HOME North/South Edition February 2011 Hersam Acorn Newspaper

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HOMEA Hersam Acorn Special Section

February 2011

Greenwich Post • The Darien Times • New Canaan Advertiser • The Ridgefield Press • The Wilton Bulletin • The Weston Forum • The Redding Pilot • The Lewisboro Ledger

Darien Antiques Show

Antiques Add

Layer Of Interest

Fireplace Safety

Flames Of Delight

Turn To Fright

Once A Jamesway Barn

Now A Vintage

Carriage House



2 HOME, a Hersam Acorn special section, Ridgefield, Conn. February 2011

A home fireplace conjures images of coziness on a cold winter’s day, wherewarmth and relaxation is provided awayfrom the stresses of the world outside. Butfireplaces can also be sources of destruc-tion, injury and, in extreme cases, death.This I know first hand.

A few years ago, I had embraced thewinter fun of a frigid January day. After

skating on a frozen pond, my husband andI made a fire, warmed our feet and drankhot chocolate. It had been a perfect way to

spend a chilly winter day. Perfect until ourgarage burned down two days later.

A woman who cleaned our house sweptthe ashes from the fire – two days after

the fire had burned out – into a garbagebag and discarded it in a plastic garbagebin next to our detached garage. I hadn’tthought to tell her to not clean the fireplace,and she wanted to do a thorough job.

Five hours later, a neighbor, lookingout a window, saw our garage on fire and

called the fire department. I came homefrom work to a charred garage. But every-one was safe, and while flames had comeclose to our house, the fire departmenthad been called quickly enough to preventdamage to it. Needless to say, I thankedour neighbor profusely.

The simple, preventive measure of notremoving the ashes would have changed

FLAMES OF DELIGHT TURN TO THOSE OF FRIGHT

by Amanda Bomann

Fireplace Safety

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February 2011 HOME, a Hersam Acorn special section, Ridgefield, Conn. 3

the outcome. I am aware of how fortunatewe were that my dog had not been lockedin the house, and our neighbor had ran-domly looked out a window she seldomuses. For many people, the result of notpracticing basic fireplace safety can havedevastating consequences.

According to Greenwich fire chief PeterSiecienski, there is an average of 300 callsper month during the winter, most of which are related to heat sources and arepreventable.

“People need to be cautious withthe ashes from fireplaces,” said Chief

Siecienski. “We’ve had calls from peoplewho have vacuumed ashes and, dayslater, the vacuum cleaner is on fire. Ashesshould be brought directly outside andput into a steel container.”

“Just because a fire is out doesn’t meanthe ashes are out,” added Greenwich dep-uty fire marshal Rob Natale. “Even if theashes are not glowing and are not warm,they need to go into a steel container. Thetimes we’ve responded to a homeowner

See Fireplace safety page 7

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“My wife, Bonnie, and I alwayswanted a house with characterand always had a special inter-est in vintage carriage houses,”says Larry Gershman, the proud

owner of a beautifully renovat-ed, Turn of the Century speci-men on West Lane in Ridgefield.“We were living nearby in NorthSalem, and had been driving bywhat is now our home for years,always admiring it.”

In 2004, the carriage housethe couple had long coveted

finally came onto the market, andLarry didn’t waste any time. “Wesaw the house at seven one eve-ning – right after hearing it wasavailable. I made an offer; it was

accepted, and here we are.”The Georgian Revival-stylehome, which has been given his-toric status by the town, is aclassic example of a Jameswaybarn, which was exhibited at the

World’s Columbian Exposition inChicago in 1893. “Life” magazinefounder, John Ames Mitchell,

ONCE A JAMESWAY BARN

Now a vintage

carriage houseby Jane K. Dove

This intriguing carriage house was once part of the estate of John Ames Mitchell, founder of Life magazine.

B r y a nH a e f f e l e

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owned the original estate with its landmarkstone-and-wood manor house on WestLane, and contracted to build the barn with

Jamesway, circa 1899. Jamesway barns won numerous awards

for excellence in design and construction intheir day, and the West Lane structure is aclassic example of that high quality, whichhas been enhanced by a painstaking and

thoughtful conversion to residential use.The home has 4,300 square feet of liv-

ing space on two levels, and the Gershmanshave preserved many of the architecturaldetails of the carriage house/barn, whilemaking structural changes that are true tothe spirit of the original. All materials weresalvaged from homes of the same period.

Exterior Charm

Looking at the home from the exterior,

one of the most striking features of thewood-shingled structure is the gambrelroof, with a gable that rises above what wasonce the barn’s central door. In the spacebetween the barn door and the roof is afanlight with dentil trim.

The same trim graces the roof’s gutters.Crowning the roof at one end is a turretwith a swooping conical roof topped by a

period weathervane. The other end has acobblestone chimney.

The home is built on a fieldstone foun-dation, in harmony with the manor houseon the adjacent site. Together, both homescapture the charm and look of that bygoneera.

Mature trees have been carefully pre-served on the one-and-a-half-acre site, and

the property is lush with perennial gardens. A swimming pool with a stone patio andtwo vintage outbuildings, including a pot-ting shed, complete the home’s exterior.

Loving Restoration

In the renovated carriage house, the careand thought that went into the renovationare readily apparent, and tranquility is inthe air.

Many of the original beams and thick oak

flooring have been preserved, with an aes-thetically pleasing use of different patternsand shades of wood. Although the originalcarriage house lacked light, the Gershmanshave added plenty, using multi-paned win-dows in a number of creative ways, while

See Carriage house page 6

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still preserving some of the original, smallerwindows of the old horse stalls.

The first floor of the renovated homehas four major rooms: a large, central liv-ing room with the original entry doors forcarriages at front and rear; a den; an office;

a dining room and kitchen. The secondfloor, which housed the hayloft, has a largemaster suite with a spectacular bathroomand dressing/sitting room. There are twoadditional bedrooms and baths.

“When we purchased the home, therewas no fireplace,” Larry says,” so we builta large double fireplace with a soapstonehearth. We put an 1890 replica nickel-plated stove in one of the openings, and thatserves as a focal point for the room.”

Throughout the home, Larry and Bonniehave taken care to add warmth, using aneutral color palette accented by colorfuloriental rugs on gleaming wood floors todelineate areas of use and conversation. “We

wanted a comfortable, easy-living space,where people could come in, kickback andrelax,” says Bonnie.

Built-in cabinetry abounds throughoutthe home, some of it housing Bonnie’s exten-sive collection of vintage pottery, whichincludes McCoy and Roseville pieces fromthe 1940s. The spacious kitchen makesexcellent use of beadboard, and the ceiling

contains old pine beams rescued from awarehouse in Irvington, N.Y.

A chestnut center island is accented withblack soapstone counters and gleamingstainless-steel appliances. New dark wood,

multi-paned windows, along with the care-fully preserved horse-stall windows above,add plenty of light, and original stall barstop a beadboard half-wall, which separatesthe kitchen from the dining area.

Throughout the home, there is a richvariety of architectural detail, with some-thing pleasing to look at around every cor-ner. Patterns of wood harmonize from room

to room, and the large, original barn doorswith their diagonal wood add their ownvisual interest.

Carriage house continued from page 5

See Carriage house page 14

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waking up to find the side of their houseon fire because of discarding ashes in thetrash can are too numerous to count.”

The type of wood used in the fire andwhat materials are put into the fireplacecan lead to unsafe conditions.

“During the holiday season, we havecalls from people who have started firesby putting wrapping paper or parts of the Christmas tree in the fire,” said Chief Siecienski. “Pine trees have sap, and theneedles burn quickly and become hot fast.Chimney fires can spread horizontally intothe walls and create house fires.”

“Newspaper can be used to start thefire, just don’t continue to add paperbecause this can lead to other areas out-

side the fireplace catching on fire,” saidFire Marshal Natale.Carbon monoxide and smoke detec-

tors are essential when using a fireplace.“We have been vigilantly working to letthe public know the hazards of carbonmonoxide. When wood is burned, carbonmonoxide is produced, which is odor-less and colorless. Carbon monoxide can

leak into the house if the chimney flue ordamper is blocked or there is a crackedbrick or fire liner.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poi-soning can be similar to the flu or canbe just a slight headache felt over a few

days. The carbon monoxide levels can goup quickly, and people have died in theirsleep,” said Chief Siecienski. “Look tosee the life span of the sensor on carbon-monoxide detectors and change batterieson both carbon-monoxide detectors andsmoke detectors every time the clockschange. And keep the carbon-monoxidedetector outside the living area in thehallway, not directly next to the fireplace,to be accurate.”

Hiring a licensed and certified chimneycleaner for an annual inspection and cleancan prevent many problems. “Creosoteis produced when wood is burned, said James Ball of James Ball Chimney Servicein Stamford. “This is a substance resem-bling roofing tar. When it builds up to aneighth of an inch, it needs to be cleaned. When creosote builds up, it catches on

fire. Loose debris starts shooting out of thechimney, and your chimney will resemblea roman candle.

“Warning signs that your chimneyneeds to be cleaned include water drip-ping inside the chimney, and when firesare smoky and have an odor,” said Mr.Ball. “Once a maximum of a half a cordof wood has been burned, the fireplace

should be inspected. And always burngood, hard wood, such as oak and cherrythat has been seasoned outside for at leasta year. Softer woods such as pine createmore creosote.”

For care of ashes, Mr. Ball recommendsallowing a bed of ashes to build up to oneinch, as this helps insulate the floor of thefireplace and makes the next fire easier tostart. Once over an inch, ashes should beswept into metal containers only.

“And in the spring, old ashes can besprinkled onto garden beds and lawns forfertilizer,” he said.

James Ball Chimney Service offers freeinspections and can be reached at 203-975-9242. Chief Siecienski said thereare no foolish questions, and encouragedresidents to contact their local fire depart-ments with any concerns. ■

Fireplace safety continued from page 3

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In the commercial for Microsoft’s new

Windows phone, two men are standing nextto each other at urinals. The one on the leftis looking at text messages when he drops

his cell phone into the urinal and then bendsdown to retrieve it, prompting the guy onthe right to look over and say “Really?”

The question is meant to address theclumsy guy’s inability to perform a routinetask without needing time to check his texts

– an issue that the Windows phone willpurportedly correct due to a more efficientoperating system. But the quizzical response

could also apply to a broader phenomenon:The lengths (or watery depths) people willgo to keep their cell phones.

The motivation is understandable.Nothing represents the triumph and terrorof technology better than the cell phone.

Small, lightweight and mobile, it has become

our personal assistant – a lifeline to family,friends, work and diversion. It allows us todo so many things that we are actually at its

command – a digital example of freedommorphing into enslavement.

More than 91% of Americans now own

a cell phone, and a few years ago the devicesurpassed the personal computer as ourfavorite piece of technology. That bond

comes into striking focus whenever a cellphone goes missing or stops working.“It’s a traumatic experience for someone

when they lose their phone or it gets dam-aged and is unusable,” said Steve Gomez,manager of the Verizon Wireless store in

Ridgefield. “They feel like they can’t survivewithout it. Even for one day.”

Ironically, for something that people can’t

go much time without missing, the cell

phone has often gone missing.“Everybody loses their phone at least

once,” said Mr. Gomez, striking an ominous

tone. “We have some customers who losethem two or three times a year.”

Non-scientific research reveals that he

isn’t being dramatic. Of the roughly 20 peo-ple asked for input on this story, 12 had losttheir cell phones at some point and needed

replacements.“Bars, restaurants, the back of taxis ...those are among the most common places

where people leave their phones,” said Mr.Gomez.

While the most troublesome aspect of los-

ing a phone is the loss of information, par-ticularly contact numbers (no one appearsto back up anything), other non-expected

issues can arise. When Josh Fisher, editor of

The Darien Times, lost his cell phone a fewyears ago, he stopped at a Sprint store inNorwalk to get a replacement. An employee

grabbed a box from behind the counter andhanded Mr. Fisher his new phone, which,he said, was as bright red as Commissioner

Gordon’s line to Batman.“When I was covering a congressional

hopeful’s campaign headquarters that fol-

lowing Tuesday night, which required call-ing in reports every 20 minutes or so forvarious newspapers, I would stand in the

corner of the press room, hiding the phonefrom my fellow journalists, who, I was sure,would laugh at me for my Solo cup-colored

phone,” said Mr. Fisher.“That red phone, which turned out to be

much worse than the phone it replaced, even

Cell phones make life easier, only when they don’tby Tim Murphy

■ RACKING I ONE’S I BRAIN ■

� � � � � � � � � �Don’t let your patio set sit idle and fill with snow,

Restore it today ...and in 2011 it’ll be ready to go!

Patti invites you to the Portico, now that Autumn has diminished...

Relax in Spring,because your furniture has been refinished!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Winter Sale Winter Sale

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broke for good on me once,” he continued.“But luckily Sprint had another red phone to

replace it – even though I intentionally wentto the Stamford store thinking they wouldhave something better than the Norwalk

store. I remember a man behind me saying,‘At least it’s not pink,’ when I tried to fightfor a non-red phone.”

Perhaps even more frustrating than a lost

cell phone is the one that has stopped work-ing, often due to owner negligence, abuse or

the aforementioned clumsiness.“We had one customer who left his cell

phone on top of his car and then ran over it

when it fell off,” said Mr. Gomez. “And thathappened to him twice.”

Just like the distracted guy in the Microsoft

commercial, Eric Silverstadt, a New York-based journalist whose mother lives inRidgefield, watched his cell phone fall into a

urinal at a courthouse in Manhattan.“I got it out but it was drowned,” saidMr. Silverstadt. “It was dead.” The court

officer sent Mr. Silverstadt across the streetto a hairdresser’s shop. “The owner cameout and wrapped the phone in cloth and

put the blow dryer on it for an hour,” said

See Racking page 23

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By asking questions, looking and learning, Darien residentHolly Friend has found just the right antiques at the Darien

Antiques Show to add special interest to her very up-to-date home. While her family room has a state-of-the-art flat-screen TV, whereher boys watch sports, the study has Chinese Foo Dogs crafted in1740, nestled on old books, and a gorgeous painting by the Englishmarine artist Arthur Meadows, c. 1890, above the mantel.

“We’ve collected several pieces at the Darien Antiques Showover the years,” said Ms. Friend. “We like the dealers so much;they are friendly and knowledgeable. Antiques like the Foo Dogs

are really fun. They don’t look like anything that is made today.”She also commented on an antique clock, c. 1900, which adorns awall in her kitchen’s dining area. “This was in my husband’s familyand was made in Waterbury, Conn. We love having the look andsound of the clock because it adds real warmth to the room andconnects us to the past.”

Her sentiments were echoed by Jean Marie McLaughlin, a localinterior designer and owner of JMac Interiors of New Canaan.

“When you intro-duce an antique into thehome of today, you introduce layersof interest,” she said. “Antiques have adifferent texture than the furniture,which is mass produced in factories.

The pieces are all hand-made, hand-carved, with an attention to detailthat you just can’t find nowadays.

“Antique art is also a wonder-ful thing to buy,” she continued. “Art is really anexpression of yourself. When you see it, it shouldspeak to you. I help my clients with framing andlocation, but I want them to pick out the art themselves.”

A carved and gilded woodenpilot-house eagle, c.1880,

from Joseph Collins of Middletown, Conn.

by Wyn Lydecker

DARIEN ANTIQUES SHOW

Antiques add layer of interest

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Box 1019, Ridgefield CT 06877203-438-6544

Jackie Perry, editor Jessica Perlinski, designer

•Thomas B. Nash, publisher

•For advertising information

call 203-438-6544FEBRUARY 2011 VOL XV, ISSUE 2

Special Section to:

Greenwich Post, The Darien Times, New Canaan Advertiser,The Ridgefield Press, The Wilton Bulletin,

The Redding Pilot, and The Weston Forum in Connecticut,

and The Lewisboro Ledger in New York

Cover photo (Home of the Month): Bryan Haeffele.

HOMECopyright 2011, Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC




Ms. McLaughlin pointed out that find-ing the right antiques for your home cantake time. “We live in an age of instantgratification. With antiques, you need to bepatient. But there is a thrill to hunting for,and finding, the perfect piece. When youdo, it adds a story to your home.” She willaccompany her clients to antiques showsto help them discover the perfect item

that will make their homes unique. She isdonating a design consultation to the silentauction that is part of the Darien AntiquesShow Preview Party on March 4.

Ms. McLaughlin said that buying only

from reputable, knowledgeable dealers isof paramount importance. “Go to dealerswho are experts in the periods they sell.The description of the piece should beaccurate.”

Janet Soskin, who has been a co-man-ager of the Darien Antiques Show for morethan 20 years, said, “We’re now in our 44thyear, and all of our dealers are required to

sign a contract in which they guarantee thestated condition, age and description of alltheir items.” Patricia Hedlund, the other co-manager added, “All of our exhibitors areinvited, a very important point of distinc-

tion for our show. They give detailed salesreceipts for every purchase. Regular patronsknow that they can find excellent valuesand high quality in the art and antiquesthey buy from our dealers.”

This year’s show will feature favoritedealers and some new ones, including

Joseph Collins of Middletown, Conn., spe-cializing in Fine Americana and period

accessories of the 18th and 19th Centuries;Find Weatherly of Westport, bringingmarine and equine art and 18th- and19th-Century furniture; William Macina of North Haven, with fresh merchandise from

estates, early 20th- Century paintings, sil-ver and ephemera; Lynne T. Ward AntiquePrints of Rowayton, featuring botanicals,natural history, fashion and architecture;and Sweden Plus, a division of Lynda

Willauer Antiques in Nantucket, Mass.,specializing in painted Swedish furniture,ceramics and 20th-Century Swedish fur-niture.

The First Congregational Church of Darien, founded in 1736, is home to the

Annual Darien Antiques Show, which is

See Darien Antiques Show page 22

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Home of the Month • February 2011

LOCATION: Step back in time and enjoy the bucolicdelights of this antique Colonial in Weston.

PROPERTY: Four acres include sweeping lawns, colorfulgardens, patio with grill and an in-ground pool.

HOUSE: Built in 1795, this warm and welcoming homehas been entirely renovated, blending modern conve-niences with vintage architectural details. In addition to

the living room, dining room, family room, library, greatroom, kitchen with eating area, there are four bedrooms,

one a master suite, four fireplaces, two full baths and onehalf-bath.OUTBUILDINGS: Four-stall barn, paddock, shed, guest

house.PRICE: $2,749,000.

REALTY: Coldwell Banker. Agent: KMS Partners, 203-454-5411.

Photography: Bryan Haeffele.

John Noyes House




Moving up to the second floor via the original car-riage-house staircase, a visitor will find a luxurious mastersuite with a raised beadboard ceiling, large sitting/dress-ing room and a spacious white-marble bathroom with afree-standing tub and separate steam shower. The originalhalf-moon window is a focal point of the master bath.

Altogether, there are three bedrooms and three and a half baths.

Collectors

Larry and Bonnie have collected fine art for manyyears, and the results of their efforts grace every room of the house. “We love art of all types, from vintage to mod-ern, and have used it throughout our home,” says Bonnie.“We also admire fine photography and have many trea-sured photos, including an extensive collection of theworks of Edward Curtis. Everything is pieces we havefound, loved and now brought together here, includinga beautiful portrait of Larry’s mother as a young woman,painted during World War II.”

Bonnie and Larry still view their home as a workin progress. “We may never completely finish becausethere is always something else to do,” says Larry. “But

we love the results so far, and are always pleased whenvisitors tell us how warm and welcoming our homefeels to them.” ■

Carriage house continued from page 6

Many of the original beams and thick oak flooring have been preserved.

B r y a nH a e f f e l e

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“Where there is flavor, there are nutrients,and where there are nutrients, there ishealth,” writes Chef Michel Nischan.

Sustainably

DeliciousNEW COOKBOOK A ROADMAP

TO GOOD HEALTH

by Fran Sikorski

An outstanding gift for any occasion is a recently publishedcookbook, Sustainably Delicious: Making the World a Better PlaceOne Recipe at a Time (Rodale Press, $35) by chef Michel Nischan,

assisted by Mary Goodbody. Stunning photographs by AndreBaranawski complement the text.

The foreward was written by Nell Newman, daughter of the

late actor Paul Newman, who partnered with Michel Nischan

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By some stroke of luck, when I got outof work the snow had only just begun fall-ing on Rusty Hinge Road. It was a lovely

Wednesday morning and the world lookedlike the handiwork of a mad pastry chef with a ham-handed flour sifter.

The world was surreal as I crept along theback streets in my red truck, all four wheelscarrying me over the powdery roads.

The problem was, Melissa and I were due

to hop on an airplane Thursday morning. We had long ago planned to visit my fatherand his wife, Dixie, out in Arizona. I wasworried that the airports might be jammedup in the snow.

By the time I arose from my post night-shift coma, the sun was back in the sky, andworking on the asphalt outside the window.The airline had called, offering us a later

flight in light of the backup of travelers,stacked up like cord wood, who had wiselychecked their airlines on the previous dayand stayed home.

Nope, we were going, but there wasthe small matter of the buried cars, buriedwalkways and the buried streets that neededto be shoveled out before we headed off.

At the crack of dawn, cracked becausethe temperature had dropped like the GNP,

we were headed down a dry highway. Andby some other stroke of luck, parked thecar, got through security and made it to thegate with plenty of time left to do a cross-word puzzle, where applicable.

The plane took off on time and the flightwas smooth, and after some snoozing anda crossword puzzle or two, we arrived inPhoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport, and within

a few short minutes we were in the rentalcar and out on the sun-bleached highway.My wool cap, vest and gloves were of nouse to me now; the temperature was nicelyensconced in the 70s, and I was getting mymoney’s worth out of my sunglasses.

My dad is the third generation of our fam-ily to live in the little town of Florence, Ariz.Florence is noted for its huge prison com-plex, as the filming location of “Murphy’s

Romance,” and for one of the noisiest barsever to be built, right across the street frommy father’s guest house.

My great-great-grandfather, Warner,built an adobe house down near the end of

Warner Street. If you stand on the sidewalkin front of my father’s house and look tothe left, you can see the house in which myuncle was born. If you look to the right, you

can see what’s left of the hotel where mygreat-grandmother died of peritonitis. Mygrandfather, age 13, spent his first night asan orphan under a tree where there is nowa condominium complex. I could go on likethis for a whole column.

Family history lesson notwithstanding,it was good to be plunked on the old man’sveranda, munching tasty snacks while hehad his evening tequila cordial. The four of

us got to talking, and by the time we hadfinished eating the first of many of Dixie’sdelicious dinners, we had decided to takean overnight trip to Bisbee.

Bisbee is an old copper-mining townnear the Mexican border. The mine haslong since shut down. Now all that’s left is amonstrous, man-made pit, surrounded by achain-link fence. The old town itself sits on

Busy as a bee in Bisbeeby Ben Guerrero

■ HOME I MOANER ■

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a hillside that is garlanded with the formershacks of the miners. The period banks andshops of downtown now hold art galleriesand restaurants. A drive up the twisting,ascending roads provides a spectacular viewof the surrounding desert and hills, all theway south, to Mexico.

Dad and Dixie insisted that we stay attheir favorite hotel. It’s called the ShadyDell, and it is actually a series of vintageRVs that have been fixed up, given utilitiesand decorated with period tchotchkes. Dadand Dixie stayed in their favorite chromiummotor home c. 1950, while Melissa and Istayed in a 38-foot cabin cruiser that hadn’tbeen afloat for a long, long time. The Yachtwas very cozy, although there wasn’t reallyenough room for two people to get dressedat the same time, but the decorator didprovide sailor hats for us to wear as we saton the poop deck with our feet propped upon the railing.

We enjoyed our overnight stay in Bisbeeand recommend the trip and the ShadyDell to anyone who is tired of the same olddeluxe accommodations provided in thebigger cities.

I kept an eye on my Droid, enjoying themany bars of 3G service that the nearness of Bisbee provided, and yet another stroke of

dumb luck, we missed another snowstormand a unpleasant-sounding ice storm that,according to the tiny screen, had prettymuch crippled the old East Coast.

My largest weather problem was trying

to choose just the right T-shirt to wear as wetooled through the desert in my oversizedrental car, the thermometer happily rest-ing near the business end of 80 degrees. Ithought briefly about the shoveling hoardsback in New England, but was soon lulledback into bliss by the balmy breeze at twi-

light and sunset among the Saguaros.The week went by quick as a thirsty

lizard on a hot, black rock, and before wecould believe it, we were being goosed andradiated by the TSA at Sun Harbor Airport’sdeparture gate. Like the trip out there, thetrip back was without incident, exceptabout 15 minutes into our eastward trajec-tory, Melissa looked out of the window andsaw reality, 30,000 feet under our wings.Snow, ice, cold winter.

The cats were huffy when we got in thatnight; they didn’t appreciate us leavingthem in the creaky old house at Rusty HingeRoad under the care of strangers. It was coldin the house, and by noon the next day, bya final stroke of bad luck, I was shoveling afresh foot of snow off the cars and the walk-way and everything else.

And as I paused, wrapped in wool, shovel

in hand, I stopped to contemplate the newlyforming concept of adding a fourth gen-eration of my family to walk the wooden

sidewalks of Main Street, Florence, Ariz. Youknow what? I have had a lot worse ideas.

What will I do with all my sweaters? ben. [email protected].■

Renovated vintage RVs now serve as suites at the Shady Dell hotel in Bisbee, Ariz.

B e n G u e r r e r o

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Does the sleek styling of gleaming stainless steel appli-ances get your heart pumpinga little faster? How about theprofessional power of thou-sands of BTUs at your finger-tips? Do highly stylized winestorage and integrated refrig-erator/freezer drawers turnyou on? If you’re that passion-ate about your kitchen equip-ment, then you’ve probably

been fantasizing about yourvery own dream kitchen.

Kitchens should be a multi-functional space where loveand creativity can flourish.

Whatever type of drama a cookmay crave in the kitchen, fromcaptivating cabinetry to lavishand luxurious surroundings,there is an amazing source of inspiration in South Norwalk,where even the most extreme

Playtimein the kitchen

AT CLARKE CULINARY CENTER

by Robin E. Glowa

Gourmet appliances surround the spacious classroom.

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kitchen design dreams can come true can recommend a local retailer or kitchen the imagination nificent menu celebrating the bounty of the




kitchen design dreams can come true. At the Clarke Culinary Center, planning

a luxury kitchen is serious business madefun. Clarke is the exclusive New Englandwholesale distributor of Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, well known in the industry asthe crème de la crème of kitchen equip-ment. Not only is Clarke the go-to spotwhen shopping for high- grade kitchen

equipment, it’s a wonderful playgroundwhere you can actually test drive the appli-ances.

Make an appointment with one of Clarke’s expert kitchen consultants and,next thing you know, you could be whip-ping up your favorite cookie recipe in a

Wolf dual-convection oven or flipping pan-cakes on a Wolf griddle!

Marco Barallon, general manager atClarke says, “One of the benefits of visitingour showroom is that you really get to play

with the appliances, check the accuracy of the sizing and be inspired by the beauty of our displays. We don’t sell the applianceshere, so there is absolutely no pressure tobuy. We work with you, demonstratingevery detail of the appliances so that youcan make the best decision for yourself. We

can recommend a local retailer or kitchendesigner who we know will take care of you when you are ready to finalize yourproject.

“We’re very much into the details here,”Marco continues. “We’re lucky to have anamazing array of designers within a 30-mileradius who have helped us create our fantas-tic displays. Our display kitchens show just

how inventive, sexy, creative and dramaticyou can be with your design. Inspiration iswhat is really unique about this space.”

The details are truly magnificent atClarke. The kitchen displays are extraordi-nary examples of extreme efficiency com-bined with lush detail. Marco says, “Wereally wanted to wow the community! Overthe past few years, as we have remodeledthe space, we have created relationships thathave given us access to amazing materialsand the most creative of minds.”

From a glittery white kitchen with coun-tertops composed of quartz chunks embed-ded in resin to a replica of John Wayne’sbar in the movie “Chisholm” to twin 36-inch refrigerators encased in Douglas firwith copper and leather inlays, the ClarkeCulinary Center dazzles the eye and fires

the imagination.But Clarke is not just about creating

beautiful kitchen spaces, Clarke is aboutcreating beautiful food. And at the veryheart of it all, is an immense, glorious-ly appointed professional kitchen, whereClarke has partnered with local chefs andculinary instructors to create an incrediblearray of cooking classes.

The kitchen is a feast for the eyeswith its lustrous hardwood floors, gleamingappliances, striking tile backsplashes, stun-ning marble countertops and rich, dark-wood seating. Two huge islands will accom-modate at least 10 students each. This is asuperlative way to spend an evening, whereyou will feel much more like a pamperedguest than a student. As everyone is seated,sparkling water, red or white wine is offeredand the fun begins.

Among the celebrity chefs on the roster

is Matt Storch, the genius behind the brightand innovative food at local South Norwalkhotspot, Match. Surrounded by heaps of ravishing spring produce including fresh,fat asparagus, golden and ruby beets, plumpfava beans, wispy fiddleheads and buxommushrooms, Chef Storch prepared a mag-

nificent menu, celebrating the bounty of thespring marketplace.

“I love all aspects of food — for me, it’sall about touch and taste, love and texture,”said Chef Storch. “Spring is my favoriteseason,” he said with a smile. “I just lovethe new crop — the freshness, the lightnessof the flavors. Freshness and crispness areso important; if the food doesn’t look good,

it’s not good.”The evening’s menu was an explosion of

textures and flavors, both raw and cooked.The class tasted freshly shelled organic peas,which Chef Storch loves to put out for hisown guests as an appetizer, mixed with a bitof chopped mint. He went on to prepare asalad of shaved raw asparagus dressed withfresh lemon juice, parmesan cheese, oliveoil, earthy truffle oil, lightly fried leeks andshards of truffle, served atop a custardywarm truffle polenta. A resounding “Wow”

was heard from the assembled crowd.Those shelled peas were married with

rendered bacon, mint, lemon, butter, slow-roasted onions, salty baked proscuitto chipsand a young pecorino cheese. Doesn’t it just

See Clarke page 23

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Darien Antiques Show ti d f 11




staffed by volunteers working toraise funds to support carefullyselected local charities, includingemergency shelters, food banksand social-service organizations.The show, which features 35 of

the Northeast’s better dealers, willkick off with an elegant PreviewParty on Friday, March 4, at 7.The party’s primary beneficiarywill be St. Luke’s LifeWorks of Stamford, a not-for-profit organi-zation that plays a critical role inproviding learning opportunities,housing and support services topeople overcoming homelessnessright here in Fairfield County.

Party hours are 7 to 9:30;

tickets are $50 at the door andinclude weekend admission to theshow. The evening features anopportunity to make early pur-chases before the show opens tothe public, plus a silent auction,entertainment, fine wines andhors d’oeuvres.

The show will be open onSaturday, March 5, from 10 to 5,

and Sunday, March 6, from 11 to5. Admission at the door is $10,$8 for seniors. Visitors to the

wonderful variety of booths will

find American and Continentalfurniture; fine art in diverse

media on canvas, paper andcloth; Georgian silver; antiqueand estate jewelry and antique

glass for every budget and deco-rating need. A tearoom, openfrom 12 to 3 both days, serves

delicious home-cooked lunchesand treats.

The First CongregationalChurch of Darien is at the corner

of Brookside Road and the PostRoad, just south of exit 13 on I-95. For details and to view photosof the 2010 show, visit darienan-tiqueshow.org. Become a fan of theshow on Facebook. For additionalinformation, call the church at203-655-0491. ■A pair of Chinese Foo Dogs, 1740.

Darien Antiques Show continued from page 11

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Mr. Silverstadt. “He said he had done thisbefore.”

Mr. Silverstadt got a new phone, but

about two weeks later – after more warmingon an apartment steam heater – the soggycell dried out enough so that contacts could

be transferred.Not as fortunate are those secretly hoping

for a new phone – only to be thwarted by

the intervention of strangers, believing theyare performing acts of kindness.

A few months after getting a new smart-

phone, my wife began complaining abouthow clunky it was to use. One morning at

the Stamford train station, the phone trick-led out of her bag, bounced off the platformand fell down on the tracks. A man standing

next to her offered to jump down and getthe cell, mentioning how terrible it was tolose a phone. After she told him that was

far too dangerous, he flagged down a MetroNorth employee, who went downstairs andemerged with a pole equipped with a small

basket at the end. He used the device toscoop out the phone, which was still func-tioning.

As my wife relayed the story, I mentionedthat she didn’t sound too happy about get-ting the phone rescued.

“I thought it might be my chance to get anew one,” she said. ■

Racking continued from page 9

sound spectacular? The incredible good-ness continued as Chef Storch prepared asweet, meaty, wild striped bass with springvegetables and enormous loin lamp chops,perfectly grilled and presented with a mintpuree, roasted beets and a tangy goat cheese.

As one guest, lost in delicious delirium mur-

mured, “This food is incredible.”Incredible experiences are cooking at theClarke Culinary Center!

Clarke Culinary Center, 64 South MainStreet, South Norwalk; 866-838-9385;

Web, clarkecorp.com. Match, 98 WashingtonStreet, South Norwalk; 203-852-1088; Web,matchsono.com. ■

Ceramist Mindy Friedman Horn of Weston is among the 11 new members of the Silvermine Guild

of Artists whose work is displayed in the Silvermine Galleries through Feb. 20. The arts center is at1037 Silvermine Road in New Canaan; gallery hours are 12 to 5 Wednesday through Saturday and 1

to 5 on Sunday. For more information, call 203-966-9700 or visit silvermineart.org.

Clarke continued from page 21

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