New Caanan, Darien + Rowayton - March/April 2025

BESPOKE GARDENS

Creating Luxe Green Spaces

Buying

INVITING INTERIORS

Step Inside 5 Stunning Homes on the New Canaan CARES Home Tour

Connecticut’s

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47

STEP INSIDE

The annual New Canaan CARES Home Tour is coming, with houses that are sure to leave you awestruck. We look back at last year’s stunners. by jenny axt mehta

58

GARDENS OF SOLITUDE AND SOLACE

Local landscape experts share how to create hidden luxe moments to enjoy all season long. Wander through these bespoke spaces to see how you can bring natural serenity to your backyard. by tom connor

66

THE STATE OF REAL ESTATE

A look back at the 2024 market confirms that Lower Fairfield County is as desireable as ever. by liz barron

First in the nation to ask our real estate clients, “What do you think of our service?”

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*William Raveis customer surveys, 2004-2024

Photo:

editorial

editorial director Cristin Marandino editor Eileen Murphy advisory editor Donna Moffly art

senior art director Venera Alexandrova

senior art director/status report Garvin Burke production director Tim Carr art intern Ava Amuso

contributors

editors

Megan Gagnon editor, athome Melinda Anderson editor, stamford Samantha Yanks editor, westport Elizabeth Hole editor, custom publishing

writers

Liz Barron, Tom Connor, Elizabeth Keyser, Jennifer Axt Mehta, Georgette Yacoub copy editors

Liz Britten, David Podgurski

digital

audience development editor Kaitlin Madden digital marketing manager Rachel MacDonald digital assistant Lloyd Gabi digital assistant Jeffery Garay

business president Jonathan W. Moffly editorial director Cristin Marandino business manager Elena V. Moffly cofounders John W. Moffly IV and Donna C. Moffly

sales + marketing

Gina Fusco publisher gina.fusco@moffly.com

Jonathan W. Moffly publisher, greenwich, athome, stamford, ocean house jonathan@moffly.com

Gabriella Mays publisher, westport•weston•wilton gabriella.mays@moffly.com

Hilary Hotchkiss acount executive hilary.hotchkiss@moffly.com

Morgan Howell acount executive morgan.howell@moffly.com

Kathleen Dyke partnership and big picture manager kathleen.godbold@moffly.com

Emily Klaeboe

interim partnership and big picture manager Emily.klaboe@moffly.com

Lemuel Bandala sales assistant lemuel.bandala@moffly.com

Eillenn Bandala business assistant eillenn.bandala@moffly.com TO SUBSCRIBE, renew, or change your address, please e-mail us at subscribe@ncdmag.com, call 1-877-467-1735, or write to New Canaan - Darien + Rowayton Magazine, 111 Corporate Drive, Big Sandy, TX 75755. U.S. subscription rates: $19.95/1 year (6 issues); $34.95/2 years (12 issues); Canada and foreign, US $40/year; $69/2 years. Prices are subject to change without notice. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of this periodical may be reproduced without express permission of the publisher. ©2025 New Canaan - Darien magazine is a registered trademark owned by Moffly Media. The opinions expressed by writers commissioned for articles published by New Canaan - Darien magazine are not necessarily those of the magazine. FOR QUALITY CUSTOM REPRINTS/E-PRINTS, please call 203-571-1645 or e-mail reprints@mofflymedia.com

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editor’s letter

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

EFOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @NCDMAG

very issue of New Canaan Darien + Rowayton magazine has an overall theme. The March/April theme is “Home.” That term can have different meanings. There is the obvious one: a structure in which one lives. But it can also have a much deeper meaning. It can mean the place where you feel safe and connected, where the people you love are, where you have wonderful experiences and memories. Throughout this issue, you will find elements of both the literal definition and that deeper meaning of home—one which is difficult to put into words, but is the place where you belong.

A perfect example of this is our piece in Buzz about the investment firm Gridiron Capital (page 13). Co-founded by New Canaan’s Tom Burger, it started out with four employees working in a small office in town. After spending decades commuting to New York City, working close to home gave Burger the priceless gift of time. It enabled him to spend time with family, coach his kids sports teams, volunteer in a community he cherishes and so much more. It is because of all of those things that the Gridiron headquarters has remained in New Canaan, even after outgrowing multiple offices. And it is why, rather than moving to a more urban area with bigger office space, they chose to transform an old, outdated building on Pine Street into a high-tech financial hub.

Krista LeRay has found her home in Rowayton. While she and her husband

actually live in Westport, she has found a community of people who have a shared passion. When you first meet LeRay (a young mom), you wouldn’t guess that she is the owner and operator of a needlepoint shop, Penny Linn (page 21). But needlepointing is no longer something only your sweet, old grandmother does while sitting in her rocking chair by the fireplace. Similar to Mahjong, this age-old tradition has made a comeback with a younger generation, thanks to the pandemic and social media. For LeRay, it has become not only a business, but something that has helped her forge meaningful bonds. When you visit her new “home” on Rowayton Avenue, you can see the cross-generational connection and community that she has brought together.

As far as the traditional definition of “home” goes, this issue is chockful of gorgeous houses. With the New Canaan CARES Home Tour just around the corner (Friday, May 16), we take you inside the five houses featured on last year’s tour (page 47). We also give you a peek at some luxurious gardens (page 58) and do a deep dive on what’s been happening in the local real estate market (page 66). So kick your feet up and make yourself at home, wherever that may be.

The Clarke Group

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management 1020 Post Road | Darien, Connecticut 06820 203.662.5531 | james.f.clarke@ml.com www.fa.ml.com/clarke-group

James Clarke, Wealth Management Advisor, has been recognized by Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” in 2024. Published on April 3, 2024. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2023. Clark Group_7210567_Ad_7.65x4.5.indd 1

Data and sources for all Forbes awards and their rankings provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Past performance is not an indication of future results. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. Awards are based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and apply an algorithm that measures best practices, client retention, industry experience compliance records, firm nominations, assets under management and firm generated income. Investment performance is not a criterion. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S) is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, and Member SIPC. MLPF&S is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. © 2024 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. MAP7210567 | 11/2024 Are you ready for

Great Expectations

founder’s page

“No, you can’t play the drums because we’d get evicted,” my mother told me. “Besides, you’re a girl.”

OF HOUSES AND HIGH RISES

It’s spring. The real estate market is waking up, young people are moving up, old people are scaling down, but I’m staying put.

I’d always wanted to live in a house, and I’ve lived in mine in Riverside for 63 years. But until I was 23 and married Jack, I was a cliff dweller in Cleveland. My mother grew up in an apartment there, too. Real city people, us. When she was five, she disappeared one day, and my frantic grandmother found her sitting on the curb on Ford Drive eating onion sandwiches with the ditch diggers. She was never much of a cook but ’til the day she died could make a mean onion sandwich.

On the second floor of a tall building in the Moreland Courts complex on Shaker Boulevard, our apartment 2B had lots of windows—a great source of entertainment for us kids. We used to put apple slices on the sill of the bay window in the living room for Sammy the Squirrel, who turned out to be a Susie because she pulled the fur from her chest to line a nest for her babies—a high-rise nature lesson. When I was 10, we celebrated the end of The War by hanging out of those windows and banging on pots and pans. At 17 when I was leaving the building on a first date with a major heartthrob, my mother threw all my dirty laundry out that window onto the front path at our feet—a high-rise lesson to clean up my room.

Using Dad’s huge Navy binoculars, my brothers and I could see what the people in the studio apartments across the way were having for dinner—and then some.

One time when we were roaming lowerlevel rooftops peeking in windows, we came face to face with the superintendent, of all people. Of course, Mr. Van Fossen called Mother and told her to get her reindeer off

his roof. Little did they know that our favorite sport was climbing around fire escapes and balancing on ledges nine stories high.

Elevators were great for quick escapes after gumming the doorbells of old grumps who wouldn’t give us Halloween candy. We knew how to stop them between floors, and there was a little phone in there so we could annoy the apartment operator if we got bored. We could even work the freight elevator with its big crank handle.

Do country kids have as much fun?

Noise was always an issue. “No, you can’t play the drums because we’d get evicted,” my mother told me. “Besides, you’re a girl.” When I had friends over after a prom, she’d make us promise to keep the noise level down and leave a light on in the library. (We chose the bulb inside the Capehart record player with the lid closed.) Eventually the apartment phone would ring and the operator report: “Donna, there’s been a complaint. You’ve got to turn down the music or send your friends home.” It took us forever to realize that the spoilsport was actually my mother in her bed calling the Moreland Courts switchboard to silence us.

My father kept saying that after The War we’d buy a house. All my classmates had them, complete with grass; Alexandra Rigg’s lawn was a lovely yellow carpet of dandelions. But that never happened. He liked to call the garage to bring his car around; my mother liked to call for wall washers; and the Rapid Transit ran right past our door so I could ride it to school.

But many summers, we’d pack up and move out to The Country Club for a month—Dad’s idea of vacation, where he could be close to work but still play golf. Well, it was sort of a house, I guess. And no upkeep!

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by eileen murphy

REDEFINING “WORK FROM HOME”

GRIDIRON CAPITAL CALLS IN CPG ARCHITECTS TO TRANSFORM A CHARMING OLD NEW CANAAN BUILDING INTO A HIGH-TECH FINANCIAL HEADQUARTERS

When New Canaan’s Tom Burger co-founded the private equity firm Gridiron Capital in 2005, he ran it out of a small office on Grove Street. Burger had spent the better part of a decade commuting into New York and was looking for the quality of life that working close to home would afford. Twenty years later, quality of life remains a top priority for Burger and the Gridiron team.

clockwise from far left: The façade of the building at 50 Pine Street was given a fresh look, but has basically remained unchanged. The interior, however, was taken down to the studs and rebuilt to meet the firm’s needs.

GROWTH STRATEGY

As Gridiron expanded from its original four employees, they moved to a larger office space across the street from Walter Stewarts on Elm Street. But as the headcount exceeded 50, they were bursting at the seams.

“There wasn’t a lot of Grade A office space in town,” explains Burger. They toured surrounding towns, looking at options in Norwalk and Stamford, but kept coming back to the charm and central location of New Canaan. “We have the best aspects of the city, but none of the negatives,” adds Burger. Ultimately, they decided to purchase an existing building in New Canaan and find an architect to transform it to meet their needs.

LOCATION INTELLIGENCE

Just steps from the train station and downtown New Canaan, the three brick buildings along Pine Street had the charm Gridiron was looking for: low profile, green space in front, parking tucked back behind the buildings. It was recommended they buy all three buildings and knock them down to build anew. “But we didn’t want that to happen,” says Burger. “So many of us live here, it was important to maintain the scale and value of our town.” They settled on 50 Pine Street, the old Beval Saddlery building, and called CPG Architects in Stamford to breathe life back into the space.

“The building was in dire straits,” remembers Karen Lika, principal at CPG. “The systems in the building were way beyond their end of life.” But CPG was accustomed to this type of challenging project. The company is known for repositioning existing buildings and transforming them into something new.

FAST TRACK

When construction began in April 2021, the country was dealing with COVID restrictions and most of the Gridiron employees were working from home. The firm hoped to turn the project around as quickly as possible, so when employees came back to the office, it would be in the new space.

“We wanted it to be more modern and lighter, to create energy and an openness that promotes teamwork,” says Kevin Jackson, managing partner at Gridiron. “We also wanted to be thoughtful about how we were going to use the space.” That included creating an outdoor area out back for employees where they could get fresh air and congregate.

CPG managed to complete construction in September 2022. The result is a state-ofthe-art workplace with a modern, industrial interior housed inside a refreshed but original exterior façade. The open layout allows for tons of natural light but also provides ample office

and conferencing space. The lower-level pantry seamlessly connects to the outdoor area, which Gridiron also uses for entertaining—including bringing in food trucks for employees.

CLIENT CONNECTIONS

The new headquarters has made day-to-day operations easier for the growing company, but has also allowed Gridiron to retain that small-town character that is appealing to their clients. As investors in middle-market companies that are based in places like Ohio and Arkansas, Burger and Jackson emphasize how valuable it is to bring clients to visit them in a warm, welcoming community. “We value relationships, which is obvious when these teams come in to see us,” says Jackson “When we walk into town and bring clients to lunch, they see us interact with

“when we walk into town and bring clients to lunch, they see us interact with people and places in town that we frequent because we live here.”

—kevin jackson, managing partner at gridiron capital

above: Gridiron Capital’s Kevin Jackson, Tom Burger and Scott Harrison at 50 Pine Street.

left: Employees and clients enjoy the outdoor patio. below: Inside, there is ample conferencing space.

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being close to home allows employees to be a part of the community in ways they wouldn’t be able to if they were spending hours commuting to new york each day. burger and jackson, along with coo scott harrison, all help coach their kids’ sports teams and volunteer at local nonprofits.

people and places in town that we frequent because we live here.” That connection is something the clients can relate to, and it makes them feel more comfortable.

EMPLOYEE RETENTION

When asked if keeping the company’s headquarters in a small community has affected Gridiron’s ability to recruit employees, Burger says it has been quite the opposite. “Being in New Canaan has been a big draw,” he explains. “We have been able to attract and bring in the very best people.” Beyond the location, a big part of Gridiron’s appeal is that they are known for their emphasis on mentoring and training.

That they also prioritize quality of life for themselves and their employees speaks volumes about the culture of the firm and its executive team. Being close to home allows employees to be a part of the community in ways they wouldn’t be able to if they were spending hours commuting to New York each day. Burger and Jackson, along with COO Scott Harrison, all help coach their kids’ sports teams and volunteer at local nonprofits.

The firm’s motto, “Winning Together,” inspired “Winning Together Day,” which gives employees a day off to give back to programs in their community. They also work as a team to support organizations like Person to Person, the Boys & Girls Club, Malta House, Haymakers for Hope and more—with a focus on women’s, children’s and veteran’s organizations. “We work hard but balance it with family,” says Jackson. “It’s definitely one of the attractions of working at Gridiron. We can be much more engaged.”

left: Burger and Jackson coaching their kids’ sports teams and giving back to the community.

below: Harrington at camp with New Canaan’s Young Life chapter, of which he is a committee chair. right: Harrington reading to his daughter Hannah’s 4th grade class at South School.

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HAPPY MEDIUM

A NEW CANAAN WRITER RELEASES HER SECOND CHILDREN’S BOOK IN A SERIES

by liz barron

With a passion for writing and creating stories since she was a child, New Canaan resident Laura Wiltse Prior always dreamed of becoming a published author. Prior’s first book, Emma Just Medium: The Beach Dilemma, touched on the dynamics that occur in a family of five and what it means to be a middle child. While Prior didn’t set out to create a story with a family so similar to her own, she and her husband also have three children and are no strangers to the inner workings of sibling relationships and birth order. Her second book in the series, The Friend Dilemma, released last month, focuses on how friendships can change and evolve over time. Both of Prior’s books use entertaining and realistic scenarios to illustrate challenges in relationships that both children and adults can relate to.

GETTING STARTED

Prior started her career working on the advertising side of publishing but, while she loved it, she always knew she wanted to be on the other side of the process. She credits her writer father and therapist mother for her interest in becoming a children’s book author, using her creative talents to write books with emotionally focused themes. “In a way, I sort of combined their careers,” says Prior. “I definitely got the writing itch from watching my dad and I always loved to read.” Once her youngest child went to kindergarten, Prior felt it was time to shift her focus. “When I first started, I felt that I knew how to write a good short story, but I didn’t know much about writing children’s books,” says Prior. She attended classes about how to write and publish books at Westport Writers Workshop. Soon after, she started telling people she was writing a book. “Once I said it

out loud, I had accountability,” she remembers. “That’s what got me moving along.”

FINDING INSPIRATION

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

After finalizing her original manuscript, Prior hopefully submitted it to agents and publishers while also preparing herself for rejection because, as she says, it’s “just the name of the game in this industry." Early agent interest didn’t pan out and the publisher Red Chair Press said they liked the book but didn’t have space at that time, which Prior took as a gentle no and put the project on hold.

”Three years later I heard back from them asking if I still had the book,” she recalls. “In the meantime, I had continued to write as opposed to obsessing over getting published and it really worked out for the best— it came out of nowhere and was so exciting.”

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Living in a close-knit community like New Canaan has so many perks and, for Prior, the encouragement and interest in her work has been immeasurable. “New Canaan has been so incredible and supportive,” she says. “Elm Street Books has hosted signings and sold books at events for me.” She has also collaborated with the New Canaan Library and elementary schools.

character and see where that takes

While all authors struggle with creativity at times, Prior finds it's easiest to just dive in. “I start with a character and see where that takes me,” she says. “Some authors create outlines as their first step, but for me, I just have to start writing.” Prior also finds inspiration through a local group of female writers who call themselves the Breakfast Cookie Club Fiction. She credits the feedback and insight she receives from the group as an integral component of her success.

When asked what’s next, Prior shared that she just finished a third Emma Just Medium book and may eventually branch out. “I want to try my hand at something adult, maybe a thriller or a book for older kids and be able to experience something different,” she says.

Prior resides in town with her family, their dog Cody, Casper the cool gray cat and Wally the pudgy kitten, who all happily keep her company while she’s writing. Both of Prior’s books in the Emma Just Medium series can be purchased at Elm Street Books in New Canaan and online.

To learn more about Prior, visit her website at laurawiltseprior.com and follow her on Instagram @laurawiltseprior.

HOMETOUR

do

hen Krista LeRay was a student at the University of Kentucky, she fell in love with the needlepoint belts that were popular with her Southern classmates. “They called them ‘break-up belts’ at the time, because you stitched them for your boyfriend and, in college, relationships often don’t last,” LeRay explains. “Stitching a belt takes a long time and, by the time you finished, you had usually broken up.” LeRay decided instead to make a belt for herself and fell in love with needlepointing. What started out as a new hobby would eventually become a successful business—one that continues to grow with the opening of Penny Linn, her new needlepoint shop located in Rowayton.

by eileen murphy

NEXT-GEN NEEDLEPOINTING

AS SOCIAL MEDIA TUTORIALS DRAW A NEW GENERATION TO NEEDLEPOINTING, THIS NEW ROWAYTON SHOP BRINGS “COASTAL GRANDMOTHER” VIBES TO THIS MULTIGENERATIONAL HOBBY.

Penny Linn—the colorful new shop on Rowayton Ave.

photography by julia d’agostino

“we’re creating a space where people can bond over something they love—whether they’re stitching on a beach in nantucket or working at our shop.”

– krista leray

A PANDEMIC PIVOT

After college, LeRay moved to Manhattan to work in social media at Major League Baseball. “When I moved to New York in 2013, I kind of dropped needlepointing because it wasn’t this cool thing,” she says jokingly. She later picked it up again after getting engaged in 2018, knowing her fiancé was worth the time and effort it would take to stitch him a belt. When the pandemic struck, she found it difficult to find materials. “The pandemic really affected the needlepoint industry in terms of getting canvases,” she says. “The manufacturer

of the canvases wasn't working, and the painting houses weren't working— everything was shut down.” That’s when LeRay decided to start painting her own canvases. She began by painting for her own personal use and then started posting her creations on Instagram. Demand was so great that she decided to start a website. She spent six months hand-painting canvases in her New York City apartment and sold out her entire inventory within the first two hours of launching the site.

CONNECTICUT CALLING

The pandemic was also the catalyst for

another major change in LeRay’s life: a move from Midtown West to Fairfield County. Her in-laws’ house in Westchester was a welcome escape from navigating COVID restrictions in a New York City apartment building. While the couple put bids on multiple homes in both Westchester and Fairfield Counties, they ended up settling in Westport.

“And then, as the story goes, got a house, got a car, got a baby—the full suburban life,” she jokes.

Moving to the suburbs also meant more room for her growing business. She found a space in Westport where she could operate ecommerce shipping

and a have small showroom for retail shopping, by appointment only. But Penny Linn soon outgrew that space as well and LeRay had difficulty finding a larger space in Westport that worked. Fortunately, a perfect spot in Rowayton had just opened up on Rowayton Avenue, with plenty of space for a full retail showroom and a booming ecommerce business—not to mention a gorgeous view of the Five Mile River.

SHOP ’ TIL YOU DROP

“We create all our designs in-house, says LeRay. “The shop represents about 15

different designers under its collective.”

That includes LeRay, who is (of course) the designer of the Penny Linn line that the shop carries. The variety of designers means a wide range of canvases to choose from, each one painted by hand.

The colorful walls of the new shop are Instagram-worthy—a rainbow of threads in every size and material you can imagine. They sell all the tools you need to get started stitching, from needles and needleminders to project bags and books—each more stylish than the next.

Penny Linn also sells fun, creative accessories for you to display your

finished works. Two favorites are the magnetic acrylic coasters (which she holds a patent on) and Nantucket basket-style purses— both of which allow you to swap out your needlepoint pieces..

LEARN TO STITCH

LeRay learned to needlepoint at a local shop in Lexington, Kentucky, while attending college there. This spring she will be offering a wide variety of classes at the new Rowayton location—from beginner stitching to canvas painting to finishing. But, she adds, with the online resources available these days, it’s a hobby that is easy to

From ornaments and picture frames to coasters, the shop has a variety of project ideas for needlepointers.

pick up. “People now watch it on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and that’s how they can start,” says LeRay. “It takes five minutes to teach somebody because you’re literally just doing the exact same thing over.”

That repetitive motion is appealing and relaxing to people who love to needlepoint. “It’s just over and over and meanwhile I can talk to my mom, I can listen to podcasts, I can watch a show,” says LeRay. “It's just a perfect thing to do instead of scrolling on my phone. which again is just mindless—this is a better mindless.”

IN GOOD COMPANY

The shared love of needlepointing makes quick friends of people who might not otherwise have a connec-

tion. That’s something LeRay loves about this journey. She remembers a stitching retreat she organized in Nantucket. “We just said, anybody who wants to come, come sit with us and stitch,” she says. “We stitched on different beaches, we’d go to Millie’s and stitch.”

Women of all ages attended and they bonded. LeRay met a woman named Robin from Westport and immediately offered her a job, something she has done more than once when encountering local people who are passionate about needlepointing. “A lot of these women held high-ranking coporate jobs and are now retired and found joy in needlepoint as their second act,” LeRay explains. “You’re getting the advantage of all their life experience and their knowledge of the needlepoint-

ing.” She jokingly adds that she entices them to come work at the shop with deep discounts. LeRay even convinced her college best friend, Amanda, a fellow enthusiast, to move to Connecticut and work for the growing company. She is now vice president of Penny Linn. LeRay describes the company as “by a stitcher, for a stitcher.” She stocks the store with products and people that she likes, a vibe she says has not steered her wrong yet. “I’m curating it based off what I like, but I think it’s a relatable, younger, accessible curation for people like me,” she says. The adorable new shop at 161 Rowayton Avenue is bound to be a destination for needlepointers of all ages, and a place where future generations will learn to fall in love with this age-old hobby.

Penny Linn’s in Rowayton has everything you need to get stitching—from threads to accesories (above). Classes will be begin in the spring for needlepointers of all skill levels.

THE HEALING POWER OF REIKI

ENERGY AS MEDICINE

by georgette yacoub • photography by venera alexandrova

Lisa A. Labozzo’s life changed when she found herself upside down in her car, trapped by her seatbelt and surrounded by leaking gas. She was driving home to Darien after visiting a family friend at Stamford Hospital who was dying of bone cancer. During a difficult and long recovery, Labozzo was offered Reiki at the hospital—a moment she now calls transformative. “The practitioner laid hands on me, and I felt this warm, tingling sensation in my body,” she recalls. “When she

stopped, it stopped. I knew it was real.”

This experience not only set her on a path to becoming a Reiki master practitioner, intuitive energy healer and owner of Healing Hand and Heart in New Canaan, but she says it also awakened her spiritual gifts—such as strong intuition and the ability to receive clear audio messages from spirits—which she now incorporates into her healing sessions. Reiki, a Japanese practice, operates on the belief that energy flows through our bodies and can be

channeled to promote relaxation, alleviate stress and address blockages. “Reiki clears out what’s no longer serving you or blocking you from moving forward in your journey,” Labozzo explains. During a session, Reiki practitioners use light touch or hover their hands above the body to channel energy. Clients often lie fully clothed on a comfortable table in a calming environment, with soft lighting and music enhancing the sense of relaxation while the practitioner works to restore balance.

“ reiki clears out what’s no longer serving you or blocking you from moving forward in your journey. ”

– lisa a. labozzo

The idea of feeling better physically and emotionally through someone hovering their hands over you can seem far-fetched to some, perhaps more akin to folklore than fact. Yet Reiki is practiced in respected medical centers across the globe, including Johns Hopkins and Yale New Haven Hospital. While the evidence is more nuanced, there seems to be some level of agreement that this practice has benefits.

During a Reiki session, practitioners aim to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, often called the “rest and digest” mode, which calms the body, reduces stress hormones and boosts circulation. This relaxed state allows the body to focus on repair and recovery. Many clients report sensations of warmth, tingling or gentle waves of energy during a session, as if the practitioner’s hands are unblocking blockages and restoring flow. By helping clear stagnant energy, Reiki supports the body’s natural ability to heal, offering a holistic complement to traditional medical treatments.

While scientific research on Reiki is still emerging, several studies highlight its potential benefits in medical settings. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management found that patients undergoing Reiki experienced significant improvements in pain control. Similarly, research from the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine suggests that Reiki can improve quality of life for cancer patients by alleviating fatigue and emotional distress. These studies reinforce Reiki’s value as a complementary therapy, particularly in environments where relaxation and emotional support are essential to the healing process.

“Reiki doesn’t replace medical care, but it can enhance the healing process,” Labozzo explains. She recalls working with a cancer patient who found Reiki sessions offered relief alongside her chemotherapy and radiation. “She told me Reiki was the biggest catalyst for her transformation,” she shares. “It gave her the strength to face her treatment with a sense of calm and resilience.”

Labozzo offers another service as part of her practice called cord cutting, which focuses

on releasing emotional attachments stored in cellular memory. “People carry so much— losses, traumas, even stress from past experiences—that get trapped in their cells,” Labozzo explains. Cord cutting helps clients revisit and acknowledge these experiences, whether it’s a childhood fear or a painful breakup, and release the lingering energy tied to them. During a session, Labozza guides clients through recalling these moments, affirming their release, and physically cutting the energetic ties, often with a symbolic snapping sound. She follows this with Reiki to soothe and ground her clients. “It’s not always resolved in one session, but it can lighten the emotional load in ways people didn’t realize were possible,” she says, emphasizing how unresolved energy can lead to physical and emotional ailments if left unchecked.

Labozzo’s practice has resonated even with highly rational, left-brained individuals who typically approach such concepts with skepticism. One client, who initially sought Reiki as a last resort for chronic physical pain, says, “What I didn’t expect was the profound emotional healing that resulted from our sessions.” Another client says, “It feels like she is a direct channel for the universe, the source, the spirit—whatever you personally like to call it. When she lays her hands on me, I feel an instant calmness. Over the span of two weeks, I processed a lifetime of stress and fear and guilt that I didn’t even realize I was holding on to.” Such testimonials highlight the unique impact Labozzo’s work can have, even for those who may not typically gravitate toward energy healing.

Labazzo's own journey from a career in corporate sales to energy healing is a testament to the unexpected ways Reiki can change lives. “Doors kept guiding me to this path,” she says. “Now, I feel like my purpose is to help others heal.”

As Labozzo advises, “You don’t have to fully understand Reiki to feel its effects. Be open to the experience, and you might be surprised by the healing it brings.”

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STAMFORD GREENWICH WEST HARTFORD NAPLES BONITA SPRINGS PALM BEACH GARDENS

cmp offerings

CMP partners with the norwalk library to offer free weekly community mindfulness-based sessions every Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. All are welcome.

CMP offers online opportunities like guided meditation on Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:00 a.m and Mindful Lunch Breaks on Wednesdays from 12:15-12:30 p.m.

CMP also offers a six-week intro to mindfulness stress reduction program, which encompasses a variety of mindfulness techniques and resources to manage stress.

For the full suite of local offerings, visit communitymindfulnessproject.org.

THOUGHT LEADERS

HOW MEDITATION LED A GROUP OF FOUR FROM NEW CANAAN TO CREATE A COMMUNITY OF MINDFULNESS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.

by liz barron

The founders of the nonprofit Community Mindfulness Project (CMP) may have met by chance, but certainly not without purpose.

New Canaan residents Will Heins and Nick Seaver got to know each other in 2009 at one of the first-ever Mindfulness in Education conferences. Soon after the pair began meditating together along with Nick’s wife, Michelle Seaver, and fellow enthusiast Erika Long, who Heins knew from their work together in education advocacy.

“We had each experienced the

profound benefits of meditation and began a regular practice together with others in the community, and valued the strength that comes from that,” says Michelle.

The positive results of mindfulness practice are plentiful: stress reduction, improved mood and immune system function, clearer thinking, less chronic pain, lower heart rate and blood pressure.

As the group continued to meet, “we were inspired to make mindfulness training accessible to more vulnerable communities,” Michelle says.

CMP was officially born in 2014. More than ten years later, the org offers trainings to address burnout and trauma and hosts public meditation sessions to residents throughout the county. With the assistance of other non-profit partners, CMP has helped fill the gap between the demand for and supply of mental health support through school instruction, library programs, workshops and online sessions. To date, CMP has served more than 40,000 across the county.

“As an antidote to the mental health crisis, mindfulness training enables us to both connect with ourselves and others to cultivate healthier hearts and minds,” says Michelle.

"I feel unbelievably lucky to sit in circles with people from all walks of life, and watch them start out curious, and learn new information about how their brain and nervous system work,” says Long. “Then [they] get to experience how meditation and mindfulness can help them lead healthy, joyful lives. I wish everyone could witness those moments!”

above: The Community Mindfulness Project seeks to bring the extensive benefits of meditation to underserved communities across Fairfield County.

MORE IS MORE

THE FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL

embraces a colorful past and invites guests into a world of pure imagination

by megan gagnon

Imagine stepping into a 19th-century mansion straight out of New York’s Gilded Age, complete with bow-tied butlers, decadent details and gold leaf everything. At The Fifth Avenue Hotel, you can. After a 10-year renovation

by

Flâneur Hospitality,

the newly opened NoMad gem is ready to welcome visitors looking for a glamorous city escape.

Once the home of society fixture Charlotte Goodridge, the brick and limestone Renaissance-style building— now referred to as The Mansion—was redesigned as a bank in 1907 by architects McKim, Mead & White. Preserving the legacy of Ms. Goodridge’s legendary soirées, design firm Perkins Eastman oversaw the restoration and worked with PBDW Architects to construct a striking modern addition: an adjoining 24-story glass tower.

Drawing inspiration from the neighborhood’s rich history and the opulence of the building itself, the interiors

this photo: Towering trees lend a glamorous greenhouse effect at Café Carmellini. below: Martini butlers are available to hotel guests.

At the fifth , we’re not just offering accommodation: we’re crafting an immersive journey.

Alex Ohebshalom, owner

this photo: The striking exterior of The Fifth stands proudly over Fifth Avenue.

above: A large-scale tapestry by artist Pae White, titled “Bugs & Drugs,” hangs in the lobby. left: Maximalist print-mixing makes the walls pop.

evoke a sense of Bohemian romanticism and Gilded Age glitz with a modern twist. Visionary designer Martin Brudnizki, renowned for his masterful blend of eras, also took cues from the travels of owner Alex Ohebshalom, filling it with painted columns, pleated pink silk canopies, rainbow-hued crystal chandeliers and bone-inlaid tables—collected treasures that capture his globetrotting spirit.

“At The Fifth, we’re not just offering accommodation; we’re crafting an immersive journey,” says Ohebshalom.

“It’s a whimsical escape, a transformative experience right in the beating heart of Manhattan. We want our guests to slow down, to savor every moment and to truly engage with their surroundings.”

And those surroundings are a visual feast, a kaleidoscope of jewel tones, eclectic accents and museum-worthy art curated from flea markets to high-end galleries. The hotel’s suites and guestrooms are a celebration of color and texture, with garden greens, buttercup yellows and peony pinks creating a vibrant backdrop for bold patterns and luxurious finishes.

Café Carmellini, the hotel’s signature restaurant, is James Beard Award-winning Chef Andrew Carmellini’s love letter to New York City. He channels three decades of culinary expertise into a modern menu, marrying Italian and French influences to create a distinctly New York experience. And the dining room itself is a masterpiece. The landmark building’s neoclassical bones are bedecked with touches of maximalist flair: grand, sculptural trees, an inviting open kitchen and private balconies perched for viewing diners below.

If you’re looking for a more discreet option, escape to The Portrait Bar, where guests can enjoy cocktails and snacks by the carved stone fireplace and tuck into the intimate corners of the rich, wood-paneled space.

The hardest part will be stepping out into the real world, and readjusting from the flâneur mindset of The Fifth: where the ultimate luxury is defined by your ability to slow down and savor life’s sensory delights.

The Fifth Avenue Hotel 1 West 28th Street, New York, thefifthavenuehotel.com

GET A ROOM

Each jewel box has its own personality and palette.

FIT FOR A KING

At 575 square feet, The Mansion Suite is palatial, by New York standards. Utilize the butler and luxury house car service to really feel like royalty.

HOME, SUITE HOME

This one’s move-in ready. The Studio Suite includes a living room and study, two closets and a large entry foyer.

REST EASY

The city never sleeps, but you’ll get plenty in The Grand King, one of the largest of the tower rooms.

above: The Portrait Bar’s rich design was inspired by Italian villas.

eat

CREATIVE COLLABORATION

CHEF PRASAD INVITES HIS FAVORITE CHEFS TO JOIN HIM IN HIS KITCHEN

Scan here for more great places to EAT

by elizabeth keyser • photography by bread & beast and venera alexandrova

above (from left): The evening begins with a signature cocktail. New Canaan Chefs Prasad Chirnomula and Luke Venner of Elm seamlessly blended Indian and New American ingredients and cooking styles. An Elm favorite, Maine oysters with green apples, is garnished with Chef Prasad’s saffron mignonette.

It’s the hottest ticket on the culinary scene. Chef Prasad Collabs are drawing chefs and devoted foodies to New Canaan for dinners that meld seemingly disparate cooking styles into multicourse gourmet meals. On a recent evening, Chef Luke Venner of Elm joined Chef Prasad in creating a dinner for 50 guests. The evening felt like a celebration.

About three years ago, Prasad Chirnomula started thinking about his long career in Connecticut, and all the talented chefs he knew at restaurants throughout the state. He thought about Arturo Francho Camancho, Emily Mingrone, Billy Grant, Tyler Anderson, Nicholas Martschenko and Renee Toupance and how rarely they were able to interact, each working so many weekends and holidays in their own restaurants. What if he invited them to his kitchen? Community through culinary collaboration. “I want to cook with the best of the best chefs,” Chef Prasad said. Chef Prasad is one of the best of the best. He was named Best Caterer in the state by the CT Restaurant Association; he caterers multi-million-dollar weddings at the Biltmore in Asheville and sites closer to home. He has appeared on the Food Network show Chopped. It’s been 25 years since Chef Prasad opened Thali in a restored bank on Main Street.

He grew Thali from New Canaan to Ridgefield and Westport, and entered the New Haven market with the vegetarian Thali Too. After shutting down his restaurants, he realigned and in 2018 opened Chef Prasad, a boutique Indian restaurant in the town where he had a solid base of long-term customers and friends, as well as nearby fans willing to drive for his Konkan crab.

On a recent Thursday evening, Main Street in New Canaan had a rolled-up sidewalk feeling, except for the historic white clapboard building at No. 62. Inside, guests were lined up at the bar while bartenders were shaking up a special cocktail, a smooth and powerful limey concoction topped with whipped cream. A buzz of conversation and expectation filled the room.

Chef Prasad and guest Chef Luke Venner worked at the counter that runs the length of the far wall of the dining room. It was stacked with containers of spices. Chef Luke, who is

known for ingredient-driven New American cooking at Elm, has a background in French and Japanese cooking. “Indian is not in my background, so it has been fascinating to me to break the boundaries in my brain, putting two things together I would never do and realize it actually tastes good,” he said.

Among the passed hors d’oeuvres, were chickpea panisse, a fried base for Luke’s smoked carrot hummus, which Chef Prasad topped with an evocative coriander flower. Bites of tender Colorado lamb were bathed in a peppy sauce. Mini samosas were filled with goat cheese and morels and served with fig chutney.

Puchka were a revelation to Chef Luke. The crisp semolina puffs are a favorite street food in India. Also known as pani puri, they are traditionally filled with spiced potatoes, peas and onion and filled with tamarind mint water, and eaten in one bite. They are known for being

the chefs said that planning a multi-course dinner is easy for them; there is a certain structure and progression. prasad lets the visiting chef lead the menu.

addictively crunchy, spicy, sweet and sour.

For the first course, Chef Luke filled puchka with avocado mousseline and tuna tartare. Whether devoured in one bite or two, the taste sensation went from crispy, creamy, cool and clean to spicy. Mini coronets of padadam were filled with fresh mango, dusted with red chile.

The chefs said that planning a multi-course dinner is easy for them; there is a certain structure and progression. Prasad lets the visiting chef lead the menu. “I know the chef's cooking. I’ll say, give me four bites and five courses,” he says. “We look at the menu together and I’ll say, 'You sear the scallop and I’ll do the sauce.'”

That became the second course, a tandoorispiced seared Maine scallop paired with delicate florets of cauliflower, lightly charred and resting over nutty, creamy korma sauce. Roasted grapes brought a contrasting sweetness and warm ghee vinaigrette a mellow acidity.

Gnocchi seemed an obvious choice to Chef Luke for the third course because it can be sauced so many different ways. He transformed sweet potato gnocchi, into what he jokingly called “Indian alla vodka sauce.” Chef Prasad elucidated, “Chef Luke loves my butter chicken,” so he draped the creamy, aromatic sauce over the slightly sweet dumplings, and topped them with fried curry leaves.

The fifth course was duck, rubbed with garam masala before being confited in duck fat. It was served on creamy basmati rice and scattered with winter truffles. For dessert, sticky toffee pudding, the moist date-filled cake, was flavored with chai and served with coconut milk duche de leche.

To make 50 dinners of four appetizers and five courses takes 20 hands in the kitchen, with both chef’s teams working together. Which brings up the question that Chef Prasad is asked again and again: “Why do you do this?” Along with stretching creative boundaries, it’s a way for the chefs to connect with each other. “We also talk about life and all the sacrifices we make as Chefs,” he explains.

For guests who are lucky enough to snag a ticket to these often-sold-out Chef Collabs, it’s also a chance to gather with friends or meet new ones. The cozy dining room has high-top

CHEF PRASAD’S UPCOMING COLLABS

MARCH 6

with Chef Tyler Anderson of MILLWIGHTS

MARCH 20

with six-time Emmy-award-winning Chef Plum

APRIL 6

with Chef Jarred Falco of BAR ROSINA (dubbed CT's best new restaurant)

MAY 8

with Chef Bill Taibe of THE WHELK, KAWA NI & DON MEMO

JUNE 10

with Chef Ro (recently named 2024 Food and Wine Game Changer)

community tables, which prompted guests to introduce themselves to one another and start chatting. A couple had recently returned from Chef Prasad’s three-week, five-star trip to India.

“I have high expectations and Chef exceeded them,” said Charles Moretz, Jr. Among the guests was Chef Damon “Daye” Sawyer of the lauded 29 Markel Street Restaurant in Bridgeport. He and Prasad have done collabs at each other’s restaurants and are looking at doing a dinner together at the James Beard House in New York City.

As word has spread about the Chef Collabs, chefs are reaching out to Chef Prasad, saying “sign me up.” Upcoming Chef Collabs will feature Bill Taibe, Chef Plum, David Standrige and more. “Learning never stops,” said Chef Luke, “Especially if you work with someone new. I would come back again and again.”

Guests mingle as Chef Prasad (top) puts the final touches on the tandoori-spice-seared scallops.

THE AMBITIOUS LAZY SISTER

A YOUTHFUL REBRAND OF A BELOVED CHINESE RESTAURANT OPENS IN SONO

Scan here for more great places to EAT

by elizabeth keyser • photography by venera alexandrova

above: Soup dumplings filled with pork. below: Peking duck buns and scallion pancakes with beef; Shanghai pan-fried noodles with shrimp; wise words wrapped in a cookie.

Who is the Lazy Sister? It’s certainly not the chefs or the servers in this contemporary Pan-Chinese restaurant on South Washington Street in SoNo. Behind the kitchen’s waffled glass window, flames rise from woks. Servers rush fragrant, steaming dishes to minimalist black tables. At the nine-seat, eat-in bar, the bartender shakes up creative cocktails. A youthful, cheeky vibe comes through in the pink walls decorated with a grid of Chinese soup spoons and the menu’s message: “Congrats for leaving the house.”

Owner/operator maxwell weiss opened his first restaurant in Connecticut on the site of the former Enchanted Szechuan. He kept the former location’s chefs and rebranded. Weiss was born and raised in Greenwich, and has loved Asian food since he was a kid. He graduated from Cornell Hotel School, and owns Hōseki, an intimate omakase counter in the basement vault of Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, and Ten Homakase, which recreates the omakase experience in guests’ homes in Connecticut, New York City and Long Island.

The menu at The Lazy Sister covers ChineseAmerican classics, Hunan and Sichuan specialties and a range of Wok techniques. The Dim Sum section features spring rolls, panfried dumplings and Peking duck buns, but our eyes went straight to the soup dumplings. The bamboo steamer basket revealed six plump dumplings. There’s a ceremony to eating them, lifting one from the steamer and placing it on your spoon, nibbling a little hole in the side to sip out the rich broth and biting into the flavorful dumpling. The pork filling was fresh with ginger, and the dumpling wrappers were delicate.

Appetizers of crispy, spicy cucumber salad and springy, nutty dan-dan noodles could make a meal, but we were drawn to the Enchanted Szechuan Favorites, listed by the style of wok cooking. With a choice of dry pot, dry fry, dry pepper style, double cooked style and cumin style, and choice of protein (meat, poultry, fish, or mapo tofu), we were guided by our server to try the dry pot style. Dry pot chicken was a plentiful tumble of tender slices of chicken and vegetables, including sliced broccoli and soft leeks, tossed in a peppery, umami-rich sauce.

left (top to bottom): Beef wrapped in crispy scallion pancakes. Soft-serve vanilla ice cream topped with crumbled fortune cookies. The cute but contemporary branding. Chef Sabrina Yang sits in front of pink walls decorated with red Chinese spoons.

the menu at the lazy sister covers chinese-american classics, hunan and sichuan specialties and a range of wok techniques.

The delightfully numbing flavor of Szechuan peppercorn made us smile.

Three Cup Chicken is also under Enchanted Szechuan Favorites. Chicken is simmered in a blend of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame sauce and ginger until the sauce reduces to coat the chicken in a sticky spicy sweet sauce.

The seasonal vegetable is currently pea shoots. When we visited, the seasonal vegetable was water spinach, a mild-flavored leafy green with a hollow steam (it grows in water). These simple sautéed greens feel cleansing paired with the highly seasoned wok dishes. An order of bok choy works in the same way. The fish steamed in soy and showered with ginger and scallions is a filet of fluke, also known as summer flounder.

Lazy Sister’s drinks menu includes The Yuzual Suspects, a citrusy blend of yuzu vodka and liqueur, pomegranate and lime. The Three Kingdoms with cane sugar rum, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit and lime juice is garnished with a sprig of rosemary. Five-spice Old Fashioned is a mix of bourbon, bitters, a twist of orange peel and a maraschino cherry. Craft beer, cider, sake and a focused wine list by the glass and bottle are also on offer. Mocktails include Five-Spice Sparkling Lemonade and Mandarin Orange Shrub Soda.

For dessert, Lazy Sister’s cheeky side returns. Soft serve ice cream topped with crumbled fortune cookies are just plain fun. Who is the Lazy Sister? We’re starting to think it is us. Congrats on leaving the house, indeed. Lazy Sister? We’re starting to think it is us. Congrats on leaving the house, indeed.

120 Washington Street, Norwalk, CT, lazysisterchinese.com

LAZY SISTER

people&PLACES

IMAGES BY JEN LYNNE PHOTOGRAPHY

Feeding the Soul

Guests were invited for “food, fun, and festivities” at the fifth-annual Plates with Purpose benefit to end childhood hunger. Local chefs pitched in with culinary offerings for the Filling in the Blanks (FITB) event, featuring specialty cocktails, a lively dance floor and silent auction with VIP packages. The non-profit’s weekend meals and food pantry help local families in need. fillingintheblanks.org. »

1 Tiffany Kuehner and Mike Stewart with artist William Corprew of 80s by Design 2 Culinary offerings were a collaboration by local chefs 3 Mark and Jamie Buschmann 4 Floral arrangements by Fresh Flower Bar 5 FITB Co-Founder and President Shawnee Knight, Congressman Jim Himes, FITB Co-Founder and President Tina Kramer, State Senator Bob Duff 6 Jamye Jordanopoulos 7 Samantha and Tim Davenport 8 Janienne and Pat Hackett

9 Craig and Theresa Bowling 10 Shawnee Knight, Tina Kramer 11 Matt Englehardt, Molly Brethauer, Emily and Noah Uzal 12 Kristin and Abby Thomas, Sheeva Azad, Maddie Timm, Shelley Johnson 13 Sandi Campisi, Allison Rees, Catherine Hanrattie 14 Michelle Riley, Eileen Thomas 15 Brandon, Jennifer and Jordan Sechan 16 Table setting 17 Terri and Chris McKiernan 18 Passed hors d’oeuvres 19 Matt and Lee Murray 20 Cocktail table displayed with charity statistics

Recognizing local heroes who bring positive change through volunteerism, Moffly Media held the 17th-annual Light A Fire Awards at Westport Country Playhouse. Winners were feted during a Celebration of Giving, which included a cocktail reception and awards ceremony hosted by actor and director James Naughton. Honorees are nominated by the community, and the final ten award winners are selected for their important philanthropic efforts. The goal of Light a Fire Foundation Inc. is to “inspire greater volunteerism in the community” and make our towns a better place. mofflylifestylemedia.com/lightafire

LIGHT A FIRE AWARDS / Westport Country Playhouse

1 Light A Fire honorees with event emcee James Naughton, Jonathan Moffly and Samantha Yanks 2 Ann and Keating Hagmann 3 Stephanie Dunn Ashley, Andrew Amill, Abigail and Lauren Walsh 4 David, Deb and Nate Checketts, Dionna Carlson 5 Amir and Ahmad Mickens, Betsy Toussaint 6 Adam Vengrow, Andi Sklar 7 James Naughton, Marie Rocha 8 Kim Forcier, Jonathan Moffly, Victoria Whitcomb, Michael Kazakewich, Jeffrey Kalapos 9 Sheryl Braun, Nora Campbell 10 Eileen Murphy, Venera Alexandrova, Samantha Yanks, Megan Gagnon, Melinda Anderson 11 Light a Fire signature cocktail

12 Sydney, Nicole and Larry Heath 13 Amanda Castellano, Andre Sawyers 14 Gazi Adiguzel, Catherine and Canan Erol 15 Gabriella Mays, Donna Moffly, Kristina Herman

16 Leo Karl, Marianna Sarkisova 17 Dede Thompson Bartlett, Jim Bartlett 18 Jalynn and Edith Presley 19 Dayna Checketts 20 Amir, Ahmad, Karimah, Samad and Linda Mickens

21 Desserts from Gabriele’s of Westport

Katie and Oliver meet at a St. Lawrence University alumni party in New York City. Like a scene out of a rom-com, they talked the entire night. It wasn’t until they looked up that they realized everyone else had left and the bar was closing. The pair didn’t exchange contact information, but with some investigating on Oliver’s part, he tracked down Katie’s number to ask her out on a proper date. Four and a half years later the couple got engaged.

Oliver had Katie’s brother Will pose the idea of having cocktails on the family sailboat, Speck, for his fiancé’s birthday. When they boarded, the champagne was chilling and ready to be popped. Oliver took Katie’s hands, and told her how much he loved her and then got down on bended knee.

Pastor Dean officiated the ceremony on the croquet lawn of The Coral Beach Club in Bermuda, and the reception followed a stone’s throw away on the Longtail Terrace. The evening kicked off with their first dance to a mash-up of two of Elvis’s greatest songs “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Burning Love.” The destination wedding weekend kept guests busy with rounds of tennis, Rum Swizzles and beach bonfires.

The bride, daughter of William and Sarah Klein of Rowayton, graduated Brien McMahon High School and St. Lawrence University. Katie, formerly of Greenwich, is the Head of Business Development for RLTYco, Inc. in New York City.

The groom, son of Larry Dennis of Pennsylvania and Denise Galasso of New Canaan, graduated from New Canaan High School and St. Lawrence University. He is a property manager for Baker Properties in White Plains.

The newlyweds call New Canaan home.

1 Watercolor map by Callie Buck and invites by Anticipate Invitations 2 Jacqueline Sovie, Lily Farren, Ellie Klein, Katie Dennis, Marie Klein, Grayson Walsh, Kathryn Payne, Emma Dennis 3 The welcome dinner at The Swizzle Inn 4 Game, set, they are a match! 5 A view from above of The Coral Beach Club in Bermuda 6 Oliver and Katie

by alison nichols gray

7 Katie heading to the ceremony with her father, Bill 8 Officially official 9 A most dreamy dinner reception location 10 Will and Marie Klein, Bessie Vance, Oliver and Katie Dennis, Sarah, Ellie and Bill Klein 11 The wedding party 12 Abby Stinchfield, Ellie O’Callaghan, Jacqueline Hull-Mase, Katie Dennis, Katy Loop, Kristin Bodenheimer, Zara Foley, Kristin Perkins, Jesse Swanson 13 Dessert 14 The bride had the time of her life 15 And they danced the night away…

Opening Night Party

Opening Night Party Restaurant Week

Tuesday, April 1

6:00-8:30PM

Tony’s at the J House

Tickets: $95 Early Bird Sale (Limited tickets available. $125 regular price)

Mon, March 31 – Sun, April 6

friday, may 16

STEP INSIDE

the new canaan cares annual home tour gives guests a peek into some of the town’s most stunning and historic homes.

by jenny axt mehta •

Originally built in 1959 by famed architect Edward Durrell Stone, the stunning light-filled library in the Celanese House is a modern masterpiece.

photograph by andrea carson

For the past three decades, local residents have graciously opened their homes to hundreds of visitors in support of New Canaan CARES and its mission of “parenting skills, positive youth development and healthy lifestyle.”

The annual New Canaan CARES Home Tour is the organization’s largest fundraiser. “As an independent nonprofit, the Home Tour generates almost half of our annual budget, which allows us to continue to deliver quality, responsive community programming,” says CARES executive director Colleen Prostor.

The 2024 Home Tour featured these five stunning New Canaan houses. A patron party took place at a sixth home and featured presentations by design experts. This year’s Home Tour will take place on Friday, May 16. “We could not put on this incredible event without the support of the homeowners, sponsors and numerous volunteers that make this event a success year after year and allow us to deliver our mission to the community,” Prostor added.

the celanese house

Celebrated Modern

With so many unique design elements to feast on in and around the famed Celanese House property , it might be hard to put your finger on your favorite, but they seamlessly come together in a stunning example of mid-century modern architecture. While the original house was built in 1959 by the famed architect Edward Durrell Stone and many of the celebrated design innovations remain, the current owner has thoughtfully completed extensive renovations to the expansive grounds and home.

As you enter the property, the stunning landscape design, which includes many native plants, leads you to the impressive lattice screen façade of the home, revealing 12 distinctive glass pyramid skylights on the roof. “The House with the Built-In Sky” as described in House & Garden magazine beckons you inside with an underlit glass floor and floor-to-ceiling glass walls, all renovated in the last decade.

THE

ORIGINAL

HOUSE

WAS BUILT IN 1959

BY THE FAMED ARCHITECT EDWARD DURRELL STONE AND MANY OF THE CELEBRATED DESIGN INNOVATIONS REMAIN

Many significant improvements were made to the house to enhance the function, aesthetic and efficiency of the interior, with a refined sense of order, scale and materials.

Continuing through the foyer, you can envision your next meal in the modern, minimalist Bulthaup kitchen and ponder your next good read in the spectacular, light-filled library off the living room, whose floorto-ceiling shelves boast a colorful range of reading materials in a space that is both calming and bright.

Peering outside through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls, you’ll share your vista of the picturesque backyard with beguiling life-sized sheep sculptures designed by Hanns-Peter Krafft, which remind the homeowner of a memorable encounter while bicycling through New Zealand when his trail was suddenly blocked by a flock of more than 1,000 sheep.

Hands-down, the homeowner’s favorite area in the home is the library. “Always something of interest on the bookshelves, or outside in the backyard to look at. Plus, the combination of the light and space of the architecture creates a very special atmosphere.”

While the home has been professionally praised over the years for the caliber of its historic design, the owner says he has never thought of the house as specifically “historic,” but simply as a home of exceptional architecture and design. “Spending a significant portion of time in such an inspiring place is both a treat and a privilege.”

left: Floor-to-ceiling windows create a true room with a view. above: Natural light floods each room of the Celanese house through 12 unique glass pyramid skylights.

Famed Farm house

Extown Farm’s magical 17-plus-acre property is one of New Canaan’s historic treasures with a fascinating, storied past. The farm and main home date back to the 1770s when the property was several hundred acres. In the 1850s, the town of New Canaan purchased the farm. It was nicknamed “The Poor House” because it provided townspeople, who were underprivileged, a place to live. There is a jail cell in the basement, still with original doors, which housed individuals who owed money. They tended to the farm in exchange for debt forgiveness. The town of New Canaan sold the property to a private family in the 1920s, hence the origin of the name Extown Farm.

The exquisite property has many charming structures including the main farmhouse, garage with gym and upstairs apartment, cottage, and working barn. The barn features cow milking stations, pig styes, and horse stables, along with original hardware and farm equipment still in storage. The property is under a deed of conservation which ensures it remains one property and also protects its historic assets.

In 2021, Dave Prutting, the owner of the full-service contracting company Prutting & Co., purchased the estate and began the extensive two-and-a-half-year restoration of the property. At that time, the main house lacked plumbing and HVAC systems. Prutting’s vision called for meticulous attention to detail in order to preserve the many historical features, as well as to reimagine the gracious farmhouse aesthetic with luxurious 21st-century comforts.

There are many notable details in this stunning home. In the historic section of the house, the walls and ceiling are expertly crafted from plaster. The fireplaces seen throughout the home are all original. The great room

THE GREAT ROOM FEATURES A DRAMATIC VAULTED CEILING WITH WOOD BEAMS THAT ADD CHARM AND WARMTH TO THE SPACE.

features a dramatic vaulted ceiling with wood beams that add charm and warmth to the space. The new addition, which nearly doubled the size of the home, features the entry foyer, kitchen, family room, luxurious primary bedroom suite, and an upstairs foyer.

Modern design updates, such as an open kitchen with large island and family room with doors leading to the outside patio, allow for easy indoor/outdoor entertaining. The gorgeous grounds consist of flat land for playing sports, an orchard, mature gardens and a beautiful stone amphitheater.

top left: Extown’s working barn features cow milking stations and horse stables, above: The main farmhouse was meticulously restored by Prutting & Co.

MODERN DESIGN UPDATES, SUCH AS AN OPEN KITCHEN WITH LARGE ISLAND AND FAMILY ROOM WITH DOORS LEADING TO THE OUTSIDE PATIO, ALLOW FOR EASY INDOOR/OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING.

The kitchen (right) and family room (below) are part of the new addition, which nearly doubled the size of the home.

DESIGNER'S DEN

Despite being built in 1988, Rosebrook boasts the look and feel of a 1920s home with extensive millwork, arched doorways and inlaid floors. Maintaining the charm of the home with the addition of modern updates, the homeowner, who owns an interior design firm, refurbished all the interiors in the home herself, but judiciously waited several years to see how the house “lives” before making any major changes.

Embarking on a major renovation with Michael Smith Architects, the kitchen, mudroom, screened-in porch and terrace revamp were all completed last year. “We wanted to connect the kitchen with the outdoor space, bringing in significantly more light, and make the kitchen, where we spend so much time, feel almost as if it were part of the garden,” says the homeowner.

The kitchen was designed to feel timeless—fresh and new, but not specifically modern. Vintage hardware from England, warm white hues and marble, plus a custom deGournay backsplash all tie the room together

THE KITCHEN WAS DESIGNED TO FEEL TIMELESS—FRESH AND NEW, BUT NOT SPECIFICALLY MODERN.

with the outside. And the multi-season screened porch, which is also one of the most utilized spaces in the house, allows the homeowners further room to entertain their friends and family by the fire or watch games on the TV, with the expanded bluestone patio just outside that features a built-in kitchen with grill and a propane-powered pizza oven.

The mudroom is functional, with organized personal spaces for all, and the expanded upstairs landing incorporates a special homework and reading nook, which has become a go-to family hang out.

The home features numerous cozy nooks with the perfect blend of pattern and color showcasing the homeowner’s traditionally inspired interior design style mixed with a dash of modernism for spice and flavor.

The homeowner is also a big believer that until you have art on your walls, your house will not truly feel like a home. “My father is an art dealer, and I literally grew up in his gallery. Art should be collected gradually as you find things that you truly love and are inspired by.”

left: The kitchen’s custom deGournay backsplash ties the room together with the lush gardens outside.above: Cherished artwork is displayed throughout the home.

rosebrook

above: Light and airy décor and furnishings in the living room create a relaxed and refined space. below: Although the home was built in 1988, and went through a major renovation by Michael Smith Architects last year, Rosebrook boasts the look and feel of an older home, with unique woodworking details, coveted archways and cozy nooks throughout.

oenoke ridge

Cozy Cottage

Home Tour guests visiting Oenoke Ridge were treated to two stunning side-by-side custom-built homes, each with a unique style and size that somehow flows seamlessly from one property to the next. While the homeowners were proud to feature their exquisite 2014 custom-built home, it was even more special for this family of eight to showcase a newly-built home on the adjacent property, a small Scandinavian-style gem perfectly sized for the homeowner’s mother.

This mighty “little house” next door was also designed by architects Brooks & Falotico Associates, Inc. and built by Yankee Builders. But what is unique about the new home is that it is designed primarily for one-floor living, with only a guest room located on the 2nd floor. The main floor’s open concept allows for all spaces to be used harmoniously with a style that is both relaxed and luxurious. Clean, contemporary lines in the living room draw your eyes up to the elevated ceiling windows where natural light shines in to create a peaceful retreat for one or for many to gather.

Building on the lush, rotating blooms of plant life at the original property, the new landscape and hardscape vision encompassed connecting the two properties with beautiful vistas and robust gardens to be enjoyed for many years from the large glass windows and doors featured in both homes that provide a true indoor-outdoor connection.

Over the past decade since building the main house, the homeowners have implemented some colorful changes to enhance their unique traditional Connecticut meets California modern home, refreshing the living room recently with a newly upholstered striking purple couch for a pop of fresh color. And as a nod to the family’s love of nature and animals, the kitchen boasts an oversized custom fish tank brimming with exotic fish and corals in vibrant hues.

The homeowners’ children are enjoying their frequent visits to their grandmother’s house next door. Future plans for the basement there include a golf simulator among other amusements, which will no doubt keep them coming around.

THE MAIN FLOOR’S OPEN CONCEPT ALLOWS FOR ALL SPACES TO BE USED HARMONIOUSLY WITH A STYLE THAT IS BOTH RELAXED AND LUXURIOUS.

Large glass windows overlook the lush gardens that connect the cottage to the main house. Skylights add to the natural light throughout.

Lago

Modern Colonial

Unlike most New Canaan colonials, “Lago Vista”—aptly named for its breathtaking water views—stands out as a French Provincial brick and limestone home. It has a symmetrical design with a classic steep roof line, while floor to ceiling windows in every room fill the home with natural light. “It was love at first sight,” says the homeowner, when she saw Lago Vista for the first time, envisioning generations of her family enjoying the home together.

It’s hard to imagine a better oasis than the seven park-like acres surrounded by woods and nature trails. The infinity edge pool with year-round spa is the pièce de resistance of the home’s exterior. Lago Vista’s open-concept floorplan easily accommodates both small and large family gatherings.

The interior has evolved over the years. Changing styles and a growing art collection have given the home a more contemporary flair. With an emphasis on clean lines and comfort, the furniture has a neutral palette with pops of color appreciated through heirloom art. The juxtaposition of antiques like the homeowner’s dining table made from ancient Spanish gates relative to contemporary finishes like the articulating chandelier in the entry provide a twist on traditional living.

The most contemporary space of the home is the newly renovated basement. Designed and built by E&J Home (led by the homeowner’s daughter), the renovation focused on turning it into a space for the entire family to enjoy. It features a gym, media room, wine room, dedicated toy areas, kitchen with leathered granite counters, full bath with a cedar sauna, hobby room, and dining area with walk-out doors to the pool.

Form and function were considered in choosing the finishes. Polished concrete floors and exposed beams with industrial-style lighting lend a modern feel while offering practicality. From family pool parties to sleepovers for the grandkids, the basement was designed for multigenerational gathering.

FLOOR-TO-CEILING WINDOWS IN EVERY ROOM FILL THE HOME WITH NATURAL LIGHT.

Vista is filled with unique flourishes, like this Budha statue in the entryway (bottom left), the homeowner’s collection of model airplanes in the office (bottom right), and dining table made from ancient Spainish gates (right)

lago vista

THE INTERIOR HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS. CHANGING STYLES AND A GROWING ART COLLECTION HAVE GIVEN THE HOME A MORE CONTEMPORARY FLAIR.

ANDREA CARSON

Gardens of Solitude and Solace

BESPOKE MEDITATIVE GREEN SPACES—

OFTEN SECLUDED FROM VIEW—ADORN THE BEST-APPOINTED PROPERTIES ACROSS FAIRFIELD COUNTY.

HERE, LOCAL LANDSCAPE EXPERTS SHARE HOW TO CREATE HIDDEN LUXE MOMENTS TO ENJOY ALL SEASON LONG.

by TOM CONNOR

Custom organic edible gardens are the specialty of Redding-based Homefront Farmers.

leading to a retreat on the grounds of a 15,400-square-foot manor house in

above:

Mark Hicks of Elise Design Group installed a slateroof, mahoganyand-granite gateway

New Canaan.

Following what, for some, has been a winter of our discontent, now is the spring of our contentment.

And perhaps more than ever, we are turning inward to our own backyards for solitude and solace. The natural pleasures of private spaces are healing and restorative.

“There’s always been a demand for privacy in Fairfield County—homeowners wanting to shut the outside world out when it comes to their property,” observes one Fairfield County landscaper. “But after this fall and winter, I think more people are viewing their yards as a sanctuary, with a definite increased sense of health and wellness.”

Residential yards possess the potential to be perfect places for recovering from the stresses of life in turbulent times. Simply stepping out the back screen door—the only screen permissible when solace is at stake—can itself be therapeutic: Birds and bees are the soundtrack, blossoming flowers the essential aromatherapy, fireflies and stars the lightshow.

There’s also a sense of safety in a yard with vertical green walls of evergreen hedges, fenced flower and vegetable gardens with seating for morning coffee or an evening glass of wine, and small, gated outdoor rooms for yoga, meditation or quiet conversation.

Numerous studies reveal that spending even brief amounts of time in nature can lower anxiety and stress, improve mood and cognition, and help with depression, post-traumatic stress and attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorders. Recent research has found that children who live near green spaces experience less depression and exhibit better emotional behavior.

Yet, this is Fairfield County, where elements

of classic design and custom comforts count. Accordingly, this spring, local landscape designers are showing us how to carve out islands of serenity and sanity from the chaos outside the garden walls—and they’re doing it with grace and in great style.

THE RECOVERY ROOM

In the Greenfield Hill section of Fairfield, and working with Sandy Hook landscape designer Brook Clark, James Philbin of JP Philbin Landscapes & Nursery is creating what the homeowners are calling their “Recovery Room,” a wide, open area behind a magnificent party barn for family members and friends.

Whether the homeowners are seeking to recover from partying in the barn or from the tumultuous previous year in politics and public life isn’t known, but either way, health and welfare appear to be the objective.

“It could be the result of a post-pandemic mindset,” Philbin says. “But there also seems to be this uptick in demand for outdoor

above: Hidden garden moments, often accessible through gated entrances, offer respite throughout the Gold Coast. opposite: A secluded Silvermine sanctuary by Elise Design Group provides beautiful refuge from a long day at work.

saunas and spas.”

When completed sometime this summer, the Recovery Room is to feature a pool and separate, spacious patio, possibly under a pergola, with adjacent cold plunge pool and hot tub—a trend in requests for dual, polaropposite pools that’s being reported by other landscapers.

SECRET GARDENS

In Westport’s Compo Beach area meanwhile, Philbin and Clark teamed up to create a kind of oasis of privacy and serenity in the lower corner of a large property that itself is hidden from public view behind walls of tall arborvitae hedge. Even in the yard, one might not know the 20-foot-by-40-foot secret space is even there. That’s because of the “blind entry”—a narrow gap in one section of the surrounding five-foot-high hedge wall that’s hidden from view by an outer, overlapping hedge wall.

“What we’re trying to do is to create the

“There’s always been a demand for privacy in Fairfield County— homeowners wanting to shut the outside world out when it comes to their property.”

illusion of seeing the end of the property,” says Clark. “Guests can see hedge, but only the family knows there’s a secret garden inside!”

The hedge is Schwoebel upright holly, which has small, glossy, dark green leaves, is compact, deer-resistant and easy to maintain.

The interior of the 20-foot-by-40-foot space is covered in no-mow grass or eco-lawn—a drought-tolerant, low-maintenance fine fescue that can, but doesn’t have to be, mowed.

Still in progress with a projected finish date of sometime this summer, plans include the creation of a 10-foot-by-10-foot patio with bistro table and lights—small lights hanging from stainless steel wire strung across metal poles—of the kind found in open-air festivals in Italy.

Even mansions need small, private, outdoor retreats—and maybe more so than more intimate homes. For a former Wall Street investment banker in a 15,400-square-foot English manor in north New Canaan, Mark Hicks of Elise Design Group offset

“Most people want their garden to be like a salad ... they want lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers.”

Miranda Gould Client Operations Manager

from top clockwise: Homefront Farmers designs, constructs and maintains bespoke vegetable gardens for clients who want the best in yard-to-table dining. From early season greens through August’s star tomatoes, homeowners enjoy the freshest and most delish bounty.

the formality of the granite-paved entrance courtyard and imposing brick and stone façade with a handsome path around the right side of the house that meanders like a slowmoving stream to an unknown destination.

Past an airy woodland garden where Laurel and rose dance around lichen-covered rocks, Hicks constructed a high, slate-roof, mahogany and granite gateway that suggests an Easter rite of passage.

“To be interesting,” Hicks says, “there has to be a sense of separation—a threshold you have to cross over and a portal you have to pass through to get to the other side.”

What lies there is a small retreat in the form of a semicircular patio with a table and chairs hidden from neighbors’ views behind an ivy-clinging stone wall. It’s the perfect place for the owner—who now divides his time

between teaching and writing—to think and read, and hold quiet conversations.

THE BACKYARD SALAD BAR

Being able to step out the back door and pick enough greens and legumes for a fresh salad every night—from early spring well into the middle of autumn—is not only physically healthy but emotionally and psychologically rejuvenating.

Now in its 20th year, Homestead Farmers custom-builds handsome fenced edible plots so that homeowners can do just that, and more.

The company constructs bespoke herb and vegetable gardens in raised beds fully enclosed in frames and posts of aromatic, rot-resistant cedar, with fine wire netting to keep hungry critters out. Graveled paths thread the beds for

easy weeding and harvesting, often with space in the center for seating.

Every season, some weekend gardeners ask for trendy produce like blue potatoes or purple carrots. But the majority of customers look to Homefront Farmers for mainstay salad ingredients.

“Most people want their garden to be like a salad,” says Miranda Gould, Client Operations Manager for the Redding-based company.

“You know, they want lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers. Week after week after week, we are growing lettuces all summer long.”

While vegetables constitute the main course, so to speak, for most clients, Homestead Farmers mixes in other flora for practicality as well as aesthetics.

“Generally speaking, we try to integrate a lot of flowers in with the veggies because

above: This backyard produce aisle by Homefront Farmers includes an exterior “window box” bed for pollinator plants to attract welcomed bees and hummingbirds and natural deterrents like garlic to scare off unwelcomed visitors like deer and destructive insects.

above: Beautifully shaped boxwood focal points take center stage in well-appointed gardens throughout the Gold Coast. below: Topiary, the art of shaping shrubbery, dates to the Middle Ages.

they bring in a whole bunch of wildlife like hummingbirds and bees,” says Gould. “You’ll get more vegetables when you have more pollinators in the garden, but I also think that when you walk into or sit in a garden, it can be a meditative experience, bordering on the spiritual!”

THE SHAPE OF PRIVACY AND TASTE

Evergreen hedges for privacy screens as well as courtyard and garden enclosures come in a variety of species—boxwood, holly, arborvitae, yew—each with its attributes. Many county residents delight in keeping them a cut above.

Sharpened pruning shears in the hands of experienced craftsmen and craftswomen can turn the geometry of ordinary shrubbery into the alchemy of topiary, the art of trimming and sculpting evergreens into classical forms and fantastical shapes. The practice dates to the Middle Ages; Levens Hall Topiary Garden in northwest England, where some examples are more than 300 years old, was installed by King James II’s gardener in 1695.

A beautifully shaped boxwood or yew can also serve as a focal point in a yard or the centerpiece of an outdoor “room.” Whatever its purpose, though, the sight of topiary on a residential property immediately suggests luxury, sophistication, taste and style.

Some of the finest examples of topiary can be found in Greenwich, where stately, formal homes are perhaps the most fitting canvases for classical topiary forms.

Sandy Lindh, founder of English Gardens and Design in Riverside, leads tours to famous and unique gardens in the British and French countrysides. But back home in Riverside, her team designs, installs and maintains elegant English-style gardens throughout Fairfield County that frequently include topiary.

One client of Lindh’s with a large house and separate guest cottage in backcountry Greenwich asked her to give the outbuilding the look of an English cottage with small boxwood knot gardens on either side of a graveled path to the door. Popular in the British Isles in the 1600s, knot gardens are low boxwood arranged in intertwining geometric patterns with herbs or flowers planted in the spaces between the hedges. Here, when tulips run their course in the early spring, annuals are planted for the summer.

On a 30-plus-acre estate in New Canaan, Lindh’s team spends a week each season pruning, reshaping and maintaining a topiary

“We do all our topiary by hand, because if you do it with a hedge trimmer it’ll shred the leaves and they’ll turn brown. It just takes time, and that’s fine.”

Sandy Lindh founder of English Gardens and Design

garden that’s been in place for many years. They use several types of pruning shears, including long-handled shears she brings back from England that allow her and team members to lean over plantings and shape them into diamonds, orbs, peacocks, doves, lollipops and pom-poms among other traditional forms dating back centuries.

“We do all our topiary by hand,” she says, “because if you do it with a hedge trimmer it’ll shred the leaves and they’ll turn brown.” The tools are sharpened and sterilized (to avoid cross-contamination of blight) for a clean, hard look. “It just takes time,” she adds, “and that’s fine.”

Elsewhere, more playful topiary can lighten even dreary days. Back on Greenfield Hill, the late Candy Raveis took the five-plus-acre hilltop property on which she grew up and, with husband Bill Raveis, transformed it into a showcase of border gardens, courtyards, orchards and topiary tableaux.

In one section, high boxwood hedges were sculpted into oversized armchairs—King and Queen chairs for the couple—that look comfortable enough to sit on. Beside them is a soft-looking boxwood in the shape of an oversized bunny, one of Candy’s favorite animals, and for centuries a European favorite. On warm evenings after work, the two would take glasses of champagne out to the setting and, seated on less-amusing but more practical chairs, talk about their respective days.

Outside the home’s conservatory, with views of the shimmering waters of Long Island Sound in the distance, lower boxwood was crafted into a sailboat with a bear at the helm. And why not? Beyond delighting the Raveis grandchildren, bears setting out to sea might be the perfect antidote to times that try men’s—and women’s—souls.

“If you have a garden and a library,” Cicero wrote, “you have everything you need.”

So, let’s take a favorite book out into the Secret Garden, or into the outdoor Recovery Room, or into the middle of the Living Salad Garden, and leave the lawn and disorder of the outside world outside.

above: Hand-sheared geometric and whimsical creations give shape to posh pathways.

BY LIZ BARRON

STATE of REAL ESTATE

Our area continues to be a big draw for buyers wanting luxury homes, charming communities and good schools.

This stunning six bedroom, five-and-a-half bath estate is located on Three Wells Lane in Darien. Closed for $4,900,000 in 2024 (Lynley Middleberg, William Pitt) Listed by Bruce Baker, William Pitt

NEW CANAAN, DARIEN AND ROWAYTON all embody a similar idyllic small-town New England feel, so it’s no wonder that living here is almost universally desired. The top-ranking schools and state-championship-winning sports teams in tight-knit communities with close proximity to New York City can’t be beat. From walkable and lively downtowns lined with restaurants and shops to breathtaking waterfront properties, these truly charming lower Fairfield County towns continue to attract a steady flow of buyers year after year. “The market was even stronger in 2024 than 2023,” says Meg Schwanhauser (William Raveis). “Many buyers are adapting to higher interest rates by adjusting their budgets and seeking homes that fit their financial situation, leading to a steady stream of transactions,” Schwanhauser adds. "Inventory is still limited in many areas, homes are often selling quickly and sometimes above asking price, driving competition among buyers. “Overall, the real estate landscape in 2024 was vibrant, showing adaptability and continued investment in homeownership, despite previous challenges faced in the market,” she says.

NUMBER

Average number of days on the market decreased to 32 from 39

1.975M AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS ON THE MARKET

GOOD NEWS FOR SELLERS Median sales price rose by over 15% from 2023

Notable Sales NEW CANAAN

above: 34 Adams Lane, New Canaan Closed for $5,250,000 (Karen Ceraso, Brown Harris Stevens) Listed by Gillian DePalo, William Raevis below: 255 South Avenue,New Canaan closed for $4,462,500 (Richard Tanner, Houlihan Lawrence) Listed by: Immy Cognetta, William Raveis

RECORD RATES

THE MOVE IN MORTGAGE RATES FROM THE HIGH 2% RANGE TO OVER 7% over the last two years is the single most important factor in our market,” says Doug Milne (Houlihan Lawrence). While mortgage rates have dipped from the recent highs of late 2023, many buyers were left feeling skeptical about this year being the right time to purchase a new home. “Combine this with the limited inventory and it became more and more clear the reductions in interest rates had to happen,” says Terry Lockery (Prosperity Home Mortgage). “While the forecast for 2025 may not be as low as previously thought, the reductions are already leading to some much-needed confidence for buyers that were previously waiting on the sidelines.” Rate volatility

also impacts sellers, who become reluctant to list their homes knowing that their new mortgage rates would be significantly higher. However, there is a silver lining for both buyers and sellers. “The chief economist of the National Association of Realtors, Lawrence Yun, has stated that the first slash in the Fed rate is usually a harbinger of more to come, and that six to eight more reductions can be expected over 2025,” explains Lynley Middleberg (William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty). "This is all good news for the residential real estate industry and leaves us feeling bullish for a healthy market as we near 2025.”

RENTAL READINESS

SELLERS WANTING TO CAPITALIZE ON THE STATE OF MARKET, but buyers wanting to hold off on finding the right property continued to fuel the rental market and keep things competitive throughout 2024. Schwanhauser says landlords continued to see multiple applications for their properties, so “renters needed to be prepared to make quick decisions and potentially offer stronger applications.” Flexible timelines and a willingness to expand potential location parameters helped renters find success this year. While the rental stats from the last 12 months saw an overall decrease from 2023, the want and need for temporary living continues to be factor in the market.

SELECTIVE SELLERS

EVEN IN A SELLER’S MARKET FLUSH WITH EAGER BUYERS, attention to detail prior to listing a home still matters. According to Gillian DePalo (William Raveis), a realtor’s “recipe for luck” involves freshly painted walls, screened hardwood floors, decluttered surfaces and trimmed landscaping. She jokingly adds that it’s “best served Instagram-ready with an expensive, aromatic candle and a sharp price.” While the last 12 months lacked enough inventory to meet demand, the 2025 prediction is that there will be an uptick in listings.

“However, that doesn't mean we are expecting pre-pandemic ‘normalcy,’ but rather a continuation of the past few years and an increase from 202,” says Middleberg. “The election is over, rates are beginning to decrease and people have come to grips with this new normal and are no longer in a ‘wait and see’ pattern with regard to listing their home.”

BUDGETS TO BUILD

ANOTABLE TREND SEEN THROUGHOUT 2024 WAS A DRASTIC INCREASE IN NEW CONSTRUCTION WITH NUMBER OF NEW BUILDS ALMOST DOUBLING. “Because of the lack of inventory, properties that only builders would have previously been competing for (i.e. houses that are in disrepair, or in what previously would be considered less than prime locations), are now being pursued and purchased by end users and renovated and/or expanded,” says Cathy Thomas (Houlihan Lawrence). “Additionally, the inflated cost of building materials experienced during COVID has stabilized but is still nowhere near pre-COVID numbers.” Renovations have also skyrocketed, even amidst record-breaking supply cost increases. Once potential buyers, many homeowners who were happy with their location but just wanted more space opted to add on to their current properties.

BUSTLING BUYERS

PROPERTIES ONCE AGAIN DREW IN MULTIPLE CASH OFFERS THIS YEAR, often with mortgage and inspection contingencies waived. Many buyers needed to be prepared to look at listings below their original budgets so that they had more negotiating power when it came time to make a bid. Some buyer preferences mirrored trends from last year: walkability to town, bright in-home work spaces and indoor/outdoor living with outdoor TVs, plunge pools and firepits. DePalo also noticed custom Murphy Beds are becoming an interesting new trend for wishlists, as buyers try to create flex-space with rooms that serve as offices by day and bedrooms by night. DePalo also notes that entertaining at home continues to be a priority for buyers, with tricked out wet and dry bars, both inside and outside, trending in 2024. “Stagers even went so far as to create happy hour vibes with negroni and espresso martini bars in listings, she says.

above: 25

Three Wells Lane, Darien Closed for $4,900,000 (Lynley Middleberg, William Pitt) Listed by Bruce Baker, William Pitt below: 35 Rings End Road, Darien Closed for $4,200,000 (Lynley Middleberg, William Pitt) Listed by Meredith DeRosa, William Pitt

5 Plant Court, Rowayton Closed for $5,400,000 (Meg Schwanhausser, William Raveis)

Listed by Ann Barton, Houlihan Lawrence

Notable Sale

TWELVEMONTH TRENDS

“

OVERALL, THE 2023 AND 2024 MARKETS WERE EERILY SIMILAR,” says Amanda Spatola (Houlihan Lawrence). “Prices continued to rise, and any good piece of inventory was greeted with multiple offers.” A constant flurry of motivated cash buyers, limited listings and rising rates set the tone early in the year and the theme continued for the next 12 months. “The balance between supply and demand was heavily tipped in the favor of sellers,” says Middleberg. “Competition among buyers is one element that continues to elevate median sale price—compared to the same time last year, 12-month median single family home sale prices at the end of the third quarter of 2024 rose in Fairfield County by 10%, and more specifically in Darien by 7%.” The current generation of buyers fueling the market seeking new or upgraded homes has more cash available than those of the past and thus sale prices continued to shock agents. Whether that will continue through 2025, only time will tell.

FEB 18 - MAR 8 MAR 25 - APR 12

by Karen Zacarías directed by JoAnn M. Hunter

An outrageous comedy about culture clash and bad behavior.

The Next Generation of Dance, under the artistic direction of Francesca Harper.

by Paul Slade Smith directed by Mark Shanahan adapted from Ferenc Molnár’s“Play at the Castle.”

Production Supporter: Cherie Flom Quain

MAY 1 MAY 3 MAY 19 TWO PERFORMANCES! Recommended for ages Pre-K through 3 A

Photo credit: Anne Fishbein

Photo credit: Nir Arieli

HUMANITARIAN HONOREE

Brescome

Charles Goldstuck LIFETIME

Ross Ogden To

postscript

by

TIME TRAVEL

With its historic homes and the Roger Sherman Inn, driving down Oenoke Ridge in New Canaan can feel like you’ve been transported back in time. But visitors and residents alike will be taken by surprise as they pass the new historical treasure prominently featured along Oenoke Ridge as it curves toward Oenoke Lane. Last month, as part of the organization’s “Campus Reimagined”

project, the Jim Bach Special Collections Museum at the New Canaan Historical Society was unveiled. The new building houses an art collection and Acorn printing press; however, the museum’s pièce de résistance is this meticulously restored 1855 Demarest Carriage. The interior is lit up until 9:00 p.m. each night, giving nighttime travelers a dramatic glimpse into the past.

eileen murphy • photograph by venera alexandrova

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