Your guide to the heart of Litchfield County:
Discover local stories, hidden gems, and must-know events.

By Charles Dubow

Photos by Theo Coulombe

Portrait of Theo by Maria Baranova

Artists have the ability to show the rest of the world the things they might have otherwise not noticed or to reinforce those things we feel most passionately about with even more emotion. That is the essence of Theo Coulombe’s gorgeous landscape photography: He can capture the image of a scene one might have passed by on numerous occasions and then endow it with a majesty and beauty that makes it unforgettable.

“I need to really get to know a place before I feel comfortable bringing out my camera,” he says. “I’m not a tourist. It’s important to have a connection, a sense of belonging to where I am.” Rising before dawn every morning he sets out in his car scouting through the countryside of the Northwest Corner for inspiration, returning to remembered locations or serendipitously happening upon new ones to photograph.

“I’m not looking for perfection,” he says. “I am looking for what moves me. I am particularly attracted to the interplay of shadow and fog in nature. I am looking for certain visual cues—texture, depth, color, contrast.”

In an age of iPhones where anyone can snap a photograph, Coulombe is a throwback to less digital—and more complicated—practices. “I use two cameras—a Deardorff from 1938 and a 1936—both of which weigh 8 lbs. These are 8 x 10s with a reduction back that can give me a lot of different effects.” It can take Coulombe about 10 minutes to set up and break down a shot, but the actual exposure time can be as long as 45 minutes. “If I don’t move fast enough, I can miss it. I only give myself one sheet for each shot. It’s not like I can come back tomorrow. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

After years of working in Williamsburg, Brooklyn—with sojourns in Hungary and Japan—Coulombe relocated to Sharon. “It was either Sharon, Sag Harbor, Budapest, or Biddeford, Maine,” he says. “In the end Sharon won. I’m a New Englander. I was raised in Fairfield and worked for the park service in Maine. I love the Berkshires and the Catskills. I am just drawn to the nature and beauty of the area.”

We are standing in the Standard Space, the gallery he opened on Sharon’s Main Street in 2017, looking at some fresh prints of his photographs. One, entitled “Looking ENE from Taylor Rd. NY toward Millerton Rd. CT, 2020,” is particularly striking. It depicts fog covering a landscape that recedes into the far hills with a large tree dominating the right side of the image. It is not classically composed but there is something haunting about it. “I asked a fellow photographer what he thought of it and he said he didn’t like it. That it was off-kilter. But that’s precisely why I like it. I am trying to step away from the artifice of making art. See that tree on the right? I feel like that big dark shadow is my subconscious imposing itself on the image.”

There is an almost Japanese quality to some of his compositions, in the way that objects almost seem to float in space. “I do love Japanese art,” he says, “but I am also hugely influenced by the Hudson River School.” More surprisingly he also cites modernists such as Anselm Kiefer, Gerhard Richter, and Joseph Beuys as inspiration. “I’m also a big fan of Stanley Kubrick. I was rewatching Barry Lyndon the other day and there’s this scene where he’s riding under clouds. It was just dazzling. I was like ‘That’s it!’ That’s what I am trying to achieve.” —theocoulombe.com

By KK Kozik

Ann Temkin’s presentation “Artistic Breakthrough: Myth vs. Fact” at Torrington’s Five Points Art Center last fall examined an art-historical phenomenon. Ms. Temkin, the Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art, made the case through the examples of Jasper Johns, Joan Mitchell, David Hammons, Elizabeth Murray, and Philip Guston that breakthroughs are not exclusively revolutionary acts by brash young artists; often they result from external change impacting artists mid-career.

Guston’s breakthrough from abstraction into topical figuration, for example, was driven by civil rights struggles going on around him. For Joan Mitchell, becoming an expatriate in France led to a major blossoming in her work. What made the talk particularly appropriate for this location and audience is that Temkin, who was raised and attended public schools in Torrington before moving on to Harvard and Yale, was here to celebrate a breakthrough of another sort, the 10th anniversary of Five Points Art and its new facilities at the Five Points Art Center Itself. It took an analogous change of circumstances, together with the creative vision of dedicated individuals, for the Five Points Art Center to come into being.

The new Five Points Arts Center represents a huge step forward for an already successful enterprise. Five Points Gallery, located in Torrington’s historic downtown opposite the Warner Theater and Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, evolved from a temporary gallery set up by the Torrington Arts and Culture Commission in 2012. That gallery’s success led to the formation of a not-for-profit visual arts organization and Five Points Gallery. To date, Five Points has featured the work of approximately 730 regional, national, and international artists, and expanded to 3,800 square feet of exhibition space, cementing Torrington’s rebirth as an arts destination. 

In 2018, another opportunity came their way. The trustees of the University of Connecticut had decided to sell their Torrington campus (closed in 2016 due to declining enrollment) four miles northwest of downtown. According to Judith McElhone, founder and executive director of Five Points, the possibility came “out of left field” yet “was so right to continue our mission… to give artists and community members the equipment, facilities and support they need to make their art.” After two years of negotiations they finalized a deal and began transforming 30,000 square feet of indoor space into cutting-edge painting, ceramics, and electronic art studios, punctuated by a stunning double-height printmaking space.

Ms. Temkin wrapped up her presentation by commenting that “great artists never stop exploring, they never stop taking risks.”

“It’s really in that spirit that I want to send the Five Points Arts Center off to its second decade. This building that’s already proof of incredible self-renewal and institutional breakthrough, like artistic breakthrough is less of a lightning strike and more continued reinvention and ongoing dedication. On the 10th anniversary let’s celebrate Five Points and all of you here who collectively embody sustained creativity.

By Pamela Brown

Sue Donato cherishes memories of her family’s Woodbury Farm Market (WFM), but one that stands out is when her father sold a Christmas tree to Marilyn Monroe in 1957. 

“It was his first Christmas season there. My mother liked to tell the story that she was working that day, pregnant with my sister Wendy, when Marilyn came in asking for a tree.  She liked to say my father ‘very enthusiastically’ found her the perfect tree,” recalls Donato.

Growing up, Donato spent days at WFM packing peaches, carrying boxes, and restocking paper bags. “My earliest memory is waking up at the crack of dawn as a four-year-old to go to work with my father for the day.  My brother, Todd, Wendy, and I would ride the 20-mile trek to Woodbury from Woodbridge in my father’s truck to work on Saturdays,” she said. 

Christmas at WFM, a full-service garden center and gift shop that features organically-grown plants, is a special time and one of its busiest. “A lot of love and pride goes into our Christmas products,” said Donato. 

A small staff, along with seasonal employees, and a reliance on family bring holiday magic to WFM. “My husband Joe can be found in the greenhouse on the wreath machine the whole month of December.  Wendy hand ties the boxwood and juniper wreaths, which was taught to her by my father. I make the boxwood wreaths as well.” 

Wreath-making starts in November and the staff festively decorates the store from top-to-bottom.    “Wendy makes the most beautiful bows all season long and we have a great selection of holiday pots and arrangements, live and potted Christmas trees, poinsettias, boxwood and juniper wreaths, mixed evergreen wreaths, magnolia wreaths, holly wreaths,” said Donato whose children who grew up at the store also help out.

Donato’s parents, Eugene and Eleanor Cozzolino, opened the market in 1957. After her parents retired in 1994, Donato and her husband took over.   

“I saw how hard they worked and the fulfillment it gave them.  I saw their honesty, integrity, and how they always did things the right way,” said Donato.  “My parents influenced my life in every way. Because WFM was such a huge part of their life, it became a huge part of mine.”  

Although earning an M.B.A, Donato notes “the best education in my life was from watching the way my parents lived their lives.  I saw the interactions they had with customers and I felt the pleasure it gave to them. This place has a history here and nothing delights me more than to see old customers who remember my parents and tell me how proud they would be to see WFM today.” Donato hears stories from men who worked there as teenagers 50 years ago and the positive influence her father had on their lives.

Donato looks forward to each day. 

“It’s easy to keep joy in a 7-day workweek when you love what you do.  I’m surrounded by natural beauty and I love taking care of the plants, chatting with customers, and being outdoors,” she said. “There’s no better place to go each day than a place you love.” 

717 Main Street, South, Woodbury, (203) 263-2175, woodburyfarmmarket.com

By Anne Franco McAndrew

16 years ago Jill Scholsohn was standing in her booth at the New York gift show held annually at the Javits Center. The first person of the day to enter her booth was a representative from Sundance, the ultra-cool catalog of boho style inspiration. Jill shrugs nonchalantly and says, “The aging hippy is my market, I knew it would be a good match.” The rest, as they say, is history. Scholsohn’s jewelry is featured in every single issue of Sundance.

If you are a person who embraces a departure from the mainstream you will most certainly revel in the distinctiveness of Scholsohn’s jewelry. The business name is Riverstone and the essence of her hippy-dippy global style are amulets and talismans along with precious and semi-precious gems from around the world. Her designs range from a solid strand of stunning sameness to a circus train of color interspersed with the most intriguing of silver or gold beads. It’s not uncommon to get lost in the architecture of a piece; the natural beauty of each bead, each nugget, is mesmerizing.

Don’t be fooled by Scholsohn’s folksy, front-porch style personality. Scholsohn and her husband Dan Greenbaum have two grown children, River and Zoe. She is an EMT with the Kent Volunteer Fire Department and is Assistant Ambulance Chief. She is a world traveler, having been to 57 countries. Her background in anthropology comes into play when sourcing her beads. Most are from Thailand, Afghanistan, India, and Arizona. “Color is my inspiration yet spirituality also plays a part.” She uses gaspeite, ancient coral, Indian rubies and many more exquisite gemstones. A favorite, though, is the spirit lock, a padlock-shaped charm worn by tribes in Laos and Thailand. It is often a highlighted amulet signifying security and protection against disease and depression. Scholsohn bought her spirit lock in Thailand in 1991 and hasn’t taken it off since.

Scholsohn started her career in 1997 as an EMT in New York City. Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, she decided that weekending in the Berkshire Hills would help relieve the stress of her work. She started taking kayaking lessons and immediately fell for her kayak instructor, Kent native, Dan Greenbaum. Day visits turned into weekend stays which ultimately turned into foreverness. They share their passion of travel and circle the globe together, experiencing other cultures and collecting artifacts. The lovebirds would never leave Kent permanently though, “Dan has a lot of family history here. His grandfather had a camp on North Spectacle Lake and his father ran the garbage business in town. Kent is home.”

Scholsohn’s style is easy to spot and although she won’t disclose who, it is worn by many entertainers and actors. It lends itself to casual dress but can also be worn formally. The fact is it isn’t a fashion piece, “it’s artwork.” Locally it’s at Heron Gallery in Kent and also at the esteemed Westport Farmers Market and the internationally-known Columbus Circle Holiday Fair in NYC. Her Kent showroom is open by appointment. Her work is in boutiques nationwide and in some St. John’s island stores. —riverstonejewelry.com

By Clinton Kelly

Happy holidays, my fellow Litchfieldians! You’d better party hearty. I mean, like really live it up—safely, please—because we all know what time of year comes next. Ugh. It’s the worst. Granted, some people actually enjoy the season that follows the holiday season. If you’re one of them, good for you. Personally, I think you’re nuts. But I’m happy for you. Ya nut.

Maybe you’re not from these parts, so let me explain by sharing my seasonal calendar for this gorgeous slice of the world. (You’ll notice my calendar begins in May, because that’s when actual life starts around here.)

May: My Back is Killing Me Month

This is the month during which you must spend every waking moment working on your house and property so you can (kind of) relax and enjoy the next four months. Window screens need cleaning. Gutters need clearing. Paint needs retouching. Gardens need mulching. And, most importantly, your muscle-relaxer prescription needs refilling. Fun!

June, July & August: Literal Heaven on Earth

This glorious chunk of time is why the people (who are not nuts) choose to live in Litchfield County. Not a day goes by when I don’t have the urge to twirl on my luscious lawn like a dirndl-clad Julie Andrews. And some days I do, because let’s face it, a fitted bodice can be very flattering. The hills are alive, people, with the taste of fresh strawberries and corn and tomatoes. Oh, my. (Pardon me for mixing my gay metaphors but I’m positively delirious just contemplating summer!) Sure, I might spend seven hours a day pulling weeds and jabbing deer-shaped voodoo dolls, but as Judy Garland sang in In The Good Old Summertime, I don’t care! (Three gay references in one paragraph: I’m on fire! And if you haven’t seen Judy’s swingy-armed performance, Google it THIS INSTANT. You’re welcome.)

September: The Best Month of Them All and Don’t Try to Argue With Me Because I Will Cut You 

Teachers hate this month because they have to deal with kids. I love this month because I don’t have to deal with kids—and I don’t even have kids! I just enjoy knowing they’re locked away for seven hours a day someplace I can’t hear or see them. Oh yeah, and the skies are clear, the humidity’s gone, the bugs are dead. And in the evening, you just need a light sweater to top your dirndl. 

October: Month of the Leaf Blower

Oh, it’s a gorgeous 31 days, don’t get me wrong. J’adore regarding a thoughtlessly artful display of gourds and mums whilst sipping warm cider. (Insert eye roll emoji here.) But nothing kills a perfectly autumnal vibe like that neighbor with the burning desire to fire up his gas-powered back-strapped windbag at the ass-crack of dawn. Oh, and he doesn’t even have to be your next-door neighbor! That SOB can live five miles away and he’ll still sound like he’s in your kitchen. 

November: Thanksgiving Month

The morning after Halloween I switch from watching Pornhub to the complete videography of Ina Garten. ’Nuff said.

December: We Should Totally Get Together Month

You: “OMG, I haven’t seen you in forever! Let’s grab a drink!”

Them: “Yassss! I’m free Thursday from 6 to 7:30!”

You: “Done. Cannot. Wait.”

Repeat 752 times and remember why you only see these ding-dongs once every 12 months.

January, February, March, April: Dark Night of the Frickin’ Soul

I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you. I hate the cold. I hate the constant gray skies, and I double-hate that I sold my apartment in Miami Beach during the pandemic. Oh, excuse me. Did I say that out loud? I meant: It takes a certain kind of person to appreciate Mother Nature’s downtime. There’s a yin for every yang, a bong for every bang. I literally don’t even know what I’m talking about here because I’m typing this article through a stream of tears. Whatever. Leave me alone. 

That’s the year in brief. Have an amazing holiday, neighbor! I’m free on Tuesday from 2:15 to 2:20 if you want to grab a drink. Except I don’t drink before 5:00, so we could grab a coffee. Except my caffeine cutoff is at 2:00. So, let’s get a hot chocolate. Except I’m cutting down on sugar. So, yeah, maybe we could do a barbecue on Memorial Day. Except my parents are coming over so… Yeah, I’ll just see you next whenever.

By Linda Tuccio-Koonz

Ken and Joyce Wood love the wild beauty of a winter snowstorm—every branch of every tree coated in sparkling splendor. Then, when the fields and wooded trails of their Terryville farm are blanketed in white, at least six to eight inches deep, it’s time to harness the horses for sleigh rides.

“People hear the words ‘sleigh ride’ and seem to just light up and think it’s a romantic thing, and it is,” says Ken, who grew up on Wood Acres Farm, where elegant Percherons make the magic happen. “It’s a winter wonderland out there.”

The 25-acre property—like a Currier and Ives scene, with two ponds—has been in his family for five generations. Ken, a farrier, began running sleigh rides in 1972; they do more than 200 in a good season. 

Joyce, who is not a skier (she laughs at the idea of it), says winter can be challenging for outdoor fun, but sleigh rides are enjoyable for all ages. Visitors love the experience because it’s a chance to “slow down, get off your phone, and enjoy nature.” 

Families, large groups, and couples reserve rides—some celebrate birthdays or other occasions. There’s even been wedding proposals; Victorian-style sleighs set the mood.

When couples come, Joyce invites them inside the cozy farmhouse that serves as the office for their business (Wood Acres Farm is also a wedding venue). Music plays and candles glow.

“I give them blankets (warmed in a dryer) as they go off on their ride,” says Joyce, who knows many of the farm’s visitors cherish this old-fashioned experience as a bucket list item.

Afterward, she serves cookies and hot cocoa. “I love watching them get warmed up and listening to their stories about going off into the woods, especially after a freshly fallen snow.” 

If you call for a reservation, you’ll likely reach longtime office manager, Taylor. She’ll answer your questions about everything from what to wear—dress warmly; they recommend snowsuits for kids—to how long you’ll be out—figure 35 to 40 minutes.

“There’s absolutely something magical about traveling via horse and carriage,” Taylor says. “There’s a quietness to it. You feel like you’re floating on the snow. It feels like you’re going back in time, and you get those rosy cheeks…”  

Taylor especially enjoys when couples who were married on the farm return for sleigh rides with their growing families. “We get to see their kiddos, and how their love story is continuing.”

Terryville residents Fred Messenger and his wife, Exelda (friends call her Zel), say they’ll never forget their sleigh ride. Fred gave Zel a certificate for her birthday. She’d wanted to go since she was a child, even more after seeing such classics as White Christmas and Dr. Zhivago, plus Hallmark creations.

“He surprised me; I never even realized there was a place (in Terryville) that did this with beautiful carriages and majestic horses. They put a blanket over us and we were one with nature.”

Ken says he’s always loved working with horses, and recently found himself with a great side gig. When not taking the reins at Wood Acres Farm, where carriage and wagon rides are always available, he drives horse-drawn carriages in HBO’s historical drama, The Gilded Age. 

Set in 1882, this captivating series follows the lives of New York’s elite, including an aristocrat played by Connecticut’s Christine Baranski. Filming for season two began in May. Ask Ken about it, or anything involving the farm, if you visit for a sleigh ride. He’s happy to share. —woodacresfarm.com

By Zachary Schwartz

Sisters Sarah Lee Martin and Claudia Di Fabrizio grew up spending summers at sleepaway camp in Kent. Year after year, they decamped to Litchfield County from homes in Manhattan and Greenwich for jovial camp summers. Decades later, the sisters returned to Litchfield County for its quiet sophistication, purchasing homes in Washington. Two years ago they opened jewelry boutique Hays Worthington Hays Worthington in New Preston.

“We have been a part of Litchfield County for over 50 years. It started when we were campers at a camp in the 1960s in Kent called Camp Po-Ne-Mah,” says Martin. Her family learned about the camp by word of mouth, attracted to Kent for its rustic charm and natural beauty. “We have very fond memories of going to Camp Po-Ne-Mah as kids. I feel that we’ve come around full circle, now that my husband and I are residents in Washington,” says Martin.

While the sisters’ return to Litchfield County was not a guarantee, the founding of their jewelry business Hays Worthington was foreseeable. The sisters are the third generation in a family of jewelers, and Claudia has an extensive art history education. Hays Worthington, named after their paternal grandmother, specializes in fine and period jewelry. They carry carefully curated pieces from as early as the Georgian era in the 1700s, through to Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, Retro, mid-century, and contemporary. Their collection consists of rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and other accessories. They also specialize in rare signed jewelry by the likes of Tiffany, Cartier, Van Cleef, and Belperron.

Though the sisters have run Hays Worthington for years, their New Preston boutique is a recent addition. “When the opportunity presented itself to us over two years ago during the height of Covid, we were thrilled. New Preston Village has so much history and charm, and the shops are all so special and precious,” says Martin. Since opening their shop, the sisters have become more involved in the local community, and donated jewelry to philanthropic efforts at The Owl’s Pride party and St. John’s Episcopal Church.

Special for the holiday season, Hays Worthington is premiering a new collection of 18-karat gold bejeweled charms. “There’s something very nostalgic about a charm bracelet. We’ve kicked it up a few notches. It’s got the fun of the 21st century with the nostalgia and charm of the mid-20th century,” says Martin. The charms will include a country barn, champagne bucket with diamond ice cubes, golf cart, picnic baskets filled with gems, and more. 

Hays Worthington regularly makes new acquisitions, so the New Preston boutique yields a new gem with each visit. “We feel that jewelry is a form of both history and art that one can wear and enjoy the beauty of,” says Martin. Be it a new charm bracelet or antique accessory, this jewel of a store is sure to bestow the perfect accent piece to complete any holiday outfit.

By Clementina Verge

Faced with a confusing and disruptive future, Gen Z students need support and care more than any previous generation, and taking a gap year has proven foundational and integral for optimal college preparation.

The advice comes from Jake Horne, founder of The Student Compass, a Washington-based program that provides mentoring for academic and personal development during the critical period between high school graduation and university enrollment. 

“The Gap Year is a unique experiential preparation for life,” explains Horne. “Stuck between being a dependent child and becoming an independent person, Gen Zers are unprepared to take on the role of adulthood and have not had the opportunity to develop the cognitive maturity and life skills so critical for 21st century challenges.”

Horne faults today’s “archaic school curricula” for being “too fact-focused” and encourages students to take a year away from school “to grow and immerse themselves in experiences, and build skills needed to adapt to profound transformations in the future; exponential technology uptake, climate change, and a full range of global threats.” 

Horne likens the Gap Year to “a delta of complex learning channels that split off of the traditional K-12 siloed main channel as it heads into the ocean of college and life.”

“These new life threads challenge students to learn to navigate unexpected turns and broaden their view, seeing unsheltered difficulties of the real world for the first time,” he reflects. “Seeing the world in new ways, reckoning with challenges as independent humans, and building confidence are critical for change. It is the beginning of the essential transformation from a child to adult, from a dependent to a self-directed human.”

This “rite of passage” was a social practice in societies for millennia, but abandoned in the 20th century, Horne observes. The Gap Year acts as such, “increasing student motivation, confidence, and curiosity, while reducing anxiety and hopelessness about the future.”

Thus, the Gap Year becomes crucial in empowering young adults to magnify their intellectual and social growth. It opens the mind to new possibilities, self-discovery, and prepares participants to contribute to society. 

“It makes the college experience truly dynamic and profoundly valuable, and provides students with the necessary foundation for thriving lives,” Horne assures. “Colleges, especially liberal arts schools, can be powerful environments for growth and personal transformation, but only for those ready and primed to get the most out of the experience.”

Ultimately, those who practice such skills before college prove more capable of tapping deeply into the unique conversations and transformative thinking an expansive education can offer.

“The Gap Year is not just an option anymore,” Horne cautions. “It is integral to optimal education and life preparation, which college is woefully ill-equipped to address. A student taking a Gap Year will have far more skills, a growth mindset, and practiced self agency, needed to create a powerful academic and transformative college experience; setting them up to be far more prepared for thriving in the chaos of their future world.” —thestudentcompass.com

By Pamela Brown 

Sharing good food with others is what life is all about for Susan Guletsky. “I saw a bumper sticker once that said, ‘love people, cook them good food.’ I’d rather have you come to my house for dinner than go out. When you invite people into your home and serve them good food, you show your affection, respect, and gratitude for them,” says Guletsky, owner of The Discerning Palate in Litchfield.

Opened in February, the specialty food store is one-third gourmet cheese shop, one-third Italian deli, and one-third Southern European grocery, as Guletsky describes it. Tables and shelves are filled with a selection of savory and sweet foods from France, Italy, and Spain. The store also carries local products such as fresh pasta from Durante’s in New Haven, sausage from Waterbury, and pesto made by Geppetto’s Osteria in Litchfield. Guletsky notes the products at her store complement The Bakehouse next door. “Jeremy, the baker, has been extremely helpful with advice, ideas, and camaraderie. I met him when I was trying to come up with a business plan and needed some way to guess how many customers I might get,” she says, adding, “he makes delicious bread that goes so very well with all that I sell.”

A commercial airline captain with United Airlines for 33 years and still flying, Guletsky is always searching for the next best ingredient. “Whenever I travel, I go into fresh food markets and supermarkets and try things. One day I bought a French dijon mustard on a whim and I liked its sharper flavor,” says Guletsky who grew up in Lincoln, Rhode Island where good Italian food was readily available. “In Northwestern Connecticut it’s not, so maybe I’m not the only one who thinks you get better mustard in France. The French, Italian, and Spanish don’t skimp on quality. I thought, if it doesn’t exist here, maybe it needs to.” That’s how The Discerning Palate was born. “It goes back to my epicurean curiosity. I love introducing people to new foods, new dishes, and sharing recipes.” 

Connecting with others through her store is a bonus, says Guletsky, a resident of Litchfield since 2016. “I get to meet my neighbors and I enjoy the interaction. And I’ve had customers invite me to parties,” she says. “That’s deeply rewarding. And then there are the gals that work in the shop. I might not have met them otherwise and would be sadder for it.”

The holidays are special for Guletsky. “That’s when I want traditional foods I grew up with. Holidays had special treats, like strufoli at Christmas,” she says. “My mom, dad, and my aunts were good cooks, and now my cousins are good cooks. I can produce a killer antipasto that my parents would enjoy. Even the sandwiches I offer at the store are made in the style they taught me.” 

Guletsky feels fortunate to have a business that allows her to share a love of good food. “They say food is love. That’s what holidays are about,” she says. “I want to make sure people can create their own memories with food.”

7 North Street, Litchfield, 860-361-6580, discerningpalate.store

By Clementina Verge

Inspired by the soulful sounds of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, 88 Keys on Main—an upscale piano bar and cafe that recently opened in Watertown—lures patrons back into a bygone era exuding dazzle and glamour.

Known as the Golden Age of Capitalism, the 1950s marked unprecedented economic growth and a culturally social time of sophistication and style, notes owner Ralph DelBuono, a self-described old soul whose lifelong dream has been to open an entertainment venue capturing the essence of this decade.

“88 Keys on Main wishes to preserve this distinctive experience,” assures DelBuono, who opened Connecticut’s newest retro lounge in October, in partnership with Tom Daddona and John Orsini. “There is no other place like it in this area. It’s a unique establishment that encompasses a special night out.”

With lavish chandeliers, elegant leather sofas, a baby grand piano, a curated menu, and expertly crafted signature cocktails, 88 Keys offers a perfect taste of old Las Vegas magic. 

“It is a fun, intimate throwback to the Marilyn Monroe era,” he adds. “You’d swear Frank, Sammy, and the rest of the Rat Pack designed it.”

Old world tin ceilings, custom-made decor, and mid-century furnishings create a space that is warm, comfortable, and opulent, DelBuono notes. Small plate dining selections include meat and cheese charcuterie platters, jumbo shrimp cocktail, cast iron meatballs, deviled eggs, and seasonal paninis and flatbread pizzas. Indulgent desserts include limoncello sorbet flute, lemon olive oil cake, cheesecake, and chocolate hazelnut gelato. 

Keeping with the Rat Pack cocktail culture, the drink list features bourbons, vodka, rum, gin, tequila, and wines morphed into specialty drinks like Not So Espresso Martini, the Rat Pack Pink, Hey Mambo, Locked and Loaded, and Ocean’s 11.

88 Keys is open Wednesday through Saturday nights from 5pm to close, closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and open Sundays only for private events. All reservations are made online.

Dining table, sofas, and retro chairs on live music evenings are by reservation-only, with two scheduled seatings: the first beginning at 6:30pm and the second at 9pm. The bar area is for planned and spontaneous gatherings. 

Like the Rat Pack transformed Las Vegas, Ralph, Tommy, and Johnny are doing it their way, adding swagger and glamour to Watertown, so whatever the occasion, dress to impress and head out for an unforgettable experience. —88keyspianobar.com