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Fiona Davis

NY Times Best-Selling Author

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

Letter from the Editor It was back in December, while sorting through events for the January issue, that I stumbled across an author reading at the Ferguson Library featuring Fiona Davis. A quick glance at the description of her latest book, The Stolen Queen, caught my attention—historical fiction, the Met Gala, and an archaeological dig… three of my favorite things! Curious, I began to dig deeper. A New York Times best-selling author with an impressive catalog? I was in. I started with The Magnolia Palace—and I couldn’t put it down. Next up was The Lions of Fifth Avenue, which I loved even more. Then came The Dollhouse, The Masterpiece (possibly my favorite), and finally, The Stolen Queen. Let’s just say I’ve officially become Fiona Davis’ biggest fan. Spending the day with Fiona and our award-winning photographer, Angela Strassheim, was a true delight. It felt like catching up with old friends from high school—effortless and fun. Fiona’s storytelling is as captivating in person as it is on the page, and Angela’s photography captures that same elegance and authenticity. I hope you enjoy the article as much as I enjoyed writing it. Since this is our “Style” issue, we’re also sharing expert design tips from several local professionals. Often, it’s the little details that make the biggest impact. We’re thrilled to feature the craftsmanship of PJ Architectural Metal Crafts. Whether you’re restoring a historic property or adding a touch of custom elegance, architectural metalwork—especially copper that ages into a rich patina— can offer both aesthetic and lasting value. We also spotlight Accurate Lock & Hardware, a company where artistry meets precision. Their work blends historical design with the modern creativity of today’s artisans, resulting in beautifully functional pieces that grace many iconic and significant historical buildings across the country. September is also National Senior Center Month, a time to recognize the important role senior centers play in our communities. Here in Stamford, we’re lucky to have a true gem—the Stamford Senior Center—an active, welcoming space tucked away on the second floor of the Government Center. As summer winds down and cooler evenings start to hint at fall, enjoy these final warm days. The crisp New England autumn is just around the corner… and I, for one, am ready for boots and sweaters, baby! Looking forward to the Harmony Yoga (harmonyoga.com) retreat October 17-19 with Carol Shwidock. Who's coming? L AU R I E G U Z DA , E D I TO R @ S TA M F O R D C I T Y L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E

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inside the issue SE PT EMBER 2 0 2 5 | ST Y L E

14 24

Featured

24 28 34 8

Fiona Davis — The Building Whisperer

A Literary Career Rooted in History, Resilience, and a Deep Love for NY Architecture

Design Tips from the Professionals

Sometimes, it’s the simple things that have the BIGGEST impact.

34 On the Cover

Departments

The writing style of Fiona Davis is what makes her a NY Times BestSelling Author. We sat down with Fiona to find out more about her inspirations, process and experience.

Lifestyle Letter

City Scene

Inspired By ARTS + CULTURE

Trend Setter HOME + DESIGN

Decor Trends HOME + DESIGN

Must See HOME + DESIGN

Local Limelight LIFE + CULTURE

Accurate Lock & Hardware

Where functional artistry meets passion and precision.

Metal Mastery in Stamford PJ Metal Craft’s Architectural Impact

Photography: Angela Strassheim

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SEPTEMBER 2025

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PJ KENNEDY

1: Pure Barre Stamford opens in Bulls Head. 2: Restore Hyper Wellness team celebrating 6 years in Stamford on High Ridge Road 3: SoundWaters Flotilla 4: Dr. Sandy Lithgow, Kat and Greg Werlinich (founders) at the Riverbank Ramble in June. 5: Senior Center: Clare Gluck, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, Patricia Miller, Chris Crain, Jeanie Ricci 6: Veterans Resource Center opening. 7: Yoga Six grand opening.

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FIONA DAVIS

The Building Whisperer

I NSP IR E D BY | ARTS + C U LT U RE

A LITERARY CAREER ROOTED IN HISTORY, RESILIENCE, AND A DEEP LOVE FOR NY ARCHITECTURE

ARTICLE BY LAURIE A. GUZDA PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGELA STRASSHEIM

Fiona Davis’s journey to becoming a celebrated author is as compelling as the stories she tells—stories rooted in historic buildings and the resilience of women who inhabit them. She didn’t grow up dreaming of writing novels. As a child eager to escape into a literary world, her only wish was to be a character in the Little House on the Prairie series. “I just wanted to be part of that world,” she says, sounding wistful. But writing, she discovered, wasn’t something she’d pursue until much later in life. After college, Davis made her way to New York City. She chased the theatrical dream, spending about ten years as an actress. The job was exhilarating at first—auditioning, rehearsing, stepping into roles that allowed her to slip into other lives. “It was good fun—until it wasn’t,” she admits. By the time she decided to step away from acting, she was ready to reinvent herself—but uncertain of the path forward. That pivot led to Columbia Journalism School. “Getting in to Columbia changed everything. That’s where I learned how to research, write, and edit. It was an incredible education and gave me the tools I needed to become a storyteller.” The pragmatic, deadline-driven rigors of journalism suited her disciplined work ethic—and more importantly, taught her that writing is not a passive gift, but a craft refined through persistence. Today, Davis is best known for her historical novels set within iconic New York City architecture: The Dollhouse, The Lions of Fifth Avenue, The Address, The Chelsea Girls, The Magnolia Palace, and The Lions of Fifth Avenue. What makes her novels unique, beyond their meticulous historical detail, is her method—she begins with a building. Her inspiration can be found in structures as varied as the Barbizon Hotel, Grand Central Terminal, the New York Public Library, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. These are buildings with histories that echo grand aspirations, hard times, and reclamation by new generations. The moment she first discovered Grand Central Terminal’s 1920s art school, tucked away in the eastern wing, operating within one of the grandest stations on earth—that was the spark for The Masterpiece. “I look for CONTINUED >

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a building that’s been through something, that’s evolved over time,” she explains. Grand Central opened in 1913 to opulent fanfare, drifted into decay by the 1970s, then emerged reborn in the 1980s renovation. “I’m fascinated by that arc—its rise, fall, and rebirth.” The building becomes her character, carrying secrets she unearths through archival research and interviews. The thread of rediscovery runs through her books—not only what her women characters uncover within walls, but what she uncovers in herself through her work. Her novel The Dollhouse, published just before she turned fifty, is a quiet testament to that development. In early interviews she emphasized how fortunate she felt to debut later: “I’m glad I waited. In my twenties, I didn’t have much to say. I hadn’t been kicked around by life yet. Now, I feel like I have opinions, depth, perspective. And I get to explore all of that through my books.” The novel was, she says, a culmination of lived experience, journalistic rigor, and creative courage. It wasn’t just the story that changed—it was her voice. She learned that to tell a compelling tale, she didn’t need smoky salons or tortured characters; she needed truth, structure, and authenticity. From journalism, she inherited a writer’s creed: you show up, write something, even if it sucks, then you revise. “If you don’t write, you don’t get paid. That’s a great motivator,” she jokes, though the sentiment remains serious. “On bad writing days—and there are many—I tell myself that I’ll hit the word count, and then revise later. The trick is to sit in the discomfort, to keep going.”

Davis’s writing also reflects her personal narrative: born in Canada to English parents, who moved frequently—New Jersey, Utah, Texas—before settling in New York. “There’s just something about New York,” she says. “Even as a kid, I knew I wanted to live here.” That nomadic childhood taught her to find permanence in the impermanent: to consider the places you live as characters themselves—places that shape and are shaped by the people within them. It’s why she gravitates to the city’s layered history, finding narrative in the creases of marble, the angles of stairwells, the quiet geography of second floors and forgotten corners. As a girl, she was taught strength by her mother—a second-degree black belt in taekwondo who competed in tournaments but also embodied gentleness and courtesy with her soft English accent. “That blend of fierce and sweet stuck with me,” Davis says. It’s the kind of duality that appears in her protagonists: women with admirable toughness and unexpected compassion, navigating worlds where each is necessary. Another key influence was an eighth-grade teacher, Mrs. Gaul, who coaxed out leadership in a painfully shy adolescent. “Mrs. Gaul saw something in me I didn’t yet see in myself,” Davis remembers. That encouragement became a touchstone: compassion, recognition, empowerment. It’s nearly impossible to overlook how that combination resonates through Davis’s heroines: leaning into discomfort, discovering their own voices in places that once seemed forbidding. CONTINUED >

I NSP IR E D BY | ARTS + C U LT U RE

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I NSP IR E D BY | ARTS + C U LT U RE

“Columbia changed Her list of favorite writers reflects her sensibilities. She devours Agatha Christie for her page-turning plotting; Geraldine Brooks, author of People of the Book, offers sweeping historical storytelling; Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith shows narrative levers pulled with precision; Kate Quinn’s The Rose Code demonstrates research ambition; Edith Wharton and Shakespeare bring layered, introspective writing. “There’s something about historical depth and rich narrative that I love,” she says. To new writers, her advice is practical and no-nonsense: read in your genre, and finish your draft. “Finish it, even if it’s terrible. You can’t shape it until you’ve got the whole thing down. And watch out for shiny new ideas—you’ll bounce around and never finish. Complete the draft, then fix it. That’s how you learn what works.” What would be the title of her biography? Davis imagines it would be called The Building Whisperer. She’d want historian Lynne Olson to write it—a biographer whose books about women’s lives have inspired Davis—and in the film version, Emily Blunt would play the part. It’s an image of elegance, intelligence, and subtle strength—fitting for a novelist whose stories are quietly powerful. Today, Davis continues her work, seeking out the mystery in well-known buildings, uncovering the forgotten inhabitants within their walls, and weaving their lives into fiction. She peels back layers of paint,

everything. That’s where I learned how to research, write, and edit. It was an incredible education and gave me the tools I needed to become a storyteller.” generations of occupants, decades of history—finding resonances in every creak of a floorboard, the echo of footsteps in an old hallway. In giving voice to these silent legacies, Davis has become, herself, a kind of whisperer—turning stone and steel into narrative, imagination into history, and buildings into canvases for stories that speak across time. In the process, she invites readers to walk through their own cities with newfound wonder, curiosity, and appreciation for all the secrets hidden just beyond their sight. CONTINUED >

One of the most resonant pieces of life advice Davis has received is rooted in mindfulness. “Everything changes, so don’t cling too tightly to anything - or anyone. It’s ok to sit in discomfort.” That Buddhist sensibility shows up in her writing practice, especially when words don’t flow. UPCOMING: National Book Festival, Washington DC 9/6; Fight Back Gala, Boston, MA 9/19; Greenwich LOOK Literary Day, 9/25. Stay connected to Fiona Davis for the latest updates on releases, appearances and more. Follow @fionadavisauthor or visit her website: fionadavisbooks.com

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continue producing custom hardware. The early operation was a true family effort—run by Ron, his wife Joanne, and three part-time employees in a modest space off West Avenue. Today, Accurate has grown into the largest manufacturing facility in Stamford, occupying over 55,000 square feet and housing more than 65 CNC machines, lathes, fiber optic lasers, and advanced finishing systems. The company employs over 110 team members, many of whom have been part of the Accurate family for decades. Now under the leadership of Ron’s sons—Reed M. Salvatore (CEO) and Rodd M. Salvatore (Senior Vice President)—Accurate continues to innovate in precision manufacturing while staying true to the craftsmanship and values that shaped its beginnings. Accurate is renowned for producing the finest American-made mortise locks in the industry, setting the standard for quality and craftsmanship. On any given day, visitors can witness the transformation of raw metal into precision hardware—guided by the skilled hands of over 50 artisans. These products secure homes, grant access to buildings, and elevate the design of everything from flagship department stores to private kitchens. Trusted across a wide range of industries, their reputation is built on enduring relationships and an unwavering commitment to excellence. The true magic of Accurate lies in the relationships they’ve built, the challenges they've solved, and their unmatched ability to deliver what no one else can. The truth is, no one thinks about obscure mortise lock backsets—until they suddenly need one. An architect doesn’t dive into the details of electrified lock monitoring—until a specific opening demands it. A homeowner doesn’t question the function of their front door lock—until move-in day, when the door doesn’t work. The focus has never been just the product— it’s always been the solution. From the very beginning, 53 years ago, this approach continues to define Accurate—and it’s what has stood the test of time. It’s the Accurate way.

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PJ Metal Craft’s Architectural Impact Metal Mastery in Stamford Nestled on the outskirts of Stamford, in a modest workshop, a quiet revolution in craftsmanship is taking place. PJ Metal Craft is a small but mighty business dedicated to transforming metal into works of enduring beauty and functionality. This local shop has gained recognition across the country for its exceptional custom architectural sheet metal work, historic restorations, and unique roofing details that elevate the character of every building they touch. The history of metal craft goes back thousands of years. Earliest examples can be found in Egypt and Mesopotamia, where gold and copper were used to create both ornamental and household items. In Europe, metal craft developed significantly in the middle ages with sets of armor and religious artifacts. After the industrial revolution, metal processing advanced dramatically with mechanization, enabling mass production and wider accessibility. What truly distinguishes PJ Metal Craft is its remarkable ability to blend traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. The company was co-founded by Paul Teply, who has spent over two decades perfecting his

M UST SE E | HO M E + DESIGN

skill set. His team specializes in creating and restoring decorative and functional elements such as copper dormers, chimney caps, finials, weather vanes, and leader heads—details that add style and utility to both historic and contemporary structures. Paul Teply’s journey into metal work began on rooftops, where he developed a profound appreciation for the artistry involved. Over the years, he transitioned from installation to design and fabrication, driven by a passion for craftsmanship and attention to detail. “Each product is custom to fabricate the highest quality product— either functional or decorative.” Paul explains. PJ Metal Craft’s expertise shines brightest in historic restoration projects, including work for Yale University, finials for the Bridgeport Fire Department, a church in Stamford, and notable sites in New York City—testaments to their commitment to quality and design excellence. When copper finials, historic cornices, ornate leader heads, or other decorative architectural

details deteriorate, Paul’s team uses advanced tools like 3D scanning to create exact replicas. They meticulously craft new parts to preserve the visual authenticity of each structure, ensuring its original charm and integrity endure for generations. PJ Metal Craft approaches each project with the same passion and precision—whether it’s fabricating a custom chimney cap for a private residence or replicating a historic weathervane for a museum. Their creations not only serve functional purposes but also add aesthetic value, elevating the overall design of any structure. They work with a variety of materials, including copper, zinc, lead-coated copper, stainless steel, and galvanized steel. PJ Metal Craft stands out by blending traditional craftsmanship with modern tools like CAD software and hand fabrication. Paul personally designs each product and creates detailed shop drawings as the foundation for every project, emphasizing integrity, family values, and personal investment. “We treat every project like it’s our own home,” he says. “Whether it’s a small decorative element or a major restoration, our clients can trust us to deliver quality and care.” PJ Metal Craft is forging a remarkable legacy. Their work exemplifies the perfect blend of handcrafted skill, tradition, and cutting-edge technology—ensuring that the city’s architectural heritage continues to shine and inspire future generations while preserving high-quality metalwork. In a world increasingly dominated by mass production, they remind us that craftsmanship, authenticity, and artistry still matter, still thrive, and still shape our shared history.

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Na me: Elsi Pacheco, 4 6 Occupation: Founder & CEO of Link Up Level Up, Fractional CMO & Website Designer

I'm a born and raised New Yorker, so I used to gravitate toward classic NYC blacks, whites, and grays. But a stylist friend once told me, "You have such an intense presence, and you're using neutral colors to tone it down when bold colors would actually work better and still give you authority." That was a lightbulb moment! Life's too short to blend in, so now I love mixing bold colors with traditional business looks. I've learned to embrace that vibrant energy instead of hiding it.

WHAT ARE THREE WAYS SOMEONE CAN ELEVATE THEIR STYLE?

First, experiment with color - we get stuck in what feels safe. Second, mix high and low pieces to evolve without breaking the bank. Third, focus on staple pieces you can transform - throw on a blazer, add a pop of

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color with shoes, or switch up the whole vibe with a bold belt or accessory.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE STAMFORD SPOTS?

I love the Marriott Residence downtown for staycations! Even though I'm local, I'm a city girl who needs those urban vibes. Their lobby is perfect for co-working, it has this Miami beach energy, and you can walk everywhere. Plus, Davina across the hall has great food and drinks. It's my creative retreat when I need to design websites or write content for clients.

FAVORITE ADVICE?

My mentor taught me to work with "ELK" clients - Easy to work with, they Listen, and they Keep the money coming through referrals and great word-of-mouth. It's a simple way to remember who to vibe with! linkuplevelup.com

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