On a perch upriver, and uphill, from the center of Kent, High Watch Recovery Center is aptly named. The substance abuse addiction treatment facility has legendary roots as the country’s oldest program founded on the 12-step principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, and it continues to branch out. A 42,000 sq foot expansion is underway, and slated to be done in the spring of 2021.

Patti Garland is certified as a health coach and fitness trainer, and looks the part with her neat, short blonde hair, ready smile, and energetic nature. Garland says menopause can affect energy levels, diminish mental clarity, and trigger anxiety, in addition to the better-known grievances like hot flashes and weight gain.

Walking through her tidy, sunlight-filled, pastel studio spaces on the second floor of 25 North Main Street, the tall Brazilian no longer exudes an iota of doubt. What Wanessa (“spells with a ‘W’, but you can say Vanessa”) had envisioned was a place of wellness and healing for the body, mind and soul.

Part of the Old Pin Shop complex flanking Route 73 as it descends from Oakville into Waterbury, OP6 is hidden behind the nondescript industrial buildings with the red pedestrian walkways floating above the road. It’s a magnificent place with an atmospheric refinished wood factory floor, 18 large windows, and a 14-foot-high ceiling, furnished with antiques, large tables, wonderful design flourishes, and artwork. 

The merchandise offered at The Housatonic Trading Company is a mix of antiques, vintage pieces, repurposed pieces made from reclaimed materials, furniture and new pieces as well. From kitchenware to occasional tables and chairs, to decorative accessories, there is a wide selection of gifts to choose from.

An impressive fieldstone fireplace anchors the room while a roaring fire sets the tone. Strategically placed wall sconces provide the perfect amount of ambiance while illuminating a hand painted mural depicting a colonial New England landscape.  This is the essence of the G.W Tavern, an iconic Washington restaurant that for 23 years has loyally served traditions over trends.

“Have you ever had a Hanukkah cocktail?” asked Christine Short, the bartender at New Milford’s popular tapas restaurant Zaragoza. “That’s because they don’t exist. You think of Christmas and you think of egg nog, Champagne, and all sorts of great drinks. But for Hanukkah there’s nothing.  I want to change that.”

Little did a set of preschool classmates know that they would eventually date, get married, and own Bohemian Pizza where they both worked during high school; and now be celebrating 20 years of proprietorship.

Caroline Kinsolving, actor and Litchfield County resident, brings the play CRY IT OUT, which is currently showing at Hartford Stage, to Washington Montessori School on December 14 and 15.

Decades of The Nutcracker Holiday Magic, Reinvented

Head over to 100 Main in Falls village on Saturday, December 21 from 11 am - 4 pm to get some great books signed by their authors and pick up a few last minute holiday gifts. 

Fran and Michael Keilty, owners of the Hickory Stick Bookshop in Washington Depot and Maple Spring Farm in Morris, are being honored for their volunteer contributions to economic development, the arts, tourism, education, and sustainability.