Greenwich Magazine, June 2020

JUNE 2020 | $5.95

SIL VE R LINING S Creative ways kids deal with lockdown + sweet messages found around town

NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell is

S TAY I N G HOME W IT H AMY HIRS C H Tour the designer’s stunning dream house

UNSTOP PABLE! The inside story on his red-hot career, COVID-19 diagnosis and the power of family and philanthropy

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Leslie McElwreath

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GREENWICH

contents JUNE 2020 vol. 73 | issue 6

features

48

SPIDA MAN With his mind-blowing athleticism and laser-focused determination, NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell dominates on the court.

But it’s his compassion, humility and heart that make him a star off the court. by ria nn smit h

58

HOME & HEART Interior designer Amy Hirsch invites us inside her family’s Greenwich oasis. by l auren fet t erma n

departments 12 EDITOR’S LETTER 14 FOUNDER’S LETTER Of Travel and Treasures 19 STATUS REPORT BUZZ How creative kids are making the most of the lockdown; Sweet moments we captured around town SHOP Tibi Founder Amy Smilovic found inspiration for her brand’s fall fashion campaign close to home—right over the border in Port Chester HOME Bright berry shades add a pop of happiness to any space DO Penny

Goffman on her mobile fashion truck, mom’s networking group and retail styling business 34 G-MOM We all need a little pick-me-up right about now.

These whimsical and gorgeous treats will be the centerpiece of your next special occasion.

37 PEOPLE & PLACES Bruce Museum; Night at the Museum; Planned Parenthood of Southern New England goes virtual; Round Hill Nursery School; Pet Pantry

45 VOWS London–Alessandro; Simpson–Blaine

GREENWICH MAGAZINE JUNE 2020, VOL. 73, NO. 6 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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71 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 72 POSTSCRIPT The virtual conference room c over photo gr aph: sam robles/the pl ayers’ tribune

AMY VISCHIO

58

69 CALENDAR

Tischler WindoWs and doors. Uncommon. Uncompromising.

Tischler und sohn (Usa) ltd. six suburban avenue, stamford, cT 06901 Telephone 203/674/0600 • Telefax 203/674/0601 www.tischlerwindows.com

JOIN US ONLINE! june 2020

GREENWICHMAG.com CELEBRATING THE SCENE STEALERS OF OUR TOWN

WHAT’S ON OUR EDITORIAL DECK?

BEST OF THE GOLD COAST & BEST OF GREENWICH

PARTY HOP!

WE MAY STILL BE SOCIAL DISTANCING, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE CAN’T BE TOGETHER. COME JOIN US VIRTUALLY OUT AND ABOUT IN GREENWICH.

Visit our galleries for all the fun

Time to celebrate the best of the best on the Gold Coast and right here in Greenwich!

TEENS TO WATCH

Meet local kids who are excelling in every area—from arts and science to technology and business.

LIGHT A FIRE

Know someone who has gone above and beyond in these trying times?

Nominate them for a Light a Fire Award. We need to celebrate the good now more than ever. ilovefc/lightafire

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WE’VE GOT PLENTY OF GREAT THINGS IN STORE!

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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. 73 | no. 6 | june 2020 creative director

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AMY AIDINIS HIRSCH INTERIOR DESIGN

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Welcome to Better At William Raveis Real Estate, we’ve always been in the business of better. Providing our agents with better technology, tools, teamwork, and training to help them be the best that they can be. And providing homeowners with the best possible experience to maintain their loyalty to William Raveis when thinking about their home.

Better is a philosophy that’s been at the heart of our organization since we launched in 1974. It’s the inspiration that keeps us innovating, that compels us to compete, and maintains our market position as North America’s leading, independent real estate firm. Today, we’re investing in even better resources to support this commitment.

We’re reinventing real estate for the better.

Welcome to William Raveis.

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editor’s letter

JUNE 2020 / CRISTIN MARANDINO

COVID-19 Heroes Know someone going above and beyond to help our community in these challenging times? Nominate them for our upcoming Light a Fire Awards. We will honor, men, women, children, healthcare workers and businesses that are making a difference. lightafireawards.com

ur cover story was well in the works in what I now refer to as the “before days”—before lockdowns, shutdowns, masks and gloves. In early March writer Riann Smith sat courtside at Madison Square Garden to watch shooting guard Donovan Mitchell and his Utah Jazz take on the New York Knicks. In addition to multiple interviews, the gracious twenty-three-year-old gave her up-close-and-personal access to his All-Star world. You know, back when up-closeand-personal was still a thing.

It came as quite a shock when one week later Donovan would make headlines for something other than his mile-high slam dunks and impossible rebounds. He had been diagnosed with COVID-19. An asymptomatic Donovan quickly took to the media to share a message that people needed to hear at the beginning of this pandemic, when we weren’t necessarily prepared for what was to come: Anyone can have the virus and not show symptoms, so everyone should take the proper precautions.

The fact that he was one of the first public

greenwichmag.com

12

figures to be diagnosed with the virus made his message that much more important.

Once you meet Donovan in “Spida Man” (page 48), it will come as no shock that he felt the obligation to use his celebrity for the good of others.

This man is down-to-earth (well, when he’s not making the aforementioned slam dunks), driven and giving. He speaks openly about his challenges, finds strength in family and exhibits humility in the spotlight—all of which make his success that much sweeter for fans to savor. As Riann points out, even hardened New York Knicks fans give him props. Now that’s saying something.

Donna Moffly has an expression that she pulls out when times get tough. “Remember, Cristin, the good guys always win.” In these challenging and uncertain days, I love that we get to celebrate a good guy who is so very clearly winning—on and off the court.

WILLIAM TAUFIC

NOTHING BUT NET O

Jersey, at his Greenwich residence

© JANE BEILES

A TABLEAU OF TIMELESS OBJECTS FOR THE HOME @ ROU G H A N IN T ER IORS

203.769.1150

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founder’s letter

JUNE 2020 / DONNA MOFFLY

J

The bloody picador’s lance from a bullfight in Mexico City wasn’t my idea of a keepsake.

ust because it’s June, June, June, we are presenting you with our annual interior design issue. It’s also the month we typically run a travel story, which we’re skipping this time since nobody seems to be going anywhere much these days.

But as I look around my house of fifty-seven years, I find myself surrounded by treasures from Egypt, Russia, Africa, Australia and other faraway places where my husband and I picked up wonderful mementos that have made our home a more interesting—and more decorative—place to live.

Without question, we were inspired by Jack’s mother, Audrey, an inveterate traveler and tough negotiator. She once missed a plane home from Venice because she was so busy bargaining with a gondolier for the brass dolphin on the bowsprit of his boat. It ended up serving as a doorknob on her front hall closet in Philadelphia.

Sometimes she got lucky. In a hut in the French Cameroons, she flattered an African chieftain so much about the wooden stool he was sitting on—beautifully carved with primitive figures—that he stood up and handed it to her. We now have four of them in the family; Lord knows where she got the other greenwichmag.com

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three. Anyway, one lived under our piano back when I was singing with the Grace Notes.

When we rehearsed, our little kids would crawl under there with flashlights and busy themselves making shadow figures on the wall.

Then there were the African masks Audrey brought back—one so scary with its huge teeth and long scraggly grass hair that I hid it in a closet. But in due course, Jack discovered it and hung it high in our family room where it looked down on us and spooked me for years.

The centerpiece of that same room is a rug Jack and I picked up in Marrakesh. Well, actually we picked it up at JFK, even though we’d been promised door-to-door delivery; and once we’d wrestled it into the back of the station wagon and driven off, we were overcome with a dreadful odor akin to camel pee. So the first stop was A.T. Proudian’s for de-fuming. While imperfectly crafted by some young Moroccan bride trying to impress her husband, it looks very handsome indeed on the brick floor. Oh, yes, I also bought an inlaid box, which our guide kept trying to talk me out of; but I insisted.

Turned out the “inlay” was just painted on.

Some bargainer am I, what?

There’s a hand-blown glass and brass lantern we brought home from Taxco that

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ARCHITECTURE & INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE & INTERIORS

founder’s letter has illuminated our front hall for years; but the bloody picador’s lance from a bull fight in Mexico City wasn’t my idea of a keepsake.

To honor us, our guide Jose de la Tore had jumped into the ring to retrieve the thing and presented it to us with pride. So we had to bring it home, where it hangs in the den to this day. My biggest regret was that as carefully as I thought I’d wrapped it in newspaper, it managed to go through at least four layers of clothes in my suitcase.

One of my favorite treasures came from Russia—a painting of a St. Bernard dressed in an admiral’s uniform. We found it at the nightly art show in a little park next to our hotel in St. Petersburg. Having been warned not to give money to the local beggars, I was armed with a pocketful of candy for the gang of teenage boys who instantly surrounded us on the sidewalk. When the leader of the pack stretched out his hand and I popped a Tootsie Roll into his palm, he looked down

at it and said: “Oh, fook!” I didn’t correct his pronunciation but did buy the dog portrait, which caused quite a stir at the airport. Did we have any art? they asked. Yes, said honest Donna, just some street art. No matter, with this weighty information they confiscated my suitcase and didn’t emerge with it from a back room until our plane was minutes from takeoff. Anyway, it’s now in the master bedroom and gives me a chuckle every morning when I wake up.

In the living room, there are the horse brasses from the Cotswolds, an antique brass and ivory sextant from London and a baby blue and white fringed mohair throw from Trimingham’s in Bermuda—all with their own tales to tell. (Jack, for instance, went on a lot of Bermuda races, while I sat on the rocks waiting.) And in the front hall hangs a large parchment from Cairo depicting King Tut and his queen, never mind that she’s his sister. That trip to Egypt and dinner with

Mrs. Sadat was one of my favorites.

But the back story of how the nineteenthcentury Dutch brass repoussé mirror landed by our front door started much closer to home—in Sag Harbor where we’d anchored our Nonsuch ’30 Purple Tiger on a cruise up Long Island Sound. Kay and Don Wert from Princeton were our crew; and while the boys messed about with boat things, we girls took the opportunity to go shopping. Did we ever! In a little antiques shop, Kay bought a pair of Persian prints that she was scared to show Don, so they ended up hidden in my bunk where I played footsie with them along with the Dutch mirror I’d bought because it was the only safe place to stow it.

I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep.

In any case, I do feel blessed to be surrounded by treasures. Wandering through my house is a virtual trip around the world, which is as far as I plan to venture right now.

But I’ve promised myself that someday I’ll go treasure hunting again. G

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2020 HONORING COVID-19 HEROES This year we are focusing Light a Fire on those who rose to the challenge during the COVID-19 epidemic. We are thrilled to celebrate the individuals, nonprofits and businesses that showed us the true meaning of kindness and philanthropy.

HONOREES WILL BE FEATURED IN THE NOVEMBER ISSUE AND CELEBRATED AT A SPECIAL AWARDS CEREMONY.

PLEASE NOMINATE TODAY! lightafireawards.com VOTING DEADLINE: JUNE 30

Nominations being accepted in the following categories.

We will choose two honorees in each category.

Adult Child Health Care Professional Nonprofit Business

JOIN US FOR THE AWARDS Thursday, December 3 Westport Country Playhouse fairfield living, greenwich, new canaan•darien, stamford, westport, athome in fairfield county, ilovefc.com

buzz STATUS REPORT

HAVING ANY FUN YET?

Sophie, Isaac, Eden and Coby Citron’s poker party

OUR RESILIENT KIDS

D

uring their confinement, which no longer refers to women in their late months of pregnancy, our children and grandchildren have been dreaming up ways to entertain themselves. They’ve been locked down, but busy, very busy, doing some serious event-planning.

Here are some examples, mostly from teens.

Bonnie Citron’s four kids paired up to design weekend activities, once featuring a casino night.

Each person started with the same number of poker chips, and at the end of the evening, they could cash them in for various prizes donated by family members—like manicures and hair styling, “Coby will make your bed” and “Eden will wash and fold your laundry”.

Another day, two of the kids put together a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood, taping clues at different locations. The rest of the family split into two teams and, dressed in their team colors, raced to the finish. The hunt ended with a bonfire and marshmallow roast.

Meanwhile, desperate for a play date, Kerry Walker’s girls Olivia and Madeline brought a baby squirrel into the house, gave him water from a turkey baster, and made him clothes and a mask so he could live with them in quarantine.

And when Jennifer Hausmann’s kids ran out of eggs to color for Easter, they dyed their yellow lab, who loved the attention. Nothing a nice warm bath couldn’t reverse.

Then there was Ryan Bellissimo, who competes in slope style on the University of Southern California ski team. Yes, he would come home to isolate with the family, as long as he could build a ski jump in their backyard. Which he did very successfully—with a ten-foottall ramp—doubling the height recommended on a blueprint he found online. Brother William served as apprentice.

Ryan Bellissimo’s ski jump

Olivia Walker’s new-found friend

JUNE 2020 GREENWICH

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buzz

Sasha Moffly got into teen fashion, painting white patterns à la Holstein cow that looked stunning on the back pockets of her black shorts; and Doug Herman’s five-year-old twins Duncan and Magnus were so eager to help their father paint the basement that he turned them loose on a closet all their own.

Izzy Buchsbaum kicked things off with a cocktail party, delivering personalized invitations she’d decorated with glitter, ribbons and beading to each member of the family. Her mother Erica suspects it was her ploy to cook up the pigs in a blanket stowed in the freezer— and it worked. Everybody had a lovely time: Shirley Temples with Maraschino cherries for the three girls, cocktails for their parents, a crudité meat and cheese platter and, of course, the pigs in a blanket.

Very civilized and fun.

Izzy Buchsbaum’s pigs in a blanket

Sasha Moffly’s cow pants

Ali Buchsbaum organized a disco party where they danced the night away; and teaming up with sisters Izzy and Maddy, sent their parents into the candlelit dining room for a “date night,” waiting on them hand and foot with pasta they’d made from scratch and plenty of wine.

A romantic interlude.

When the younger set in town wanted something akin to the bear hunt which has become so popular with kids worldwide, instead of putting a Teddy bear in a front window, Willowmere neighbors were asked to tape up paper shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day. The kid spotting the most won the prize.

There’s also been a weeklong Olympic competition including everything from cornhole to running races and a medal ceremony. And of course, plenty of exotic cooking contests.

No boredom allowed, even in lockdown. Just leave it to our kids.

—Donna Moffly

The Herman twins’ paint job

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Helping you fulfill your dream of having a baby.

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buzz

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SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Although we have all faced fear and uncertainty over these past few months, there have been reasons to smile. Here are just a few moments in time that our staff and friends captured around town

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1. When Amanda Petz was out for a stroll, she came across this friendly message. 2. Kristin Mickelson captured a particularly sweet Home Ec project.

3. At the start of the pandemic, sidewalk chalk-art public service messages popped up all over town. Cristin Marandino spotted this creative reminder.

4. While out delivering flowers, Flavia Barker was greeted by this kind gesture left for delivery people and postal workers. Every day the homeowner left a different treat. 5. To share a smile with anybody who passed her house, Carolyn Daruka left this message that hope and love are everywhere. greenwichmag.com

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6. When Ashley Carr’s grandparents celebrated their seventy-second anniversary, her daughter Nuala was there to spread smiles. It might have been a socially distant celebration, but it was full of love. 7. Though rinsing produce has become a methodical task for Garvin Burke, it also makes for creative photography.

8. Megan Gagnon offered up bright window dĂŠcor for passersby. Little Lulu keeps an eye on the outside world.

9. Venera Alexandrova snapped this important yet cheerful reminder for shoppers to stay six feet apart.

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shop by megan gagnon

UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY TIBI’S AMY SMILOVIC FINDS

INSPIRATION IN HER OWN BACKYARD

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left: Gloves and boots finished most of the looks. right: Among the accessories included for fall styling were elevated travel pillows, a nod to the getaway theme.

COURTESY OF TIBI

or the past twenty years, Amy Smilovic has called Greenwich home. It’s the place she returns to after days and nights in New York City as the creative force behind Tibi, the womenswear brand she founded in 1997.

A respite from the dizzying pace of a designer’s life in the fashion capital, it’s also the spot where she’s raised her children and created lasting friendships. And these two worlds don’t often collide, until now.

Fashion has the power to transport—a glamorous escape from the everyday—and designers often reference the exotic and faraway destinations that inspire their work. While Smilovic had this same wanderlust in mind while working on her latest collection, she only had to travel to neighboring Port Chester to find the perfect backdrop for her fall campaign. A closer look at the downtown shops and restaurants—the same ones she breezes through every day on her train commute to a much bigger city—piqued her interest enough to explore more, to learn about the history of the buildings and meet the people who make up the Port Chester community.

What she found beside a set of locations to shoot, was a fresh perspective and the realization that sometimes the best trip is just a town away.

35 elm street . westport serenaandlily.com

Q&A Tell us about what inspired the fall collection?

The fall collection was heavily inspired by the idea of manipulation, being able to create something new and modern with just the movement of a tie or a snap. Seeing something that may seem very familiar—a fitted shrunken blazer—but discovering different ways to make it your own depending on how you move the collar or position the closure. The collection, as we designed it, became a conversation about taking the familiar, things that have been around us, and seeing them through a totally new lens. I suppose this taps into our desire for sustainability— making pieces that last the test of time because they can be manipulated depending on our mood.

Why did you decide to shoot in Port Chester?

We explored lots of different areas, but in the end, we wanted something that had meaning for us. We wanted a place that, in and of itself, could be transformed by the people in it.

And above all, we wanted a place that represented joy and hope. After a scouting trip down South, I was returning home to Greenwich and I drove through Port Chester. I suppose because I had been in the mindset of really looking at buildings, the environment, the people, that I saw Port Chester through a new lens. I’ve lived in Greenwich for over twenty years.

My children grew up taking karate classes in Port Chester. We loved eating at Tarry Lodge and Kneaded Bread.

But as I drove through this time, I saw all the places that I never explored. The beauty salons (there are two to three per block), the grocery stores (that blare salsa music), the accessories stores, the restaurants, the wedding/ party gown and tuxedo shop that can also do your taxes.

There was so much joy and pride that is really only found in an area where people work hard, are inextricably linked to their varied heritage, and, well, are just great people. I called my art director, photographer and my vice president of production who hails from Puerto Rico, and had them take the train in from NYC to visit each of these

Counter Culture In addition to Port Chester sidewalks and a local laundromat, models were shot at Hubba’s (right).

The restaurant is only forty feet long, and guests sitting at the counter enjoy a view of the walls and ceiling coated in dollar bills. greenwichmag.com

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PHOTOGRAPHY: AKDO: MARCO RICCA

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Vacation Mode Layered tonal separates and suiting with multiple rows of snaps showed off the utility and adaptability of the collection.

Models pose in Stop 1 Food Market, Paradise Wedding & Party and Eugene’s Diner. Along with the crew, the models stayed in a rented Airbnb around the corner from the Capitol Theatre, commenting to Smilovic that it was one of the best mini vacations they’d ever taken.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS TO VISIT IN PC? Hubba’s: The best tacos on earth Eugene’s Diner: The chocolate milkshakes, the grilled cheese and the cakes!

Rinconcito Ecuatoriano Restaurant: The ceviche Stop 1 Food Market: For imported grocery goods and great dancing music, the breakfast spread: pancakes, bacon and huevos rancheros Paradise Wedding & Party: Just visit. The owner is lovely.

places. We spoke to the enthusiastic salon owners that agreed, in the most generous way, to let us use the chairs in their salons for two days to stage our hair and makeup. An Ecuadorian restaurant blocked out four hours for the dinner party shoot and the boutique/tax shop let us literally take over their store for two hours for one of my favorite shots. And of course, there was the Mexican restaurant that has only had three owners over the past 100 years! The owner came in early to make us tacos and horchata for our crew.

It was great to hear the owner of Vinny’s Luncheonette tell us that he wouldn’t give us the restaurant, even for a few hours, because the locals count on him to be open for them.

I respect that so much, and we made it work regardless. Then there was the new diner, Eugene’s; the interior was a photographer’s dream and the people were incredible to work with.

And, funnily enough, the grocery scene was our favorite to shoot; the music made everyone move and dance, and it’s where we got some of our best pictures.

Shooting in Port Chester taught me to open my eyes. For twenty years, I never saw the richness in the town that was literally right under my nose.

Our models, our team from NYC, were so happy to realize that sometimes all it takes is a very short train ride and a high dose of curiosity to transport yourself to a different place.

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above: Penny with the namesake for her business, daughter Jolie

SHE’S ON A ROLL

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hen Penny Goffman gave birth to her first child, a daughter she named Jolie, she didn’t know that she was also naming another baby: the mobile fashion business she started in 2015, Jolie Gotique. Penny’s kids are now ten and seven, but they were still toddlers when she hatched her first business plan. With an eye for fashion, the former consultant who’s originally from Canada had friends turning to her for style advice. Where did you get that

top? How did you put that look together? Can you help me edit my closet? At the same time, she was noticing the growing popularity of food trucks in our area and thought, What about a fashion truck?

Soon Jolie Gotique was born and the rolling boutique hit the road at events, outfitting busy moms and their daughters. “The whole motherhood industry, whether it’s working mothers or self-care, has exploded,” says Penny.

This energetic entrepreneur has grown her greenwichmag.com

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business via savvy social media and has since started a second company, That Penny Life (TPL), while also becoming regional head of a working-mom networking group, HeyMama.

As she expanded, Penny joined forces with like-minded mom Stacy Danow of Rye Brook and Lauren Stiner of Armonk who help run the businesses. We caught up with Penny to learn more about the secrets to her success and how the current climate has impacted her businesses.

N LALOR PHOTOGRAPHY

NOT ONLY IS THIS HIGH-ENERGY INFLUENCER RUNNING THREE BUSINESSES WHILE RAISING KIDS IN THESE STRESSFUL TIMES—SHE LOOKS GREAT DOING IT by mary k ate ho gan

THE GARDEN Available for Weddings, Social and Corporate Events

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do Before influencers were even a thing, Penny chose to take a personal/lifestyle approach to business, sharing her story on social media. She couldn’t afford models at the time, so she opted to model the clothing herself along with her daughter and post their outfits on Instagram—all pieces for sale through Jolie Gotique.

Penny hired a sixteen-year-old from Greenwich High to teach her the ins and outs of social media platforms, boosting her tech smarts.

Prior to the need for social distancing, she would bring her truck to women’s homes and events, showcasing affordable style. “People are not going to come onto a truck and pay what they would at Saks,” says Penny. “I was realistic about that. Everything on the truck is under $200.” Most of the women’s pieces are between $50 and $150 and girls’ clothes range from $20 to $80. For the women, it’s about fashion rather than basics. “Something to wear on a girls’ night or date night. Even if it’s athleisure, it’s not a plain black T-shirt. There’s something interesting or edgy about it, the color, shape or pattern.” Six months after the truck got rolling, the Jolie Gotique website with ecommerce was launched so customers could also shop online.

April 1 was supposed to mark the opening of the fashion truck’s 2020 season, which would have run through November for parties, private events and personal in-home shopping. For now Penny relies on her social media presence for online shopping.

“The beauty is that inadvertently we have been preparing for this day for the past five years. We have worked tirelessly on our social media presence,” says Penny. “Our Instagram community is able to shop directly by tapping on a post that directs them to checkout on our website.” Penny is currently offering 20 percent off with free shipping and returns.

Giving back is important to Penny and she’s brought the truck to numerous events, donating a percentage of sales to organizations such as the Boys &

Girls Club, Make-A-Wish, Junior League, Susan G. Komen and the Linda W. Daniel Foundation. The company ran a major campaign to support the Breast Cancer Alliance, creating a special hot pink shirt worn by actresses and models around the country. And she looks forward to doing it all again.

“As soon as it is safe and approved by government regulations, we plan on rebooking some of our events. Many of the hostesses have already contacted us and are dedicated to selecting a future date, with fewer guests— even if we are all wearing masks while we style and shop!”

It’s all in the family when it comes to modeling Penny’s fashion finds. Jolie and Jaden are eager participants.

The idea is that MOMS ARE SPREAD VERY THIN DURING THIS CRISIS AND WEARING MORE HATS THAN EVER.

We’d like to take a moment to celebrate mothers everywhere.

FILM STRIP FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: 1 &3 BYRAVANELLI PHOTOGRAPHY; 2, 4 AND BUS PHOTO BY N LALOR PHOTOGRAPHY

BOUTIQUE ON WHEELS

STYLE IN STORE In 2018 Alice & Olivia, a national line with a store on Greenwich Avenue, noticed Penny’s presence in town and on Instagram and asked her to manage an in-store event and photo shoot. After taking the gigm, Penny had a feed’s worth of photos unrelated to the lines she sells via Jolie Gotique, so she created a new Instagram channel, That Penny Life. She used TPL to post her own lifestyle shots—say, the family on vacation—and things that didn’t fit under the Jolie Gotique umbrella. Soon she was receiving requests from other retailers and this became a second business— styling photo shoots and running fashion shows for well-known brands. “It happened organically with one opportunity leading to another. And I wound up loving it,” says Penny. Recently she handled a large fashion show for the opening of Bloomingdale’s at the SoNo Collection, styling models from head to toe, directing and organizing the event.

Though all of these events are on hold, she is in talks with a department store to produce, style and moderate a “Cheers to Our Moms” event when it is safe to be out again. “The idea is that moms are spread very thin during this crisis and wearing more hats than ever. We’d like to take a moment to celebrate mothers everywhere.”

CONTRIBUTED

MOM POWER While Penny was busy balancing the three businesses with motherhood, she wound up joining a members-only group for working moms called HeyMama.

The group was founded by two Brooklyn moms in 2015, the same year Penny started Jolie Gotique. It helps working moms connect with each other through monthly social events such as a brunch or mom’s night out and also at expert panel events with topics relating to career (building a marketing strategy) and motherhood (parenting for social and emotional health).

“I’ve recruited a lot of local moms into HeyMama because I believe in it so much,” Penny says.

Soon enough she was recruited

joliegotique.com / @thatpennylife (website in the works) / heymama.co

herself—to be the community organizer for the Westchester and Fairfield County regions. Penny sets up all the events, arranging for speakers and fun activities, some with corporate sponsors like Lincoln Motor Cars. To join, women need to fill out an application, get references and pay a monthly or annual fee.

“People are really engaged, because they pay for it and they see the value,” she says.

In January Penny planned an event at Inner Light Wellness in Darien with a spiritual guidance expert who helped the ladies set intentions for 2020. The group quickly pivoted to fit with our “new

normal.” HeyMama expanded its virtual communications with Zoom webinars and events. Penny hosts Mama Meetups so moms in neighboring towns in Fairfield and Westchester can connect and discuss both the challenges and silver linings of our situation. She is also heading up an industry group called Fashion Moms. Moms from around the country in the fashion world discuss the future of the industry, provide resources and brainstorm ways to navigate the changing business environment.

So what’s in the cards for this hard-working mama? “No one could have prepared us for this time when we would

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become teachers, caretakers, housekeepers and carry on with work daily. It’s all made me reflect how I want to live my life. While I yearn to socialize, hug customers, style fashion shows, I want to do so with greater purpose. I want to practice being present on a deeper level,” says Penny. “I want to bask in my professional accomplishments, not just move from one to the next.

I want to unwind while reading my children books in bed, not rush to reply to work emails. If there’s anything I have learned, it’s to deeply appreciate all the freedoms and gifts in my life, give them love, revel in them and never forget this intention.”

g–mom by eileen bartels

THE SWEET LIFE

Mini meringues with dulce de leche from Silvia’s Kitchen

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CONTRIBUTED GFLK;HG;KDFHGFH;DGFLFD

DIFFICULT TIMES MAKE CELEBRATING THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT. THESE LOCAL BAKERS OFFER FUN, FESTIVE TREATS THAT WILL HELP PUT A SMILE ON EVERYONE’S FACES

Clean Plate Club at Silvia’s Table You know how sometimes you have to choose between a beautiful cake and a delicious cake?

Not anymore thanks to Silvia’s Kitchen’s cakes. Custom-made for any occasion or milestone, these cakes created by Silvia MacLean of Riverside will have everyone fighting for the last slice. Whether a graduation cake featuring a school crest or a birthday cake featuring a child’s favorite sport or hero, these are 100 percent Insta-worthy. Baking began as a hobby for Silvia, but word of her treats spread and she quickly discovered her goods were in great demand. And so Silvia’s Kitchen opened its oven doors three years ago.

Growing up in several different countries with Peruvian and Argentinian parents, Silvia’s cultural roots revolved around gatherings in the kitchen and at the table. Silvia has created for me everything from breathtaking Under the Sea Little Mermaidinspired cupcakes to a hilarious birthday cake featuring an image of one of my BFF’s victories in tennis, with her opponent collapsed crosscourt. Not sure about an exact design? Contact Silvia to discuss your occasion and let her creativity go to work. Specialty cakes start at $80 and increase with degree of design difficulty. Two week advance order is ideal.

A Toast to Dad

Hold the Gluten

Just off Greenwich Avenue on Lewis Street, Black Forest Pastry Shop bakes the perfect treats for every season. For over thirty years, the Mueller Family of classically trained German bakers has sweetened Greenwich with both their authentic baking traditions as well as contemporary creations. Originally founded

by Ed and Louise Mueller, today son Herb Mueller and business partner Dan Puffer offer classic German treats as well as my go-to Father’s Day Beer Stein cake. The Beer Stein cake is $49 and available in-store for Father’s Day and Oktoberfest; otherwise order three to four days in advance. Check out the website for everything from a classic Barbie birthday cake to seasonal offerings.

Have partygoers that are sensitive to gluten and dairy? Thanks to By the Way Bakery, it’s not a problem.

With two New York City locations and a Westchester location, By the Way Bakery is relatively new to Greenwich. It features everything from breads to pastries, all gluten- and dairy-free as well as certified kosher. In addition to smaller treats, there’s a gorgeous selection of cakes that are certain to be the centerpiece of any party.

My favorites are the two-tier Mexican dress cake and the Poker cake (both are almost too pretty to slice). Custom cakes require at least three days’ notice, so reach out early to discuss design and price. Or you can order a six- or nine-inch cake in any of the “classic combinations” that range from vanilla and chocolate to coconut, red velvet, lemon, carrot and raspberry surprise, two days in advance. Dress it up with flower options or sweet little additions like sprinkle hearts or bumblebees, for an additional $10. Or turn a classic chocolate and vanilla chiffon cake into a sprinkle cake at no charge. No advance warning?

The store offers a selection of fresh six-inch classic combination cakes each morning.

black forest pastry shop 52 Lewis Street Monday–Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

203-629-9330 blackforestpastryshop.com

by the way bakery 19 East Putnam Avenue Monday–Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

203-489-3610 btwbakery.com G

CONTRIBUTED

silvia’s kitchen silvia@silvias.kitchen silvias.kitchen Editor’s note: Please contact bakeries for updated hours and offerings JUNE 2020 GREENWICH

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THE C A S E FOR THE NEW BRUCE •

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COMMUNITY

ART

The entire ground floor of the New Bruce will be open to all visitors, bringing people together from across the region for cultural conversations in a shared public space.

The new art wing will give the Museum, for the first time, galleries to display masterworks from our permanent collection, as well as greatly expanded space for changing art exhibitions.

SCIENCE

EDUCATION

We’ll have quadruple the space for temporary science exhibitions and redesigned permanent galleries that emphasize interactive, hands-on experiences for visitors of all ages.

Renovated and expanded, our new education wing will allow us to double, to 50,000, the number of students the Museum hosts each year.

Become a part of the extraordinary transformation of the cultural and educational centerpiece of our community. Join Us Today! Find out more or give online at NewBruce.org Bruce Museum Greenwich, Connecticut BruceMuseum.org | NewBruce.org

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NEWBruce

people&PLACES by alison nichols gr ay

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MOFFLY MEDIA’S BIG PICTURE, MELANI LUST 1

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BRUCE MUSEUM / Bruce Museum

Jammies Required

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he prestigious Bruce Museum looked more like a slumber party when local families took over the rooms for the annual Night at the Museum benefit. Cochairs Melissa Nisenson and Brooke Shepard along with their committee put together an awesome bash including a scavenger hunt, crafts, live performance

by Songs for Seed, pizza and of course lots of dessert. And much to the grown-ups delight, there was a bar. brucemuseum.org Âť 1 Jude, Melissa and Penelope Nisenson 2 Kiddos enjoying the critter tank 3 Sam Wilson with son Gray; Oliver Nisenson with son Jude 4 Ford Bartow 5 Bruce Museum Executive Director Robert Wolterstorff 6 Songs for Seed jamming out 7 Little art critics 8 Brooke and Chase Shepard; Ally and Harriet Hilton 9 Cuties in jammies 10 A dessert thief 11 Nicole and Victoria Glor JUNE 2020 GREENWICH

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PLANNED PARENTHOOD / A Virtual Event

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Good Planning

I 1 Amanda Skinner, PPSNE president and CEO; Dr. Timothy Spurrell, medical director; Dr. Nicole Phipps, director of Primary Care Services 2 Nancie Schwarzman, board member 3 Gloria Steinem, 2019 Spring Luncheon speaker 4 Honoree Kay Maxwell, clinic escort with other volunteers 5 Comedian Jane Condon, emcee 6 State Senator Alex Kasser greenwichmag.com

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n a last-minute change of plan due to the corona crisis, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England went high-tech and presented a virtual edition of its annual Spring Luncheon. The 700 supporters usually drawn to the Stamford Marriot could sit safely at home and enjoy a vimeo production starring—from their own homes—PPSNE’s top doctors, MC Jane Condon, Honoree Kay Maxwell and CEO Amanda Skinner, who read a letter from Gloria Steinem praising the work of the organization. Cochairing the event were Danielle Eason, Katey Goldberg, Anne Goodnow, Donna Moffly, Sheila Mossman and Brice Russian. It raised over $725,000 in support of reproductive healthcare for 72,000 patients across Connecticut and Rhode Island. plannedparenthood.org »

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School Spirit

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PET PANTRY / Pet Pantry Riverside

Man’s Best Friend

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et Pantry Warehouse (PPW) executive vice president, Adam Jacobson, recently announced the launch of a $75,000 fundraising goal with community leaders at PPW’s Riverside location. This event marks the beginning of the store’s yearlong celebration, honoring seventy-five years as a family-owned and community-based business. The community outreach theme for the anniversary was inspired

by Pet Pantry founders, World War II Army Air Forces servicemen Mort Davis and Jac Cohen. ppwpet.com G

PHOTOGRAPHS BY BOB CAPAZZO

1 Sian Watts from Pets for Vets 2 Nancy and Joshua Roth, Eileen Jacobson 3 Adam and Barry Jacobson, Fred Camillo, Ari Jacobson 4 Gary Joss, Suzanne Carpino, Emery Kriegsman, Javaar Rene 5 Steve Walko and Greenwich Chamber of Commerce board president, Nat Barnum 6 Brian Gordiski and Kristen Alouisa from Adopt-a-Dog 7 The cake celebrating 75 years in business 8 Robin Horan, Rebekah Cross with pup Regal, Rana Liebert, Marcia O'Kane 9 Greenwich Police Department K-9 Unit, Officer Scorca and Kato 10 Adam and Ari Jacobson

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With your support, the Greenwich Point Conservancy’s work to preserve, restore, and protect, continues on.

For information about our current restoration project, THE CHIMES BUILDING, or to donate, visit www.greenwichpoint.org, email admin@greenwichpoint.org, or call 203-637-3400.

vows by alison nichols gr ay

LAURA GREGORY LONDON & ALESSANDRO CALOGERO PRESTI 1

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aura and Alessandro met through a dating app, which led to drinks and appetizers at Bonnie Vee, a bar on the Lower East Side. Alessandro says he’s convinced he got a second date because he offered Laura the last baconwrapped date—one date literally led to another. Three years into the relationship, the pair got engaged while on a Scandinavian adventure.

The trip began in Denmark, then Sweden and Norway.

While in Norway, the couple stayed in the fjords near Alesund and went for a hike at the Geirangerfjord, taking a boat then climbing up to Skagefla. During a picnic lunch, Alessandro got down on one knee and proposed to Laura. She said yes and although very happy, she was not necessarily surprised, as evidenced by a fresh gel manicure and the selfie stick she happened to have with her.

The couple’s friend, Elliot Creem, officiated at the ceremony at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, New York, where the reception followed. The team at Ashley Douglass Events transformed the grounds into an evening wedding fairy tale.

The bride, daughter of Louise London and the late Fredric London of Greenwich, graduated from Greenwich Academy, Colgate University and Tufts Law School. Laura works for Mizuho Americas in New York City.

The groom, son of Salvatore and Julie Presti of Brooklyn, graduated from Saint Ann’s School, Yale University, Columbia Law and Columbia Business School. Alessandro works for Mars, Inc., in New York City.

The newlyweds honeymooned in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Hong Kong. They live in Manhattan. »

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1 Laura with her bridesmaids 2 Sealed with a kiss 3 The wedding cake with colorful fresh blooms 4 To the reception 5 Tablescapes 6 Elliot Creem 7 Scott, Daniela and Louise London, Laura, Alessandro, Julie and Salvatore Presti JUNE 2020 GREENWICH

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MARTELLE EMERSON SIMPSON & DANIEL DIXON BLAINE

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1 The newlyweds 2 Under the tent at Riverside Yacht Club 3 The bride walking down the aisle with her father, Peter 4 The wedding party 5 A sunset stroll 6 The first dance 7 Heading out in their something blue greenwichmag.com

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY DARREN ORNITZ PHOTOGRAPHY

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artelle and Daniel met through Daniel’s cousin, who went to college with Martelle. The pair hit it off right away and began dating long distance. But the cross-country commute was too much to bear, so Martelle moved from Manhattan to San Francisco. Eight years later, Daniel proposed at The Inn at GrayBarns on the Silvermine River in Norwalk. The happy couple then celebrated with friends and family at Riverside Yacht Club, where they would host their wedding a year-and-a-half later. The groom’s sister, Annie Blaine, officiated at the ceremony.

The bride, daughter of Peter and Ann Simpson of Greenwich, graduated from Greenwich High School, the University of Richmond and Mercy College.

Martelle is a physician assistant in Washington, D.C. The groom, son of Jamie and Joan Blaine of Maine, graduated from the Taft School, Kenyon College and Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Daniel is a recruitment specialist in Washington, D.C. The Blaines honeymooned in Bali. They call Washington, D.C., home. G

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS! Each year, the Junior League of Greenwich gives two awards in the community.

The Community Service Award is given to a female high school student with a commitment to community service.

The Community Grant Award is given to a local non-profit to launch a new program to meet a need not currently met by the Junior League.

STEPHANIE GUZA COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD Stephanie Guza, a senior at Sacred Heart Greenwich, founded the Help End Period Poverty Project.The goal of this project is to spread awareness, educate others, and provide free menstrual products to women in need.

Stephanie organized three fundraisers at her school raising two thousand dollars' worth of tampons and pads to donate to local organizations helping women. She plans to use the award money to purchase more menstrual products for donation. Stephanie hopes to expand her project when she attends the University of Richmond in the fall, to bring menstral prodcuts to more women in need.

GIRLS WITH IMPACT COMMUNITY GRANT AWARD Girls With Impact Inc, is an organization whose mission is to equip girls with the business and leadership skills required of today’s workforce, thereby increasing their college and career successes. The $5,000 grant will help fund 18 girls from lowmoderate income backgrounds in Greenwich to participate in a 5-day summer camp program at the University of Connecticut Stamford branch. The summer camp will provide girls in grades 9-12 with age appropriate activities matching the curriculum of the Girls with Impact Academy program.

www.jlgreenwich.org

b y riann smith

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OPPOSITE PAGE: PHOTOGRAPH BY SAM ROBLES, THE PLAYERS’ TRIBUNE

His max vertical leap is sky-high.

His wingspan differential is mind-blowing.

But nba all-star donovan mitchell’s greatest superpower is something you just can’t measure

“Whether it’s game one or game eighty-one, every moment is the same for me in allowing myself to be nervous, or to be excited, instead of just running from it.�

PHOTOGRAPH BY JESSE D. GARRABRANT/NBAE

At the March 4, 2020 game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Donovan scored twenty-three points and made eight assists.

O

n a mild Wednesday evening in early March, one week before Donovan Mitchell would be diagnosed with COVID-19 and our world would seemingly change overnight, it is all systems go at

Madison Square Garden. The arena buzzes with Future’s smooth rhymes as a half-dozen balls fire into opposing nets. The Jazz face the Knicks in a matter of minutes. Chin up, popping and snapping his beloved Dubble Bubble gum, Don works the floor like the host of a party. Bro-slapping his teammates and graciously vibing with Knicks small forward Moe Harkless, newly retired Yankee CC Sabathia and pink track-suited, bejeweled rapper Cam’ron, this twenty-three-year-old Jazz shooting guard is mayor of the NBA tonight.

SPIRIT & SWAGGER Behind the baseline sits a cheering squad of students and faculty from Donovan’s alma mater, the Greenwich Country Day School.

In the front row, his mom Nicole, a GCDS Pre-K teacher, is busy making sure family and friends are comfortable. When Don comes by for a quick hello hug, you feel their sacred bond. “Especially in games where I’m back home, or closest to where I grew up, it means the world to have her here,” he says, looking at Nicole. “It takes me back to the times where it wasn’t courtside seats at a Knicks game; it was outdoors at a random A.A.U. tournament in the Bronx. Just watching her relive those moments when I was playing basketball in the city is huge. It was such a big part of my life for so long, and I think it’s good not to forget.”

Donovan cruises over to sit in an empty team chair and, with arms in metronome rhythm, whips through twenty under-the-leg crossover dribbles in the time it would take a person to turn on their phone. Then he quiets the ball and closes his eyes. “It’s a meditation, my own thing,” he explains a few moments later. “I started it during playoffs my rookie year, just kind of sitting here and listening to everything around me, giving me the opportunity to be in shock

and to be like, ‘Wow, I’m really here, I’m in the NBA.’ It lets me be that nervous or excited kid before I have to go out there and take on that role of the player that I am,” he says, re-tying his electric orange D.O.N. Issue #1 kicks before getting back on his feet for practice shots.

Like stones skipping along water, Don’s sneaks are dancer-light across the paint, his dunk tidal wave-explosive. As if gravity itself took a time-out, midair, so he could pool the ball’s full potential in his palm before tomahawk slamming it with all 215 pounds of his being. Spectators scream, “Donovan!” from the stands. Others exhale “ohhh” each time he flies to the net. When he makes a three and gives himself a little head tap, a father-son combo, in matching #45 Jazz jerseys, tap their own heads in response. The love continues on the clock.

After Donovan’s heart-stopping alley-oop that seals the Jazz’s first quarter lead—which the Jazz carry all the way to a 112-104 win—even two Knicks die-hards, head-to-toe in orange and blue, can’t help grunting, “Okay Spida!

Okay Spida!”

ON THE BALL Long before he could spell J-A-Z-Z, Donovan was aiming high. “As a toddler he’d knock JUNE 2020 GREENWICH

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the top off of his plastic toy hoop, over and over,” recalls Nicole. “Looking back, those were definitely his first dunks.” As early as six, she remembers her son leaping up to tap the highest point of the archway between the dining and living rooms of their Elmsford, N.Y. house. “There were so many years of fingerprints, it got to the point where I had him wipe his own,” she laughs.

Nicknamed Spida at age nine by a friend’s father who noticed him “spinning his web,” making rebounds and steals on his A.A.U. basketball team, Donovan quickly felt a ground shift from just-for-fun to beast mode. “At ten years old you become competitive with your friends, talking trash, all those things you begin to develop at an early age by playing tournaments in the city,” he says.

Still, the first poster young Don ever put up in his bedroom was of Mets third baseman David Wright. His father, Donovan Mitchell Sr., a former minor leaguer who is Director of Player Relations for the Mets, often brought his son to hang with the team. “They taught me how to be a pro, how to approach my day-to-day stuff as a young guy in the league,” Donovan says. “The difference between guys in baseball and basketball is baseball guys have a lot of

High school junior Donovan, seventeen, flexes with his trophy after Brewster’s 2014 National Championship win.

• Donovan, seven, and Jordan, two, enjoy a sibling snuggle. • Fourteen-year-old Donovan pitches for Greenwich Country Day School’s ninth grade baseball team in 2011.

superstitions and routines. That’s where I got mine from, like being the first one in the gym or taking a quiet moment before a game.”

At GCDS, where Donovan attended third through ninth grade, he didn’t have to choose between loves. “I played the drums; I played chess; I did so many things that it allowed me, when I was having a bad day in basketball, a bad day in soccer, a bad day in baseball, to access those other things,” he says. Cultivating versatility had a defining effect. “I didn’t grow up in Greenwich, so going to private school was different than how it was with most of my friends back home,” he says. “I think that’s a theme of my whole life, just being different, my own person. Going out there and being well rounded, being someone who, when I have a bad day in one area, am able to fall on another area to kind of soothe and relax me. I do that to this day.

I’ve had bad stretches this season, and I have a drum set at my house.” What makes him pick up his sticks? “‘Dani California’ from the Red Hot Chili Peppers,” he says. “I memorized it when I was younger, and it’s the song I know the best.”

As a tenth grader at Canterbury School in Connecticut, Donovan’s confidence was shaken when he shattered his wrist playing shortstop. “I said to myself, ‘Okay, you’ve had a little success, but you’re not as invincible as you think you are,’” he remembers. “My mom told me beforehand, ‘Look, you need to humble yourself or God will find a way to humble you if you don’t.’ As a teenager, it’s like, ‘whatever, Mom,’ and then you go out there and break your wrist a week later, and it opens your eyes.”

The injury took Donovan out of baseball season but gave him the summer to heal before transferring to Brewster, a New Hampshire prep school known for turning out top basketball recruits. There, he was humbled again. “You go from somewhere where you don’t have to try as hard, you just show up and score twenty-five points, to a place where you are nowhere near the best. Being there allowed me to be like, ‘You know, I’m okay with being a role player. I’ll have to be that in college.’ And it allows you to kind of grow up. Not just on the court but in life.” greenwichmag.com

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BASEBALL PHOTO: GREENWICH COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

HUMBLING BLOCKS

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOE MURPHY/NBAE

“One of the things I try to do with my family is bring them wherever I go so they understand how much I appreciate them,” says Don, here with Nicole and Jordan in 2018.

As Don relaxed into his new reality, his star shone brighter. “That’s when my grades began to pick up tremendously,” he says. “I started to find ways to seek extra help, do different things, that’s why I became senior class prefect. I wanted to be more than a basketball player.” He still had high expectations from his team, but being multifaceted helped his mojo.

He won two prep-school championships, an MVP award at the Jordan Brand Classic and a TV spot on ESPN for his alley-oop at the UnderArmour Elite 24. Victory suddenly felt sweeter, he says. “You understand that there can be humility in success.”

But in the fall of 2015, the University of Louisville freshman basketball recruit floundered. “The biggest thing is, I like to eat. A lot,” he laughs. He’d been blowing through pizza and gummy bears, and was told by his college coach to lose twenty-two pounds. “Not only that,” he

says, “but I had to prove I was worth being in the starting spot. It was a type of pressure I’d never experienced. Getting yelled at on the treadmill, getting up at 6 a.m., all those things you think you’re prepared for until you actually get there.”

Back in his dorm room after a practice where he’d made mistake after mistake, Donovan seriously considered quitting. “It’s so different than high school, where you play and you succeed and win a championship. This, at the end of the day, is a multimillion to billion dollar business,” he says plainly. “It became a question of how bad do you want it? Do you want to be a quitter? Because you’ve worked so hard to be in this position and you’re just gonna let one semester, like, be the end of it? I decided I wasn’t gonna let that happen.”

HE GOT GAME Not only was Donovan not going to quit JUNE 2020 GREENWICH

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basketball, he declared for the 2017 NBA draft the summer after his sophomore year. A heartto-heart with pros Paul George and Chris Paul convinced him he was ready. “They were like, ‘What are you waitin’ for?’” Donovan remembers.

“Once I heard that, I was like, ‘Okay, this is real.’”

Despite his fear of flying—“If I don’t have a window seat, I ask the person next to me if they’ll trade…I’m bad,” he laughs—Donovan put in seven grueling weeks of nonstop zigzagging across the US for daily workouts with teams. Emerging as the thirteenth overall lottery pick, Donovan was drafted by the Nuggets, only to be traded to the Jazz the same night. “The Jazz was my first workout, one of my best. I remember it vividly,” he says.

“I was just happy to be drafted, to go to a place where I was wanted and where I wanted to go.”

It proved a perfect pairing, and put him in league with his idols. Sitting inside Cleveland’s

19,000-seat arena before a December game against the Cavaliers, his mind was flooded with LeBron James footage he’d seen in multiple documentaries. It was as if he was thirteen again, eagerly waiting for James to emerge from the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich after filming his live ESPN special, “The Decision” in 2010. “Not only was it my first time playing LeBron, but I was also playing Dwyane Wade, so you kind of get the two that you grew up watching and wanting to be like, in one game,” says Donovan.

Fortunately, his jitters faded at tip-off. “Once the game gets going, it becomes pretty normal after that,” he says. “He’s just another guy, and you gotta go out there and compete.”

Keeping a cool head paid off in buckets, all season long. Donovan, whose #45 was inspired by the late-career number of another idol, Michael Jordan, beat MJ’s rookie point record in his first two playoff games. The lead rookie scorer also rose to the challenge when he was tapped to replace Aaron Gordon just a week and a half before the 2018 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He won by, among other aeronautical feats, clearing his sister Jordan, eighteen, his favorite comedian Kevin Hart, and Hart’s son.

“We thought, ‘Why not?’ We never practiced it with three people. A lot of it was just improvised on the fly,” he says. “The big thing was sharing the moment with my sister and mom, after all they’ve sacrificed for me.” That summer, he brought them as his dates to the ESPYs, where he won the Best Breakthrough Athlete award.

The trio had more cause to celebrate in 2019, when the Donovan Mitchell Bridge was unveiled in downtown Salt Lake, featuring a giant mural in his likeness. “You go from the person looking up to being that idol in a matter of, like, a year and a half, and then seeing that bridge was just the top of it all,” Donovan says.

“All your wishes and dreams as a kid, and even in college, came true all at once.”

Just when he thought it couldn’t get any more extra, Donovan was selected for the NBA All-Star Game in February 2020. “It’s something you can’t really put into words,” he says. “I was like, ‘Wow, I’m sitting in the locker room with twelve of the best players in the NBA, and I’m part of it.’ To also be able to do commentating,

“EVERYONE SEES THE LAST THREE YEARS I’VE HAD WITH THE ALL-STARS, THE DUNK CONTEST, ALL THAT STUFF, THEY THINK THAT’S JUST ME. THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS A PROCESS TO GET HERE. IT WAS A STRUGGLE AT TIMES.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY SAM ROBLES, THE PLAYERS’ TRIBUNE

“Some people are like, ‘Know what? I tried it,’ and quit basketball. I didn’t want to be one of those kids.

I knew I’d always have that ‘What if?’ And I hate that feeling. I hate the what-ifs.”

which I want to do after sports, you could say I was really enjoying my first All-Stars weekend. ’Cause God willing, I’m gonna do what I need to do and be here for many more years.”

Donovan speaks to hundreds of cheering fans at the Gateway Mall in downtown Salt Lake City at the March 26, 2019 unveiling of the Donovan Mitchell Bridge and mural painted in his honor. (below) Donovan says cheese with campers last June at the second annual Donovan Mitchell Basketball Camp, held at GCDS.

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On March 11, less than a month after the All-Star Game and seven days after the Jazz took the Knicks at MSG, COVID-19 brought the NBA to a shocking halt. The next day, after a test that drew tears, Donovan found out he was positive. “The worst day I’ve ever had in my life,” he says from his family’s Greenwich home, where he has been shooting hoops in the driveway and on NBA 2K post quarantine.

“I hadn’t slept the whole night before, because the whole team was waiting for our test results. I was up for twenty-four hours. We all knew about the virus, and then for it to happen to me was just like, ‘What?’ That’s kind of what it was, just shock. Seeing your name everywhere on TV, CNN tickers, it’s a bit normal for me being in the NBA, but this was different. It was unknown territory for not just the NBA, but literally the entire world. And here I am as one of the faces of it. I think it goes back to my journey to the NBA. Boom, you’re on this platform. In the NBA it was a matter of months, and with this it was two days,” he says. “The scariest thing about this virus is you could be asymptomatic like me.

Everyone really needs to take this seriously by practicing social distancing to flatten the curve.

It’s important that we stick together in spirit, show love to one another, stay positive and stay at home during these crazy times.”

As one of the first public figures hit with a diagnosis, Donovan did what he does best: spring into action. “It can go one of two ways,” he says. “You can sit there and just, you know, do whatever; but I think it was important for me to step up and be that spokesman in that moment,” he says. During his quarantine, Donovan swiftly donated hot meals for students via his foundation, spidacares.org, when Salt Lake City schools shut down. “I was blessed at Country Day to not have to worry about lunch, even breakfast; but before that in public school, there were kids who didn’t have a dollar and twenty five cents for a simple ham and cheese sandwich and milk. I remember

TOP PHOTOGRAPH BY MELISSA MAJCHRZAK/NBAE; BOTTOM PHOTOGRAPH BY WHIT HAWKINS PHOTOGRAPHY

PANDEMIC PANIC

Sporting the retired #35 of former Jazz-er Darrell Griffith (a.k.a.

Dr. Dunkenstein), Don slams it over sister Jordan, comedian Kevin Hart and Hart’s son, Hendrix for a perfect “50” score at the 2018 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

those days,” he says. “That’s one thing that played a factor and also having a teacher for a mom, understanding that there are parents and teachers who rely on their kids getting fed at school.”

More recently, Donovan has turned his efforts closer to home. He honored Greenwich Hospital’s Dr. Cassandra Tribble through the Real Heroes Project, an initiative led by athletes from fourteen pro leagues thanking their healthcare hero on social media. With partner Adidas, he donated face shields and sneakers to frontline responders at St. John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers. After Adidas Legacy school Brooklyn Democracy Academy lost its principal Dez-Ann Romain, the first known NYC public school staffer to die from the virus, Don made a spirit-lifting Zoom call to its basketball teams.

He also video-chatted with all Connecticut Boys & Girls Club chapters via ESPN about basketball, bullying and staying focused on school during these anxious and confusing days.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOE MURPHY/NBAE

PLAYING IT FORWARD A bridge between worlds, Donovan’s open arms stretch as far as they do because he knows the view from both sides. “Everyone sees the last three years I’ve had with the All-Stars, the dunk contest, all that stuff, they think that’s just me,” he says. “They don’t understand that it was a process to get here. It was a struggle at times.”

In happier times that are hopefully on the horizon, Don will continue to nurture young people in his summer basketball camps—held in Salt Lake City and Greenwich—with his personal message of determination over negativity.

“People like to put limits on what kids can do.

Some kids believe it and don’t think they’re good enough,” he says. “I want them to understand that I didn’t think I was good enough, even when I was twenty-one years old. In the end, it’s about the hard work you put in, and trusting the work.”

The more you listen, the more you realize that 4,790 points into his NBA career, Donovan Mitchell is still that humble, big-hearted Renaissance man from middle school, only with appreciably more feathers in his ball cap. And somewhere along the way, that man became a bigger man by opening a window wide enough for a new G generation of Spidas to climb through.

home & heart Our homes are where we retreat from the world, where we find security and comfort. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, we spoke with designer amy aidinis hirsch about the dream home she and her husband built here.

Today, the story of her personal haven is more relevant than ever by l auren fet terman | phot o gr aphs by amy vischio

above: This modern farmhouse is a dream come true for Hirsch. “Amy wanted a home that reflected her personality and design sensibility,” says architect Paulo Vicente of Vicente-Burin Architects. “She wanted a house that was bright with a great connection to the outdoors and an open flow.” right: The designer in her light-filled, second-floor hallway. For a rustic yet clean look, the entire house has white oak character grade wood flooring supplied by The Hudson Company.

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above: A set of Remains Lighting globe flush mount lights in dark waxed bronze was installed above the island. opposite: The kitchen seamlessly flows into the expansive family room. opposite top: A spacious walk-in pantry houses essentials like the microwave, coffee station and wine fridge. opposite center: The powder room’s tile-like After Lowry wallpaper from Smink Things in London is a feast for the eyes. The mirror is from Waterworks and the Cocoon tap is from Studio Piet Boon. opposite bottom: Long, custom-made stained walnut dowels capped with metal add warmth and offer easy access to storage in the kitchen.

Where does the story of this home begin? It’s been a year since we moved

wanted a house with very little maintenance. That meant we didn’t want stone walls; we wanted cement; we wanted our decking to be very simple. We didn’t want anything over-the-top that we had to maintain. We wanted a home where we could live and entertain and not have to worry.

in. We had been living in Stamford in what was a great starter home.

My husband and I had our two daughters there, and now that they’re a bit older, we had outgrown it. Our objective was to find an acre of land with some space, and it took a really long time. We finally found this piece of property that had a horrible house from the 1940s on it. It was much bigger than the house we built, and it was long and dilapidated.

We really bought it for the property—it was in the same district for our kids, and it’s two minutes from my mom and where I grew up. My husband and I are both lifelong Greenwich residents—we were born and raised here; we both live and work here; multiple generations of our families live here. When we closed, we were on vacation, and when we came back, my husband said, “Why don’t you walk through the house one more time just to see what you want to do?” So, I walked inside, and I said, “Let’s knock it down.” That started the process.

How long did it take, from start to finish? Because it took a year to

find the land, it was a three-year endeavor; the build itself was eighteen months. We had wetlands, and it takes time to go through that process. While we were dealing with that, we had the time to finesse the plans with an architect, which was key. It’s funny, but the way I found Paulo Vicente of Vicente-Burin Architects was through editorials. He had been recommended by a close friend, and after loving the vision of some of his houses in these editorials, I knew he was it; I didn’t interview anyone else. He provided five homes on a floor plan for us, and we went with a hybrid of two of them—one he designed and one his wife, Martina, designed. He suggested moving the house twenty-five feet toward the road, and I wasn’t sure that was the right choice, but it was the best decision we ever made.»

What were you looking to create? I knew I wanted to build something

myself. We wanted a galvanized roof and aluminum windows, and we

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It gave us a larger backyard, and we live in our backyard. We entertain in our kitchen, which is integrated into our backyard, and we’re out there all the time. Paulo nailed that.

Paulo, how does this home represent Amy? To me, it reflects Amy’s own

work, which is varied and eclectic in nature but always well-organized, restrained and comfortable. This house has a unique blend of traditional forms with steeply pitched gable roofs, traditional windows and board and batten siding. These are contrasted in proportion with large expanses of glass, cantilevered awnings, a galvanized roof, exposed concrete and black clad forms. The interior continues the same theme with a mix of reclaimed wood beams, traditional wallpaper contrasted with floating stairs, trimless window surrounds and contemporary fireplaces. The house is casual and comfortable yet put together in a restrained and stylish manner. I think it reflects the character of Amy and her family.

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awards

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Introducing our new and exciting A-List Awards Virtual Ceremony September 16, 2020 STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS! JUDGES

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EDWARD SIEGEL Edward Siegel Architect

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“The beauty of this house is that it has the flexibility to change as we grow and change .”

—amy aidinis hirsch

above: The family room is centered on a custom Wüd Furniture Design Nola live-edge walnut coffee table with bronze encased in epoxy resin. The gradation of the boards on the fireplace provides a striking textural element to the room, and the stairwell is accented with John Pomp’s Clear Band pendant.

What inspired the look of the exterior? I didn’t want what everyone else

What were you drawn to for the interior? I did some research and looked

in New England had. I wanted a home that when you walked inside, you couldn’t believe it actually exists here. We built a modern farmhouse, and while I know people are tired of that terminology, that’s really what we wanted. We wanted high ceilings and a tremendous amount of glass, and we have a “glass cube” that’s within our entry and up to a little sitting room, so the second floor looks like it’s floating. You can see straight through the house from front to back, and natural light played a big role. On the outside, the first vision I had—and this is so crazy—was Guinness, and I don’t even drink Guinness! It was the idea of dark and tan, a contrast. Our garage is encased in yellow cedar, and it’s all stained black. There’s this push and pull between the black and white and the gray galvanized tin roof. On the exterior, the mullions and everything on the windows are black. I was hell-bent on doing that for the interior windows, but I was doing so much of that for clients that I wanted a reprieve from it. I also went for a black kitchen, and I felt like it could be overkill with the windows, so it’s the best of both worlds—black mullions on the outside and white on the inside.

at Scandinavian interiors and houses in Australia. I was drawn to purity and simplicity, to concrete, white walls, no trim, no moldings except for a base. My husband and I love rustic beams, and these are 200-year-old beams salvaged from a barn and brought in from Tennessee. We love the disbursement and rhythm of them, how they travel from one side to the other and to strategic places upstairs. It was about knowing where to install them and where to have restraint against being too rustic. We discussed cladding the family room ceiling in tons of old, reclaimed wood, but in the end, less was more; that was the motto for our house. The Hudson Company sourced and procured the old rustic beams throughout, supplied the white oak character grade wood flooring and milled the rift oak wood planking that encases the family room fireplace, which was all installed by Keith J. Manca Building Company.

The dining room is stunning. How did this space come together?

We knew we didn’t want a living room, but we do love to entertain. »

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above: A custom upholstered bed by Amy Aidinis Hirsch anchors the master suite, and the lamps on either side are from Rejuvenation.

The dining room essentially acts as my office—it has this great, big table, and the light is beautiful in there. We put in an office for me in the basement, but I never use it—it’s a catchall for everything! We use the dining room more in the winter if we’re entertaining, but day-to-day, it’s really an office for me. And that’s the balance of what Paulo created—the right side of the house, where this room is as well as a guest room, is much more private. But on a daily basis, our family lives in the left side of the house.

can paint the walls another color, and that’s the beauty of this house—it has the flexibility to change as we grow and change. And I’m not going to lie, I almost chickened out—I almost went with a white kitchen. But I have no regrets. The other factor in here is the walnut, which I love; it’s one of my favorite materials to use. When you open up the drawers, everything is lined in the walnut. We didn’t want too many open cabinets, so we spent a lot of time dissecting where everything would go. There’s almost too much storage, but that’s a really good thing. The pantry acts as an extension of the kitchen—everything happens in there. There’s a wine fridge, microwave, icemaker; the coffee is in there. So our kitchen, for the most part, stays like this all the time. I used the Statuario Gold on the perimeter countertops and backsplash, and we did Leathered Black Absolute for the island. My mindset was, if I’m in it, I’m fully in it. It was a very pure approach.

Since you tend to work in here, does the dining room creatively fuel your work? I think so, because there’s so much green. The beauty is the

de Gournay hand-painted chinoiserie wall. It was a moment I struggled with a bit, trying to decide what I was going to put in here. It’s a great backdrop to see when you’re in the kitchen, and when I walk down the stairs in the morning, it’s one of the first things I see when I reach the first floor. It’s so impactful, and it’s a nod back to my traditional roots.

Tell me about your master suite—the layout is so unique. You walk down

this long hallway to approach it, and everyone always asks, “Are you ever going to put anything on the walls? This would be the perfect place for family photos.” But I always say no—this is my decompression walk, my

Tell me about your decision to go with a black kitchen. I wanted something

unusual and totally different. If I ever want to change this down the road, I

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above: The master bath beckons with a Winifred resin freestanding tub by Signature Hardware. top left: Before entering the master suite, a sitting room on the second floor of the “glass cube” features a custom daybed by Amy Aidinis Hirsch upholstered in two different fabrics—a mohair and a solid, channel-stitched Perennials fabric. Bouclé throw pillows on top offer extra comfort, and the artwork is by Lev Khesin. center: Entering the master bedroom bottom: Backed by Fancy Nancy wallpaper in Slate from Studio Moses, a custom dresser by Amy Aidinis Hirsch is enveloped in Edelman Leather’s Royal suede in Coal Ash, topped with glass and punctuated

by Pale Horn hardware from Ochre.

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meditation walk; it calms me. We also reintroduced the beams here. And for our bedroom, I wanted to be able to walk 360 degrees around our entire suite. The bed is anchored to the main wall, and then you can walk down the hall on the left or right to the closet, which we share, and then into the bathroom. The flow is great, and it’s one of the best design elements of the house. Massive steel mirrored pocket doors divide the hallway and bathroom, and that went back to having something raw.

The rope bed is amazing—whose room is that? That’s my younger

daughter’s room, and she found that bed and pinned it. She didn’t want a lot of color in her room, but she did want a hanging bed, and the mill shop that did all of our cabinetry throughout the house made the bed for me. It’s a mattress on top of a platform, so it doesn’t actually swing, but it’s designed to look like it’s floating, with this fabulous plush carpet underneath. My daughter is a gymnast, so if that bed was actually floating around, we’d be in a lot of trouble!

How did you ensure your master bath suited both you and your husband?

How did you curate your art collection? Because there is so much light

I didn’t want a bathroom separated into his and hers. Bathrooms are all about materials, repetition and function, and there is a large amount of storage in here. The drawers are all touch-latch, and I wanted to carry the black in, so we did a Nero Marquina herringbone floor. The countertops are quartz, which was one of the last things I sourced, and it has so much movement; I love the organic element it brings. All of our hardware is black; everything in our suite is a gunmetal. Even in our children’s bathrooms and the guest bathrooms, everything intentionally shares the same language. There’s a consistency.

and so many windows, there were only so many strategic places for art.

It’s another layer of what we do, and Tiffany Nelson from Nelson Macker Fine Art was instrumental. She would send me artists whom she felt were right for our house, and I would dig a little deeper. Every piece of art that came into our home had purpose and meaning. Each one represents us.

Has any one room emerged as your favorite? That’s hard, because there

are so many great spots, but I will say that we love our fire pit. We love being outside, and it makes you feel like you’re in the woods. I knew I

left: One of Amy’s daughters wanted a floating bed for her room, so this custom hanging bed by Amy Aidinis Hirsch creatively fulfilled the request. right: The faux fur rug is from J.D. Staron. In the en-suite bathroom, Cedar & Moss’s Vista sconces flank a medicine cabinet lined in oak trim. greenwichmag.com

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above: Indoor/outdoor entertaining is effortless in the rear of the house. below: The fire pit is the family’s favorite spot to spend time together.

wanted hornbeams and grasses as an extension of the casualness of the way we live. The gravel was key—I went to Terrain and found these little black rocks, and our landscape architect Doyle Herman Design Associates had to search for them; it wasn’t easy. But those tiny black pebbles, and the rest of the materials, just make the space.

How would you describe the experience of designing your own home?

It was really hard. I’m decisive with clients, but with my own home, there were just so many choices. But it goes back to your gut. Everything I do, I feel within my body. Whenever I was paralyzed with indecision, I put my attention elsewhere and knew that somehow, it would circle back and work itself out, and my gut wouldn’t ache so much when I fell onto what the right choice was. At one point, my husband said to me, “Could you ever do this again?”

And I said, “No way do I ever want to do this again!” But when it was done, I turned to him and said, “So what are we going to do now?” [laughs] I’m just so grateful for this house and grateful that I can bless my family with it. We G live very simply, and this house allows us to do that. It’s heaven.

Resources Interior designer: Amy Aidinis Hirsch Interior Design, Greenwich; 203-661-1266; amyhirsch.com Architect: Vicente-Burin Architects, Fairfield; 203-319-9571; vbarchitect.com General contractor: Keith J. Manca Building Company, Newtown; 203-270-3603; kjmbuilding.com Landscape architect: Doyle Herman Design Associates, Greenwich; 203-869-2900; dhda.com Art advisor: Tiffany Nelson, 203-249-3685; nelsonmackerfineart.com Florist: Green of Greenwich, Greenwich; greenofgreenwich.com

8TH ANNUAL

B E ST BARTE N D E R

WEDNESDAY SEPT 2*

6:30-9:00 p.m.

Harbor Point, Stamford Presented by

C O NTE ST by

MAGAZINE

Join the Fun

Help Choose Stamford’s Best Bartender

Vote for your favorite signature cocktail!

Taste dishes prepared by Stamford's best restaurants.

Enjoy live Calypso music and the beautiful waterfront patio.

Get in the Game!

Business & Restaurant sponsorships available Contact Publisher, Karen Kelly: 203.571.1624 or Karen.Kelly@Moffly.com Get your tickets now bestbartenderstamford.com (tickets also available at the door) *Rain Date: Thursday, Sept 3 6:30-9:00 p.m.

calendar ART & ANTIQUES

Cos Cob Park

ALDRICH MUSEUM, 258 Main St., Ridgefield, 438-0198. Tues.-Sun. noon- 5 p.m.; Fri. until 8 p.m. aldrichart.org AMY SIMON FINE ART, 1869 Post Rd. East, Westport, 259-1500. amysimonfineart.com BRUCE MUSEUM, 1 Museum Dr., 869-0376. brucemuseum.org

CAVALIER GALLERIES, 405 Greenwich Ave., 869-3664. cavaliergalleries.com.

LOFT ARTISTS ASSOCIATION, 575 Pacific Street., Stamford, 202-247-2027. loftartists.org

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

MARITIME AQUARIUM, 10 N. Water St., S. Norwalk, 852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org

FAIRFIELD MUSEUM AND HISTORY CENTER, 370 Beach Rd., Fairfield, 259-1598. fairfieldhistory.org FLINN GALLERY, 101 W. Putnam Ave., 622-7947. flinngallery.com

( for more events visit greenwichmag.com )

JUNE 2020 GREENWICH

69

KENISE BARNES FINE ART, 1947 Palmer Ave., Larchmont, NY, 914-834-8077. kbfa.com LOCKWOOD-MATHEWS MANSION MUSEUM, 295 West Ave.,Norwalk, 838-9799. lockwoodmathewsmansion .com.

DISCOVERY MUSEUM AND PLANETARIUM, 4450 Park Ave., Bridgeport, 372-3521. discoverymuseum.org

A

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

CANFIN GALLERY, 39 Main St., Tarrytown, NY, 914-332-4554. canfingallery.com

CLAY ART CENTER, 40 Beech St., Port Chester, NY, 914-937-2047. clayartcenter.org.

nd so it goes … a summer with an empty social calendar. The balls, the galas, the luncheons, the fundraisers are cancelled for now. Staying home and healthy is the most important thing you can do. May you enjoy this time with family and friends (from six feet away). There will be events again, and when there are, we will be here to tell you all about it. Until then, we have Zoom and virtual events at some of our town’s galleries and museums.

GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 39 Strickland Rd., 869-6899. greenwichhistory .org

GERTRUDE G. WHITE GALLERY, YWCA, 259 E. Putnam Ave., 869-6501. ywcagreenwicg.org GREENWICH ARTS COUNCIL, 299 Greenwich Ave., 862-6750. greenwichartscouncil.org

NEUBERGER MUSEUM OF ART, Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, NY, 914-251-6100. neuberger.org PELHAM ART CENTER, 155 Fifth Ave., Pelham, NY, 914-738-2525 ext. 113. pelhamartcenter.org ROWAYTON ARTS CENTER, 145 Rowayton Ave., Rowayton, 866-2744. rowaytonarts.org SAMUEL OWEN GALLERY, 382 Greenwich Ave., 325-1924. samuelowen.org SILVERMINE GUILD ARTS CENTER, 1037 Silvermine Rd., New Canaan. silvermineart.org SM HOME GALLERY, 135 East Putnam Ave., 2nd flr., Greenwich, 629-8121. sandramorganinteriors.com STAMFORD ART ASSOCIATION,

calendar 438-9269. ridgefieldplayhouse.org

869-9242. gecgreenwich.org

RIDGEFIELD THEATER BARN, 37 Halpin Ln., Ridgefield, 431-9850. ridgefieldtheaterbarn.org

GREENWICH LIBRARY, 101 W. Putnam Ave., 622-7900. greenwichlibrary.org

SHUBERT THEATER, 247 College St., New Haven, 800-228-6622. shubert.com

Maritime Aquarium

N

o aquarium, no problem. The Maritime will be streaming some of its most popular educational programs each week. Visit maritimeaquarium.org/virtual-programs to watch sea creatures in action.

39 Franklin St., Stamford. stamfordartassociation.org STAMFORD MUSEUM & NATURE CENTER, 39 Scofieldtown Rd., Stamford. stamfordmuseum.org UCONN STAMFORD ART GALLERY, One University Pl., Stamford, 251-8400. artgallery.stamford.uconn.edu WESTPORT ARTS CENTER, 51 Riverside Ave., Westport, 226- 7070. westportartscenter.org YALE CENTER FOR BRITISH ART, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven, 432-2800. britishart.yale.edu YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven, 432-0611. artgallery.yale.edu

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

AVON THEATRE FILM CENTER, 272 Bedford St., Stamford, 661-0321. avontheatre.org CURTAIN CALL, The Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Ave., Stamford, 329-8207. curtaincallinc.com DOWNTOWN CABARET THEATRE, 263 Golden Hill St., Bridgeport, 576-1636. dtcab.com FAIRFIELD THEATRE COMPANY, On StageOne, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield, 259-1036. fairfieldtheatre.org GOODSPEED OPERA HOUSE, 6 Main St., East Haddam, 860-873-8668. goodspeed.org GREENWICH LIBRARY, 101 W. Putnam Ave., 6227900. greenwichlibrary.org JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER, 364 Manville Rd., Pleasantville, NY, 914-7737663. burnsfilmcenter.org

STAMFORD CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford, 325-4466. stamfordcenterforthearts.org WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE, 25 Powers Ct., Westport, 227-4177. westportplayhouse.org

LECTURES, TOURS & WORKSHOPS ALDRICH MUSEUM, 258 Main St.,Ridgefield, 438-0198. aldrichart.org AUDUBON GREENWICH, 613 Riversville Rd., 869-5272. greenwich.audubon.org AUX DÉLICES, 231 Acosta St., Stamford, 326-4540, ext. 108. auxdelicesfoods.com BOWMAN OBSERVATORY PUBLIC NIGHT, NE of Milbank/East Elm St. rotary on the grounds of Julian Curtiss School, 869-6786, ext. 338.

BRUCE MUSEUM, 1 Museum Dr., 869-0376. brucemuseum.org CLAY ART CENTER, 40 Beech St., Port Chester, NY, 914-937-2047. clayartcenter.org CONNECTICUT CERAMICS STUDY CIRCLE, Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Dr. ctcsc.org

LONG WHARF THEATRE, 222 Sargent Dr., New Haven, 787-4282. longwharf.com

FAIRFIELD MUSEUM AND HISTORY CENTER, 370 Beach Rd., Fairfield, 259-1598. fairfieldhistory.org

RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield,

GARDEN EDUCATION CENTER, 130 Bible St.,

greenwichmag.com

70

KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART, 26 Bedford

Rd., Chappaqua, NY, 914-232-9555. katonahmuseum.org STAMFORD MUSEUM & NATURE CENTER, 39 Scofieldtown Rd., Stamford, 977-6521. stamfordmuseum.org

KIDS’ STUFF

JUNE 2020

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

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

AUDUBON GREENWICH, 613 Riversville Rd., 869-5272. greenwich.audubon.org

MARITIME AQUARIUM, 10 N. Water St., S. Norwalk, 852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org

AUX DÉLICES (cooking classes), 23 Acosta St., Stamford, 326-4540 ext. 108. auxdelicesfoods.com BEARDSLEY ZOO, 1875 Noble Ave., Bridgeport, 394-6565. beardsleyzoo.org BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREENWICH, 4 Horseneck Lane, 869-3224. bgcg.org BRUCE MUSEUM, 1 Museum Dr., 869-0376. brucemuseum.org DISCOVERY MUSEUM AND PLANETARIUM, 4450 Park Ave., Bridgeport, 3723521. discoverymuseum.org DOWNTOWN CABARET THEATRE, 263 Golden Hill St., Bridgeport, 576-1636. dtcab.com EARTHPLACE, 10 Woodside Lane, Westport, 227-7253. earthplace.org GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 39 Strickland St., 869-6899. hstg.org

NEW CANAAN NATURE CENTER, 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, 966-9577. newcanaannature.org RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, 438-5795. ridgefieldplayhouse.org STAMFORD CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford, 325-4466. palacestamford.org STAMFORD MUSEUM & NATURE CENTER, 39 Scofieldtown Rd., Stamford, 977-6521. stamfordmuseum.org STEPPING STONES MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN, 303 West Ave., Mathews Park, Norwalk, 899-0606. steppingstonesmuseum .org

GREENWICH LIBRARY, 101 W. Putnam Ave., 6227900. greenwichlibrary.org

WESTPORT ARTS CENTER, 51 Riverside Ave., Westport, 222-7070.

Visit westportartscenter .org

IMAX THEATER AT MARITIME AQUARIUM, 10 N. Water St., S. Norwalk, 852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org

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

G G westportplayhouse.org

advertisers index BUILDING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

FASHION

LANDSCAPING, NURSERY & FLORISTS

Grand Entrance Gates . . . . . . . . . . 43 Hilton Architecture & Interiors . . . . . . 15 Hobbs, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Private Staff Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Tischler und Sohn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Henry's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 3

A. Bulfamante Landscaping . . . . . . . 29 Evergreen Lawn & Tree Services, LLC . 40 Homefront Farmers . . . . . . . . . Cover 4

Tony's at the J House . . . . . . . . . . . 31

HEALTH & BEAUTY

BUSINESS & FINANCE Cummings & Lockwood LLC . . . . . . . 8

DECORATING & HOME FURNISHINGS Amy Aidinis Hirsch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Roughan Interiors & Home . . . . . . . . 13 Serena & Lily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

ENTERTAINMENT Stamford Tent & Event Services . . . . 39

EVENTS A-list Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Light a Fire 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Stamford magazine's 8th Annual Best Bartender Contest . . . . . . . . 68

PHOTOGRAPHY

FOOD, CATERING & LODGING

•

Greenwich Fertility . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Greenwich Smiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 The Nathaniel Witherell . . . . . . . . . . 43 NicholsMD of Greenwich . . . . . . . . . 17 Park Avenue Vein Laser Center/ H. Majlessi, M.D., FACS, FICS & Vida Yasmin, M.D. . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Riverside Orthodontics/ Scott L. Kesselman, DDS . . . . . . . . 8 Rye Vein Laser Center/ H. Majlessi, M.D., FACS, FICS & Vida Yasmin, M.D. . . . 10 Yale New Haven Health/ Smilow Cancer Center . . . . . . . . . . 5

PHOTO BOOTH

•

VIDEO

NONPROFIT Bruce Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Greenwich Point Conservancy . . . . . 44 Junior League of Greenwich . . . . . . . 47

REAL ESTATE Sotheby's International Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2, 1, 6, 7 William Raveis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

REAL ESTATE/DESTINATION John's Island Real Estate Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

MISCELLANEOUS Big Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Westy Self Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

•

SOCIAL MEDIA

Moffly Media is one of the leading providers of professional event photography and marketing services in Fairfield County.

We capture compelling, high-quality images of individuals and groups at meaningful events. With our wide range of capabilities, Moffly will customize a marketing program that’s just right for you.

LEARN MORE! Contact KATHLEEN GODBOLD at Kathleen.Godbold@moffly.com or 203.571.1654

JUNE 2020 GREENWICH

71

postscript

SCREEN TIME

E

dit meetings look a whole lot different these days, that’s for sure. For starters Amos Moffly now has a seat at the table—he’s not one for social distancing. Producing magazines with everybody working remotely makes communication more important than ever. (We see each other more now than when we were all under the same roof.)

While figuring out technical issues and tracking the magazine’s layouts, we’re also complaining about deadlines and revising our Netflix recommendations. It’s nice that not everything is the “new” normal. Some things are just normal. 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

72

Henry’s #7 Leather Sneaker Designed in Norwalk, Connecticut and meticulously hand-crafted in Portugal using only the finest French calfskin and Italian soles. Made to be comfortable from the first minute you put them on.

Henry’s Leather Goods • 5 Lewis Street, Greenwich, CT • henrysleather.com • 203-340-9273

YA R D TO TA B LE

During WWII, 40% of Americans’ Vegetables Were Grown at Home

During WWII, 40% of Americans’ Vegetables Were Grown at Home Victory Gardens fed the nation and families

homegrown, organic food. Our highly trained

experienced the satisfaction of food grown right

organic gardeners make weekly visits to ensure

outside their door. Today, there’s a

that your garden is as bountiful as it is

resurgence of interest in homegrown

beautiful. Feel free to join them to

food, driven by a commitment to

learn for yourself! If you don’t have a

healthy, organic produce and enthusi-

garden yet, let us build you one of our

asm for all the tastes of summer.

handcrafted raised bed beauties.

Homefront Farmers is here to help.

There’s still time to have your own

Unfortunately, not everyone has the

Victory Garden, and enjoy all the

time or knowledge to grow their own successfully.

tastes of summer. Give us a call — we’d love to

We’re the area’s leading experts in producing

get you growing!

20 3 .470.3655 : info@homefrontfarmers.com : homefrontfarmers.com : Like Us on Facebook