Best Friend – Marilyn sang that diamonds are… And these ‘little’ sparklers will be a perfect gift for your significant other.
Hochberg Jewelers
Trumbull

www.hochbergjewelers.com

Thanks for the memories…

‘Home of Happy Dancers’
a new book about the Ritz Ballroom,
will bring back thoughts of the good ol’ days to those who lived it or
to those who heard about the Ritz from their parents.

www.home-of-happy-dancers.com

A very good year…
Hand-crafted from grapes grown on the family farm,
Jamie Jones’ wines have garnered top awards. A gift basket of these fine  wines will be especially appreciated by those who support CT Grown.
Philip Jamison Jones Winery

Shelton  www.JONESFAMILYFARM.COM

Pampered –
The holiday stress will melt away,
and that lucky ‘someone’ will think
they have gone to heaven after only a few minutes of massage.
It’s even perfect for Santa’s helper.
Massage Works!
Bridgeport
(203) 374-6000

Good little girl & boy land –Hot new toys for the little ones include the ‘Squishable’ and the loveable ‘Wahoo’ that all little kids will love to ride.  There’s also a smaller version you can send in the mail without packing.  Just write the address on the body, stamp it  and drop in the mailbox.
The Toy Room Bethel  ww.thetoyroomonline.com

Coffee, mate –
For a friend at the office or as a stocking stuffer,these gourmet blends can be purchased individually
or in a gift sampler.
Redding Roasters Coffee Company
Bethel

www.reddingroasters.com

Bicycles built for…

Recreational or professional cyclists will find all the gear
they need to enhance the sport.  From helmets to reflective clothing
to top-of-the-line bikes for every level of rider, you’ll also get
some expert advise from the owner 6-time All American and
national duathlon champion,

Greg Pelican.                        Bethel Cycle, Bethel www.bethelcycle.com

Preferred clients and special friends –
Will be impressed when you gift them with a 3, 6, or 12 bottle gift box of wine – chosen by a wine selection specialist. Knowledgeable about the world’s great vineyards, The specialist will do his/her best to match the wine to the palate of the recipient.
Grapes
Norwalk

www.grapeswine.com

For the outdoor sportsman,

Who loves to shoot skeet or trap,
or the indoor marksman who loves
the challenge of the target,
a wide variety of cases for rifles and guns  and everything the enthusiast needs to keep their arms in top shape.
Connecticut Gun Exchange
Monroe www.ctgunexchange.com

Home brewers rejoice –
Tess & Mark have written 3 books
that will take the do-it-yourselfers step-by-step into the world of beer brewing.  And their store, the largest in CT, offers all the ingredients to create your own or a clone of your favorite. And don’t forget the winemakers, everything needed To make the ‘juice of the grape’ is under this roof –
Including the grapes.

Maltose Express Monroe                www.maltose.com

Hostess with the mostest –
Will thank you for these beautifully crafted
cheese knives – or a set of classic stemware –
perfect for holiday celebrations.
P.J.’s Garden Exchange
Trumbull

www.pjsgardenexchange.com

How does your garden grow?
Gardens and lawns will be impeccable if the right equipment is in the shed. A line-trimmer, tiller, chain saw or lawnmower/
tractor (or any of the attachments) will have a place of honor under the tree.
L&R Power Equipment
Monroe

www.landrpowerequipment.com

Red, White & Sparkling –
Festive occasions call for a superb vintage.  And bringing the right wine to the party or sending an outstanding selection to a business associate will leave you in good standing. Wine specialists are ready to help you to choose the perfect gift.
GlenRo Spirit Shoppe

Monroe   www.glenroct.com

Near & Far –
Whether your friends will be home for the holidays or not, a wide assortment of gifts, floral arrangements and plants are just right for giving.  And your selection will let them know that they are in your thoughts at this special time of the year.
Alice’s Flower Shop & A Country Touch Gifts
Bethel

www.alicesflowershop.com

Don’t go empty-handed –
To the holiday bash.  Homemade cakes, pastries and cookies Will let your host know how much you appreciate sharing the holiday spirit with friends.

Jennie’s
Monroe

www.jenniespizzeria.com

Dr. Fearon’s career started as a microbiologist after she received her Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology. It was while she was doing postdoctoral work at the University of Alabama that she decided to study veterinary medicine, and received her D.V.M. from Auburn University.

Establishing herself as a mobile vet in eastern Fairfield County seven years ago, she makes housecalls to her 4-legged patients in a custom-designed RV, complete with operating room, x-ray and testing equipment.  The design of her clinic-on-wheels is now used by the manufacturer as their model for other veterinary units.

Dr. Fearon believes that “observing the dog or cat in their own environment is the ideal way of practicing veterinary medicine.”  However, the number of patients she can visit in any given day is limited because of the time it takes to drive from one house to another.  It was for this latter fact that she began to think seriously about finding the right house for a second clinic – one where she could create a comfortable ‘home’ atmosphere for the pets and their owners.

The house she found on Church Hill Road in Trumbull was just what she was looking for.  When she stood in the living room for the very first time, she immediately visualized two examining rooms and a reception area.

Like most Arts & Crafts houses, the open design would require her to do some renovation, but she was certain she could meet the challenge of retaining the warm character of the house without compromising its architectural integrity.

The American Craftsman style was popularized between 1860 and 1930.  The design emphasized craftsmanship and encouraged the use of local, natural materials.  This house exudes the definition of Craftsman – natural 6-panel wood doors and trim, wood columns and staircase, oak and fir floors, stone fireplace and an extended front porch supported by square wood pillars.

Acting as the general contractor, Dr. Fearon began the task of finding the right craftsmen to transform the design she created on paper into a reality.  The transformation began on the July afternoon she closed on the house.

“I didn’t want to waste any time,” she recalled.  “I went straight to the house and began removing the layers of wallpaper that covered almost every wall.”

The builder she hired to do most of the reconstruction wanted to remove two wood columns that defined the span where a wall needed to be built to define the examining rooms.  “There needed to be a door for each room,” Dr. Fearon explained. “And my builder didn’t think we had enough room to have two doorways that conformed to the egress code.”

But because the columns were such an important decorative detail to the Arts and Crafts movement, they figured out a way to keep them – and have a doorway for each examining room on the new wall.

The 6-panel doors throughout the house are typical of interior Craftsman flat panel doors, and Dr, Fearon wanted the doors for these new rooms to match the others in the house.  As luck

would have it, while rummaging through the garage a worker found three 6-0panel doors that were original to the house.  However, all was not perfect.  These doors measured 30 inches, and the openings required 34 inch doors.

The solution required the carpenter to cut the doors down to the panels and add new styles to each side to measure, when finished, 34 inches.  Dr. Fearon’s father, who lent a hand on a number of projects, matched the stain perfectly.  The ‘new’ doors look as good as the originals.

Many of the decorative appointments, such as the sconces adorning the walls on the first floor, starburst crystal doorknobs and a chandelier in what had been the dining room and is now the surgical/x-ray suite, have been in the house since it was built. It’s these little things that help to create that comfortable, homey feeling.

And the room that speaks to that feeling the most is the living room, Dr. Fearon’s favorite room. A beautiful, natural stone fireplace is this room’s focal point, with large wood-trimmed windows looking out onto a parklike landscape.

The renovation was completed in December, and is more than Dr. Fearon envisioned upon that first visit to this house. The attention to the smallest of details helped to recreate the charm of a time-gone-by; and combined with state-of-the-art equipment, it brings a unique practice of veterinary medicine to Trumbull – unlike anything this area has seen before.

This compassionate veterinarian has already seen the positive effect she hoped to attain for the pet and its owner when they walk into the living room of this home clinic. “The pet owner is definitely more comfortable and relaxed, and the pet senses this and is more at ease.”

Treating a 4-legged patient in as stress-free an environment as she can is a philosophy Dr. Kathleen Fearon has practiced since becoming a housecall vet.  And the next best thing to treating a pet in their own home is seeing them in Home Veterinary Services’ new home –  a comfortable Arts & Crafts house, true to its history, with a few extra creature comforts.

The talented producer also books shows nation-wide for “We Are The Champions.” This show sold out the Westchester Broadway Theatre recently, where the show will return for a repeat engagement on Tuesday, April 5. The show also sold out the now closed Mohegan Sun’s Cabaret Theatre eight times.  These are the couples that Beslove also books for special events, corporate shows, fundraisers, and private parties. “I’m taking four couples to Vail for a show on August 7 and I’m working on four shows in Orange County California’s Pacific Arts Theater in the fall,” said Mr. Beslove, who knows so many of the great show business people that a conversation with him is continually punctuated with “wow,” and “really.” Here’s a native Bridgeporter who was personal friends with Ed Sullivan and his wife and ballet dancers Cynthia Gregory and Kyra Nichols. Still, each month, he has one of his famous dance couples perform in Bridgeport.

“I go back to the early 20^th century when the jazz age swept America with Bridgeport and its dance halls,” recalled the producer/promoter. “Dancers packed the halls to the rafters with enthusiastic crowds.” Now Mr. Beslove is packing houses by booking shows like his “Premier Ballroom Dance Company” event. Once a month he books an event at the Holy Trinity Greek Church Community Center in Bridgeport. On Saturday evening, February 26, he has booked Roddy Caravella, who has toured the world and recently returned from Hong Kong. “I’m really excited about this event. When is the last time you saw authentic Peabody, Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag, Balboa and the Charleston?” asked the enthusiastic producer.

Mr. Caravella and  his partners Gretchen Fenston and Joanna Kotze performed at President Obama’s Inaugural Ball at Washington D.C. at the Kennedy Center. He has also performed on television specials with Tony Bennett and has performed on Broadway multiple times. What Mr. Beslove finds fascinating is that Roddy Caravella’s mentor was the late swing dance “genius” Frankie Manning. Mr. Manning’s longtime partner Sugar Sullivan Niles lived on Laurel Avenue in Bridgeport.

What is important to know about Mr. Caravella is that he has a reputation for styling each dance in the show with detailed historical authenticity and, according to Mr. Beslove, with meticulous attention of that period of the dances’ popularity. One favorite dance of his seems to be the Peabody, a dance introduced in 1915 by controversial New York City Police Lieutenant William Frank Peabody. “It’s a jaunty foxtrot to lively ragtime music. Because Officer Peabody’s large side (girth), he had to hold his partner to his side,” described Mr.Beslove pointing out the origin of the dance as well as the beginning of a trend. “But just about all the early dances came out of ‘swing,’ said the producer pointing out that Frankie Manning was the master of the Jitterbug craze and dance extended from there.

So why did Mr. Beslove get into this field and why does he love producing, directing, and promoting dance shows? First of all, he learned dancing from the schools and said that dance used to be taught in the public schools. At one time there were so many ballrooms and dance halls in Bridgeport that dance schools also flourished including the Anderson School of Dance, which was located in Black Rock, and where former Bridgeport Mayor Leonard Paoletta was a dance teacher. Mr. Beslove recalled the Ritz Ballroom, the Pleasure Beach Ballroom, and a dance hall named  Quilty’s, which was located in Downtown Bridgeport. “When we were kids, we loved to dance.”

“I love dancing and I love dancing with young women,” he said with a laugh. On a more serious note, he answered the question about his love of dance by pointing out that as an amateur dancer; he was the Pro-Am Senior Champion of five Latin dances and five international dances. He wasn’t kidding about loving to dance with young women either. “I have friends that fish; they hold poles in their hands. I have friends who play tennis; they hold rackets in their hands; I have friends who play golf and they hold clubs in their hands. I hold women in my arms,” he said with great delight.

The youngest lady he got to dance with recently is now 13-year old dance champion, Anna Kaczmarski. After one of his recent shows, he went up to her and said, “I just hope I can someday dance at your wedding.” Anna’s 13-year old partner Patryk Proszaj, then took Anna’s hand and placed it into Mr. Beslove’s. “Why wait until then? Why not dance with her now?” asked the young man.  And so young Anna curtsied, Bob Beslove bowed and they danced. The audience went wild.

To experience the joyful art of ballroom dancing first hand, mark your calendars. Showtime is on February 26 at 9:30 p.m. There’s general ballroom dancing from 7 p.m. to midnight with a dance lesson taught at 8 p.m. by teachers from the Fred Astaire Studio in Trumbull where Mr. Caravella will teach three workshops starting at noon. Workshops are limited. The dj is MB Music. The entire evening costs $17 and there are complimentary snacks. Reservations are highly suggested by calling (203) 374-7308. The Greek Church Community Center is located off Exit 47 of the Merritt Pkwy (Rt. 15) at 4070 Park Ave.

Rather than go back to his Westport home and do nothing, he decided to create his own project – the Connecticut Bike Project.  And then a second, Harvest Now.

One might wonder what the connection is between bikes and food.  But as Mr. Sumberg explained, Harvest Now is a direct result of the Connecticut Bike Project.

“I got the idea to give away good bicycles to needy adults and kids when I was at the Westport dump,” he said. “ I couldn’t believe the number of good quality bikes that people were throwing out”.

He started to collect them, but soon ran out of space at his home.  He wrote to Bishop William Laurie of the Diocese of Bridgeport, asking for his assistance in finding people who would benefit from the Bike Project.  He also asked him if there was someplace in the diocese where he could store the bicycles.

The bishop had him contact Rev. Seraphin, director of the St. Charles Urban Center, located on the east side of Bridgeport.  It was a perfect fit.  In a very short time, 1100 bikes were distributed to children and adults (including parolees), who needed a bike as a basic means of transportation..

Harvest Now founder, Brooks Sumberg.

While at St. Charles one day, Mr. Sumberg realized that the center also doubled as a food pantry.  “I noticed that the door was closed and there was no food on the shelves.”

Rev. Seraphin explained to him that when the economy got bad, people stopped contributing food to the pantry.

Mr. Sumberg pondered this predicament and realized that not only was there no food in the pantry; but when there was, most of it was canned not fresh, and high in fat and salt – leading contributors to obesity and diabetes. He thought that the best way to bring healthy, nutritious food to the hungry was by growing fresh produce.  Now, he only needed to find some land to grow gardens.

He founded Harvest Now in September, 2009, and proceeded to send out 140 letters to churches, temples and universities in Fairfield County explaining the goals of the project (which operates as a non-denominational not-for-profit under the umbrella of Catholic Charities) and requesting a plot of land (and some volunteer) to grow the fruits and vegetables.

Their outreach project underway, ehe members of the Confirmation class of Christ Episcopal Church Tashua, prepare the soil for planting.

Eleven replied affirmatively.  Using his finger, hecounted them off. “In Fairfield County, we have 2 from Greenwich, 5 from Fairfield, and 1 from the towns of Trumbull, Newtown and Norwalk.  We also have 1 garden being planted in Hamden.”

Mr. Sumberg considers this a “pilot project”– a work in progress.  One idea he implemented, so as to not duplicate plants being grown, was to decide what will be grown in the  gardens, himself.  “Each garden must grow the 4 vegetables that I assign them.  If they have room for more, then they can decide what vegetable they want to add.” In this way, overlapping is avoided and a variety of good, nutritious vegetables is the end  result..The produce grown will be brought to the Connecticut Food Bank for distribution to food pantries and soup kitchens in the area.

Most of the gardens are planted and cared for by adult volunteers.  One exception, Christ Episcopal Church Tashua in Trumbull. has delegated this responsibility to this year’s Confirmation class as their ‘outreach project.’  Under the watchful eyes of their instructors, Sam and Donna Sutter, the small class tilled the soil, added organic nutrients, dug the holes, planted the vegetables and mulched.

Rev. Judith Greene blesses the new garden.

The Church didn’t have enough land for a garden plot, so Rev. Judith Greene, Pastor, turned to the Trumbull Nature & Arts Center and the town of Trumbull for assistance.  “The town and the Nature Center have been great,” said and enthusiastic Rev. Greene, as she planted a young tomato plant.  “By allowing us to use a garden plot at the Nature Center, it demonstrates the collaboration between the town, the Nature Center and the Church.  It truly brings home the feeling of a community church.”

The plants selected by Mr. Sumberg for the Trumbull garden are cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants and  sweet potatoes.  And because there is room,  green beans were added to the garden mix by the group.

“Brooks Sumberg has a vision,” Rev. Greene reflected.  “He wants to help the disadvantaged by giving them fresh, nutritious vegetables – something not many of them can afford.”

Holes are dug and the vegetable plants are planted.

After blessing the newly-planted garden, Rev. Greene’s gaze scanned the plants.  “Hunger is not a Christian virtue,” she said.  “But giving the gift of nourishment is. The bounty of the earth should be given to all God’s people.”

And if Brooks Sumberg has anything to say about it, all the people will be fed.

.

“As an actor, you learn how to wait tables,” said Peter with a laugh.  Actually, this gentleman has more experience with restaurants than he alludes to. He has the restaurant business in his blood.  Considering that both of his grandfathers owned restaurants,  Peter grew up absorbing the business first hand. Still, for a performer with experience ranging from stand-up venues nationwide from New York to Vegas and L.A., and abroad in Europe, and with his acting credits that  include Spider-Man 2 and the Barrow Group’s 2005 Drama Desk-nominated New York production of Pentecost, just owning and operating a restaurant was not the most creative answer for this savvy entrepreneur. So a year and a half ago, he and his wife Salem discovered this charming café in Shelton that exuded warmth and friendship as soon as they entered.

“We really felt good vibes when we entered this place,” said Peter. “Its warmth and charm really drew us to it.” Although atmosphere is not on the menu, it is one of the biggest draws to this facility. People gravitate to the place because of it and because of a few other important factors – like the food.

“I like to think of this place as a gourmet experience at everyday prices,” he explained. One look at the menu is enough to draw in any adventurous diner.

Since taking over the restaurant Peter and his wife Salem, who is also an artist and serves as co-guardian and Creative Director of the café as well as the mama of their one-year old daughter, have transformed the eatery into such an inviting place that artists from everywhere seek it out.  “We did the redecorating. My wife painted records all over the walls and I tweaked some of the names of our sandwiches so that they coordinate with song titles,” Peter said pointing out such specialties such as their unique grilled cheese sandwich titled,  “I Melt With You” and “Don’t You Want Me Baby?” for the pulled pork, melted cheddar, sautéed onions, coleslaw & hickory smoked BBQ sauce sandwich.

Once you have good food, an inviting atmosphere and a couple of artists on the premises, people come. Artists especially like to hang out with other artists and people like to rub elbows with artists. So the Huntington Street Café has quickly gained a reputation as a hot spot. “We extended the hours and we feature a lot of entertainment. For instance on Tuesday nights, we feature jazz jams. On Wednesday nights, we have Blue Grass.”

Actually, it’s not just the art of music that fills the place with sound. On Monday nights throughout the summer, there is a poetry reading series sponsored by the Written Word Bookstore. Friday nights are straight up Rock ‘n’ Roll, while on any given Saturday night, you’re likely to get a generous helping of comedy and belly laughs. There’s a lot going on here, but you’ll want to phone ahead to confirm what’s happening. The Café also has special entertainment nights. A recent Comedy Night sold out. So do call ahead.

One thing that really reflects the professional artists who run the café is the fact that the performers earn a percent of the house on the night they perform. There’s also never a cover charge for music and no events have a cover unless otherwise specified.

Peter Vouras, artist/ comedian/musician has taken all his talents into consideration as he carved out his very own special niche – the Huntington Street Café. Be there

The restored barn will be where the CSA shareholders will pick up their weekly produce.

“It all began with the plastic shopping bag ban,” recalled Monique Bosch, co-founder of the Westport Green Village Initiative.

The Westport Green Village Initiative has grown from its original four founders (Dan Levinson, Liz Milwe, Sherry Jaegerson and Ms. Bosch) to an organization numbering over a hundred passionate environmentalists committed to building a local, sustainable community.

Programs are developed to raise the environmental consciousness of residents and business owners, and funds raised to see these projects through.

One of the major projects of the GVI is restoring the historic Wakeman Homestead on Cross Highway into the working farm it was for over a century.   The town of Westport acquired the property in 1970; but it wasn’t until last year that it was decided that the town would lease the farmhouse.  GVI put forth a proposal for the property and this past December, the Board of Finance approved the recommendation of the Board of Selectman to lease the Homestead to the Green Village Initiative for $1 per annum.

“We want to bring the general public, adults and children, to the farm and hopefully inspire them to start raising organic vegetables in their own gardens,” said Ms. Bosch.  It is the intent of this non-profit organization to have an educational component in place to teach organic farming and sustainable practices, i.e., solar panels for energy and rain water for irrigation.

Staples high school Environmental Science teacher Michael Aitkenhead and his family will take up residence at the farmhouse, and they will be working tenants.  Mr. Aitkenhead will not only be starting and maintaining the gardens, but he will also be coordinating the hands-on classes for adults and students at the farm.  His wife Carrie will also be actively involved in the farm’s operation.  She will oversee the school and the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs.  By having the Aitkenheads living and working at the farm, the GVI’s objective of making one’s life greener is actually being demonstrated..

Garden plots were prepared by student interns during spring break.

The CSA program is again in association with Stone Gardens Farm of Shelton (The Review, July 2009).  Shares are sold for the seasonal harvest of crops with the shareholder receiving a box of produce representing each week’s harvest. The length of the harvest is approximately 22 weeks, beginning the first week in June and ending the last week of October. This year, the CSA produce will be distributed in the barn at the Wakeman Town Farm.  Any produce that isn’t picked up by a shareholder will be donated to the food bank in Fairfield.

During spring recess in April, students from Staples high school interned at the farm, creating garden beds.  The first seeds have been planted and soon the young plants will be breaking through the soil.  For the time being, the GVI will farm 2.2 acres of the farmland.  It is hoped that there will be a need to cultivate additional farm acreage in future years.

The legacy of the Wakeman Family will live on through the ‘reincarnation’ of their farm.  Their story will also be shared with the community in an exhibit of historical photographs from the Westport Historical Society collection and  family photographs donated to the Town Farm by Jeanne Mann, a Wakeman daughter who grew up on the farm.

The work continues on the Wakeman Town Farm and Sustainability Center; but as is the rule on any farm, the work never ends.  And this is only the beginning…

A small apple orchard will provide fresh fruit in the fall.