Woodbury landscape designer Anna Haines remembers the warm compliments she received from friends, neighbors, and assorted strangers who toured her home during last year’s Woodbury Holiday House Tour. But she says one comment left a lasting impression.
“They said, ‘If I die and go to heaven, I want it to be here, in your house,” Haines recalls, referring to the Yuletide decor she installed inside the saltbox Colonial she shares with her husband and two children. “In a strange way, it was probably the best compliment you could ever receive.”
This Christmas, amid the magic of the season, Haines is again employing her talent for holiday decor. Though she won’t be showcasing her home in any tours, she’s busy helping clients decorate their homes for the season.
From tree designs and tablescapes to garland installations and wreaths, the Connecticut native uses her deft handling of material, color, and texture in helping homeowners express their own distinctive style for the holidays.
“I want to make the whole house feel festive and welcoming,” says Haines, who has lived in Litchfield County for 17 years. “But I also like to push the envelope by not always using traditional colors and themes.”
A landscape designer for two decades—primarily tending the gardens of large estates—she has spent nearly as much time decorating homes for the holidays. She’s also expanding the boundaries of traditional holiday decor by avoiding the over-the-top approach to Christmas decorating. Instead, she introduces more minimalist interior design schemes that find harmony in understated colors, organic textures, and strong, simple forms.
Nature also plays a role in her work, with designs that incorporate elements of the great outdoors; tree branches, wild berries, and acorns adorn many of her interiors. Dried hydrangeas with spray-painted tips give homes a colorful, festive feel.
“It’s important to include some surprises so nothing ever feels too conventional,” she says.
Haines and her husband, Kyle, both grew up in Connecticut and moved back to the state after college. The couple eventually settled in Woodbury, a picturesque town at the southern edge of the Litchfield Hills that they both fell in love with.
They purchased their current house 12 years ago, and set about handling the renovations themselves. Reconfiguring the downstairs, adding kitchen cabinetry and outdoor decks, and building some of the home’s furnishings—including a massive, single-board dining table designed by Haines that her husband handcrafted from an oak tree that fell on the property.
“Doing it ourselves has always been a sort of mantra for us,” Haines says. “We’re very much a DIY family, and like to collaborate.”
That collaborative spirit also extends to the couple’s daughters, Fiona, 11, and Emeline, 8, who join their mom each Christmas season on her holiday decorating projects. “I love that they like getting involved,” Haines says. “It’s so important to get the kids involved, but it’s more rewarding for me and Kyle to know they really enjoy the whole experience just as much as we do.”
Fall Fest and Ben March Scholarship Day, October 20, 10am-4:30pm Stop by March Farm for the 5th annual cornhole tournament, live music, vendors, food and many fall activities. 160 Munger Lane, Bethlehem
Bridgewater’s Trunk or Treat, October 31, 5:30-7:30pm Fun family night to receive and hand out candy! Prizes will be awarded for best decorated trunks. Bridgewater Town Center
Falls Village Recreation Halloween, October 31, 5-7pm Families are invited to the costume parade on Main Street and trick or treating around the village. The Center on Main (103 Main Street), Canaan
Halloween on the Farm, October 20, 3-5pm
Celebrate Halloween at Pinney Stables with trunk or treat, a costume contest, photo booth, and more. 3 Pinney Street, Colebrook
Halloween Night 3D Archery Shoot, October 27, 4-8pm Come out and celebrate Halloween with the Northwestern Connecticut Sportsmen’s Association ! Shoot, have fun, and show off a Spooktacular costume, if you dare. 177 Winsted Norfolk Road, Colebrook
Falls Village Fall Festival, October 19, 2-4pm
The Falls Village Recreation Commission and D.M. Hunt Library are excited to host the 2nd annual fall festival. The community event features food, live music, hayrides, a pie baking contest, and more! Town Farm Property, Route 63, Falls Village
The Forsaken Lands Outdoor Haunted Attraction, September 28-Nov 2, 7pm-10pm Connecticut’s latest and most cutting edge haunted attraction, opens its very creaky barn doors for the first season of fears at Action Wildlife! The inhabitants of this long forgotten farm village unleash their wrath on, and consume all who dare step foot onto their forbidden grounds. Recommended for ages 13+ 435 Torrington Road, Goshen (Action Wildlife) $6 cash only parking fee, General admission is $27.50, Fast Pass is $37.50
The Pumpkin Run 5K and Fall Festival, October 12, 8am-3:30pm
The 5k runs from 8am-11am, Fall Festival activities start at 10:30am and end at 3:30pm. 100 Bentley Drive, Harwinton
$30 fee for the run
48th Kent Pumpkin Run, October 27, 12pm The 47th annual running of the Kent Pumpkin run and Kids fun race! Kent Green Kids Fun Race takes place 11am on race day.
Scarecrows in the Meadow, October 19-November 3 A community event celebrating the end of the harvest season. 82nd South Street, Litchfield (Tapping Reeve Meadow)
Camp Mohawk Pumpkin Fest, October 19, 11am-4pm
A wide variety of activities such as boating, archery, pumpkin painting, and delicious seasonal treats. YMCA Camp Mohawk – 246 Great Hill Road, Litchfield
$10 admission
Halloween Fun Day, October 19, 10:30am-1pm Wear your best Halloween costume, some halloween snacks, spooky stories and more! Litchfield Community Center – 421 Bantam Road, Litchfield
Morris Senior Center’s Annual Halloween Party, October 29, 12-2pm
Wear your costumes and participate in the costume contest for many prizes, enjoy a catered lunch, and more fun entertainment! Morris Senior Center – 109 East Street, Morris
$10 per person
Kids Halloween Party and Parade , October 26, 7-830pm Wear your costumes to the library for some Halloween fun! Beekley Community Library, 10 Central Avenue, New Hartford
Scarrybrooke Park Haunted Trail, October 12,18, 19, 25,26
Enjoy this haunted trail through Harrybrooke Park. 12 and up. 100 Still River Drive, New Milford
New Milford Trunk or Treat, October 26 5:30-7:30pm New Milford Parks and Recreation is excited to offer Trunk or Treat on the Town Green New Milford Town Green (25 Main Street)
A Spooky Paranormal Halloween Magic & Mind Reading Show, October 24, 6-8pm
Prepare for an evening of fun, fright, and fascination as you explore the depths of the unseen with Gregg Dwyer as your guide. Torrington Library, 12 Daycoeton Place Torrington
Annual Wine and Food Tasting, October 19, 7-9pm Join the Warner Theatre’s biggest fundraising event, enjoy a night of tasting local foods, craft beers, spirits and wines. Nancy Marine Studio Theatre, 84 Main Street, Torrington $30 General Admision tickets, $100 VIP tickets
Torrington’s Ford Trunk or Treat, October 26, 3:30-6:30pm, October 27, 10am-2pm Come dress in your spookiest and most creative costumes to check out the decorated cars. Free candy will be provided! Torrington Ford, 1350 East Main St, Torrington
Cider Run 5K, October 21, 10-11:30am Come out to Warren Woods and enjoy Family Fun, paired with the 5K Cider Run! Warren Woods, Brick School Road, Warren
Spooktacular Halloween at the Park, October 26, 9:30am-12:30pm Wear your costume (pets too!), showoff your carving skills with the annual Jack O Lantern contest, trick or treat and more! The Judy Black Memorial park and Gardens, One Green Hill Road, Washington Depot
Zombie Escape Race, October 13, 8:30am Come run in your favorite Halloween costumes! Veterans’ Memorial Park, 570 Nova Scotia Hill Road, Watertown $15 for kids race (10&under), $30 for zombie escape
Trunk or Treat, October 26, 3pm-4pm. Watertown High School parking lot, 324 French Street, Watertown
Tricks for Treats, October 27, 11:30am-1pm Dog costumes awards will be given out! Fun and free event for all. Watertown dog park, 1365 Main Street, Watertown
9thAnnual Winsted Lions Club Halloween Party Fundraiser, October 25, 7-11pm Costume contest with awards for funniest, scariest etc, raffle contest with prizes and more! Crystal Peak 164 Torrington Road,Winsted $30 Admission
Trunk or Treat, October 26, 5:30-7:30pm Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult. 75 Rowley Street, Winchester The entry fee is $5 per family.
2nd Home’s 3rd Annual Halloween Party, November 1, 7-11pm
Come meet the animatronic witches, dance with the animatronic Frankie, and say hello to Bones. Come in costume and get a special gift. 2nd Home Lounge, 524 Main Street, Winsted
Join Flanders Nature Center for a Ghost Town xperience at their 6th Annual Haunted Hikes! Between 4 PM and 6 PM, join a family friendly hike for a not-so scary walk in the woods. But, from 6:15 PM to 8 PM, be a braver soul for a spine chilling walk in the dark woods. The later walks are not recommended for children under 12 or the faint of heart. Be prepared for a night of adventure and dress for the worst of conditions!
The Studio 5 Church Hill Road Woodbury, CT.
The Glebe House All Hollow’s Eve: Cemetery Tours, October 19, 5:30-830pm Led by lantern light through a trail of luminaries, attendees will tour the ancient cemetery with their spirit guide visiting the final resting places of some of Woodbury’s notable and not-so notable residents. 49 Hollow Road, Woodbury
When apples are ready for picking and the lines for cider donuts start forming at Washington’s Averill Farm, you know fall has truly arrived in the Northwest Corner.
With the season, comes the craving for those cinnamony, delicious,
fresh cider donuts from Averill Farms, a local tradition in the Hills.
When apples are ready for picking and the lines for cider donuts start forming at Washington’sAverill Farm, you know fall has truly arrived in the Northwest Corner. Famous for its delicious, natural apple cider and sweet cider donuts, Averill Farm has been operating continuously by the Averill family since it was purchased in 1746 from the holdings of Chief Waramaug. A dairy farm for many years, the 250-acre property today features an expansive fruit orchard (the farm also produces hay and Christmas trees). Sam Averill, of the ninth generation, runs the farm with his wife, Susan, and their son, Tyson, growing apples and pears that are sold both as picked fruit and pick-your-own (PYO). More than 90 apple varieties are grown (including Liberty, Cortland, Macoun, Spartan, and McIntosh, to name a few) and about 25 types are available for customers to pick.
SCOTT PHILLIPS
The Averills have been making apple cider for over 30 years—first, bringing their apples to an outside mill, then, in 2005 producing cider in a new mill of their own. Cider from the Averills is made from their own apples, a mixture of different types, and it’s sold in its pure state—unpasteurized, for the very freshest taste. It has no added ingredients or preservatives. “We think it is best and healthiest in its natural state,” Susan says. But, she adds, if you prefer your cider pasteurized, all you have to do is heat it to boiling, let it cool, and voilà! Pasteurized.
To help recoup their investment in the new mill building, the Averills put in a jewel-box of a bakery area, as they only press cider once or twice a week. And then came the donuts. Those sumptuous donuts! So what’s the secret recipe? “I did some research beforehand,” Susan says, “and put together our own recipe, but using our cider to make the donuts is a key element. The other is that we only sell the donuts on the day they’re made, or, if we have any left, they are frozen that day.” Once the donuts are topped off with sugar and cinnamon, you’ve got a piece of heaven! But you can’t just buy them at any store: these cider donuts can only be found at the family’s farm stand, at the New Milford Farmer’s Market, and the Southbury Farmer’s Market. That way the family can control the quality of their product, meaning they’re only sold ultrafresh.
SCOTT PHILLIPS
Most weekends, Averill Farm bustles with people picking apples or (for the less ambitious) buying bagged fruit and baked goods. Family and friends gather to enjoy a cup of hot cider and some of those delectable cider donuts. With such a demand for the donuts, there’s always a crowd, and the friendly staff hustle to take orders and bag hot, fresh donuts as they come out of the kitchen, calling out customers’ names. During the fall, the bakery can produce as many as 2,600 donuts a day. If you need more than a donut to sustain you, there’s a pizza truck on the property, too. Cassandra’s Pizza to the People offers tasty wood-fired pizza slices. You can pull up a seat at one of the picnic tables and soak in the views of the orchard and the surrounding farmland from the hill. It’s sort of the platonic ideal of a fall weekend in the country.
SCOTT PHILLIPS
And if you don’t want to settle for a mere mug of hot or cold cider, you can pick up a jug of cider to take home. Cider, by the way, lends itself beautifully to a classic hot toddy: just heat it up, add a little rum, and perch a cinnamon stick in your cup. It also makes a mean marinade for turkey, or a glaze for ham and poultry. Some people even add it to homemade soups, instead of wine, for even greater depth.
SCOTT PHILLIPS
In addition to apples, pears, cider, and donuts, Averill Farm offers housemade jams and jellies (sourced from their own fruit and those of neighboring farms), much of it organic; plus honey, ciderscape vinegar, and other local produce such as potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, mums, and maple syrup. Pies, tea breads, crumb cakes, Vermont cheddar cheese, and gift items are also sold at the farm stand.
TYSON AVERILL, THE NEXT GENERATION TO RUN THE FARM, PHOTOGRAPHED BY SCOTT PHILLIPS
Cider by the cup (hot or cold) is $1.00, by the gallon is $9.00, or by the half-gallon is $5.00. Donuts are $1,00 each, $5.00 for a half-dozen, or $10.00 a dozen.
Averill Farm, 250 Calhoun Street, Washington Depot, 06794; 860.868.2777 or www.averillfarm.com Their farmstand is open 7 days a week from 9:30 to 5:30, mid-August to Thanksgiving.
Check out our list of festive fall activities, from gorgeous leaf-peeping spots, to fall festivals, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and more.
By Allie Steers, Elizabeth Deegan, and Zandria Oliver
Fall is here, and the exquisite fall foliage, crisp weather, and fall activities make Litchfield County exceptionally magical this time of year. Check out our list of festive fall activities, from gorgeous leaf-peeping spots, to fall festivals, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and more.
18. Pop into the Merwinsville Hotel’s 37rd annual Columbus Day weekend arts & fine crafts show and restoration anniversary celebration. October 12-14 and 18-20.
19. Check out Trunk or Treat in New Milford on Halloween night and experience the Thriller Flash Mob in the middle of the green.
20. Run or walk in Kent’s largest one-day community event, the 48th Annual Kent Pumpkin Run on October 27. Prizes will be given to the top five most creative costumes. Register here by October 25.
21. Nothing screams fall quite like sipping on a hot drink from a local cafe. We are lucky to have so many around us. Here are just a few offering delectable eats and drinks that will warm you up:
22. Check out Edward Tufte’s Landscape Sculpture Farm, Hogpen Hill Farms, with five miles of walking trails. Register here.
23. Do the Wigwam Escape room at The Institute for American Indian Studies and learn a new way to interact with history.
24. Visit a local farm stand and pick up some fresh produce while getting in the fall spirit! They are decorated for the fall season and have many fresh produce items!
28. Explore local Farmer’s markets while they’re still open – perfect for finding hot cider and local produce and goods. Here are just a few of the many markets.
33. Kayak and fish in Bantam Lake, the largest natural lake in Connecticut covering 947 acres. There are two launches, Beverly’s Marina at the corner of Rt. 209 and Palmer Road in Morris, or White Memorial Family Campground Launch.
34. Take a cooking class to show off your new recipes and skills during the holiday season
Carol Neiley had been house hunting for seven years when she discovered the small caretaker’s cottage on the former William F. Buckley estate in Sharon.
A 1907 Caretaker’s Cottage Is Transformed into an Elegant Family Home
By Jamie Marshall
Photos by Kate S. Jordan
Carol Neiley had been house hunting for seven years when she discovered the small caretaker’s cottage on the former William F. Buckley estate in Sharon. The long-abandoned house was in tough shape. But she wasn’t focused on the flaws. “I didn’t buy it for the house,” she says. “I bought it for the view. It has the most beautiful setting, almost like an Olmsted garden.”
That was in 2019, around the time she launched her Sharon-based boutique design firm, Maison Collab, with business partner Pamela Duncan Silver. “We’ve been best friends since we were 18,” says Neiley. “We finish each other’s sentences like an old married couple.” Having both owned and renovated houses in France, they knew they shared the same design aesthetic—which was ideally suited to their new project.
First, they addressed key structural issues. “We did a lot of reinforcement to make sure the house was really sound and a lot more square,” Neiley says.
They added a mudroom, and an office above it, removed a shed roof off the back, and created a dressing room on the second floor. They changed all the windows, sourced 18th- and 19th-century doors and hardware, and even reproduced actual Federal baseboard molding and trim for the entire house from a 1760s home in Red Hook.
When it was time for the interiors, they knew they wanted to keep the palette neutral, to evoke a sense of serenity and flow. They used Farrow & Ball Slipper Satin in every room, including trim and mullions. Even the plaster for the walls was tinted with the paint, which created a lovely wash of light.
As a result, each room flows seamlessly into the next. “Your eye doesn’t jump from color to color,” says Silver.
Adding to that tranquil effect is the deft use of lighting. “It’s one of our specialties,” says Neiley.
The designers take great joy in creating beautiful vignettes. “Every piece has a place and a purpose and a story,” says Neiley. “We’d rather have a bare plaster wall than the wrong chair against the wall.”
To achieve this highly curated feel, they spend weeks searching for the perfect table, commode, sofa, or lamp shade. They scour antiques stores in person and online. The twin ottomans in the living room are from a store in Lyon, France. The legs are made from faux kudu horn. A vintage lamp is topped with a marbleized shade from Bunny Williams’ shop in Falls Village. An antique dining table from Montage is covered with a vintage hemp linen sheet. “That was a trick I learned when I lived in Lyon,” says Neiley. Other than a small area rug beneath the dining table, they left the oak plank floors bare, upstairs and down. And, to play up the view, they left the windows unadorned. “We wanted to create the sense of bringing the outside in,” Silver says. And they did so—beautifully. —maisoncollab.com
When the time came for Stone and Fox to design a home for their own art collection, they made the bold choice to create a bespoke prefab with aplomb.
By Zachary Schwartz
Photographs by Ryan Lavine
Chris Stone and David Fox are consummate architects. Together, the married couple run an architecture studio called Stonefox Architects, specializing in homes that highlight art collections for curators, artists, and collectors. When the time came for Stone and Fox to design a home for their own art collection, they made the bold choice to create a bespoke prefab with aplomb.
The duo met 23 years ago at a New Year’s Eve party. Early in their relationship, they joined forces professionally, forming a business and a life together. They grew their firm in Manhattan, amassing an enviable client list in New York, Palm Beach, Aspen, Austin, and the Hamptons.
Seeking an arcadian escape from the cosmopolitan design society, Stone and Fox decamped to Litchfield County. The couple rented in Lakeville before purchasing an undeveloped plot on Twin Lakes in Salisbury. “It’s really important to be able to unplug and come to a place like Litchfield County, and just relax. It’s a paradise getaway for us,” says Stone.
The 4-acre plot is situated on former farmland with a mixture of wetlands and woodlands, home to a bounty of flora and fauna. Stone and Fox saw potential. They considered various approaches to designing their dream home, and ultimately settled upon a prefabricated structure.
The modern black house stands sentinel in the Connecticut woods, with three bedrooms, double-height ceilings, and an open floor plan ideal for entertaining. The building is constructed of four modules, set in a single day by Westchester Modular Homes and delivered by trailer transport.
“You can do a lot with prefab, but you have to be prepared to color within the lines. It definitely taught us how to be more creative and conscious with space,” says Fox. The architects worked within the confines of measurements, time, costs, and modular increments to produce the house, which has subsequently been reproduced for four of their Stonefox clients.
The home was designed to display the couple’s contemporary art collection. Their catalog represents rising stars from global art fairs, including Alex Da Corte, Mika Rottenberg, Reena Spaulings, and Anna Ostoya. Local artists are also represented in the home, including works by sculptor Adam Parker Smith and ceramics by DBO Home. Design accents complement the artwork, including Cole & Son wallpaper, a Lacanche French range, and white oak flooring by Carlisle Wide Plank Floors.
“We wanted to keep the material palette fairly restrained. We love using natural materials in a way that displays their origin,” says Stone.
Since moving to Salisbury, the couple has developed a deep interest in landscape design. They hired Berkshire native plant specialist Bridghe McCracken of Helia Land Design to advise on the horticulture. “It sparked what has become a real interest for us in learning about all of these native plants. Bridghe has this huge seed bank with native plants, not hybridized in any way,” says Fox. McCracken helped the homeowners craft an outdoor room with a hemlock hedge, as well as a butterfly-filled meadow with Penstemon and Great Blue Lobelia.
Chris Stone and David Fox have embraced the nature of Connecticut, hiking its woods and studying its flora. Summers beckon carefree floating on lake inner tubes, while winters are reserved for fireside lounging with their Boston terrier and ice skating on the frozen lake. “I get so excited when I see the mountains with a light dusting of snow. At any given moment, there could be a little squall of snow that looks like someone dumped powdered sugar on top. I love driving around and seeing how the landscape undulates,” says Fox. For the architects, their modular home is their modern retreat.
On Sunday, September 15, South Farms in Morris hosted Savor Litchfield, the region’s premier culinary event.
On Sunday, September 15, South Farms in Morris hosted Savor Litchfield, the region’s premier culinary event. Chef Christian Hunter, of Michelin-starred Atelier in Chicago and formerly of Community Table, led the festivities.
Set against the scenic countryside, the festival brought together 400 guests and 15 top Litchfield County chefs who showcased their talents using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Attendees enjoyed unlimited tastings and artisanal cocktails from Litchfield Distillery, alongside upscale pop-up shops.
VIPs were treated to a caviar bar by Pointy Snout Caviar, a private cocktail hour, and special goody bags. A portion of ticket sales supported F.I.S.H. NWCT, a nonprofit serving the local community.
James Beard finalist chef Christian Hunter returns to Litchfield County from his Michelin star restaurant Atelier in Chicago to lead the helm of chefs for this year’s Savor. Hunter’s culinary background includes cooking at Community Table in New Preston, Relais & Chateaux’s Lake Placid Lodge, and The Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island. @chefchristianhunter
Chef CJ Barroso has worked in some of New York City’s top kitchens including Aquavit with Marcus Samuelsson, Michelin-starred Public, Saxon and Parole, and The Finch. The Lost Fox Inn menu is reimagined seasonally and Chef CJ is passionate about meeting with farmers and discussing the freshest ingredients of the day. @plant_create_eat
Chef Bourdeu’s newest Litchfield County restaurant offers a “world menu” to his guests with creative flavors and a variety of dishes from around the globe. Bourdeu is well-known for his previous beloved eateries,
The Owl in New Preston and Lucia in New Milford. @sparrownewmilford
Chef Carl brings his Italian culinary training to offer fresh Mediterranean-style cuisine. Head Chef of South Farms, Ciarcia leads the development of their culinary program. @carlciarcia
A 1994 Culinary Institute of America graduate, chef/owner Dennis’s cooking offers new American cuisine with heavy Italian and Mediterranean leanings, including fresh pastas and award-winning desserts. @johnscafe693main
At Community Table, Chef Bolivar weaves his Mexican heritage with inspired Japanese and French-style cooking for a healthy approach to modern, local cuisine. @bol1var_
Director of The Silo Cooking School and chef/owner of Greca Mediterranean Kitchen + Bar, “Dino” has appeared on Chopped and been featured in various publications. @greca.med
Paul Pearson is the chef of the White Hart Inn, located on the green in Salisbury. Having been part of the opening team in 2014 he left for a stint at Community Table in New Preston before returning to oversee the food program in 2020. He works closely with the team to oversee the Tap Room, Provisions, and events. @pavypearson
Executive chef Carlos Perez’s approach to cooking is described as sustainable farm-to-table, paired with a modern influence. He also has an extensive background in pastry. @chefcarlosperez
With over 15 years of culinary restaurant and fish market experience, Zachary has a keen eye for quality, freshness, and seafood trends. @swedishchef08
Hindsight BBQ is an all wood-fired craft barbeque experience. Rated a Top BBQ Joint outside of Texas, by Texas monthly chief editor Daniel Vaughn. @jefftakespics
Kate is a cheesemonger and the owner of New Curds on the Block, a cut-to-order cheese shop, which sources handmade cheeses from New England cheesemakers. @katejtruini
Chef Vinjith, born and raised in Kerala, India, opened Tandoori Flames in 2018, serving authentic North and South Indian cuisine. @tandooriflamesnewmilford
Thank you to the local farms that provided food for our event.
For many families, Litchfield County is a small corner of New England that offers huge educational opportunities.
Our Guide to the Best Private Schools in the Region
Litchfield County is famous for many things—most of them associated with culture, leisure, and the landscape. But for many families, Litchfield County is a small corner of New England that offers huge educational opportunities. There are famous and historic institutions of learning, as well as newer schools that serve diverse backgrounds and abilities. Some offer boarding, giving students from around the world a chance to come here for opportunities that can (and do) change a student’s life.
Horace Mann School
Nursery-12. Prepares a diverse community to lead great and giving lives.
121 Carmel Hill Rd. N.
860-868-2230 horacemann.org/academic-life/dorr
The Woodhall School
Boys grades 9-12 of above-average intellectual ability, who’ve had difficulties in traditional schools.
58 Harrison Ln.
203-266-7788 woodhallschool.org
Cheshire Academy
As a coeducational school that maximizes each stu- dent’s potential, Cheshire Academy prepares students for college and to be true global citizens.
10 Main St.
203-272-5396 cheshireacademy.org
Kent School
College preparatory boarding school, grades 9-12. Educates students to contribute to the common good.
1 Macedonia Rd.
860 -927-6000 kent-school.edu
Marvelwood School
College preparatory boarding school that supports and engages all types of learners.
476 Skiff Mountain Rd.
860-927-0047 marvelwood.org
South Kent School
Boarding school that prepares young men for college and to thrive as thoughtful citizens.
40 Bulls Bridge Rd.
860-927-3539 southkentschool.org
Forman School
Specializing in ADHD, dyslexia. Tailored curriculum prepares students for college and the world.
12 Norfolk Rd.
860-567-8712 formanschool.org
Litchfield Montessori School
Fifteen months-12 years. Nurtures love of learning, sense of wonder, independence.
5 Knife Shop Rd.
860- 283-5920 litchfieldmontessori.org
School on the Green
A preschool where parents actively participate in their child’s early education journey.
25 South St.
860-567-0695 schoolonthegreen.com
Canterbury School
Boarding and day school for 9–12 and postgraduates. Believes in students’ extraordinary potential.
101 Aspetuck Ave.
860-210-3800 cbury.org
Faith Preparatory School
K-12 Christ-centered education that focuses on academic excellence and Biblical discipline.
600 Danbury Rd.
860-210-3677 faithprep.cc
Washington Montessori School
Encourages independent thinking, favors discipline and focus, and nurtures innate curiosity.
240 Litchfield Tpke.
860-868-0551 washingtonmontessori.org
Glenholme School
Co-ed boarding school (grades 5-12) for students who struggle emotionally, socially, or academically.
91 Sabbaday Lane
860-868-7377 theglenholmeschool.org
Frederick Gunn School
Co-ed boarding and day school; multiple early opportunities for leadership and discovery.
99 Green Hill Rd.
860-868-7334 frederickgunn.org
Rumsey Hall School
Grades PreK-9. Teaching academics and teaching an attitude of mind are of equal importance.
201 Romford Rd.
860-868-0535 rumseyhall.org
Taft School
A co-ed preparatory school that offers high-level academics and athletics.
110 Woodbury Rd.
860-945-7777 taftschool.org
St. Mary Magdalen Elementary School
For students of all faiths, teaching how to think, question, become lifelong learners.
140 Buckingham St.
860-945-0621 smmsjschools.org
St. John the Evangelist Middle School
Working collaboratively, students are challenged to think critically as they prepare for high school.
760 Main St.
860-274-9208 smmsjschools.org
Out and About in Litchfield County featuring Pilobolus’s Midsummer Ball, ASAP!, and The Great Country Mutt Show.
Pilobolus’s Midsummer Ball on June 22 surpassed all fundraising goals,while uniting key figures from entertainment, performance, and philanthropy to celebrate art, nature, and the human body. The evening featured site-specific dance performances at a private sculpture park in Washington. Guests could become immersed in Pilobolus’s innovative and boundary-pushing spirit.
Photos by Bryan Haeffele, Courtesy of Pilobolus
On June 1, ASAP! celebrated its 25th anniversary with a Sonny and Cher-themed variety show and cocktail party at the Frederick Gunn School, highlighting ASAP! students and teaching artists. Two-hundred guests donated more than $100,000 in support of ASAP!’s mission to foster creative, hands-on learning through the arts.
Photos by Soph and Drew Photography
The Great Country Mutt Show benefit on June 8 in support of the Little Guild was held at the home of Michael Trapp and M. Michael Meller in Sharon, and raised 20% of the organization’s annual operating costs. Guests toured Trapp’s gardens while enjoying the music of The Joint Chiefs.
It still serves seriously good burgers and you can still catch a game at the bar, but chef and owner Kendra Chapman has continued to refine and expand her cooking to offer an increasingly diverse and sophisticated menu.
Good Food and Fair Prices at Black Rabbit
By Charles Dubow
Photographs by Sabrina Eberhard
I remember when Black Rabbit opened in 2011. We were weekending in Lakeville back then, and my family and I loved it. It was the perfect casual spot to grab a seriously good burger or just have a beer and watch a game on one of their large flat-screen TVs. It didn’t take long for it to become a local favorite.
In the intervening 13 years, Black Rabbit has only become better. It still serves seriously good burgers and you can still catch a game at the bar, but chef and owner Kendra Chapman has continued to refine and expand her cooking to offer an increasingly diverse and sophisticated menu. “I just love watching cooking shows, and reading cookbooks and trendy magazines,” she says with a laugh. “When I see something that looks good I go, ‘Ooh, I should put that on the menu.’ And my customers seem to like it.”
Seeing what are Chapman’s latest creations is part of the fun of dining at Black Rabbit. She has specials every day (which she posts online); these can include such dishes as BBQ spare ribs, lamb souvlaki, or a buttered soft-shell crab sandwich.
Regular menu items are, among many others, a brick oven roast chicken, pan-seared salmon, a grilled ribeye pork chop. And, of course, the half-pound burgers, as always, come in a variety of configurations: The Everything comes with bacon, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, and cheddar and Swiss cheese; the Buddha has sautéed mushrooms, truffle-smoked gouda, and garlic herb aioli; the Stella Spice has habanero bacon jam, pepper jack cheese, caramelized onions, and bacon. Any one of them will satisfy the biggest appetite.
Even better: They are all reasonably priced—as is everything on the menu, including the modest but decent wine list. (The cocktail and beer lists are more ambitious.)
Chapman credits much of her success to her staff—many of whom have been with her for years—and to her long ties to the area. Prior to opening Black Rabbit, she worked as general manager for 10 years up the road in Salisbury, at the White Hart Inn.
“Even though I had lots of restaurant experience, I wasn’t really a professional chef when I left the White Hart,” she says. “To learn how to cook to order, I opened the Chapman Chowdah House in Sheffield, and spent a year there to work out the kinks before opening here.”
Now she is very much a hands-on owner/chef and spends, in her estimation, 80 percent of her time in the kitchen.
“After I opened Black Rabbit, a lot of my friends and patrons came with me,” she says. “Which was so cool. And they’ve stayed.”
It also meant that she already knew many of the best local farms from which she could source her ingredients. Among what she calls her “farmer friends” are Gasperini Farm, Sharon Mountain Greens, Sky Farm, and Zinke’s Farm. Let’s hope Black Rabbit sticks around for another 13 years.
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8. Take a spooky walk through the 
