Stamford - Nov/Dec 2023

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CLASSICS Moon and Stars

B E C A U S E C L A S S I C S D O E S N OT M E A N B A S I C

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FREDERIQUE CONSTANT

LADIES’ TIMEPIECES

Founded in 1988 by Dutch entrepreneurs Aletta and Peter Stas with the aim to offer Swiss luxury timepieces at an affordable price, Frederique Constant celebrated its 35th anniversary this year.

Today the Maison offers a range of models far broader than that of any other watchmaker, including quartz and mechanical watches and, more notably, a collection of 31 calibers designed, developed and assembled in-house at its Geneva-based Manufacture.

The Highlife and Classics collections feature ladies’ styles including the Art Déco, the Carrée, Slimline and Classics Quartz, which can be worn as everyday watches as well as elegant timepieces for an evening out.

HIGHLIFE LADIES AUTOMATIC

CLASSICS QUARTZ LADIES

Set on a delicate 34mm case, these timepieces feature the Highlife’s hallmark integrated bracelet that can be changed at will for the additional rubber strap included with the watch.

Watchmaking today is more than just telling time, it is about making a statement: Each person wearing a watch is conveying a message, a style of choice. The Classics Quartz Ladies watches combine traditional style, functionality and beauty.

CLASSICS CARREE LADIES

CLASSICS SLIMLINE LADIES

The seamless lines and elegant polished case reveal a classical white dial showcasing intricate “clous de Paris” decoration and traditional Roman numeral indexes. The Carrée design of the smooth polished case perfectly blends and embellishes the feminine wrist for a flawless tailor-made match.

Designed to emphasize the soft curves of the wrist with harmony and sensitivity. A precious and contemporary collection in the purest spirit of Frederique Constant.

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contents NOV/DEC 2023 vol. 14 | no. 6

features

I believe our obligation is to make the world a better place.

42

LIGHTING THE WAY It’s a privilege to celebrate our 2023 Light A Fire honorees.

These men and women are the unsung heroes among us who create change in incredible ways.

kathleen walsh of Building One Community

departments 10 FOUNDER’S LETTER by donna moffly

13 STATUS REPORT

BUZZ Meet Stamford’s best bartenders and learn what cocktails they’re mixing for friends this month.

SHOP We found the perfect holiday gifts for the people in your life who have everything.

Really.

by ji l l john son m an n

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HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING

DO Curtain Call remains a force in the local arts scene with a lineup of shows worth a standing ovation.

It’s time to get social.

A trio of Stamford party professionals share their best tips for food, decorating and more.

HOME A Shippan house designed

by Burr Salvatore Architects infuses traditional materials with contemporary thinking.

by k im k av in

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FINDING THE JOY Here’s how—and where— Stamford residents embrace the spirit of the season and share that pleasure with their community.

EAT Tasty brews that won’t zap your energy and a review of Seamore’s, now reeling in crowds with sustainable seafood.

by c a rol l e on et ti dan n hau se r

36 MONEY MATTERS 39 PEOPLE & PLACES

42

photo gr aphy by: julie bidwell prop st yling by: garvin burke

71 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 72 POSTSCRIPT

above: Meet Kathleen Walsh of Building One Community, one of this year’s Light A Fire Honorees.

STAMFORD MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2023, VOL. 14, NO. 6 // STAMFORD MAGAZINE (ISSN 2153-2680) is published bimonthly by Moffly Media, Inc., 205 Main St., Westport, CT 06880. POSTMASTER: Send address changes (Form 3579) to STAMFORD MAGAZINE, P.O. BOX 9309, Big Sandy, TX 75755-9607.

TOP PHOTO: KATHARINE CALDERWOOD

on the c over: the cr anberry french 75 co cktail by marcia selden catering

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VENETIAN PRINCESS

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STAMFORDMAG.com CELEBRATING THE BEST OF WHERE WE LIVE

nov/dec 2023

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For over 100 years, Cummings & Lockwood has been building meaningful and lasting relationships with our private clients, their family offices, businesses and charitable entities, serving as trusted advisors throughout their lifetimes and providing sophisticated legal counsel at every important stage of their lives.

vol. 14 | no. 6 | november/december 2023 editorial editorial director Cristin Marandino–cristin.marandino@moffly.com editor, stamford Jeanne Craig–jeanne.craig@moffly.com

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TRUSTS AND ESTATES

Is not just something we do; it is what we do.

vol. 14 | no. 6 | november/december 2023

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WHAT’S IN YOUR YARD?

DREW KLOTZ

KINETIC SCULPTURE

203 451 2902

DREWKLOTZ.COM

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founder’s page

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 / DONNA MOFFLY

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“After [our large Golden Retriever] climbed into bed with my stepfather, Mother and Ellis stayed at a hotel.”

round Thanksgiving, guestrooms become revolving doors with kids’ college roommates, grandparents from Philadelphia, friends hitting the Big Apple.

Some houseguests are especially memorable.

Among our first in Riverside were Barbara and Bob Dick, Jack’s business associate from Cleveland. We’d invited them for the weekend, plus twenty others for Saturday night buffet. Butterflied lamb on the grill, Jack insisted—which I’d never cooked. The Dicks spent that afternoon in the city while Jack went sailing in a “little race around the buoys” which turned out to be a 150-mile ocean race. With no host, poor Bob became bartender and chef, ripping his new Pucci pants on the grill. But we sang lustily around the piano and left stacks of dirty dishes for Jack when he crept home Sunday at dawn.

Fast forward several years. Bob’s thenex-wife spent the night, except she couldn’t sleep and woke me up for sleeping pills. Now I couldn’t sleep. Still, at 9:00 a.m. I headed groggily for a Grace Notes rehearsal, parking on the steep uphill driveway at the Second Congo. In the middle of “Sunrise, Sunset”, a burly Greenwich cop walked in asking who owned the Ford with MOFCAR plates. I hadn’t put on the parking brake, and my car had rolled backwards downhill across four lanes of the Post Road without hitting a thing.

Kids. Our littlest was Sarah McKnight, a real Daddy’s girl, staying with us while her parents went sailing. The three-year-old had a major meltdown going to bed the first night, but with a light smack on the bottom of her Dr. Denton’s, I got her settled down.

Soon thereafter her father had gone back to their house nearby to get something, and I found him tiptoeing up the stairs to kiss her goodnight. “Phil McKnight, if you go near that kid, you can take her out of here right now!”

I said. He turned tail and left. Years later, at Sarah and Andy Burdick’s engagement party, my nametag read “First Spanker”.

There was Stevie, a Fresh Air boy who hid Jonathan’s bike. So, I drove him down to the Riverside station. “See those trains?” I said.“They go to New York, and you’re going to be on the next one unless you shape up.” Sufficiently contrite, he offered to cook us an authentic Lebanese dinner that night. It was delicious.

Gert Fries, a Danish exchange student, had written that he liked sailing and theater.

Except he didn’t know how to sail (just thought it would be cooler on the water) and hoped we’d drive him to Stratford for Shakespeare. Barring that, he just watched television, until Jack said: “Have you ever heard of Hans Christian Anderson?” “Yah, Yah,” answered the kid from Copenhagen.

“Well, he writes fairy tales, and television is make-believe! Get out there with the other students!!” So, Gert changed his ways.

Our large Golden Retriever loved houseguests, but the feeling wasn’t always mutual. After he climbed into bed with my stepfather, Mother and Ellis stayed at a hotel. And once, we heard Aunt Jane Tuck screaming “Charlie, Charlie, let go!” and found them having a tug of war with her pink chiffon peignoir, his mouth full of marabou feathers. Probably thought it was a duck.

We maxed out on houseguests during an October power outage in Weston when the junior Mofflys arrived nine strong, including five kids and Lena’s parents from Moscow.

Everyone had sleeping bags except the Vostrikovs who, unfamiliar with Halloween, were somewhat bemused by all those funny little people ringing the doorbell.

So, who are you expecting over the holidays? Better change the sheets and fluff the pillows. You never know. S

VENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY, GREENWICH, CT

OF HOUSEGUESTS & HAVOC

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FEBRUARY

STAMFORD’S AWARDͲWINNING THEATRE Curtain Call’s 33rd Season Continues at the Sterling Farms Theatre Complex

APRIL

MAY

Available on line, by phone or in person.

Good toward tickets and educational workshops.

Any denomination.

Available online, by phone or in person

203-461-6358 www.curtaincallinc.com

Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Avenue, Stamford, CT Produced in cooperation with The City of Stamford.

Funding in part from the CT Office of the Arts / Department of Economic Development Blank_singleAD.indd 1Page_Nov-Dec_2023.indd 11 10_11_STM_Founders

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Ranky Tanky with Lisa Fischer November 10 • 8 p.m.

Kaitlan Collins Anchor of The Source on CNN

November 12 • 3 p.m.

Become a Season Member Today MáM Michael Keegan-Dolan and Teac Damsa Critically claimed Irish dance company joined by renowned Irish concertina player, Cormac Begley

November 17 & 18 • 8 p.m.

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203.254.4010 • QuickCenter.com

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buzz STATUS REPORT

top row: Bartenders from The Wheel mix things up; The Granola Bar team, including Julie Mountain and Dana Noorily, this year’s judges; a sold-out crowd down at Harbor Point bottom row: Sign of the Whale’s winning drink; live music on the waterfront patio; more drinks for the crowd; good company and good vibes

Let the Fun Be-Gin STAMFORD MAGAZINE’S 11TH ANNUAL BEST BARTENDER CONTEST by joey macari // phot o gr aphy by kyle norton

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he most talented bartenders in Stamford went shaker-to-shaker at Stamford’s Best Bartender Contest— which drew a sold-out crowd to the Harbor Point waterfront for an evening of libations and celebration. The event showcased a good mix of creative drinks and food from top local watering holes. Bartenders, chefs and establishments showcased their talents by creating unique summer-inspired cocktails with seasonal ingredients like fresh peaches, ripe pineapple and shaved coconut.

The founders of THE GRANOLA BAR, Julie Mountain and Dana Noorily, were this year’s guest judges. Ultimately, the Granola

gals chose FLINDERS LANE’s Peach Fuzz Dove as their Judge’s Pick. One of the standout participants of the evening was SIGN OF THE WHALE, which impressed the crowd with an incredible strawberry lemonade sorbet—earning that team the title of Voter’s Choice for Best Bartender & Cocktail.

A community sponsor of the event was CISCO BREWERS AT THE VILLAGE, which not only spread good cheer with participating bartenders, but celebrated its own triumph as well. Cisco and Stamford Events Founder Isis Rae broke a record for most rum punches sold in a single day and all season— and that was in support of Heart & Purpose.

This nonprofit has a mission to transform the lives and paths of low-income youths through education and financial aid.

The event was also supported by media sponsors HEY STAMFORD and restaurant experience app GRUBTOK. Like much of the hospitality industry itself, this event welcomed hundreds of guests, who were able to sip back, relax and raise a glass to the people and businesses that make the city great. Read on to learn more about the winners and their craft, as well as how they get into the creative “spirit” during the holidays. We’ve selected a few good party pics too, which no one could regret the next morning.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 STAMFORD

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Craft Catch-Up OUR BEST BARTENDER WINNERS SHARE WHAT THEY STOCK ON THEIR HOME BAR CARTS, WHAT DRINKS THEY’RE SERVING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, AND MORE

JUDGE’S PICK

VOTER’S CHOICE

above, from left: Chef Brad Stewart, owner Chris McPherson and Ross Silver

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tamford’s best bar from Down Under, Flinders Lane, served up a

What is your specialty?

Making people feel at home. Drinks wise, I like doing things against the grain, blending ingredients you traditionally would not, with the result being excellence.

What is your creative passion?

I don’t draw inspiration from any one place in particular. Instead, I like to get a feel for what people want, mostly through talking with them and getting constructive feedback that I can then work from.

If you could have a dream artist collaboration, what would it look like?

I am a sportsaholic. My idol growing up was Kobe Bryant because of his intense dedication to his art. I loved who he was and continue to love the legacy he left behind. I would like to work with a sporting venue to create signature cocktails based on their current roster.

What is your favorite thing about working in the city of Stamford?

I commute to Stamford and love working here because of our guests.

The cocktail program we’ve built at Flinders Lane has been well-received and changes seasonally. Without feedback from people, we would just be another old cocktail bar.

Winner: Sign of the Whale Bartender:: Christine Gomez and Michelle Jazzo

sweet-and-spicy winner at this year’s competition, earning praise from Julie Mountain and Dana Noorily of Granola Bar, who awarded it Judge’s Pick. “It’s always great to be a part of such a fun event for both contestants and the Stamford public. These residents know how to have fun!,” said Chris McPherson, owner of Flinders Lane. Taking home the trophy for Flinders Lane was Bar Manager Ross Silver, whose commitment to crafty cocktails paid off with his drink, Peach Fuzz Dove. “It was great to see Ross get recognition on a larger scale for all his efforts with our drinks program,” said McPherson.

above: Winners Christine Gomez and Michelle Jazzo from Sign of the Whale

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ake it as a “sign” of a good time that four-time Best Bartender Contest winner Sign of the Whale took home

What type of cocktails do you like most and serve to friends and family this time of year?

I enjoy a good rum with winter spices that’s heated up, or a nice scotch from Islay. I also like a good ol’ classic daiquiri at any time of year. As for serving to family and friends, I do my best to not work at home. But in dire situations, my go-to is an Old Fashioned or Boulevardier.

What is your specialty?

CG: Mixing drinks. I love to make fun cocktails using a variety of flavors that make you feel like you are on vacation.

What type of cocktails do you serve to friends and family at this time of year?

MJ: When I make drinks for my friends and family, I first pour everyone a shot. Then, I usually make red sangria and espresso martinis.

What does your bar cart at home look like?

It looks a lot like a whiskey shelf in a liquor store—no mixers and everything is brown. Once my beautiful fiancé Dana gives birth to our first child [daughter] we’ll put the tequilas and gins back on the cart. Dana absolutely loves a good margarita.

When you’re not bartending, where do you “wine” down in Stamford?

CG: My favorite places to eat and drink are Fish, Bar Taco, Taco Project and, of course, Sign of the Whale. I love to dance, but Stamford doesn’t have too many places to do that.

Fortunately, the nightlife scene is growing and maybe there will be more options soon.

MJ: My favorite places to eat and drink are Cafe Silvium, Tutti Pazzi, Mecha, Kashi, Prime, Crab Shell and The Beer Garden at Shippan Landing.

Besides going out for food and drinks, I enjoy walking along the water at Kosciuszko Park.

The Peach Fuzz Dove

What does your bar cart at home look like?

CG: My bar supply at home is always

ingredients:

El Toro Blanco tequila, grapefruit, jalapeño, peach puree

the trophy again—this year securing the Voter’s Choice award. Bartenders Christine Gomez and Michelle Jazzo delivered a true crowd-pleaser, a strawberry lemonade sorbet cocktail.

“I love this event. I’ve watched it grow from a small contest to one that sells out,” says Sign of the Whale’s longtime champ bartender Erik Zeiss, who was responsible for creating the Erik’s Rule, a former Judge’s Pick.

“People look forward to this competition every year and we are proud to be a part of it,” says Zeiss. “And I know the girls look forward to defending their titles next year.”

stocked with great tequila, coconut rum and delicious mixers. After a long day at work, I love a flavored margarita.

MJ: My bar cart at home always has Jameson, Fernet, Casamigo’s Reposado and some wine.

Sometimes, when scrolling on Instagram, I’ll come across different drink recipes that look fun and interesting to try.

The Strawberry Lemonade Sorbet Cocktail ingredients:

Strawberry and Lemongrass Grey Goose Essences vodka, lemonade, lemon juice, and strawberry purée poured over a scoop of lemon Italian ice and garnished with a lemon wheel

PHOTOGRAPHY: KYLE NORTON

Winner: Flinders Lane Bartender: Ross Silver

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HAPPY HOUR!

As temperatures begin to drop, we could all use a dose of sunny nostalgia. Here are more party photographs from this year’s BEST BARTENDER CONTEST to raise your spirits, all the way up. For more snaps from this year’s event, visit our Instagram feed (@stamfordmag) and website at bestbartenderstamford.com.

1 Live music on the waterfront patio 2 Table 104’s Walter Cappelli and team 3 Stamford takes The Wheel 4 Light bites on a warm night 5 Guests sampled contest cocktails, but the doggo waited on water. 6 Cisco Brewers, a Community Party Sponsor 7 A mixologist from Granola Bar shook up a ginger margarita. 8 Stamford magazine’s Jonathan Moffly and friends enjoyed the perfect summer evening. 9 Friends captured the moment. 10 Guests were served light fare, like this fresh ceviche. 11 Fortina, a Harbor Point staple 12 Cocktails by Fortina

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PHOTOGRAPHY: KYLE NORTON

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 STAMFORD

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Q& A

buzz

SPOTLIGHT ON LOCALS

These Stamford residents inspire us through their community impact and passions by joey macari

KYLIE O’CONNOR

AMY GORIN

What motivated you to start Kylie’s Custom Kreations?

“My passion for crafting and creativity. I’ve always loved making personalized gifts for friends and family, and it was their encouragement that pushed me to turn my hobby into a business. I saw an opportunity to provide custom, handcrafted items that bring joy and sentimentality to people’s lives, while still being able to be a mom and have flexibility.

How does your involvement with Women of Stamford impact your creative vision?

Women of Stamford [a female-led support organization that aims to lift up female professionals at every level of professional and personal growth] provides opportunities for collaboration, support and networking.

Connections amplify my creative vision by exposing me to diverse perspectives and resources within the community. Being around like-minded women is such a boost and makes me want to strive harder while being a support to others.

Why are you passionate about the work you do?

A registered dietitian and nutritionist who inspires others to enjoy a plant-inclusive lifestyle with her blog, Plant Based With Amy Tell us about Plant Based With Amy. Previously, I was a magazine editor in New York City.

During my work in the nutrition department at Prevention, I got inspired to work in nutrition, so I went back to school to become a RDN. Now, I combine both of my passions, media and nutrition, through my work with my two businesses, Plant Based With Amy and Master the Media. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I help everyone and anyone eat more plants—whether you’re vegan, flexitarian or simply plant curious. I don’t see patients one on one, but I love sharing plantbased recipes and nutrition guidance with my audience through my blog, Instagram and e-newsletter.

I love to be able to bring other peoples’ visions to life. My company creates custom apparel for a variety of clients, including local businesses, event planners, schools and consumers planning special occsions, such as weddings.

My clients typically have a vision but don’t know how to achieve it. I also love a good challenge, so when a client asks me to do something I have never done, that pushes me to learn more. The best reward is handing over an order and seeing the joy on a client’s face.

That warms my heart.

What’s your favorite place to shop, eat or relax around town?

I love a good coffee shop, where I can sit and enjoy a catch-up with a friend, meet with a client or get some work done. Honey Joe’s and Lorca are my favorite spots. Mill River Park is always a lovely place to take a walk and get a nice feel for nature through all four seasons, yet still be in the heart of the city.

How did you segue into coaching with Master the Media?

Soon after I became a dietitian, my colleagues started coming to me with questions about how to work with the media and brands. And so Master the Media was born.

I teach dietitians and other health professionals how to get featured in the media and partner with brands they. One

What’s your favorite Stamford holiday tradition?

That would have to be the annual Thanksgiving Day parade—provided it is not too cold outside!

student just landed a $50,000 partnership.

Why are you passionate about the work you do?

I love helping people.

I’m lucky that I get to do that on a mass communications level through my blog and the media outlets—including Food Network, Everyday Health and The Healthy—that I contribute to on a regular basis. And I’ve always wanted to teach. I get to do that through my coaching program.

I feel very fortunate that I wake up every day excited to work.

What’s your favorite Stamford holiday tradition?

Ever since I moved to Stamford, I’ve been working with my neighbors to adopt a local family in need every holiday season through the nonprofit Domus. I’d always wanted to do this and having neighbors to share the adoption with makes it possible for us to help a higher-needs family.

We have a really wonderful neighborhood. I organize volunteers who want to help with shopping, wrapping and delivering gifts.

“Ever since I moved to Stamford, I’ve been working with my neighbors to adopt a local family in need every holiday season through the nonprofit Domus. I’d always wanted to do this and having neighbors to share the adoption with makes it possible.”

“My work with Women of Stamford provides me with opportunities for collaboration.

Being around like-minded women is such a boost and makes me want to strive harder while being a support to others.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: CONTRIBUTED

Founder of the online apparel business Kylie’s Custom Kreations and active member of Women of Stamford

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singul ar in design “Edgy incarnations of luxury” Condé Nast Traveler

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The Westy Experience…

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We welcome wedding announcements together with candid photographs. Weddings should have a current Stamford family connection and must be submitted within three months of the wedding day.

Regretfully, we are unable to run every wedding submitted.

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do top row: Curtain Call's full-scale productions won The Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. below: Kweskin Theatre is one of two venues for the theater company.

A Little Razzle Dazzle CURTAIN CALL WILL KEEP AUDIENCES RETURNING THIS SEASON, WITH A LINEUP OF POPULAR SHOWS

C

urtain Call—Stamford’s longestrunning and only nonprofit producing theater company—has stood the test of time with a year-round calendar of entertainment. Founded in 1990 in association with The Stamford Community Arts Council, its venues include the 51-yearold, 184-seat Kweskin Theatre and The Dressing Room Theatre, a 100-seat cabaretstyle, three-quarter thrust stage venue. Now, more than three decades later, Curtain Call continues to lure audiences with engaging entertainment for the 2023 - 2024 season.

The lineup will bring more of what audiences have come to expect: full-scale

productions of popular shows. This year, those shows include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Sound of Music and Fiddler on the Roof. Patrons also have a live radio play of It's a Wonderful Life to look forward to.

“Sometimes, it takes a classic like Fiddler or The Sound of Music to get someone in the door for the first time,’’ says Lou Ursone, who has served as Curtain Call’s executive director since 2000. “Or it could be the opposite. We are often the first theater in the area allowed to produce a show like Beautiful and that brings them in. Other times there are shows that are personal favorites and a parent or grandparent

PHOTOS: COLLEGE KID © FIZKES - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

by tom renner

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do

above: Live shows run the whole year and that keeps audiences coming. right: Lou Ursone is Curtain Call's executive director.

modern, with things like improved customer amenities and big-ticket technology. As a nonprofit, its coffers are not deep. And then the pandemic threw a wet blanket over live performances. During that time, only the commitment of Ursone and his staff helped the company stave off disaster.

Ursone wrote daily missives to theater subscribers from March to July in 2020 with a short video to remain relevant. “Those writings prompted the most amazing outpouring of support,’’ Ursone said. “They kept us alive in their minds and that was a huge key to our survival.”

Physical improvements to the theaters have helped keep Curtain Call moving forward.

A 2010 renovation added 5,000 square feet to the venues, with an improved lobby and bathrooms, dressing rooms, wardrobe storage

will introduce kids to live theater. Everyone has their own specific wants from going to one of these productions.”

The play’s the thing that keeps audiences returning, but an innovative lineup also plays a big role in Curtain Call’s sustained success.

When Ursone joined the nonprofit, Curtain Call produced several shows a year plus a summer youth production. Now, its calendar extends year-round and its production schedule includes summer shows for youth, plus workshops and classes for all ages.

“I felt the idea of an ‘if you build it, they will come,’ approach would work,’’ Ursone said.

“We wanted to provide options that would encourage folks to spend more time with us.

The volume snowballed from there.”

The much more challenging part for Curtain Call is keeping its facilities updated and

and rehearsal studio. And then there’s theater technology, which keeps evolving.

The bells and whistles that help captivate audiences are far more advanced than they were 20 or 30 years ago. “Like all technology, first-generation products are always very expensive. Remember when VCRs were $1,000?” Ursone said. “We can’t be at the top of the curve, but we can get our foot in the door through the used equipment market. We have a high-end projector that we’ll be using in one of the productions next spring. Something as simple as using a motorized winch system to move scenery seemed like a luxury when we installed it 20 years ago. We use it so much now. And no other theaters in the area— community or professional—have that.”

Curtain Call has audience support but it is always in need of funding to modernize its facilities. Every year, it walks a delicate tightrope between delivering quality performances, making small capital improvements and working with a budget that leaves little margin for error. Visitors appreciate the captivating performances of the stage talent, but not everyone recognizes the behind-the-scenes work required to keep Curtain Call’s status as a Stamford jewel. It has been voted Fairfield County’s Best Local Theatre Group for 10 years running and received The Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.

Curtain Call's sustained success is no accident. And Ursone has a vision for more growth in the future.

“Five years from now I’d like to say that we’ll be busy reviewing architectural plans to get an expansion going,’’ he said. “I’d like to see Curtain Call a major arts center in the community ASAP.”

COMING SOON Curtain Call’s 2023-2024 season features top shows and talent Voted Fairfield County's Best Local Theater Group, Curtain Call has a number of big productions scheduled in the near future, including It's a Wonderful Life, which opens on November 19, 2023 and runs through December 9, and The Sound of Music, which opens on March 29, 2024.

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home

above: Architects Mary Burr and Ryan Salvatore say this design is organic to the neighborhood, and built with a modern sensibility and a dash of coastal cool.

A Home Built On History A NEW RESIDENCE IN SHIPPAN DESIGNED BY BURR SALVATORE ARCHITECTS INFUSES TRADITIONAL MATERIALS A N D C O N C E P T S W I T H CONTEMPORARY THINKING by kim k avin //

phot o gr aphy by tim lee photo gr aphy

A

bout 1,100 homes comprise Shippan, one of Stamford’s wealthiest neighborhoods. Ryan Salvatore, co-owner of Burr Salvatore Architects—and a Shippan resident himself—says he’s keenly aware of how each home tells a different story.

“There’s actually a really amazing inventory of architectural styles,” Salvatore says. “There are Spanish-inspired houses, Tudors, really all kinds of things. We look at Shippan so often in our work as a reference

point because there’s so much good architecture there.”

So, in 2018, when a Stamford couple who wanted to be closer to the water bought one of the last remaining lots in Shippan, Salvatore saw an opportunity to add yet another home that makes a statement. He and his business partner, Mary Burr (they’re also married), looked at the corner lot and envisioned a home that felt organic to the neighborhood, but with a modern sensibility.

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“With this house, we wanted to do something contemporary, but with all of that history in mind,” he says.

The lot, which is just over one-third of an acre, had a couple of issues. It sloped sideways about the height of one story, and part of it was in a flood zone. It also wasn’t directly on the water. It was across the street, which meant that it couldn’t have the traditional styling of a beachfront home with lots of glass for water views in the back.

Salvatore’s first step was an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to adjust the property’s flood lines. This work relieved some of the design pressure, allowing the home to have a finished basement. He also went before the Stamford Zoning Board with a coastal site plan review, to show that the home

We innovate.

This isn't a replica of a shingle-style house. It pushes the boundary of what that house design can be.

RYAN SALVATORE

Co-owner of Burr Salvatore Architects would not harm the environment.

Once all those regulatory issues were sorted out, the team could focus on the home’s design. Yes, the structure has a modern feel, but they incorporated a palette of materials that are traditionally associated with the coast: fieldstone veneer, cedar shingles, pitched roofs.

They blended the landscaping stonework into the exterior of the finished basement, making it appear as if the home rose naturally out of the ground.

And they carried that thinking— of combining traditional materials with contemporary ideas—to the interior, too. In the family room, there are exposed beams,

above: Among the most interesting features in this four-bedroom home are the exposed beams in the family room (center photo). They're made of steel instead of wood, to reinterpret the traditional look. The fireplace in that room is built of brick, but it's painted charcoal, with all vertical and horizontal joints aligned.

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home

top: Salvatore says his firm is pleased with the outcome, including fixtures and furnishings, which the owners chose.

but they’re made of steel instead of wood, to reinterpret the traditional look. The fireplace in that room is built of brick, but it’s painted charcoal with all the vertical and horizontal joints aligned, to use the traditional material in an untraditional way.

The family room, which is above the finished basement, is wrapped in glass to capture the water views, as well as natural light all day long.

“We tried to use windows with mullions as small as possible to make it feel like one

is standing on a ship, looking out into the water,” Salvatore says. “You’re up one level, so it’s pretty dramatic to be there, looking out beyond.”

They also made the house practical for the couple, who have four adult children. Looking at the home from the outside, there’s a glass column between the side with the family room and the other side, where the master bedroom is above the garage. The owners can walk through that light-filled glass column to their private space.

“The primary benefit of having the bedroom there is that while it’s still on the main level of the house, it’s elevated on the exterior, so you don’t compromise any of the privacy you usually get by having a bedroom on the second floor,” Salvatore says. “Nobody’s looking in their windows while they’re walking along the street, and they get the elevated views and the one-level living, too.”

The design also creates a dramatic space within the glass column for an open-air staircase that leads up to the three guest bedrooms with ensuite baths.

And, from the home’s backyard, the glasssurrounded staircase offers an additional benefit, Salvatore says: “What we didn’t realize—and it turned out to be a happy outcome—is that when you’re standing in the back of the house, you can see the water through the house. You’re in the backyard, and even though the house is wrapping around you, the water is there.”

Salvatore says his firm is pleased with the outcome, including the fixtures and furnishings the couple chose themselves.

About 70 percent of the projects at Burr Salvatore Architects are residential, with the rest being commercial or industrial, even some churches. One recently completed project is the 4,400-square-foot Newfield Farmhouse on Newfield Avenue, a design inspired by the fact that the site was carved out from an old dairy farm.

This new house in Shippan, Salvatore says, also represents the firm’s overall design approach, which is to look to historical precedent as a way to inform the designs of today.

“Ideally, we’re not just copying. We’re innovating a little,” he says. “And I think this is a good example of that. It’s not a replica of a shingle-style house. It’s pushing the boundary of what a shingle-style house could be.”

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eat clockwise from left: Chef Shannon Sturz; fish and chips with tartar sauce, malt vinegar and pickled veggies; spicy salmon crispy rice served with crispy calamari

The Saltwater Table SEAMORE’S IN DARIEN REELS IN CROWDS WITH SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD by eliz abeth keyser // phot o gr aphy by kyle norton

W

hen Seamore’s landed at Darien Commons in Noroton, it seemed like the whole town came out to see what this sustainable seafood minichain is all about. From the moment it opened in June, Seamore’s (which at press time has seven locations in New York City and Arlington, Virginia) was slammed by a wave of local families and groups of friends.

On a recent Wednesday evening, the accommodating staff seated them as fast as they

could, while suggesting we (walk-ins) grab a high top in the crowded bar area and start by ordering cocktails (passion fruit margarita), mocktails (fresco apricot cucumber honey) and appetizers. Good idea.

Crispy Rice is the restauranat’s signature appetizer. A more indulgent version of sushi on a bed of fried sushi rice laid over triangles of nori, it comes three to an order. Ginger salmon crispy rice makes for an appealing visual, topped with black sesame seeds and

micro cilantro. A starter of fried squid was served in a parchment-lined, deep-fry basket full of rings and tentacles covered in a light, crisp coating.

Seamore’s concept is grounded in the understanding that worldwide over-fishing has decimated many wild fish populations.

So, they source carefully, and everything is approved by the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch. Most is caught off U.S. coasts, in a way that minimizes the by-catch and damage to the eco-system.

A floor-to-ceiling blackboard-style artwork titled “The Daily Landing” evokes the atmosphere of both a fish store and a school chalk board, as it is covered with simple, drawings of fish and fun facts about them.

The New England clam chowder—topped with crumbled bacon, mini croutons and chives—was traditionally rich and contemporarily smoky. Seamore’s Salad was a big crunchy affair of romaine, cucumber, cherry

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EQUADOREAN SHRIMP NORWEGIAN SALMON farm raised in the Faroe Islands

COPPS ISLAND OYSTERS Norwalk POINT JUDITH SQUID Rhode Island

MONTAUCK YELLOWFIN TUNA New York

tomatoes, a touch of mint and toasted peanuts. It can be topped with Norwegian salmon, blackened shrimp, Montauk scallops or the Daily Catch. (And yes, chicken is an option.)

The Daily Catch (grilled fish with two options for sides) is the most interesting way to explore the heart of Seamore’s menu. That menu includes something called The Reel Deel, which provides an opportunity to learn about fish that are less familiar. The website expands on the idea in an entertaining way, offering specifics on each species, including location, habitat and—most important for diners—flavor and texture.

The black bass filet was seared golden, the sweet flesh laid over a bed of butternutrosemary spaetzle—the traditional south German noodle given a healthier makeover with squash and creamed spinach pureed to silkiness. Perched in the bowl was a smaller bowl filled with my choice of sauce: lemongrass aji. Flavored with European, Asian and South American ingredients, the simply grilled fish was the star of the plate.

And I learned something new: Black bass can change sex in certain environments, according to seamores.com.

From the Daily Catch, my dining companion chose Golden Tilefish, not because it is known as “the clown of the sea,” but because of its mild, delicate, buttery flesh. She ordered it with cauliflower mash, seared green beans and pickled eggplant. She chose the chimichurri sauce, an Argentineaninspired vinegary dressing with oregano.

We also tried the fish and chips, which were spot-on, with golden brown batter covering steaming white fish. Atlantic pollack—a firm but sweet and delicate

32_35_STM_FOB_Eat_Nov-Dec_2023.indd 33

POINT PLEASANT BLUEFISH New Jersey

fish—replaces cod here, and it’s served with malt vinegar and tartar sauce. The fries were thin and crunchy.

There’s much more to explore at Seamore’s, including the lobster roll, fish tacos, Korean chicken BBQ tacos, steak frites, smash burger and chicken Milanese.

For dessert, the signature churro ice cream sandwich is a shareable plate with a big scoop of caramel chocolate chunk ice cream that's wedged between two cinnamon-crunchy, deep-fried churros resting on a thick swath of caramel sauce.

The few bumps in the evening (such as lukewarm soup and cold fries) were remedied by the staff and easy to understand given the restaurant had just opened. Be warned that high ceilings, an open layout and big crowds can make for a noisy place. And even as the room emptied out, we continued to lean in to hear each other.

“Busy night,” we said to our server.

“Oh, this isn’t busy,” she replied. Seamore’s, it seems, has caught the crowd.

Watermelon basil spritz

Norwegian salmon with rosemary butternut squash spaetzle and creamed spinach

Baja seared fish tacos served with a side of corn esquites and polenta

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eat

What’s On Tap THESE TASTY BREWS POURED IN STAMFORD WON'T ZAP YOUR ENERGY. IN FACT, THEY JUST MIGHT POWER YOUR PARTYING by carol leonet ti dannhauser

A

nother party with coworkers.

Another happy hour with friends.

Another holiday hangover. ’Tis the season to tap a keg. But not all bubbly inside has to zap your energy, cloud your thinking or tax your liver. In fact, a couple of brews here in Stamford might actually power your partying.

Inside the tasting room of a Fairfield Avenue brewery, Jarrett McGovern lifts a tap and out flows liquid as dark as a Guinness stout, topped with a white, creamy head. This nitrogen-infused draft is coffee, cold-brewed, kegged and canned by McGovern and his partners, Grant Gyesky and Justin Weinstein, at Rise Brewing Co. in Stamford.

The drink—brewed with Peruvian organic coffee beans, plus Stamford’s own water filtered to remove chemicals—was born and perfected in 2014 during overnight experiments in McGovern’s New York City railroad flat. McGovern and pals—fit adventurers who drank coffee before skiing or surfing—wished to fuel their escapades with a cool, clean beverage with the lift and taste of coffee but without the sugar, cream, acid or sea of chemicals. So they tried their own cold-brewing, mixing and blending four cups at a time. “We were literally shaking it on my grandmother’s rocking chair for two hours,” McGovern

above: Justin Weinstein and Jarrett McGovern, two of the founders of Rise Brewing Company, in the Stamford taproom

recalls. Adds Weinstein, “It was a lot of trial and error.”

Once they landed on a great recipe, the friends, who had met as students at Brunswick Academy in Greenwich, aimed for bigger batches. Cold-brewed coffee “was exploding” at the time, says McGovern, who grew up fetching coffee at Lakeside Diner for his mom, and who learned about water filtration from his dad, Kevin, the founder of SoBe beverages. Back then, commercially cold-brewed coffee sat in exposed vats for 20 hours. The trio wanted a cleaner option.

Beer brewers told them about nitrogen, which would preserve coffee naturally, plus add a creamy head.

They moved the brewing to Gyeski’s garage in Cos Cob, and drove kegs of their coffee into New York at sunrise. The hip Brooklyn Heights eatery Colonie filled an empty keg slot with the trio’s brew (and created the “Nitro Palmer,” a Rise coffee version of an Arnold Palmer). A vegan-cafe owner requested latte with a plant-based dairy alternative and Rise created its own organic oat milk, which sweetened the coffee without adding sugar. A friend requested a Rise kegerator at work when the office espresso machine broke down. And so it went. Orders started flowing.

top: Rise coffee is cold-brewed, kegged and canned in Stamford. bottom: A flight of kombucha from East Coast Kombucha in the South Norwalk taproom.

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eat Increasingly, customers wanted the brew for home. A microbrewery in Pennsylvania helped produce the canning line.

While Rise’s kegerators are found in offices, bars and restaurants throughout Stamford and nationwide (and places including the Yankees and Mets clubhouses), you can belly up to the bar at the Rise taproom, or grab a six-pack for your next holiday affair.

CAROL LEONETTI DANNHAUSER

F

our glasses arrive in a flight, each beverage containing the fizz of a soda, the tang of a beer and flavors unique and identifiable—guava, blueberries, lavender, ginger—as if commercial soda were stripped of chemicals and cloying sweetness, if fruit juice were bubbly and pure, if hard cider or fruity wines were flavored with actual organic fruit instead of whatever “natural fruit flavor” is.

Steve Gaskin is doing the pouring here at the East Coast Kombucha taproom, in an exposed-brick, turn-of-the-century, converted textile factory in South Norwalk.

As Gaskin chats about his quest for the best kombucha, customers grab a keg for their kegerator, refill their howlers (32 oz.) and growlers (64 oz.), or pick up a four-pack.

Truth be told, Gaskin was not a kombucha fan until a wedding in Hawaii, where guests drank the fermented tea from a tap. It was so tasty—refreshing and clean, but without the vinegary flavor prevalent in many kombuchas here—that Gaskin, his wife, Glynise, and their good friend Claudia Duvall aspired to replicate it at home.

“We bought a homebrewing kit and used the exact recipe that we use today,” says Gaskin, citing a brew of organic teas (black assam, white peony, yerba matte and rooibos) organic sugar, water and a sourdough-like starter called Scoby that eats its way through sugar in a month of fermenting.

The trio experimented, adding strawberries and pineapples, spices and peppers, flowers and herbs. They thought their brew tasted great, just like the Hawaiian stuff.

At the time, Gaskin, a former TV producer, was searching for a new passion. He appreciated this fizzy, organic beverage that happened to be full of antioxidants, and thought other folks might too. “If you look at what restaurants and bars offer that aren’t alcoholic,” he says, “it’s mostly soda.”

But it’s one thing to homebrew in little

above: East Coast Kombucha cofounder Steve Gaskin pours a lavender lemonade brew in SoNo.

five-gallon jugs in the basement. To scale-up the operation, the partners found financing, turned to a brewery in New Orleans for production help, and added cans to the kegs and bottles. Their kombucha business took off, with kegs flowing at more than 50 commercial accounts and a Sono taproom that was “open and hopping,” Gaskin says.

Then the pandemic arrived, and accounts evaporated like so many bubbles.

Instead of bailing on their venture, the partners doubled-down. They automated a canning operation on site, where tea brews and kombucha ferments 600 gallons at a

time in shiny steel drums. They added exotic elixirs to the goods in the cupboard, bags of organic ginger and hibiscus petals from California, bottles of rose water from France, organic blueberries and guava nectar. Now, each season brings new flavors, available in Stamford at places like Chelsea Piers Fitness, The Granola Bar, and a host of delis, restaurants and markets in town, in addition to restaurants and grocery stores along the East Coast.

While a mug of booch can stand on its own as a holiday beverage, adds Gaskin, “it also makes a good cocktail mixer.”

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money matters

BY CAROL LEONETTI DANNHAUSER

DONOR ADVISED FUNDS

Sara DeRose

T

he giving can seem endless at this time of year. You donate food to your local soup kitchen in the spirit of Thanksgiving. Your mate tosses a bigger bill into the basket at your place of worship. Your alma mater asks for help funding the new science complex. The nature center membership needs to be renewed.

The dog rescuers could use your help. The PTA, the rainforest, the

homeless coalition, another cancer walk. A check here. A pledge there.

They’re all worthy causes. But are they the most meaningful to you and your family here in Fairfield County?

If haphazard giving is leading you to ask yourself that question, you’re not alone. “There’s an interest in engaging your family and in creating a mission statement as a family—that is a trend we’re seeing more and more of,” says Sara DeRose, a director and philanthropic adviser at Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, in Norwalk. “Donors are looking to be more educated. They’re thinking through issue areas they’re most passionate about and looking at how they can make the most impact over time with their charitable giving.”

Increasingly, families, individuals and companies are turning to donor-advised funds to make their philanthropy as strategic and informed as their investing. DAFs

are essentially charitable checking accounts, managed by a sponsor organization such as a community foundation or the charitable arm of financial service com like Vanguard or Fidelity. Contributions to a donor-advised fund are taxdeductible. Money invested inside a DAF grows tax-free and donations are made at the donor’s direction.

“Donor-advised funds have risen in popularity over the last 10 years or so as deep wealth in this country has increased,” DeRose says. “They simplify your giving and you get a philanthropic adviser as your personal guide.”

Advisers can help families come up with a mission statement, and handle all administrative tasks and records. At Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, advisers suggest vetted organizations that align with a family’s mission and can best use the family’s gifts. With the foundation’s “brokered grants” program, DAF-contributors can partner with other donors to

fund specific issues that local organizations address.

While a desire to help others is the main reason to establish a DAF, these funds can help lighten your tax load, especially when appreciated assets are involved.

For example, if you bought $10,000 worth of Amazon stock 10 years ago, and you’re now sitting on a pile worth more than $75,000, instead of selling the stock, paying taxes on the capital gains, then donating the leftovers, you can donate the appreciated stock, get a much bigger tax deduction, and send a much bigger gift to charity.

“You give and get immediate benefits, and make grants at your leisure,” DeRose says. “More and more families are interested in this.

They know they want their children to get involved as soon as they’re old enough to understand that you spend some, you save some, you give a portion away. And that is foundational to how they raise their family.”

S

W

For years, the heads of generous families in Fairfield County and beyond have established private, family foundations to carry on the giving long after the founders pass on. But what happens when subsequent generations don’t share the founders’ mission or the time, money or energy to manage the foundation?

Squabbling can lead to a long, legal, expensive dissolution. Conversions from a private foundation to one or more donor-advised funds can be an attractive, less expensive alternative. “We work with a number of families that had a family foundation, and now family members can’t agree on funding priorities,” says DeRose. “This is happening increasingly as you see transfers of wealth and ideological differences.

Donor-advised funds can be a really good solution.”

CONTRIBUTED

SHARING THE WEALTH

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reenwich Play, a playroom interior design company based in Old Greenwich, recently introduced Greenwich moms to Make it Cute playhouses. The brand is driven by a passion to create toy homes with responsible materials as adorable as they are safe and eco-friendly. Cofounder of Make it Cute, actress Amanda Seyfried, hosted the event with her partners Anne Hoehn and Maureen North at Greenwich Play’s showroom. Seasonally designed playhouses were on display while coffee and treats were served by The Granola Bar food truck. greenwichplay.com & makeitcutekids.com —Ali Gray »

1 Pina Petisi from Cornerstone Construction 2 Maureen North, Amanda Seyfried, Anne Hoehn, Courtney Gault, Pati Cabada, Courtney Van Naarden 3 Amanda Seyfried, Anne Hoehn, Maureen North, Courtney Gault, Courtney Van Naarden grabbing a coffee from the Granola Bar truck 4 Andrea Canning with her daughter Ruthie, Amanda Seyfried 5 Charnaie Gordon, author and founder of Here Wee Read, Amanda Seyfried 6 Marcella Kelson, maternal wellness and parenting expert, Courtney Gault, founder of Greenwich Play 7 Holly Baron, Asya Geller NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 STAMFORD

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PERSON TO PERSON / Stamford

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Helping Neighbors

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elebrating an Evening Under the Stars, community leaders and supporters raised nearly $330,000 at Person to Person’s (P2P) annual benefit. Board President Mike Riccardi was honored for his leadership through the pandemic, helping increase the number of meals served from 900,000 to 2.4 million. Guests enjoyed dinner, music and a live auction featuring everything from concerts and sporting events to private dinners and vacation getaways. The event furthered P2P’s “vision of educated, financially stable and hunger-free homes.” p2phelps.org —Elizabeth Hole »

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1 Andrew, Emily, Mike, Tracey and Matthew Riccardi 2 Nancy, Carlos, Joel and Soe Barrera-Aldana 3 John Sinclair, Yasmine Sinclair, Neha Asam, Fahad Asam 4 Jason Lamoreaux, auctioneer 5 Eric Peters, Mara Peters, State Rep. Tracy Marra, David Marra 6 Nancy Coughlin, P2P CEO and Mike Riccardi, honoree 7 Todd Lindvall, Lucia Rilling, Heather Cavanagh, Mitch Kidd 8 Front row (left to right): Matt Dathan, Lucy Dathan, Danielle Robinson; Back row (left to right): Harry Rilling, Lucia Rilling 9 Christina Johnson Wolff and family 10 Virgil and Jennifer Williams, Mike Riccardi 11 Sally Wasserman, Ruta Pakstas, Helene Wasserman, Paul Wasserman 12 Evening Under the Stars Committee 13 Janine Rust, Danielle Robinson, Steve Rust

KYLE NORTON FOR MOFFLY MEDIA’S BIG PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY

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hone, the premium men’s clothing and accessories brand, had its grand opening in Westport, bringing men’s activewear and lifestyle apparel to the heart of Fairfield County.

The grand opening was hosted by Rhone Co-Founders Nate and Ben Checkett, and Samantha Yanks in partnership with Westport, Weston & Wilton Magazine and The Connecticut Edit. Guests toasted the new Westport store and the brand’s opening of their new Stamford headquarters. —Samantha Yanks S

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1 Rhone Ribbon Cutting 2 Dave Briggs, Jimmy Izzo, Westport Chief of Police Foti Koskinas 3 Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN & Jay Williams, Author and On-Air Host 4 Jennifer Tooker, Samantha Yanks 5 The Checketts Family 6 Atmosphere Shot 7 Rhone Cold Plunge Activation 8 Nate Checketts, Samantha Yanks, Ben Checketts 9 Nate Checketts, CoFounder & CEO and Ben Checketts, Co-Founder & Creative Director 8 Andrea Lawrence Moore, Jimmy Izzo, Ben Checketts, Jennifer Tooker, Samantha Yanks, Nate Checketts, Maxx Crowley, Gabriella Mays NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 STAMFORD

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Laura delaf lor

L iz Salguero

Robyn Wh i tti ngha m

lucy langley

Lighting the way

Bi l l Tom mi ns

J i l l robey

by jill johnson mann

phot o gr aphy by k atharine calderwo od on l o cation at robert r ackear’s lux flrs showro om, stamford

Ch ris Franco

Kath leen Walsh

Barbara Richards

Rach e l Franco

Robert Russo

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2023

2023

OUR HONOREES HAVE ALL SPARKED MOVEMENTS THAT SPREAD

Every year we ask our readers to nominate their Fairfield County neighbors who selflessly and tirelessly devote themselves to giving back. Three years ago, we honored the brave residents who refused to cower to Covid and went out and made a difference—however they could, whatever the risks. At that time, Liz Salguero, founder of Circle of Care, feared funds would run dry and she would not be able to support parents coping with pediatric cancer, just when they needed reassurance most. But then something unexpected happened. The general public, new to a life of wearing masks and fearing germs, gained a better understanding of what it must be like all the time for parents of immunocompromised children. Donations increased.

Circle of Care grew—by 400 percent.

This story is a reminder of how kindness flourishes; it’s not picky about the soil that feeds it. Even the most parched or rockiest foundation serves kindness just fine. It burrows down into any little crevice of compassion it finds, plants roots and spreads like ox-eye daisies. This year we are recognizing kindness in 1,920 Genevieve Lau Loved necklaces, 5,000 Flower Again arrangements, 500,000 Undies Project undergarments, twenty-plus Flinn Gallery exhibits, $25 million raised by Bank of America, a dozen historic buildings preserved, 13,000 immigrants served, fortyseven kids sent to camp, seven wishes granted … and the list goes on, reassuring us that the flow of nomination letters will never ebb. Keep ’em coming.

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Chris & Rachel Franco O R G A N I Z AT I O N

GREENWICH POINT CONSERVANCY I nspi ration

“Twenty years ago Chris and Rachel Franco were walking through Central Park with their toddler when inspiration struck.

“We were both stunned by how beautiful the park was,” says Chris. “It had gone through a metamorphosis over the previous twenty years through the Central Park Conservancy. We stopped and bought a book about it. We said to each other, it would be amazing to do something like this at Greenwich Point. Central Park is the crown jewel of the New York City park system; Greenwich Point is the crown jewel of the Greenwich park system.”

Chris, who is in real estate development, and Rachel, formerly on Wall Street (now a realtor at Sotheby’s) and raising their family at that time, dove in with gusto.

They talked to the Friends at Greenwich Point about the idea.

“It was too ambitious for them,” says Chris, “so a handful of us carved off and created the Greenwich Point Conservancy in 2004.”

Courage i nto Action

Hopes & Drea ms

“We want to continue to do the preservation work, but we are also thinking about working with children who are at risk,” says Chris.

Rachel has worked as a life coach in the past, and she volunteered at Liberation Programs’ Families in Recovery Program, which serves homeless and drug-addicted mothers.

“Once a week I would go and teach them positive psychology and how to use it in their recovery,” explains Rachel.

“Chris and I have been really moved by all the press about human trafficking and what these young men and women are going through. We are interested in helping them rebuild their lives.”

The team began restoring the historic buildings at Tod’s Point.

“What we hear all the time is that we have enhanced Greenwich Point—not changed the things that people love about it, but brought back these historic buildings and also made them useful,” says Chris. “That has been enormously rewarding for us. It’s really the anchor of the nonprofit work Rachel and I have done.”

The projects they have completed include the preservation of the historic buildings at Tod’s Point: Innis Arden Cottage, the Old Barn, Gateway and the Sue H. Baker Pavilion. Next to be restored is the Chimes building.

The pair have also restored The Feake-Ferris House, The Boat House on Ollie’s Creek, 44 Sound Beach Avenue and The Nathaniel Peck Jr. House, among others. “We do it because we love giving back to the community by saving these old treasures,” says Chris.

Words of Praise “Chris and Rachel Franco are passionate visionaries who have spent their energies preserving the Town of Greenwich. They respect the historical importance of buildings and properties from days gone by. They find resources and inspiration to preserve and repurpose these structures to save them from demise.

Their unique ability to identify and navigate the often complicated paths needed is one that our entire town has and will continue to benefit from.”

— A L I SO N FA R N L E I G H

GREENWICH POINT CO N S E RVA N CY B OA R D O F D I R ECTO RS V I C E P R ES I D E N T

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O R G A N I Z AT I O N S

PINK AID • ST. BALDRICK’S FOUNDATION BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL • EVAN’S FUND CAPALBO STRONG • CENTER FOR FAMILY JUSTICE INSPIRATION

“Nine years ago my husband, Steve, was undergoing chemo at Yale Treatment Center in Fairfield,” recounts Westporter Jennifer Lau. “I saw what people were going through. I thought, what can I do to make this process easier? I rushed out and got meals for everyone, so they could serve their families dinner. It struck me that these people needed to feel loved.”

Jennifer had a new jewelry business, Genevieve Lau, and she decided that for each 14-carat-gold “Loved” necklace sold, she would donate one to a woman battling cancer.

“I gave one to each of the staff at Yale helping Steve,” she says.

“A year later, we were at Sloan Kettering, where Steve [who survived] was getting a stem cell transplant. I gave everyone there one, to give them the hope and strength to fight.”

Lau spoke to Andrew Mitchell and linked up to Pink Aid, an organization the retailer cofounded to help underserved women throughout their breast cancer treatment journeys. Soon word of mouth and social media began fueling a nonstop flow of Loved.

Lau has since pivoted to donating to “whoever is really in need of feeling loved.” She continues to be inspired by the stories that illustrate how the Loved necklace is much more than a piece of jewelry.

WORDS OF PRAISE “Jennifer gives to those who are suffering or struggling, signaling to them that they are seen, cared for and loved in their most trying times.

She has made close to two million dollars in donations quietly and selflessly.”

— J O L I N E M CG O L D R I C K , J E N N I F E R ' S S I ST E R

COURAGE INTO ACTION

Lau has donated 1,920 necklaces, including 150 to frontline workers during the pandemic. She donated twenty-nine necklaces to those affected by the tragic death of hockey player Teddy Balkind at St. Luke’s (karma struck and, coincidentally, an order for exactly twenty-nine Loved necklaces came into Mitchells the following week).

She also donates Clover necklaces to children battling cancer through St. Baldrick’s Foundation and word-of-mouth.

She donates “Imperfect yet perfect heart” necklaces to Boston Children’s Hospital, inspired by a Westport boy born with an “imperfect” heart. Her “Joy” necklaces are donated to those wrestling with mental health issues. Hopeful necklaces go to victims of domestic abuse, via the Center for Family Justice.

“Always” necklaces are for those with a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Collectively, Lau has donated 250 of these other pieces, with a one-sold-one-donated ratio.

If someone is in need, she gives a necklace whether that ratio is met or not.

“I love seeing women wearing my designs and feeling beautiful.

These pieces make them feel even more beautiful, because someone else is wearing one because of them,” says Lau.

HOPES & DREAMS

“I hope for all of these movements to continue to grow, particularly the Loved Movement,” says Lau. “I hope to make the world a lighter, brighter place, one Loved necklace at a time.”

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Bill Tommins O R G A N I Z AT I O N S

CATHOLIC CHARITIES • NEW COVENANT CENTER • THE CENTER FOR FAMILY JUSTICE • FAIRFIELD MUSEUM AND HISTORY CENTER • FTC • FAIRFIELD COUNTY’S COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INSPIRATION

“As a banker, early in my career I learned the importance of giving back to the community where you live and work,” says William “Bill” Tommins, president of Bank of America in Southern Connecticut.

Tommins has served on various nonprofit boards through the years. His commitment to giving back deepened as a result of two events: the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 financial crisis.

“I realized how quickly life can change for people for reasons outside of one’s control, and the critical role nonprofits play in delivering services at a time of real need,” he explains. “Many lives were turned upside down after these events: losing a loved one, losing a job and even losing a home. These events focused me on supporting organizations that are there for people at the time they need it most.”

COURAGE INTO ACTION

Tommins. “I’ve been privileged to lead Bank of America in Southern Connecticut for the past sixteen years. During this time, our team at Bank of America helped create and sustain Fairfield County Giving Day as lead sponsor, and by so doing, raised $14 million for area nonprofits.”

Bank of America has also served for ten years as Presenting Sponsor of the Closer to Free Ride, supporting Smilow Cancer Center, helping to raise over $10 million for cancer research and patient care. This past year, Bank of America awarded a $1 million grant to Fairfield Bellarmine, a new two-year associate-degree program targeted at preparing underserved youth for the transition to a bachelor’s degree at a university or to find meaningful employment.

HOPES & DREAMS

“My hope is that the clients of these organizations can move toward self-sufficiency and lead fulfilling lives with purpose,” says Tommins.

WORDS OF PRAISE “Bank of America is a dedicated supporter of Fairfield County's Community Foundation, as well as a number of other local organizations and causes.

Bill Tommins exemplifies true commitment to his community through his personal efforts and those of Bank of America. Bill is a champion of its corporate mission to support initiatives and programs that address the root causes of inequality through a company-wide commitment to advancing racial equality and economic opportunity. He has empowered his team to bring Bank of America’s local support mission to life here in Fairfield County. In addition to the work with FCCF, Bill and his team are consistently seeking new ways to invest in innovative ideas and partnerships to address issues like affordable housing, income and wealth building, health and more—issues that are at the core of a thriving community.”

“I’m fond of the proverb, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together,’” says

— K R I STA CA R N E S, C O M M U N I CAT I O N S D I R ECTO R ,

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O R G A N I Z AT I O N

BUILDING ONE COMMUNITY (B1C)

Kathleen Walsh INSPIRATION

“I am the child and grandchild of immigrants myself, so I can remember hearing stories of the challenges my grandparents and mom faced when they first came to the United States,” says Kathleen Walsh, who is trained as a sociologist and city planner.

“In the course of my work with the Stamford Partnership, I was seeing an increasing number and diversity of immigrants coming to Stamford. My responsibility was to identify emerging issues and trends and bring the community together to address them. I was inspired by the Partnership’s mission to have a positive impact on the community. That’s how the germ of the idea for Building One Community (B1C) developed.”

COURAGE INTO ACTION

As its founder, Walsh played a key role in forging B1C’s partnerships with Family Centers, Community Health Centers, Stamford Health, River House Adult Day Care Center, DOMUS, Person-toPerson, Stamford Public Schools and others. B1C opened its doors in 2011 with two employees and a budget of $455,000.

The organization now has forty employees and a budget of

WORDS OF PRAISE “In a quiet and steadfast way, Kathie Walsh has been an extraordinary contributor to the Lower Fairfield County community, professionally as CEO of the Stamford Partnership and in a volunteer leadership capacity with many local nonprofits. Her work with Building One Community, an organization she helped found and led as board chair for five years, stands out for the positive impact that organization has had on the lives of thousands of immigrants and on the entire community.”

— A N K A BA D U R I N A , B 1 C E X ECU T I V E D I R ECTO R

over $3.5 million. B1C has served immigrants from 117 different countries.

Walsh highlights two accomplishments that fill her with pride: her contribution to developing affordable housing in New York earlier in her career and her work at B1C. “Those couple hundred units of affordable housing in New York were life-changing for those families,” she says. “I’m equally proud of the 13,000 people who have come through B1C’s doors and received language training, legal services, help with registering their kids at school and finding housing. I believe our obligation is to make the world a better place.”

In 2016, Walsh spearheaded the effort seeking authorization for B1C to provide low-cost immigration legal services and then completed the rigorous training to become an accredited Department of Justice representative, allowing her to represent clients before government agencies, including U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services. B1C’s ILS department has managed over 2,100 consultations; 500 were handled by Walsh.

HOPES & DREAMS

“I hope that B1C will continue to be sustainable over the very long term,” says Walsh. “I’m so pleased that we have a group of people willing to serve as board members, staff and volunteers, delivering services that newcomers to the community really need. I hope over time the kinds of services people need will diminish, because they won’t have to work so hard to access them. But as long as they are needed, I hope B1C will be there for them.”

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WORDS OF PRAISE “Jill has always had a love for flowers and initially channeled her skills through her church flower ministry. In 2022, Jill decided to take her passion for florals and her love of spreading joy to another level by founding Flower Again.

Flower Again is now in its second season and has expanded like crazy!

It just goes to show that a tiny little idea can make a big impact in the lives of many.

Jill is one of the most compassionate, organized and dedicated women I know, and I’m privileged to work alongside her on the board of Flower Again.”

— L E S L E Y CO U S L E Y, B OA R D M E M B E R

INSPIRATION

“The beauty of flowers and how they evoke a smile in most everyone was my greatest inspiration,” says Jill Robey, founder of Flower Again, which receives floral donations from weddings and other events and repurposes them into bedside bouquets to be delivered to low-income seniors.

“I love choosing flowers, arranging them and sharing them with others,” explains the New Canaan resident. “I had participated in flower arranging and delivery on a small scale at my church. When I learned about organizations in other parts of the country that were doing this on a much larger scale, I thought, I can do that.”

COURAGE INTO ACTION

“I’ve created an organization that reimagines donated flowers

O R G A N I Z AT I O N

FLOWER AGAIN

from events and CT Flower Collective by creating bedside arrangements for those who could use a lift of spirit,” says Robey, who is especially grateful to the twenty-five women at CT Flower Collective in Meriden, who make a weekly donation of flowers.

Since its inception in April 2022, Flower Again has created and hand-delivered over 5,000 arrangements to over 1,800 individuals at twenty-eight different facilities in Fairfield County.

“I have met so many individuals who I wouldn’t otherwise have had the opportunity to know and have a group of over seventy volunteers who enjoy the community this has created,” she says.

“I also care deeply about our environment. By reusing flowers from weddings, funerals, florists or corporate events, we are ensuring less floral material is added to our landfills. Flower Again is trying to do our part to keep our planet healthy and beautiful.”

She adds, “But really our greatest accomplishment is spreading joy, which is hard to quantify, but you know it when you see it.”

HOPES & DREAMS

“I hope to inspire others to remember those who could benefit from more human connection,” says Robey. “We all have gifts and talents and should be using our natural abilities to support each other—finding ways to work together, rather than against each other. I hope that Flower Again will continue to grow and maybe inspire others to join the movement. There are a lot of beautiful flowers out there and many, many people who would be thrilled to receive them.”

Jill Robey

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Barbara Richards I NSPI RATION

“When I first arrived in Greenwich and happened upon the Hurlbutt Gallery [now called the Flinn Gallery], one of the gallery members asked if I would be interested in joining the art committee,” recounts Barbara Richards.

“Once I started, I never looked back. Every day was a learning experience for me, and my law background was very helpful in contributing in many ways to the gallery.”

Richards has been involved with the gallery for thirty years, taking on the challenge of keeping up with technology and upholding a level of sophistication that has made the gallery desirable to artists and art lovers alike. Through closures for construction and Covid, Richards remained determined to keep a committee of forty members motivated. She also has been involved with the Friends of the Greenwich Library—another preeminent institution in Greenwich that brings her great pride.

COURAGE INTO ACTION

Richards has served as board chair of the Flinn Gallery and on the board of the Greenwich Library.

“I took on many different roles at the Flinn and the library,” she says. “I have curated twenty to thirty exhibits. Each one was exciting. It’s difficult to pick the most interesting, but I’m very proud of the Robert Motherwell show, The Tony Walton set design show, The Cambodian show with a pop-up diner and The Great American Landscape.”

She has served on numerous

ORGA N IZ AT ION

THE FLINN GALLERY AT GREENWICH LIBRARY

committees over the years and says, “The gallery and the library are my second career. The Flinn Gallery is a unique volunteer institution. It is open ten months a year, seven days a week. Every moment it is open, it needs to be staffed primarily by our volunteers.

We need to have curators take on each exhibit of the season, which entails months of work.”

“The website needs to be kept constantly current. The selections committee needs to find artists to put shows together for the calendar for the following year— five or six shows that are exciting and salable.

“Marketing needs to promote our shows. We have to design and print our invitations, posters and banners. We need to constantly remember that our volunteers are our most valuable treasure. They need to always know that.”

HOPES & DREAMS

Richards’ goal is to continue to keep members motivated and committee members engaged for years to come. “I don’t have an art background,” she says. “I’m a policy wonk. My goal is to keep the committees working and make members feel happy and valuable.”

WORDS OF PRAISE “Barbara Richards has provided exceptional leadership to the Flinn Gallery and has made a permanent impact on the availability and visibility of the visual arts and arts education in the Greenwich community.”

— H I L A RY M A RT I N L E A

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WORDS OF PRAISE “Robyn Whittingham and her family have a longstanding record of exceptional philanthropy in their local community and beyond. She is a dedicated advocate for both physical and emotional wellness and is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives. Her extensive philanthropic endeavors are guided by that focus, and Robyn’s generous spirit and caring nature shine through in everything she does. A dedicated supporter of Make-A-Wish Connecticut since 2019, Robyn is a valued and active member of the Board of Directors. Through her involvement on the board coupled with her generosity, she has helped grant seven wishes and bring to life The Wishing Place, MakeA-Wish Connecticut’s home for hope and healing. From advancing healthcare, bringing people together and enriching communities to creating hope and making wishes come true, Robyn Whittingham is the epitome of a philanthropic leader.”

— K R I S M O RA N , M A K E-A-W I S H CO N N ECT I CU T, D I R ECTO R O F M A R K E T I N G CO M M U N I CAT I O N S

INSPIRATION

“I lucked into a family that believed in giving back,” says Robyn Whittingham. “My in-laws, Jean and Tony Whittingham, were a true rags-to-riches story—first generation immigrants from Jamaica, who came to the U.S. in the early 1950s with nothing except hopes and dreams, when discrimination was rampant.

Through constant hard work and perseverance, they built a great life here and shared the benefits of their strong work ethic with their communities. My husband and his brother continued the tradition, and now I, along with my son Adam and his wife Catalina, have the privilege of supporting

choose to be active and show their support, regardless of financial status or time constraints.”

causes that resonate with us.

Make-A-Wish CT [which changes the lives of critically ill children and their families], The Ferguson Library, Mill River Park, the Palace and Avon theaters, and Stamford and Norwalk hospitals remain at the top of our list.”

HOPES & DREAMS

“My fervent wish is that my favorite nonprofits expand their outreach in our communities to help everyone find a small or big way to give back—adults, seniors and kids alike. We have such worthy organizations in Fairfield County that deserve our support,” says Whittingham.

She hopes the long list of children waiting for wishes will have them granted through MakeA-Wish, and she emphasizes that it is community involvement that’s vital to making that happen.

COURAGE INTO ACTION

“I love my role on Make-A-Wish’s board, because there are literally dozens of ways I can contribute to their mission,” says Whittingham.

“I volunteer at Ferguson Library’s bookshop and plan to help them build more community awareness of the importance of libraries in our lives. Anyone can

She adds, “Our libraries offer an incredible array of programs that many don’t know about. Mill River is a superlative city park.

Stamford and Norwalk hospitals offer wellness programs for all ages and stages of life.”

O R G A N I Z AT I O N S

• MAKE-A-WISH, CT • FERGUSON LIBRARY • MILL RIVER PARK • THE PALACE & AVON THEATRES • STAMFORD & NORWALK HOSPITALS

Robyn Whittingham NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 STAMFORD

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Lucy Langley & Laura Delaflor O R G A N I Z AT I O N

INSPIRATION

THE UNDIES PROJECT

“Initially the inspiration came from me volunteering at Neighbor to Neighbor on the clothing distribution side,” says Lucy Langley, cofounder of The Undies Project. “I had a light-bulb moment when I was purchasing a bra for myself. I realized we didn’t get undergarment donations.”

Langley’s friend Laura Delaflor, another active community volunteer in Greenwich, agreed they should be able to fill this gap in the donation market.

“We both volunteered in the school system and with our kids,” says Delaflor. “When we became empty nesters, we thought, What are we going to do? We didn’t see ourselves going to coffee and lunches.” They pitched their Undies Project idea to various organizations and received resoundingly positive feedback.

“When we saw how big the need was, we just wanted to help more people,” says Delaflor, who hails from Mexico and has a background in public relations; Langley, from England, brought a marketing background. The duo was unstoppable.

WORDS OF PRAISE “Running a nonprofit has meant countless hours building a stable of reliable volunteers, managing fiscal and fundraising operations, securing office and storage space, and working w ith manufacturers, all of which has led to an enormous expansion in the number of items The Undies Project is able to prov ide. Their impact on our community is utterly unrivaled for an organization that is only eight years old.”

—JENNETTE LEAL

U N D I ES P ROJ ECT VO LU N T E E R

COURAGE INTO ACTION

“We now donate to over fiftythree organizations in the tristate area,” says Langley. “We’ve just hit over half a million donations of undergarments.” The pair constantly hears stories from the nonprofits they serve of tremendous gratitude from those in need.

“A gentleman in Stamford had been homeless for four months.

He had been in the same clothes with no shower for four months,” recounts Delaflor. “He walked into New Covenant, an organization we work with, and he couldn’t believe he was being handed a pack of clean underwear.”

Langley adds, “It’s amazing how something as simple as that can put such a smile on someone’s face and make them feel human again. It gives them dignity.”

By helping to fill a need for their clients, The Undies Project enables organizations to allocate more of their budgets to other areas, like food insecurity. “We’ve discovered clothing insecurity is a huge thing,” notes Langley.

While some charities floundered during the pandemic, Langley and Delaflor decided to forge ahead.

“It was great to be able to help during that time,” says Delaflor.

Soon after, their organization took another big leap, renting space in the Diamond Hill Methodist Church.

HOPES & DREAMS

“We want to help as many people as we can,” says Delaflor. “We’d love for The Undies Project to be in every state.”

Langley adds, “In the short-term, we are looking to expand our programs and our volunteer base. We would love to get more sponsorship. The more funds we can raise, the more underwear we can donate.”

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O R G A N I Z AT I O N

CURTIS SUMMER CAMP FUND WORDS OF PRAISE “Rob does a lot of work with local nonprofits.

He really loves his community. Whether it’s serving as vice president of the Bridgeport Fire Commission or president of the board of trustees of Fairfield Country Day School, Rob is always happy to be involved. Through his own nonprofit, Curtis Summer Camp Fund, he sends deserving kids from Bridgeport to summer camp in Maine. Very few people know what he’s up to, and two weeks at this camp have a really big effect on these kids’ lives.”

Robert Russo

and teammates’ best interests as well as my own.”

Russo also attended the summer camp that Curtis’s family ran in Maine, Camp Pinehurst, for ten years. There he enjoyed a classic summer camp in the great outdoors with a strong sense of community.

COURAGE INTO ACTION

“I was thrilled when my twin boys decided to go to Pinehurst when they were nine,” says Russo, “and it occurred to me that the Pinehurst experience was something I wanted to give to more children than just my own.” Russo put his altruistic idea into action and founded Curtis Summer Camp Fund three years ago.

“We sent fourteen kids the first year and fifteen last year,” he says.

“This past year we sent eighteen kids from St. Augustine’s school in the Hollow neighborhood of Bridgeport to Camp Pinehurst, each for a two-week session.

They all had the exact same camp experience my boys had [and a few were in the same cabin]. They had an amazing time and brought as much to the camp as they got out of it.”

Russo’s grandfather, Robert D. Russo, Sr., grew up across the street from St. Augustine’s and attended church there. “He taught us all the importance of generosity and supporting others,” recalls Russo. “It feels good to be doing a good thing in his old neighborhood.”

HOPES & DREAMS

“One of the things I love about the Curtis Summer Camp Fund is that it’s relatively simple,” says Russo. “I can raise $50,000 a year and send eighteen kids away to summer camp for a two-week session. How cool is that?” The school principals advise which kids are ready to go away to camp.

“I hope to be able to grow and send even more kids, but I want to keep the process simple,” he notes. “I think it’s important for small nonprofits to maximize what they do with their donors’ money.”

— V I CTO R I A M I L L E R

ATTORNEY AT RUSSO & RIZIO

INSPIRATION

“I was inspired by John Curtis, who taught me for ten years at Fairfield Country Day,” says Rob Russo, founder of Curtis Summer Camp Fund. “He was such a large part of my life and had a profound impact on the man I turned out to be. He taught me how to lead and to prioritize my fellow students’ stamfordmag.com

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WORDS OF PRAISE “Circle of Care has provided over five million dollars in program services, giving patients and families the support they need from diagnosis, during treatment and throughout survivorship. Liz, since its inception, has never taken a salary, as she is devoted to providing these much-needed programs and services to this vulnerable population.”

— L I SA W I L L I A M S, CIRCLE OF CARE

INSPIRATION

“The impetus for Circle of Care, which is now a thriving 501c3, was my two-and-a-half-year-old son’s cancer diagnosis in 2001,” says Liz Salguero. “We went to the hospital and didn’t go home for two weeks.”

The Salgueros were far away from friends and family, in an unfamiliar urban setting, without even an overnight bag. Then they learned their little boy would face two and a half years of treatment. (Today he is a healthy, thriving twenty-four year old.)

“That was the second sucker punch to the gut,” says Salguero.

Two years later, she joined a support group and met another mom from Wilton going through the same ordeal.

“We’d never met,” she says.

“That was a glaring example of how incredibly isolating a pediatric cancer diagnosis is.”

Circle of Care is Salguero’s way of ensuring no family going through this feels as alone as she did. “I get out of bed every day grateful for the ability to help one more family,” she says.

COURAGE INTO ACTION

In 2003, Salguero pitched her idea to the American Academy of Pediatrics of giving day-ofdiagnosis care packages and creating a parent-to-parent support group for families coping with pediatric cancer.

“Our story is typical,” she says.

“You go to the hospital and don’t go home. The care package includes essential items, like a toothbrush and toothpaste, and comfort items like a handmade, bright fleece blanket and our Purple Pages, edited by other parents, that includes resources for all stages of treatment, like wigs, alternative therapies, summer camps. So, on the first horrible day, someone who

has been through this reaches out to say, ‘We are here for you.’ ” Circle of Care delivered its first bags in 2004. It now has six full-time staff members and provides: Bags of Love care packages; a Lifeline Emergency Fund that provides non-medical needs assistance; Lifeline Parent Community support network; Art from the Heart, an in-home room makeover program; a volunteer program at Yale to support families in crisis; and an Adolescent and Young Adult program, connecting peers for emotional support and social outings—from beach volleyball games to a smash room event to “smash the heck out of” medical equipment. Circle of Care has reached over 3,000 families in Connecticut.

HOPES & DREAMS

“We have grown 400 percent in the last three years and just went through a rigorous strategic planning process to expand our services and regionalize to Westchester and southwestern Massachusetts,” says Salguero. “My hope is to ensure the sustainability of Circle of Care, so that it’s here long after I’m not.” S

Liz Salguero O R G A N I Z AT I O N

CIRCLE OF CARE

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se ld e n p h oto

above: zxbc zxcb nzxbc nzbx cnzbx cnzbx cznbx cnzbx cnzbx cnzbx cnbz this page: xcnbz xncb zxncb Glekas set the zxnbcNikki zxb cnzxb sophisticated cnzxb cnz xncb tone— and table—for a zxnb special gathering.

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HOliday

EnteRtaiNiNg Three Stamford experts share their decorating, food and hosting tips for for the party season

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY NIKKI GLEKAS; OPPOSITE PAGE; PROTRAITS CONTRIBUTED

by kim k avin oliday entertaining is a bit like gingerbread cookies: Traditional never goes out of style, but it can be fun to add a new twist.

Three of Stamford’s decorating, catering and entertaining experts say that no matter whether you’re planning to host friends, families or co-workers this winter, and no matter whether your venue is a home or a business space, there are lots of ways to spice up holiday events— perhaps most surprisingly, by moving them outdoors.

“Especially coming off the pandemic, people are more comfortable and set up now to do really fun outdoor events, even when the weather is less than favorable,” says Robin

Selden, managing partner and executive chef of Marcia Selden Catering. “They have outdoor heaters, bonfires, outdoor pizza ovens—the possibilities are endless and really a fun way to bundle up and welcome the cold weather with friends and family.”

Nikki Glekas says her company, Nikki Glekas Collective, is also seeing outdoor entertaining as a trend throughout the tri-state area.

“One of the things that happened since Covid is that our outside catering business has really expanded,” she says.

“People are wanting to show off the remodels that they did at their homes or at their offices.”

Panel of Experts

ROBIN SELDEN Managing Partner and Executive Chef of Marcia Selden Catering

NIKKI GLEKAS Owner of Nikki Glekas Collective

MEGAN RICKLICK Floral Designer at Stamford Florist

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O u td o o r Touc h es

You can order great fleece blankets that functions as décor on the chairs, as well as a great way for your guests to keep warm by the fire.

R ob in S e ld e n

At Stamford Florist, longtime designer Megan Ricklick says she and her colleagues are now also receiving regular requests for outdoor floral décor. Classics are still a big favorite, but contemporary ideas still have plenty of fans.

“We do a lot of traditional requests, including a wreath, a wrap around the doorway, or trees around the entryway with lights,” Ricklick says. “Sometimes we get more contemporary requests. Some people really like silver and gold balls or ribbons with curly branches.

That’s interesting and gives you more of a contemporary look. We also have conical outdoor trees, which create a Dr. Seuss kind of whimsical style.”

Whimsical can come in a lot of shapes and sizes, including blankets that hosts can give away as gifts to guests at the end of the night.

“You can order great-looking fleece blankets that function as décor on the chairs but become a great way for your guests to keep warm by the fire,” Selden says.

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY MARCIA SELDEN CATERING

above: The pandemic made outdoor parties popular and the trend continues to gain momentum.

She also urges clients to have a little fun with catering at outdoor events, where the options for food and drink can be different from the fare served at indoor events.

“Set up fun food and drink stations like a hot chocolate bar, mulled wine and cider, makeyour-own cocktails or mocktails, a yummy chili station, or a chowder and soup station with awesome breads,” she says. “Dessert can be a s’mores station or a chocolate fondue station.

These are all easy, make-ahead ideas, so that you can be a guest at your own party, particularly if you go with the fun outdoorsy idea.”

Glekas says one of her go-to tips for food at indoor and outdoor parties is a grazing table.

It’s similar to food and drink stations because guests can create their own plates, and it can be ordered with all kinds of options depending on the ambience the host is trying to create.

“Grazing tables are still a hit, whether we do handheld grazing cups, charcuterie cups or a very long, 360-degree kind of grazing table,” she says. “It’s a very large charcuterie table with meats and cheeses. We include sweet items like chocolate-covered pretzels and dried fruit, fresh figs, different kinds of breads. We also add crudites and homemade dips, hummus and spicy feta dip.”

Selden even encourages adding those types of foods as a type of the holiday décor. She calls them “edible elements” for a tabletop. “Think hand-rolled breadsticks, hummus and crudites, and cheese boards for guests to enjoy while waiting for their first course.”

In terms of color, Selden says she’s seeing more people request monochromatics and neutrals. Ricklick says the hottest color in floral décor right now is also neutrals.

“There’s a demand for roses that are a café latte color,” Ricklick says. “These are hot cocoa colors. They’re extremely popular, but they’re hard to come by because growers only have a high sell rate in the winter months. They are browns and silvery-grays. This goes with the natural-tone trend.”

Those roses tend to pair nicely with natural elements, Ricklick adds. “What we’ve been seeing as a trend is very natural, neutral tones, natural branches, a lot of whites and beiges. For the winter, we see a lot of large pine cones and

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T r ie d & T r ue

We have a lot of traditional requests: a wreath, a wrap around the doorway or trees and lights at the entry.

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY STAMFORD FLORIST

M egan R i c k l i c k

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D eco r at in g W it h Food

Selden encourages adding those types of foods as an embellishment for holiday décor. She calls them “edible elements” for a tabletop. Think hand-rolled breadsticks, hummus and crudites, nd cheese boards.

Guests can enjoy them while waiting for the first course.

PHOTGRAPHY: PHILLIP VAN NOSTRAND

Robin Selden

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High S p i ri ts

PHOTGRAPHY: JULIE BIDWELL

A key element of decorating any holiday space is to choose a theme.

Everything, including the drinks, should be part of that theme.

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PHOTGRAPHY: COURTESY NIKKI GLEKAS

I n c r e d i b l e E d i ble s

branches with white lights.”

Glekas and Selden both say a key element of decorating any holiday space is to choose a theme. Everything from the food and drinks to the décor should be part of that theme, to fully immerse guests in a festive experience.

“Consider hosting themed parties, like a retro holiday Winter Wonderland or even a movie night featuring holiday classics,” Selden says.

Themes can also encourage certain behaviors in guests, Glekas says, making the experience easier for the host.

“The casino theme is still very popular,” Glekas says. “We’re doing that for a few parties this season. That theme tends to come in waves, and we’re in a wave now. Some companies, when they don’t want to promote a higher-drinking crowd, will go with a casino night because it allows guests to be interactive but not focus on drinking. I do it for my company. People get excited, and we encourage companies to offer prizes at the end. The theme encourages people to mingle with others they might not know.”

Glekas says that for company parties where there are limitations, such as being nonreligious, a Winter Wonderland theme is ideal.

And, it can be a lot of fun.

“We’re doing one with an ice luge for martinis,” she says. “I always try to make sure we’re coming up with new and fun ideas for each company.”

Winter Wonderland is also one of the themes Glekas says works well with balloon garland, which can be an interesting alternative to traditional florals.

“For example, there’s a metallic oversized balloon in silver that looks almost disco, but it adds to the flair of the Winter Wonderland theme,” she says. “Different shades of blue and silver work well. You can also add a very light green to that and it works nicely, especially if you add birch vases or birch candles, white amaryllis flowers, that kind of thing. If they do it in a big cluster, it’s a wow décor piece.”

Ricklick says that some clients still go with florals, but in unusual color schemes to create a similar wow factor.

“Sometimes, if it’s for a corporate look downtown, they might want chrome or black,” Ricklick says. “Or all-red trees. They can really

Grazing tables are still a hit, whether we add handheld cups, charcuterie, or a very long, 360-degree kind of experience.

N i k k i Gl e k a s

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H ot P etal Pal et t e

There’s a demand for roses that are a café latte color. These are hot cocoa colors and they’re extremely popular.

get decked out.”

Ricklick is also seeing a turn toward texture, as opposed to just color, when people order flowers for holiday décor. Table centerpieces, fireplace garland, wreaths—a lot of them are now being ordered with texture, because it's just as important as color.

“We use things like trick, which is a green, fuzzy flower,” she says. “There’s thistle, which comes in blue or silvery-gray. That adds a wonderful texture and depth to the arrangement. There’s focus on more than just color. It’s about the style and texture of the flowers creating a composition.”

Creating that composition includes getting the size right. One of the biggest mistakes people make when ordering floral décor, Ricklick says, is good old-fashioned overkill.

She advises clients to take a realistic look at the space they want to fill before calling to place an order.

“What’s appropriate in size for the table or porch that you have?” she says. “Sometimes people buy a nine-foot tree and it makes the house look small. Also look at the colors in your house. If your dining room is blue, then white

and silver would complement that space nicely.

You really have to consider the space you have, and then we can customize everything to your needs.”

Selden also says it’s important to know what you have on hand, and how to use it. Especially for in-home entertaining, many clients already have a lot of the elements they need to create a memorable event, including the place settings and stemware for a wine-pairing dinner.

“Break out the sterling, fine china and crystal, and really elevate the presentation,” Selden says.

“People eat with their eyes, so use the good stuff that you have in your inventory. It will really help take the food and presentation to the next level.”

Glekas says another way to impress just about any guest is with a signature drink that matches the party’s theme. The type of drink can really be anything, as long as it goes with the theme— because it plays into the overall experience that guests hope to have.

“When you’re a guest, you just want to enjoy the time there,” Glekas says. “You don’t want to think. You want to be told it’s delicious. Nine times out of 10, guests take that signature cocktail. When they arrive, they want to get the full experience.”

T e xt ur e T r e n d

There’s thistle, which comes in blue or silvery-gray. It adds a wonderful texture to the arrangement.

M egan R i c k l i c k

PHOTGRAPHY: ROSES © DANNCHEZ - STOCK.ADOBE.COM; THISTLE © CHARLOTTE - STOCK.ADOBE.COM; OPPOSITE PAGE: BRIAN DORSEY STUDIOS

Mega n Ricklick

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this page: To create a memorable event, break out the sterling, fine china and good crystal.

And for the centerpiece, remember to add texture, which today is just as important as color.

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Holiday Here’s how Stamford residents embrace the spirit of the season, and share that pleasure with their community

THIS PAGE PJ KENNEDY/HEY STAMFORD

by carol leonet ti dannhauser

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A crowd cheers as a daringSanta Claus rappels down One Landmark Square.

THIS PAGE PJ KENNEDY/HEY STAMFORD

I

n September, Amanda Losquatro had already begun filling in the calendar with fun-filled events. “As soon as soccer season is over, right after Halloween, that marks the kick-off to the holiday season,” says Losquatro, 39, a speech therapist and self-professed holiday-lover. “In Connecticut, there’s something in the air. The fireplace is on, the heat is on, the air is crisp.”

She and her husband moved to North Stamford 11 years ago. They relished their new city. “There were more family activities in Stamford, and it was wonderful,” says Losquatro, who often tagged along with her best friend, a Stamford native, for an insider’s perspective on celebrating here. When Losquatro’s son Nicholas, now 7, was born, she brought him too. “I wanted my children to appreciate the holidays in the same way I did.”

The birth of Joseph, now 4, followed. “Then Covid happened. I had just gone back to work when the whole world shut down. It was very difficult. I remember that period as being very lonely,” she says.

The pandemic cast a pall over the holidays for many, notes Dr. Daniel Mason, a pediatric psychiatrist who works in Stamford. Add

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to that, “a higher incidence of depression” because of waning light or “grudges held” from holidays past, or loss of loved ones during the pandemic and it can be hard to find joy in what is supposed to be a joyous season. Instead, loneliness can creep in.

Holing up inside is not the answer, the doctor maintains. He advocates seeking out joy. “When I think of holidays, I think of bringing people together. It’s a responsibility and a privilege to

live with other people, but it takes a lot of effort.”

Mason suggests going out and connecting with others, particularly if little ones are around. “A lot of people have become jaded. But being in the presence of children reminds us of the utter awe and appreciation of the simplest things.”

That’s Losquatro’s theory, too. “Sometimes our lives are so busy and months go by when you’re trying to plan things and you can’t get the schedules to align. Around the holidays, you make a special effort to do something, especially with family and friends. It’s making memories.”

Last year, she made a special effort to cultivate holiday joy. When the calendar turned to November, the Losquatros increased their visits to the Stamford Nature Center to appreciate the beauty around them. As Thanksgiving neared, they loaded the crockpot with hot chocolate and bundled up the kids for the balloon parade downtown. The family and their friends meandered the paths of Mill River Park at Stamford’s first Holiday Stroll, the kids darting between illuminated candy canes, Christmas trees and figurines as dusk settled.

“It was so much fun watching them have fun,” says Losquatro, who concluded the visit in the beer garden with friends.

When December rolled in, Losquatro and family headed to Home Depot, for the store’s hands-on workshop. The boys hammered, crafted and painted their own gingerbread man, just as gleeful over the pin and apron they got to bring home as they were over the gingerbread man himself. Later that month, the family explored the Holiday Wish, a 20,000-squarefoot faux winter wonderland in the Stamford

An afternoon skate at Mill River Park.

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Town Center. The boys embarked on a treasure hunt through illuminated tunnels and forests, among blinking trees and animals. They loved it, says Losquatro, who tries something new each holiday season and enlists friends to join her. The Losquatros went to see Rudolf the Rednose Reindeer at the Palace Theatre last year and her group occupied a whole row. This season she hopes to score tickets to a horsedrawn hay ride around Cove Island Park, which has sold out for the past 22 years.

For years, Eileen Carpanzano’s mother joined the line at Government Center to purchase hay ride tickets for her kids and grandkids.

“My parents had 14 grandchildren,” says Carpanzano, “and mom bought them for us all.” The whole family would meet at the park in December for their appointed time slot. “You’d go around Cove Island Park. They would give the kids hot chocolate and a little goodie bag.

Oh, my kids loved it. They looked forward to it every year.”

Carpanzano and her husband, Domenick, had hoped to continue the joy-filled tradition with their own grandchildren, but “Covid kind of changed the whole dynamic of the holidays. It changed us from going out into the community.

Because we have young grandchildren, we

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didn’t want to introduce any extra germs,” she said. “For two years we didn’t see some family members.”

The Stamford natives hope to rekindle the holiday joy this year, beginning with Thanksgiving evening, when they will crank up the Christmas music for karaoke in the car and cruise their neighborhood around Rippowam Middle School for Christmas light sightings.

On the first warm day that follows, they’ll string their own lights outside the house, Eileen doing the directing, Dom doing the hanging. “It feels celestial, like the night sky, and it makes the kids happy,” Eileen says.

In December, they hope to watch Santa

and friends rappel 22 stories down Landmark Square prior to the annual tree lighting, then join in with the crowd in a sing-along at Latham Park—a recipe in itself for a joyful experience, Dr. Mason says. “Getting together somewhere with someone else to sing and to share in the enthusiasm and the joy and the spirit, I think that’s the best contagion in the world.”

At some point in the Carpanzano home, the baking will commence. “We make cookies. You can’t make a dozen; you make a hundred dozen.

You send a tray over to someone because it’s nice to share,” Eileen says.

And that generosity sparks more joy, the doctor reports. “It’s empowering to be kind.

It takes effort, motivation, imagination and energy. But it gives us some purpose.”

Christie and Jay Fountain understand that. The longtime Glenwood residents have sampled much of what Stamford offers during the holidays. They’ve admired the lights at Columbus Park, joined in the carol sing at the First Presbyterian Church’s Brass and Organ Christmas Concert, read Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory with other congregants at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Stamford, and much more. But what gives them the most pleasure comes at the end of the holiday season, when they open “the huge pile” of appeal letters that have come in the mail.

“We sit at the kitchen table and we read the letters from all the nonprofits working hard to make Stamford a better place. We discuss the wonderful work they do. It makes us think about which causes are most important to us, like Inspirica (which provides services to the homeless), the Food Bank, Pacific House and Domus (which helps children devastated by trauma).” Then the Fountains write some checks. “And that makes us feel really good.”

COOKIES © VADYM - STOCK.ADOBE.COM; BALLONS BY PJ KENNEDY/HEY STAMFORD

A balloon inflation party kicks off the Thanksgiving Day weeknd.

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holiday happenings

Don't hole up inside this holiday season. Check out these family events

Nov. 4

Dec. 10

Waterbirds and Migrants at Cove Island Park

Sound the Trumpets

And the trombones and French horns and tuba—plus the organ with 4,026 pipes—at the First Presbyterian Church of Stamford for the 32nd annual Brass & Organ Christmas Concert. You will literally feel the good vibrations generated by the New York Symphonic brass music.

When commercial holiday madness threatens to overwhelm, find joy in the beauty of nature with this Greenwich Audubon Center event at Cove Island Park.

Nov. 18 & 19

Balloon Inflation Party & Downtown Parade Spectacular

It’s hard to feel glum when larger-than-life balloons are dancing in the wind overhead.

A Saturday inflation party kicks off the fun, and the Sunday parade follows.

Nov. 23

Harbor Point Turkey Trot Fun Run

This 5K event through Harbor Point on Thanksgiving morning boosts the endorphins. Donate a non-perishable food item and help feed your neighbors, bringing joy to you and to all.

RUNNERS © YURY - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Nov. 17 - Dec. 9

“It’s a Wonderful Life" Live Radio Play

Yes, parts of this Frank Capra story can be dark and heavy, but at its core is a reminder that many lives can be made more joyful because of one person’s actions. At the Kweskin Theatre.

above: Hit the pavement and burn a few calories before digging into the Thanksgiving feast during the annual Harbor Point Turkey Trot and Fun Run.

Dec. 1 & 2

Dec. 2 & Dec. 9

It can be challenging to make time for holiday fun when tasks mount and the days get shorter and darker. But an audience seeking levity can. And that laughter is contagious. Peabody Award-winning comic Ramy Youssef provides the jokes at Stamford’s New York Comedy Club. Dec. 1 and 2.

There’s a reason that Stamford Recreation’s Annual Hay Ride with Santa has sold out for 22 years straight. The horsedrawn trip around Cove Island Park and the singalong that follows the ride is good oldfashioned fun, for residents of all ages.Plus, there are cookies and cocoa.

Find the Funny

Party Like It’s 1885

Dec. 10

Dec. 3

Let There Be Light

Bask in the Heights and Lights

Immerse yourself in all the bright holiday lights at Latham Park. Community leaders gather to light Fairfield County’s largest menorah in honor of Chanukah, then all those gathered share latkes and hot apple cider. A free concert celebrating the Festival of Lights follows at the Stamford mall.

Join thousands of your cheering neighbors as a cast of rappelling residents dressed as Christmas-time characters make their way down 22 stories at One Landmark Square. Then Santa leads the way to Latham Park for a holiday singalong.

Dec. 11

And the Drums

This healing drum circle at the Stamford Library’s South End Branch proposes a different kind of gift exchange. “It's a meditative gathering dedicated to healing the wounds of racism and supporting equity activism,” says event facilitator Evelyn Avoglia.

Dec. 16

Lift a Glass

Stamford has no shortage of places to lift a glass of holiday cheer, an activity made more fun with this variable: a costume contest. Enter the Ugly Sweater Bar Crawl Stamford, organized by the folks at pubcrawls.com. .

Dec. 24

Make Some Music

Sing out loud at North Stamford Community Church’s Christmas on Cascade, a holiday singalong and celebration open to all.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: BOB CAPAZZO, KRISTIN HYNES, MELANI LUST & MARSIN MOGIELSKI

PHOTOGRAPHY

VIDEOGRAPHY

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

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

LEARN MORE! CONTACT KATHLEEN GODBOLD AT KATHLEEN.GODBOLD@MOFFLY.COM OR 203.571.1654

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FOOD & LODGING

“The most influential jazz pianist of the last 20 years” - The New York Times

Winvian ............................................................................................................ 17

HEALTH & BEAUTY

DEC 14 @ 8PM

Waterstone on High Ridge ....................................................................Cover 3

JAN 28 @ 7:30PM From the producers of the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra

LEGAL Cummings & Lockwood-Greenwich ..............................................................6 Davidson, Dawson & Clark ..............................................................................8

NON PROFITS Salvation Army .................................................................................................6

REAL ESTATE Moziac Concierge Living .................................................................................5

MISCELLANEOUS

APR 9 @ 7:30PM

Big Picture ...................................................................................................... 70 Bob Capazzo Photography ............................................................................8

APR 20 @ 8PM

203.438.5795 • RIDGEFIELDPLAYHOUSE.ORG

Stamford Weddings ...................................................................................... 17

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 STAMFORD

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postscript ph ot o g r a ph by j e re my b ru go

DESIGN & DISTINCTION Fairfield County’s top design professionals stepped out to celebrate a beautiful evening with athome in Fairfield County magazine’s 14th Annual A-List Awards, along the waterfront at The Village in Stamford. Glasses were lifted to toast the best new work in architecture, landscape and interior decorating. Winners included industry veterans and newbies, whose exceptional ideas continue to set trends. The sold-out event drew some of the area’s most creative and resourceful minds in the business, and Stamford readers who admire great aesthetics.

Check out the list of winners and party photos at stamfordmag. com.

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

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Multifamily Executive Awards

MERIT WINNER

you

SENIOR LIVING C AT E R E D T O

Featuring national award-winning community and dining design, Waterstone on High Ridge offers impressive amenities, exquisite dining options, and luxury rental apartments. Residents enjoy a carefree lifestyle with refined programming and daily opportunities for socialization, wellness, and lifelong learning.

Waterstone has opened a wonderful new chapter of my life filled with laughter, new friendships, and more activities than my favorite cruise! – Alissa

LIMITED APARTM ENTS REMAIN . TOU R TODAY.

203.208.3313 | WaterstoneLivingStamford.com 215 High Ridge Road | Stamford, CT 06905 Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care by Bridges®

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