Issuu

The Oddities Couple:

Ryan and Regina Cohn EDUCATION

W YNSTO N BROWN E DESERVES TO BE TRE ATED LIKE EVERYO N E ELSE WELLNESS

PIN K AID: H ELPIN G WO M EN ACROSS TH E COU NTRY H E A LTH + W E LLN E S S

CIRCLE O F CARE REVE ALS STREN GTH IN SI CKN ESS N OV E M B E R 2 022

WHEN LOCAL KNOWLEDGE MEETS BUSINESS EXPERIENCE, YOU WIN.

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We are so grateful to our clients who entrust us with one of the most meaningful decisions of their lives – the purchase or sale of their beloved home. We are honored to have been a part of hundreds of personal journeys, and we’re proud that our clients have taken our advice when it comes to preparing for a purchase or sale. We’d love to be there for you, please give us a call!

203-625-1025 CI NDYRANEY.COM

@C INDYRAN EYAN DTEAM

LOVE IN VERONA COLLECTION

November 2022 PUBLISHER

Marisa MacLean | marisa.maclean@citylifestyle.com EDITOR

LIFESTYLE LETTER

A Season for Thankfulness If these past couple of years have shown us anything, it’s that we have much to be thankful for. Life can be hard, but life also yields treasures. Our November issue is dedicated to stories of gathering, gratefulness and giving back to our community. We are so thankful for the residents and businesses in our community who support so many wonderful organizations and help make our town the vibrant community that it is. We are especially thankful for our readers and advertising partners who help bring this magazine to your doorsteps each month. One of our just-discovered treasures is Wynston Browne. Up until age 14 his family understood him to be uncommunicative and scholastically impaired. Then, in a stunning twist last winter, they realized he was far more advanced than anyone could suspect. Another treasure is Circle of Care. It was started by a mother whose son was diagnosed with cancer 21 years ago, and who decided to help alleviate the pain for other families in her situation. And Pink Aid, which is making enormous progress nationwide in supporting women with breast cancer by helping them to keep financially and emotionally afloat during the challenges of treatment. Also, Wise Winnings - a new lottery-winner financial literacy program (and brainchild of a Westport resident) is gaining traction with a lot of other state lottery commissions. You should meet our new neighbors - Ryan and Regina Cohn. They’re one of the country’s finest purveyors of oddities. Their antiquities predilections are left-of-center, and they’re a lovely and interesting couple. Are you hosting this year? Consider buying a new-to-you dining table on consignment at The Local Vault. Being hosted this year? You can find ideas for thank-you gifts in our Host Gift Guide. We're thankful for this amazing community. Happy Thanksgiving Westport + Weston!

MARISA MACLEAN, PUBLISHER @WESTPORTLIFESTYLE

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Robin Moyer Chung | robin.chung@citylifestyle.com AD DESIGNER

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Meredith Guinness, Anna Barnes CONTR IBUTING PHOTOGR APHER S

Jerri Graham, Jeffrey Salguero

Corporate Team CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Randy Radosevich DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson AD MANAGER Chad Jensen WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

Learn how to start your own publication at: citylifestyle.com//franchise Proverbs 3:5-6 Westport Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Westport area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Westport Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the

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accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

ITS HERE!

CELEBRATING OUR 9TH YEAR OF HELPING OUR PATIENTS LOOK AND FEEL THEIR BEST!

Giving you the choices you deserve.

79 South Benson Road Fairfield, CT 06824

203.292.5559 DrChristineGould.com

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inside the issue The Thankful Issue

F E ATU R E D

D E PA RTM E NTS

24 Think Pink

Lifestyle Letter

Culinary Creations

Westport Organization Brings Essential Help to

City Scene

Events

Breast Cancer Patients Nationwide

Business Monthly

Party Planning

Giving Back

Local Limelight

Inspired By

Money Matters

Gift Guide

Local’s Choice

Open House

Decor Trends

32 The Oddities Couple Mr. and Mrs. Cohn Move To Westport

40 A Difficult Journey

Circle of Care Offers Comfort to Families of Children With Cancer

58 I Am Wynston

FO O D + B E V E R AG E

LI FE + C U LTU R E

WELLNES S HO ME + DES I GN

HEA LT H + WELLNES S LI FE + C U LT U R E

ENT ERTA I NMENT EDU CAT I O N

HO ME + DES I GN HO ME + DES I GN

I Am a Boy Who Deserves to be Treated Like Everyone Else

O N T H E C OV E R

Photography: Jesse Korman Ryan and Regina Cohn, owners of The Oddities Flea Market, at home in Westport.

SEE YOUR PANTRY IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT

Reinvent

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RE01PF

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city scene

Where neighbors can see and be seen. 1

7 5

1: Bridgewater Chocolate opening, 165 Main Street, Westport. Assistant Store Manager Tanye Mills assists a guest. 3: Founder Erik Landegren chats with guests. 4: Owner Andrew Blauner preps to cut the ribbon with First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker. 5: The Bridgewater Chocolate team celebrates the official cutting of the ribbon. 6: Sal selecting pieces at the By The Piece bar to build his own box. 7: Assistant Store Manager Tanye Mills.

CONTINUED >

C I T Y SC E N E

D R . M A S H A KO G A N & D R . V I R G I N I A R O M A N O

203.227.8700 • DENTALCENTERWESTPORT.COM • CARE@DENTALCENTERWESTPORT.COM • 175 POST RD W, WESTPORT

CIT Y SCENE CONTINUED

7 5

1: Westport Country Playhouse’s 2022 Leadership Award to Barbara K. Streicker, with Mark Lamos, Michael Barker, and Anna Czekaj-Farber. 2: Three-time Tony Award-nominated actor and Westport Playhouse’s Gala host, Robin de Jesús. 3: Multi-award-winning Broadway star Renée Elise Goldsberry performing. Background: Jordan Peters, guitar/music director. 4: Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jordan Peters, Zachary Mullings, Jeff Hanley, Tasha Michelle, Kristina Nicole Miller, Adee David. 5: Robin hosting the live auction. 6: The Gala Crowd. 7: Gala Co-chairs Tracey Knight Narang and Tom Coppola. Photography by Coppola Photography

Want to be seen in the magazine? Tag your Instagram photos with @westportlifestyle

C I T Y SC E N E

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business monthly A round-up of exciting news from local businesses.

One Kid from Westport Sabine & Eric, former Adidas executives, have outfitted world athletes before they started One Kid LLC in 1999 in Westport. They invented a carseat-safe winter coat in 2015 named The Road Coat. Designed and engineered to be safe in a carseat, it's the ultimate front/rear facing safe coat you need! Crash tested and approved by CPST it achieves comfort and versatility, without compromising style of a normal coat. OneKid.com

Superhero Songwriting for Kids! Is there a youngster in your life who caught the songwriting “bug” but doesn’t know where to begin?

B USIN E SS M ON T H LY

THANKFUL & GRATEFUL

Award-winning musical theatre composer Brian Feinstein’s 3-part video series will teach your kids the essentials of songwriting, from rhymes to melodies to catchy choruses and beyond. No musical training required - just a song in your heart and a desire to learn is all that’s needed! Search Superhero Kids on BroadwayOnDemand or scroll down on BrianFeinsteinMusic.com

FOR THE TRUST & CONFIDENCE OF OUR CLIENTS

Opening of Westport Medical and Wellness Center Dr. Nikki Gorman is happy to announce the opening of her new business venture, Westport Medical and Wellness Center, dedicated to adult primary care. Affordable and accessible care that allows you to work with a team, including a physician and wellness professionals. 4 Whitney Street Ext. Westport (behind CVS and Compo Shopping Center) (203) 745-2444 WestportMedicalAndWellnessCenter.com

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Our experience with Michelle and her team was nothing short of perfection! Everyone exceeded our expectations in professionalism, positivity, marketing, collaboration, expedience and advice. Hands down, they all are the best! ~N.S.

SCAN FOR MORE 5 STAR REVIEWS

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Photography Jerri Graham CONTINUED >

HERE FOR YOU! CALL US! 203.454.4663 NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY C O N T I N U E D

Dr. O'Connell Introduces DAXXIFY

LIMP IN...RUN OUT SPORTS ORTHOPEDICS PRE/POST OP CARE VESTIBULAR PELVIC FLOOR DRY NEEDLING HOME VISITS ALWAYS 1 ON 1 212-353-8693 zionpt.com

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The FDA approved DAXXIFY, an exciting new aesthetic product from Nashville-based Revance Pharmaceuticals. According to Westport plastic surgeon and master level injector Dr. Joseph O’Connell, “We’ve been awaiting this product for over four years and it’s going to be a game changer.” DAXXIFY is a “neuromodulator” like Botox, but it lasts six months - for some patients the effect lasts as long as nine months. Dr. O’Connell enthusiastically states, “I’ll have it next month!” PlasticSurgeryCT.com Photography Melani Lust

Local Artisan Holiday Market

Saul Zion, DPT, SMP, CMP, AHC and Jean Paul Desrosiers Free Consultation – zoom or in person 1555 Post Road East, Westport, CT 06880 18

B USIN E SS M ON T H LY

Wednesday, November 9 5 Heron Lake Lane, Westport 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Shop custom ornaments and more by Erica Jean Calligraphy, knitwear

by Hand Knit by Xoli, tennis apparel by Top Banana, permanent bracelets and handmade jewelry by Jeweled Coquette, and letterpress stationery by Yozo Studio. Pick up stocking stuffers, mark off some names on your holiday list, order holiday stationery. or just shop for something for yourself. For more information, contact shannon@yozostudio.com.

Erin Melson, Erica Acheychek & Veronica Monahan

COLDWELL BANKER CELEBRATION OF SUCCESS 2022 Westport’s top The Breakers.

agents

enjoying

Photography Provided by Coldwell Banker

It’s still a sellers market and a great time to sell your home! Even with higher mortgage rates, there has never been a stronger real estate market in Westport. With sales prices at an all-time high and the inventory of homes for sale still at lower levels, we bet you are asking yourself: “Did I miss a great opportunity and is now STILL the right time to sell my home?” If this sounds like you, call us today before the hottest housing market in our lifetime takes a pivot. With a combined 40 years of experience as top ranked realtors, we will help you prepare your home for sale and market it to achieve its highest possible sales price. Call us today to get the process started with a complimentary home evaluation. We still have a plethora of buyers looking for your home!

Want to be featured?

Get in touch by heading over to our landing page to connect: CityLifestyle.com/Westport

203.520.1568

veronicabarrymonahan@gmail.com www.veronicamonahanrealtor.com

646.303.0303 erica@eahomesct.com www.eahomesct.com

203.257.6037 erin.melson@cbrealty.com www.erinmelsonhomes.com

Coldwell Banker #1 market share in Westport, Weston & Connecticut NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

INVITATIONS • FLATWARE • LINENS • TABLE DECOR • FRESH FLOWERS CANDLES • SILVER • CRYSTAL • STATIONERY • REGISTRY

WESTPORT

JLROCKS.COM photography: Heather Desmond

GREENWICH

With Every Bite. For us, it’s not just about the chocolate we make. It’s about the memories you make when you give Bridgewater Chocolate to those who matter most. Stop by our new location in Downtown Westport for a personalized gift curation, or visit our website to browse our selection of products in time for the holidays.

Store Hours: Monday - Saturday, 10AM - 6PM Sundays, 10AM - 4PM 165 Main Street Parker Harding Plaza Westport, CT 06880 Store Phone: (203) 826-8777 www.bridgewaterchocolate.com

Danna Rogers & Jen Kass Team

at The Higgins Group LOVE where you LIVE

SELLING YOUR HOME IS AN EMOTIONAL PROCESS… LET US GUIDE YOU THROUGH! Danna and Jen know the market so well and make every step of the process easy and painless. We were able to sell our house without having to list it and simultaneously find our dream home and neighborhood, thanks to their network and expertise. We also feel that they put our best interests at heart and are honest in their assessment about what will and will not work. We could not be happier with their service and will always look to them for future real estate needs. - Miriam & Chris

30 Elm Street Bedford Square, Westport CT 06880

higginsgroup.com Danna Rogers • (917) 282-6292 • dannakrogers@gmail.com | Jen Kass • (203) 368-8032 • jenkass32@gmail.com

ARTICLE BY MEREDITH GUINNESS

WESTPORT ORGANIZATION BRINGS ESSENTIAL HELP TO BREAST CANCER PATIENTS NATIONWIDE

Think Pink

2022 Event co-chairs Jill Halper and Andi Sklar.

G IV IN G BAC K | WEL L NESS

Giuliana Rancic, speaker at CT Pink Aid's 2019 event. (Photo: Neil Landino)

Carmen Harrell is a woman who gets things done. Each year, whether she’s tired, feeling overextended or there’s a pandemic raging, she has her annual mammogram. So it was that she got a call on January 14, 2021, that the tiny mass in her left breast, no bigger than the head of a pin, was malignant. She had cancer. “I didn’t get scared,” says the Bridgeport mother of three, grandmother of five and great-grandmother of one. “I said, ‘Alright. Where do we go from here?’” The next few months were a whirlwind. Suddenly, she had an oncologist. She went through surgery and six weeks of radiation. “This is the way I am – for six weeks at 8 a.m., Monday through Friday, I was there,” she said. “I would get there at 7:30 and sit in the car and read or pray and then I would go in with a smile on my face.”

2022 event co-chair Andi Sklar

Fashion show 2019. (Photo: Neil Landino)

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While Carmen was sure she’d survive cancer, tiny doubts started to creep into her thinking. Radiation left the 55-yearold beautician exhausted and unable to work as she normally did. She worried how her family, including a teenage daughter living at home, would be able to make ends meet on just her former husband’s paycheck. Enter Pink Aid, the Westport-based organization providing compassionate support and rapid emergency financial assistance to patients in treatment. With lightning speed they were on the case, providing Stop & Shop gift cards and other beneficial care and covering Carmen’s rent – twice. Having proven its abilities to help women locally for more than a decade, Pink Aid moved to a national stage in 2022 with its Pink Purse initiative, providing help of all kinds to women across America within 48 hours of receiving an application.

Runway show. (Photo: Neil Landino)

G IV IN G BAC K | WEL L NESS

Launched in 30 states and counting, the program enlists nurse navigators to help assess a person’s needs and make sure she gets speedy meaningful assistance. While other organizations fund crucial cancer research, Pink Aid provides funds for treatment, recovery and wellness, diagnostic testing, outreach and education and essential household expenses. More than 20,000 breast cancer patients and their families have benefitted. “The expenses of cancer are just astronomical. While we don’t help with medical bills, we do help ease the financial burden with gas and food cards,” says Amy Gross, one of the group’s four co-founders along with Amy Katz, Andrew Mitchell-Namdar and Renée Mandis. More than 2,000 breast cancer patients have received more than $1.8 million in emergency aid since Pink Purse debuted

Pink Purse recipient Carmen Brooks.

Amy Katz with Pink Purse recipient Sidoni.

Warrior Jill Halper and her husband walking the runway in CT Pink Aid’s 2019 event. (Photo: Neil Landino)

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Bill Mitchell with Bags Kinneary (Photo: Neil Landino)

“Having proven its abilities to help women locally for more than a decade, Pink Aid moved to a national stage in 2022 with its Pink Purse initiative, providing help of all kinds to women across America within 48 hours of receiving an application.”

G IV IN G BAC K | WEL L NESS

5 FRASER ROAD | WESTPORT, CT EXPERIENCE THE EXTRAORDINARY | $9,450,000 in 2015. The pandemic gave the team time to beef up its website and plan for the national campaign, which has meant more than 50 applications a month on top of the 30 it administers in Connecticut. "Through Pink Aid's Pink Purse and grant programs we have funded $8.4 million to breast cancer patients who are financially insecure", says Katz. “Now that our Pink Purse is national and in 30 states we are receiving recognition and interest from national sponsors too. “We went from granting funds to two organizations in 2011 to 47 today.” Aside from two part-time employees, the effort is run entirely by volunteers. Nurse navigators across the country work to link patients to everything from counseling and education to fittings for the Pink Purse-funded wigs and lymphedema sleeves that help them stay comfortable and confident. In addition, Pink Aid provides the Warrior Connection, linking patients to peer mentors and hosting a “Celebration of Life” fashion show each year at Mitchell’s. The multi-pronged approach to compassion and care has not gone unnoticed among the group’s recipients. “Everything was hitting us at one time. Anything they could do, they did. And what they couldn’t do? They would know of someone else who could help,” says Carmen, who has made it a mission to help others now following in her footsteps. “I used to sit back sometimes and say, ‘Why me?’ Now I tell myself to stay happy, stay blessed and stay thankful. It could have gone another way.” PinkAid.org

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Barbara Bross, Alexander Chingas & Doug Bross

#1 Real Estate Agent Team in Westport & Weston, CT home sales 2013-2022 YTD

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203.454.8000 | Info@BrossChingas.com 355 Riverside Avenue, Westport, CT 06880 BrossChingas

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WWW.BROSSCHINGAS.COM NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

The Oddities Couple

MR. AND MRS. COHN MOVE TO WESTPORT ARTICLE BY ROBIN MOYER CHUNG

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | HOME + DE S I GN

At home. (Photo: Jesse Korman)

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Flanking the front door of Ryan and Regina Cohn’s home are two urns holding dead topiaries. Clever touch, I think. As premier purveyors and collectors of oddities, the Cohn’s inhabit a small but growing community of individuals who are passionate about alternative antiquities. Together they founded The Oddities Flea Market, Ryan as the “creative genius” (according to his wife), Regina as the business brains and beauty. What, exactly, do they collect? While some of us gather, say, old coins and Norman Rockwell prints, they tend toward death masks and Victorian era replicas of medical deformities Safe to call them one of Westport’s more memorable and unique couples. So unique, in fact, a quick perusal of his Instagram made me a bit nervous about entering their home. The creepiest thing in my home is the stuffed animal my son won at a carnival. Would I have the stomach for pitti cherubs with grimacing faces protruding from their midsection? And what about the Cohns themselves? Do they drink from chalices and snack on exotic fruits? Do they own a pet rat? Do they own more than one? Are they going to make me see their pet rat collection?? Minutes later I’m very much enjoying their company in the living room, sipping cold water from a glass beneath which Regina places a spiderweb printed napkin (humor!). They’re entertaining, engaging, and not at all the pale, unnerving individuals that people (…me?) might expect given their unconventional occupation. Ryan’s telling me about the spectacular shells arranged in a glass-front 18th century Napoleonic cabinet. Shells are one of the first things he collected as a child, in addition to wood-dwelling creatures which used to be alive. “Natural history specimens,” he states. These were the gateway finds which propelled him into his near-obsession with skulls, artifacts, and eccentricities. He hosted “Oddities” on the Discovery channel for six years, charming viewers with episodes such as “Teeth on a Stick” and “No Guts, No Gory.” He was also an accessories designer for Ralph Lauren, where he honed his expertise in silver-smithing and refurbishment, including refurbishing “Lipschitz’s personal bags.” Now, he’s considered one of the country’s finest experts on restoration and appraisal for high-end collectors. The Cohns’ met 10 years ago when Regina, then an executive at L’Agent Provocateur with no proclivity to peculiarities, reached out to purchase one of his Kapala skulls (“skulls of monks adorned from respect, you wouldn’t know it was a skull at a glance.”) After inviting her to dinner, ostensibly a “sales dinner,” they fell in love and soon had a reality show wedding, episode titled “Creepy Sophistication.” And the skull? “I own them all now,” she quips. Their home is filled with some of his favorite pieces, some borderline-disturbing for the uninitiated. But their most ghoulish items (Victorian-era anatomical waxes meant for both medical study and discouraging risqué behavior, Victorian effigies with human hair and teeth) hold court in their Brooklyn bar, “House of Wax.” (Of note, The House of Wax collection was originally compiled in the mid-1800s for an exhibition hall in Berlin, Castnan’s Panopticum. It opened in 1869, then interest waned and it petered out in 1922. It was packed up and moved into storage in Munich. When Ryan learned about it in 2015, he snapped up every last wax model of infected body parts. Buying the entire contents of a home or collection is not uncommon for him.) He diffuses any… well, some… discomfort their belongings may cause guests by grounding them in their contemporary reality and making light of today’s misinterpretation.

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | HOME + DE S I GN

At home. (Jesse Korman)

“Some artifacts have a dark history, but rather than exploit them, we should understand their history and importance.”

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(Photo: John Videler)

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | HOME + DE S I GN

(Photo: John Videler)

Morning coffee at Old Mill Grocers.

For instance, the medical atrocities on the House of Wax Instagram feed: “We see the historical significance of these models. They pertain to early medicine, they’re teaching tools,” he explains. “We don’t really need these things today because we know how to deliver a baby and cure diseases.” Seen through this lens of education, they’re no longer models of horror; they are models depicting anatomically correct layers of the body. And the haunting effigies? “Death masks, or memento-mori, are a form of remembrance.” During the Victorian age they were made in honor of loved ones. Our ancestors had no idea their precious memories might freak out future generations. “Some artifacts have a dark history,” Ryan continues. “But rather than exploit them, we should understand their history and importance.” He appreciates the works for the role they played in understanding the unseen and describing the unknown. We walk into a side room with a medical (educational) sculpture on full display, showing bone, muscle, and skin in unflattering

biological hues. Neo-classical painting of monks, skulls, samples all set against the backdrop of a grandmotherly floral wallpaper. “It was in the house when we moved in,” Regina exclaims. “We kept it because we thought it was funny!” Yet sometimes there’s dissent in paradise. Regina, who married into his passion, admits, “Some things I don’t like” and points to a ghoul in the cabinet. “It’s signed!” exclaims Ryan. “I still don’t want to look at it.” Before leaving, they showed me the old chapel in the backyard of their home, a major selling point for the Cohns. They painted it black, then affixed one of Ryan’s three steeples from his collection. It’s used for storage, mostly, and Regina maintains a room in it. As Ryan walks me to my car, he complains about the drought. “My whole yard is dying, but I guess everyone’s is.” I glance back at the dead topiary. I was wrong about that one, too. TheOdditiesFleaMarket.com NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

32 Edgewater Hillside, Westport, CT 3 BD | 3 BA | 1 HB | Offered at $3,000,000

Waterfront | World-Class | Westport Are you preparing for your next journey? Whether that be near or far, with over $50 million in closed homes, I am your savvy, local real estate expert dedicated to helping you sell your home in a timely manner and for the highest price the market will bear. Interested in learning the value of your home in today’s market? Reach out for a consult!

Imke Lohs Licensed Real Estate Salesperson imke.lohs@compass.com M: 917.459.8382 O: 203.293.9715 Imke Lohs is a licensed real estate salesperson affiliated with Compass Connecticut, LLC, a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity Laws.

compass.com

Amelia

I NSP IR E D BY | HEA LTH + W E LLNE S S

A Difficult Journey CIRCLE OF CARE OFFERS COMFORT TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER Adalia

ARTICLE BY ROBIN MOYER CHUNG PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF SALGUERO

At 7:45 a.m. on December 10, 2001 Liz and Jeffrey Salguero put their two daughters on the elementary school bus and drove to a pediatric hematologist in Guilford; they had no appointment, they were told to just go. Earlier that fall, on September 12, their distress concerning the World Trade Center was interrupted with more bad news: something was wrong with their two year old son, Carlos. Inside the doctor’s Guilford office, letters papered the office walls. The first one they saw read “Thank you for saving my child’s life.” Their hearts sank: this doctor was also a pediatric oncologist. More blood tests came back inconclusive, so Carlos had to endure a bone marrow aspiration and a spinal tap. At 2:00 p.m. the tests came back positive. Leukemia. “There’s a bed waiting for you at Yale,” said the doctor. “He needs a red blood transfusion, platelet transfusion, and be prepped for surgery to have a port inserted tomorrow and starts chemo in 48 hours. You’ll have to call someone to take care of your girls.” Instantly, they were thrown into the dizzying, terrifying world of parenting a child with cancer. CONTINUED >

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They drove to the hospital, admitted their boy, and spent the next few hours watching him be poked, prodded, and hooked up to an IV. By 8:30 p.m., Carlos was finally asleep. A nurse turned to Liz and asked, “Mom, what can I get for you?” Liz looked around. She hadn’t been home since early that morning and had nothing with her. “A toothbrush?” she responded. The nurse smiled and returned with a tiny toothbrush and a single-use tube of toothpaste. Liz finally broke down and cried. A son sick with cancer, a stark hospital room, and nothing to comfort her, not even a decent toothbrush. “This is now my life,” she thought. This is what happens when a child is diagnosed with cancer. The illness pulls a curtain down on life, drawing a skim around itself and the child. A parent must commit themselves full-time to the endless and erratic needs of this sickness. The other parent is left to provide for the rest of the family, financially and physically. If, of course, there are two parents. Today, Carlos is a cancer-free, handsome young adult with a degree from Tulane. But back in 2003, before he even completed chemo treatment, Liz, with Dawn Ladenhein, started Circle of Care. “We want [families] to know that other families have gone through this, and they’re going to be okay,” explains Liz. It began with three initiatives: • Bag of Love for families on the day of admittance with sundries and necessities and a fleece blanket with flannel pillow case to add color the antiseptic hospital room. • The Purple Pages, “A vetted directory of local and national resources the families will need - camps, where to get wigs, how to talk to the school and how to prepare your child and the classroom, eligibility for IEP and 504 programs - what you’re entitled to and what questions to ask.” • Caring for a sick child is financially debilitating for 70% of the stricken families. 15% of these families declare bankruptcy. They began fundraising to help families cope with monetary stress.

I NSP IR E D BY | HEA LTH + W E LLNE S S

After chemo, Carlos was officially in remission. In his summer before kindergarten the weekly visits became monthly. Which sounds great, but it’s not. It meant the Salgueros - and every family - has to/had to wait three more weeks before knowing their child was still well. And because leukemia is tough to keep away, “We didn’t let go until Carlos was ten years in remission.” So they expanded COC’s programs to care for families beyond their hospital routine. One of these is “Art from the Heart,” a bedroom make-over. A volunteer design team meets with a COC child to brainstorm their dream bedroom. Then they spend 4-8 weeks creating it - new furniture, paint, wallpaper. They hold a special unveiling for the child to see his/her new space. It’s tough to overstate the importance of a fresh interior to a child whose life revolves around the discomfort of sickness. One mother wrote to the COC team of her daughter’s reaction: “I wanted to share what Ivy said to me while we were resting in her room: ‘It’s like I didn’t have cancer in this room’.” Almost 20 years and numerous volunteers later, COC has evolved in both scope and size, for families and patients, for kids and young adults in remission. A recent gala borrowed its theme from kintsugi, the Japanese technique of repairing broken pottery with gold lacquer, making visible its broken edges. In this way, kintsugi transforms accidents into art, boasting the beauty of its journey rather than hiding its history. Portraits were hung of COC children, gold paint covering and displaying their port scars. Sickness is one of our most difficult journeys - for the infirm, the parents, the siblings and the loved ones - but the beauty of humanity is often revealed at its most vulnerable. For more information visit TheCircleOfCare.org

Nathan

Hunter

Milo

Luis

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WISE WINNINGS AIMS TO HELP LOTTERY WINNERS WITH FINANCIAL EDUCATION

Win Big, Win Smart Chairman Rob Simmelkjaer at a Wise Winnings press conference, with Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz. (Connecticut Lottery Corporation)

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Good part: The Connecticut lottery contributed $418 million to state coffers last fiscal year. Not so good part: Though the winnings from our state’s lottery contributes to public schools, infrastructure, and much more, its seamy underside is expansive. Scores of players are uninformed about the pitfalls and side effects of gambling. With Wise Winnings, Westport’s Rob Simmelkjaer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Connecticut Lottery since May 2020, is taking action to educate them. Growing up, his grandmother got a kick out of betting small-time and routinely hit him up for numbers. Batting average? Locker number? He understands the thrill of a potential windfall when pursued sensibly. But that’s not the situation for some players. “When I first joined I wanted to understand how the lottery was helping people play games responsibly,” he explains. “We have an entire department dedicated to helping people with gambling issues.” This department manages GameSense, an “innovative and comprehensive responsible gaming strategy… to help keep gambling fun for all players.” It includes information for spotting potential gambling addictions in oneself and others, resources to help with related problems, and tips such as ‘Play for entertainment, not to make money’ and ‘Don’t borrow money to gamble.’” Though this has proven an effective tool for some problem ticket purchasers, it ignores a different part of the lottery population: the winners.

M ON E Y M AT T E R S | L IFE + CULTURE

Reports indicate that up to 70% of lottery’s big winners ultimately suffer financial distress, including bankruptcy. Ill-advised investments, excessive philanthropic largesse, and flagrant spending are among the many reasons why. Rob asked, “How do [winners] make good decisions? No lottery had ever taken steps to help winners manage money.” Neither Connecticut nor any other state had a solution. He teamed up with Christopher Davis, Head of Responsible Gaming at CT Lottery, to create a financial literacy program to help winners of $600 or more to make good decisions with their prize money. At the High-Tier Claims Center, winners are given a brochure with suggestions for the use of their newfound wealth, leading with: 1. Stop and think. 2. Make a plan. 3. Treat yourself (within reason). You deserve it! 4. Seek professional financial advice. The brochure, and the website, lists effective money management and resources, including a Credit Union call-out for financial counselors. Future plans include a “Platinum Service” for million dollar winners and free check cashing; check cashing centers in the state typically charge a 2% fee. Almost immediately after its launch on August 15 (coincidentally the day after National Financial Awareness Day) other states contacted Connecticut to learn more. A important win for the CT Lottery. WiseWinnings.com

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Host/Hostess Gifts To Surprise & Delight A ROUND UP OF PERFECTLY GIFTABLE ‘THANK YOUS’ FOR YOUR HOSTS.

Host Gift Upgrades One way I love to approach host + hostess gifts is to provide a nice upgrade for something they already have and often use. In an effort to reduce clutter or avoid gifting an item that may end up in the back of a cabinet or drawer, wrap up a household upgrade that you know your host will love to use.

Williams Sonoma Meyer Lemon Essential Oils Collection – WilliamsSonoma.com This is a great gift option to grab next time you’re at Williams Sonoma and keep on hand for upcoming soirées. Everyone loves a nice hand soap and lotion combo. Include the countertop spray, too - their kitchen will smell heavenly!

Pretty Stationery – BespokeDesigns.com Nice stationery is a guaranteed hit and something your host will actually use.

Byredo Candle – Bloomingdales.com Not everyone loves to buy pricey candles, but everyone loves to receive them!

No.723 Laundry Kit – TheLaundress.com Upgrading regular laundry detergent with luxury laundry care? How chic!

Lucky Charm Cocktail Picks – JoannaBuchanan.com These cocktail picks are fabulous, packed with personality, and dress up any martini or otherwise.

Brightland Olive Oil – Brightland.co Olive oil is a kitchen staple and your host will love receiving this upgraded variety. This gift could be used later or opened up the night of the party and served with a crispy baguette (which you should also bring!)

G IF T GU ID E | ENTERTA INME NT

Anna Barnes

Luxury Gifts Want to really, really thank your hosts? If you’re visiting for the weekend or over the holidays and want to make an impact, these luxury gifts will surprise and delight.

Artisanal, Local Chocolates – Chocolatieree.com A little something sweet for a post-event treat.

Personalized Wine Pack – TheFineWineCompanyof Westport.com Pick up a beautiful crate packed with your host’s favorite wines.

Fresh Flower Bar Arrangement – FreshFlowerBar.com If you plan to show up with flowers, make sure it’s an arrangement. Hosts should never be put in the position to snip stems and locate a vase while entertaining, but a signature hatbox full of beautiful blooms from Fresh Flower Bar is a wonderful way to show your gratitude.

Seedlip Non-Alcoholic Spirits – SeedlipDrinks.com These non-alcoholic spirits make mocktails that will blow your host’s mind.

Bud Vases – ElysiaHome.com For a host who loves color, these fun bud vases are a great alternative to a traditional arrangement and come in a set of three.

Caviar from Caviar & Caviar – Amazon.com Nothing says luxury like caviar for your host with the most expensive tastebuds.

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Hostess Gifts Under $50 Sometimes the best things in life come in small packages. These host/hostess gifts are all under $50; they may be small but are great options for a BIG thank you!

Anthropologie Tea Towel – How To Fold Napkins - Anthropologie.com A traditional hostess gift with a visual guide of napkin folding. Your host can reference it prior to their next event.

Custom Message Shortbread Cookies – UncommonGoods.com You’ll win the award for the most unique gift with this one. Customize these shortbread cookies with your hosts’ name, an inside joke, or even a “thank you.” They’ll definitely be talking about these at their next get together.

Dipped Ceramic Pitcher – MarkAndGraham.com This ceramic pitcher can be used for beverages or even as a small vase. You can even add a monogram if you want to personalize your hostess gift.

Sweetgrass Harbor Stripe Napkins – SweetGrassHome.com Linen napkins are a traditional hostess gift and these come in a variety of colors and patterns to match your host’s dining décor.

Ohia Lehua Honey – BigIslandBees.com Organic Hawaiian honey that won’t overwhelm tea drinkers and pairs perfectly on a charcuterie board.

Spirited: Cocktails from Around the World – Amazon.com For the host who is always making new craft beverages, gift this cocktail book. You just may be invited back for a cocktail tasting!

G IF T GU ID E | ENTERTA INME NT

Homemade Host Gifts If you’re a DIY’er or just want your host to know you put a little extra effort into their gift, try these easy, but impressive homemade gifts.

Compound Butter – Compound butter is actually so easy to make and is an impressive gift. Grab some softened premium butter and mix in fresh herbs, Everything But The Bagel Seasoning, or cinnamon. Roll into plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours. Wrap in butcher paper and baker’s twine prior to gifting.

Sugar Scrub – Combine sugar, coconut oil, and citrus zest (essential oils work just fine, too!) and portion into a small jar. Your host will be thankful for their soft skin!

Simmer Pot Starter – This time of year, I love a simmer pot on the stove to fill the house with seasonal smells. Fill a mason jar with a lemon peel, orange peel, some cinnamon sticks, a few tablespoons of whole cloves, and two bay leaves. When you gift this to your host, add a tag with the following instructions: Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil, add your simmer pot mixture and again, bring to a boil. Lower the heat down to a simmer as the scent fill yours home. Add water as needed, usually every 30 minutes.

Infused Salt – Infused salts are much easier to make than you might think. Just combine 1 teaspoon spice or dried herbs to 1/4 cup kosher salt. You can be more generous if you’re using citrus or fresh herbs. Chipotle and lime zest is a favorite of mine to gift. It’s a delicious rub for pork, chicken, or beef but also is a fantastic way to rim a Bloody Mary.

Chocolate Chip Cookies – I don’t know anyone who can turn down a chocolate chip cookie and I doubt your host will either. If you aren’t gifted in the baking category or don’t have a recipe you love, just follow the recipe on the chocolate chip bag and add a bit of flaky sea salt on top as the cookies come out the oven for a gourmet feel. Trust me.

Rose Infused Bath Soak – Gift your host a little relaxation when the entertaining is over. Combine 1 ½ cups Epsom salt, ¼ cup pink Himalayan Sea Salt, 1 Tbsp. baking soda, ¼ cup dried rose buds & petals, and 10 (or so) drops of rose essential oil. Mix well and portion into jars. Easy as that and ready to gift. NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

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Wynston Brown (Photo: Jerri Graham)

I AM

I AM A BOY WHO DESERVES TO BE TREATED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE

W YNSTON

ARTICLE BY ROBIN MOYER CHUNG

LOCA L’S CH OICE | ED U CATI ON

Wynston and sister, Sevie. (Photo: Jerri Graham)

Wynston Browne is non-speaking autistic. A government autism scale (LON) labels him 8 of 8 (most severe). For 15 years he’s grown up beneath the weighted shroud of this diagnosis. Everyone, including his family and Elisa Feinman, his behavioral therapist for 12 years and communication partner this past year, knew he would never achieve scholastic success above third grade, changes in his routine triggered outbursts, and his interests and socialization would be finite. Yet every time Wynston had a tantrum, Elisa got a nagging feeling. “When he acted out it seemed out of frustration,” she recalls. Yet in cases like Wynston’s, when optimism is welcomed it often invites its feral companion, disappointment. Best to keep any strands of hope out of harm’s way. Then one day last year a client of Wynston’s father, David, sent him a video of Dan Bergmann. Dan is a young man burdened with the same condition as Wynston. Yet in a video filmed in 2020, Dan is an eloquent Harvard University Extension graduate with a passion for art. He can’t talk, but at 12 he was taught how to “speak” by pointing at large letters on a board, graduating to smaller letters printed on a piece of laminated paper, then learning how to tap the letters on a touch-to-text computer that speaks for him. According to Wynston’s mother, Lynda, “His mannerisms were similar [to Dan’s] and we thought there’s absolutely no reason why he can’t do this.” After hours of training this past winter, Lynda and Elisa helped Wynston find his voice. I met Wynston, Elisa, and Lynda on Labor Day. After introductions, I sit at a small table while he and Elisa, with her alphabet card, are on plastic chairs next to me. This is his first “formal” interview and no one knows how it will go. There are a lifetime of questions he's never been asked, and a lifetime of information no one, not even his family, yet knows about him.

Wynston's mother, Lynda, and communication partner, Elisa, show Wynston an issue of Westport Lifestyle Magazine.

WLM: WYNSTON, HOW DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN COMMUNICATE? Wynston: I feel extremely grateful that people finally understand me and that they know that I am smart.

WLM: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? Wynston: I want to be a neuroscientist.

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Wynston with his four siblings. (Photo: Jerri Graham)

Alegebra notes. Wynston and sister, Sevie. (Photo: Jerri Graham)

WLM: WHY? Wynston: I want to help people like me to communicate. His responses are swift, his sentences complete and grammatically correct. Sometimes he requires help maintaining focus, but most often he leans forward and points, sounding out each letter. Elisa states each word, then tells me the completed answer.

WLM: HOW LONG HAVE YOU WANTED TO BE A NEUROSCIENTIST? Wynston: After I learned how to spell. His sister, Sevie, sitting nearby, gleefully chimes in, “Wynston!! That’s not what you used to want to do!” Curiosity got me:

WLM: BEFORE YOU LEARNED HOW TO SPELL WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO? Wynston: I wanted to be a basketball player for the Special Olympics. WLM: WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE? Wynston: University of Michigan. At this, Sevie again interjects, “Why do you want to go UMich instead of the best little college in the woods?” She wants him to follow her lead and attend Dartmouth.

LOCA L’S CH OICE | ED U CATI ON

Wynston: Because it seems like a fun school rah-rah a party school. At this, everyone laughs. Elisa tells Wynston to focus (and sit up straighter).

WLM: HOW DO YOU KNOW SO MUCH? Wynston: I’m a good listener and I am aware of everything… He stops and affectionately tucks his head beneath Elisa’s chin. “Finish your thought, please, don’t flirt with me!” She replies. Wynston: …that is happening all around me.

WLM: BEFORE PEOPLE KNEW YOU WERE SMART, THEY READ YOU FIRST GRADE BOOKS. HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL? Wynston: It made me feel frustrated and stupid. Lynda gasps slightly. Elisa’s face reddens and she struggles to brush off her emotion. This is not just a kid learning to communicate; this is a person who spent years inside of his head, thinking and educating himself while the world assumed he couldn’t. This is a person whose constant need for supervision belied his enormous potential. There’s also a learning curve for the people around him, to understand that this boy who they knew had an intellectual disability simply does not. In fact, he’s quite bright.

Brown family portrait. (Photo: Jerri Graham)

WLM: CAN YOU FINISH THIS SENTENCE? “I AM WINSTON…” Wynston: I am a boy who deserves to be treated like everyone else.

WLM: WHAT WAS THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING FOR YOU GROWING UP, BEFORE YOU COULD COMMUNICATE? Wynston: I felt left out of activities.

WLM: WHAT’S THE BEST PART ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE ABLE TO DO NOW? Wynston: I feel like I can do anything

WLM: WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS NOW? LIKE, IN A YEAR? Wynston: I want to educate people what it’s like to have autism.

WLM: HOW WILL YOU DO THAT? Wynston: Explain how I see things differently from them and that it’s okay we are all different. He’s getting tired and restless. I ask him if I can ask one more question.

WLM: CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY? Wynston: I see things in pictures very quickly.

Elisa wraps it up, “Did you enjoy this interview?” Yes “Are you excited it’ll be in a magazine?” Yes "What do you want to say to her?” Thank you Wynston, can you answer one more question? I ask. Can I email you questions? “Absolutely. I would like that very much." He eagerly reaches for Lynda’s iPhone. But first, he requires a kiss.“We’re always kissing him!” Lynda exclaims. Elisa laughs, “I was always rewarding him with kisses so now he expects them all the time.” Though instruction began - slowly - this past winter, Wynston’s communication accelerated in the past two months. They show me his biology notebooks - Elisa’s guiding him through online Kahn classes and he’s getting a 93% in this class. He’s mastering algebra, his notebook testament to his effort. (Wynston can’t write so she pens his notes.) It’s time to leave. I turn to Wynston who is seated at the table scrolling through his mom’s iPhone. “Wynston, thank you and it was wonderful to meet you.” He doesn’t look up, too engrossed in the phone to pay attention. Just like any other 15 year old boy. NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

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Home SuperSweet Home 5 FRASER ROAD, WESTPORT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SKYVIEW BUILDERS There’s a new house by Skyview Builders on the market and it will amaze you. 5 Fraser Road, set on two acres in Westport’s Coleytown estate section, boasts a cavalcade of incredible details, from innovative building materials to forward-thinking technology offering comfort and convenience. Most important, it’s stunning. Beginning at the entrance, custom finishes including a mirror-effect glass facade, welcome you beneath a glass canopy into the interior. Through the front door, the elegant space is rich in design details from custom built-ins, LED-lit curtain channels, island fireplace, and fine materials of the most luxurious quality throughout.

Living room.

O PE N H OU SE | HOM E + DE S I GN

5 Fraser Road, Wesport

Of course, no great home truly excels without a gourmet kitchen, and this one is jaw-dropping. It even includes a hidden prep kitchen to hide the fall-out of a dinner party or simply to contain the kids’ meal prep. The sliding glass walls across the rear of the home lead to an outdoor entertainment terrace with spa, pool, sunken gathering area with fire table, and summer kitchen. When night falls, retreat to one of the six luxury bedroom suites each with a private bath, or the main suite with an Instagram-worthy dressing room.

Rounding it out are a media room, gym, spa area with massage room, and a sauna. And if that’s not enough (because why stop there?) the third floor bonus room opens up to a roof deck with yet another hot tub. Priced at $9,450,000. Contact Bross Chingas Bross at Coldwell Banker Global Luxury for more information: 355 Riverside Ave, Westport, CT (203) 454-8000 x3 info@brosschingas.com brosschingas.com

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Almost all items in this room are (or were) for sale.

First Rate S e c o n d h a n d Fu r n i t u re The Local Vault ARTICLE BY ROBIN MOYER CHUNG

D E C OR T R E N D S | HOM E + DE S I GN

THE

Consignment’s a great way to buy clothes whose price tags daunt more than dazzle. Now, with The Local Vault (TLV), it’s a great way to buy furniture and other items on which you don’t want to spill bank. Even better? Your new-to-you buys may boast the lineage of a celebrity’s swishy digs, a titan’s penthouse, or just a really rich person with a tony home. Patricia Espinosa founded TLV eight year ago with her friend, Julie. Its zygote formed when they bumped into each other in aisle 6 of the grocery store: idea being an online platform for high-end home furniture and decor. They foraged personal contacts, hoping someone might want to kick off their business with a sofa or a painting. What they got was an entire container full of a friend’s great pieces. They sold every stick. TLV had tapped into the perfect fear. “People tend to be paralyzed by the prospect of selling furniture,” says Patricia. They started modestly. “When we started, we didn’t have an ad budget, we introduced ourselves to real estate offices and sent out newsletters to our network of friends and family,” Patricia recalls. “Immediately interior designers called us.”

LOCA L

VAU LT

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Table and chairs from a consignor's home.

CEO and Founder Patricia Espinosa

Leighton Reid, assistant warehouse manager.

Carmen Gregory, Director of Sales, and Leighton Reid. Chairs designed by Fabio Novembre.

D E C OR T R E N D S | HOM E + DE S I GN

Table, chairs, and chandelier from a home.

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And they haven’t stopped calling. Everything TLV accepts and sells is vetted for designer and quality. “Our starting point is Restoration Hardware.” Though some of their pieces maintain aspirational price points, more humble home dwellers can sift through their “Good Bones” category for items that aren’t flawless but still in good shape for DIYers or HAPers (Hire a Professional). On their site, you can peruse and purchase any number of cool things, of course, but there’s more. Celebrity designers “host” collections they’ve culled from TLV’s offerings, like 1stDibs founder Michael Bruno. It also features interviews and photos of celebrated interior designers such as Alexa Hampton and Prudence Bailey.

BUOYING ITS POPULARITY ARE A FEW THINGS: • Families fleeing to the suburbs and the increasing demand for re-designs. • You can snag a high end piece at a discount, which isn’t easy to do in this trade. • Instant gratification, especially if you mosey to the warehouse and buy it off the floor (if you’ve ever had to wait months for a coffee table, you’ll appreciate this). Also,

COVID continues to mess up supply chains so you may have to wait even longer now.

SO, WHAT’S MOST POPULAR WITH CONSIGNMENT FURNITURE? Seating, lighting, and tables. Specifically upholstered pieces, pairs of club chairs, and lamps. “I think lighting can be the ‘gateway drug’ to buying pre-owned because there’s practically no wear and tear, so no one ever knows it’s not new.” muses Patricia. They don’t sell anything worth less than $150, however values can sky-rocket to the tens of thousands (or more). Recently they listed a pair of $37,500 sconces and a $65,000 coffee table owned by a Boston notable. But it’s not just homeowners and interior designers combing through their trove. Academy award-winning set designers such as Rena DeAngelo (Gossip Girl, The Help) and Ellen Christiansen (The Wolf of Wall Street, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) - swing by to pick picks for their big- and small-screen visions. So who knows? If you consign your sofa, you may spot it in a movie one day.

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NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

Apple Pie Punch One Last Thing To Be Thankful for

C ULIN A RY C R E AT ION S | F OOD + BE VE RAGE

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APPLE PIE PUNCH

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INGREDIENTS 2 c. Apple Juice 4 oz. Spiced Rum 2 oz. Cinnamon Schnapps Soda Water or 7 Up

INSTRUCTIONS Combine apple juice, spiced rum, and cinnamon schnapps in a pitcher. Mix. Serve with a splash of soda water or 7 Up, if desired. Garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks.

We work closely with our clients to guide them through a broad range of complex family matters, with experience you can rely on.

(203) 222-8686 conlonmcglynn.com 222 Riverside Avenue Westport, Connecticut 06880 NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

WE MAKE GETTING DRESSED

fun...

CUR ATED FASHION WITH A WEST COAST VIBE

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WOOD BIN Solid Wood Furniture

Come in and see our large selection of Solid Wood Furniture.

- Finished and Ready to finish Furniture - Professional Finishing and Delivery Available -

305 Federal Road Brookfield, CT | (203) 775-1770 | woodbinfurniture.com

NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 2

events A curated selection of the most intriguing upcoming events in our area. NOVEMBER 1ST

Staples' Guys and Dolls

SEE WELL LIVE WELL state of the art technology and compassionate eye care in your community

STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL | 7:30 PM The Staples' Players presents the smash musical Guys and Dolls, featuring some of Broadway's greatest songs "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat," "Luck Be a Lady," and "Adelaide's Lament." NOVEMBER 5TH

CraftWestport Returns!

STA P L E S H I G H S C H O O L F I E L D H O US E , 7 0 NO RT H AV E N U E , WE ST P O RT | 1 0 :0 0 A M CraftWestport, presented by the Westport Young Woman’s League, is a curated shopping event featuring 200 modern American artists and makers! Spend the day shopping for oneof-a-kind and uncommon items such as original fashions, accessories and jewelry; functional and sculptural works in ceramics, glass, metal, fiber, wood and mixed media; and fine art painting, printmaking, drawing and photography and more! CraftWestport.com NOVEMBER 12TH

Path of Patriots

T:203-557-8426 F:844-809-7250 DrShreyaPatel.com V drshreyapatelod B shreya patel od pc

1 0 :0 0 A M On July 8, 1779, during the war for Independence, British soldiers attacked Green’s Farms, burning buildings to the ground. Learn about Westport’s role in the American Revolution by visiting the gravestones of those who served during the war for Independence. WestportHistory.org

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Personalized journeys that change your perspective.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN MASONRY PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

RENE PRASAD Westport, CT

3369 Fairﬁeld Ave, Bridgeport, Connecticut (203)923-2648

jpphilbinlandscapes@gmail.com

(866) 869-1760 grandexplorations.com NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

EVENTS CONTINUED

NOVEMBER 19 TH

Family "Chopped" Challenge

A new Culinary Concept F R O M

S P A I N

WE ST P O RT / WE STO N YM CA | 1 :0 0 P M Ready, set, chop! Work as a team with your family to create the best tasting (and looking!) meal using food items from a mystery basket. Watch the clock and have fun as you work together to create tasty masterpieces in this family-friendly competition. $45 per family for non-YMCA members / $30 per YMCA members. WestportY.org NOVEMBER 19 TH

A S E L E CT I O N O F M O D E R N & C L A SS I C TA PA S I N A D D I T I O N T O E X C L U S I V E LY S E L E CT E D S PA N I S H W I N E P R O G R A M

Heida International Piano Concert

MO CA WE ST P O RT | 7 :00 P M Join us for special performances by Heida International Piano Competition alumni. Prior winners include celebrated pianists who have gone on to perform in the world’s most important halls, such as Spencer Myer, Frederic Chiu, Josh Wright, Timur Mustikimov, and Yue Chu. MOCAWestport.org NOVEMBER 21ST

Leadership Lab for High School Girls

At D eTA PA S , w e o f f e r a go o d va r i e t y o f tapas, from classic to modern, salads, fish, lamb, chicken & ver y soon beef as well. In addition, ever ything we do is with quality

WE ST P O RT L I B R A RY | 3 : 3 0 P M Continuing Verso Studios' education initiative, the Fairfield County based organization Live Girl will cohost a nine-week Leadership Lab for high school girls, grades 9-12. This lab will focus on creative arts empowerment, multimedia expression, and training. Girls will foster their storytelling skills and be exposed to multiple creative channels such as video, music, and podcast production. WestportLibrary.org

and passion. The sauces are made in-house, even the allioli or mayonnaise and the fish and meat is delivered daily. W W W . D E T A P A S R E S T A U R A N T. C O M 180 POST ROAD EAST • (203) 557-0257 82

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Want to be featured?

Get in touch by heading over to our landing page to connect: CityLifestyle.com/Westport

architectural design custom homes . remodeling www.westportbuilder.com 203.227.1055 8 wright st., ste 107, westport, ct 06880

ERIC J. BRODER

CAROLE TOPOL ORLAND

SARAH E. MURRAY

CHRISTOPHER J. DEMATTIE

BRODER ORL AND MURR AY & DEMATTIE

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Divorce Litigation, Mediation, and Arbitration

MATRIMONIAL AND FAMILY L AW

Alimony and Spousal Support

Westport, thank you for choosing us as Best Family Law Firm!

Custody, Parenting Plans, Child Support, and Relocation Property Division including Complex and Alternative Assets Valuation Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements Preserving Generational Wealth Post-Judgment Modification and Enforcement Appeals

55 GREENS FARMS ROAD, WESTPORT, CT 06880 | 115 EAST PUTNAM AVENUE, GREENWICH, CT 06830

203-222-4949 www.ctfamilylaw.com NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

E x p eri e n c e M a t te r s Marilyn Heffers 203.984.1068

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Westport Lifestyle Magazine Fairfield County’s Best Realtor #2 Single Raveis Agent in Westport. Over $20 Million in 2021 Sales Top 4% Company Wide Honored to be recognized by the 2022 REAL Trends America’s Best List as part of the Top 1.5% of Real Estate Professionals Nationwide. Chairman’s Elite Luxury Properties Specialist Over 30 years of real estate experience and professional commitment to superior customer service with persistence, attention to detail, creative negotiating and communication resulting in a successful transaction

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NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / W E ST P O RT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES

Your Autumn Dinner Party Is Served Catering experts Chef Kyle and Hannah Williams, owners of Savor & Swirl culinary company, create an outdoor dinner party with chef-driven perennial dishes served in beautiful seasonal settings. For this alfresco Autumn Dinner Party, Chef Kyle draws on favorite fall recipes updated for a modern palate and paired with wine selections to complement the bountiful feast. Hannah creates an iconic autumn ambiance using artisanal table settings and mixed flannels for each guest to blanket any chill on a brisk evening. Whether for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving or a new November tradition, it’s time to get outdoors again surrounded in sweater-weather coziness while sharing bites and clinks with family and friends.

Insider Tips for Hosting: • Build a menu around the season. “In November, people crave turkey, sage stuffing and cranberry sauce,” Chef Kyle says. “Autumn dinners mean bigger-course meals with varied proteins, like turkey, duck and sirloin, hearty starches, and good fall produce, especially root vegetables such as butternut squash and pumpkin.” • Always greet guests with a beverage and appetizers. “Offer champagne for wine-lovers or a sparkling drink or signature cocktail. It’s all about serving guests to the highest caliber,” Kyle says. • Draw inspiration from the season’s changing colors, cooler temps and lower humidity to move back outdoors. “Think flannel blankets, wooden tables, fire pits, open grills, string lights and candles to create a really cool environment you haven’t been able to do all summer.”

savorandswirl.com Instagram: @savorandswirl, #savorandswirl

Want to see more? For this fall dinner party, Chef Kyle created the perfect dinner menu to tantalize guests’ taste buds. For a complete list of recipes, scan the QR code.

PA RT Y P LA N N IN G | L IFE + CULTURE

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IS IT

ADHD OR ANXIETY? QEEG Brain Imaging Shows the Difference - See the Brain Before you Treat it. QEEG Brain Imaging - Diagnosis based on Measured Brain Function. Neurofeedback - medication-free treatment for a range of issues including: ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Autism and symptoms of Long Covid.

Visit our website at: graymattersct.com

Effective and Measurable 203.291.0880 / info@graymatters.com 181 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06880 1455 East Putnam Avenue, Old Greenwich, CT 06870