Westport - Sept/Oct 2026 by Moffly Media

/// O U R A N N UA L A-LIST AWA R DS ///

RYANN SWAN’S REIMAGINING OF THE INN AT LONGSHORE INDIGO WELLNESS’ WESTPORT OASIS BILL TAIBE’S NEW RESTAURANT HI’AMBA

Plus

6 Fall Fashion Trends

The Top 10 Sushi Spots

13 Teens to Watch

The Westport Farmers’ Market Toasts 20!

SEPT/OCT 2026 $6.95

FRAGRANCE & FRIENDSHIP: WESTPORT’S VERONIQUE GABAI & KELLY RUTHERFORD ON THEIR NEW ROSE PREMIÈRE

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CELEBRATING IN WESTPORT

YEARS

For three decades, Lux Bond & Green has been proud to build lasting relationships and celebrate life’s magical moments with the Westport community. As natural diamond experts, jewelers, watch specialists, and service professionals, our expertise and personal service have become part of the fabric of Westport. Now in our 128th year as a family business led by the fifth generation, we are grateful to celebrate 30 years in Westport. Visit us in-store as we toast this milestone with special celebrations to come.

Where Every Box Has a Story™

136 MAIN STREET WESTPORT 203.227.1300 SHOP ONLINE AT LBGREEN.COM

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contents SEPT/OCT 2026 vol. 28 | issue 5

features

departments

10 EDITOR’S LETTER by sa ma ntha ya nks

12 FOUNDER’S LETTER

ROSE PREMIÈRE

by d onna mof f ly

Kelly Rutherford joins fragrance designer Veronique Gabai for a new scent launch blending style, beauty and a shared appreciation for effortless elegance.

14 STATUS REPORT

BUZZ

The Inn at Longshore reveals a fresh renovation by Ryann Swan Design; Bill Taibe’s new restaurant hi’Amba.

by s a m a n tha yan k s

A MARKET MILESTONE

The Westport Farmers’ Market marks twenty years with a waterfront dinner at Osprey Barns, celebrating the people, food and community behind the beloved market.

by s a m a n tha yan k s

TEENS TO WATCH

Explore our annual roundup of standout local experts, businesses and names to know.

on the cover: veronique gabai and kelly ru therford phot o c ourtesy of: veronique gabai

57 PEOPLE AND PLACES 62 VOWS

107 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

top: The Gatsby Suite designed by Ryann Swan at the Inn at Longshore bottom: Florals at Osprey Barns WESTPORT SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026, VOL. 28, NO. 5. WESTPORT (ISSN 1941-9821) is published bimonthly by Moffly Media, Inc., 205 Main St., Westport, CT 06880. Periodical postage paid at Westport, CT, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes (Form 3579) to WESTPORT MAGAZINE, 205 Main Street, Westport, CT 06880. U.S. Subscription rates: $19.95/1 year, $34.95/2 years; Canada and Foreign $40/1 year, $69/2 years.

CORRECTION: DR. M. BINA PARK OF DR. BINA PARK ORTHODONTICS WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE TOP DENTIST LIST IN OUR JULY/AUGUST ISSUE. DR. BINA WAS SELECTED FOR INCLUSION AS A 2026 TOP DENTIST AND SHOULD HAVE APPEARED AMONG THIS YEAR’S HONOREES. WE REGRET THE OMISSION.

TOP IMAGE BY TINA SOMMERS; BOTTOM IMAGE BY NINA SHEFFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

EAT

by l i ly capl an

SHOP

Jennifer Goldberg gives hats a fresh spin with her reworked designs; We feature fall fashion trends to know. A former biotech attorney turns a childhood tradition into Coleytown Cottage, a beloved Westport home bakery; The Granola Bar expands into Midtown; A round-up of local sushi spots.

Meet the local students standing out in the classroom, on the field, in the arts and throughout the community.

THE A-LIST

Fairfield University offers plenty to explore this fall; The New Beauty + Wellness team shares what’s trending now; Indigo Wellness Group opens a new Westport location; Jodi Rabinowitz on launching Congratulations, You’re Fired...

Co W

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digital content & MORE CELEBRATING THE BEST OF WHERE WE LIVE

LET’S BE FRIENDS! Show us your love and us on social!

@WESTPORTMAG Find out about store openings, see what’s coming up in the magazine, and enjoy photos of iconic places around the area— follow us on Instagram. Together, we make living here the best!

JUMP ONLINE

ENJOY OUR ARTICLES AND POSTS ON THE PEOPLE AND PLACES WHO HELP US ALL LIVE BETTER

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sept/oct 2026

Visit our directories for resources

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E L E I S H VA N B R E E M S H O M E WES TPORT • NANTUCKE T • NEW PRES TON • ROXBURY | @ELEISHVANBREEMS

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WHAT’S IN YOUR YARD?

vol. 28 | no. 5 | september/october 2026

editorial editorial director Cristin Marandino–cristin.marandino@moffly.com editor-in-chief: westport Samantha Yanks–samantha.yanks@moffly.com contributing editors Megan Gagnon–editor, athome Elizabeth Hole–editor, custom publishing Eileen Murphy–editor, new canaan • darien copy editors Terry Christofferson, Lynne Piersall, David Podgurski, Scott Thomas, Isabella Critchell contributing writers Samantha Critchell, Carol Leonetti Dannhauser, Sophie Edwards, Suzanne Gannon, Elizabeth Keyser, Jill Johnson Mann, Erik Ofgang editorial assistant Lily Caplan editorial advisory board G. Kenneth Bernhard, Bridgett Csapo-DiBonaventura, Nancy Conroy, Nancy Gault, Caren Hart Nelson, Jennifer O’Reilly art senior art director Nicole Nadboy–nicole.nadboy@moffly.com contributing art director Venera Alexandrova–venera.alexandrova@moffly.com production director Tim Carr–tim.carr@moffly.com assistant art director Lisa Marie Servidio–lisa.servidio@moffly.com senior photographer Bob Capazzo digital media audience devolpment editor Kaitlin Madden–kaitlin.madden@moffly.com digital marketing manager Rachel MacDonald–rachel.macdonald@moffly.com digital assistant Lloyd Gabi–lloyd.gabi@moffly.com, Jeffery Garay–jeffery.garay@moffly.com Calendar@Moffly.com Editor@WestportMag.com Weddings@WestportMag.com TO SUBSCRIBE, renew, or change your address, please email us at subscribe@westportmag.com, call 203-222-0600, or write to WESTPORT magazine, 205 Main Street, Westport, CT 06880. U.S. subscription rates: $19.95/1 year, $34.95/2 years; Canada and Foreign, U.S. $40/1 year; $69/2 years. Prices are subject to change without notice. FOR QUALITY CUSTOM REPRINTS/E-PRINTS, please call 203-222-0600 or email reprints@moffly.com.

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vol. 28 | no. 5 | september/october 2026

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DOMINO

editor’s letter

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 / SAMANTHA YANKS

SCAN TO VISIT US

HOW TO SCAN: OPEN, AIM & TAP

have been lucky enough to call Kelly Rutherford a friend for more than two decades now, long before Gossip Girl, long before any of it. So when I heard she was collaborating with Westport’s own Veronique Gabai on a fragrance, I felt that particular jolt you get when two worlds you love collide without warning. I could not think of a better story for our cover, or a better excuse to make this our first Fall fashion and fragrance issue. What struck me most, sitting with both women for this story, was how little of their collaboration felt like business. Rose Première came out of a real friendship, the kind built on trust rather than strategy, and you can sense that in the scent itself. There is also a hometown thread running through it that I loved uncovering: Veronique’s own property here in Westport sits on the site of the old Bradley Tool Factory, with a stunning waterfall, a reminder that some of the most interesting stories in this town are hiding in plain sight. Speaking of hometown stories, this issue is full of them. Ryann Swan is leading the restoration of the Inn at Longshore for The Delamar Collection, and after touring the property, I can tell you the Gatsby comparisons are earned. Jennifer Goldberg has reworked

and created custom vintage hats, and our style pages this issue are the perfect edit of the six trends you ought to know. We spent a morning with the founders of Indigo Wellness Group as they opened their new Westport location, and the New Beauty & Wellness practitioners tell us exactly what the most requested treatments and procedures are right now. The Westport Farmers’ Market toasts its 20th anniversary at a dinner at Osprey Barns, our annual Teens to Watch feature spotlights 13 extraordinary kids in our community, Dana Noorily and Julie Mountain show us around their new New York Fity flagship, and our annual A-List award winners are revealed. We close, as always, on the Back Page, this time with Jodi Rabinowitz, who traded a career in talent development at Zoom and recruiting at the Met for something entirely her own: Congratulations, You’re Fired. It is a full issue, built the way I like them best: a little bit of glamour, a little bit of hometown pride and a lot of women doing exactly what they set out to do. As always, thank you for reading.

samantha.yanks@moffly.com

KATIE TUZMAN OF BROOK ROAD PHOTOGRAPHY

FALL FASHION, FRAGRANCE AND FRIENDSHIP I

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DOMINO

1591 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824

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founder’s page

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 / DONNA MOFFLY

“When Liz Hart asked daughter Lolly how her first day of nursery school went, the little girl replied: ‘Well, nobody laughed and nobody cried.’”

ids will be kids, and some may turn out to be as remarkable as the teens we feature on these pages every September. But meanwhile, here are some classic examples of their pint-sized views on life. On Hospitality: Jane Kendall recalls her first Christmas pageant at Edie Bickell’s Nursery School. Little Janie had a screaming tantrum because Jesus didn’t have a grandmother. And the innkeeper, Carl Walters, said to Mary and Joseph: “I’m sorry. There’s no room in the inn, but would you like to come in for a drink?” On Curiosity: One Halloween, Dr. Jack Prunier lay down on an old examination table he’d rolled into the foyer of their house. When trick-or-treaters came in, he’d moan and slide a handout from under the sheet that his wife Suzanne, dressed as a witch, had draped over him. The older kids would take the candy and quickly back away. But one four-year-old boy earnestly asked: “Does he always sleep in the front hall?” On Godliness: My little daughter Audrey and I were kneeling by her bed saying prayers: “Jesus, tender shepherd, hear me, bless thy little lamb tonight…” when she looked up and said: “You know, I love Jesus.” Then added with enthusiasm: “And I like his father, too!” When visiting from Long Island, Kyle and Lauren Craig’s grandmother liked to stay at the Greenwich Hyatt and invite them for a sleepover. Fresh from religious education, the kids spotted her in the lobby and raced over, Lauren greeting her with “Glory to God in the Hyatt, Grandma!” Eight–year-old Miles Patrick McDonald, who was brought into the world through modern technology, was taking religious instruction in preparation for Confirmation. For homework, the kids were asked to write a prayer to God. So, he wrote: “Dear God: I don’t know who my father is, but please let him go to heaven, whoever he might be— except if he’s Donald Trump.”

On Romance: Susan Ward had a little nephew who she was especially close to. When she told him that she was in love and going to be married soon, he replied: “What’s he got that I haven’t got?” On Aging: The morning of her birthday, I woke up our daughter saying, “Happy Birthday, Audrey! You’re five years old today!” “Am I really five?” she asked, all excited. I assured her she was. “Oh, good,” she said. “I can go to school and beat up Sarah Sulger.” On Driving: With my grandson in a car seat in back, I drove over to Waveny to check out the site for a photo shoot behind the building. Pulling in, I gave Misha his choice: He could come with me or stay in the car. It would only take a couple of minutes. “Oh, D-D, I better come with you,” he said, “or a policeman might think I drove the car here all by myself!” On School: When Liz Hart asked daughter Lolly how her first day of nursery school went at the First Congo, the little girl replied: “Well, nobody laughed and nobody cried.” On Honesty: After a nursery school play at Country Day, the headmaster sang the children’s praises in assembly: “That was just terrific,” he gushed. “I just don’t know how you ever did it.” And from the back of the room, loud and clear, came Billie’s voice: “We practiced and practiced, you idiot!” (“Billie,” now a married man, is still too embarrassed to own up to the story.) On Generosity: Janie Galbreath and daughter Elizabeth were going through some old clothes she and her sister had outgrown. “Oh, what are we going to do with all these clothes?” she asked the seven-year-old, who promptly responded: “Let’s give them to that nice old man.” “Who?” Janie asked, Wondering what older gentleman would want smocked dresses. “You know, Mom,” said Elizabeth. “Good old Will!.” You can’t make this stuff up. Thanks for the memories, Kids. W

VENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY, GREENWICH, CT

OF KIDS AND CANDOR

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buzz STATUS REPORT

below: Ryann Swan, the Greenwich-based principal of Ryann Swan Design.

The Return of Westport’s Crown Jewel Ryann Swan’s vision for The Inn at Longshore restores elegance to an iconic property.

here is a particular kind of Westport nostalgia reserved for The Inn at Longshore. Ask anyone who grew up here, and they will tell you about a wedding on the lawn, a summer cocktail on the patio, a bat mitzvah under a tent with the Sound glittering behind it. For more than a century, the property has been the town’s unofficial living room. This fall, it reopens as something even better: itself, restored.

IMAGES BY TINA SOMMERS

B Y S A M A N T HA YA N K S

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The transformation is being led by The Delamar Collection, the boutique hospitality group behind some of Fairfield County’s most beloved properties, including Delamar Greenwich Harbor, Delamar Southport and one of the most recent additions to the portfolio, Delamar Westport. Delamar’s founder, Charles Mallory, has long understood that The Inn at Longshore is not just real estate. It is memory. His team’s approach here has been surgical rather than sweeping: honor the bones, elevate everything else. The footprint stays true to the original

witnessed along this shoreline found their way into the pages of The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald never confirmed it outright. He did not need to. Stand on that lawn at golden hour and the connection makes itself. Mallory’s vision leans into that heritage rather than smoothing it over. The restoration is being framed as the most significant investment in the property in decades, and the goal is not to erase a century of history but to give it a setting worthy of it again. The design was in the hands of Ryann Swan, the Greenwichbased principal of Ryann Swan

twelve-room inn. The dome, the shingled silhouette, the sense of arriving somewhere storied, all of it remains. What changes is everything guests touch, sit on, and sleep under. Long before it was an inn, the 175 acres along the Saugatuck River and Long Island Sound belonged to financier Frederick E. Lewis, whose parties in the early 1900s drew the era’s biggest names and turned the property into a fixture of Connecticut’s Gold Coast. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda lived in Westport in 1920, and lore holds that the glamour and excess they

Design, whose work spans residential and hospitality projects up and down the coast. Swan’s signature is a kind of layered restraint: bespoke furnishings, vintage accents and a palette that reads as effortless because it is anything but. At Longshore, that sensibility translates into rooms that feel unmistakably New England—and unmistakably now. Guest rooms take their cues from the shoreline itself, all soft coastal tones and tactile, natural materials rather than anything precious or fussy. The ballroom is getting the restoration it deserves.

IMAGE BY TINA SOMMERS

above: The Gatsby Suite, designed by Ryann Swan.

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The breakfast room and public spaces are being reimagined for how people actually gather today, not how they gathered in 1962. A signature suite dressed by Serena & Lily anchors the property’s most polished offering, a nod to relaxed, coastal luxury that never feels like a showroom. It is the kind of design that does not announce itself. It simply makes you want to stay longer. When the doors open, guests will find twelve reimagined rooms, expanded outdoor event space, a marina, tennis courts and the inn’s 18-hole golf course still very much intact. La Plage, the property’s waterfront restaurant and oyster bar, returns with its focus on local seafood and seasonal ingredients, served with a view of the Saugatuck River sliding into the Sound. The inn is once again positioning itself as the place for the moments that matter here: weddings, milestone celebrations, corporate retreats and the kind of easy summer evening that only a waterfront address in Westport can deliver. Westport has watched other landmarks change hands, change names, lose their footing. The Inn at Longshore was never going to be one of those stories. What Delamar and Ryann Swan are building is not a new hotel wearing an old name. It is the Crown Jewel, polished rather than replaced, ready for the next hundred years of parties on the lawn. innatlongshore.com 260 Compo Rd South, Westport, CT 06880

IMAGES BY TINA SOMMERS

top: Ryann Swan in the Gatsby Suite she designed. middle: Newly renovated exterior of the Inn at Longshore. bottom: The view of The Sound from the hotel.

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buzz

Culture, Cuisine and Community

clockwise from top left: Bill Taibe; Za’atar; Sesame Manakeesh; The exterior of hi’Amba; Bagels

ighly respected, regarded and celebrated, Chef Bill Taibe is bringing hi’Amba to Westport this fall, and it’s set to become the neighborhood’s next great canteen, think all day dining, with a focus at each point of the day. The concept: a working bakery on the ground floor, a grab-and-go market stocked with house-made dips and pantry goods, and a full dining room upstairs built for sharing. The menu draws on the flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean — shakshuka, hummus, man’oushe — with a seasonal, locally-driven approach that shifts with what’s fresh. Taibe calls it the neighborhood spot you don’t need a reason to visit. We got an exclusive sneak peek at the layout, and it delivers. “hi’Amba is about creating the kind of place you want in your neighborhood and can rely on every day,” Taibe says. For more than 25 years, Taibe has been a defining presence in the Fairfield County dining scene. He got his start as a teenage butcher shop worker near Patterson, New York, before training at Baltimore International Culinary College and working kitchens in Port Chester and Greenwich. In 2009,

he opened LeFarm in Westport, earning four James Beard Best Chef: Northeast semifinalist nods. The Whelk followed in 2012, Kawa Ni in 2014, Jesup Hall in 2016, Don Memo in 2020, and the Norwalk Art Space Cafe in 2021. In 2023, he opened Kawa Ni Denver, which caught MICHELIN’s attention a year later. Taibe has also been named Restaurateur of the Year by the Connecticut Restaurant Association. The team behind hi’Amba is formidable. GM Branden Hahn (Don Memo, Kawa Ni, Jesup Hall, Augusta National, The NoMad) will run the floor. Executive Chef Karen Nicolas, a Food & Wine Best New Chef alum who trained under Tom Colicchio and Charlie Palmer, will run the kitchen. On pastry: Michael Finehirsh, whose résumé includes Daniel under François Payard, Bouley, and the legendary Lutèce, plus training at Fauchon and Le Gavroche in Paris and London. Rounding out the team is Jason Epstein, Bill’s longtime friend and a self-taught home cook raised on his Syrian grandmother’s cooking. He’s been in the kitchen with Bill since day one — tasting, testing, and shaping the menu. hi’Amba opens early fall at 33 Jesup Rd, Westport.

BILL PORTRAIT BY CONNOR STEHR; RENDERING IMAGE BY R+D STUDIO; TOP RIGHT AND MIDDLE RIGHT BY BILL TAIBE; MIDDLE RIGHT BY NINA SHEFFIELD

Chef Bill Taibe opens hi’Amba, a neighborhood spot rooted in the Eastern Mediterranean. B Y S A M A N T HA YA N K S

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Discover What’s Next From world-class performances, films, music and dance to groundbreaking exhibitions and conversations with today’s leading thinkers, Fairfield University invites you to an exciting world of Arts & Minds experiences.

THIS PAGE PHOTO FROM BFI NATIONAL ARCHIVE

B Y S A M A N T HA YA N K S

this photo: The Fab Four run from mobs of fans in Richard Lester’s A Hard Day’s Night.

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La Noce d’Alfonse by the Québécois troupe Cirque Alfonse

BOTTOM LEFT, TOP MIDDLE AND BOTTOM RIGHT IMAGES COURTESY OF FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY

above: Audrey Flack, Lux Eternal, 2022, acrylic and mixed media on canvas. Image courtesy of the Audrey Flack Foundation.

Thursday, Sept. 17 Fairfield University Art Museum Hieroglyphs to Hype: The Modern Afterlife of Ancient Egypt Opening Night Event and Reception 5:30 p.m. Event 6:30 p.m. Reception Dolan School of Business Event Hall, Bellarmine Hall Galleries, and streaming on Arts & Minds Live Join Megan Paqua, registrar of the Fairfield University Art Museum, and Michelle DiMarzo, PhD, curator of education and academic engagement for a lively discussion on ancient Egypt, scholarly research and how history is reshaped through pop culture. Free; Register at fairfield.edu/museum

Sunday, Sept. 27 Cirque Alfonse La Noce d’Alfonse 4 p.m. Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts This is a family affair! Step into a wildly joyful spectacle where love takes center stage. La Noce d’Alfonse blends impressive acrobatics, live Québécois folk music, and playful humor into an unforgettable “wedding” celebration honoring the union of one lucky couple from the audience. $35 | $5 Fairfield University student | $25 Quick Member tickets at fairfield.edu/quick Tuesday, Sept. 29 Philip I. Eliasoph Open VISIONS Forum Arthur C. Brooks “Finding Meaning in an Age of Emptiness: An Evening with Arthur C. Brooks” 7:30 p.m. Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts Arthur C. Brooks is a social scientist and one of the world’s leading authorities on human happiness. He is a Vanderbilt University professor, columnist, and host of the podcast Office Hours. Join us for an enlightening conversation as he provides a science backed, practical guide for finding deeper purpose

and combating the sense of emptiness caused by modern, fast-paced technological and societal changes. $35 | $5 Fairfield University student | $25 Quick Member tickets at fairfield.edu/quick

Wednesday, Oct. 7 Arts & Minds and the British Film Institute, Screening: A Hard Day’s Night 7 p.m. Wien Experimental Theatre, Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts This exuberant 1964 romp follows 36 hours in the life of The Beatles at the height of Beatlemania. Director Richard Lester captures John, Paul, George and Ringo’s cheeky Liverpudlian wit as they dodge screaming fans and race around London. Featuring songs like “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “If I Fell,” A Hard Day’s Night is a time capsule from a moment when the Fab Four captured the hearts of the world. This screening is part of a new educational partnership between Fairfield University and the British Film Institute. $15 | Free Fairfield University student | $10 Quick Member tickets at fairfield.edu/quick

Tuesday, Oct. 20 Robert Cardinal McElroy, Archbishop of Washington “Catholic Teaching on War and Peace: a Breakthrough Moment” 7:30 p.m. Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, has raised profound questions about the church’s traditional understanding of “just war theory,” and warns of the dangers of the use of artificial intelligence in warfare. In June of this year, the consistory of cardinals met to discuss the encyclical and a new position on war. Cardinal McElroy will share his perspective on these developments. Presented by Fairfield University’s Office of Mission and Ministry. Free; Register at fairfield.edu/artsminds

above: Robert Cardinal McElroy, Archbishop of Washington

For a comprehensive listing of all upcoming events and for more information on each, please visit fairfield.edu/artsminds

Arthur C. Brooks

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From Prevention to Restoration: How Aesthetic Treatments Evolve With You

There is no one-size-fits-all plan: Thoughtful care-plan approaches are best. B Y S A M A N T HA YA N K S

YOUR 20S: PREVENTION IS THE NEW PRESCRIPTION Q: What should someone in their 20s be doing for their skin? Samantha Murphy Plaskon, RN: Your 20s are the ideal time to establish a preventative skincare routine focused on protecting and maintaining healthy skin. A consistent regimen should include daily SPF, retinol, Vitamin C, and other targeted actives based on your individual skin concerns. Professional treatments such as SkinPen microneedling and BBL HEROic can also help support collagen production, improve skin texture and address early signs of sun damage and aging, helping to keep your skin looking its best over time. Samantha Murphy Plaskon, RN

“Establish a preventative skincare routine focused on protecting and maintaining healthy skin.”

PHOTO BY ABBY COLE PHOTOGRAPHY.

ith new aesthetic treatments emerging every year, it can be challenging to determine which options are truly worth your time and investment. From advanced laser resurfacing and collagen-stimulating treatments to next-generation injectables, today’s aesthetic landscape offers more personalized and sophisticated solutions than ever before. The best treatment plan is never one-size fits-all: it evolves with your skin, your goals and the changes that naturally occur over time. We asked the New Beauty & Wellness medical team including Aleksandra Pasciak, PA-C, Clinical Director, Erin Martin, APRN, Medical Director, Laina Campos, DNP, and Samantha Murphy Plaskon, RN to share which treatments are worth considering at every stage of life, the trends shaping the future of aesthetics and how a thoughtful approach can help patients maintain healthy, refreshed and natural looking results at every age.

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YOUR 40S: THE ERA OF RESTORATION Q: What treatments are patients in their 40s asking about most? Laina Campos, DNP: In their 40s, many patients are looking for treatments that restore and rejuvenate while still maintaining a natural appearance. There is often a greater focus on Sculptra to help restore lost volume. By rebuilding the foundation of the face with a biostimulator first, we can then use dermal fillers to fine tune areas such as the cheeks and lips, creating subtle results that enhance each patient’s unique features. Patients are also interested in improving overall skin quality, including concerns like texture, tone, pigmentation and redness. Treatments such as SkinPen microneedling, BBL and Halo can help support skin rejuvenation and maintain a healthy, refreshed

complexion. Botox and Dysport remain popular options for softening lines and wrinkles while helping prevent them from becoming deeper over time. YOUR 50S AND BEYOND: HEALTHY AGING TAKES CENTER STAGE Q: How has the approach to aging changed? Alekandra Pasciak, Clinical Director – PA-C: The approach to aging has evolved from simply correcting signs of aging to embracing a more comprehensive approach focused on healthy aging and maintaining natural features. Treatments like Halo resurfacing laser have become popular as a transformative annual treatment to target fine lines, improve skin texture, and promote overall collagen and elastin production. Patients are also taking a more strategic approach to injectables, focusing on facial balance and rejuvenation rather than treating isolated areas. Full-face neurotoxin treatments can help create a refreshed, lifted appearance by addressing areas such as brow position, the lower face and platysma muscles, rather than focusing only on forehead lines. Subtle volume restoration in areas affected by the natural aging process can help support facial structure while maintaining a natural look. By combining treatments that improve skin quality, restore volume and support facial harmony, patients can achieve a more personalized approach to aging, helping them look refreshed, rejuvenated and confident while preserving the unique features that make them who they are. Aging is a journey that looks different for everyone, and the best aesthetic plans evolve alongside you. A thoughtful approach to prevention, restoration, and maintaining healthy skin can help you feel confident at every stage of life. Head to newbeautywellness.com to schedule a consultation with the New Beauty & Wellness team and discover which treatments align with your goals. Located at 1137 Post Rd East, Westport and 128 Main St, New Canaan. clockwise from top: Erin Martin, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and Medical Director. Laina Campos, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Aleksandra Pasciak, Clinical Director and Physician Assistant, Certified (PA-C).

PHOTOS BY ABBY COLE PHOTOGRAPHY.

YOUR 30S: COLLAGEN BECOMES THE CONVERSATION Q: Why do many patients begin focusing on collagen in their 30s? Erin Martin, Medical Director – APRN: In your 30s, the focus often shifts from prevention alone to actively stimulating collagen and supporting the skin’s foundation. Treatments like microneedling with PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) combine the collageninducing benefits of microneedling with your body’s own growth factors to help support collagen and elastin production. Over time, this can improve skin texture, tone, firmness and overall skin quality. Patients may also begin considering stronger treatments like Halo or Sculptra from a preventative perspective, as prevention is often easier than correction. Rather than waiting until significant volume loss or skin laxity develops, these treatments can help maintain collagen levels, support the skin’s structure and preserve a youthful, healthy appearance. Sculptra, in particular, can be used as a proactive collagen stimulating treatment to help maintain skin firmness, improve overall skin quality and support facial structure over time. Starting these treatments earlier allows patients to focus on maintaining and strengthening their skin’s foundation rather than only addressing visible signs of aging after they appear.

westportmag.com

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Room to Heal Indigo Wellness Group’s new Westport flagship gives its collaborative care model the space it deserves. B Y S A M A N T HA YA N K S

above: 12 of Indigo’s 21-person team of acupuncturists, board certified internal medicine physicians, nutritionists, pelvic floor physical therapists, massage therapists, psychotherapists and energy healers.

PHOTOS BY SYDNEY SHEEHAN PHOTO

ndigo Wellness Group just planted a bigger flag in Westport. The women-led wellness practice has opened its new flagship location at 212 Post Road West, bringing its full roster of integrative care under one expanded roof. The practice’s roots go back to 2015, when Sarah Swanberg, DACM, L.Ac., opened a single-room acupuncture studio. It has since grown into one of Fairfield County’s go-to multidisciplinary wellness destinations. Carolyn Brown, M.S., R.D., joined as co-founder in 2020 and helped widen the practice’s scope. Today, Indigo offers acupuncture, massage therapy, functional medicine, holistic skincare, pelvic floor physical therapy and nutrition counseling, working in concert rather than in silos. The new Post Road West space was built for that collaborative model. More treatment rooms, more room for the growing team and a layout designed to let patients move seamlessly between services in a single visit. “What began as a single-room acupuncture practice has grown into a thriving team of practitioners united by a shared commitment to patient-centered care,” says Swanberg, Founder and Clinic Director. “We’re excited to welcome both new and existing patients into a space that reflects who we are today and supports our continued growth alongside the community we serve.” 212 Post Road West, Westport. indigowellnessgroup.com left: Signage marking the entrance to Indigo’s new Westport flagship right: Inside the waiting lounge, designed as a calm first impression for patients arriving

westportmag.com

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A B

Fired Five Times

Now She Helps You Land On Your Feet. Meet the Career Wing Woman turning job loss into life’s best plot twist. B Y A M Y M A N DE L BAUM

F o W

hen someone loses a job, they don’t just need a polished résumé and a beautifully branded LinkedIn profile. They need someone in their corner. They need a Career Wing Woman. That’s where Jodi Rabinowitz comes in. Jodi helps people who have been fired, are unhappy in their current job or still don’t know what they want to be when they grow up find career happiness. Having experienced being fired five times herself, Jodi understands firsthand the uncertainty, self-doubt and fear that often accompany career transitions. She has also led recruiting, talent acquisition and leadership development at organizations including Zoom and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Those experiences aren’t contradictory. They’re exactly what inspired her to become the Career Wing Woman. Thousands of Americans lose their jobs every day. While job loss has become a normal part of today’s workplace, it can still shake a person’s confidence, identity and sense of direction. Jodi believes it is often the beginning of a better story. It is her privilege to help clients move from setback to comeback with clarity, confidence, and the reassurance that they don’t have to navigate one of life’s most difficult transitions alone. Every client receives a highly personalized experience built around where they are today and where they want to go next. Together, they clarify career direction, build a thoughtful job search strategy, create the tools needed to stand out, prepare for interviews, negotiate offers and navigate every step of the process with confidence. A great résumé and LinkedIn profile can open doors. But encouragement, accountability, honest feedback and unwavering support are what help people believe in themselves again. Jodi’s mission is simple: Remove the stigma from job loss, one career at a time.

F a

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Jodi Rabinowitz Career Wing Woman Founder, Congratulations, You’re Fired ... From Setback to Comeback Learn more at congratulationsyourefired.com

westportmag.com

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ARTHUR C. BROOKS Finding Meaning in an Age of Emptiness: An Evening With Arthur C. Brooks September 29 • 7:30 p.m.

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shop

below: Jennifer Golberg has made a business out of sourcing and embellishing vintage hats.

REWORKED, REBRANDED, REBORN THE WOMAN TURNING VINTAGE HATS INTO WEARABLE ART

PHOTOS BY ANDREA CARSON PHOTOGRAPHY

B Y S A M A N T HA YA N K S PH OT O G R A PH Y B Y A N DR E A C A R S ON

westportmag.com

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PHOTOS BY ANDREA CARSON PHOTOGRAPHY

this photo: Originally a hobby, Goldberg’s hat business is now on fire.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 WESTPORT

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G O

ne collector’s small hat size and a kitchen iron sparked a side business for Jennifer Goldberg that’s now turned out 30 one-of-a-kind pieces, from Jumbotron-famous Knicks caps to rodeo keepsakes. Samantha Yanks: What inspired you to start reworking vintage hats? Jennifer Goldberg: I’ve always been a hat collector, but I have a small hat size, so my choices were limited. I had hats I rarely wore because of the brim or the trim. One day, I reworked one in my kitchen with an iron and the stove, remolding the lid, trimming the sides, embellishing and rebranding it into one of my most treasured pieces. Custom Vintage Hats was born from there.

the brim. It’s become a treasured keepsake. I often stitch “here for the music” into pieces too, since live shows are my favorite place to wear a hat.

anywhere else. Every piece teaches me something new about the craft, and I love watching clients fall in love with their finished art.

SY: Any pop-ups, markets, or retail plans? JG: I’d love to build enough of a collection for a pop-up or to sell through a boutique vendor.

SY: Where should readers follow you, and how do they book a hat? JG: Instagram: @customvintagehats. You can watch each piece come together there, and DM me to book a fitting, in person or virtually.

SY: What’s next for the collection? JG: Just making more hats and pushing myself to create things I haven’t seen

SY: Walk us through your process. What does a hat look like before and after? JG: Every hat starts as a preloved vintage piece, and I source the best quality I can find. I steam clean it, strip the old banding, then work with clients to envision the finished piece: color, shape, accessories, branding. Many want something personal woven in, words, initials, jewelry, logos. Then it’s spraying, steaming, etching and burning in my studio until it becomes a wearable piece of art. SY: Where do you source the vintage pieces? JG: Vintage stores mostly, since I’ve always loved shopping them. I also find pieces through auctions, online vendors, and clients who bring me a hat they already own and want remade. SY: How many hats have you made so far? JG: About 30.

Goldberg embellishes (above left) and trims (above right) the hats by hand. Branding initials or words (below) offer personalization.

PHOTOS BY ANDREA CARSON PHOTOGRAPHY

SY: Do you have a favorite, or one that was the most fun to create? JG: A royal blue piece for a Knicks fan, etched and embroidered with team details, that ended up on the Jumbotron multiple times during the winning games. Another favorite was a piece I found in a Boulder thrift store and made for my daughter to wear to the Houston rodeo. We added a pin from the rodeo, and the female rodeo athletes signed westportmag.com

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State of Giving in Fairfield County Light a Fire is back! Reimagined and ready to spark what’s next. With a refreshed format and focus on the future of giving, this year’s event amplifies a simple truth: we’re Better Together when individuals, towns and organizations collaborate to solve challenges bigger than any one effort alone. Join nonprofit leaders, philanthropists, foundation executives, dedicated donors and businesses for an evening that honors those who lead with heart and act with purpose. Plus, don’t miss our Light a Fire(side) chat on what’s next for giving in our community, from shifting economic pressures to the strategies shaping philanthropy’s future. Scan here for event and ticket information. Or, visit MofflyLifestyleMedia.com/LightAFire

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money matters

BY CAROL LEONETTI DANNHAUSER

SAVING FOR COLLEGE

Jamie Hunter

ith college costs averaging nearly $61,000 a year at private institutions and $46,000 at public schools, paying for higher education is a tall order. Short of hemorrhaging retirement accounts or saddling Muffy with six-figure debt on graduation day, what’s a parent to do? Start saving now, says Jamie Hunter, a vice president at Fairfield County Bank and financial adviser with Osaic Institutions Inc. in Westport. “In our area, we want our kids to have a better chance than we did, and we believe college is the way to get there,” says

CHET account, and there is no contribution minimum. If you open one before Baby’s first birthday, Connecticut will contribute $100 to the cause. Anybody can open a CHET account, whether a parent, friend or grandparent, and this is where things can get interesting, says Hunter. Account-holders may contribute up to $19,000 a year (or $38,000 for married couples filing jointly) to a 529 without incurring a gift tax, but there is no maximum contribution. Grandparents with a robust nest egg, for example, can superfund Muffy’s 529, combining five years’ worth of contributions in one year ($95,000 for a single contributor or $190,000 for a couple) without incurring a gift tax. “You can continue to contribute until the account reaches $550,000,” Hunter says, adding, “it’s a legacy plan that’s always in the grantor’s name.” If the original beneficiary of a 529 doesn’t need the money for school, accountholders can name a new beneficiary. While a 529 is the most popular savings vehicle for college, Hunter recommends adding a second, less-utilized but very handy tool

Hunter, who has put his own kids through college and can relate to the challenge. He has watched parents in lower Fairfield County sink every free penny into their homes and retirement accounts, only to come up short at tuition time. Then they raid those very accounts to pay the tuition bill, adding insult to injury. “Your life’s not over after you get the kids through school,” Hunter says. Saving for college can be a family affair, Hunter suggests, with everyone having skin in the game, from grandparents to the little scholars themselves. Start with a 529 plan. Designed as a tool to pay for school, a 529 lets you invest money in a brokerage account, where it grows tax-free so long as you use the funds to pay for qualified education expenses. Fidelity administers our state’s plan, the Connecticut Higher Education Trust, and contributions are tax-deductible, up to $10,000 per year for jointfilers. Superfunding — or making five years’ worth of contributions at one time — can net joint-filers up to a $50,000 tax deduction in Connecticut. It costs nothing to set up a

to the mix: a cash value, wholelife insurance policy. Sure, the primary goal is to pay a benefit upon death, but the policy also accumulates a cash value that can be used for college costs, if necessary. You can even borrow against the cash value — loaning yourself the money if you need it. Another benefit: whole-life insurance is not counted as an asset in federal financial aid considerations. A Roth IRA account — for Muffy — is a third item in Hunter’s toolbox. Parents, grandparents and kids themselves can contribute 100 percent of the child’s earned income into a custodial Roth IRA, up to $7,500 each year, and have that grow taxfree. Money earned babysitting, cutting lawns, stocking shelves at the store, work in the family business — it all counts as income. Contributions cannot exceed the child’s total earned income, so kids log earnings, as it needs to be verifiable. Come college time, if Muffy doesn’t need that money, it can keep accumulating, tax-free. Muffy will thank you later, when it’s time to pay for her kids’ college. W

COMPARE STICKER PRICES One way to shrink college costs is to find a lower price tag to begin with. Connecticut community colleges cost about $5,200 per year, versus about $17,000 for only tuition at UConn. (Tack on another $20,000 or so for room, board and fees.) Going the community college route saves literally tens of thousands of dollars, all while and the fancy diploma. An added bonus: Connecticut awards community college attendees tuition-free grants to cover a shortfall between federal and state grants received and actual tuition costs. Awards are first-come, firstserved, and are not income-restricted. Apply online at CTState.edu/free-tuition.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

getting those required courses out of the way. Then Muffy can transfer to another school for upper-level classes

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The Mansion’s

RED CARPET GALA Featuring

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2026, 6 P.M.

A Cinematic Experience courtesy of Avon Theatre

We Thank our 2026 Gala Supporters GALA BENEFACTORS

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Exhibition Preview:

The Evolving Icon

CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE

In collaboration with:

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For Tickets visit:

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LEADERSHIP PATRONS Dr. Michele and Attorney Miklos Koleszar The Sealark Foundation, Inc. 295 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06850

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 WESTPORT

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IMAGES COURTESY OF VERONIQUE GABAI

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TWO WOMEN, ONE ROSE Veronique Gabai and Kelly Rutherford on the friendship behind Rose Première, and why the best fragrances are made, not manufactured. By Samantha Yanks

opposite page: A meeting of the minds beneath the vines: Kelly Rutherford and Veronique Gabai dream up their next creation over lunch at Villa Botanica, the perfumery center of DSM-Firmenich in Grasse. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 WESTPORT

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SOME FRIENDSHIPS ARE BUILT DURING YEARS OF CLOSE CONTACT, the slow accumulation of dinners, school pickups and shared zip codes. Veronique Gabai and Kelly Rutherford’s was not. Theirs began on a philanthropic project, the kind of one-off collaboration that could easily have stayed just that. Instead, it turned into something neither woman expected: a scent. Gabai, the French-born perfumer behind Maison Veronique Gabai, has spent decades translating emotion into fragrance, first for some of the biggest names in beauty, later under her own name. Rutherford, the actress known to generations for Gossip Girl and Melrose Place, was not looking to launch a fragrance. She was looking for a friend she trusted, and found one in Gabai. What grew out of that trust is Rose Première, a limited-edition scent built around the Rose de Mai of Grasse, the rare rose hand-harvested in the first light of May, when its perfume is at its most potent. Gabai’s Westport property sits on a stretch of the Saugatuck River with a history as layered as anything in a bottle: it is the site of the old Bradley Tool Factory, dating back to the 1800s, complete with a waterfall that still runs along the water. “Living by the sea in Westport reconnects me to my childhood in the South of France, where the Mediterranean shaped my earliest memories of scent. The salt in the air, the light on the water and the fragrance of flowers carried by the breeze all feel deeply familiar. There is love in that sense of recognition—the love we carry for the places that

IMAGES COURTESY OF VERONIQUE GABAI

far left and bottom right: Le Spritz by Kelly Rutherford reimagines Maison Veronique Gabai’s signature fragrance necklace with rose quartz, chosen by Kelly as a symbol of love. Offered in gold tone, the unisex jewel is a perfect gift for her, for him—or for oneself. Retail: $195. left: Kelly Rutherford with ROSE PREMIÈRE by Kelly Rutherford, her debut fragrance collaboration with Maison Veronique Gabai—a luminous blend of Rose de Mai, mandarin, praline, amber, and musk. Retail: $350 for 85 ml and $70 for 10 ml.

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this page: Veronique Gabai and Kelly Rutherford stroll arm in arm—a portrait of the friendship and shared creativity behind their fragrance collaboration, ROSE PREMIÈRE by Kelly Rutherford.

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IMAGES COURTESY OF VERONIQUE GABAI

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“Westport has its own distinctive rhythm and elegance, yet it awakens the same sense of freedom, beauty and possibility that continues to inspire everything I create.” -Veronique Gabai

opposite page: In the early mornings of May, in the South of France, the rose reveals itself quietly. Rose Première begins here, in the softness of first light imagined by Veronique and Kelly.

formed us. Westport has its own distinctive rhythm and elegance, yet it awakens the same sense of freedom, beauty and possibility that continues to inspire everything I create,” says Gabai. It is the kind of home that makes you understand her instinct for building something with history baked in rather than manufactured from scratch, whether a factory turned home or a fragrance built on a friendship. “Everything meaningful starts with love,” Rutherford says of the project. The line sounds like marketing copy until you hear the story behind it. This was not a brand built by a room full of consultants and focus groups. It’s a product built by two women who liked spending time together who decided to bottle what that felt like. The fragrance itself opens with bright, sparkling citrus and green notes giving way to the rose at its center. Then it settles into something warmer: soft woods, musk, a whisper of praline. Gabai describes the result as joyful and unfussy, a scent for a woman who does not need permission to take up space. “This fragrance celebrates energy, creativity, and the entrepreneurial spirit,” she says. “It’s for women who embrace passion, joy and adventure—approaching life with confidence, curiosity and the drive to create and inspire.” The first 2,000 bottles carry Rutherford’s name directly, a small but pointed detail. Each one is engraved, capped in pink, wrapped in a custom sleeve bearing a handwritten message from Rutherford herself. It is the kind of touch that makes sense between people who actually like each other, the fragrance equivalent of a note left on a friend’s kitchen counter. That same instinct shaped the collaboration’s second act. Gabai’s Maison is known for Le Spritz, a signature fragrance necklace that lets its wearer carry a scent without ever touching a bottle. For the holidays, Gabai invited Rutherford to make it her own, and the result is a necklace set with rose quartz, a stone Rutherford chose herself for what it represents: unconditional love, feminine strength, the quiet kind of power that does not need to announce itself. Available in chrome and gold, designed to be worn by anyone, it is less an accessory than a small, wearable piece of the friendship that started it all. What makes the story land is how little of it feels engineered. Grasse has been perfume’s spiritual home for centuries, and the Rose de Mai has inspired more launches than anyone could count. What sets this one apart is not the ingredient: it is the relationship behind it, two women from different worlds, different continents, different chapters of life, who found in each other a shared belief in creativity and joy, and decided the best way to mark that was to make something beautiful together. Rose Première is available for purchase now at veroniquegabai.com, alongside the Le Spritz necklace, a fitting note to end the year on: a friendship, bottled, worn close and given away.

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TEENS TO WATCH Meet Westport, Weston and Wilton’s 2026 Teens to Watch: 13 standout students excelling in athletics, the arts, research, entrepreneurship, service and scholarship—and already making an impact in their schools, communities and beyond. By Lily Caplan

Every year, our schools turn out students whose resumes seem almost impossible to fit on a page. They are athletes and artists, researchers and entrepreneurs, advocates and volunteers, musicians, mentors, scholars and community builders. This year’s Teens to Watch are no exception. From the rink to the lab, the football field to the courtroom, the stage to the service site, these students are already leading with purpose, discipline and heart. They are not waiting until adulthood to make an impact; they are doing it now, in their schools, towns and communities. Meet Westport, Weston and Wilton’s 2026 Teens to Watch: Jack McCullough, Owen Brady, Oliver Rohrbasser, Danya Herman, Evie Herman, Sophia Carrington, Rowan McGrath, Isabel Jo, Uma Choudhury, James Adams, Murphy Levesque, Angela Zhao and Cecilia Costa.

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JACK McCULLOUGH

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BRUNSWICK SCHOOL

Jack McCullough is the kind of athlete who understands that excellence is built both on the ice and far beyond it. A stand out senior defenseman on Brunswick’s elite hockey team, McCullough has spent his years at Brunswick relentlessly pursuing improvement with puck and stick, while also treasuring the friendships forged in the rink. “Mr. McCullough is what one might call a hockey professional at ’Wick, dedicating his time to success on the ice for the sake of the squad,” said his advisor, Nick Salazar. But when McCullough wanted to elevate his game, he didn’t rely only on extra hours at the rink. He also turned inward, studying discipline, motivation and mindset. Recent reads include Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow, about the brain and decisionmaking, and Greg Harden’s Stay Sane in an Insane World: How to Control the Controllables and Thrive. Harden, a longtime University of Michigan mental coach, worked with some of the most successful athletes of our time, including Tom Brady and Michael Phelps, helping them learn to “master their mindset.” That work has shown up in McCullough’s own growth. “Jack has changed a lot,” Head Hockey Coach Mike Kennedy said. “He grew up, and as a senior defenseman, he approached every day on the ice with discipline, energy and a positive attitude.” “He even smiled a lot—modeling what it means to be a true leader and competitor,” Kennedy adds. “This all carried into his performance on the ice, where he contributed at a high level in all facets of the game. He very likely led the team in total ice time.” McCullough played 102 games in a Brunswick sweater and was one of nine Bruins honored at Senior Night in February. His senior class helped lead the program to championships at the St. Sebastian’s Tournament and the Belmont Hill/Nichols Tournament, four straight NEPSAC Tournament berths and three Elite 8 appearances.

Jack McCollough

For all of these reasons—and perhaps thanks in part to his passionate pre-game pep talks—it was no surprise when McCullough’s teammates voted him the unanimous winner of the Hal Rogers Award. The honor is the team’s only senior award and is given for character, sportsmanship, leadership and dedication to both Brunswick hockey and Brunswick School. Beyond the rink, McCullough is a highachieving student who brings the same thoughtfulness and humility to his academic life. His senior coursework includes AP Calculus, AP Economics, AP Statistics, Engineering I, English XII: Mind over Matter, Heroes in Sport, Physics and Roadmap for Life. “We are very proud of Jack, and excited to follow the next chapter of his story,” Kennedy says. McCullough will play junior hockey next year.

“He grew up, and as a senior defenseman, he approached every day on the ice with discipline, energy and a positive attitude.” - Head Hockey Coach Mike Kennedy

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OWEN BRADY Westport resident Owen Brady’s discipline shows up quietly but consistently—in the classroom, on the water, at work and in the way he treats others. A senior at Fairfield Prep, Brady rows year-round for an intensive club crew team, training three hours a day, six days a week during the fall, spring and summer seasons. The commitment requires stamina, time management and the ability to keep showing up, even when the schedule is demanding. For Brady, that work ethic extends far beyond athletics. At school, he is involved in Campus Ministry and has participated in Prep’s Urban Plunge program, experiences that reflect his commitment to faith, service and community. Outside of school, Brady balances a job at the Fairfield Beach Club with running his own landscaping business, independently managing and maintaining six properties in his neighborhood. That same sense of responsibility carries into the way he gives back. Brady volunteers regularly with the Boys & Girls Club of Bridgeport, working in the after-school program to support younger students. He is also an altar server at his parish and attends church nearly every weekend. Whether through formal service, ministry or simply noticing when someone needs support, Brady is motivated by empathy and a desire to make others feel valued. Teachers and counselors describe Brady as authentic, resilient and exceptionally hard-working. Academically, he is known for seeking extra help, asking thoughtful questions and committing himself to true understanding rather than surface-level success. He embraces challenges, learns from setbacks and is not afraid to put in the effort required to grow. Next year, Brady will attend Trinity College in Hartford, where he plans to pursue a rigorous academic program while remaining involved in community service. Those who know him are confident that his maturity, gratitude and self-motivation will serve him well in college and beyond.

Owen Brady

Oliver Rohrbasser

OLIVER ROHRBASSER

Oliver serves as the Chair of Model UN, leading meetings, mentoring younger members and preparing students for national conferences. He is also an Admissions Ambassador, representing GFA to prospective students and families; plus, he’s an accomplished musician who performs as a pianist and band member while contributing as a leader within his ensemble. Outside of school, Oliver has worked for the past four years at the Four Seasons Racquet Club as a Concierge Desk Attendant and Assistant Tennis Professional. Balancing a demanding academic schedule, varsity sports, leadership roles and a year-round job of more than 20 hours per week speaks to his exceptional discipline and time management. Through At Home in Darien, he serves as a weekly “friendly shopper” for a senior citizen, helping with groceries and household needs so she can maintain her independence. He also mentors younger students and athletes through Model UN, sports, admissions and tennis coaching. Oliver will attend Georgia Tech, where he plans to study engineering and pursue a master’s degree. His leadership is defined by action: showing up, doing the work and supporting the people around him. His humility, reliability and grounded presence make him someone others trust and depend on.

GREENS FARMS ACADEMY

Wilton resident Oliver Rohrbasser seems to run on the same principles that draw him to engineering: precision, endurance and an understanding that the strongest structures are often built from steady, unseen work. A senior at Greens Farms Academy, Oliver has earned a reputation as a grounded leader whose impact shows up everywhere he commits his time: in the classroom, on the court, at work and in service to others. His interests span engineering, leadership and competition. At GFA, Oliver has pursued a rigorous academic path that includes multivariable calculus and advanced physics, while deepening his interest in engineering through selective summer programs at Duke University and Tufts University. Those experiences allowed him to explore real-world engineering applications and confirmed his interest in building practical, innovative solutions. Oliver also brings commitment and focus to athletics. He is captain of the varsity crosscountry team, where he organizes practices, leads workouts and helps support team performance and cohesion. He also competes on the varsity tennis team and previously captained the JV squash team.

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DANYA HERMAN In the Herman family, achievement clearly runs in pairs. Twin sisters Danya and Evie Herman are both headed to two of the country’s most selective colleges, but their paths there could not be more distinct. For Danya, the throughline has been entrepreneurship: Not simply studying it, but building the systems that help other young women see themselves as founders, leaders and changemakers. A senior at Greens Farms Academy, Danya is the founder and president of Future Girl Entrepreneurs, a fast-growing initiative that provides entrepreneurship education, mentorship and funding opportunities to young women. She designed and built a comprehensive online curriculum, recruited a network of more than 30 prominent female founders and investors, and expanded programming to schools and nonprofits across the country. Her work has already reached well beyond the classroom. Danya has contributed to research with Harvard Business School’s Entrepreneurial Management Unit, including case studies such as Duolingo’s growth strategy. She has also taken her interest in global entrepreneurship abroad, interning and speaking in Chile, where she presented in Spanish to female founders on venture development and fundraising. At GFA, Danya serves as co-editor-in-chief of Penumbra, where she helped launch the publication’s first digital platform and archive. Locally, she is co-chair of the Westport Youth Commission, leading townwide initiatives that support youth well-being. Through Future Girl Entrepreneurs, she has created accessible pathways for young women, particularly those in under-resourced communities, to gain entrepreneurial skills, mentorship and real-world experience. She also serves as a bilingual ESL tutor with Building One Community, supporting immigrant families and helping students succeed academically. As a member of Reisenbach Philanthropies’ Junior Board, she participates in grantmaking and mentorship for nonprofits serving vulnerable populations. Danya will attend Harvard College, where she plans to continue pursuing business, social entrepreneurship and public impact, with a focus on creating mission-driven organizations.

Dayna Herman

Evie Herman

EVIE HERMAN

Cancer Starts With Can, an organization supporting pediatric cancer patients and families. She also founded The Can Review, a literary magazine that amplifies the voices of children affected by cancer and gives young patients a space to tell their own stories. Through partnerships with organizations including Make-A-Wish and Camp Rising Sun, she leads art and writing workshops that offer creative outlets for children undergoing treatment. She also serves as a Make-A-Wish ambassador and Teen Leadership Board member for Circle of Care, helping lead fundraising, outreach and support programs for families affected by pediatric cancer. At GFA, Evie is also co-editor-in-chief of Penumbra, where she helps shape a publication that reflects a wide range of student voices. She is also co-captain of the Math Team and a leader within the Jewish affinity group, where she helped organize a schoolwide Model Seder. Evie will attend MIT, where she plans to study biomedical research with a focus on cancer biology and therapeutic development. Her work already reflects the depth of a future leader in medicine and research: precise, empathetic and driven by purpose.

GREENS FARMS ACADEMY

If Danya Herman’s work is about expanding access to opportunity, her twin sister Evie’s is about turning experience into healing, research and voice. A senior at Greens Farms Academy, Evie brings together two qualities rarely found at such a high level: scientific rigor and deep personal purpose. Evie is a paid research intern at The Jackson Laboratory, where she works as a full lab member conducting advanced cancer research focused on leukemia and therapeutic resistance. Her work includes complex molecular biology techniques and has contributed to authorship on a scientific paper currently under review at Science Translational Medicine, with additional manuscripts in preparation. She has also expanded her research experience through an oncology and AI internship at Envisagenics, where she worked with machine-learning platforms to identify novel therapeutic targets. For Evie, science is not abstract. As a pediatric cancer survivor, she understands the human side of research as deeply as the technical one. That perspective inspired her to found

CONTRIBUTED

GREENS FARMS ACADEMY

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FFLD Pre

Men for Men for

Others Others Fairfield College Preparatory School, a Jesuit, Catholic highPreparatory school of excellence, Fairfield College School, develops young men into compassionate a Jesuit, Catholic high school of excellence, Fairfield College Preparatory School, Fairfield College Preparatory School, leaders through a rigorous academic program. develops young men into compassionate a Jesuit, Catholic high school of excellence, a Jesuit, Catholic high school of excellence, In a faith-filled community, students deepen leaders through a rigorous academic program. develops young men into compassionate develops young men into compassionate their with God and one another, In arelationships faith-filled community, students deepen leaders through a rigorous academic program. leaders through a rigorous academic program. transforming Others. their relationshipsinto withMen Godfor and one another, In In a a faith-filled faith-filled community, community, students students deepen deepen transforming into Men for Others. their their relationships relationships with with God God and and one one another, another, transforming transforming into into Men Men for for Others. Others.

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Learn more at Learn more at FairfieldPREP.org Learn more at FairfieldPREP.org FairfieldPREP.org

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SOPHIA CARRINGTON Wilton resident, Sophia Carrington has spent much of her life with a violin in hand. A senior at King School, Sophia began playing at age seven and has built her musical life through years of discipline, focus and consistent practice. Today, Sophia performs solo repertoire as well as ensemble and chamber music, practicing approximately two hours a day and attending lessons and studio sessions three to four times each week. Her commitment to classical music reflects not only talent, but patience and persistence. Sophia’s love of music extends beyond her own performance. She gives back by mentoring younger musicians at her studio, working one-on-one with students as they practice and develop their skills. She also serves as a teaching assistant for group classes, helping early-stage musicians build confidence and stay connected to the arts. Outside of music, Sophia is committed to service in her broader community. She volunteers regularly with the Wilson Food Bank, helping unload food deliveries and prepare grocery bags for distribution to local families. At King, she has served as leader of the Health and Wellness Club since the end of her sophomore year, supporting student wellbeing and helping raise awareness around mental and physical health. Sophia is also a writer, turning to poetry in her free time as a creative outlet and another form of expression. Whether through music or writing, she brings thoughtfulness and care to the way she communicates and connects with others. Sophia will attend Brigham Young University next year. She is currently deciding between studying music or English, but she plans to continue her music education through private instruction and/or university ensembles regardless of her major. For Sophia, music has shaped more than her schedule. It has strengthened her discipline, focus and sense of identity— qualities she will carry with her into college and beyond.

Sophia Carrington

Rowan McGrath

ROWAN MCGRATH

helped launch the club with 36 members. Through dedication games, fundraisers, bake sales and awareness efforts, the club educates students about athlete mental health and the resources available to support those who are struggling. Rowan is also a Peer Mentor, helping freshmen adjust to high school through monthly meetings, strategy sessions and oneon-one support. As a member of the National Honor Society, she participates in food drives, tutors underclassmen and offers academic and organizational help to peers. Her commitment to service is just as consistent. At Wakeman Boys & Girls Club, Rowan worked with students in third through fifth grade, helping with homework and supporting their growth. She has also been a counselor at Children’s Day School of Wilton, working with children ages two to five, and has volunteered with the Discovery to Cure Walk in support of ovarian cancer awareness. Whether leading a defensive line, mentoring younger students or creating space for honest conversations about mental health, Rowan stands out for her compassion and willingness to take initiative. She is a teammate, advocate and leader who understands that strength also means showing up for others.

LAURALTON HALL

For Rowan McGrath, strength has never meant just playing through the whistle. It has also meant knowing when to speak up, when to support a teammate and when to create space for conversations athletes are too often taught to avoid. A senior at Lauralton Hall, the Wilton resident has built her high school experience around athletics, service, mentorship and mental health advocacy. On the field, Rowan is a four-year member of Lauralton Hall’s varsity field hockey team and serves as captain. A center defender, she helps lead practices, drills, summer league and team activities, while competing in the CIAC quarterfinals in 2024. She is also a four-year member of the varsity lacrosse team, playing defense and contributing to Lauralton Hall’s 2024 State Championship win. Outside of school, Rowan has played with Gold Coast Lacrosse Club since sixth grade. Her leadership extends beyond athletics. As president and founder of Lauralton Hall’s Morgan’s Message x L.E.T.S. Club, Rowan brought a new mental health initiative to campus. She presented the concept for approval, built interest among students and

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KING SCHOOL

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Patrick in Fifth Grade

Patrick Gunn and Nate Samelson began their SLS journeys together in fifth grade.

Nate in Fifth Grade

Ever since ninth-grade biology, I’ve wanted to know the ‘why’ behind things. At SLS, that curiosity grew far beyond science class—into the humanities, a cancer research project, and countless insightful discussions with friends and teachers. It’s a mindset I’ll carry with me through college and my career.”

One of the things I appreciated most about my time at SLS was the freedom to explore so many different things, from Shakespeare and conversational Mandarin to advanced abstract math. SLS always pushed me to challenge myself, ask good questions, and think critically. We were lucky to learn in an atmosphere that encouraged curiosity and creativity.”

—Patrick Gunn ’26, Valedictorian, STEM Scholar, Darien Teen to Watch, attending Vanderbilt University

—Nate Samelson ’26, Salutatorian, STEM Scholar, Stamford Teen to Watch, attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Learn more:

SLS is a secular (non-religious) day school for grades 5-12, serving over 40 towns in Connecticut and New York.

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ISABEL JO For Staples High School Valedictorian Isabel Jo, success has come from pursuing the activities she genuinely loves. Whether she is competing on horseback, performing with an orchestra or speaking in front of her graduating class, Isabel has spent her high school years challenging herself while remaining grounded in passion, community and gratitude. A competitive equestrian for 10 years, Isabel trains at the Fairfield County Hunt Club and competes primarily in equitation, a form of jumping judged on the rider’s skill and form. Last fall, she competed at national 3’6” equitation finals across the country and finished among the top 50 riders at the ASPCA Maclay Final in Kentucky. “The sport challenges me in a way that is very different from academics and music,” Isabel said. “I love getting to spend time with the horses, whether I am competing or just feeding them treats in the barn.” She is especially proud of qualifying for and competing at both the USEF Medal Final and the ASPCA Maclay Final, two of the highest-level competitions in equitation. Reaching that level while balancing academics and music made the accomplishment even more meaningful. Music has also played a major role in Isabel’s life. She plays both violin and viola, and served as concertmaster of the Staples Symphonic Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. She qualified for All-State three times on viola and once on violin, and she was ranked second in Connecticut for viola during her senior year. As president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and concertmaster of two orchestras, Isabel also used music to give back to the Westport community. She participated in performances including Candlelight, Pops and concerts for the Westport Y’s Men. Although she once had a severe fear of public speaking, Isabel gradually became more confident as she found subjects and activities she cared deeply about. “Throughout the years, I have found so many things that I am passionate about, which has motivated me to articulate my thoughts and gain confidence in my voice,” she said. That growth came full circle when she

Isabel Jo

Uma Choudhury

delivered a speech at graduation. This fall, Isabel will attend Dartmouth College, where she plans to study chemistry and potentially minor in mathematics. Her advice to others reflects the approach that guided her through high school: “Do what you love and trust that success will follow.”

this but worked hard to motivate the underclassmen,” Uma said. “It was overall a very rewarding experience.” Uma also served as co-president of Staples’ Math Honor Society, where she helped students find ways to serve their community through mathematics. Through both organizations, she made an effort to encourage underclassmen to explore science and math beyond their regular coursework and discover the subjects that excited them most. Uma practiced Tae Kwon Do throughout high school and earned her black belt. Last summer, she participated in a research program at Boston University, where she studied the optimal transport problem within theoretical computer science. Uma believes her curiosity is one of the qualities that sets her apart. “I have a genuine love for learning, no matter what it’s about,” she said. “I have also always had a deep passion for solving puzzles, and that sparked many of my academic interests, and taught me to enjoy asking questions and solving problems.” This fall, Uma will attend Carnegie Mellon University, where she plans to major in computer science. She also hopes to pursue research during college and continue exploring the questions and challenges that have inspired her throughout high school.

UMA CHOUDHURY STAPLES

Whether she is working through a complex math problem, exploring a new area of computer science or helping younger students build confidence in STEM, Staples High School Salutatorian Uma Choudhury is always looking for her next challenge. Her love of puzzles and problem-solving has shaped a high school experience defined by intellectual curiosity, academic exploration and a desire to share that enthusiasm with others. As co-captain of the Staples Science Olympiad team, Uma helped lead the group to a third-place finish at the state competition. The achievement was especially meaningful because she shared it with teammates she had worked alongside for three years. “We not only pushed ourselves to achieve

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STAPLES

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The Power of Wonder At King School, students ask big questions, explore ideas, and take ownership of their learning. That’s how engagement grows. That’s how students fall in love with learning. And those skills go far beyond the classroom. They shape how children solve problems, adapt to change, and take on any challenge with confidence and purpose. LEARN HOW YOUR CHILD CAN THRIVE AT KING.

Join us for Open House Sunday, October 4 kingschoolct.org/open-house WONDER IN ACTION: Geometry came to life as Grade 4 students designed and built mini-golf courses inspired by their own creativity and imagination.

King School is a PreK-12 independent, co-ed day school located in northern Stamford that educates students of Fairfield and Westchester counties.

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The Frederick Gunn School cultivates independent critical thinkers who are ambitious, courageous, and always learning.

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JAMES ADAMS Southport resident James Adams is a true scholar-athlete-artist, the kind of student whose interests stretch from the soccer field to the sailing course and to the museum wall. A senior at St. Luke’s School, James has been a four-year varsity soccer player, competing as a defender and fullback in the NEPSAC and FAA leagues. He helped contribute to the team’s FAA Tournament Championship in 2023 and also plays club soccer with InterCT, a highly selective program. His commitment to the sport continues off the field, through his part-time work as a youth soccer referee. James is also a competitive Laser sailor at Pequot Yacht Club, racing in regional regattas and spending his summers as a Junior Instructor. At school, he serves as a Community Goals for Leadership facilitator, leading peers through constructive conversations while encouraging critical thinking and respectful dialogue. Service is central to James’s high school experience. He has completed more than 175 service hours across several initiatives, including co-founding and coaching a free soccer clinic at the Stamford Boys & Girls Club through Kids Helping Kids. At Pequot Library, he helps with book sales, festivals and online book listings, and serves on the Teen Advisory Board. Through the Appalachian Service Project, James spent a week in West Virginia repairing siding and roofing, and building handicap accessibility ramps for families in need. As a Covenant School tutor, he provides ongoing academic support to middle school students from Bridgeport, working with them on reading and writing. James is also an award-winning visual artist and photographer, earning Gold and Silver Keys at the Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards. His work has been exhibited at venues including Wilton Library and MoCA Westport. As a four-year Aldrich Teen Fellow at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, he has collaborated with artists, curators and fellow students to study contemporary art and help create public exhibitions. James will attend Princeton University as a member of the Class of 2029, where he plans to study history, continue playing soccer at the club level and explore the university’s rich arts and cultural offerings.

James Adams

Murphy Levesque

MURPHY LEVESQUE

Cardinal and Hermes, has taught her patience, communication and resilience. In 2025, she earned Champion and Reserve Champion in the PHA show division for .80M jumpers. She also trains in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a discipline she began to build physicality for football and self-defense, but came to appreciate for its strategy and artistry. That same drive fuels Murphy’s service. In 2020, she co-founded Hidden Gem Animal Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that grew from rescuing four kittens at her local barn into a sustainable organization that traps, provides medical care for and rehomes animals in need. She also served as a counselor for the SLS Ukrainian Refugee Summer Camp, working with children ages 4 to 17. As part of the St. Lukes Global Scholars Program, she conducted a yearlong research on NGO effectiveness for her project, “Doing Good Better: Rethinking the NGO Playbook.” Murphy has taken every drawing and painting course available to her at St. Luke’s and has received the St. Lukes Art Award in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Murphy will attend Villanova University’s School of Business, where she plans to study business while continuing her equestrian career and animal rescue work. As her advisor put it, “Classic Murphy—getting things done and doing it with heart.”

ST. LUKE’S SCHOOL

When Murphy Levesque joined the St. Luke’s football team as a freshman, she was not looking for the easy path. Four years later, she has become a defining example of grit, commitment and barrier-breaking. The Westport resident is the sole female player on the Storm football team and has competed throughout high school as No. 8, playing running and defensive back. Her teammates voted her “Most Likely to Never Miss a Workout,” a fitting tribute to an athlete known for showing up early and staying late. On Senior Day, that commitment came full circle when Murphy scored her first career touchdown. “Murphy is one of the hardest-working athletes I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” Head Football Coach Tyjee Williams said. “From day one, Murphy was always the first one on the field/weight room and one of the last to leave. Her ambition to be great at the game of football outmatched some of the best talent I ever coached.” Murphy’s athletic life extends well beyond football. She is a competitive equestrian with Hidden Gem Show Stables, competing in .90M English jumpers while also riding western recreationally. Working with her horses,

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Small By Design. Transformative By Nature. An independent day school where students in grades 2-8 with languagebased learning differences and ADHD experience school the way it should be. Individualized, evidence-based instruction across classes No pull-outs – specialized support is built in 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio Strong bonds and belonging 3-year average enrollment

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Rolling admissions are open for the 26/27 school year

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 WESTPORT

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ANGELA ZHAO Angela Zhao’s interests may span the tennis court, concert stage and robotics lab, but each reflects the same curiosity, determination and desire to help others. The Weston High School valedictorian has spent years pursuing both STEM and the arts, building an impressive record of achievement. Angela began participating in robotics in sixth grade and became a team captain as a freshman. One of her proudest accomplishments came during her junior year, when she led her team to the World Championships. No team from Weston High School had qualified for the competition in the program’s 10-year history. The experience not only marked an important milestone for Weston’s program, but also helped Angela strengthen her programming, leadership and mentoring skills. Angela continued exploring autonomous robotics through MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute. She initially attended the program’s Autonomous RACECAR course as a student and returned the following summer as a teaching assistant. She also contributes to Neobotics, a nonprofit organization working to make autonomous robotics education more accessible by developing affordable, fully equipped vehicle kits for schools and universities. Her high school experience, however, has extended well beyond robotics. Angela performed as first clarinet in Weston’s Wind Ensemble and Pit Orchestra, and competed in first doubles on the girls varsity tennis team. She also served as a Link Crew commissioner, helping incoming freshmen adjust to high school. Angela has also spoken openly about imposter syndrome. With encouragement from her robotics coach, Mrs. Kaplan, she learned to take pride in her accomplishments and shared that message in her valedictory speech to help classmates feel less alone. This fall, Angela will attend Yale University, where she hopes to become involved with the Social Robotics Lab and contribute to the development of assistive technologies for people with disabilities. Her long-term goal is to become a professor, allowing her to continue researching robotics while teaching and mentoring future students.

Angela Zhao

Cecilia Costa

CECILIA COSTA

lifeguard and shift captain at the Country Club of New Canaan. Service is central to Cecilia’s life. She volunteers with Special Olympics and the Saint Aloysius Buddies Program, supporting individuals with special needs through companionship, encouragement and inclusive activities. She also created a Service Initiative within the Buddies Program to expand opportunities for participants to engage in projects such as donation drives and charitable contributions. Her faith is another important part of her leadership. As a Team Leader and Adoration Liaison for the Emmaus Youth Retreat, Cecilia helps guide peers through reflection, community and spiritual growth. Cecilia balances these commitments with a rigorous academic schedule, including multiple AP courses, while maintaining strong academic performance. She is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society and earned the Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy. Cecilia plans to study political science in college and hopes to attend law school. Her experiences in Mock Trial, public defense, civic engagement and service have strengthened her desire to use critical thinking, communication and advocacy to make a meaningful impact on her community.

WILTON HIGH SCHOOL

Wilton resident Cecilia Costa is already building the foundation for a future in law, advocacy and public service. A junior at Wilton High School, Cecilia serves as president of the Mock Trial team, where she competes in legal case simulations and leads her team in developing arguments, preparing examinations and getting ready for competitions. Her interest in the justice system extends beyond school through an internship with the Connecticut Public Defender’s Office. Cecilia is also deeply involved in civic engagement. Through her internship with the League of Women Voters, she helps organize voter education initiatives and participated as a poll worker during a municipal election. She brings that same commitment to leadership development through Ms. President US, where she mentors younger girls as they build confidence, public speaking skills and a stronger sense of their own voices. At school, Cecilia is Editor-in-Chief of the literary magazine, overseeing the publication process and supporting student writers. She is also a Link Crew mentor, helping freshmen transition into high school, and works as a math tutor through the YourAcademics Program. Outside of school, she is a certified

CONTRIBUTED

WESTON HIGH SCHOOL

westportmag.com

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Empower Her Potential Because Here, She Is Everything Congratulations to Lauralton Grad, Rowan McGrath ’26 on her selection as a Moﬄy Media Teen to Watch! Schedule your visit to our historic campus, meet our extraordinary students, and experience the power of an all-girls education at CT’s first Catholic girls prep school.

200 High St., Milford, CT | LauraltonHall.org

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Custom Designs Each display is crafted to reflect your Each display is crafted to reflect your unique taste. unique taste. Various Design Sizes Various Design Sizes Curated designs in a variety of sizes Curated designs in a variety of sizes for every space. for every space. Hassle-Free Hassle-Free We handle handle everything—from We everything—from cleaning cleaning the the pumpkins pumpkinstotodelivery. delivery.

GUTTER CREDIT

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Red Wagon Pumpkins LLC isLLC based in Old CT CT Red Wagon Pumpkins is based in Saybrook, Old Saybrook,

(860) 716-9776 (860) 716-9776 Serving allall ofof CTCT Serving jeff@redwagonpumpkins.com jeff@redwagonpumpkins.com www.redwagonpumpkins.com www.redwagonpumpkins.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 WESTPORT

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this page: Lori L Cochran-Dougall Executive Director of the Westport Farmers’ Market. opposite page: Osprey Barns.

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A Night to Remember

Westport Farmers’ Market Celebrates Twenty Years at Osprey Barns By Samantha Yanks

IMAGES BY NINA SHEFFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

ome evenings leave a mark. The kind where the setting is so extraordinary, the food so alive, and the company so right, that you find yourself pausing mid-conversation just to take it all in. The recent Westport Farmers’ Market anniversary dinner at Osprey Barns on Canfield Island was exactly that kind of night. Hosted at the award-winning waterfront home of Jonathan Farber and Jen Senn, Osprey Barns is the kind of space that stops people in their tracks. Its dramatic industrial-barn silhouette, soaring ceilings, Crittall-style windows and breathtaking beachfront setting have made it one of the most sought-after private properties in Connecticut. On this particular evening, with the water glittering beyond the glass and the summer air carrying the scent of the sea, it was nothing short of magical. Guests arrived to find themselves in a setting that felt at once grand and deeply intimate, the perfect backdrop for a dinner built around community, craft and twenty years of extraordinary local food.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 WESTPORT

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“I have had the privilege of leading this market for sixteen years, and evenings like this remind me exactly why I love what I do. Jen Senn and Jonathan Farber gave us a setting beyond anything we could have imagined, and our chefs — Bill Taibe, Brian Lewis, Jason Epstein, Dimitri Pantzos, Diego Negri, and Daniel Moreno — delivered a dinner that left every single guest speechless. But what moves me most is the support of this community. Year after year, you show up for this market with open hearts and open wallets, and you make everything we do possible. This dinner was a beautiful, delicious, joyful example of exactly what the Westport Farmers’ Market brings to the table,

and we are just getting started,” CochranDougall shared. The kitchen was commanded by one of the most exciting chef collaborations Westport has seen in years. Bill Taibe of Kawa Ni and the new hi’Amba; Brian Lewis of Full House Hospitality Group; Jason Epstein, celebrated private chef; Dimitri Pantzos of Lyfe Hospitality; Diego Negri of Casa Me; and Daniel Moreno of Kneads Bakery Cafe came together to create a menu that was as thoughtful as it was delicious. Each chef brought their own voice to the table while honoring the evening’s central theme — the farmers and producers who make great food possible.

IMAGES BY NINA SHEFFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

The evening was a fundraiser benefiting the Westport Farmers’ Market, Connecticut’s beloved nonprofit farmers market, now celebrating its 20th anniversary season. WFM has grown from a small local gathering into one of the state’s most respected agricultural and community institutions, connecting residents with local farmers, fishermen and food producers while championing access to fresh, healthy food for all. Executive Director Lori Cochran-Dougall, who has led the market for fifteen years, welcomed guests with warmth and gratitude, reflecting on two decades of farmers, families and a community that has shown up season after season.

westportmag.com

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this page: A seat at the table. opposite page: The Schillers and Faliks enjoying the evening.

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IMAGES BY NINA SHEFFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

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IMAGES BY NINA SHEFFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

this page: Roasted oysters with ramp butter and guanciale. opposite page: Tomatoes by Chef Brian Lewis; Bill Taibe of Kawa Ni and hi’Amba; Diego Negri of Casa Me; Bespoke menus for the evening.

Guests began the evening with passed hors d’oeuvres and beautifully composed platters, moving through a family-style feast that unfolded course by course: seasonal dips and freshly baked breads gave way to vibrant vegetable preparations, then pristine seafood, then rich, beautifully crafted meat courses — each one drawing on the best of what Connecticut’s farms and waters had to offer at the height of summer. Jonathan Farber brought the same meticulous thoughtfulness to the beverage program, curating wines and a coffee service that carried the meal to its final, perfect note. The reaction from guests said everything. Attendees were visibly moved — by the setting, by the food, by the rare feeling of being part of something that mattered. Conversations lingered well past the final

course. More than one guest called it the finest private dinner they had attended in years. But beyond the beauty of the evening, the purpose was clear. Every ticket purchased and every dollar raised goes directly back into the Westport Farmers’ Market’s mission — supporting farmer stipends, educational programming, and ensuring fresh, local food remains accessible to the entire community. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, WFM depends on the generosity of supporters who believe that local food is worth fighting for. Twenty years in, that fight has never felt more alive — or more delicious. To support the Westport Farmers’ Market or learn more about upcoming events, visit westportfarmersmarket.org.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 WESTPORT

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Zoë Feldman Design

ZOË FELDMAN

JUDGES

NEAL BECKSTEDT

Neal Beckstedt Studio

CHRISTOPHER LAGUARDIA

LaGuardia Design Group

HADLEY WIGGINS

Hadley Wiggins

MATT BERMAN

Workshop/APD

WINNERS REVEALED AT OUR CELEBRATION ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 AT 6 PM AT THE VILLAGE, STAMFORD’S WATERFRONT DESTINATION!

A-List Awards 2026

17th ANNUAL DAVID MANN

MR Architecture + Decor

Scan here to see the finalists’ projects, our sponsors, and our judges!

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VENUE SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSORS

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our sponsors

On September 16, 2026, we’ll gather to celebrate the very best of the best as winners are announced at the A-List Awards networking gala and ceremony. Congratulations to this year’s finalists, and thank you to everyone who entered, as well as to our judges and generous sponsors for helping make this program possible.

Choosing the finalists is never easy. Our distinguished panel of judges reviewed an exceptional field of submissions, evaluating projects that exemplify excellence in design, craftsmanship and execution. We’re proud to present this year’s finalists below, along with dedicated project pages featuring images and professional credits at athomealistawards.com. We encourage you to explore—and share—their work.

Every year, the A-List Awards offer a snapshot of the remarkable creativity shaping homes and landscapes across our region. From timeless architecture and beautifully crafted interiors to innovative outdoor spaces, this year’s entries reflect the talent, imagination and dedication of the professionals behind them.

Welcome to athome in Fairfield County magazine’s seventeenth annual A-List Awards.

HONORING EXCELLENCE

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Lucenti_2

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MM Interiors @mminteriorsstudio MM Interiors Greenwich; 914-565-7852 mmhomeinteriors.com

Manor + Woods @manorandwoods Kerry Jacobs Manor + Woods Larchmont, NY; 914-450-1490 manorandwoods.com

KID/TEEN BEDROOM

Amy Aidinis Hirsch Interior Design Greenwich; 203-661-1266 amyhirsch.com

VanderHorn Architects with Amy Aidinis Hirsch Interior Design @vanderhornarchitects @amyhirsch_design Douglas VanderHorn VanderHorn Architects Greenwich; 203-622-7000 vanderhornarchitects.com

Ryann Swan Design @ryannswan Ryann Swan Design Greenwich; 203-561-9621 ryannswandesign.com

Curated Nest @curatednest Curated Nest Greenwich; 414-418-7750 curatednest.com

Calla Cane @callacane Calla Cane Rowayton; 203-810-9901 callacane.com

BATH DESIGN

Vicente-Burin Architects @vicenteburin Vicente-Burin Architects Fairfield; 203-319-9571 vbarchitect.com

Roger Ferris + Partners @rogerferrisandpartners Roger Ferris + Partners 11 Wilton Road Westport; 203-222-4848 ferrisarch.com

Marcus Gleysteen Architects @marcusgleysteenarchitects Marcus Gleysteen Architects Deep River; 617-542-6060 mgaarchitects.com

Granoff Architects @granoffarchitects Granoff Architects Greenwich; 203-625-9460 Palm Beach, FL; 561-320-2338 granoffarchitects.com

MODERN ARCHITECTURE

William Lyon Designs @williamlyondesigns Wiliam Lyon Designs Norwalk; 203-489-5624 williamlyondesigns.com

Prudence Bailey Interior Design @prudencebaileyinterior design Prudence Bailey Interior Design New Canaan; 203-859-9499 prudencebailey.com

Manor + Woods @manorandwoods Kerry Jacobs Manor + Woods Larchmont, NY; 914-450-1490 manorandwoods.com Period Architecture @periodarchitecture Period Architecture Greenwich; 203-971-0160 periodarchitectureltd.com

Calla Cane @callacane Calla Cane Rowayton; 203-810-9901 callacane.com Carly Weisman Architecture & Design @carlyweismanarchitect Carly Weisman Architecture & Design Watertown; 419-283-2888 carlyweisman.com

VanderHorn Architects @vanderhornarchitects Douglas VanderHorn VanderHorn Architects Greenwich; 203-622-7000 vanderhornarchitects.com

LIVING SPACE

KITCHEN DESIGN: Traditional/Classic

DK HOME @dkhomeco Danielle Perdue DK HOME Westport; 646-709-5547 dkhome-co.com

VAKOTA Architecture @vakotaarchitecture VAKOTA Architecture Greenwich; 212-655-9875 vakota.com

Nima Design @nimadesigninteriors Nima Design Greenwich; 646-426-7685 nimadesigninteriors.com

DEANE, Inc. @kitchensbydeane DEANE, Inc. Stamford; 203-327-7008 deaneinc.com

KITCHEN: Transitional/Modern

Studio Mason Design @studiomasondesignco Studio Mason Design Greenwich; 914-907-8962 studiomasondesign.com

Roost Interiors @roostinteriorsnj Roost Interiors Montclair, NJ; 973-337-8229 roost-interiors.com

Haver & Skolnick Architects @haverskolnickarchitects Charles Haver & Stewart Skolnick Haver & Skolnick Architects Southbury, 203-788-5920 haverskolnickarchitects.com

Austin Patterson Disston Architecture & Design @apdarchitects Austin Patterson Disston Architecture & Design Fairfield Co.; 203-255-4031 Hamptons; 631-653-1481 Palm Beach; 561-834-0191 apdarchitects.com

ENTRYWAY

AWARDS CELEBRATION / SEPTEMBER 16 / 6 PM

Granoff Architects @granoffarchitects Granoff Architects Greenwich; 203-625-9460 Palm Beach, FL; 561-320-2338 granoffarchitects.com

Glengate @glengatecompany Glengate Wilton; 203-762-2000 glengatecompany.com

Artemis Landscape Architects @artemislandarch Artemis Landscape Architects Sandy Hook; 203-683-1808 artemisla.com

LANDSCAPE: Less Than 1 Acre

Rosalia Sanni Design @rosalia_sanni_design Rosalia Sanni Design Greenwich; 203-918-4619 rosaliasanni.com

MDLA @mdlandarch MDLA Boston, MA; 203-592-4788 m-d-l-a.com

Hoblyn & Co. @hoblynandco Hoblyn & Co. Westport; 917-698-5686 hoblynandco.com

LANDSCAPE: Greater Than 1 Acre

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PLATINUM SPONSOR

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these collections with select Italian manufacturers and specialized workshops dedicated to bespoke production. From technical drawings and visual studies through sourcing, logistics, delivery, and installation, every phase is coordinated with precision.

drawings and visual studiesexclusively through sourcing, logistics, delivery, The Greenwich showroom represents Poliform and and installation, every phase is coordinated withGessi, precision. Flexform in Fairfield County, together with and complements

environments. company offers kitchens, walk-in closets,and The GreenwichThe showroom exclusively represents Poliform bathrooms, architectural paneling, custom millwork, systems, Flexform in Fairfield County, together with Gessi, andliving complements upholstered furniture, lighting, and architectural kitchen and bath these collections with select Italian manufacturers and specialized fittings. workshops dedicated to bespoke production. From technical

Since 1925, the Lucenti name has been connected to Italian craftsmanship and bespoke interiors. Today, third-generation founder Biagio Lucenti leads Lucenti Interiors, a high-end Italian interiors company with showrooms in Greenwich and New York City. Lucenti Interiors works closely withbeen architects, interior designers, Since 1925, the Lucenti name has connected to Italian craftbuilders, and homeowners to create complete, highly personalized smanship and bespoke interiors. Today, third-generation founder environments. The company offers kitchens, walk-in closets, Biagio Lucenti leads Lucenti Interiors, a high-end Italian interiors bathrooms, architectural custom millwork, living company with showroomspaneling, in Greenwich and New York City.systems, upholstered furniture, and architectural kitchen and bath Lucenti Interiors workslighting, closely with architects, interior designers, fittings. builders, and homeowners to create complete, highly personalized

lucentiinteriors.com

WEBSITE:

646-449-0128

PHONE:

389 Fifth Avenue | Suite 1108 | NYC, NY lucentiinteriors.com 122-124 East Putnam Avenue | Greenwich, CT

ADDRESS: WEBSITE:

Lucenti 646-449-0128

PHONE:

389 Fifth Avenue | Suite 1108 | NYC, NY 122-124 East Putnam Avenue | Greenwich, CT

ADDRESS:

Lucenti

OUR BRANDS

Greenwich showroom: 122-124 East Putnam Avenue - Greenwich, CT 06830 New York City Showroom : 389 Fifth Avenue - Suite 1108 - NYC, NY - 10016 Off.: 646.449.0128 - Info@lucentiinteriors.com - www.lucentiinteriors.com

AWARDS CELEBRATION / SEPTEMBER 16 / 6 PM

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The company’s success is marked by their transparency, synergy and determination to adhere to the values and client services that make the company great.

the most respected architects and designers in the construction industry. They employ experienced, dedicated professionals and talented craftsmen to plan and execute every step of the “Hobbs Approach” for each project. Whether renovating an apartment in New York City, constructing a waterfront home in the Hamptons or building a family retreat in Connecticut, each team is in constant communication to deliver a superior building experience from concept to completion and beyond. Hobbs Care, a division of Hobbs, Inc., is available to clients to provide comprehensive maintenance programs, renovations and continual home improvement services.

The company sustains strong, collaborative relationships with

Hobbs, Inc. is an award-winning builder of distinctive homes in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. Brothers Scott and Ian Hobbs are proud to honor the legacy of integrity, quality and client service instilled by their grandfather and founder, Theodore deFreyne Hobbs, over six decades ago. seventy years ago.

hobbsinc.com; hobbs-care.com

WEBSITE:

203-966-0726

PHONE:

Hobbs, Inc: New Canaan, CT | New York, NY Saddle River, NJ | Bridgehampton, NY Hobbs Care: New Canaan, CT | Saddle River, NJ

ADDRESS:

Hobbs, Inc.

PRESENTING SPONSOR GOLD SPONSOR

A-LIST FINALISTS 2022

203.966.0726

www.hobbsinc.com

CONNECTICUT • NEW YORK • NEW JERSEY

DISTINCTIVE HOMES, ADDITIONS & RENOVATIONS

AWARDS CELEBRATION / SEPTEMBER 16 / 6 PM

Ap roach”foreachproject.Whether enovatinganapartmentin NewYorkCity,constructingawaterf onthomeintheHamptonsor buildingafamilyretreatinCon ecticut,eachteamis nconstant com unicationtodeliverasuperiorbuildingexperiencefrom concept ocompletionandbeyond.Hob sCare,adivsionofHob s, Inc.,isavail bletoclientstoprovidecomprehensivemaintenance

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Our sales team would be happy to visit your job site or home for a free estimate for your dream project! Please give us a call at (845) 4528444 or email us at info@fairviewhearthside.com and we will be happy to speak with you!

Our pledge is to deliver an extraordinary service while maintaining a high level of professionalism, integrity, foresight, and fairness. We are committed to growing Fairview Hearthside through complete customer satisfaction.

Each project we take on involves careful thought and planning and we pride ourselves on the ability to work with the customer in choosing the fireplace that best suits their style and needs. Fairview Hearthside offers many services to complete your project, from designing the look that you want to achieve through the follow-up maintenance of your hearth product for years to come. We maintain a staff of experienced, welltraveled and fully ensured technicians, as well as specialists in our Sales/ Design team and we are confident that your project will be handled with professionalism, thoroughness, cleanliness, and with safety in mind.

For over 40 years, Fairview Hearthside is the Hudson Valley’s first name in hearth products. Our latest product line from Fairview Cast Stone includes fireplace surrounds in a variety of colors and textures. Please visit our newly renovated showroom at 68 Violet Avenue in Poughkeepsie, NY, offering the latest indoor and outdoor gas, wood burning and electric fireplaces, gas log sets, fire pits, and custom fireplace doors. We continue to serve builders, architects, and designers with the very best of the hearth industry and we install every product we sell.

westportmag.com

A-LIST FINALISTS 2022

TOP DISTRIBUTOR OF

To p D i s t r i b u t o r o f To p D i s t r i b u t o r o f

68 Violet Avenue | Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Call for a free estimate: 845 452-8444 fairviewhearthside.com fairviewhearthside.com | fairviewcaststone.com

68 Violet Avenue | Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Call for a free estimate: 845 452-8444 fairviewhearthside.com

Fairfieldand andOutdoor Westchester Counties Fireplaces Kitchens Serving Fairfield and Westchester Counties

The Leader in Sales and Installation of Fireplaces and Kitchens Serving The Leader in Outdoor Sales and Installation of Fairfi eld and Westchester Counties Fireplaces and Outdoor Products Serving The Leader in SalesHearth and Installation of

AWARDS CELEBRATION / SEPTEMBER 16 / 6 PM

Thecompany’s uc es ismarkedbytheirtransparency,synergy and et rminationtoadher tothevaluesandclientservicesthat makethecompanygreat.

fairviewhearthside.com fairviewcaststone.com

WEBSITE:

845-452-8444

PHONE:

68 Violet Avenue Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

ADDRESS:

Fairview Hearthside Fairview Cast Stone

GOLD SPONSOR

A-LIST SPONSOR

Inc.,isavail bletoclientstoprovidecomprehensivemaintenance programs,renovationsandcontinualhomeimprovementservices. www.hobbsinc.com

CONNECTICUT • NEW YORK • NEW JERSEY 203.966.0726

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Vicente-Burin Architects @vicenteburin Vicente-Burin Architects Fairfield; 203-319-9571 vbarchitect.com

Granoff Architects @granoffarchitects Granoff Architects Greenwich; 203-625-9460 Palm Beach, FL; 561-320-2338 granoffarchitects.com

Christian Rae Studio @christianraestudio Christian Rae Studio Easton; 203-292-3090 christianraestudio.com

Asprea Studio @karenaspreastudio Asprea Studio New York; 917-309-4354 aspreastudio.com

PLAY SPACE: ADULT

Studio Mason Design @studiomasondesignco Studio Mason Design Greenwich; 914-907-8962 studiomasondesign.com

Sarah P. Major Interior Design & J. R. Held & Co. @sarahpmajor @jesserheld

Amy Andrews Interior Design Greenwich; 203-900-1700 amyandrewsinterior design.com

Charles Hilton Architects with Amy Andrews Interior Design @charleshiltonarchitects @aandrewsinteriordesign Charles Hilton Architects Greenwich; 203-489-3800 hiltonarchitects.com

Burr Salvatore Architects @burrsalvatore Burr Salvatore Architects Darien; 203-655-0303 burrsalvatore.com

RENOVATION

TDV Interior Design @tdv_interiordesign TDV Interior Design Weston; 646-369-6818 tylerdelvento.com

Smart Playrooms @smartplayrooms Karri Bowen-Poole Smart Playrooms Rye, NY; 914-260-3042 smartplayrooms.com

Sarah P. Major Interior Design @sarahpmajor Sarah P. Major Interior Design Darien; 860-575-3666 sarahpmajor.com

Calla Cane @callacane Calla Cane Rowayton; 203-810-9901 callacane.com

Camden Grace Interiors @camdengrace_interior design Camden Grace Interiors West Hartford; 860-944-2110 camden-grace.com

PLAY SPACE: KID

OFFICE/LIBRARY

Camden Grace Interiors @camdengrace_interior design Camden Grace Interiors West Hartford; 860-944-2110 camden-grace.com

Boldt Studio @boldtstudio Boldt Studio Cos Cob; 631-745-0051 boldtstudio.com

COMMERCIAL SPACE

Ryann Swan Design @ryannswan Ryann Swan Design Greenwich; 203-561-9621 ryannswandesign.com

Lulu Home @luluhome.alana @luluhome.cami Lulu Home Greenwich; 203-340-2161 luluhomedesign.com

Karen Bow Interiors @karenbowinteriors Karen Bow Interiors Darien; 914-953-1517 karenbow.com

D2 Interieurs @d2interieurs D2 Interieurs Weston; 646-326-7048 d2interieurs.com

DINING ROOM

J. R. Held & Co. Norwalk; 508-269-6868 jrheldandco.com

Sarah P. Major Interior Design Darien; 860-575-3666 sarahpmajor.com

Saniee Architects @sanieearchitects Saniee Architects Greenwich; 203-625-9308 sanieearchitects.com

Roger Ferris + Partners @rogerferrisandpartners Roger Ferris + Partners 11 Wilton Road Westport; 203-222-4848 ferrisarch.com

Riverside Design @ michelerudolph_architect Michele Rudolph, AIA Riverside Design Pound Ridge; 914-764-1096 riverside-design.com

POOL HOUSE

Stephanie Rapp Interiors @stephanierapp.interiors Stephanie Rapp Stephanie Rapp Interiors Westport; 203-216-5835 stephanierappinteriors.com

Sarah P. Major Interior Design @sarahpmajor Sarah P. Major Interior Design Darien; 860-575-3666 sarahpmajor.com

Roughan Interiors @roughaninteriors Roughan Interiors Weston; 203-769-1150 roughaninteriors.com

BEDROOM

Thiel Architecture + Design @thieldesign Thiel Architecture + Design Westport; 917-679-8070 thieldesign.com

AWARDS CELEBRATION / SEPTEMBER 16 / 6 PM

VanderHorn Architects @vanderhornarchitects Douglas VanderHorn VanderHorn Architects Greenwich; 203-622-7000 vanderhornarchitects.com

Lovas Architects @lovas.architects Nancy A. Lovas Lovas Architects Westport; 203-858-8730 lovasarchitects.com

TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE: Less Than 7,000 Square Feet

VanderHorn Architects @vanderhornarchitects Douglas VanderHorn VanderHorn Architects Greenwich; 203-622-7000 vanderhornarchitects.com

Tanner White Architects @tannerwhitearchitects Tanner White Architects Westport; 203-283-4749 tannerwhitearchitects.com

Period Architecture @periodarchitecture Period Architecture Greenwich; 203-971-0160 periodarchitectureltd.com

TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE: Greater Than 7,000 Square Feet

William D. Earls AIA Architect Wilton; 203-219-7838 williamearlsarchitect.com

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From everyday transportation to rugged work trucks to the ultimate weekend drive, it’s here at Karl Chevrolet! Visit today to discover how nearly a century of trusted expertise combines with tomorrow’s automotive technology for an unmatched customer experience.

Karl’s no-hassle approach means honest MSRP pricing or better— never charging premiums or market adjustments. It’s simply the right thing to do. The dealership has become a Northeast leader in electric vehicles, excelling in sales of the Equinox EV, Blazer EV, and Silverado EV while actively supporting EV charging infrastructure throughout Fairfield County.

The dealership offers Chevrolet’s complete lineup featuring cuttingedge technology and advanced safety features at exceptional value. From the world-class performance of Corvette to the powerful Silverado and all-electric Equinox EV, every vehicle includes the latest connectivity and driver assistance systems.

Karl Chevrolet is a proud third-generation family business founded in 1927, serving the Fairfield and Westchester County markets from New Canaan, CT. As a top-rated dealer recognized by CarFax, Cars. com, and DealerRater, Karl has built a stellar reputation through nearly 100 years of personalized service.

karlchevy.com

WEBSITE:

203-652-8008

PHONE:

261 Elm Street New Canaan, CT 06840

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Karl Chevrolet

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AWARDS CELEBRATION / SEPTEMBER 16 / 6 PM

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We invite you to visit our showroom at 48 W. Putnam Avenue in Greenwich to discover how California Closets can help elevate your home with beautifully organized living spaces.

California Closets is renowned for its legacy of innovation, organization, craftsmanship, and design leadership. Our talented team of design consultants and professional installers work together to deliver a seamless customer experience from initial California Closets is renowned for its legacy of innovation, inspiration to personalized design and expert installation. organization, craftsmanship, and design leadership. Our talented Whether designing walk-in closets, wall beds, installers kitchen pantries, team of design consultants and professional work entertainment centers, or home offices, our experienced together to deliver a seamless customer experience fromdesigners initial create customized solutionsdesign that bring beauty,installation. functionality, and inspiration to personalized and expert organization to every area of the home. Whether designing walk-in closets, wall beds, kitchen pantries, Our showroomcenters, is a thoughtfully space that showcases entertainment or home designed offices, our experienced designers our latest productssolutions while creating an engaging and immersive create customized that bring beauty, functionality, and environment for customers. A destination for design enthusiasts organization to every area of the home. and professionals alike, it highlights the quality, functionality, and Our showroom is a thoughtfully designed space that showcases craftsmanship that define California Closets. our latest products while creating an engaging and immersive We invite youfor to visit our showroom at 48 for W. Putnam Avenue in environment customers. A destination design enthusiasts Greenwich to discover how California Closets can help elevateand your and professionals alike, it highlights the quality, functionality, home with beautifully organized living spaces. craftsmanship that define California Closets.

californiaclosets.com

WEBSITE:

203-924-8444

PHONE:

203-924-8444 ADDRESSES: 48 W Putnam Ave | Greenwich | CT WEBSITE: 16 Saw Mill River Rd | Hawthorne | NY californiaclosets.com

PHONE:

California Closets

48 W Putnam Ave | Greenwich | CT 16 Saw Mill River Rd | Hawthorne | NY

ADDRESSES:

California Closets ™

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AWARDS CELEBRATION / SEPTEMBER 16 / 6 PM

©2026 California©2026 Closet Company, California Closet Inc. AllCompany, rights reserved. Inc. AllEach rights California reserved.Closets® Each California franchised Closets® location franchised is location is independently owned independently and operated. owned Local andcontractor operated. licenses Local contractor availablelicenses at californiaclosets.com. available at californiaclosets.com. CT HIC #0657205. CT HIC #0657205.

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Experience the difference of working with a family that shares your standards.

As twin brothers and business partners, we are intimately involved in all projects, ensuring clear communication, refined craftsmanship, and a deep respect for your home. Whether you require an emergency repair before a closing or a full-scale renovation, our family is dedicated to protecting yours—with integrity, care, and unmatched attention to detail.

Serving the area’s most prestigious communities, we offer a concierge-level experience in asphalt, cedar, slate and copper roofing, custom exterior enhancements, and historic home restoration. Our name is trusted by discerning homeowners, architects, and real estate professionals who appreciate timeless quality and white-glove service.

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C r a f t e d f o r t h e E x t r a o r d i n a r y.

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At Rinaldi Brothers, we specialize in premium exterior solutions tailored for homeowners who expect the highest standards of excellence, discretion, and detail. As a family-owned business, we bring both legacy and luxury to every project—combining artisanal skill with modern precision.

rinaldibrothers.com

WEBSITE:

203-404-7719

PHONE:

76 Tokeneke Rd | Darien, CT

ADDRESS:

Rinaldi Brothers

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As a multi-generational family-owned and led business, Ring’s End is at the forefront of industry trends toward environmentally friendly products and local business growth. They introduce the latest and most innovative products, focusing on trends such as sustainable brands. Additionally, they educate customers on various topics, including building science, proper preparation and application of coatings, and the latest color trends. As an industry leader, Ring’s End continues to expand and evolve. In addition to its retail locations, the company has three centralized distribution warehouses, a commercial paint and lacquer facility, a custom millwork shop, an education center, and a window and door installation department.

Ring’s End is the largest retailer of Marvin® windows and doors and Benjamin Moore® paint in the Northeast, with 35 locations serving both homeowners and building professionals. Eight locations operate as full-service lumberyards in Connecticut, Westchester County (NY), and South County (RI). The remaining 27 are dedicated paint centers, operating under the Ring’s End name locally, and as Johnson Paint in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.

@rings_end Windows & Doors

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SOCIAL MEDIA:

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WEBSITE:

800-390-1000

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181 West Avenue, Darien, CT

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AWARDS CELEBRATION / SEPTEMBER 16 / 6 PM

Windows and doors custom crafted to your vision.

Your Inspiration.

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Our Expertise.

to the 2026 A List Award Winners

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EXCLUSIVE GIN SPONSOR

Learn more at marvin.com.

Driven by a spirit of possibility, our commitment to people goes beyond the products we make. We are dedicated to building longlasting and trusting relationships with our employees, customers, channel partners, and communities.

As a fourth-generation, family-owned and operated company, Marvin fosters a culture that is committed to living our values. Our commitment to doing the right thing, working stronger together, and thinking differently inspires us to be better every day. Crafted with exceptional skill, our products deliver quality you can see, touch, and feel, beauty that brings joy, and performance that stands the test of time.

With every window and door we build, we strive to bring more natural light, and fresh air into homes, and help create deeper connections with the natural world. We put people at the center of everything we do by designing for how people live and work while imagining new ways our products can contribute to happier and healthier homes.

At Marvin, we are driven to imagine and create better ways of living.

marvin.com

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888-262-4192

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PO Box 100 Warroad, MN 56763

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Emmy Award winning Noah Finz is a veteran TV Sports reporter and anchor. He created and managed the Vantage Sports Network from Frontier highlighting CT sports. He spent 18 years as Sports Director for WTNH-TV, Connecticut’s ABC affiliate. He is a top producing real estate agent with Houlihan Lawrence.

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AWARDS CELEBRATION / SEPTEMBER 16 / 6 PM

Windows and doors custom crafted to your vision.

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advertisers index ART & ANTIQUES Drew Klotz Kinetic Sculpture ................................................................................................................. 6 Metro Arts Studio ..................................................................................................................................61 AUTOMOTIVE Karl Chevrolet Co ................................................................................................................................ 101 BUILDING & HOME IMPROVEMENT California Closets ............................................................................................................................3, 102 Eleish Van Breems .................................................................................................................................. 5 Fairview Hearthside Distributors ......................................................................................................... 99 Hobbs, Inc............................................................................................................................................ 98 Marvin ................................................................................................................................................ 105 Rinaldi Roofing ....................................................................................................................................103 Ring's End ........................................................................................................................................... 104 Yankee Custom Builders ........................................................................................................................ 9 BUSINESS & FINANCE P Garyn Productions .......................................................................................................................... 105 Westy Self Storage ............................................................................................................................... 67 DECORATING & HOME FURNISHING Lucenti Interiors ................................................................................................................................... 97 EDUCATION 2026 - 2027 Education Guide .............................................................................................................107 Fairfield College Preparatory ................................................................................................................ 79 Frederick Gunn School ......................................................................................................................... 83 Greens Farms Academy ....................................................................................................................... 77 King School .......................................................................................................................................... 83 Lauralton Hall ....................................................................................................................................... 87 Seven Acres Montessori ....................................................................................................................... 87 St Luke's School ....................................................................................................................................81 The Southport School .......................................................................................................................... 85 EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT A-List Awards ....................................................................................................................................... 63 Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's ............................................................................... 45 Breast Cancer Alliance Luncheon & Fashion Show............................................................................ 106 Darien Library ....................................................................................................................................... 55 Fairfield University/Quick Center for the Arts .......................................................................................31 Filling In the Blanks Plates with Purpose ............................................................................................. 45 Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater Summer Concerts ....................................................................... 56 Levitt Pavilion ....................................................................................................................................... 43 Light a Fire Celebration of Giving ......................................................................................................... 39 Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Gala ...................................................................................................... 67 Merritt Parkway Conservancy Gala ...................................................................................................... 35 Special Education Legal Fund S.E.L.F. .................................................................................................. 29 Stamford Best Bartender Contest ....................................................................................................... 65 TMK Sports & Entertainment LLC: Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Expo 2026 ....................................... 85 Westport Country Playhouse ............................................................................................................... 59 Westport Library ...................................................................................................................................41 FASHION & JEWELRY Henry C. Reid & Sons ............................................................................................................................ 11 Lux Bond & Green .....................................................................................................................Cover 2, 1 Manfredi Jewels ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Windsor Jewelers ..................................................................................................................................15 FOOD & LODGING Marcia Selden Catering ........................................................................................................................ 47 Winvian ................................................................................................................................................. 49 Yuzu Sushi Restaurant ........................................................................................................................... 8 HEALTH & BEAUTY Anxiety & OCD Treatment Center ........................................................................................................ 67 Hartford HealthCare ..............................................................................................................................13 Hospital for Special Surgery .................................................................................................................21 New York Proton Center ....................................................................................................................... 25 Northwell Health/Nuvance 108, ................................................................................................... Cover 3 ONS Orthopaedic Neurosurgery Specialists ........................................................................................ 17 Prive Swiss Wellness ............................................................................................................................ 49 Senior Living Hospitality - 3030 Park .................................................................................................. 27 LEGAL Cummings & Lockwood - Greenwich ..................................................................................................... 8 Parrino|Shattuck, PC ........................................................................................................................... 27 REAL ESTATE Sotheby's International - Greenwich .....................................................................................................19 William Raveis-Shelton HQ .......................................................................................................... Cover 4 MISCELLANEOUS Bob Capazzo Photography .................................................................................................................. 85 Red Wagon Pumpkins ........................................................................................................................... 87 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 WESTPORT

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Raising Health for All: Raising Health for All: Nuvance Health is Now Northwell Nuvance Health is Now Northwell

While you may see a new name on the door of your trusted providers, this change represents a meaningful evolution of health care for communites across New While you may see York a and new Connecticut. name on the door of your trusted With Northwell, the most awarded health providers, change represents system in the this tri-state, you now have accessa to more. More resources. More clinical meaningful evolution of health care expertise. And a greater investment in the for communites New York future of health care. across It’s the strength of a larger, more connected system—brought to and Connecticut. the place you call home.

Listening to each community’s needs, Northwell brings in the programs and specialists that matter most locally. That also means investing in the community’s latest techListening to each nology and in new, modernized facilities. needs, Northwell brings in the All of these enhancements are being done programs andefforts specialists that alongside broader to make it easier to access support, medical records, virtual matter most locally. That also means and in-person appointments and more. investing theonlatest technology And it’s allin based a simple, but powerful belief: where you live should never and in new, modernized facilities. determine the quality of care you receive.

Whether you’re in a city, small town, suburb or rural community, every person deserves access to an excellent standard of care, no matter your zip code. in a city, small town, suburb or rural Because there shouldn’t be a city stancommunity, every person deserves dard of care and a rural standard of care. Or access to an for excellent one expectation New Yorkstandard and anotherof for Connecticut. There should be one state care, no matter your zip code. of care—and it should be nothing short of excellent. Nuvance Health is now Northwell. And Because there shouldn’t be a city we’re here to raise health for all.

All of these enhancements are being standard of care and a rural standard With Northwell, the most done alongside broader efforts to of care. Or one expectation for New awarded health system in theNorthwell.edu/CareForAll make it easier to access support, York and another for Connecticut. tri-state, you now have access to medical records, virtual and in- There should be one state of care— Source: “Most awarded health system in the tristate.” Claim based on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-26 Best Hospitals. Different hospitals within more. More resources. More clinical and it should nothing short person appointments and more. Northwell ranked for different specialties. USNWR HDI data and health system delineated by AHA Surveys 2018-2023. Tristatebe defined as NY, CT & NJ. of expertise. And a greater investment excellent. And it’s all based on a simple, in the future of health care. It’s the Nuvance Health is now strength of a larger, more connected but powerful belief: where you live

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BRINGING MORE CARE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY We're here to Raise Health for all.

Nuvance Health is now Northwell. That means bringing the most awarded health system We're expanding award winning care around your in the tristate closer to home, investing in enhanced community. So you can get excellent health care facilities, more doctors, and building around what closer to home, without having to travel to New your community needs. York City. Learn more at Northwell.edu/CareforAll

Learn more at Northwell.edu/CareForAll

Claim based on U.S. News & World Report's 2025-26 Best Hospitals. Different hospitals within Northwell ranked for different specialties. USNWR HDI data and health system delineated by AHA Surveys 2018-2023. Tri-state defined as NY, CT & NJ.

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