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

At Home with Robert Couturier and Jeffrey Morgan

By Joseph Montebello

Perfection. A word that best describes interior designer Robert Couturier—his talent, his taste, and his homes. Since arriving in his country 30 years ago he has created extraordinary interiors for some of the world’s most celebrated and influential people. He has been included in Architectural Digest’s prestigious list of the best decorators and architects in the world and his name conjures images of the most spectacular abodes. The house he shares with his husband Jeffrey Morgan is no exception. Situated on 12 acres in South Kent, it is a place of consummate luxury and a bit of paradise. 

Couturier and Morgan, who have been together for 37 years, met on a blind date in Kent. Morgan, who is not fond of New York, relented and did visit Couturier but ultimately made Connecticut their home. Morgan, who has lived in Kent for over 50 years and is a much sought after preservationist and an expert on American decorative arts, resided in an 850-square-foot 18th century house surrounded by undeveloped acreage. When he found the house, one of the oldest in Kent, he knew it was worth saving. The space was alien to the way Couturier was used to living. Morgan still maintains the house and uses part of it as an office.

“It was small and uncomfortable,” recalls Couturier. “The 12 acres of land around it was for sale and so we bought that and we decided to build a house. We designed the house together and over the years it has changed as we have adjusted our needs.”

“Yes,” adds Morgan. “It grew a little here and a little bit there and a whole lot outside.”

To say that their house is opulent would be an understatement, but underneath the luxurious furniture and the accouterments there exudes a feeling of comfort and serenity, enhanced by the presence of the couple’s five irresistible shih tzus, who have total run of the house.

Although Couturier insists their country retreat is very simple (it’s not), the grounds include magnificent gardens that have developed over the years and continue to evolve.

“The original gardens never quite worked,” explains Couturier. “When we did the original plans no one realized how cold it gets and many of the original plants did not survive. Then we hired Clive Lodge, who gave new life to the gardens.”

“Robert and Jeffrey gave me the canvas to produce what I always call my signature garden,” says Lodge. “The design element was intended to be of a natural woodland, which opens up to the most formal of gardens next to, and framing, the house. It’s designed with the aim of being able to walk around the garden as if being given a guided tour.”

Couturier loves to entertain and does it magnificently. But that ceased when the pandemic began.

“We have two sets of friends we saw all the time,” says Couturier. “I love the quiet and I may not go back to the way we used to entertain. I love having dinner at home, I love the garden, and going for walks. Once the habit is broken, you say how/why did I do all of that?

“I am incredibly impatient,” says Couturier, “and Jeffrey is very patient. I like things to be done quickly and he doesn’t and our tastes differ in many cases. But together we have created a special place that we both love. And even after the years we’ve lived here the house continues to evolve, reflecting our changing tastes and needs. That, I think, is the secret to a wonderful home—a refuge where I am profoundly happy.”

Mid-century Modern House Checks All the Boxes

By Joseph Montebello

Styled by Matthew Gleason

The narrow wooded dirt road gives no indication of what to expect at the end of it. Eventually an expansive gravel driveway appears. Nothing has prepared you for the spacious open courtyard or the perfect mid-century house surrounded by the most stunning view. Once there, you don’t want to leave. Owners Christian Jensen and Kevin Vilke felt the same way when they discovered the house six years ago.

Jensen and Vilke have been together 22 years and met in San Francisco. Jensen was working for various retailers and Vilke was practicing law. They eventually moved to New York City. Jensen is now a real estate agent and Vilke has segued from law to working in HR.

“One weekend we were visiting friends in Roxbury,” says Jensen. “We stopped to look at the listings in a real estate office window and saw this antique house in Woodbury. We went and looked at it twice and made an offer. I had lived on the beach in California; I had never really lived in the woods except when I was growing up in Wisconsin. But this house just felt right to both of us.”

They owned the house for ten years, did some basic renovations and decorated it with mid-century modern furniture.

“We were very happy there,” says Jensen, “until one day when Kevin and I were looking at houses separately online and fell upon the same house at the same time. We had been looking at property to build on, but this house had everything we wanted: a view, a pool, and a setback from the road.”

Vilke had the same response. “It was love at first sight,” he says. “The modern structural lines combined with the remote location made it our dream home.”

Construction on the house had begun in 2008, but the builder had stopped working on it and the structure sat incomplete until 2014. It was divided into rooms but not much else had been done. Jensen and Vilke saw an opportunity to make the house their own without having to start from scratch. They worked with Jeff Yenter of Old Mill Builders of Brookfield to build out the interiors and remodel the pool area. The finished house boasts 11 rooms with 4,400 square feet of space. Every inch is utilized, be it for working, exercising, cooking, eating, or simply lounging. Since Vilke does most of the cooking, the kitchen is his favorite room. Spacious and sleek, it is the center of the first floor area between the great room and the dining room. 

“It’s perfect for entertaining,” he says, “and always allows me to feel part of the party while I am cooking.”

Jensen was the creative force behind the decorating of the house (although Vilke had veto power, which he seldom had to use.) While the structure is mid-century, the interiors are a mix of modern and classic pieces, many of which Jensen already owned. He worked with New York designer Neal Beckstedt to integrate the needed furniture, maintaining the integrity of the house while making it comfortable and attractive. Thanks to many large windows every room offers a view and there is a massive deck to enjoy when weather permits. While the majority of the interior is painted shades of white, Jensen added deep tones to certain walls to accentuate the modernist environment. Regardless of one’s predilection for modernism or classic interiors, Jensen and Vilke have created a home that is the perfect combination.

During Sarah Blank’s 40 years as a kitchen designer, she has worked on a multitude of projects throughout the country. Blank understands that a beautiful and functional kitchen is not only an integral part of the house’s architecture, but also the very heart of the home. Today, the designer has a new place to call home: Litchfield County.

1. What are the kitchen trends for 2021 and 2022?

Color, rich color! Or deep naturals.

2. What colors are your favorites in kitchens?

I love blue, walnut, and certainly whites mixed in with organic putty colors. It depends on the architecture and the overall aesthetic of the home, a kitchen needs to harmonize with the overall aesthetic. It should not stand on its own.

3. How would you describe your style?

My style can range from super modern to rustic. What makes our designs so successful is that my team understands the rules of proportion as well as the functional necessities. We can apply our knowledge to whatever style a client desires.

4. Your preference for a backsplash?

When it comes to the backsplash, the aesthetic of the kitchen plays an important role. Stone slab on the backsplash yields a cleaner look where tile can lean a bit busier. There are hundreds of options and it’s up to me to make sure that the client’s final decision is the right one. It’s important to design as a whole. As I always say, “All the parts make up the whole.” One wants a harmonious look, not bits and pieces that do not gel together.

5. What must one consider when choosing the kitchen floor?

If one has a bad back, I shy clients away from stone or ceramic because it’s difficult to stand on. A wood floor is more forgiving. For a clean modern look, a porcelain floor is a great choice. Many porcelains are large in size so testing a sample is always wise. A stone floor, although lovely, will not hold up to pets’ accidents and could stain easier; however, we still suggest stone floors as their look is rich and natural. Be sure that what you select will not be slippery when wet. 

6. What do you recommend for a pantry design?

Storage, and lots of it! A place where you can go outside the box. If you love a countertop and it’s not as durable, you can install it in the pantry. A high-gloss painted finish is the best for a pantry. Fine Paints of Europe always yields the best results.

7. How important is kitchen lighting?

You need to understand Kelvin rating. Keep in mind that the kelvin rating must stay consistent throughout the room. The hood lights, pendant lights, and recessed lights, as well as the under cabinet lights and glass interior lights all need to be the same kelvin rating. The island is where many love to use a decorative fixture. The placement and how many will be important. I always draw the lights over the island to be sure we have them located in the right place.

From Abandoned Ruin to Equestrian Dream

By Clementina Verge

Once upon a time, A home on South Road in Millbrook, New York, stood in disrepair. Today—sprawled in prime horse country—Roseview Farm’s fairytale ending is on full display, anchored by a stately house, stables, and formal gardens framed by impressive boxwoods.

In the 1990s, when Judy Sloan inherited the home, it was “a 1960s builder’s special” vacant for 15 years, shot at by poachers, and invaded by bees. David Sloan, her husband, still remembers the honey and wax that had melted through walls.

But beyond warped plywood and debilitated windows, the Sloans gazed at the Catskill Mountains and envisioned the future. With guidance from Michael Sloan of Millbrook-based Sloan Architects, P.C., the decrepit house evolved into an 1840s neoclassical Palladian villa. Attention then turned to the barren landscape, transforming the former working gravel quarry into a nearly 40-acre aesthetic masterpiece that attests to a love of horses, design, and commitment to salvaging history. 

“When David and I first lived here, I was looking at every other property in town, not realizing what this could be,” Judy recalls. “Now I can’t imagine anything else—thanks to David, it has exceeded my wildest expectations.”

Inspired by travel and work overseas, they sought structured gardens that purposefully welcome and guide from one point to the next, David explains. Equally important was a horse-friendly landscape accommodating the couple’s equestrian passions: she is a dressage rider and he a polo player. The pivotal component became boxwoods. 

“Boxwoods and hornbeam hedges are used specifically to add formality,” notes Edwin (Ed) Pequignot, owner of Kent-based Garden Cowboy LLC gardening services, who helps maintain Roseview’s estimated 500 boxwoods. “They also add an established beauty and presence.” 

In spring and fall, each evergreen is meticulously maintained, explains Pequignot, through pruning, shaping, and pleaching—a method of training trees by interlacing flexible young shoots to create density and supporting framework. The technique keeps plants beautiful, but more importantly, healthy. 

David acknowledges Pequignot’s diligence for “taking the property to a new level.” “His creativity, collaborative spirit, commitment, and extensive knowledge of the local fauna has allowed us to articulate our vision in a way that has exceeded our wildest expectations,” he notes.

It took years to achieve such an optimal outcome and hedges exceeding 20 feet. The resulting dense foliage yields instant architecture—solid walls that provide privacy while complementing the home’s exterior and creating meaningful living spaces.

Beginning with statuesque hedges marking the property entrance and lining the gravel driveway, boxwoods distinguish Roseview’s verdant outdoor spaces and direct steps and eyes through unique features: antique garden benches and sculptures, tranquil fountains, a fern walk, a hornbeam-lined allée whose drama is amplified by artful lighting when darkness falls, and sentinel-like shrubs that anchor a stone overlook providing serene lake and mountain views.

The grand destination is the exquisite barn where David’s artistic vision and ability to repurpose (he also transforms forgotten industrial and military trailers into field bars for “artful tailgating”) shine. Rescued vintage windows, doors, hardware, and bespoke furniture have created stables steeped in tradition but suited for modern equestrians. 

Boxwoods once more take center stage, framing an elegant, multipurpose fountain: a striking water feature acting as the focal point for the barn courtyard and arena, and a 1,500-gallon back-up cistern for horses.

Ultimately, Roseview is a working barn, David emphasizes, and home for up to 12 horses and six donkeys—two full-sized and four minis—at any time. While the Sloans desired and achieved a distinct and lavish landscape, it must simultaneously befit their riding lifestyles, dedication to animals, and love for entertaining family and friends.

“Everything is integrated and works together to be inviting,” David remarks. “Whether it’s the many garden rooms, the bar trailers, the barn, the courtyard and even the paddocks, my hope is that Roseview offers an experience for horse, human, and hound that is memorable for all who are here.”

On September 19, Happening in the Hills hosted a glorious farm-to-table dinner event at South Farms in Morris. Nine of Litchfield County’s most accomplished chefs created an unforgettable meal served family style for 160 guests.

Photographs by Philip Dutton.

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Sarah Worden, owner of Sarah Worden Natural Design and director of events at The White Barn at South Farms knows all about floral design and event planning. Here she shares her favorite resources and tips for where to throw a beautiful floral fete.

1. What are some of your favorite local flower resources?

Anderson Acres Farm, Lindell Flower Farm, and the Connecticut Flower Collective, which connects designers directly with products from local flower farmers. We also have been known to forage by the side of the road or in generous friends’ gardens!

2. What flowers do you prefer to use in fall arrangements?

Fall is one of the best times for local foraging and floral arranging. I love using branches of all kinds (Burning Bush, Oak leaves, and Privet when it turns to berry), Hydrangea paniculata as it starts to turn, grasses of all sorts, and pods and berries.

3. What cutting flowers are easy to grow in Litchfield County?

Establishing a robust peony planting for early June is a must. Even if only for two weeks, it will be worth it. Check out Cricket Hill Gardens in Thomaston, a local treasure. Dahlias for late summer and early fall are another must. Overwintering them can be intimidating but is actually fairly easy. Flowering shrubs like Hydrangea and Spirea are low maintenance and provide loads of blooms.

4. What local store has great vases/vessels for arrangements?

We are big scavengers for vintage vessels! Litchfield County offers so many opportunities ranging from private estate sales to flea markets like Elephant’s Trunk to thrift stores like Goodwill. Guy and Ben Wolff (father and son) are our local favorites for custom pots. I recently bought a Dumais Made pottery vase—there are so many gifted artisans in our area.

5. What is your favorite flower?

My favorite garden flower that can be grown in our area is the fall-blooming perennial Japanese anemone. I love its delicate petals and wiry stems. My favorite flowering shrub for the landscape or the table is Mock orange. Our Lead Designer, Lauren Merriam, is fawning over Cynoglossum right now, which looks like forget-me-not and another one of our favorites, Tweedia.

6. What makes a big impact on a small budget?

Designing en masse or limiting to one or two colors or shades of the same color for more impact. Don’t forget the candles!

7. What are some of your favorite event venues in Litchfield County?

I am biased here because I helped launch The White Barn at South Farms and am very involved there, but I do think South Farms is very special and offers all the amenities needed for a great event. I also love Winvian. They truly are a garden-to-plate operation with fabulous food. Troutbeck in Amenia has a spectacular walled garden, and The Mayflower in Washington, which now offers a tent for events. Lion Rock Farm in Sharon is also a knock-out setting for a tented wedding.

8. Your favorite restaurant in Litchfield County?

I’m a big fan of the White Hart Inn in Salisbury right now. I like what they are doing with their menu and mixing up different kinds of themed evenings like upscale tacos or fried chicken picnic—great for families, great drinks, great setting!

We are sorry but the event is now SOLD OUT!

See pictures here:

Savor 2021 Event Gallery

On September 19, Happening in the Hills is hosting a glorious farm-to-table dinner event at South Farms in Morris. Nine of Litchfield County’s most accomplished chefs will create an unforgettable meal served family style for 160 guests. Jazz musician Andrew DeNicola will perform during the cocktail hour where Litchfield Distillery, Rhythm Brewing Co., Hopkins Vineyard, Spring Hill Vineyards, and Zachys will serve cocktails and wine. Dinner tables and floral arrangements will be designed by Sarah Worden Natural Design and Litchfield Hills Supply. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to FISH NWCT, a homeless shelter and food pantry located in Torrington. Join us for what is sure to be a magical evening in the Litchfield hills.

In the interest of public health, we ask that all attendees provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result that was taken within the previous 48 hours of the event. Please wear masks when not eating or drinking.

THE CHEFS

Robert Arbor

Le Gamin Café and Les Deux Gamins were founded by French owner Robert Arbor in 1992. Le Gamin was known for its authentic French ambiance, food, and signature crêpes. In 1994, Robert opened Les Deux Gamins in the West Village, and during the pandemic, Le Gamin Studio Agraire in Sharon, which he operates with his son. Arbor is the author of the memoir/cookbook Joie De Vivre, and spokesperson and consultant on many Franco-NYC projects.

April Bloomfield

In a career spanning over 25 years, Bloomfield has worked alongside the world’s most revolutionary chefs, and achieved culinary acclaim for her work, including a James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York City in 2014, as well as an Emmy nomination for her work on “The Mind of a Chef.” Currently, she holds the title of chef-in-residence at Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection.

Ryan Cangello & John Bourdeau

A Litchfield County native, John Bourdeau is no stranger to the culinary scene having launched many successful ventures in his career. Business partner, Ryan Cangello, comes from NYC having run notable restaurants and starting his own boutique catering company. Together they have teamed up to rebrand the new Owl Wine & Food Bar offering crafted pizzas and shared plates in a cozy and chic environment with picturesque outdoor seating areas.

Anthony D’Amelio

Anthony D’Amelio was educated at the International Culinary Center in Manhattan, then cut his teeth, first at Breads Bakery in Union Square, then at the acclaimed Momofuku Milk Bar, then at Santina and Carbones Major Food Group. After that he ran macaron, tart, and ice cream production for Francois Payard’s commissary. The experience inspired him to travel to France, where he honed his baking and viennoiserie skills as Pastry Sous Chef for Le Petit Coquin in Tournefeuille. D’Amelio is currently the executive pastry chef at Swyft.

Dennis DeBellis

Dennis DeBellis graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1994 and began his career at the Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection. He later went on to cook at many prestigious inns and restaurants and has been the chef at John’s Cafe since 2000, an American restaurant with an Italian influence. DeBellis took over the establishment as owner six years ago.

Christian Hunter

Since last May, Hunter has been cooking the kind of inventive—and delicious—food that Community Table is famous for. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, he earned a culinary degree from Paul Smith’s College in upstate New York and cooked at Relais & Châteaux’s Lake Placid Lodge and The Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island. It was when he moved to South Carolina that his cooking really took off.

Paul Pearson

Originally from England, Paul started cooking professionally at 16 completing an apprenticeship at a local hotel. He’s worked and traveled in various countries and is currently the Chef of The White Hart Inn in Salisbury. Pearson oversees the Tap Room and helps the team with Provisions—White Hart’s daytime cafe, a modern take on the general store White Hart had years ago. His food is seasonally driven and focuses on using the best products available.

Carlos Perez

Chef Carlos Perez is the executive chef of @ The Corner in Litchfield. Originally studying in Manhattan under some of New York’s top chefs, Perez has spent the last few years working around Connecticut before finding a home in Litchfield. His approach to cooking can be described as sustainable farm-to-table, paired with a modern influence along with an extensive background in pastry.

Joel Viehland

Joel Viehland has worked at award-winning restaurants including New York’s Gramercy Tavern, Noma in Copenhagen, Herbsaint and Bayona in New Orleans, before becoming opening chef at Community Table where he was nominated for three James Beard Awards and named Best Small Town Chef in America by Cooking Light. In 2017 Joel opened Swyft in Kent. When the pandemic hit Joel decided to sell Swyft to focus on special events for private clients.

THE MENU

Hors d’oeuvres

Chickpea panisse, smoked tomato, sage
Roasted carrot hummus, seeded cracker, pistachio & hibiscus dukkah
By Chef Paul Pearson, The White Hart Inn

Tempura prawn spring roll
Warm duck & delicata tart
By Chef Carlos Perez, @ The Corner 

First Course

Smoked tomato bisque, succotash, Calf & Clover ricotta
By Chef Christian Hunter, Community Table

Farm lettuces with seeded sourdough bread and cultured butter
By Chef Joel Viehland, Independent 

Mains

Farm chickens cooked over wood, tarragon jus, and alliums
By Chef Robert Arbor, Le Gamin

Slow roasted beef shank with cinnamon, tomato, and bay leaf
By Chef April Bloomfield, The Mayflower Inn

Pasta Norma
By Chef Dennis DeBellis, Johns Cafe

Eight-hour slow cooked mokum carrots with maple and a curry crème fraîche
By Chef John Bourdeau, The Owl Wine & Food Bar

Dessert

Chocolate hazelnut and pear petit gateau with yuzu shiso pear salad
By Chef Anthony D’Amelio, Swyft

Local food provided by Helmstead Farm, Vibrant Farm, Riverbank Farm, Fort Hill Farm, Maple Bank Farm, Maitre Farm, Chanticleer Acres, Arethusa Farm, among others.

THE SPONSORS

Event planners share some of their party planning tips

Stephanie Holst-Grubbe’s eye for detail, flexibility, and most importantly—her passion and love for “love stories” makes her a sought after event coordinator. Here she shares some wedding planning pointers:

VENDORS: Book your main player vendors asap! Since weddings in Litchfield County are quite seasonal, calendars fill up quickly. It’s a great opportunity to utilize local vendors—rather than vendors from far away that will require travel accommodations. When vendors are familiar with their peers’ practices it makes for a smooth process.

DECOR: When figuring out your wedding vibe and design, make sure that you consider all the things you love just as much as you consider things you don’t love! When you feel overwhelmed by the overload of wedding images and ideas, it helps to start by knocking out looks that you don’t want. Addition by subtraction!

DETAILS: “The details matter!” is my catchphrase, and it rings true in everything wedding related. There are so many choices and decisions to be made when planning an event, and in most cases each decision has a domino effect on many other facets of the event plans, it’s important to take your time in making decisions.

CATERERS: My all time favorite caterer is Hunt & Harvest. The owner is from East Canaan and has a drill-down process for customizing and personalizing menus using local ingredients. No menu is ever the same, but is always beyond what you could possibly imagine for a group of 150 plus.

TENTS: Sailcloth tents take things up a notch. When hosting an outdoor event, the tent is a critical piece of the feeling, and aesthetic, so choosing a high quality tent is a great investment.

WELCOME: I love providing guests with suggestions on how to make the most of their time here. Suggesting local farm markets, coffee shops, restaurants, wineries, or places to go antiquing is a great touch. Giving guests a special “local treat” such as tea, fruit, or chocolate is another great way to celebrate the location.

SHG Event Planning

Eileen Smith loves developing relationships with her clients and making their visions into a reality. Here she shares some great ideas for making a dinner party or event at home extra special.

THEME: Adding a theme to your event like a murder mystery dinner, taco fiesta, backyard bohemian, clambake casual, or barbecue picnic makes it more engaging.

FOOD: Food can be offered in a variety of ways—a sit down meal, buffet, or several stations. A popular service is family style: platters of food are brought to the table and passed around, making it communal and engaging. Or you can switch it up with a food truck and beverage truck.

TABLESCAPE: I love creating a unique tablescape. Add seating assignment, napkin folds, menu, and some pop with a statement piece such as a charger plate or a unique shaped water glass. Incorporate other elements to the tablescape to tie into your theme. Remember, it doesn’t always have to be flowers.

TENTS: In the last several years, the tent industry has exploded and is still growing. so many options are available such as clear top, sailcloth, and frame tents. You can even put a complete floor in your tent. Lighting in tenting has come a long way too, chandelier, rattan shades, geometric lanterns, bistro swag lighting, and more. If you plan to have your event in the spring or late fall, consider heating your tent. I love getting baskets of wraps/blankets rolled up, tying them with a ribbon and adding a tag that says “To have and to hold in case you get cold!”

UNIQUE TOUCHES: Don’t forget music, floral decor, transportation, and little touches that make the event uniquely yours. Add lounge furniture to create a fun niche for guests to relax in, whether it’s during cocktails or through the night. Do a little mixology and create a signature drink. Make a beautiful entrance to the tent with draping, plants, and lanterns.

Eileen Smith Events 

Elizabeth Kolbert Predicts the Perils in her New Book

By Joseph Montebello

As the saying goes “Everyone talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.” Today, however, it seems weather and climate change are uppermost in the minds of people concerned about what is happening to the earth. In Washington the powers that be are once again addressing the situation.

Author and staff writer for The New Yorker, Elizabeth Kolbert won a Pulitzer Prize for The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, which dealt with the vanishing creatures of our planet. Al Gore has called her one of our very best science writers. Recently Kolbert appeared at the Cornwall Library in conversation with her editor Gillian Blake, discussing her most recent book Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future.

It was Blake who published Kolbert’s first book Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change in 2006 and they have been together ever since. Blake is now senior vice-president and editor-in-chief at Crown, a division of Penguin Random House.

“During my career I have worked at five different publishing houses,” says Blake, “and Elizabeth has joined me at four of them. We have published some amazing books together and she truly is one of the most respected journalists covering climate change today.”

Earlier this year, Blake, a Cornwall resident, and Kolbert appeared at the Cornwall Library in conversation discussing Under a White Sky, as well as the relationship between an editor and an author.

While The Sixth Extinction investigated how mankind has devastated the natural world, in Under a White Sky, Kolbert poses the question of whether we can remedy this problem with ingenious technological fixes—or make things worse.

“There was definitely a question left hanging,” Kolbert says.”Now we have become such a dominant force on planet Earth, and created so many problems through our intervention, what happens next?”

Kolbert examines the latest scientific advances and questions how much hope we can put in their success. Due to our own actions, the planet is heating up faster than ever and there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than at any other time in its existence. She is not an alarmist; she simply presents the facts and questions possible solutions. The writing is remarkable, almost novelistic, and leaves the reader informed—and concerned. She has the ability to communicate scientific information in layman terms that sets the reader thinking about the future.

Kolbert presents the new world we are creating and questions whether we can change nature to our advantage in time to save our planet. Even if one is not interested in science or environmental issues, she convinces us that we must all do our share to learn as much as possible and implement what is being done.

“There is some good news,” says Kolbert, “because some amphibians that were thought to be extinct have been found. The bad news is that extinction continues to rage on. The new administration has put people in key positions who understand what needs to be done. It gives me hope.”

By Wendy Carlson

When Rati Bahadur Madan is not ensconced in her lovely Washington home with her irrepressible golden retriever by her side, she is traveling the world for Yatra, the women’s fashion label she co-founded.

A little over a decade ago, Rati launched Yatra with her best friend Gayatri Khosla. The two women had dreamed about joining forces and creating their own clothing line back when they were in boarding school in India, where they were born and raised. Coincidentally, after college they both ended up working in the United States: Rati in finance and Gayatri, who lives in Virginia, in human resources. Years passed before the idea of starting their own label line resurfaced when they each took a break from their careers to raise a family. Soon after, they launched Yatra, which in Hindu means “journey.”

The culturally-inspired collection, which can be found in boutiques, online, and at trunk shows, features handcrafted clothing, jewelry, and scarves that promote artisans from India. Three times a year, the two women travel to small workshops in Mumbai, Jaipur and Delhi, where they collaborate with skilled craftspeople and jewelers.

“Neither of us went to school for fashion design,” concedes Rati. “But we grew up around fantastic workmanship. Embroidery and beading are very much part of the culture in India and those skills are passed down through generations.”

The Yatra collection features dresses, tunics, tops, and jackets with traditionally-embroidered Indian motifs and intricate beading. But what sets them apart is often an added design twist.

For instance, a simple linen tunic features cuffed sleeves. A sleek, silk jacket is a contemporary take on a sherwani, a traditional long jacket worn on formal occasions.

In India, clothing samples go through many iterations until the garments are finalized.

“The silhouettes are very important to get right. In America, the cuts women prefer are more tailored than in India. Our workmanship is rooted in tradition, but our cuts are very modern,” Rati explains.

The company works exclusively with small, often family-run workshops. “We support a diverse group of women and men artisans in India who in turn support their extended families and local communities,” Rati explains.

Yatra also gives back by donating 20 percent of U.S. trunk show sales to local nonprofits. In the past, the company donated to the Washington volunteer fire department after a popup sale held at KMR Arts.

“We feel like we’re lucky, we’re in a great position to do a little bit to improve this world,” she says.

Customers are drawn to the superb craftsmanship and colorful styles of the collection, but they appreciate hearing the backstory about the lives of the artisans who create the pieces.

The greatest joy for these two designers is working one-on-one with the craftsmen and allowing the synergy to develop.

“These women are very proud of their work, and that, in turn, inspires us,” Rati says.

As for that ever-affable golden, Rati named her Zara—after that other women’s fashion retailer, of course.