Greenwich - March 2026

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GREENWICH MARCH contents

departments

14 EDITOR’S LETTER

16 FOUNDER’S LETTER Of Secrets of Self-Preservation

19 STATUS REPORT

BUZZ Training for life—at Greenwich Jiu Jitsu Academy, training builds confidence, character and community; New Executive Director Carol Cadou brings deep expertise and fresh vision to the Greenwich Historical Society SHOP Spring is in the air! We’ve rounded up the hottest trends and the chicest pieces that every fashionista will be sporting this season. GO Just a short drive from Fairfield County, Belden House and Mews is a serene escape that marries Victorian character with luxurious hospitality. DO Podcast host Wendy Lowy Sloane brings positivity to life’s hardest transitions; How breathwork helps quiet the mind—and free the body EAT Elevated comfort food ushers in a new era at Waveny Tavern by PXK.

52 MONEY MATTERS

With his mega-hit The Studio, Peter Huyck arrives at a moment where craft, experience and instinct align—resulting in comedy with real weight. by timothy dumas

YARD GOALS

We tapped top landscaping and pool experts to reveal what’s hot in backyard design— and how homeowners are turning their properties into true stay-and-play retreats. by tom connor

photography by katharine calderwood

How to know if it’s time to change financial advisors

54 G-MOM

A simple way to coax early blooms indoors—no green thumb required; Spring fun is in full swing—from bunny sightings to St. Patrick’s Day cheer.

59 PEOPLE & PLACES

Breast Cancer Alliance & Pologeoris; Greenwich Historical Society; Abilis; CT Against Gun Violence; Pathways; Glenville Volunteer Fire Department; Blosson Hill Foundation; YWCA Greenwich

73 VOWS

Freda–Moreira; Hubbell–Byrne 95 CALENDAR

107 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

108 POSTSCRIPT

A parade-ready ride

Your Family. Your Business. Your Charities. Your Wealth. Your Legacy.

At Cummings & Lockwood, you receive sophisticated and carefully curated legal advice based on decades of experience and tailored to your specific goals, together with the personalized attention and elevated client experience you should expect from your professional advisors.

n Private Clients | Trusts and Estates

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Greenwich Office 2 Greenwich Plaza, Suite 230 Greenwich, CT 06830 P: 203.869.1200

GREENWICH

LIFE TO LIFESTYLE SINCE 1 9 47

editorial

editorial director

Cristin Marandino–cristin.marandino@moffly.com

social editor

Alison Nichols Gray–ali.gray@moffly.com

founding editor

Donna Moffly–donna@moffly.com

contributing editors

Megan Gagnon–editor, athome

Elizabeth Hole–editor, custom publishing, stamford

Eileen Murphy–editor, new canaan • darien

Samantha Yanks–editor, westport

copy editors

Dave Johnstone, David Podgurski

senior writers

Timothy Dumas, Chris Hodenfield, Jane Kendall, Bill Slocum, Riann Smith

contributing writers

Eileen Bartels,Tom Connor, Beth Cooney Fitzpatrick, Timothy Dumas, Mary Kate Hogan, Elizabeth Keyser, Layla Lisiewski, Jill Johnson Mann, Jamie Marshall, Georgette Yacoub

editorial advisory board

Susan Bevan, Susan Moretti Bodson, Alyssa Keleshian Bonomo, Bobbi Eggers, Kim-Marie Evans, Muffy Fox, Lisa Lori, Jessica Mindich

art

senior art director

Venera Alexandrova–venera.alexandrova@moffly.com

production director

Tim Carr–tim.carr@moffly.com

assistant art director

Lisa Servidio–lisa.servidio@moffly.com

digital media

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Lloyd Gabi–lloyd.gabi@moffly.com

digital assistant Jeffery Garay–jeffery.garay@moffly.com

marketing

executive marketing director Kristina Herman–kristina.herman@moffly.com

Calendar@Moffly.com Editor@GreenwichMag.com Weddings@GreenwichMag.com

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GREENWICH

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A CENTURY OF BEING ICONIC

A South Florida icon since 1926, The Boca Raton is more than a resort and members’ club. It’s an ever-evolving enclave of extraordinary experiences, set on a private piece of paradise. Where generational stories have been written and the next chapters will be the best yet.

GROWING INTO THE JOKE

Greenwich has a knack for producing characters—people whose curiosity, confidence and creative restlessness carry them far beyond our zip code. This month’s cover story is about one of those figures, and it traces a path that’s as surprising as it is satisfying.

Peter Huyck’s early years were those of a gleeful rule-bender, a sharp-witted prankster who seemed allergic to restraint. What makes this story so compelling, though, is not the mischief itself—it’s what happens when that restless energy matures. In “The Reformation of Peter Huyck” (page 74), Tim Dumas charts a career that evolves from provocation for provocation’s sake into something richer: comedy with depth, empathy and a genuine point of view.

Huyck’s journey mirrors the arc many creative people experience, whether in Hollywood, Greenwich or anywhere ambition collides with reality. Early success gives way to setbacks. Confidence is tested. Taste sharpens.

Tim takes us from the high-school antics and magazine-era prank culture to the rarefied pressures of modern television, where the line between art and commerce is constantly negotiated—and often painfully blurred.

At the heart of the story is The Studio, the Emmy-sweeping Apple TV+ series that has cemented Huyck’s reputation as a serious comedic artist. But the show is less the destination than the lens. The laughs are still there—sharp, absurd, fearless—but they now arrive alongside tenderness, self-awareness and a clear-eyed view of the systems we build and the compromises we make within them.

This is also, in many ways, a Greenwich story. Not just because of where it begins, but because of what it reflects: a community that encourages individuality, rewards originality and—at its best—allows people the space to grow into themselves. Huyck’s evolution from prankster to artist reminds us that reinvention isn’t about abandoning who you are. It’s about refining it.

bwick.org/summer

founder’s page

“Stand up for what you think is right—and shoot off your mouth when necessary.”

OF SECRETS OF SELF PRESERVATION

As I have now officially entered my ninth decade on earth, people have asked if I have any special secret to self-preservation. Umm. Well, here are a few suggestions, in no particular order. Keep upbeat. Nobody likes to be around a sourpuss.

Never lose your sense of humor, as my grandmother used to say. My Jack loved taking Gammy out to lunch and having a few laughs. She was a real pip!

Don’t get sunburned. Never mind if your friends are brunettes. You’re a basic redhead and married a sailor. Lather up and cover up. Who cares if you wear your socks on the beach.

Stay curious (and brave). Don’t be afraid to try something new, even if you’re not much good at it. Mahjong? An Apple watch? Netflix? A balancing class?

Get vaccinated. Stick your arm out for anything that‘s offered (an easy walk-on at ShopRite).

Take care of yourself. The guys (usually guys) who pride themselves on never going to a doctor are often the first to drop dead of a heart attack. Why do women outlive men? In olden days, women cooked and took care of babies; men pushed the plow. Today, men sit in front of their computers, and women go to the gym.

Always have something to look forward to. Every day: A good book, a needlepoint project, a Liberty jigsaw puzzle permanently

set up in the family room. (Ok, I admit it, and a crossword puzzle book in the head.) Every week: Lunch dates with friends you need to catch up with; dinner dates and a glass of prosecco with friends you can bitch to.

It’s OK to say, “No” without feeling guilty. You’re a big girl now. Yippee!

Have Gary fix your hair every month or so. And while he’s at your house, ask him to change the burnt-out lightbulbs in the kitchen ceiling.

Have Bob Capazzo fix your neck if you look like a turtle in a photograph.

Have a tech-pro on standby. Mine’s name is Joe; but At Home in Greenwich can put you on to some good ones. Who needs the stress?

If you like what you’re doing, keep doing it. That is, as long as you’ve got your marbles. You’ll know when your time is up, or somebody will be sure to tell you.

Stand up for what you think is right—and shoot off your mouth when necessary. March for women’s rights. Go to No Kings rallies, yell and stamp your feet. Keep tuned into what’s happening politically. As a member of the Horseneck DAR, I want my patriot ancestors to be proud of me. After all, they were there for our first revolution.

Avoid people who annoy you. Life’s too short.

But Treasure your friends and relations yup, even your relations. And that’s Treasure with a capital T. After all, life is all about love, what? G

buzz

MORE THAN THE MAT

GREENWICH JIU JITSU ACADEMY OFFERS TRAINING AND EMPOWERMENT FOR ALL AGES

by jill johnson mann

Jeff and Jennifer Morris (then Jennifer Scaglione) knew of each other at Greenwich High School but weren’t close friends. They couldn’t have imagined then that they would one day be raising three daughters here and running a thriving jiu jitsu studio together. Their meet-cute story, in their mid-20s, took place at a doctor’s office, where Jeff was working as a medical technician and drew Jen’s blood!

Greenwich Jiu Jitsu Academy, the town’s only Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school, offers classes in the popular martial arts discipline for kids (from age five) through adults. Students come for the physicality of the sport—whether for selfdefense, fitness or the competitive aspect— but stay because they find a community that is deeper than a tousle on the mat.

when jeff returned to greenwich, he was thrilled to discover that royce gracie [above left], the top brazilian fighter, had opened an academy 20 minutes away.

“Most martial arts are very stringent with discipline and tradition,” says Jeff, during a chat on the cushy matted floor in the immaculately clean studio in Mill Pond Shopping Center in Cos Cob. “This is more real-world application, more of a creative space. It has grown into this amazing community of people.”

Jen, who is a private chef and former restaurateur, adds that it was critical to the couple that the studio offered order “but also felt like a second home. No one is talked down to.”

TRAINING WITH THE GREATS

Jeff’s roots in jiu jitsu reach almost to Brazil. After playing football at Iona University, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. “We had a significant amount of martial arts training in the military, and it was right upon jiu jitsu’s arrival in the United States,” Jeff says. “So, I was intertwined with some of the first Brazilians to come over to the U.S. and start teaching.”

Jeff recalls watching VHS tapes from overseas and thinking, “These little guys are so good at neutralizing bigger, stronger fighters who are trained in boxing and kickboxing and striking.” He says, “It became a big part of our daily culture at Camp Lejeune, because it was so fun, interesting and hard.”

When Jeff returned to Greenwich, he was thrilled to discover that Royce Gracie, the top Brazilian fighter, had opened an academy 20 minutes away. “I was training directly under

him, the guy I’d been watching on TV,” says Jeff, who was a personal trainer at the time and soon joined the Greenwich Police Department (where he is a forensics officer today).

His jiu jitsu skills came in handy. “They put me into the training department,” he recalls. “I was teaching six or seven different topics that revolved around defensive tactics for the Greenwich Police Department and a lot of satellite academies. That’s when Jen pointed out, ‘This is taking up a lot of your life, and you love it so much. Would you consider opening your own academy?’”

HOMEGROWN STUDIO

The skills originated in Brazil, but the teamwork and community feel of Greenwich Jiu Jitsu Academy were homegrown right here. Nine years ago, natives Jeff and Jen opened a small studio on Valley Road and soon outgrew the space. At the new location, 130 kids and 55 adults attend classes. The coaches come from education backgrounds. “One is a cello instructor,” says Jeff, illustrating there is no typical jiu jitsu enthusiast.

Traditional jiu jitsu involves a stark hierarchy, with bowing and lining up by rank. “I’ve purged out what I feel is unproductive,” says Jeff, who uses the same coaching modalities employed in Division 1 sports and insists teachers know students’ first names.

The value of jiu jitsu to athletes is becoming widely recognized. Jeff works with Division 1 basketball teams, pro players and the GHS water polo team. He trains pro athletes who live in the area and their kids. “They understand that athletic development needs diversity and that it’s actually pretty detrimental to just specialize and drive these kids into the ground playing one sport,” he says.

Jen chimes in that one class a week works. “This is one hour of jam-packed real-life learning,” she says. “You prep your kids for the SATs and all that, and then send them off. Don’t you also want them to be able to defend themselves? We have teen girls who can control grown men in the adult classes. I don’t know what more peace of mind a parent can have.”

Joel Smernoff, CEO of Black Umbrella, trains at the academy. “I have an emergency preparedness company,” he says, “so being able to defend yourself is important, and jiu jitsu is the most effective way to do so. I also love the problem-solving aspects of being in a live roll with a training partner and the incredible physical and mental challenges of the sport. GJJ has a unique community where the students are very competitive, yet love to help each other get better.”

Kids often come seeking confidence, especially if they are victims of bullying.

“About eight kids have used what they learned here to defend themselves in the real world,” says Jeff. One Greenwich dad comments, “First and foremost, my boys have learned from Jeff the importance of de-escalation and avoiding physical altercations if possible. However, they are well prepared if they have no choice.”

One of his kids encountered a playground bully and calmly challenged him to take it to the mat, where, he warned, “There is no way you will beat me.” His confidence and composure was all that was needed to scare off the bully. Another of his sons was pushed to the ground by an older boy at a sporting event. When he stood and the boy came toward him again, “He took the kid down and immediately moved to the kid’s back, where he had complete control of him,” says his dad.

GUARDIAN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

All students in need have received scholarships at Greenwich Jiu Jitsu. “I grew up in a very low-income household in Greenwich,” says Jeff. “I helped my mom as a janitor from age 12, and I had a Boys Club membership for 25 cents a year.” He’s grateful to be able to afford the local sports programs for his daughters but knows not everyone can. “From the beginning, we said we are not going to turn anyone away,” says Jeff. “We will verify addresses, and they won’t pay a dime.”

Guardian, an organization that provides free youth jiu jitsu scholarships globally, reached out, and GJJ became a part of their growing network. “Five years later, we have multiple international schools and are now the largest nonprofit scholarship organization in the entire world for martial arts,” says Jeff. Twenty-two families currently benefit from the program at GJJ. “If your child loves being here, send them 30 days in a row,” says Jeff. “They’re in a safe place, surrounded by great adult mentors.”

A parent comments, “Coach Jeff’s generosity and integrity are unparalleled. GJJ helps to build strong, resilient, stand-up kids with respect for themselves and for others. They not only teach the mentality of being warriors, but also of being gentlemen. We are so grateful.”

greenwichjiujitsu.com 219 East Putnam Ave., Cos Cob (475) 282-6825

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

The new EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, CAROL CADOU, guides the historic heart of our town into a momentous era

by jill johnson mann

The country turns 250 this year, and Greenwich Historical Society (GHS) turns 100 in five years. New Executive Director and CEO Carol Cadou, whose tenure began last August, landed on the museum campus just in time to guarantee no free moments for a good long time. In the midst of getting to know our town and its rich history, planning a year of robust programming to celebrate our nation’s Semiquincentennial and ensuring the Historical Society will thrive well beyond its Centennial, Cadou was kind enough to sit down with us and share what she has been learning about Greenwich history—and which events will be going into the history books for 2026.

Congrats on your new position!

THANK YOU FOR THE WARM WELCOME TO GREENWICH!

Do you have an early childhood memory of visiting a museum?

When I was in third grade, my father was a fellow at the University of Chicago. My mother wasn’t teaching that year and used every free moment to expose me and my brother John to the city’s rich culture. I remember being fixated on the cases at the Chicago Historical Society [now the Chicago History Museum] that displayed the glass and metal objects disfigured by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and wondering how Mrs. O’Leary’s cow started such a fire by knocking over a lantern. At the Art Institute

of Chicago, I remember staring at George Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte and marveling at the overall picture and the artist’s brush that made such tiny pinpoints on the canvas.

In your 30-year career, you have worked at NSCDA (National Society of the Colonial Dames of America), Mount Vernon and Winterthur. How will those experiences inform your work here in Greenwich?

Greenwich Historical Society has all the elements of a George Washington’s Mount Vernon or Henry Francis du Pont’s Winterthur—the historic house, art collections, library, archives and gardens. But the property and collections tell a broader story than of one great man

or one place. The Bush-Holley House speaks of a colonial family deemed by many to be loyalists during the Revolutionary War, with their economic and social positions suffering as a result. The house also offers a window into the transformation of a oncethriving commercial waterfront community to a vibrant immigrant community. The former Post Office and Justus Luke Bush Storehouse, as well as 19th-century Toby’s Tavern, add depth to understanding the maritime history of Greenwich.

What drew you to Japan after college to teach English?

What did you learn from that experience?

As a double major in political science and religion, I envisioned a year in Japan as an exploration

of Buddhism and Shintoism while taking a much-needed ‘vacation’ before law school. In visiting Japan’s temples and shrines, I became fascinated by the architecture, porcelain and sculpture. It led to my move to New York and Sotheby’s American Arts Course. I have not looked back.

Why did this position appeal to you?

After spending three decades in Washington, D.C., and an academic focus on Federal Period interiors, I was drawn to the breadth of history at GHS. The collections and buildings offer an exploration of the region from the 17th century to the present, with the extraordinary ability to tell of the frontline conflicts between loyalist and patriotic families as

well as the founding of American Impressionist painting at the BushHolley Boarding House. I hope this will put an end to my family teasing me that I don’t know anything that happened after George Washington died in 1799!

What was a surprising discovery in your early weeks in this position?

During my first months in Greenwich, the Board of Trustees were remarkably generous in welcoming me to their homes before the director’s residence was ready. I have driven along backroads, visited Greenwich Point, strolled historic streets and seen the town from the water. The diversity of the town and landscape is captivating. The views of Long Island Sound and Manhattan from Greenwich Point,

the rolling hills and landscape that seems so far from New York yet is a quick train ride away, and most of all—the rocks, or should I call them boulders?

My first few days here, I couldn’t keep my eyes on the road as another big, beautiful rock cropping literally popped up around each corner. I’ve loved learning about the GHS collections. The archival collections are beautifully preserved in our new library, as is the costume collection in an upstairs room.

I was amazed that these 18thto 20th-century textiles have been in storage for over 30 years. We are raising funds to have them conserved and prepared for exhibition. Curator Kathy Craughwell-Varda is planning a brilliant viewing in the spring 2026 exhibit Fashioning America:

The First 150 Years in Greenwich.

What is your favorite room or locale at GHS?

The terrace off the new museum galleries. It’s noisy due to I-95 traffic, but I like to stand there close to the highway and quietly salute the men and women— including Constant Holley, Hugh and Claire Vanderbilt—who ensured that I-95 was redirected to avoid the demolition of historic waterfront buildings. Their preservation is what allows us to bring early Greenwich history to life for thousands of people each year.

What is a historical treasure you’ve discovered at the museum that intrigues you?

I’m especially intrigued by an English tax stamp discovered on the back of a wallpaper fragment found in the earliest portion of the Bush-Holley House. The Stamp Act of 1765 was imposed on the colonies to pay for the recently concluded French and

Indian War. It charged a tax on all papers—from sheet paper, newspaper and playing cards to wallpaper. It was repealed in 1766, so the tax stamp on the wallpaper acquired by the Bush family can be closely dated as well as understood as a fairly lavish purchase.

What’s coming up that we should know about?

First Selectman Fred Camillo has tapped the Historical Society to lead the celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary. We have raised funds to support the Dutch Tall Ship Oostershelde anchoring in Greenwich Harbor with free tours to the public on Sunday, June 28, and are working on additional support to showcase American history, music and culture at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park the same day.

Our winter lecture series focuses on the people who immigrated to Greenwich during the early years of our country.

Fashioning America will open in the spring, and our fall lecture series, Founding Documents, explores the lasting impact of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Emancipation Proclamation. There’s a lot in store this year and as we gear up for the Historical Society’s 100th anniversary in 2031.

Tell us about your upcoming NSCDA publication.

My latest book, Great American Treasures: Women Preserving History Since 1891, was a collaboration with the many historic sites preserved by the NSCDA. It features buildings that speak to the diversity of traditions, architecture and people in a growing nation—from English Georgian houses on the Eastern Seaboard to a French colonial dwelling in Missouri and mission houses in Hawaii. It will be on shelves for America’s 250th.

I hope it will inspire readers to travel and learn about America through the rich lens of our preserved historic places.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your life?

As I am an American historian and museum director, people are surprised to learn I’m Canadian. My father is from Edmonton, so I’m also a huge hockey fan. I think we need to bring the Whalers back to Hartford!

greenwichhistory.org G

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THE SUITE LIFE

When it comes to the perfect post-holiday getaway, Litchfield County strikes all the right notes. For one thing, it’s within easy driving distance from Fairfield County. For another, it’s sophisticated and laid-back. Outdoorsy and cultural. There are fine restaurants, charming cafés and cozy coffee spots. Travel a few miles in any direction, and you’ll find enchanting villages to explore, glorious trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, a lake for ice skating, even local ski hills.What they lack in elevation, they make up for in customer service and a relaxed vibe. Throw in a stay at the newly opened Belden House and Mews in the historic town of Litchfield, and your getaway is complete.

Once home to a prosperous doctor, the 1888 Colonial Revival/ Queen Anne Victorian and adjoining Mews (built in 1959) is the latest luxe offering from the folks behind Troutbeck in Amenia (see greenwich magazine October 2025). Spurred on by that property’s success, owner Anthony Champalimaud and his investor group bought Belden House in 2022. Together with his mother’s firm, Champalimaud Design, they spent the next three years transforming the property, returning it to its former Victorian glory—and then some.

“It’s both a retention and a restoration of original details wherever possible,” says Champalimaud, who lives a few doors down with his wife Charlie and their two children.

“We focused on maintaining an authentic narrative that is reflective of a local sensibility to preserve, respect and reanimate these historic structures.”

Located on North Street, home to many of the town’s historic mansions, and within walking distance of the village green, the three-acre estate features 31 guest rooms and suites—ten in the main house and 21 in the adjacent Mews. A gracious front porch leads into an inviting foyer. To the right is a cozy wood-paneled and booklined library. To the left, a living room with curved bay windows, fireplace sconces and a silver chandelier that are original to the house. A lightfilled dining room opens into a snug bar painted an eye-catching green (Richmond Green by Benjamin Moore, to be precise).

“It was an opportunity to have fun, to not take it all too seriously,” says Champalimuad. “A bit glamorous, a little mischievous, and it looks great in that light.” This chic jewel box is a wonderful spot to perch before dinner, sipping one of Michele Alfonso’s signature cocktails—a house favorite is the passionfruit negroni. Upstairs there are a variety of rooms, Including several suites, and a 2,100-square-foot penthouse on the third floor. A fun perk—butler service is available for all of the rooms 16 hours a day.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Mews—the standalone building behind Belden House with a distinctly California midcentury vibe. The

rooms have a Zen-like ambience, all blonde wood and neutral tones. Some have their own little garden terrace, while others have balconies, some of which overlook the lawn and the property’s spa called Belden bathhouse. This inviting spot features a compact gym—complete with a Pilates reformer—two treatment rooms for massages and facials that incorporate Wildsmith products, a sustainable and clean line from the U.K. There is also a sauna, steam and a 225-gallon Japanese Ofuro tub for hydrotherapies and cold plunges—or hot soaks.

With its attention to detail and discreet hospitality, it’s no wonder Belden House was recently awarded one Michelin Key. “It’s a huge honor, especially considering

real estate

real estate

MORE THAN JUST NEIGHBORS

MORE THAN JUST NEIGHBORS

A CONVERSATION WITH THE MAGTAM DUO: REAL ESTATE, COMMUNITY, AND CALLING GREENWICH HOME

Q: You’ve both been very active in the Greenwich market for the past 20 plus years and recently Palm Beach. What’s the biggest shift you’re seeing in 2026?

A CONVERSATION WITH THE MAGTAM DUO: REAL ESTATE, COMMUNITY, AND CALLING GREENWICH HOME

A: ”Honestly? People are moving away from ‘just a house’ and looking for ‘lifestyle.’ We’re seeing families prioritize community proximity and home offices that actually feel like sanctuaries. The market is moving fast, but our focus is on making sure our clients don’t just find a property, but a place where they can actually grow.”

Q: What is the one thing most sellers overlook when hitting the market?

Q: You’ve both been very active in the Greenwich market for the past 20 plus years and recently Palm Beach. What’s the biggest shift you’re seeing in 2026?

A: “It’s the ‘Emotional First Impression.’ Everyone thinks about the price tag, but buyers decide with their hearts in the first 30 seconds. We spend a lot of time on the ‘pre-game’—staging, lighting, and telling the story of the home before the first person even walks through the door.”

Q: You two are known for being a ‘partner-led’ team. How does that benefit your clients?

A:

working as a duo, our clients get double the perspective and zero downtime. If one of us is at a closing, the other is scouting an off-market property for a buyer. You’re getting two dedicated advocates for the price of one.”

A: ”Honestly? People are moving away from ‘just a house’ and looking for ‘lifestyle.’ We’re seeing families prioritize community proximity and home offices that actually feel like sanctuaries. The market is moving fast, but our focus is on making sure our clients don’t just find a property, but a place where they can actually grow.” A: “Real estate isn’t a 9-to-5

The Closing “Real estate is personal. It’s likely the biggest investment you’ll ever make, and we don’t take that responsibility lightly. Whether you’re just curious about your home’s value in today’s market or you’re ready to find your ‘forever’ spot, we’re here to talk—no pressure, just honest advice.”

Find out 5 things you should do before listing in 2026, and book a casual coffee

we have been open less than a year,” says Champalimaud. “We are one of two Connecticut hotels to receive the key.”

One of the things that makes Belden House stand out is the wonderful amalgamation of historical accuracy, modern comfort and exquisite—often whimsical—details.

Who can resist trying to decipher the writing etched into the stone of the original fireplace in the front hall?

(Here’s a hint—it’s a famous quote from Macbeth.) Or taking in the way the library shelves are perfectly illuminated by the small bulb lamps by local ceramicist Charles Dumais?

(You’ll find his handiwork in the guest rooms as well as the work of other local artisans.) Or admiring the fish sconce in the living room, which was done by a friend of the Champalimaud’s in Malta?

Don’t even get me started on the hanging pendants in the bar with their jaunty fringed shade, the glazed tilework that surrounds the downstairs hearth’s grasscloth wallcoverings edged with elaborate swirls meant to evoke the Victorian love of pattern.

Just as at Troutbeck, it’s easy to slip into the rhythm of the place, which is precisely the point. For some that may mean doing little more than staking out a spot on a sheepskin-covered chair near the fireplace and whiling away the hours between meals with a good book and a hot toddy. For others,

it may mean enjoying time outdoors. (Check out the Explore section of the website, which features guides to all the nearby villages.) Join the locals who flock to nearby Bantam Lake for ice skating (or stick to the public rink behind town hall). Skiers will want to head to Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall for skiing and tubing or Butternut Mountain just over the Massachusetts line in Great Barrington. Book tickets and rental gear in advance, as both tend to be busy on weekends.

The White Memorial Conservation Center has miles of trails that are open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing—or hiking, depending on snow cover. Or take the time to meander through the many enticing lifestyle and design shops.

For starters, there’s Privet House, Pergola, Plain Goods and J.Seitz in New Preston. Nearby Washington Depot is home to George Home with is beautifully curated selection of midcentury, antique and vintage finds. In Falls River you’ll find Bunny Williams’ eclectic shop, 100 Main, and John Robshaw Home with its gorgeous collection of textiles and bedding.

Don’t miss a trip to Arethusa Farm Dairy, founded in 1999 by two former Manolo Blahnik executives. One taste of the ice cream, and it’s pretty obvious it is the byproduct of very happy cows. (Next door is the farm’s restaurant, Arethusa al Tavolo.)

There are many fine restaurants in

there is also a sauna, steam and a 225-gallon japanese ofuro tub for hydrotherapies and cold plunges—or hot soaks.

the area, including Community Table in New Preston and closer to home West Street Grill in Litchfield. But given a choice, I’d stick close to Belden House, where Chef Tyler, a Connecticut native who spent several years as sous chef at Troutbeck and in some of NYC’s most celebrated restaurants, does a terrific job of bringing out the best in the mostly locally sourced ingredients. My personal favorites are the pumpkin seed bisque and the fettuccini with bottarga and peekytoe crab. Come morning, it’s all about the buttermilk pancakes. They are the perfect way to fuel up for a day spent doing a whole lot or not much at all. beldenhouse.com G

TURNING THE PAGE

With THE REWRITE , Wendy Lowy Sloane offers a fresh, uplifting take on starting over

by beth cooney fitzpatrick

Wendy Lowy Sloane began her media career with a dream job working for the legendary talk show host Phil Donahue and produced radio shows for Geraldo Rivera and Danny Bonaduce (of Partridge Family fame) before launching her syndicated talk show What’s Up with Wendy at WGCH in Greenwich.

A few years ago, the former New Canaan resident switched gears for a more personal broadcast: a divorce-themed podcast, The Rewrite, which champions personal reinvention after all kinds of major life transitions.

We chatted recently about the positivity Sloane brings to tough subjects and her goal of inspiring listeners to rewrite their personal stories and begin again, just like she did.

GREENWICH MAGAZINE: The first time we talked, you had just launched What’s Up with Wendy. How did you go from a newsy, entertainment-style program to talking about divorce?

Wendy Lowy Sloane: During Covid, I stopped going to the radio station. I was recording from home in New Canaan. My kids were home, and I liked that a lot. And I began thinking, “I’m going to transform this into a podcast.” I had started out focused on newsmakers, authors and celebrities, which was my background

coming from Phil Donahue. But I was also feeling very reflective about some of the things I experienced going through my own divorce [2008]. I wanted to share some of the things I wished I had known, but didn’t. And one of the things that I had learned was that as bad as it can seem when it’s happening, divorce doesn’t suck, which is what we originally called the podcast.

The podcast did well, but I never really loved the name. I realized it really didn’t reflect the conversations we were having.

It wasn’t so much about divorce—and how to do that—it was about healing and the reinvention that can come from reclaiming your story.

GM: What didn’t you know about divorce when your marriage ended?

WLS: Back then, I felt like no one was getting divorced in my town but me. When this is happening and you have little kids, like I did then, it can feel isolating.  I didn’t have a lot of people to turn to, so I didn’t know a lot of facts. I didn’t gather enough information. I rushed through everything. In every state, there are rules about divorce that can really govern the process, and I didn’t know enough about those. I really didn’t know what questions to ask lawyers when I met with them. And one thing I didn’t realize was that lawyers are only one part of the team that you may need to support you.  You need financial advisors and other experts on your side, too.

GM: Are there any particular myths about divorce you want to dispel?

WLS: Just because you’re getting divorced doesn’t mean your life is over. And it definitely doesn’t mean that you’re a failure. Just because your marriage didn’t work—regardless of the circumstances—this isn’t a statement about your personal worth. It means that you are brave.

GM: What’s your best advice to anyone considering divorce?

WLS: Don’t stay for the kids. I understand all the reasons why people might do that, but the kids know there is something wrong. They always do. If you focus on reinvention and building a new life for yourself, that can be an inspiring thing for them to see.

GM: What about dating? How do you navigate meeting people today when the dating landscape has changed and so much of the connecting happens on smartphones?

WLS: I always tell people to do all of that slowly. Too many people jump right back in. I find that’s especially true with men; they seem to kind of hate to be alone.

But there are plenty of women who rush to do it, too. I tell people to learn to be alone. Take the time to reflect on what you’ve learned from your marriage. I am currently single by choice and have been for a long time. I didn’t pursue relationships when I first got divorced and my kids [son Jake and daughter Summer] were young. I wanted to focus on them. I realize that’s a choice, but it’s one I don’t regret. But for people who want to date, I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing on the dating sites. They are improving. I interviewed someone recently about the positive impact

become much less about the how-to of divorce and more about how to move on from what can be a really devastating experience. So, while divorce is still part of the conversation, I’m also thinking about widowers or people who’ve experienced job loss. It’s about healing in a way that could get you to lead your best life and to rewrite your story. It’s about saying, “OK, I fell down, but I can get back up.”

Just because you’re getting divorced doesn’t mean your life is over. And it definitely doesn’t mean that you’re a failure.

One of the things that I think sets me apart is that I’m committed to not going to the ugly or bad parts of divorce. They exist, but I don’t want to have this be about messy stuff. I don’t go there.  What I’m doing is intended to be uplifting. Recently, I had on a former Buddhist monk who now works to lead people through deep personal transformations, and he was full of so much wisdom. I’m really hoping to inspire people and give them some tools for really living their best lives.

GM: Who is your dream guest?

WLS: Maria Shriver. She went through this very high-profile divorce from Arnold Schwarzenegger, and she’s built a platform around purpose and reinvention. Through The Sunday Paper, her Alzheimer’s advocacy and her Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement, she has transformed personal pain into purpose. She knows what it’s like to lose a version of yourself and focus on what comes next.

technology and even artificial intelligence is going to have on them. It’s going to be harder to do things like fake a profile. I’m even encouraged by shows like The Golden Bachelor. It’s sending a positive message that we can find love again and rewrite our romantic stories at any stage of life.

GM: You recently rebranded and changed the name of the podcast. What was behind that?

WLS: We are now focused almost solely on themes of reinvention and healing. Sure, I may still have on a divorce lawyer, or marriage counselor or someone who has gone through a divorce, but it’s

GM: You’ve had your own rewrite. How would you describe it?

WLS: From my career as a television producer, to a suburban mom, to a single mom, to a radio show host and then relaunching as a podcast host, I have rewritten my story so many times.   And I’m still rewriting it. My kids are off living their best lives, and I’m so proud of them. A few years ago, I sold my house in New Canaan and moved to this amazing island community off Norwalk. I didn’t know anyone, and it felt kind of scary. But I love it here.  Every day I wake up and I’m happy. I’m living my best life, and I’m trying to help others do the same thing.

JUST BREATHE:

HOW TO CREATE A NEW PATH TO WELLNESS

by georgette yacoub

Jenn Warwick spent most of her life in motion. A college athlete and longtime tness instructor, she lived by discipline, drive and performance. On the outside, she appeared to be thriving. But inside, a quiet heaviness lingered—an unshakable weight that followed her from adolescence into adulthood.

“I didn’t even realize or identify that I was struggling with depression,” she recalls. “But it’s been a thread in my life since my early teens.” Perfectionism, relentless standards, a persistent inner critic—these were familiar companions. And even a er leaving a career in nance, the feeling persisted. It wasn’t until she became a mother that everything changed. “ ere wasn’t a speci c trauma, but I knew I wasn’t really living. It wasn’t sustainable.”

KEVIN SNEDDON

That was the turning point. Motherhood surfaced the emotional toll she had long suppressed. She left her highpressure job in finance and pivoted into the fitness and wellness world—a space that felt more aligned with her values but still didn’t fully address what was going on beneath the surface.

“That relief was good, but not enough,” she says. “I was still hypervigilant about the perfectionism. I felt like I was just spinning.”

Then she found breathwork. Warwick was introduced to transformational breathwork through trainers she worked with. She dove into journey work—a deeply immersive style of breathwork that spans more than an hour, designed to access the subconscious mind. “It’s not like you just take a class and feel better,” she says. “It was the first time I felt any kind of real relief. Talk therapy didn’t touch it, because I was masterminding my own story.

But when I breathed, my body could finally speak.”

That distinction is key. While meditation asks us to quiet the mind, breathwork invites us to move through it—to physically alter our internal state through breath alone. “When you’re doing transformational breathwork, you shift into a different brainwave state,” Warwick explains. “You move into theta, a state of deep relaxation. That’s when the subconscious opens and the protective mind quiets down.”

Sessions are structured like a journey. Clients lie on yoga mats, wearing eye masks and headsets with healing soundscapes playing. Warwick guides them through conscious connected breathing—a circular breath technique through the mouth for roughly 45 minutes. Sound healing frequencies and binaural beats run through the headphones, creating a full-body immersive experience.

“it’s

all about giving the body permission to release what’s been stuck.”

– jenn warwick

“when you’re doing transformational breathwork, you shift into a different brainwave state.”

– jenn warwick, founder of breathe for life

“There’s an arc to every session,” she explains. “We begin quietly, then activate the body. At certain points, people may audibly sigh, cry or even scream. It’s all about giving the body permission to release what’s been stuck.”

In her eight-session program, The Breath Shift, clients often experience powerful transformations. Some connect with long-lost parts of themselves. Others release stored emotional pain. “I’ve had people come out of a journey and feel like they let go of anger they’ve carried for decades,” she says. “They finally feel light.”

For those not quite ready to commit to a full journey, Warwick recommends starting with simple, daily breathwork to support nervous system regulation. “Three times a day, just take five slow breaths through your nose,” she advises. “Box breathing is great, too— inhale for four; hold for four; exhale for four; hold for four. It’s about giving your body a chance to reset.”

Even just nose breathing has an impact. “When you breathe through your nose, you signal safety to

the body. It slows you down. Your nervous system reads that and shifts into a calm state.”

Ultimately, breathwork gave Warwick something she never found in all her years of movement and achievement: access to her own inner knowing. “It’s a nervous system regulation process,” she says. “And when you have that agency in your body, you can return to yourself. You can ask, ‘How do I feel? What’s off?’ And trust what comes up.”

Warwick offers private sessions, group classes and her eightsession journey program in Darien and surrounding towns. She also has a new space opening in Old Greenwich at 26 West End Avenue, where she’ll be hosting small-group sessions. These one-off classes are designed for anyone curious to explore breathwork in a welcoming environment.

Learn more or book a session by visiting breatheforlife.net or following Jenn on Instagram @ breatheforlife_. G

eat

YES, CHEF!

New York's Peter X. Kelly comes to Connecticut

The lauded chef reinvigorates New England classics at WAVENY TAVERN BY PXK

Chef Peter X. Kelly has raised the Fairfield County culinary bar. The James Beard Award-nominated, Bobby Flay-beating chef and restaurateur has created a menu of high-quality comfort food, mostly New England in flavor, with a few delightful surprises. During our visit to the New Canaan 100-seat restaurant a few weeks after its relaunch, Chef Kelly’s finesse, technique and experience were on full display, complemented by attentive hospitality and a sense of ceremony that honors both the ingredients and the care the kitchen takes with them. Chef Kelly’s acclaimed New York restaurants include X20 Xaviars on the Hudson, which recently closed, and Basso by PXK in Chappaqua.

The large dining room has an affluent equestrian

to casual

or white-tablecloth

The large dining room retains its Ralph Lauren–inspired polo theme, having been briefly known as Waveny Polo Bar and Grill and, before that, South End. Hunter green walls adorned with framed illustrations and paintings of horses create a classic, refined atmosphere. Waveny Tavern by PXK welcomes guests for any occasion, from ladies’ lunch to after-work drinks or full-scale celebrations.

Two dishes, standout starters from the dinner menu, reimagine classic dishes. The New Canaan Clam Chowder arrives brothless, showcasing warm, tender chopped clams, brunoised potatoes and minced Nueske’s bacon. When the server pours the broth tableside, minced chives float to the surface, infusing the lightly creamy clam broth. No thick roux masking the fresh flavors of the sea. It's one of the best takes on a traditional clam chowder I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating.

Chawanmushi is a surprising and elegant addition to the menu, inspired by the chef’s trip to Kyoto. A server lifts the lid from a bowl, revealing jiggling custard topped with pieces of shrimp, crab, lobster and uni. Dashi is poured over the bowl tableside, enriching the umami and seafood flavors of the soft custard. Paired with crisp, tempura haricot verts, each spoonful delivers a perfect balance of comfort, richness and blissful texture that lingers long after the last bite.

The showstopper entrée and a must-have

ISAAC MIZRAHI

By Julie Foldesi & Stacie Morgain Lewis

“we

want to bring a high-quality restaurant to new canaan that can be the place where you come to celebrate your kid’s straight-a report card or the place you come for a saturday night blowout. our menu has comfort and some surprises.”

– chef peter x. kelly

opposite page: Warm Pullman rolls are served with rich butter topped with sea salt from Brittany. • The cowboy steak that beat Bobby Flay in an Iron Chef grilling contest. • The New Canaan clam chowder’s lightly creamy clam broth is poured tableside. • The cozy dining room invites guests to linger. below: Attention to detail can be seen in little accents, like the edible garnish of crisp translucent potatoes sandwiching a sage leaf, the crown of spun sugar atop the chocolate daquoise and the perfectly grilled spears of asparagus.

for a celebratory dinner is the cowboy steak for two—a 40-ounce marvel that earned Chef Kelly an Iron Chef win over Bobby Flay. It is an impressive sight, coated with a blackened crust of brown sugar and cayenne that adds just the right note of flavor to each thick slice. Two sides come with the cowboy steak, the platonic ideal of what creamed spinach should be (baby spinach leaves melting into cream) and a frothy Béarnaise loaded with fresh tarragon. Guests can also order a side of rich, truffled mashed potatoes or gingery-sweet potato puree. Chef Kelly is a master at elevating the humble spud. Most impressive are the whisper-thin, crisp, translucent slices that sandwich a sage leaf. This edible garnish embellishes the steak and the truffled potatoes.

Lobster pot pie offers another indulgent, shareable (or not) feast. Beneath a puff pastry hat, a sherry-laced lobster sauce bathes seasonal vegetables and chunks of lobster. Every component was perfect—tender lobster, brunoised vegetables, a slice of curried turnip and little hon-shimeji mushrooms adding texture, umami and fun. This is comfy luxury.

Lunch showcases lighter fare with equal care—like the Tuna Niçoise salad. Fast-seared bluefin tuna adorns this salade composée,

where each of the vegetables—cherry tomatoes, haricots verts, boiled potatoes and salad greens—are separately dressed in a spot-on vinaigrette. The attention to detail and technique was visible in the perfectly hard-boiled egg, the white flawless and the yellow slightly fluffy. Niçoise olives give the salad punch. Faroe Island salmon “a la plancha" arrives goldenseared—the filets resting on watercress sauce, with thick, juicy spears of grilled asparagus and gorgeously crusty wedges of roasted potato.

Desserts are equally impressive. The à la minute Napoleon, with crisp caramelized pastry, lemon curd, and whipped cream, is ethereal. Chocolate daquoise is another winner, with layers of genoise, butter cream and ganache.

Yes, you can certainly pop in for a burger or a bowl of rigatoni. The tavern is ready for all moods. But what sets Waveny Tavern by PXK apart are quality ingredients, technique and presentation. With its inviting atmosphere, refined menu and standout flavors, the tavern is far more than a neighborhood hangout. It has the makings of a culinary destination—one that draws diners for both its elevated comfort food and its memorable, expertly crafted dining experience. G

money matters

BY CAROL LEONETTI DANNHAUSER

SPOTTING THE RED FLAGS

March heralds spring cleaning: time to assess, organize, clean and purge areas you might have overlooked during the year.

P.S. Remember to include your financial adviser in that assessment.

As the seasons change and the years pass, your financial needs and goals change, too. Your financial gameplan should be adjusting as well, with investments and strategies tailored by a person who understands your unique

situation, says Hillary McGrail, senior relationship manager at King Financial Network in New Canaan.

“There can be 100 people in a room, and each person has had their own individual experience with finances, money and financial matters. It’s very personal,” McGrail says. The adviser’s job, she notes, is “making sure we understand everything that’s important to you in your financial life.”

When that’s not happening, it could be time to cut the cord.

How can you tell if your adviser is lacking? Look for the red flags, she says. McGrail spent the early part of her career guiding institutional investments and advisers nationwide before migrating to the client side. The switch proved eye-opening.

Prior to moving to King, she witnessed so-called advisers talking down to their customers or ignoring one partner over the other, only to backpedal when an unexpected money event, such as a big tax bill, arose.

BEFORE THE BREAKUP

“Red Flag No. 1: lack of communication and attention,” says McGrail. Good advisers reach out at least quarterly, even if that’s just with an email or a phone call to touch base. During meetings, your adviser should be “doing a lot less talking than you. You should be conveying what’s important to you, what’s new with you.” If your expert is doing more talking than listening, McGrail says, maybe it’s time to move on.

Red Flag No. 2: leading with a product instead of a query. When you buy something from your advisor and they make money, that’s transactional, not personal, and “it’s still the way many advisers are trained,” McGrail laments.

That leads her to Red Flag No. 3: lack of transparency and clarity on what you own and what your fees pay for. If you don’t know, it’s time to ask. Be upfront with your questions, McGrail recommends. Say “I don’t know what I’m paying for. What is the cost to me? How are you compensated? How does

your fee structure work? Where are my assets held?”

Your adviser should be forthcoming with these answers and have a team of experts— CPAs, estate attorneys and more—at the ready to help provide a holistic approach. At the end of the day, you—and they—should understand your risks and market exposure, your cash flow needs and upcoming goals and your plan for reaching those goals.

Breakups don’t happen fast. Steps leading to a split might include high fees, bad customer service, lagging portfolio performance or simply your money manager’s complacency, especially when the market performs well and gains seem to come on autopilot.

The average age of a financial adviser is 51, according to Integrated Financial Group. If your adviser is on the golf course instead of talking you through the financial challenges keeping you up at night, McGrail says, wave your own flag goodbye. G

Before you cut the cord with your current adviser, consider your next move: will you do it yourself or go with a robo plan? Or enlist the services of a money manager who actually serves you? Ask people you know and trust for recommendations. Do your homework and arrange some interviews. In your meetings, is the potential adviser really listening to you and asking about your fears, hopes and dreams? If not, keep moving.

Once you find someone new, that person can transfer your investments and take care of the paperwork, without you ever having to say goodbye to adviser No. 1. “If it’s someone close in your network or community, you can be gracious and say, ‘Thank you. You’ve helped us so much,’” McGrail says.’” But you don’t have to.

For five decades, BK Bates has served the Greenwich community with integrity, consistency, and trusted results—earning the confidence of generations of buyers and sellers. BK BATES

CONGRATULATIONS TO BK BATES ON 50 REMARKABLE YEARS, PROUDLY FROM YOUR HOULIHAN LAWRENCE FAMILY.

Real Estate Salesperson M 203.536.4997

BKBates@houlihanlawrence.com bkbates.houlihanlawrence.com

g–mom

by eileen bartels

FORCING SPRING

TRY AS YOU MIGHT, YOU CAN’T MAKE YOUR GARDEN BLOOM IN MARCH, BUT YOU CAN FORCE A LITTLE SPRING INDOORS WITH BRANCHES FROM YOUR YARD

GIFTS FROM THE GARDEN

Your yard most likely harbors a wealth of landscape that's ripe for the pruning. Trimming errant branches from flowering trees and bringing them indoors for forcing is a win-win. First, identify which flora you may have that’s suitable for spring forcing. (Not all plants take to indoor vase conditions.) Forsythia, quince and flowering cherry branches will bloom indoors. Next, choose where you plan to showcase your blooms. Keep in mind that when the branches come to life in a few weeks, they’ll fill out. Last, head to the garden with sharp, clean garden shears, and cut branches a few inches longer than you need.

Once inside, cut the branches again under running water at an angle to allow them to take in the most hydration. Some gardeners swear by smashing or scoring the bottoms of their branches. Wrap the bottom of a freshly cut branch in a dish towel or newspaper and gently smash the bottom inch with a hammer. Or score the bottom of the branch by using a knife or vegetable peeler to remove the bark on the bottom. Ask kids to help to add an element of science. Try several methods, and ask young helpers to monitor and record the results to see what works best.

Finally, set branches in a vase filled with lukewarm water. Some gardeners start branches out of direct light in a cooler spot in the house to allow them to acclimate to the warmth of the indoors.

Let nature take its course, and watch the blooms appear over the next few weeks. Remember to refresh water weekly. This can be tricky when the delicate leaves and blossoms are emerging. One hack is to use a turkey baster to drain the dirty water from the vase. It's a slower process, but it protects the new buds and only needs to be done weekly.

GOOD CHOICES

Regionally good options for forcing branches are magnolia, flowering quince, flowering cherry, dogwood and forsythia. Let color be your guide: Forsythia blooms in yellow, magnolia in creme to deep pink, quince in scarlet, pink and white, dogwood in blush to magenta and cherry from pale white to rose. But some branches bloom longer and create less mess, so do a bit of research to determine which fit your style. Forsythia yields a faster bloom but fades and drops with equal speed.

ONE-STOP SHOP

If you don’t want to trudge through the mud to cut your quince or cherry branches, local garden stores, nurseries and florists typically have branches available for immediate gratification. One of my favorite hidden sources is Cos Cob Farms at 63 East Putnam Avenue. This small gem of a grocer boasts a good supply of fresh flowers and seasonal branches.

FANTASTIC FAUX

If you’d prefer to avoid the mess that live branches will inevitably leave on your table, select faux floras. Welcome spring with elegant faux spring branches with Diane James arrangements. Consider the AERIN x Diane James blooming quince in the Mirabelle tall vase or any of the faux floral couture arrangements featuring plum, dogwood or magnolia branches. If you have something unique in mind, you can order a custom arrangement. The company is located in Norwalk. Hand-tied branches start at $450, and new designs are available regularly. dianejameshome.com

START A TRADITION

My family tradition is to decorate blooming spring branches with origami paper cranes. On Ash Wednesday, my branches go up, and out comes my crystal bowl brimming with colorful origami paper birds.

In Japanese culture, cranes symbolize peace. Crafty parents can include kids in the origami bird making with kits from Michael’s or local craft stores or using online tutorials. I purchase mine from Amazon and tie a simple ribbon to each.

Our family celebrates the Lenten season. The idea that what appears lifeless may hold hope and promise inspires me. Renewal and rebirth are the cornerstones of this season.

Celebrated in Christianity, Lent spans the 40 days leading up to Easter. When I was growing up, many families were encouraged to give something up. For years I used it as a time to cut calories, limit liquor or any habit. But with my own children, I moved us toward doing something versus giving something up. Doing good deeds, showing kindness to others, engaging in charitable acts or starting a good habit.

I realized that something everyone could benefit from was to make a wish. From manifesting to praying, it all starts with a clarity of thought. I embrace Lent as an opportunity for anyone passing through our home to take a moment, pick a beautiful bird from our bowl, say a wish and hang it on a branch. As the days go by, the branches explode with birds and blossoms. The cranes are recycled annually and carry a season of secret hopes and dreams from one year to the next.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

by layla lisiewski

FROM BUNNY-APPROVED BASHES AND FLOWER CROWNS TO PARADE-DAY FUN AND AN EASTER FEAST MADE EASY, HERE’S HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE SEASON

No. 2 FLOWER POWER

Greenwich public schools may be closed on Monday, March 9, for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade, but the Greenwich Botanical Center is open and ready to entertain. Flower Crowns for Families is a hands-on workshop (recommended ages are four and up) where attendees can create wearable art using flowers, greenery and ribbon. Guided by an instructor, participants will learn basic techniques to design beautiful, personalized flower crowns. greenwichbotanicalcenter.org

No. 1 EVERYBUNNY LOVES A PARTY

Register today for the annual Greenwich Moms Easter Eggstravaganza. Enjoy Easter fun on Good Friday, April 3 at the Greenwich Historical Society. Plenty of entertainment will be on hand for the littles—an egg hunt, a DJ, a bubble show, Chicken Joe’s food truck and, of course, a visit from the Easter Bunny. greenwichmoms.com

No. 3 GO GREEN!

There’s one day of the year when everyone is Irish. Join in on the fun at the 50th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 22. The parade begins at Town Hall and continues down Greenwich Avenue to Steamboat Road. Parking restrictions start at 10 a.m. There will be no parking on the east side of Greenwich Avenue from West Putnam Avenue to Steamboat Road and on the west side of Greenwich Avenue from Bruce Place to Steamboat Road. greenwichct.gov

No. 4 HOP TO THE TABLE

Want to make an Easter feast without the fuss? ONTHEMARC catering has you covered. Try this delicious easy meal that feeds six to eight. onthemarcevents.com

Ingredients

• 2 bunches of jumbo asparagus (trim woody ends)

• 1 cup, aioli (make it from scratch or choose your favorite store bought brand)

• 4 lemons

• 2 tbs. olive oil

• 2 tsp. ground black pepper

• Kosher salt, as needed

• 2 stalks of leeks (remove greens, thoroughly wash)

• 1 cup cold oil

(avocado, canola, soy or grapeseed)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• While waiting for the oven to preheat, place your aioli in a bowl. Add the zest and juice from 2 lemons.

• Whisk thoroughly. It should be loose enough to drizzle from a spoon.

• Set aside for later.

Ingredients

• 12 cloves of garlic (peeled and roughly chopped)

• 7 lbs. leg of lamb

• Salt and pepper

• 3 tsp. paprika powder

• 3 tsp. garlic powder (or onion powder)

• 2 Tbs. olive oil

• 2 large onions, quartered

• 10 sprigs of thyme

• 3 sprigs of rosemary

• 3 tsp. dried oregano

• 3 dried bay leaves (or 5 fresh)

• ½ cup lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons)

• ½ cups white wine (can substitute with low-sodium chicken broth or stock)

• 2 cups of chicken broth

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

• Score the lamb ¼-inch deep in a crosshatch pattern, season generously with salt and pepper.

• In a bowl, combine garlic, paprika, garlic powder and olive oil, whisk together.

• Split leeks from tip to root.

• Trim off root.

• Lay layer side down. Cut into halfmoons as thinly as possible.

• Place the oil and leeks in a frying pan on medium.

• When they start to turn golden brown, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

• Sprinkle with salt, and set aside for later.

• In another bowl, add asparagus, zest of 2 lemons, salt, pepper and olive oil, tossing gently to combine.

• Transfer asparagus to a parchmentlined roasting pan, spread evenly in one layer.

• Roast for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender.

• Transfer asparagus to a platter, drizzle with lemon aioli and lemon juice, sprinkle with crispy leeks.

• Serve immediately.

• Rub mixture over the lamb. Place on a roasting rack, and cook for 30 minutes.

• While lamb is roasting, combine onions, thyme, rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, lemon juice, white wine and chicken stock.

• Remove lamb from oven, place onion mixture in the roasting pan, flip over lamb, and place back in the oven. Turn temperature down to 275 degrees.

• Cook for about 1½ to 2 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees.

• Remove from oven, and let rest for 30 minutes.

• Move to cutting board, and slice into ½ slices across the grain.

• Serve immediately. G

of Greenwich Moms and its parent company, The Local Moms Network, shares some of her favorite things to do—from seasonal activities to can’t-

up for the newsletter and check out the calendar at greenwichmoms.com.

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.

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people&PLACES

Cozy & Chic

POLOGEORGIS and Kelly Killoren Bensimon recently hosted a Sip & Shop at the Greenwich brand’s boutique benefiting the Breast Cancer Alliance (BCA). The evening marked the launch of the eighth season of EnVille by Kelly Killoren Bensimon and kicked off a 10-day fundraising partnership supporting BCA’s mission to advance breast cancer research and patient care. While shopping, guests sipped Château de Berne rosé sponsored by Provence Rosé Group. Nick Pologeorgis, president of the family-owned luxury brand, noted that the ongoing collaboration continues to bring “new inspiration, energy and purpose” to the collection. pologeorgis.com and breastcanceralliance.org »

Wrap It Up

The mood was festive chic at the opening night of the Greenwich Historical Society’s Holiday Boutique at Greenwich Country Club. Guests got first dibs at an array of fabulous gift items while enjoying libations and entertainment by members of the Greenwich High School jazz ensemble. Proceeds from the event support the Society’s exhibitions and education programs. greenwichhistory.org »

During tumultuous times, the law firm representing you matters.

Parrino|Shattuck, PC has a well-earned reputation for assisting clients in complex and high-asset matters. We will work together to identify your concerns and achieve your objectives.

Our experience includes the valuation of complex or unique assets, such as businesses, deferred compensation, stock options, art and automobile collections, and other similar assets. We also act as rescue counsel in situations where you are not satisfied with your current representation.

Steps for Success

Tod’s Point was the place to be for the 20th annual Walk/Run for Abilis. Longtime advocates and supporters Adriana Ospina and David Gortz, who helped launch the first Walk/Run event two decades ago, served as family ambassadors. The Abilis organization supports more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families throughout their lives. abilis.us »

onnecticut Against Gun Violence recently held its annual benefit at l’escale.

Hundreds of guests from all over Fairfield County came out to support the organization’s efforts to encourage bipartisan and social gun violence prevention efforts. Keynote speaker Jens Ludwig, Director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, economist and author of Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence, delivered powerful remarks and led a successful evening of education and fundraising. cagv.org »

A Step Back in Time

Pathways’ annual gala brought the spirit of the Roaring Twenties to l’escale for an evening of purpose. Guests gathered to support a strong, compassionate community in which mental health is embraced and supported. The organization helps to provide stable housing, essential services and hope for adults living with mental health challenges. The night celebrated the power of coming together to create lasting change. pways.org »

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Sue to the Rescue

The Glenville Volunteer Fire Company recently hosted its eleventh annual David N. Theis Award ceremony at the Tamarack Country Club. The evening honored Sue Moretti Bodson for her outstanding service to the community. The evening brought together local leaders, residents and philanthropic partners to celebrate Sue’s volunteer legacy, which includes leadership roles with the Junior League of Greenwich, the Town of Greenwich Parks and Recreation Board and Foundation, the Bruce Museum and the Greenwich Alliance for Education, among other organizations. The benefit raised funds for the Fire Company’s specialized emergency equipment while honoring the “spirit of service” that the late Dave Theis championed. glenvillefire.org. »

1 Selectwoman Lauren Rabin, Sue Bodson, First Selectman Fred Camillo, Selectwoman Janet Stone McGuigan 2 Karen and Anthony Moor, Peter Tesei, Hector Arzeno 3 Rachel and Brian Matthews

4 Alessandra Messineo Long, Nancy Coughlin 5 Tim Harkness, Ron and Kathy Steinma 6 Bella and Craig Albanese, Judy and Carmen Moretti, Sue and Mike Bodson, Michelle Albanese

7 Carmen Belmont, Kim Commaroto, Hannah Storm, Katie Cosby

8 Sue and Mike Bodson 9 Members and friends of the Glenville Volunteer Fire Department

Investing in the Future

Blossom Hill Foundation recently celebrated its Guardian Circle with an intimate farm-to-fork dinner at Seven Bridges in Greenwich. The evening brought together dedicated supporters for an opportunity to meet three of the Foundation’s fellows—young leaders implementing programs in Syria, Jordan and the West Bank. Rami Khader runs a psychosocial play therapy program for children in the West Bank. George Batah heads up a college coaching program for Syrian students. And Daisy Van-Leeuwen-Hill leads the Squash Dreamers program for refugee girls in Jordan. The fellows shared how Blossom Hill’s programs create pathways to healing and opportunity for youth in conflict zones and beyond. blossomhill-foundation.org »

Afsaneh Amir-Aslani 7

Opportunity

Is Priority

The YWCA Greenwich Fall Party, cochaired by Angela Chambers, Dawn Israel and Megan Sullivan, was an elegant night to remember with dancing, dinner and music from MOJO. The event raised crucial funds to support financial aid for children from all over Greenwich to participate in the Y’s programs. The organization is committed to providing high-quality, enriching programs, which include an NAEYC-accredited preschool, an ACAaccredited summer camp, after-school care, swimming, baseball and gymnastics. ywcagreenwich.org G

1 Dawn Israel, Angela Chambers, Megan Sullivan

2 Stephanie Kruse 3 Lauren Walsh, Karen Amen, Lindsay Barth 4 Saam and Tania Azar 5 Guest listening to the inspiring speeches 6 Natalie Stein, Joanna Pisani, Nina Bliley, Katherine Shen 7 Nick Cavataro 8 John and Ashlee Morningstar 9 David and Anne Juge, Mary Lee Kiernan

For nearly 25 years, Privé-Swiss has set the global standard in private luxury mental health care. Trusted by executives, professionals, and other high-functioning individuals worldwide, we welcome only a few clients at a time for exceptional privacy, personalized attention, and fully customized care. Located on the serene Connecticut shoreline, our clinically-intensive programs offer a tranquil setting to find the clarity and strength needed for lasting change.

Call (800) 866-2948 or visit priveswiss.com

MEET FLOWCODE, THE NEXT GENERATION OF QR CODES

Go ahead, try it out. Point your phone’s camera at the Flowcode to scan.

by alison nichols

Jennifer was just beginning her doctor of physical therapy program at Sacred Heart University as Andres was completing his master’s in healthcare administration at George Washington University. She needed to become CPR-certified. Her brother, who volunteered alongside Andres at the Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol, knew Andres taught CPR for Greenwich EMS and introduced them. The pair arranged a private CPR class at the Cos Cob Firehouse—and, well, sparks flew.

Jennifer and Andres moved in together at the start of the pandemic and found joy in simple routines like bringing breakfast on a Saturday to the Belle Haven Club to enjoy the peaceful views along the water. The club was special to them, as Andres grew up there. So he knew BHC was the perfect spot to propose.

One evening, Andres led Jennifer up to the top deck overlooking the water, where flowers and floating candles were waiting. As he got down on one knee, their families and closest friends were secretly gathered downstairs, sneaking peeks and holding back their excitement as they watched the proposal unfold.

Rev. Michael K. Jones officiated at the ceremony at Saint Mary Church, and the reception followed at Innis Arden Golf Club. In one of many touching moments, Jennifer shared a dance with her grandfather, Joe, to one of his favorite Italian songs.

The bride, daughter of Benjamin and Patricia Freda of Greenwich, graduated from Greenwich High School and Sacred Heart University. Jennifer is a physical therapist at Stamford Hospital.

The groom, son of Manuel and Silvia Moreira of Greenwich, graduated from Greenwich High School, Syracuse University and George Washington University. Andres is a hospital administrator for Mount Sinai Health System in New York.

The newlyweds honeymooned in Newport, before returning home to Greenwich.

Kaitlyn and Michael met while playing shuffleboard late one summer night at Sam’s Bar & Grill in Port Chester. They would soon reconnect by way of a mutual friend on Instagram, and ended up watching the Fourth of July fireworks together from a boat. Sparks flew both in the sky and between them.

Six years later, Michael proposed at Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid when the couple were skiing. The wedding happened during an unexpected Nor’easter on Nantucket. It was raining sideways from Thursday night into early Sunday morning. As a result, the tent that the mother of the bride had worked so hard to design was never put up. The couple had to pivot and turn an outdoor wedding into an indoor one; but thankfully, they were able to celebrate with all their friends and family.

Rev. Jodi Fondell officiated at the ceremony at the First Congregational Church in Nantucket, and a reception followed at the Westmoor Club.

The bride, daughter of Peter and Wendy Hubbell of Greenwich, graduated from Kent School. Kaitlyn works for Xcel Brands in New York.

The groom, son of Thomas and Megan Byrne of Old Greenwich, graduated from Greenwich High School. Michael works remotely for Bradford Aquatic Group

The newlyweds honeymooned in Zermatt, Switzerland. They live in Stamford. G

WITH A HIT SHOW, THE STUDIO, THE ONE-TIME PRANKSTER TURNS SERIOUS COMEDIC ARTIST

ACT ONE

Among the most mischievous youths ever to spring from the loins of Greenwich was one Peter Huyck.

When I last encountered him, a quarter century ago at his parents’ lovely home in Belle Haven, he regaled me with tales of his knavery. It all began (he delighted to say) at Greenwich High School. He’d transferred there from the Brunswick School, whose strict jacket-and-tie ethos had suppressed the demonjester in him. The thing was evidently dying to pop loose. And pop loose it did, as he surveyed epic scenes of anarchy at the GHS of 1987. “The water balloon fights and the mayhem and the streaking—that kind of stuff you just don’t get at other schools,” he’d told me with a nostalgic sigh.

Somehow, Huyck got put in charge of SRO, the senior class’s annual theatrical production. The show touched heavily on the delicate subject of headmistress Eileen Petruzillo’s iron-fisted rule—a rule that, to the dismay of many, dampened the school’s reputation for antic lunacy. One skit not aimed at the humorless headmistress vaulted well beyond the pale. It was a faux TV commercial—in the Saturday Night Live mode—for very large diamonds. Huyck persuaded a bevy of young beauties to take off every stitch of clothing, save the essential bits, and to lasciviously stroke a diamond as big as a softball. (Now that one thinks of it, one can see how this sketch chafed a Greenwich nerve.)

He filmed the commercial at his house while his parents—the eminently decent Philip and Mary Huyck—retreated to the wings, clutching their foreheads.

“It was as near to pornography as we could do in high school,” their son fondly reminisced. When the time came to show his handiwork to a packed house on opening night, Huyck planted himself among parents and grandparents and other innocent parties in the auditorium, the better to gauge their reaction. “I remember thinking, ‘This is going pretty good.’ Just then, the cheerleader coach comes storming up the aisle and out.” Huyck slapped his thigh at the memory. Outrage was mother’s milk to him. “If people didn’t get up in arms, what would be the point?”

In 1994, Huyck fetched up at Spy magazine. Do you remember Spy? The

Top: Last September, The Studio collected 13 Emmys, a record for a comedy series. Huyck, pictured with Seth Rogen, won for Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Comedy Series. bottom: The cast and crew front: Huyck, Rogen, late actress Catherine O’Hara and co-creator Alex Gregory; back: Executive Producer James Weaver, actor Ike Barinholtz, cocreator Frida Perez and actress Chase Sui Wonders

satirical magazine reveled in afflicting the comfortable—the tasteless rich, the unjustly famous, the curiously influential. These folks duly feared being mentioned in Spy’s remorseless pages. (“It’s a piece of garbage,” said Donald Trump.) Huyck, along with his creative partner, Alex Gregory, was hired as a sort of cultural guerrilla, a merry prankster who baited Republican congressmen into disparaging First Lady Hillary Clinton’s looks (“She wouldn’t pass the Bono test”: Sonny Bono). Who got Christian bigwigs Jerry Falwell and Ralph Reed to answer dopey questions like, “Who would win at one-on-one basketball—Charles Barkley or Jesus?” (Both said Jesus.) Who conducted interviews on weighty subjects with phone sex operators. (“Milton Friedman makes me hot,” one confessed.) Who set themselves up as the editors of Cue Ball, a “bald pride” magazine that phoned celebrity publicists purporting to have, with plans to publish, candid photos of their richly coiffed clients without their toupees on. (Fabio’s man was apoplectic: “The next time he has an appearance, go by and see him and pull on his hair, OK?”)

Huyck and Gregory’s boss at Spy, Owen Lipstein, offered frank insight into the duo’s sociopathic chemistry. “I’d describe Pete as having a truant disposition. And he’s perfectly willing to do the lowbrow stuff, the fart jokes. Alex is more thoughtful, more melancholy.” This rare admixture—lawless effervescence and droll misery—proved shockingly remunerative. In 1996, Huyck and Gregory ascended to the writing staff of Late Night with David Letterman—a particular coup for Huyck, who, as a boy, after the other Huycks had gone to bed, would sit at his mother’s portable kitchen TV and imbibe the quirky Letterman humor.

“I just remember him being the guy that I wanted to be, wanted to work with, wanted to write jokes for—anything,” Huyck recalled. “Dave was my guy.”

Ever adventurous, Huyck and Gregory left Letterman after 18 months for their first sitcom gig, The Larry Sanders Show, starring Garry Shandling. Do you remember Larry Sanders? It was a sitcom about a talk show—a show about a show. Its audience was smallish, but its influence was huge, making Larry Sanders a sort of Velvet Underground of sitcoms. Shandling concocted an awkward, uncomfortable style of humor that today we call “cringe.” “This is where

it all began,” noted The Guardian. “The whole postmodernist, self-reflexive, fact-fiction sitcom thing.” Shows like The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Modern Family are its direct heirs.

The timing of Huyck and Gregory’s switch from printed word to TV screen—just as America had begun to jet-propel itself out of the literate age—was flawless. Flawless except for the fact that Shandling decided to end Larry Sanders after six brilliant seasons, but only one for Huyck and Gregory. Were they finally due for a stumble? No. Like mountain goats that skip adroitly from crag to crag, Huyck and Gregory landed at Frasier, then the most popular sitcom on television.

And that’s where I left the Peter Huyck story all those years ago.

ACT TWO

I saw him next on September 14, 2025. I was watching the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, coming to us live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. A new sitcom called The Studio, from Apple TV+, was pummeling the competition: It won 13 Emmys, an all-time record for a comedy series. When the presenters announced that, amid this avalanche of gold, The Studio had won for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, who should come bounding onto the stage but Huyck and Gregory? With them were Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Frida Perez. This quintet not only wrote the show, but created it as well; and Rogen and Goldberg (a longtime creative duo themselves) directed all ten episodes.

Rogen is the big name here, having acted in such humongous moneymakers as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Pineapple Express and Neighbors, and co-written Superbad, This Is the End and Sausage Party. Longtime Rogen-watchers will know him chiefly for a strain of comedy that features goofy, sex-addled man-children.

In The Studio, Rogen gives us someone considerably more high-toned. He gives us Matt Remick, a fellow who, though not quite a Hamlet, rates quite high on the conflictedness scale. As an executive at Continental Studios, Remick is caught in the classic Hollywood bind: to make art or to make money? He’s an art man himself (“Film is my life”), but new CEO Griffin Mill (played by Bryan Cranston) hasn’t an artistic bone in his body. He’s all

commerce: “At Continental we don’t make films, we make movies.”

In the first episode, “The Promotion,” Mill abruptly fires studio head Patty Leigh (Catherine O’Hara), Remick’s cherished mentor, after she’s put out a string of bombs. Does Remick quit in protest? Does he stick up for Patty’s vision of film-as-art? No. He lobbies for her job. His conscience is further stretched when Mill announces that he’s secured the rights to “the legacy brand of Kool-Aid.” We catch Remick’s look of bafflement as he wonders what the devil a Kool-Aid movie might be. Lest Mill sniff out the art-lover in him, though, Remick quickly embraces what he knows to be a terrible idea—and is rewarded with the coveted promotion. Thus begins Matt Remick’s comedy of answered prayers.

Critics adored The Studio’s debut season. At Rotten Tomatoes it scored 93 percent fresh. The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and The Washington Post all bestowed raves, as did Variety, Rolling Stone and Time, which called the show “one of Hollywood’s sharpest self-portraits in ages.” And what is the essence of that self-portrait? “A collective middle finger to the system, sent with love,” according to RogerEbert.com.

On Emmy night, I leaned forward when Huyck stepped up to collect his share of the writing prize. “I know that guy,” I said to my wife. She shushed me. Huyck was now 52, no longer a whippersnapper, but he barely seemed to have aged. (Green tea, blueberries and a daily skincare regimen are his secrets, according to Jessica Clements, his lovely, mystiquebusting wife.) Still athletically lean, still perpetually sunny despite the ravages of Hollywood, the only real change I noticed was the addition of some neatly trimmed facial hair. Arrayed in his gala finery, Huyck resembled nothing so much as a hip Dutch count.

Three weeks later, I saw him in person, at his mother’s house at West Lyon Farm in Greenwich. He was sitting outdoors, on the grass by a lake, in the embrace of a toile-upholstered wingback chair. He wore a blue tux (no socks), as if the Emmy after-party were still burbling on. He had a bottle of Veuve Clicquot at his elbow and an adorable French bulldog pup, Martin, in his lap. Standing nearby were the three crucial women in his life—wife Jessica, mother Mary and sister Laura—as a photographer etched the moment in time. This mise-en-scène, created by Huyck himself, projected a not-untrue aura of bankable, devil-maycare eccentricity. It also bore a genetic

trace of his grandparents Martin and Marie, the first Huycks to touch on the movie business. They used to dress up like stars, ride their tandem bicycle—silk scarves trailing behind—to Universal Studios, sneak onto the lot and picnic in the shadow of the Psycho house, waving to tourists who tried to puzzle out who they were.

After the image-making portion of our visit was done, Huyck repaired to the living room for the interview portion. It had been a heckuva year. There was the delirious high of the The Studio’s success. Also the sale of a Christmas film pitch, Foster the Snowman, to Apple after a frenetic bidding war. (Huyck had drawn the inspiration from watching Will Farrell in Elf with his brother, Jon, and Jon’s two boys. “It’s a beautiful movie. But you realize it’s been 20 years, and no one has made that kind of big, beloved Christmas movie since.” His partner on the project is the screenwriter Jono Matt.)

Then a crushing low: the death of his father, Philip, from pancreatic cancer, in June. Peter had dropped everything to be at his side. Laura recalled, “We’d be going through the darkest, hardest day, when all anyone could do was cry, and Peter would find a way to make us laugh. When you hang out with Pete, you don’t need Prozac.” Philip got to see the whole first season of The Studio and to hear the news about Foster the Snowman

The story of this prospective film is lovely but heartbreaking, so far as I can tell. It concerns a childless couple who adopt an adorable snowman and pack every joy and fear of parenthood into their little snowman’s brief life—72 hours. “I told my father the story, and we both cried, because it’s about how long your life is—and how you measure it.”

Maturity is the bane of the prankster. Whither the mischief? Whither the deviltry? In Huyck’s case, these things are not gone, but rather have been tempered in the forge and hammered into a new shape, a more graceful weapon. One that cuts ever deeper into life’s absurdities. In short, the prankster has become an artist.

ACT THREE

This dawned on me midway through the first episode of The Studio. So far, we have Griffin Mill’s vision of movies based on popular brands—or intellectual property—raking in billions of dollars. And then we have Remick trying to convince himself that such movies can still be art. But Kool-Aid? With its anthropomorphic pitcher of red liquid that bursts through walls bellowing “Oh, yeah!”? Oh, no. And yet.

“As we were developing the show, Barbie came out. And it actually was great. And it actually did make a billion dollars. So, we

put that into Matt’s head—that there’s a world in which you can have this perfect movie from an auteur, and it is also IP [intellectual property] and can make a billion dollars.”

It is then that Martin Scorsese—the real Scorsese—comes to Remick seeking financing for his magnum opus. This film will be dark. It will be disturbing. It will be violent, naturally. “What’s it about?” asks Matt. “Jonestown,” says Marty. “Granted, it’s fucked up.” We remember, of course, that Jonestown was a settlement in deepest Guyana led by the messianic nutcase Jim Jones. In 1978, Jones induced his flock of 900 to end their lives by—we’ll let Remick say it: “Now, correct me if I’m wrong, is that the massacre where everyone commits suicide by [pregnant pause] drinking Kool-Aid?” For a brief and shining moment, Remick imagines he’s hit upon a way to turn bad IP into great art. (I won’t tell you how the episode shakes out, in the hope that you’ll watch it yourself.)

Huyck & Co. believe that Providence played a role in the episode clicking together so neatly. (This is the one that won the writing Emmy.) They did not imagine, for starters, that Scorsese would consent to playing this version of himself. They just wrote him into the script as a kind of dream-get. Once he did consent, they worried he would back out, and when he didn’t back out, they worried he would find fault with their shooting style: “You’re only using one camera? You don’t have a second? This is catastrophic! You’re idiots!” That’s the Scorsese that went tearing through their daydreams. What Scorsese actually said was, “Huh. One camera. Like French New Wave. I love it! It’s run-n-gun! Let’s go!” (The look of The Studio, it should be noted, is appropriately sumptuous, full of golden light and sexy architecture.)

On

the set of Veep with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Executive Producer Frank Rich

Scorsese the actor could have been stiff and dull, but in fact he’s aces. After he finished playing a key scene, Huyck overheard him saying, “That’s the most fun I’ve had in forever.” The words fell out like a blessing. “At that moment, I think we all relaxed with this sense of, ‘OK, if we can have a scene with Martin Scorsese and he has a great time, that means we’re doing something right.’”

Real Hollywood folk crash the fictive world of The Studio with abandon. An episode titled “The Note” has the execs previewing a new Ron Howard film called Alphabet City. It’s fabulous, they agree, as the film draws to a climax. But then it keeps going. And going. And going. Who’s gonna be the one to tell Ron Howard to cut it—to tremblingly give him “the note”? To make matters worse, this “real” Ron Howard is no affable Richie Cunningham. No. He’s a “bald prick” who’s not above violence. “We thought,” said Huyck, “What’s funnier than Ron Howard with a backstory that he’s a very irritable guy who actually can be dangerous?”

In “The Oner,” Remick visits the set of

The Silver Lake, a drama directed by Sarah Polley and starring Greta Lee. Polley is shooting an exquisitely delicate scene—a “oner,” a long, unbroken sequence—at that precise hour of the day when sunset is at its most gilded. It’ll be a historic shot, Remick insists, like the oner that winds through the Copa in Goodfellas. And it’s his prerogative as studio head to witness it. He proceeds to ruin take after take, first with a mere whisper, then with serial blunders that rise to a Chaplinesque pitch as valuable daylight leaks away. (“The Oner” is itself a oner. In a case of life imitating art imitating art imitating life, the daylight was in fact leaking away.) The episode won raves, and Roger Ebert’s site called it “possibly the year’s best television episode to date.”

I watched the credits roll: “Written by Peter Huyck.”

Later, I asked him about “The Oner.” “Writing that was harder than any episode of anything I’ve ever written. It was almost like math.” He meant that since the camera never stops, words and movement have to flow together in a perfectly measured choreography. “You couldn’t have an extra line of dialogue or too little dialogue.” On-set, Huyck said, everyone could sense the mojo working. “We all felt, ‘This is special, whatever is happening now.’ We felt like we were catching lightning in a box.”

ACT FOUR

The road to The Studio was not as straight or smooth as one might suppose, given Huyck’s charmed beginnings. From Frasier, he and Gregory leapt to the popular animated sitcom King of the Hill. After that, however, our mountain goats faltered a little. They went to the short-lived Tracy Morgan Show, then to the shorter-lived sitcom The Jake Effect (cancelled by NBC before the first episode ran). Their foray into writing and directing for the big screen, A Good Old Fashioned Orgy (2011), starring the otherwise can’tmiss Jason Sudeikis, drew mixed reviews and seems to have lost bags of money. Capping this slide toward oblivion were three Huyck-Gregory network pilots that were filmed but failed to butterfly into series.

Not to say that any of this work was subpar. The cheerfully jejune Orgy, which in spirit harks back to H&G’s prankster days at Spy, has its rabid fans. (Online comments run the gamut from “One of the very funniest movies I’ve ever seen” to “Contains 143 profanities.”) The Jake Effect, starring Jason Bateman as a lawyer-turned-teacher, eventually aired on Bravo to excellent reviews. Huyck himself holds affection for the three pilots, especially The Pro (2014), starring Rob Lowe as a tennis instructor much like those he knew while working at the Milbrook Club as a

On location of white house plumbers

teen. No doubt some exec like Matt Remick, sitting in an office like that of The Studio, said “nay,” and something beautiful died.

In 2016 Huyck and Gregory landed at Veep—the hit political sitcom starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus—as writers and executive producers. H&G, fitting neatly into the show’s laugh machinery, were nominated for four Emmys and won two in their three seasons there. But they aspired to yet loftier crags. They wanted to be writers and producers and creators—to build something of their own—to be showrunners.

They seized upon the rich material that is Watergate. “We were finishing Veep right as politics in America was getting uglier,” Huyck said. “It had lost any patina of respect or decorum and descended into daily mudslinging.” A Watergate story with a dose of comedy seemed a good way to reflect, however slantwise, this current broken America. Robert Altman used a similar strategy in M*A*S*H, a 1970 film set in Korea that seems to be about Vietnam. “You can tell a modern story through a historic lens,” Huyck went on. “M*A*S*H allowed Altman to talk about war without saying, ‘Here’s what’s currently happening,’ which people were not so ready to explore. For us, Watergate was a way to show the beginnings of the cracks in our political system. To show that people were willing to do illegal things for what they thought was the right team. And if you were on the right team, you couldn’t be wrong. That was the belief. But they were caught.”

The six-episode White House Plumbers debuted on HBO in 2023. The story concerns Nixon operatives E. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson) and G. Gordon Liddy (Justin Theroux), the bungling architects of the 1972 break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters. The Watergate burglary constituted the domino that, in falling, took down the Nixon White House. But Huyck and Gregory bring out a sadness behind the bungling, chiefly in the illfated Hunt family. (Hunt’s wife, Dorothy, died in a plane crash in 1972 while carrying $10,000 in alleged hush money.) Some reviewers borrowed Tennessee Williams’s useful term “slapstick tragedy” to describe White House Plumbers. With H&G now bordering on the tragic, even the slapstick kind, we can mark an intriguing expansion in their range. Humor wasn’t just about laughs anymore; it was also social critique, an X-ray (with funny bone) of cultural disintegration.

One day, H&G were filming Plumbers at a prison in upstate New York. Harrelson and Theroux, who are like brothers with a bit of golden retriever mixed in, were engaged in their usual hijinks. In the show, Harrelson’s Hunt suffers a medical crisis, and Theroux’s Liddy must hoist him up and carry him off to the prison infirmary. Only, unbeknownst to Theroux, Harrelson had strapped weights to his limbs and torso, adding some 70 pounds to an otherwise medium frame.

Around the time Theroux was groaning, “Oof, what the—?” Huyck’s phone rang. It was Evan Goldberg. Huyck and Gregory had known Goldberg and Rogen for many years and had worked with them on scripts. (Their friendship ties back to Judd Apatow, who was a writer at Larry Sanders when H&G arrived, and later directed Rogen in the TV show Freaks and Geeks and in the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up.) “We have an idea

you guys might like,” Goldberg said. “Seth plays a guy who runs a movie studio, and in our minds it’s very inspired by Larry Sanders.” The tone would be perhaps warmer. “It’s about the industry, sure, but it’s really about humans. About emotion. But also funny.”

PLEASANT INTERLUDE

This, too, is about emotion, but also funny. It’s the Peter and Jessica love story. It commenced with a gathering on Thanksgiving 2018 at a mutual friend’s rental place in Costa Rica. A French chef had been hired to prepare the feast. But this feast, this magnificent duck, had to rest uneasily while everyone waited with dwindling patience for Pete to arrive. True, his flight had been delayed, but once in the country he texted a photo of himself having a beer with his cabbie. Then a photo of himself eating ice cream with the cabbie. Then a video of the cab careening down dirt roads and into creek beds and … The chef stormed off. The Thanksgiving Day celebrants ate in silence.

It was then that Huyck made his cheerful entrance. He brandished bottles of tequila and pumped his fists in the air—the instantaneous life and soul of the party. Jessica, a porcelain-skinned model and beauty influencer with a dusting of cinnamon freckles on her nose, looked at him and thought, “Who does this guy think he is? He’s so annoying.” Pause. “But also very cute.”

Laura once wrote a paper for freshman psychology that Jess would have found useful. It posed the question, “Is my brother insane?” The 12-page answer was yes—but in a good way. “The way Pete has always lived is fearless, stubborn, determined and totally committed to outlandish ideas,” she said later. “Pete’s still the most outrageous and the kindest person in the room.”

Soon enough, Jess discovered that second half. The two became friends, but at a distance, since she lived in New York and he in California. They met again at another far-flung destination—a friend’s yacht moored in Greece. “When he walked onto the boat, I remember turning and seeing him,” Jess said, “and we just locked in. The air was electric. Everyone kind of left the two of us to talk.

“Then the yacht dropped anchor, and we all jumped in the

water, and we were just buzzing around, and Pete and I had this moment where we were floating there face-to-face. And I remember thinking, ‘I’m gonna kiss him.’ But I was really nervous. He was such a good male friend, and if this went badly, I was stuck on a boat with him in Greece. But I thought, ‘All right, I’m gonna count down from three.’ I went ‘Three, two…’ “And on two, he kissed me.”

ACT FIVE

Matt Remick is, against all odds, a touching creation. In the first episode—in which he leaves Martin Scorsese crying into his drink—the idea occurs to him that making baddish movies might be more lucrative than making goodish ones. And this pains him. “I got into all this because I love movies,” he confides to Patty Leigh, “but now I have this fear that my job is to ruin them.” How one wishes this sentiment were not true to life. But it turns out that a 20th-Century Studios exec once uttered this line almost verbatim to a young Rogen.

“There’s a joke we tell that if you get behind the scenes, you’re not surprised by how many bad movies come out, you’re surprised that any good ones come out,” Huyck said. “Because it’s this delicate, uncertain business, and if you could game it and codify it and figure it out, you would never have bombs, you would never have things that are terrible. So one of the themes of the show is that making something that people want to see is shockingly hard. And every step along the way is a step where it can be ruined. And that is why it’s funny to watch—because it’s always stressful.”

We don’t know yet. In the season finale, we learn that Continental might get swallowed like Jonah—the whale being Amazon—and leave Remick and mates at sea.

Real-life Hollywood is living in a similar mood of foreboding. Box office sales are plummeting, and the streaming bubble has burst. A Great Contraction is throttling the Hollywood economy—productions are down, jobs have vanished—to the point where it resembles “a disaster movie,” according to the Wall Street Journal. President Trump noted in his own helpful way, “The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death.”

Inside The Studio writers’ room, however, the mood is unreasonably bright. This room is an actual sanctum on the Warner Bros. lot, but it’s also a six-way text chain—Sarah Polley has joined the original five scribes—on which jokes are pitched at all hours. “If you don’t look at your phone for a bit—you might be at dinner—there’ll be like 260 missed messages, because the writers’ room is up and running. Someone has an idea, then everyone’s riffing, and we all enter that creative flow state.” This easy chemistry begins with Rogen and Goldberg: They’re Canadian. They’re nice. There’s nothing of the tyrant in them. They want to make comedy that rises to the level of art, but they want to have a good time doing it, and this may be their secret recipe: fun in the process, fun in the result. “Everyone who works for them wants to keep working for them forever,” said Huyck, “because they foster this creative Shangri-La.”

So how has Remick performed? At season’s end, we suspect that he might actually know what he’s doing—that he’ll stumble into putting out good movies—even if he gets no respect from the creatives. (Contrary to popular belief, “suits” do contribute excellent ideas, Huyck says. But also lousy ideas, which you still have to pretend are excellent as you quietly back-pocket them.)

Will these movies save Continental Studios?

But what about those terrible storm clouds? Well, they have drifted into The Studio’s storyline, where they sit menacingly among the palm trees. Yet Huyck, ever buoyant, ever hopeful, believes it’s only a turbulent moment that The Studio is capturing. “However much of the news is grim and the business is contracting and changing, there are still people trying to finance movies and get them made. There are still people trying to make great TV shows. And you still have successes. So, it’s not done yet, but it is increasingly complicated.”

One review of The Studio, on the site Vulture, struck a gloomier note. It said, “The Studio laughs to keep from crying.” If the show is indeed writing Hollywood’s death scene, may the dying go on and on. G

Local landscape pros reveal the TRENDS INSPIRING HOMEOWNERS to rethink what’s possible just beyond the back door by tom connor

Backyards across Stamford and Fairfield County are being reimagined—not as leftover green space, but as an essential living space. “Yards matter,” says Heather O’Neill, owner of Second Nature Landscape Design in Norwalk. “People want their property to look beautiful and their houses to be the place to hang out.” As homeowners spend more time outdoors entertaining, relaxing, exercising and even growing their own food, local landscape designers are responding with ideas that blend beauty, function and a sense of escape. We spoke with area professionals who are shaping these outdoor spaces to see what’s defining yard design right now—and what homeowners are asking for this season.

THE RESORT STYLE POOL

One backyard element that continues to grow in popularity is the in-ground swimming pool.

“During and right after COVID, a lot of real estate agents were asking if there was a pool on the property and, if not, could one be installed,” says Mariana Demoura, co-owner of Oceanview Pool and Patio in Southport. “That feature was particularly important to home buyers moving from the city. If it’s hot out, people want to be in the water at home rather than go to a country club or the beach.”

Local landscape architects agree that a well-designed, resort-style swimming pool elevates a yard’s appeal and perceived value. And certain features are always attractive to owners. They include built-in seating, sunning edges and shelves, shallow ends for children, fountains, hot tubs, vanishing edges that connect water and sky and, for homes with a view of Long Island Sound, outer-edge glass walls.

near the pool include fountains and waterfalls, as the sound of moving water can often calm the senses while simultaneously masking invasive noise from the street.

“It’s not just the sound of splashing in the pool, but something that has a little rhythm. Just as we find peace in music, we find peace in the rhythm of water.”

Nick Ackerman, Glengate

These structural features are in demand today, but the water in the pool is also a powerful design element, with visual and audible virtues. The color in the pool, for instance, immediately draws the eye and soothes the soul. Other popular features

“When remote work became popular, people saw their houses not just as a place to sleep but truly as a place to live,” says Nick Ackerman, a designer at Glengate, the landscape, pool and lifestyle company in Wilton. “Amenities people found while travelling or on vacation started to be created on their own property.”

At the same time, says Ackerman, the company noted “a strong shift away from overly formal, high-maintenance landscapes. More people wanted environments that felt natural and livable.” Today, that’s translated to preferences for organic shapes over linear forms, and natural colors and native plantings around pool areas. These elements can do more than just create an aesthetically pleasing environment.

For a one-acre property close to a busy road and traffic in Ridgefield, Glengate introduced several water features to help drown out some of the distracting sound and create a more calming environment. In addition, a stand-alone spa close to

the house spills into a new swimming pool with a vanishing edge that, in turn, spills into a lower basin. A valving system with multiple levels controls the flow—and sound—of water emptying from the central pool to the basin below the vanishing edge, helping drown out the noise from the street.

“That’s where you’re getting the consistent calming sound of water flowing,” says Ackerman. “It’s not just the sound of splashing in the pool but something that has a little rhythm. Just as we find peace in music, we find peace in the rhythm of water.”

Meanwhile, the stonework that surrounds the pool—and other outdoor areas such as the dining space and firepit—continues to evolve. Plain slabs of rock are giving way to stone masonry threaded with ornamental grasses and gravel. There’s also a wider range of materials in use, from limestone, bluestone and granite to classic coverings like brick pavers, porcelain tiles, stamped concrete and recycled rubber pavers. As a result, today’s patio is more than an extension of a house’s indoor flooring. It’s a singular design element.

GARDENS BIG AND SMALL

One of the most colorful trends in landscaping challenges the notion that you need serious acreage to create eye-catching design. You don’t. What you do need are pots, containers and a talent for packing them to overflowing with as many plants and as much color and contrast as possible.

“A container with flowers and herbs and some kind of shrub softens the whole patio,” says O’Neill. “To have all that texture and color is like a garden within itself, and if you have multiple pots, you get multiple landscapes. And if you don't like what you’ve done? Rip it out and start over.”

O’Neill uses stone or composite containers to hold mixtures of practically anything that grows. She selects plantings that complement the style of the house and the size of the property. It’s also important to scale containers to a space. Small pots, for instance, should not be placed at the entrance to the house, around large dining and seating areas, or against the backdrop of ample acreage, because they are likely to get swallowed up.

Micro-gardens in containers can flourish all season, although some designers will change them out. Regular watering is critical for maintaining them. Most of O’Neill’s clients have sprinkler systems that drip water directly into the pots, so they don’t have to water by hand. One of the benefits of gardening on this miniature scale, says O’Neill, is that it allows for experimentation without a big investment in time and money. And the results can be amazing.

Last December, Sandy Lindh received what she calls an unusual request. “It was for plantings in pots, of vegetables mixed with edible flowers,” says the owner of English Gardens & Design in Greenwich. Soon after, other requests for the same type of containers came in. Some people wanted specific vegetables; mini-tomatoes, eggplants, snow peas and sweet peas were popular requests.

So, Lindh set off on a hunt for large, handsome pots and planters. She found some in a shop outside of Paris and others closer to home, at Pennoyer Newman, an online supplier of high-end garden containers made in Santa Monica, California. The containers are stone resin replicas cast from original planters from

the gardens of great estates here and abroad.

Now, Lindh and other designers are mixing flowering plants, shrubs, herbs and edibles all together in a single container. They position them around outdoor dining and seating areas. In addition, they plant grape vines and runner beans to hang over pergolas, and they grow espalier apples and other fruit vertically up outer walls. “People are asking for this sort of ornamental but veggie all-purpose look,” Lindh says. “We like to feel we're in this beautiful, allencompassing, edible garden room.”

Meanwhile, Homefront Farmers in Redding continues to see demand for the full-size vegetable gardens it designs and installs in raised beds protected by fencing. The company

says clients like the idea of practicing yoga and meditation, or simply enjoying morning coffee, near the flutter of winged things pollinating and gathering nectar in the gardens. But the real appeal is the opportunity to walk out the back door and gather greens for dinner and fresh-cut flowers for the table.

“Instead of having to run to the grocery store, burn gas and waste time sitting in traffic, you can pop out to your garden and pick a delicious, fresh salad for yourself and your family,” says Miranda Gould, director of operations. Customers’ most common requests for this season, says Gould, are heirloom tomatoes, lettuces, cucumbers and peppers, plus dahlias and muted zinnias for the flower beds.

PUTT FROM HOME

One of the fallouts from the COVID-19 pandemic, at least in parts of Fairfield County, was the temporary closure of public and private country clubs and golf courses. That was a tough time for some residents, as they had to work through the mood swings associated with putting-green withdrawal. But as a result, the demand for at-home artificial putting greens increased. And it continues to do so.

“Along with the pool guys, we were busy during COVID,” says Neil Robertson, founder of Prolinks Putting Greens in Wilton. The company has been designing and installing custom home putting greens since the early 1990s. “Recently, there’s been an uptick in business, and our projects have gotten more elaborate, with more bells and whistles and multiple traps. We’re also getting requests to use the same sand as clients have at their clubs.”

Prolinks uses artificial nylon grass on its greens and synthetic fringe collars around the edges. For the traps or bunkers, it relies on a third-generation company that supplies a custom mix of natural sand to all the golf courses in Fairfield and Westchester counties. The main benefits of artificial turf on a putting green include year-round consistency of a smooth, predictable surface and low maintenance. You don’t have to water, fertilize or mow it. “All putting, no cutting,” says Robertson.

For Robertson, the process of building the green starts with walking the property with a client. He’ll take note of preferences, the lay of the land (including elevations), green size relative to the size of the house and ideal positions for the traps. Robertson then paints an outline of the green on the location. After removing all the organic material from the

footprint, he installs a compacted aggregate base of reclaimed material—crushed rocks, asphalt and brick—until reaching the desired contours.

“The quality of artificial turf mimics a real putting green as far as the roll and speed of the ball,” he says. “So it's comparable to a good country club.”

Taken together, these trends point to a simple idea: Today’s landscapes are designed to be lived in. Whether it’s a pool that turns a backyard into a summer destination, a container garden that brings color and fresh food within arm’s reach, or a putting green that keeps a favorite pastime close to home, residents are investing in outdoor spaces that reflect how they spend their time. It’s proof that some of the most meaningful improvements to a home don’t always happen indoors.

calendar

MARCH 2026

Flinn Gallery

The Flinn Gallery is pleased to present WILD LEAVES, running Thursday, March 12 through Tuesday, April 28. The four artists represented in the show, Yura Adams, Katie de Groot, Maggie Nowinski and Jaqueline Qiu, have a creative process driven by a deep connection to nature and the environment. This exhibition is curated by Flinn members Kirsten Pitts and Isabelle Schiavi with an opening reception on Thursday, March 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Flinn Gallery inside Greenwich Library, 101 West Putnam Avenue, second floor. This event is free and open to the public. flinngallery.org

ART & ANTIQUES

ALDRICH MUSEUM, 258 Main St., Ridgefield, 438-0198. Tues.–Sun. aldrichart.org

AMY SIMON FINE ART, 1869 Post Rd. East, Westport, 259-1500. amysimonfineart.com

BRUCE MUSEUM, 1 Museum Dr., 869-0376. brucemuseum.org

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

CARAMOOR CENTER FOR MUSIC AND THE ARTS, Girdle Ridge Rd., Katonah, NY, 914-232-1252. Caramoor is a destination for exceptional music, captivating programs and spectacular gardens and grounds and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. caramoor.org

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

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

CLARENDON FINE ART, 22 Main St., Westport, 293- 0976. clarendonfineart.com

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

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

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

FLINN GALLERY, 101 W. Putnam Ave., 622-7947. flinngallery.com

GERTRUDE G. WHITE GALLERY, YWCA, 259 E. Putnam Ave., 869-6501. ywcagreenwich.org

GREENWICH ARTS COUNCIL, 299 Greenwich Ave., 862-6750. greenwichartscouncil.org

GREENWICH ART SOCIETY, 299 Greenwich Ave. 2nd fl., 629-1533. This studio school offers a visual arts education program for kids and adults. greenwichartsociety.org

GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 47 Strickland Rd., 869-6899. greenwichhistory.org

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

KENISE BARNES FINE ART, 1947 Palmer Ave., Larchmont, NY, 914-834-8077. kbfa.com

LOCKWOOD-MATHEWS MANSION MUSEUM, 295 West Ave., Norwalk, 838-9799. lockwoodmathewsmansion .com

LOFT ARTISTS ASSOCIATION, 575 Pacific St., Stamford, 247-2027. loftartists.org »

MARCH 28, 2026 10am - 3pm

MARCH 28, 2026 10am - 3pm

Every Woman. All Things., honors the many roles women carry every day. This conference is a chance to step out of the constant demands of caregiving, work, and family and into a day of learning, reflection, and connection.

Every Woman. All Things roles women carry every day. This conference is a chance to step out of the constant demands of caregiving, work, and family and into a day of learning, reflection, and connection.

., honors the many

SESSION SPEAKERS

SESSION SPEAKERS

Christina Schwefel, PH.D. Emily Stern, PH.D. Psychologist

Psychologist

Jennifer Colby,

Jennifer Colby, LCSW, CCM Clinical Social Worker

Conference Overview:

Conference Overview:

Mackenzie Phillips

TOWNHOUSE Lunch, Shopping, and More!

Alicia Robbins MD. OB/GYN Menopause Practitioner

The program features a powerful Women’s Mental Health Panel focused on the emotional load women carry while supporting everyone around them. The day also includes expert-led longevity breakout sessions designed to support a long and beautiful life, with perspectives on financial well-being, perimenopause, and integrative women’s health. We are also honored to welcome keynote speaker Mackenzie Phillips, who will share her story of resilience and personal growth. With meaningful conversations, inspiring speakers, and a beautiful lunch, this is a day designed to help you feel supported, informed, and renewed. Join us as we celebrate every woman and everything she is.

Scan Here

BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW!

BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW!

Tell a Friend!

Tell a Friend!

The Gertrude White Gallery

roughout the month of March, the Gertrude White Gallery (inside the YWCA Greenwich) will host the exhibition Capture the Light by photographer Matthew Gray. Gray relies on his experience as a science educator to work with lters, materials and lighting using a classic Nikon lm camera and printing at home. A member of the Stamford Photography Club for 30 years, Gray has participated in Greenwich’s Art to the Avenue for more than a decade. ywcagreenwich.org

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

MoCA, 19 Newtown Tpke., Westport, 226-7070. mocawestport.org

NEUBERGER

MUSEUM OF ART, Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, NY, 914-251-6100. neuberger.org

PELHAM ART CENTER, 155 Fifth Ave., Pelham, NY, 914-738-2525, ext. 113. pelhamartcenter.org

ROWAYTON ARTS CENTER, 145 Rowayton Ave., Rowayton, 866-2744. rowaytonarts.org

SAMUEL OWEN GALLERY, 382 Greenwich Ave., 325-1924. samuelowen.org

SILVERMINE GUILD ARTS CENTER, 1037 Silvermine Rd., New Canaan, 966-9700. silvermineart.org

SANDRA MORGAN INTERIORS & ART PRIVÉ, 135 East Putnam Ave., 2nd floor, Greenwich, 629-8121. sandramorganinteriors.com

SORELLE GALLERY, Bedford Square, 19 Church Ln., Westport, 920-1900. sorellegallery.com

SOROKIN GALLERY, 96 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, 856-9048. sorokingallery.com

STAMFORD ART ASSOCIATION, 39 Franklin St., Stamford, 325-1139. stamfordartassociation.org

CONCERTS, FILM & THEATER

AVON THEATRE FILM CENTER, 272 Bedford St., Stamford, 661-0321. avontheatre.org

CURTAIN CALL, The Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Ave., Stamford, 329-8207. curtaincallinc.com

DOWNTOWN CABARET THEATRE, 263 Golden Hill St., Bridgeport, 576-1636. dtcab.com

HARTFORD HEALTHCARE AMPITHEATER, 500 Broad St., Bridgeport, 345-2300, hartford healthcareamp.com

LECTURES, TOURS & WORKSHOPS

ALDRICH MUSEUM, 258 Main St., Ridgefield, 438-0198. aldrichart.org

STAMFORD MUSEUM & NATURE CENTER, 39 Scofieldtown Rd., Stamford, 977-6521. stamfordmuseum.org

UCONN STAMFORD ART GALLERY, One University Pl., Stamford, 251-8400. artgallery.stamford.uconn.edu

YALE CENTER FOR BRITISH ART, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven, 432-2800. britishart.yale.edu

YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven, 432-0611. artgallery.yale.edu

YANKELL LEGACY GALLERY, 61 Studio Court, Stamford, 610-213-2749. yankelllegacygallery.com

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

AUX DÉLICES, 231 Acosta St., Stamford, 326-4540, ext. 108. auxdelicesfoods.com

BOWMAN OBSERVATORY PUBLIC NIGHT, NE of Milbank/East Elm St. rotary on the grounds of Julian Curtiss School, 869-6786, ext. 338

BRUCE MUSEUM, 1 Museum Dr., 869-0376. brucemuseum.org

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

CONNECTICUT CERAMICS STUDY CIRCLE, Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Dr. ctcsc.org

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

FAIRFIELD THEATRE COMPANY, On StageOne, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield, 259-1036. fairfieldtheatre.org »

The Greenwich Symphony Orchestra (GSO) will feature pianist Stewart Goodyear (praised by the Los Angeles Times as “a phenomenon”) on Saturday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 8, at 3 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Greenwich High School. Stuart Malina will be the conductor. greenwichsymphony.org

Velvety melodies, smoky rhythms, and the incomparable songs of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Bobby Darin. Join us as a new generation of remarkable young crooners – Benny Benack III, Robbie Lee, and Shenel Johns - take on the lyrical likes of “Moon River,” “Misty,” and “I Only Have Eyes for You.”

March 19 • 8 p.m.

March 24 • 7:30 p.m.

GOODSPEED OPERA HOUSE, 6 Main St., East Haddam, 860-873-8668. goodspeed.org

GREENWICH

BOTANICAL CENTER, 130 Bible St., 869-9242. greenwichbotanicalcenter.org

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

JACOB BURNS FILM CENTER, 364 Manville Rd., Pleasantville, NY, 914-773-7663. burnsfilmcenter.org

KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART, 26 Bedford Rd., Chappaqua, NY, 914-232-9555. katonahmuseum.org

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

RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, 438-9269. ridgefieldplayhouse.org

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

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

STAMFORD CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford, 325-4466. stamfordcenterforthearts.org

STAMFORD MUSEUM & NATURE CENTER, 39 Scofieldtown Rd., Stamford, 977-6521. stamfordmuseum.org

WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE, 25 Powers Ct., Westport, 2274177. westportplayhouse.org

Planned Parenthood

On Tuesday, April 7, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) will hold its annual Spring Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency (1800 East Putnam Avenue, Old Greenwich) beginning at 11:00 and virtually at 12:15. In conversation with journalist Sam Lansky, the featured speaker will be Barbara Pierce Bush, cofounder of Global Health Corps, a nonprofit that mobilizes young leaders to address the world’s most pressing health inequities. The Community Impact Award will honor Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who vows to fight in any court in any state where reproductive healthcare is under threat. Cochairs are Susan Beyman, Jane Carlin, Lindy Lilien and Mini Nunna. To register or make a donation online, go toppsne.org/luncheon, contact 203-7522813 or email special.events@ppsne.org

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2026

Humanitarian Award — Giovanna Miller

Corporate Leadership Award Crabtree Motor Group and the Crabtree Family

Exceptional Service Award Admiral Lisa M. Franchetti, United States Navy (Retired)

To purchase tickets, sponsorships and journal acknowledgments, please scan the QR Code or visit redcross.org/mnynball.

KIDS’ STUFF MARCH 2026

ALDRICH MUSEUM, 258 Main St., Ridgefield, 438-4519. aldrichart.org

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

AUX DÉLICES, (cooking classes), 23 Acosta St., Stamford, 326-4540 ext. 108. auxdelicesfoods.com

BEARDSLEY ZOO, 1875 Noble Ave., Bridgeport, 394-6565. beardsleyzoo.org

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREENWICH, 4 Horseneck Ln., 869-3224. bgcg.org

BRUCE MUSEUM, 1 Museum Dr., 869-0376. brucemuseum.org

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

DOWNTOWN CABARET THEATRE, 263 Golden Hill St., Bridgeport, 576-1636. dtcab.com

EARTHPLACE, 10 Woodside Ln., Westport, 227-7253. earthplace.org

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

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

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

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

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

NEW CANAAN NATURE CENTER, 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, 966-9577. newcanaannature.org

RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE, 80 East Ridge Rd., Ridgefield, 438-5795. ridgefieldplayhouse.org

STAMFORD CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford, 325-4466. palacestamford.org

STAMFORD MUSEUM & NATURE CENTER, 39 Scofieldtown Rd., Stamford, 977-6521. stamfordmuseum.org

STEPPING STONES MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN, 303 West Ave., Mathews Park, Norwalk, 899-0606. steppingstonesmuseum.org

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

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

Thursday, April 23, 2026

6:00-10:00PM

The Loading Dock

Be a part of changing lives. Support homeless prevention, crisis services, and paths to housing stability.

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people to feature every month on our new back page. If you would like a chance to be published in Greenwich magazine and win $100 here’s what you should know:

• Photos can be whimsical, historical, serene, funny or beautiful but they all must be taken in Greenwich.

• Photos must be submitted digitally to editor@mofflymedia.com and be 300 dpi and 7 inches high or larger.

• We will need:

1 Photographer’s name, address, phone number and e-mail

2 Subject of the photograph (identify people in the photo)

3 Location of the photograph 4 Inspiration behind the photograph

5 Any interesting anecdote about the photograph or featured subject

READY TO ROLL

Last year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade gave us one of those small, perfect Greenwich moments. Under a crisp, blue sky, a vintage car polished to a deep, jewel-tone shine caught the sunlight just right. With its whitewall tires and classic silhouette, it offered a sense of nostalgia—when parades were smaller, streets were slower, and every outing felt like an occasion. Here’s to the luck of the Irish, the promise of spring—and another parade full of memories waiting to be made with friends and neighbors. G

Have a photo that captures a moment in Greenwich? Send it to us at editor@greenwichmag.com for a chance to win $100. Please write “Photo Submission” in the subject line.