

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1 Alessandra Messineo Long, Rachel Matthews, Sue Bodson 2 Joel Hauer, Nancy Levier 3 Clarena McBeth, Kristen Riemer, Julie Lorig, Stephanie Chawla 4 Standing Room Only 5 Candace reading to the crowd 6 Katiana Terkhina, Irina Protsenko, Katya McGaffey 7 Loren Taufield, Irene Ponce, Dee Hickey 8 Riann Smith, "Carrie Dragshaw," Cristin Marandino 9 Michelle Hanley, Candance Bushnell, Eryn Bingle, Trish Kirsch greenwichmag.com

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10 DJ April Larken 11 Kathleen Godbold, Candace Bushnell 12 Laz Ioannidis, Casey Coleman, Whitley Verdiner, Annette Perry 13 Ryan Woodworth, Johnny Machado 14 Kremena Doust, Robin Bailey 15 Hot off the presses 16 Pamela Kuhn, Wendy Mages 17 Ginger Stickel, Candace Bushnell, Jill Schecter, Natalie Stein, Laura Tobias 18 Rebecca Shenkman, Graci Djuranovic 19 A Saks swag bag »

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1 Jen Bedoya, Teegan Morrison Kurd, Hilary Morrison 2 A chestnut beauty 3 Stacy McRandal, Janet Hoekstra, Alice Siess, Judson Potter, Trevor Crow Mullineaux 4 Anita Keefe, Darby Cartun, Lisa Bailey Cassidy 5 Adreanne Hinojos, Bennie Wallace 6 Up close and personal 7 Donna Moffly, Kim Gregory 8 Jenni Freedman, Paulena Lynch 9 Romona Norton, Shelly Tretter Lynch 10 Mrs. Milliken’s birthday cake 11 Patricia Ekvall, Christine Calszolano 12 Michael Kovner, Jean de Montaillou, Michael Scully

GREENWICH RIDING & TRAILS ASSOCIATION / The Milliken Family Estate

Back Country Vibes

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he ninety-eighth annual Greenwich Horse Show was a fabulous day at the Milliken family estate. Guests enjoyed a lovely luncheon and bid on incredible items in the silent auction, all while watching gorgeous ponies gracefully gallop and jump their way around the field. The afternoon supports the GRTA mission to preserve, protect and promote open space in our big, beautiful green town. thegrta.org » greenwichmag.com

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MOFFLY MIEDIA’S BIG PICTURE / BOB CAPAZZO

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Happy Holidays!

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Rudy’s great-great-great Grandfather Rudolph set the standard for being on-time years ago. Today, Rudy’s fleet is the largest in the Northeast, with over 100 luxury vehicles including Cadillac and Mercedes.

Happy Holidays and our heartfelt thanks to our clients who have supported us for over 60 years.

EXPERIENCED. TRADITIONAL. RELIABLE.

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487 East Main Street • Mt. Kisco, NY

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grand

ntrance

Season's Greetings We design and build high quality wrought iron gates and railings, wood gates and fencing, automated gate systems, security and entry systems, handcrafted stone walls, pillars, stairs and patios.

see our gallery of pictures at grandentrance.com DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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HOUSEHOLD | PERSONAL | DOMESTIC | BUSINESS

PROVIDING THE BEST IN HIGHLY SKILLED PRIVATE, PERSONAL, BUSINESS AND HOUSEHOLD STAFF

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We are looking for fantastic photos of Greenwich and Greenwich people to feature every month on our new back page. If you would like a chance to be published in Greenwich magazine and win $100 here’s what you should know:

CONTACT STEPHEN IN THE GREENWICH OFFICE 203-856-7811 | stephen@privatestaffgroup.com GREENWICH

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DREW KLOTZ KINE T IC SCULPTURE

• Photos can be whimsical, historical, serene, funny or beautiful but they all must be taken in Greenwich.

• Photos must be submitted digitally to editor@mofflymedia.com and be 300 dpi and 7 inches high or larger.

• We will need: 1) Photographer’s name, address, phone number and e-mail 2) Subject of the photograph (identify people in the photo) 3) Location of the photograph 4) Inspiration behind the photograph 5) Any interesting anecdote about the photograph or featured subject

We can’t wait to see your view of Greenwich!

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1 Zibby and Cory Perkins 2 Jorge and Natasha Restrepo 3 Dinner is served 4 Auctioneer Sebastian Clarke 5 Sue and Greg Hendrick 6 Jim and Amy Keary

WINSTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL / Cipriani 42nd Street

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LOUIS CHAN AND TOM VOLPE

Live, Learn, Love

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inston Preparatory School recently held its spectacular 2019 annual Spring Benefit, 500 Reasons Why, at Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan.

Families, friends and professionals from all five campuses across the tri-state area came out to support the school and its students.

The evening featured a student band performance, dinner, dancing and an exciting auction hosted by Sebastian Clarke from PBS’s Antiques Roadshow. Funds raised will benefit ongoing research and program development for students with learning differences. winstonprep.edu » DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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1 George, Melanie, Nicholas and Artemios Villis 2 Travis, Elisa and Tyler Wilson 3 Marina and Robert Jacobson 4 Coop, Sam and Hank Cleaves 5 Kimberlie and Harry Fett 6 Fabiola and Noah Pierre 7 Spencer and Alicia Petrini 8 Nicholas, Emily and Ben Burns 9 Tracy and Andrew Grossman 10 Gina and Cole Pate

BRUNSWICK SCHOOL / Fasion Show & Luncheon

Family Meets Fashion

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he annual Brunswick School fashion show and luncheon was once again a smashing success. Mothers and sons looked tres chic working the runway with a little help from Saks Fifth Avenue and Vineyard Vines. Eunice Burnett and Caroline Mock cochaired the afternoon. Proceeds from the event will be devoted to enhancing the outdoor spaces at the Middle School campus and build the Jeff Long ’01 Scholarship Fund. brunswickschool.org 

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF BRUNSWICK SCHOOL

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19 11 Cassandra Tribble and Cory Johnson 12 Crosby and William George 13 Neel, Nisha and Kiran Behringer 14 Will, Eileen, Patrick and Jay O’Connor 15 Colin, Michelle and Ryan Mulshine 16 Hunter, Leason and Keen Cercy 17 Myles, Hunter, Greta and Tucker Spiess 18 Sarah and Harry Barringer 19 Kirsten and George Riemer » DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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GREENWICH SENTINEL FOUNDATION / The Greenwich Audubon

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ou could really feel the love in the room at the Greenwich Audubon when people came out to honor local resident and garden guru James McArdle. The Greenwich Sentinel hosted the event along with cochairs Sabrina Forsythe, Jeb Fiorita and Susan Wohlforth. James was presented with the 2019 Greenwich Sentinel Award by Police Chief Jim Heavey, a previous award recipient. The McArdle family has been making our town look lush and beautiful since they opened their doors in 1910. greenwichsentinel.com G

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY BOB CAPAZZO

He Puts the Green in Greenwich

1 Will, Christine and James McArdle 2 Rich and Jenny Byxbee 3 Sue Bodson, Rep. Livvy Floren, Mike Bodson 4 Sabrina Forsythe and a wise owl 5 Bobbie Eggers, Lauren Walsh, Icy Frantz 6 Shari Asher, Bill James 7 Jeb Fiorita, Sharon Sweeney-Steffann 8 Trish Kirsh, Gabriella Carbonetti 9 Janice and John Hone 10 Fred Camillo, Bob Capazzo 11 Alexandra DeBourcey, Georgine Capazzo 12 Congressman Jim Himes, Senator Richard Blumenthal

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HELEN SHAW WOOLWORTH & MORGAN RYAN BROWN 1

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n a hot Saturday morning in Nashville, Helen Woolworth went for a walk in a nearby park with her dog, Huckleberry. Morgan Brown happened to be visiting the area that day with his parents, and they, too, went for a walk in the same park. Helen, a resident of Virginia, was living in Nashville for six weeks taking courses at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. Morgan, a United States Army Officer, was stationed at Fort Campbell and visiting nearby Nashville for the weekend.

Now, back to that park. As the groups passed one another, Morgan’s mom commented on Huckleberry and they all struck up a conversation. Although Helen was due to return to Virginia the next day, her four-legged matchmaker wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip away—he promptly sat on Morgan’s feet. Morgan took the hint and asked Helen for her number. They dated long distance for a year and a half when, just before a six-month deployment to the Middle East, Morgan proposed on New Year’s Eve. Thankfully, he returned home safely and the couple was married just two weeks later.

Rev. Ian Cron officiated at the ceremony at Stanwich Congregational Church in Greenwich, with Huckleberry as the “best dog.” A reception followed at the Round Hill Club, where the groom received a standing ovation for his military service. The bride and groom cut the cake with the graduation sword from West Point.

The bride, daughter of Rick and Jill Woolworth of Greenwich, graduated from Groton School, Davidson College and Vanderbilt University. She works at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia.

The groom, son of Morgan and Kara Brown of San Antonio, Texas, graduated from Texas Military Institute, U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. He is an officer in the United States Army.

The newlyweds spent their honeymoon in Exuma, Bahamas. They live in Alexandria, Virginia. G

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1 The wedding party 2 The newlyweds exit the church 3 Whitney Steele, Kaitlin Sennatt, Suzanne Sennatt 4 Their something blue, an open-topped Land Rover Defender 5 Rick and Jill Woolworth, Helen and Morgan Brown DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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Gifted & Talented romona norton

may have a megawatt smile and legs for days, but her heart is her hottest feature.

She’s not only making a difference this holiday season— she’s helping to kick-start a new generation of global giving

by riann smith • phot o gr aphy by kyle nort on HAIR AND MAKEUP BY NATALIE BENHABIB AT GLAMBLOW; JEWELRY BY GRAFF AT THE VAULT, GREENWICH; STYLED BY LILY PISKIC AT RICHARDS; MONICA NARO AT SAKS, GREENWICH

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L

et’s get this out of the way: Romona Norton looks like a movie star. And with a couple of films under her belt (go ahead, Google her IMDB; yes, right now), she kind of is.

Gliding into Greenwich events with her shiny locks and signature Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo—of course she owns more than one—the woman certainly cuts a chic figure. Which is why you might choke on your spiked nog knowing that this movie star, this tux-wearing goddess of Greenwich, grew up plucking chickens in Guyana and had to flee at age twenty-one for fear of being kidnapped. Take that to your producer.

ness that was the lifeline to an entire region, Romona’s family would take a pause, rest when Drama aside, Romona’s upbringing deeply inthey could. Especially given their unnerving forms how she and husband, Jeffrey, raise their reality—back then, if your parents owned a daughters Kala, eleven, and Lila, nine, especially business, kidnapping was a thing, a threat, an come Christmastime. “I grew up in Guyana ever-present possibility. But laying low just among a wide mix of ethnic and religious cuswasn’t the Ramgobin way; there was too much toms,” Romona says, her voice a hushed caslove to give. “Doing volunteer work was a key cade of melodic vowels that could lull even the part of Christmas and the rest of the year,” crankiest child to sleep. “Christmas was more of Romona says. “From my youngest days, my an adopted holiday than an indigenous one, but parents worked regularly with local orphanin Guyana, everyone usually celebrated all the ages to help them provide for the children.” holidays regardless of their faith. Christmas was Along with her mother and sister, preteen Rosimple for us, and my present was usually some SEASONS OF SERVICE mona would get up at 4 a.m. and prep food for small toys, half an apple and some grapes, which You’d think with the stress of running a busiorphanages. “I was always the cook and Vanita at the time was a major indulgence for a young cleaned because she was tergirl in Guyana,” she reFAMILY TIES: Two-year-old Romona • Romona (right) with her sister rible at cooking, and she’s still members. “When I got Vanita and parents, Sammy and Mohanie • Mohanie working the register at VanRo a terrible cook to this day,” older, I was allowed to Romona whisper-laughs, bepick one present from traying a certain lovely, unmy parents’ grocery tainted girlishness. “On my store. I always chose a birthday, I would wake up to perfume set.” cook for 100 to 150 people, The grocery store, because it is believed in my called VanRo (a fusion culture that the more people of her name and older you feed on your birthday, the sister Vanita’s), was more blessings will come to attached to Romona’s you. On Hindu holidays we house and opened when she was twelve. For a girl who sold chickens and pineapples since age nine, it laid the literal foundation for her growing work ethic. After homework, afternoons were spent working at the store. “It was the main food supply for most of the villages in our area, so we were always open throughout the holidays, including Christmas Eve and a half-day on Christmas,” she says plainly, without the woeis-me edge one might expect. “On weekends, I worked on my family’s chicken farm, plucking and packaging.”

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CONTRIBUTED

HUMBLE HOLIDAY

Romona with daughters Lila and Kala

ETHIOPIA: Greenwich Academy students donated boots to children in the Omo Valley, who live with infections on their feet from walking without shoes. “We are currently building a school and hope to dig a well if we can acquire the funds,” says Romona.

HONDURAS: Romona helped host a party for all the kids in a village in Tegucigalpa. • The boys at Cento Jivenil San Vincent De Paul orphanage received backpacks filled with underwear, T-shirts and sneakers.

GUYANA: Romona in Georgetown • The children at Joshua House received backpacks filled with essentials. “Thanks to social media, I still maintain a relationship with the older orphans,” she says.

GREENWICH GIVES

she ships everything in paper and plastic barrels, the latter of which serves a dual-purpose: to collect rainwater that can be boiled and used as drinking water.

would get up and cook as well,” she adds. For a moment, she appears almost astonished by the memory. “I have to be honest, it was exhausting. I remember going to school at 9 a.m. and all I wanted to do was sleep. When you’re twelve and thirteen, you don’t see the big picture,” she says, shaking her head. But the tradition stuck. To this day, Romona still sends the Guyana orphanage ice cream or cake on her birthday as well as on her children’s.

While she may not be the “tough cookie” she considers her mother to be, Romona instinctively carries her torch. “It is important for me to pass on this act of kindness to my kids as my parents did with me,” she says. Putting her accounting and marketing degree (earned primarily in Guyana with her last year at NYU) to good use, Romona galvanizes our already philanthropic community to give and gets the job done, often paying for shipping out of her own pocket. “Every year, we team up as a family and collect, pack and ship donations to orphanages in South America in October that arrive the first week of December,” says

Consider this: One Benjamin feeds an entire orphanage. If you’re interested in making a 100 percent taxdeductible donation to supply food, clothing and education at one of the four orphanages Romona has personally worked with, go to our special holiday link at trekkingforkids.org/greenwichgives.

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MEXICO: Taking the girls in Chiapas for a picnic • The girls at the orphanage Escuela Granja in Chiapas each received a backpack filled with school supplies and goodies.

‘Every year, we team up as a family and collect, pack and ship donations to orphanages in South America in October that arrive the first week of December,’ says Romona.

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A FAMILY VACATION: Romona, Jeffrey,

Lila and Kala in Thailand

Romona. “My girls help with all aspects of this work, including recruiting fellow students and their families at Greenwich Academy to provide clothes, books, toys, sports equipment and other items as donations. When we have enough, we bring it all to Queens where we send it to the orphanages through Laparkan and DHL.” She ships everything in paper and plastic barrels, the latter of which serves a dual-purpose: to collect rainwater that can be boiled and used as drinking water.

GLOBAL GIVING

For Romona’s family, life lessons don’t end locally. After spending Christmas Day with her sister’s family on Long Island, Team Norton packs their bags and lets their passports lead the way. “Over the years we have used

Doing volunteer work was a key part of Christmas and the rest of the year. from my youngest days my parents worked regularly with local orphanages to help them provide for the children.

Christmas and other school breaks to travel extensively through the Caribbean, South and Central America, Europe and Asia,” says Romona, who never had the opportunity to travel growing up. “All of my free time and school breaks were used for work at the market,” she says, and considers these immersive adventures gifts in themselves. This holiday, they’ll be going to Belize and reaching out to an orphanage during their stay. “You’d be shocked at how easy it is to ask your hotel’s concierge to connect you. It’s often forty kids or more in one orphanage so the need is always there. It could be sharing a meal or simply paying for supplies.

Twenty tubes of toothpaste go a long way.”

These trips are also teeing up her girls—and their peers—for a greater purpose. “Over the past several years I have been working with Trekking for Kids, a nonprofit that assists orphanages throughout the world,” says Romona, who has organized groups of volunteers to raise donations and volunteer at orphanages in Ethiopia, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico and Portugal.

In the summer of 2020, Romona, her eldest daughter, Kala, and a team of five Greenwich mothers and daughters will visit an orphanage in South America for four to five days. It will be the fifth-grade girls’ first foray into volunteering in a third world country, complete with construction jobs, new kitchen installs, fence-work…and heightened responsibility. “It’s the kind of trip that requires a level of discipline and commitment,” explains Romona. “If I say we need to get in the car or if I say you need to paint this or help in the garden in a certain way, they need to have the maturity to execute on it, instead of goofing off and spraying each other with water.”

Romona’s seriousness underscores not just her approach to charity work, but the holiday spirit she hopes Kala and Lila will wholeheartedly embrace. “As my daughters get older, Christmas is moving away from a time for presents and becoming an opportunity to understand the different ways of life around the globe and provide assistance where we can,” she says, eyes bright and unblinking. “I think it’s important for my girls to view the world as G their neighborhood.”

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The Santa Cause

5 E A SY WAYS TO G I V E L O C A L LY T H I S SE A S ON

Ronald McDonald House Shop, prep, and cook a brunch or dinner for twenty-five at theValhalla location.

Kids are welcome helpers. Holiday meals book up in advance, but you can also reserve a date for 2020. Groups of five to six are preferred. rmh-ghv.org Inspirica Help those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless by fulfilling a wish list for a child through holidayhelper@ inspiricact.org. You can also donate to the Holiday Gift Collection and volunteer at The Big Wrap, its annual gift-wrapping party. inspiricact.org Domus Kids Domus creates gift lists for over 1,000 struggling youth in Stamford and New Haven, offers a Holiday Mall volunteer experience in mid-December, where Domus families can “shop” for gifts, and even the opportunity to “adopt a family” for the season. domuskids.org Kids in Crisis KIC provides free, round-the-clock crisis counseling and temporary shelter for infants, children and teens. If you are interested in fulfilling a child’s holiday wish list or providing a meal for a family, contact communityservices@ kidsincrisis.org.

Greenwich Social Services Spring for a gift for a resident seeking self-sufficiency and economic independence. Gloves, hats or scarves can be dropped off at the Greenwich Housing Authority Office at 249 Milbank Avenue by Friday, December 13.

You may also provide a Christmas food basket by emailing Alison.Brush@ greenwichct.org.

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by jamie marshall • phot o gr aphy by kyle nort on

EVERY LITTLE THING HE DOES IS MAGIC After nearly fifty years in the spotlight,

BILL ERZ

still has plenty of tricks up his sleeve

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A

Ask Bill Herz what’s on his mind and chances are he’ll say magic.

“I’m always thinking about it,” he says. “My family calls it ‘going into Billy’s world.’” Herz shrugs his shoulders and laughs. “I’m passionate about magic. Always have been.”

That passion has led to a career spanning almost five decades, counting his performances at kids’ birthday parties when he was ten and eleven— for a fee of fifty cents per child. Back then, Herz would take the train into New York City from his home in Larchmont where he’d hang out at Tannen’s Magic Shop with other young magicians, including his longtime pal, David Copperfield. “It was the place to learn magic,” recalls Herz. “There was always someone willing to mentor us.”

Today, as one among a small circle of renowned magicians, the Riverside resident continues to practice the craft he loves while running Magicorp Productions, which he and his wife, Gwenn, founded in 1988.

The company is a full-service corporate event facilitator that offers everything from stand-up shows and close-up magic to awards banquets and keynote presentations. Herz and his wife book about 400 corporate events a year, becoming the largest supplier of magicians, illusionist, mind readers and variety artists in the world. It also represents an exclusive roster of twenty top magicians, including Copperfield, Mac King (whose show at Harrah’s is the longest-running magic show in Las Vegas), and Michael Carbonaro (currently on Netflix).

As if all that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, these days Herz is consumed by his latest passion project, a late afternoon magic series that alternates on Sundays at the Delamar hotels in Southport and Greenwich (delamarmagic.com).

He may be at the top of his field but Herz didn’t always plan on a career in magic. After high school, he attended Amherst College where he majored in political science and English, then spent nearly two years as an assistant entertainment director and a magician at Club Med. “The pay was lousy, but the perks were great,” he recalls. At twenty-four, he decided to pursue an MBA. He landed at Cornell, where he also got a degree in hotel and restaurant administration, with the idea that he would eventually open a magic-themed restaurant. After graduation, he went to work for a small marketing firm on Long Island. He lasted five months. “That was when I realized magic was it for me,” Herz says.

He and a juggler friend hightailed it to India where they traveled around the country performing for community organizations. “It was a great experience. But we weren’t making any money and after about three months it was time to go home.” Back in the States, Herz set out to forge a full-time career as a magician. He had grown up in the corporate world—his father and his father’s friends all worked for big companies.

“I was very comfortable in that world,” he says. “I knew I wanted to perform for corporate events, so I started knocking on doors.”

The response was lukewarm at first, but eventually his client list grew. Companies such as 3M, American Express and IBM hired him to do shows at sales meetings, conferences, seminars and incentive gatherings. At a London event, the CEO of Liberty Life Insurance asked Herz to teach him a trick to perform in front of his employees to help communicate key points. “It went over like gangbusters,” Herz recalls.

A few weeks later, while doing a trade show for Fuji, Herz

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With David Copperfield in Las Vegas, where Copperfield was brought in to make a Toyota appear in front of 5,000 of the company’s employees: Bill, Mac King, comedian Pat Hazel, Copperfield, magician Andrew Mayne, producer Chris Kenner and Bill’s daughter, Dana • At a Google event in San Francisco: David Blaine, Mac King, Bill Herz, Daniel Garcia

mentioned the London experience to a couple of the sales managers.

“They said, ‘We have a meeting soon. Can you teach us a trick?’” Two weeks after that, he got the same response while doing a trade show for General Motors. “I called my wife and said there is a business here.” And Magicorp was born.

From their Riverside home, Gwenn oversees the financing and marketing, while Herz handles the performing and teaching side of the business. “Teaching the executives how to do a trick is the easy part,” says Herz. “One of the most popular is turning product into a bowl of cash, the idea being to show how profitable it’s going to be.” He recalls a recent event involving a large pharmaceutical company with 1,800 attendees. “Everyone got a deck of cards. The CEO said, ‘I want to prove we are on the same page.’ He had everyone cut their cards. All the top cards were different. He then said, ‘If we work in unison, that’s when the magic occurs.’ The audience cut the cards again. This time every top card was the same. That blew everyone away.”

Although he’s always amenable to teaching friends a party trick or two, he doesn’t make a practice of offering lessons. “I don’t have time,” he says.

If someone is really serious about learning the trade, he recommends they start by going to a magic shop and then joining a local magic club. Alternatively, they can go to Herz’s website billherz.com, where he has a whole section on tricks anybody can do.

At a sales meeting for Travelers Insurance in Orlando, Florida • Bill was the featured performer at a dinner hosted by Joe Biden for the Invictus Games (Olympics for wounded soldiers from around the world). • With movie producer Brian Grazer greenwichmag.com

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As a corporate magician, Herz’s work has taken him from every major city in the U.S. to such far-flung spots as Dubai, Shanghai, Mumbai and Moscow. He has performed on trains (think Orient Express), planes (Virgin Atlantic), cruise ships (the QE2), and private yachts (Malcolm Forbes’s Highlander, for instance). He has performed for royalty (Prince Albert of Monaco) and heads of state (including U.S. presidents Obama, Clinton, both Bushes and Ronald Reagan). He has even done magic for Donald Trump, “before he was president,” says Herz, “but that’s another story.”

As for movie stars, he’s rubbed elbows with the who’s who of Hollywood. When he was still a student at Amherst, Herz was good friends with Gregory Peck’s son, Tony, and he frequently did magic tricks for Peck and his wife, Veronique, when they came to visit. When they invited him to L.A. to perform during a dinner party, he figured it would be a small family gathering. “It wasn’t until I was seated with Cary Grant on one side of me and Fred Astaire on the other that I realized this wasn’t just any old dinner party.”

He has even done magic for the U.S. Supreme Court justices. “The ones you think don’t have a great sense of humor do and vice versa,” he says. “I had a great time with [Antonin] Scalia on stage. He was charming.” He also used to do shows for conservative congressman Jack Kemp.

“He hired me to follow him around at fundraisers,” says Herz. “I’d walk up to a group behind Jack, and after a few minutes he’d turn around

ONE

IT’S HARDER TO MAKE AN ELEPHANT DISAPPEAR THAN IT IS A RABBIT.

“The weird thing about magic—the bigger the prop the easier it is,” says Herz. “We are working on something in Turkey right now. They are building a new airport and they want us to make a jetliner appear. It’s easy. Whether a plane, car or elephant, there are ten different ways it can happen. You just need to know the venue.”

TWO

THE BRIGHTER THE GROUP, THE HARDER IT IS TO FOOL.

“It’s just the opposite,” says Herz. “Smart people think in a very logical way, from A to B to C to D. Magicians seem to go from A to D, bypassing B and C. We don’t skip the steps, you just didn’t see them.”

FOUR THE HAND IS QUICKER THAN THE EYE.

“Not true,” says Herz. “It just appears that way. We can divert you, but the hand is not quicker than the eye.”

THREE MAGICIANS HATE IT WHEN YOU ASK THEM HOW THEY DID SOMETHING COOL. “Not at all,” says Herz.

“It means we were successful.”

FIVE

SO THEY WILL GLADLY SHARE THEIR TRADE SECRETS? “Not a chance,” Herz promises.

“Magic is the only thing that lets you be a kid again. If I can take you on a mini vacation for an hour, if I can take your mind off things, I’ve done my job.”

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and say, have you seen the magician? I’d do a few tricks, which allowed him to move on. He really knew how to work a room.”

Herz still performs about seventy-five shows a year—ranging from intimate groups of twenty to large groups of 5,000 or more. “Magic is the only thing that lets you be a kid again,” he says. “If I can take you on a mini vacation for an hour, if I can take your mind off things, I’ve done my job.”

But he has gotten pickier with age. “I’m tired of the pretentious blacktie fundraisers where people are so busy talking and showing off,” he says.

“Going into a children’s hospital or a senior center, that’s really cool. One of my most memorable magic moments was performing in the streets of India for the kids in the slums.”

Herz spends a good chunk of every year scouting new talent at places like the Edinburgh Magic Festival and the nightclubs of Las Vegas. “I can tell you the names of every fifteen-year-old throughout the country who will be hot in five years,” he says. One of those, coincidentally, is Ben Zabin (a greenwich magazine 2017 Teen to Watch), who Herz has mentored since he was a young boy. “On his twenty-first birthday, Ben would rather sit there and practice tricks. And that’s how I know he’s the real deal.”

CONNECTICUT TO CUBA Being more selective has given him time to pursue projects that he’s most passionate about. Last year, for instance, he coproduced Cuba’s first magic festival. Why Cuba? “I’d always wanted to go,” he says. “I have a friend who had lived there, and he said, ‘Let’s do it.’ It was a losing proposition for us financially—no one got paid—but every magician I called immediately said, ‘I’m in.’”

The event organizers faced a slew of logistical challenges, starting with the language barrier. “It’s the only place I’ve been in the world where no one speaks English,” says Herz. Then there was the sketchy infrastructure.

On the first of four scouting trips, Herz met with Cuba’s Minister of Cul-

Performing for European Vodaphone employees in Montenegro • Bill with Buzz Aldrin at a dinner honoring the famed astronaut • Bill works his magic on a tobacco farm in Vinales, Cuba greenwichmag.com

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ture, who brought him to Havana’s best theater. “It wouldn’t even have been considered a good high school theater in the U.S.,” says Herz. “We had to bring in every bit of sound and lighting equipment that we needed.”

Despite the many obstacles—limited access to technology, a cashonly economy and a local population that was hard-pressed to afford even the smallest forty-cent ticket fee—the festival was a huge success.

“It really showed the way magic can bring people together,” says Herz.

“I remember the day a bunch of us were in a town square and there was a class of schoolchildren walking through. One of the magicians started doing some tricks and the whole class sat down. When he finished he pointed to someone else and they did tricks, and it went like that for some time. By the time it was over, about 200 people had gathered. It was really fun.”

Most important, it gave the country’s small community of magicians the chance to have their moment in the spotlight. “Some of the best magicians in the world come from countries where they don’t have the opportunity to see magic,” says Herz. “Out of necessity, they have to make up their own stuff. I go through five decks of cards a night; they use one deck for a whole year. They don’t have the materials to make props for the big illusions. And even then they might have to wait a year to get a wheel to roll the prop onto the stage.”

As for the Sunday magic series at the Delamar, the intimate gatherings—fifty people max—showcase magicians in an up-close and personal way. “There is so much mediocre magic out there. I want people to walk away, awed,” says Herz. “I get high when I turn people on to great magic.

It’s exciting for me when I can bring in these great performers.”

He attributes the trend toward more intimate venues to changing tastes and changing times. “There’s a focus now from big shows to experiential shows—where the audience is part of the show, rather than just watching it.” Another factor in the rising popularity of magic? Outlets such as YouTube and Netflix and TV shows such as America’s Got Talent, with which he has a love/hate relationship. “It’s both good and bad,” he says.

“It exposes more people to magic, which is good. But bad in that I get calls once a week from someone who says, ‘I saw that person on AGT. Can you get me that person?’ I can get that person. I know that person.

While in India for a corporate project with IBM, Bill takes a moment to entertain children on the streets of Dharavi, the largest slum in Mumbai, where Slumdog Millionaire was filmed. • An impromptu street performance in Havana, Cuba

But what are you going to do with the other fifty-seven minutes? Meaning you just saw their best three minutes. There’s a difference between a cool trick and a show.”

Herz devotes a lot of time and energy finding the perfect magician or group of magicians for each request. “What might be right for one group is not right for another. There are all kinds of specialties and so many really cool aspects and areas of magic. Yesterday, I got a call from a fragrance company and guess what? I know someone who does tricks with fragrances,” he says.

CONTRIBUTED

WHAT’S IN THE CARDS? For Herz, figuring out the method of a trick is part of the fun. He says he and his magician buddies frequently go out after a show and sit around for hours talking through possibilities. “We sit there and say, ‘Wouldn’t this be a great trick?’, and then figure out how to do it.” Of course, even the best magician has experienced a trick gone awry. “If you don’t have war stories, you haven’t performed enough,” he says. “Especially with sleight of hand tricks, it happens a lot. If you’re not taking risks, you’re doing something wrong. The key is being able to switch gears immediately.”

The changing corporate landscape is helping to ensure that Herz and his friends will have plenty to talk about for years to come. He explains that the uptick in the proliferation of magic shows can be traced to the financial meltdown. “Everything

changed in 2008,” Herz says. “Until then, when a company put on big meetings, they would use big beautiful sets that would cost more than $100,000. But after 2008, it was difficult for companies to justify that kind of money. With a magician, no one ever says how much did you spend on that guy?” In part, that’s because the sets aren’t as elaborate.

And because the fee for a magician can start as low as $1,500. “For someone like Copperfield you’re talking a million plus,” says Herz.

And even then you might not get him. Herz recently turned down a request for Copperfield to perform in Saudi Arabia for $3 million. “It wasn’t worth it,” he says. “He would have had to shut his Vegas show down for the week and lose millions,” he says.

Magic has evolved in other ways too. “I used to have bits I’d do with sports coats, ties and watches,” Herz says. I can’t do those tricks anymore because no one wears those things.” He also designs tricks for people’s shorter attention spans. “It used to be an eight-minute trick that was the norm; now they average about two.”

Afternoon magic shows alternate between the Perhaps the biggest change occurred Delamar’s properties in Southport and Greenwich. about ten years ago with the advent of tech magic, a specialty of Digital Deception, the duo of Ryan Oakes and Doug McKenzie that Herz represents. “They’re Includes a glass of wine or soft drink the guys that Google wants for its events,” says Herz. “They want magicians that look Because of the intimate setting, members of the like Google guys. They don’t want me. I’m audience are encouraged to speak to performers after the show. “The schedule is flexible, as we the funny magic guy who looks like Lou grab incredible performers when we know they from accounting. I can’t tell you the numwill be in the area,” says Herz. “We have the ber of times people have said to me, ‘You who’s who of magic.”

Seating is strictly limited to those twelve and older. know, you should leave the company and Schedules and ticket information are posted G do this full time.’”

online, visit delamarmagic.com.

MAGIC AT THE DELAMAR SUNDAYS

5 P.M. TICKETS $75

produced by megan gagnon

The

el e m e nt s of

STYLE SHEER GENIUS

There was no shortage of flowers at this year’s Enchanted Garden-themed Bruce Museum Gala, and many of the guests worked floral motifs into their evening attire, including Taylor and Erin Glasebrook. What’s so refreshing about Erin’s choice for the night—aside from it being a stunning work of periwinkle perfection—is the way the ruffled organza mimics flower petals blooming along the neckline and down the center of the dress. greenwichmag.com

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OPPOSITE PAGE: BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/MELANI LUST

A look back at festive fashion, celebrating all the memorable moments from a year in parties

prints CHARMING PATTERNS BOTH PLAYFUL AND POLISHED

DYNAMIC DUO

Take this trend lesson in print mixing from Alexandra DeBourcy and Antoinette Deluca. When done right, bold graphic stripes and oversized florals are a match made in maximalist heaven.

PARTY LINES

PINK LADIES

We love the way the attendees of the annual Breast Cancer Alliance Luncheon find new ways to work pink into their looks, year after year.

Opting for abstract confetti prints in a multicolor mix, Yashmin Lloyds and Karen Colella get in the spirit while staying in style.

BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/BOB CAPAZZO

When it comes to patterns, classic stripes can be a woman’s best friend.

But by adding a shoulder-baring neckline, voluminous sleeves and belted waist, Cindy Sites, here with husband John, pushes her look to another level.

PERFECT PAIR

Dr. Stacy Zarakiotis and Dr. Elsa Raskin may be top-notch docs, but their skills in the fashion department are also expert level, turning up the heat in their floor-length gowns in show-stopping shades.

SCARLET FEVER

BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/KYLE NORTON (SCARLET FEVER); BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/BOB CAPAZZO

Black straps break up Celi Moen’s head-to-toe ruby look, making the case for the killer combo. And we see you, Mike Moen, getting in on the coordinated front, with that pop of red peeking out of your breast pocket.

red ZONE HOT LOOKS HAVE US STOPPING IN OUR TRACKS

BRIGHT IDEA

No shame here. We’re totally stealing Laura Yaeger’s move at the YMCA’s Night in Positano benefit and adding a bold red blazer to our regular rotation.

Seeing it paired with her pink floral print and Mike Yaeger’s shirt makes us want one that much more.

THERE IS A SHADE OF RED FOR EVERY WOMAN. — AUDREY HEPBURN

BEST buds

GARDEN VARIETY

Florals: three ways, courtesy of Lisa Cunningham, Lisa Errico and Amanda Segura at Family Centers’ Under the Tuscan Sun event. Kaleidoscopic pattern, graphic prints and classic chintz on a modern silhouette amount to an A+ arrangement. greenwichmag.com

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BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/BOB CAPAZZO (GARDEN VARIETY, SHORELINE CHIC, STYLE SECTION); BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/MELANI LUST (HAPPY HUES); GETTY IMAGES/EUGENE GOLOGURSKY (FESTIVAL FAVORITE); BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/KYLE NORTON (FRESHLY PICKED)

FLOWERS WERE BLOOMING ALL YEAR LONG

HAPPY HUES

This spring, designers had fun with both prints and color. Need proof?

Look no further than the scene at Sole Sisters, where Kalie Zagger in Veronica Beard and Courtney Montgomery in Ulla Johnson were having their own fun, and looking chic too.

STYLE SECTION

FESTIVAL FAVORITE

Everyone was probably more focused on Candace Bushnell’s shoe choice for evening (which were fantastic), but she lived up to her fashionable reputation with the dress, too, opting for a shimmering blue garden print and oversized sleeves. Here with an equally stylish Whitley Verdiner, she brought a welcome city splash to the suburbs.

Wendy Stapleton, here with Richard Leone, takes her bold bouquet for a night out, with this evening spin on the classic print. The rich blue tones, high-low hem and gorgeous embroidery make this one worth celebrating.

SHORELINE CHIC

Greenwich Point Conservancy’s Beach Ball is a great night to show off your summer best, especially knowing you’ll have Tod’s Point as the photo-ready backdrop. With her Liberty floral print and his peony colored pants, Gia and Mark Burton are picture-perfect.

FRESHLY PICKED

Jess Berne, here with Matt Strombellini, proves that you can make most anything look cool by adding this editor-approved trifecta of statement sunglasses, leather moto jacket and chunky boots.

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blank SLATE ALL WHITE, ALL RIGHT

WRAP STAR

A white gown on the red carpet is guaranteed to stand out, but it was the elegant draping on Vicky Bonic, here with husband llya, that made us take notice.

WELL SUITED

Formal jumpsuits are here to stay, and Caroline Greisen, here with husband Nick, shows us why they work so well. This one pairs a flattering one shoulder neckline with a column cut skirt that hides the peekaboo pants.

HEAVEN SENT

Guests were encouraged to wear white to this year’s gala benefitting The Fearless Angel Project. As the face for the cause, Izabela O’Brien, here with husband Dan, looked every bit the goddess in her modern ballgown.

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BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/BOB CAPAZZO (WRAP STAR, WELL SUITED, HEAVEN SENT); BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/DANIELLE ROBINSON CALLOWAY (TOP THIS)

TOP THIS

These ladies are doing Derby Day right; Marisol Gravelle with her little white dress and Chrissy Bogal in her extra wide leg trousers. But we’re here for the fascinators, and these two do not disappoint.

SNEAK PEEK

AWARD WORTHY

GETTY IMAGES/EUGENE GOLOGURSKY (SNEAK PEEK); BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/BOB CAPAZZO (COOL COMBO, AWARD-WORTHY)

Connie Nielsen was a vision in white at the Greenwich International Film Festival opening party. And she kept it casual (and no doubt comfortable) by opting for sleek white sneakers to complete her monochrome look.

Jennifer Ringelstein’s dress is the best of both worlds: a sleek form-fitting gown with detachable tulle skirt made for a princess. Add in shimmering fabric and sparkling belt for a full fairy-tale moment.

COOL COMBO

Erica Riccardi has us itching to ditch our dresses in favor of these pants for an elegant nighttime look. Coordinating with Brad Walker in classic black and white, the wide leg cut plays well when paired with the fitted bodice and a notched neckline.

I HAVE SAID THAT BLACK HAS IT ALL. WHITE TOO. THEIR BEAUTY IS ABSOLUTE. IT IS THE PERFECT HARMONY. — COCO CHANEL DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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TV READY

HIDE & CHIC

It was leather weather for Liz Cho and Amy Robach, who turned heads with their unexpected choices; Liz with her short romper style and Amy with her paper bag waist and relaxed fit.

All black is a no-brainer, and these red carpet regulars show us how it’s done. We’re starstruck by the sharpshouldered shape in Eva Longoria’s suit and the cut of Kathie Lee Gifford’s ultra flattering LBD.

black MAGIC THE COLOR THAT NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE

FANCY FEET

Twinning in their coveted Manolo Blahnik Hangisi heels, Irina Protsenko and Dr. Inna Lazar prove that fabulous footwear make every outfit better.

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GETTY IMAGES/EUGENE GOLOGURSKY(TV READY, HIDE & CHIC); BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/BOB CAPAZZO (FANCY FEET)

BLACK IS ALWAYS ELEGANT. IT IS THE MOST COMPLETE COLOR IN THE WHOLE WORLD, MADE OF ALL THE COLORS IN THE PALETTE. — RICCARDO TISCI

BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/BOB CAPAZZO(SEEING SPOTS, CAT CALL); BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/MARILYN ROOS (MEOW MIX)

animal STYLE

MEOW MIX

The La Ligne team brought their signature stripes to town, but it was their newer ‘Feligne’ print pieces that seemed to be a hit with this crowd. Courtney Evans, Meredith Melling, Catherine Tompkins, Susannah Heyworth, Abby Ritman and Ashley Bruynes give cat ladies a whole new meaning.

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

SEEING SPOTS

A leopard print always commands attention but adding color takes it over the top. Sara Mendell, here with husband Brian, sports one in gorgeous green, a dress that would make the perfect holiday statement piece

AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED, LEOPARD IS A NEUTRAL. — JENNA LYONS

CAT CALL

There is plenty of style being served up between these two. Victoria Triplett gives a lesson in balance, topping her cheetah pencil skirt with a demure sweater, while Ali Wolfe works a tropical skirt, pearlbedecked headband and Hermès bag like a pro.

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glisten UP

SHINE ON

It’s all about the shade that Dr. Kim Nichols, here with Chris Cabanillas, chose for the Red Cross Ball. Yes, the gathered waist and flawless fit on this one-shoulder wonder are perfection, but it’s the warm coppery color that makes for a memorable moment. greenwichmag.com

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CRYSTAL VISION

Cheers to this gown on Gabriela Dias, with its glittering embroidery making it the fashion equivalent of a glass of sparkling Champagne.

BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/BOB CAPAZZO (SHINE ON); GETTY IMAGES/EUGENE GOLOGURSKY (CRYSTAL VISION)

MEDAL-WORTHY METALLIC LOOKS

FROCK STAR

BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY/BOB CAPAZZO (FROCK STAR, DOUBLE DUTY, TOP PRIZE); JACEK DOLATA (PROFESSIONAL HELP)

This jewel-toned gem of a gown caught our eye, and no doubt the attention of everyone else in attendance. Deborah O’Shea, here with husband Christopher, dials up the glamour even more with the addition of her drop earrings.

DOUBLE DUTY

Evening separates are such a fun way to mix up your party wardrobe. Jennifer Ryan, here with husband Andrew, knows this all too well, opting for a lace camisole and metallic windowpane maxi; two pieces that could work their way into many other night-out looks.

TOP PRIZE

Who says silver is for second place?

Anyone who saw Leslie Osborn, here with husband John, in her liquid metal sheath would agree that this dress was a clear winner G .

DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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PROFESSIONAL HELP As the owners of interior design showrooms, Alexis Varbero and George Snead know about the importance of details, and it’s clear they share that attention when it comes to dressing for Moffly Media’s A-List awards. With looks like these, we’d hire them ton overhaul our closets, too.

Greenwich

Reindeer Festival

& Santa’s Village TM November 29-December 24, 2019 A TMK & TLMN EVENT ©2019

&

Greenwich

Byram . Cos Cob . Glenville . Riverside

Holiday Stroll WeekendTM December 7-8, 2019 A TMK & TLMN EVENT ©2019

Holiday Stroll

Reindeer Festival

2014greenwichHolidayBrochMap_FINAL_greenwich_HolidayStroll2010_b

Greenwich Reindeer Festival & Santa’s Village

Kick-Off Party to benefit Kids Sponsors In Crisis

Thursday, December 5, 6pm–8pm REINDEER FESTIVAL VINEYARD VINES HOSTED BY: 145 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT .................................................................................................................................

Shop to Support Kids In Crisis REINDEER FESTIVAL PRESENTING SPONSOR: WINE AND HORS D’OEUVRES .................................................................................................................................

REINDEER STABLE SPONSOR:

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. PHOTOS WITH SANTA VISIT LIVE REINDEER REINDEER FESTIVAL HOSTED BY: Monday–Friday, 12pm–6pm, Saturday, 9am–6pm .................................................................................................................................

CAROUSEL & TRAIN RIDES REINDEER FESTIVAL . Saturday, 9am–6pm Thursday and Friday, 12pm–6pm PRESENTING SPONSOR:

NURSERY & GREENHOUSES, LLC EST. 1930

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December 7–8 HORSE DRAWN GREENWICH, BYRAM,CARRIAGE GLENVILLE, RIDES SPONSOR: COS COB, RIVERSIDE .................................................................................................................................

SHOP . DINE . BE MERRY! Saturday, 10am–6pm . Sunday, 12pm–5pm .................................................................................................................................

LIVE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT TENT SPONSOR:

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Over 125 Participating Retail Stores, Restaurants and Community Businesses

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Saturday December 5,Sponsors 10 am – 6 pm Sunday December 6, 12 pm – 5 pm

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Greenwich Holiday Stroll Weekend

2014greenwichHolidayBrochMap_FINAL_greenwich_HolidayStroll2010_broch 11/14/14 3:17 PM Page 1

November 29–December 24 SAM BRIDGE NURSERY & GREENHOUSES Sponsors 437 North Street, Greenwich, CT

........................

We’re Back Party

Friday, November 29, 12pm–6pm SAM BRIDGE NURSERY & GREENHOUSES 437 North Street, Greenwich, CT Santa Arrives at 12pm . Photos with Santa . Reindeer Arrive Carousel & Train Rides . Face Painting . Balloon Art Planet Pizza . Food Trucks

calendar ART & ANTIQUES ALDRICH MUSEUM, 258 Main St., Ridgefield, 438-0198. Tues.-Sun., noon-5 p.m.; Fri., until 8 p.m.

FAIRFIELD MUSEUM AND HISTORY CENTER, 370 Beach Rd., Fairfield, 259-1598. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.4 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., noon-4 p.m.

AMY SIMON FINE ART, 1869 Post Rd. East, Westport, 259-1500. Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.5:30 p.m., or by appt.

FLINN GALLERY, 101 W. Putnam Ave., 622-7947.

Mon.-Wed., Fri.-Sat., 10 a.m.5 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m.

BRUCE MUSEUM, 1 Museum Dr., 869-0376.

Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.5 p.m.; Sun., 1-5 p.m. Free for members, $8 general admission.

CANFIN GALLERY, 39 Main St.,Tarrytown, NY, 914-3324554. Tues.-Sun., 11 a.m.5 p.m. or by appt. Paintings and sculptures by established and emerging contemporary artists from around the world.

CAVALIER GALLERIES, 405 Greenwich Ave., 8693664. Mon.-Sat., 10:30 a.m.6 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. and by appt. A showcase of a select group of established and emerging artists who represent the finest in modern painting, sculpture and photography.

CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY PRINTMAKING, 299 West Ave., Norwalk, 899-7999.

Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m.

CLAY ART CENTER, 40 Beech St., Port Chester, NY, 914-937-2047. Mon.Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appt. Fri. 1-22, Clay Holiday: Annual Holiday Sale.

HANNAH THOMSON

Greenwich Historical Society Join the Greenwich Historical Society for opening night of Antiquarius on Friday, December 6. Bronson Van Wyck, environmental design and event planner extraordinaire and one of the world’s leading authorities on hospitality, presides over the festive reception as honorary design chair. For tickets visit greenwichhistory.org/antiquarius.

Eastern Greenwich Civic Center, 90 Harding Rd in Old Greenwich from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

( for more events visit greenwichmag.com )

DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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DISCOVERY MUSEUM AND PLANETARIUM, 4450 Park Ave., Bridgeport, 372-3521. Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.

-5 p.m.; Sun. noon-5 p.m.

Permanent exhibits include Energy Exhibit, Sound and Light Galleries, Preschool Power, Sports Science and Solar Legos.

GERTRUDE G. WHITE GALLERY, YWCA, 259 E. Putnam Ave., 869-6501.

Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

GREENWICH ARTS COUNCIL, 299 Greenwich Ave., 862-6750. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat.Sun., noon-4 p.m. The Bendheim Gallery hosts major exhibitions every six weeks; visit greenwicharts .org to learn about upcoming exhibits.

GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 39 Strickland Rd., 869-6899. Wed.-Sun., noon4 p.m.

J. RUSSELL JINISHIAN GALLERY, 1657 Post Rd., Fairfield, 259-8753. Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. A large selection of original marine and sporting art by Arguimbau, Blossom, Demers, Kramer, McGurl, Mecray, Mizerek, Prosek, Shilstone, Stobart and Thompson.

KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART, Rte. 22 at Jay St., Katonah, NY, 914-232-9555.

Tues.-Fri. and Sun., 1-5 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

KENISE BARNES FINE ART, 1955 Palmer Ave., Larchmont, NY, 914-834-8077. Tues.Sat., 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., or by appt. Visit kbfa.com for show information.

LOCKWOOD-MATHEWS MANSION MUSEUM, 295 West Ave., Norwalk,

SAVE THE DATE March 5-8th, 2020 Country Club of Darien, Host Club

Be a part of the premier platform tennis event of the year. Players and spectators coming from all over the country to watch the best players compete for the Championship.

Sponsorship Levels with VIP Credentials Available For more information, please contact Anne Waldron at anniequickchick@gmail.com or Kelly McCoy Newton at m3kellymc@aol.com 2020 Nationals Fundraising Co-Chairs

Sat., December 21 – 2pm & 6pm

presents

Unity Phelan

New York City Ballet

Taylor Stanley

New York City Ballet

Sun., December 22 – 1pm & 5pm

Hee Seo

American Ballet Theatre

Palace Theatre 61 Atlantic Street, Stamford

Sebastian Villarini-Velez New York City Ballet

featuring Oksana Maslova as Snow Queen Pennsylvania Ballet

For tickets, visit www.palacestamford.org or call 203-325-4466 today! greenwichmag.com

86

calendar

The Farm by Alexis Rockman

Bruce Museum

On Thursday, December 5, Bruce Museum Presents poses the provocative question “Can Art Drive Change on Climate Change?” Leading the conversation is acclaimed artist and climate-change activist Alexis Rockman, who will present specially chosen examples of his work and discuss how, and why, he uses his art to sound the alarm about the impending global emergency. The Boston Globe’s David Abel, a climate change activist among other notable accomplishments, will also lead a discussion. Doors open at 6:20 p.m. for a reception with light bites and beverages, followed by the panel discussion and Q&A, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Seats are $30 for Museum members, $45 for non-members. To reserve a seat visit brucemuseum.org or call 203-869-0376.

838-9799. Wed.-Sun., noon-4 p.m. Visit lockwoodmathewsmansion .com for program information.

LOFT ARTISTS ASSOCIATION, 575 Pacific St., Stamford, 247-2027 or loftartists.com. Fri., 6-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., noon-5 p.m.

MARITIME AQUARIUM, 10 N. Water St., S. Norwalk, 852-0700. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Open most days by chance or by appointment, Michaelflorio.com.

MICHAEL FLORIO GALLERY, 135 Mason Street, 8585743. Specializing in established and emerging contemporary artists, marine art and curiosities.

NEUBERGER MUSEUM OF ART, Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, NY, 914-251-6100.

Tues.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN, Bronx River Pkwy. and Fordham Rd., 718-8178616. Tues.-Fri., 10 a.m.6 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.7 p.m. Sun. 1-Jan. 26, 2020, Holiday Train Show: Marvel at model trains zipping around New York landmark replicas in the warm Enid A.

Haupt Conservatory. This year’s show features 3,000 square feet of additional exhibition space, making room for dozens of new trains, bridges and tracks. Stroll the spectacular grounds, and enjoy hands-on holiday fun for the entire family and holiday shopping. »

Childrens' favorite fairy tale characters come to life!

JANUARY 11TH, 2020 TWO SHOWS:

11:00AM & 2:00PM Central Middle School 9 Indian Rock Lane, Greenwich For more information and ticket purchase please visit: www.jlgreenwich.org/childrenstheater

A Plaza Theatrical Production Presented by

RING IN TWENTY TWENTY with perfect party vision

i nfo @ se ba sseve nts.co m (203) 542-0640

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At the Greenwich Sentinel we have great respect for Greenwich Magazine. Most of us have been reading it, and looking for our photos in it, since we were in our twenties. Our publications share similar missions, to celebrate Greenwich. We know that our hometown is unique and wonderful.

Yet, even here, we see how stressful, full lives can overwhelm the calmest disposition. No one wants to be judged for their worst moments, so this February let’s show each other and the world a little extra warmth and remind everyone why Greenwich and our residents are so special. February is home to Valentine’s Day (14) and Random Acts of Kindness Day (17). In this spirit, here are our anonymous friend’s updated Acts of Kindness.

27 ACTS of KINDNESS Help others to be the hero of their own story.

Ask the name of your mail carrier, coffee server, waitress/waiter, valet attendant, the person at the front desk, etc. and use their name.

Never, ever use the phrase, do you know who I am?

Send a hand written thank you note.

Put your phone away and be an active listener.

When you think a nice thing about someone, say it out loud.

Email or write to a former teacher who made a difference in your life.

Tell your child that you really like spending time with them (and be prepared to answer when they ask why).

Avoid interrupting others when they are speaking.

Refrain from honking your horn unless it is a safety issue.

Send flowers.

Support and cheer for our local everything: retailers, scouts, paper, magazine, schools, teams, lemonade stands, and charities. It matters.

Use those email & social media muscles to be nice: send messages of gratitude and use that LIKE button.

Be excited for other people’s successes ... out loud.

Be the hero of your story.

Always hold the door or elevator for the next person.

Each month pick up one extra of everything when you grocery shop and drop it off at Neighbor to Neighbor.

Ask how can I help?

Laugh more. Laugh louder.

Each night fall asleep thinking about the best thing that happened that day.

Purchase extra dog or cat food and drop it off at the animal control center on North Street with some old tennis balls.

Say please, thank you, and you’re welcome.

Smile... great! Now smile at someone while making eye contact.

Let the person in line behind you go ahead of you if they are in a hurry or with children or just have a few items.

When you’re ready to unload your temper on someone, especially in the service industry (like baristas and cashiers), say a prayer for them instead.

If you have time, let the other driver have that parking space ... even on Greenwich Avenue.

If you can, say yes.

#GreenwichPride

calendar 432-2292. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.5 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

bedfordchamberconcerts.org, or call 914-522-5150.

YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven, 432-0611.

Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thurs., until 8 p.m.; Sun., 1-6 p.m. Permanent collection includes African art, American decorative art, American paintings and sculpture, ancient art, Asian art, coins and medals, and modern and contemporary art.

CARAMOOR CENTER FOR MUSIC & THE ARTS, 149 Girdle Ridge Rd., Katonah, NY, 914-232-5035.

Caramoor is a renowned oasis for musical inspiration that offers audiences the opportunity to hear an in-depth spectrum of music in one of the country’s legendary outdoor settings.

Visit caramoor.org for details.

CONCERTS, FILM & THEATER ARENA AT HARBOR YARD, 600 Main St., Bridgeport, 345-2300.

For shows and times, visit websterbankarena.com.

AVON THEATRE FILM CENTER, 272 Bedford St., Stamford, 661-0321. Visit avontheatre.org for special events and guest speakers.

Abilis Some kids don’t like all the fuss, and that’s OK! Sensory Santa is for children and teens who need a more tranquil and personalized interaction with Santa to enjoy his company. Sunday, December 1 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Abilis, 50 Glenville Street in Greenwich. RSVP to Bria@abilis.us or register online at abilis.us/calendar.

PELHAM ART CENTER, 155 Fifth Ave., Pelham, NY, 914-738-2525 ext. 113.

Tues.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. noon-4 p.m.

ROWAYTON ARTS CENTER, 145 Rowayton Ave., Rowayton, 866-2744. Tues.-Sat., noon5 p.m.; Sun., 1-4 p.m.

SAMUEL OWEN GALLERY, 382 Greenwich Ave., 4226500 or 325-1924. Mon.Sat., 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The gallery is committed to exhibiting the work of emerging to mid-career artists, as well as a variety of strong secondary market works.

SILVERMINE ARTS CENTER, 1037 Silvermine Rd., New Canaan, 966-9700.

Wed.-Sat., noon-5 p.m.; Sun., 1-5 p.m.

11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sun., noon-4 p.m.

SM HOME GALLERY, 70 Arch Street, Greenwich, 629-8121, Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.5 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.5 p.m. or by appointment.

Featuring award-winning regional and national contemporary artists. Visit sandramorganinteriors.com for exhibit information.

UCONN STAMFORD ART GALLERY, One University Pl., Stamford, 251-8400. Mon.Thurs. 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

STAMFORD ART ASSOCIATION, 39 Franklin St., Stamford, 325-1139.

Thurs.-Fri., 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., noon-3 p.m.

YALE CENTER FOR BRITISH ART, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven, 432-2800.

Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. Permanent collection on view.

THOMAS J. WALSH GALLERY, Fairfield University, 1073 N. Benson Rd., Fairfield, 254-4000, ext. 2969. Tues.-Sat.,

BEDFORD CHAMBER CONCERTS, St. Matthew’s Church, Bedford, NY. Wed. 11, Bach, 8 p.m. Tickets $45. For information and reservations, visit

CURTAIN CALL, The Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Ave., Stamford, 329-8207. Visit curtaincallinc.com for dates and show times.

DOWNTOWN CABARET THEATRE, 263 Golden Hill St., Bridgeport, 576-1636. Fri. 6-29, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Visit dtcab.com for show times.

FAIRFIELD THEATRE COMPANY, on StageOne, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield, 2591036. Visit fairfieldtheatre.org for dates, shows and times.

GOODSPEED OPERA HOUSE, 6 Main St., East Haddam, 860-873-8668.

Wed. 4-28, A Connecticut Christmas Carol. »

Bunnies by Alexander Fitzgerald

WESTPORT ARTS CENTER, 51 Riverside Ave., Westport, 226-7070. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.4 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., noon-4 p.m.

YALE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE GALLERY, Paul Rudolph Hall, York and Chapel Streets, New Haven,

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Clay Art Center Shop local and give handmade! Clay Art Center’s annual Holiday Sale and Studio Tour features fine, functional pottery and ceramic sculpture by local and nationally recognized artists now through Saturday, December 21.

40 Beech Street, Port Chester.

6TH ANNUAL

RESTAURANT WEEK SAVE THE DATE

OPening Night Party @JHouse March 4 2020 6:00 – 8:30 •

•

Hungry for Business?

We’re serving up Sponsorships!

To be a participating restaurant or for sponsorship opportunities please contact Trish Kirsch 203.571.1644 • trish.kirsch@moffly.com

Greenwich Restaurant Week 2020 Runs March 7th-14th greenwichrestaurantweek.com

calendar Ridgefield, 914-431-9850.

Fri. 6-28, The Marvelous Wonderettes.

STAMFORD CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford, 325-4466. Visit stamfordcenterforthearts.org for more shows, dates and times.

STAMFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford, 325-1407.

Sat. 8 p.m.; Sun. 3 p.m. Visit stamfordsymphony.org for location and tickets.

WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE, 25 Powers Ct., Westport, 227-4177.

The Nutcracker; The Gentle Whisper of Trees, Peter Pan, call for dates and times.

Greenwich Holiday Stroll Shop till you drop during the eleventh annual Greenwich Holiday Stroll Weekend (throughout Greenwich, Glenville, Byram, Cos Cob and Riverside) Saturday, December 7 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, December 8 from noon to 5 p.m. The weekend features a live nativity, horse-drawn carriage rides, ice sculpture demos, a food truck village on Greenwich Avenue, letter-writing to Santa and more than 130 participating retailers and restaurants town-wide offering promotions, refreshments and holiday cheer.

GREENWICH LIBRARY, 101 W. Putnam Ave., 6227900. No Friends Friday Films until after renovation.

JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER, 364 Manville Rd., Pleasantville, NY, 914-773-7663. Visit website for titles and times burnsfilmcenter.org.

LONG WHARF THEATRE, 222 Sargent Dr., New Haven, 787-4282. Tues. 7 p.m.; Wed. 2 and 7 p.m.; Thurs.-Fri. 8 p.m.; Sat. 3 and 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 and

GARDEN BOTANICAL CENTER, 130 Bible St., 869-9242. Gentle yoga, Holiday Tiding, Trimming & Toasts, Qigong with Donna Bunte; for more classes visit gecgreenwich.org.

GREENWICH LIBRARY, 101 W. Putnam Ave., 6227900. The library offers a variety of programs: Blood Pressure Screenings,

Drop-In Computer Lab, Chess Club, Volunteer Tax Assistance, Foreign Affairs Book Discussion Group; for dates and times visit greenwichlibrary.org.

KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART, 26 Bedford Rd., Chappaqua, NY, 914-2329555. Guided tours are Tuesday through Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

STAMFORD MUSEUM & NATURE CENTER, 39 Scofieldtown Rd., Stamford, 977-6521. Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.5 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Friday night Observatory Visitors’ Night, 8:30 p.m.

LECTURES, TOURS & WORKSHOPS ALDRICH MUSEUM, 258 Main St., Ridgefield, 438-0198. Tues.-Sun. noon-5 p.m.; Fri. until 8 p.m. Fri. 6, First Fridays: A Contemporary Cocktail Hour, 7-9 p.m.; visit aldrichart .org for more information.

AUDUBON GREENWICH, 613 Riversville Rd., 869-5272.

Sun. 1, first Sunday bird walk at Greenwich point, 9 a.m.; visit greenwich.audubon.org for more events.

7 p.m. For show information visit longwharf.com.

AUX DÉLICES, 23 Acosta St., Stamford, 326-4540, ext. 108.

Visit auxdelicesfoods.com for cooking parties.

RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, 438-9269.

For shows and times visit ridgefieldplayhouse.org

BRUCE MUSEUM, 1 Museum Dr., 869-0376.

Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m. Docent, audio, school and group tours available.

RIDGEFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Ridgefield High School, 700 N. Salem Rd., Ridgefield, 438-3889.

Sat. 7, 8 p.m.

CLAY ART CENTER, 40 Beech St., Port Chester, NY, 914-937-2047. Clay Art Center’s mission is to offer a stimulating space for studio practice, exhibition and educational opportunities to better serve the community.

RIDGEFIELD THEATER BARN, 37 Halpin Ln.,

FAIRFIELD MUSEUM AND HISTORY CENTER, 370 Beach Rd., Fairfield, 259-1598. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.4 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., noon-4 p.m. Visit fairfieldhistory.org for tours.

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The LockwoodMathews Mansion Museum The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum kicks off the Holiday Season with a new exhibition entitled, Toys, Trains, and Magnificent Trees: Illuminating Christmas at the Mansion, which will run through Sunday, January 5, 2020. 295 West Avenue in Norwalk

KIDS’ STUFF / DECEMBER 2019

groups and the general public. discoverymuseum.org.

DOWNTOWN CABARET THEATRE, 263 Golden Hill St., Bridgeport, 576-1636.

Sat. 1-29, Rudolph.

EARTHPLACE, 10 Woodside Lane, Westport, 227-7253.

The mission of Earthplace is to build a passion within the community for nature and the environment through education, experience and action, earthplace.org.

FAIRFIELD MUSEUM AND HISTORY CENTER, 370 Beach Rd., Fairfield, 259-1598. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.4 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., noon-4 p.m.

GARDEN EDUCATION CENTER, 130 Bible St., 869-9242. Visit gecgreenich .org for youth programs.

GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 39 Strickland St., 869-6899. Sat. 7, Annual Marionette performance, 1 and 3 p.m. For more information about the show call 869-6899, ext. 10.

Maritime Aquarium Santa will don scuba gear at Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk to demonstrate that sharks are nice, not naughty, during “Shark-Diving Santa” presentations on most Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in December. For dates and times visit maritimeaquarium.org.

ALDRICH MUSEUM, 258 Main St., Ridgefield, 438-4519. Tues.-Sun. noon5 p.m.; Fri. until 8 p.m.

Sat. 21, Family Workshops, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

AUDUBON GREENWICH, 613 Riversville Rd., 869-5272.

Sun. 1, bundle up for the first Sunday walk at Tod’s Point, 9 a.m.

AUX DÉLICES, 23 Acosta St., Stamford, 326-4540 ext. 108.

Sun. 1, After School Snacks; Sun. 8, Holiday Baking, for ages 8 and up; all classes 4-6 p.m.

BEARDSLEY ZOO, 1875 Noble Ave., Bridgeport, 394-6565,

open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

One of Connecticut’s top family attractions. See more than 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species and learn about their endangered and threatened species, which include the Amur (Siberian) tiger, Andean condor, Ocelot, Red wolf, Maned wolf, Giant Anteater and Golden lion tamarin. Then grab a bite at the Peacock Café and take a ride on the carousel.

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREENWICH, 4 Horseneck Lane, 869-3224. Visit bgcg.org for events and programs at the club.

BRUCE MUSEUM, 1 Museum Dr., 869-0376.

Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m. Sun. 1, First Sunday Science at the Seaside Center, 1:30-4 p.m.

DISCOVERY MUSEUM AND PLANETARIUM, 4450 Park Ave., Bridgeport, 372-3521. Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.

-5 p.m.; Sun. noon-5 p.m.

The Discovery Museum’s 20,000-square-foot facility includes changing and permanent interactive exhibit galleries, a 124-seat planetarium, Challenger Learning Center, an 80-seat auditorium and five multipurpose classrooms where hands-on science classes are conducted for schools,

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GREENWICH LIBRARY, 101 W. Putnam Ave., 6227900. The library offers many programs for children: Wee Ones, Tales for Tots, Baby Lapsit, Mother Goose Story Time, call or visit greenwichlibrary.org for dates and times.

IMAX THEATER AT MARITIME AQUARIUM, 10 N. Water St., S. Norwalk, 852-0700. Visit website for films and times; also being shown: Hollywood films on IMAX, maritimeaquarium.org.

KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART, Rte. 22 at Jay St., Katonah, NY, 914-232-9555.

Tues.-Fri. and Sun. 1-5 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Picture This! Saturday Story Time, select Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.

MARITIME AQUARIUM, 10 N. Water St., S. Norwalk, 852-0700. Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The aquarium inspires people of all ages to appreciate and protect the Long Island Sound ecosystem and the

global environment through living exhibits, marine science, and environmental education, visit maritimeaquarium.org for classes and times.

NEUBERGER MUSEUM OF ART, Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, NY, 914-251-6100. No family Saturday in December.

NEW CANAAN NATURE CENTER, 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, 966-9577. Visit newcanaannature.org to learn about monthly Friday Family Fun Night.

RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, 438-5795. Fri. 14 and 21, The Nutcracker.

STAMFORD CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford, 325-4466. Sat. 21 and 22, The Nutcracker; Sat., 1 and 5 p.m.; Sun., 1 and 5 p.m.

STAMFORD MUSEUM & NATURE CENTER, 39 Scofieldtown Rd., Stamford, 977-6521 or stamfordmuseum.org.

Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

STEPPING STONES MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN, 303 West Ave., Mathews Park, Norwalk, 899-0606.

Open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Ongoing exhibits: Energy Lab, Tot Town, build it!, colorcoaster, light gallery, Ongoing events: Storytelling Yoga, Zelda the Zany Owl, Game On!, Ceramic Studio, Creative Dramatics, Open Studio, Dash’s Puppet Show, Sing-a-long, Mutt-i-grees, Toddler Tales, Resource Center Roads! Story Time; visit steppingstonesmuseum .org for daily classes and times.

WESTPORT ARTS CENTER, 51 Riverside Ave., Westport, 222-7070. Visit westportartscenter.org to sign up for workshops.

WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE, 25 Powers Ct., Westport, 227-4177. Mon. 23, The Nutcracker, 12:30 p.m..G

MARITIME AQUARIUM

calendar

advertisers index ART & ANTIQUES Drew Klotz Kinetic Sculpture . . . . . . 48

BUILDING & HOME IMPROVEMENT California Closets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Charles Hilton Architects . . . . . . . . . 33 Grand Entrance Gates . . . . . . . . . . 47 Private Staff Group . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

BUSINESS & FINANCE Cummings & Lockwood LLC . . . . . . . 14

ENTERTAINMENT 95.9, The Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Connecticut Ballet Presents The Nutcracker . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Junior League of Greenwich/ A Fairy Tale Winter . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Sebass Events & Entertainment . . . . 88 Stamford Tent & Event Services . . . . . 19

EVENTS 6th Annual Greenwich Restaurant Week . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 11th Annual Greenwich Reindeer Festival & Santa's Village . . . . . . . 84 2020 APTA Nationals . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Breast Cancer Alliance Luncheon & Fashion Show Thank You . . . . . . 93 Greenwich Holiday Stroll Weekend . . . 84

Rye Vein Laser Center . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Yale New Haven Health/Yale New Haven Children's Hospital . . . . . . 23 Yale New Haven Health/ Greenwich Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Yale New Haven Health/ Northeast Medical Group . . . . . . . 35

JEWELRY ASHA by Ashley McCormick . . . . . . 4, 5 Betteridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, Cover 4 Chanel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Chopard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Graff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Indoxi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Manfredi Jewels . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 29 Pomeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Rolex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4 Zenith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

LANDSCAPING, NURSERY & FLORISTS

PEARL JAM

GUNS N’ ROSES

NIRVANA

METALLICA

SUBLIME

DEF LEPPARD

FOO FIGHTERS

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

GREEN DAY

SOUNDGARDEN

BEASTIE BOYS

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

Sam Bridge Nursery & Greenhouses, LLC . . . . . . . . . . 49 Winston Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

NONPROFIT Breast Cancer Alliance . . . . . . . . . . 63 Laurel House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

FASHION

PET & PET PRODUCTS

Henry's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 3 Mitchells/Richards . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3 The Perfect Provenance . . . . . . . . . 22 Roundabout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 She La La . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

PHOTOGRAPHY

Connecticut Humane Society . . . . . . 63

Bob Capazzo Photography . . . . . . . . 61

REAL ESTATE FOOD, CATERING & LODGING Alba's Ristorante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Citarella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Inspirato Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Litchfield Distillery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Marcia Selden Catering . . . . . . . . . . 15 Naked Fig Catering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Winvian Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

David Ogilvy/Sotheby's International Realty . . . . . . . Cover 2 Douglas Elliman Real Estate . . . . . . . . 9 William Raveis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 William Raveis/Margriet McGowan & Shelly Newman . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

SPORTS & FITNESS Greenwich Barre Studio . . . . . . . . . 39

HEALTH & BEAUTY Greenwich Medical Spa . . . . . . . . . 42 The Nathaniel Witherell . . . . . . . . . . 61 NicholsMD of Greenwich . . . . . . . . . 31 ONS Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery Specialists . . . . . . 16 Park Avenue Vein Laser Center . . . . . 63

TRANSPORTATION Rudy's Executive Transportation . . . . 47

959THEFOX.COM

MISCELLANEOUS Greenwich Sentinel . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Westy Self Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 DECEMBER 2019 GREENWICH

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postscript

Merry & Bright W hen the elves pop over to l’escale and load up the 1935 red Ford pickup truck from Carriage House Motors with a perfect twinkling Christmas tree, you know it’s time to get into the spirit. Here’s wishing you all a wonderful season filled with plenty of holiday magic and a touch of old-fashioned nostalgia. G

Have a photo that captures a moment in Greenwich? Send it to us at editor@greenwichmag.com for a chance to win $100. Please write photo submission in the subject line. greenwichmag.com

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