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

Washington Art Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the community through education, exhibitions, and special events. WAA is a nurturing place for those of all ages and ranges to take part in creative exploration. They showcase a wide range of art in all media, bringing art to the community through events such as lectures, field trips, workshops, parties, art sales, and educational programs. Their 2021 Member Show exhibition is being held now through February. The show features local artists in four categories: painting, photography, sculpture, and works on paper. Zemma Mastin White, a painter and printmaker, focuses on mark making. She combines a matrix of layering line, color and forms. White took first place in Painting for her work titled Reflecting Light.

In first place for Photography, Tom Kretsch won for his work titled Many Moos, New Zealand. Kretsch is mostly self-taught but inspired by the works of the Wyeth family of painters. He uses the elements of light, texture, form, and color to capture peaceful moments and surroundings.

Joe Gitterman took first place in Sculpture for his work titled Orange. Gitterman, who has sculpted for over 50 years has work included in private and corporate collections. He is inspired by movement such as ballet and modern dance.

Lastly, in Works on Paper, Peter Seltzer took the winning spot for his work titled Threads 4. Seltzer has had paintings in oil and pastel exhibited at numerous public venues and has been featured in many articles for his work and technique.

Washington Art Association
4 Bryan Memorial Plaza, Washington Depot
860-868-2878

Roxana Robinson Celebrates Leo Tolstoy

By Joseph Montebello

There is no greater heroine in literature than the sensuous and rebellious Anna Karenina.

The experts all agree that it is one of the most important and enduring novels to come out of the 19th century—and one that is the standard used to judge historical fiction. That Tolstoy has endured and is still read by generations of all ages is a testament to his ability to tell a story—a very long story—and sweep the reader up into another world.

William Faulkner called Anna Karenina the best novel ever written, and so does Roxana Robinson, author of six novels, three story collections, and the highly acclaimed biography of Georgia O’Keeffe—and a Cornwall resident.

“I have taught Anna Karenina for nearly 15 years in the MFA Program at Hunter College,” explains Robinson. “I know it well and I love it. The title of the course is ‘Introduction to the Modern: The Role of Compassion.’ All my students want to be writers and they should know who their forebears are: Tolstoy, Flaubert, Chekhov, Horton, Wolfe. Their books are so influential and young writers must learn about them.”

During this pandemic, as we have all searched for new diversions, the Cornwall Library has created “Cornwall Reads Great Fiction,” a nine-week virtual course on Anna Karenina with Roxana Robinson. The course began on January 12 and runs through March 9. To date, over 108 people have signed on—including myself. After the introductory session attendees are asked to read 100 pages a week and be prepared to listen, learn, discuss, and ask questions.

“I consider this book to be one of the greatest novels ever written,” says Robinson, “better than War and Peace. “It’s Tolstoy’s compressed response to the great questions he found in the world and I don’t know of another novel that addresses those questions in such a large and intelligent and compassionate way.”

There is no homework excerpt for the reading but involvement is encouraged.

“I want participants to mark down things that strike them,” Robinson says. “It can be about language, relationships, words or phrases that require explanation. I don’t want this to be just a lecture course.”

As for the recommended translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, it has been lauded as a superb rendering of Tolstoy’s work and they have been called the reinventors of the classic Russian novel for our times.

“Pevear is an American and Volokhonsky is Russian and they are married to each other,” explains Robinson. “It’s much richer having two people’s distinct sensibilities about the language.”

Robinson has recently published a piece for The New Yorker, excerpted from her foreword for the new edition of Georgia O’Keeffe, which includes recently discovered letters from the first really important man in the artist’s life. Additionally the paperback edition of her novel Dawson’s Fall is about to be published.

By the Community, For the Community

By John Torsiello

Since its inception, the Judy Black Park and Gardens in the center of Washington Depot, and Litchfield County geographically, has been a social hub for townspeople and others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, residents and visitors have needed that boost more than ever.

“The Judy Black Park has completely revitalized the center of town,” opines Denise Trevenen, Board President of the Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens, adding that the park benefits retail businesses. “The farmers market brings a flow of people in on Saturday mornings, and it has become a lively, vibrant place. More symbolically, the park has become the town square, as we had hoped.”

Trevenen was one of four business owners that in 2013 decided they “had enough” of an abandoned gas station in the center of town. The group wanted to purchase the building and grounds and turn it into some form of green space, a town square, so to speak. So, as Trevenen puts it, they “fearlessly and somewhat blindly” entered into a contract and then proceeded to raise money to buy the property.

The group did raise additional funds to renovate the property and building and create a park and cultural center. The idea caught on, says Trevenen, “First came the farmer’s market and then a few art shows. We were incredibly fortunate when the late Judy Black, a local resident, stepped up and donated funds to complete the park as you see it today.”

Trevenen measures success of the park and gardens by community feedback “and the smiles on everyone’s face on a Saturday morning or during an outdoor movie, a sports party, or an art opening that tell me this is a place loved by all.”

The park and gardens provide solace, a place to gather safely, and something to do during the COVID-19 pandemic. “During the summer, we still had the farmers market, and people were great with COVID safety protocols,” says Trevenen. “We held a number of drive-in movies, some live music, and some art exhibits. We kept children’s programs going. In some ways, the pandemic has actually made people realize how important the park is to them.”

Trevenen says park leadership “will continue to be creative” during the rest of the pandemic and beyond. “Our active board and wonderful executive director, Laura Neminski, are focused on how to meet the needs of our broad community—young, old, full-time, part-time, long-time residents, and newcomers. The park is open for everyone.”

The pandemic “forced” park leadership “to think more creatively about how to fulfill our mission,” says Trevenen, “how to enrich our programming so that there’s something for everyone and how to sustain the park financially for today and the future, for our kids and their kids.”

There is always a need for volunteers and donations. “Our resources are limited,” says Trevenen, “so we depend on volunteers and donors. Most of our programs still depend upon volunteers to plan and execute them, and most of our operating budget depends on the annual financial support of our donors.”

Judy Black Park and Gardens
1 Green Hill Rd
Washington
laura@thejudyblackparkandgardens.org

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Many already know Louis Lemieux and have shopped at his award-winning interior design and lifestyle mercantile Blueprint CT Home. It’s hard not to fall in love with the many curated items that he has sourced from around the world—some collected by his parents during his childhood in Africa and Asia—others acquired while globetrotting through some 45 countries.

While Covid-19 impacted small businesses especially hard, the pandemic also created rebranding opportunities. When kitchen shops in Litchfield and New Preston closed—and many residents accustomed to a sophisticated range of global flavors relocated from New York City—Lemieux refocused and rebranded.

“There’s an important three-way intersection in retail between what customers desire, what business you yourself want to be in, and what customers will pay for,” he explains. “I realized we have a real gap in what neighbors want—a kitchen store, but I also want to put my own stamp on a new concept.”

Blueprint CT Kitchen born in its current location at 7 West Street in Litchfield, with expansion plans in February across the street at 43 West Street. The expansion allows Lemieux and his mother Therese to showcase more of their curated specialty foods, innovative kitchen items, globally sourced linens and tabletop (vintage and modern). The first level will open offering inventive, small batch artisan pantry items and global fare, followed in March by chilled offerings such as chilled vintage sodas, health drinks, all cold-pressed coffee, all a part of the opportunity to build community (post-Covid) with a café type area with benches and tables. The second floor will open mid-Spring and offer innovative gadgets and machines, imported and domestic china, glassware, ironstone along with every kitchen must-have.

Rejuvenate with Oprah’s 2019 favorite teas from India, purchase the beautiful teapot and cup, an infuser, and local aged honey. Rock the Kasbah while you replicate dinner in Marrakech with exotic sauces, recipes; and a genuine clay Tagine awaits. The Lemieux’s transport you all over the world, whether you’re craving decadent French macarons, flown-in weekly, handmade Italian pasta, inventive cocktail shrubs and mixes, or cardamom-infused maple syrup, each item is meticulously chosen and features stories that Lemieux enthusiastically shares.

“We are socially-minded and purpose-driven,” Lemieux declares. “We look at every ingredient for every product and are 100 percent confident that each item we sell has a socially-positive impact.”

Gorgeous table and kitchen linens are offered through a California-based organization that provides microloans to women artisans. Market bags handmade in Bangladesh empower and support their female employees. A chocolatier donates a meal for every chocolate sold; fiery hot sauces in adorable mini grenades are made by a veteran’s organization that support troops and injured American military heroes.

The Lemieux’s gratefully acknowledge their customers, neighbors, and fellow business owners for their continued success and referrals.“The pandemic has reminded people of the value of others, their priorities, and of community,” Lemieux reflects. “Ultimately, what sustains a community are the people in it.”

Blueprint CT
43 West St
Litchfield
860-361-6789

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By Clementina Verge

Two image-making titans have combined expertise to create a leading center for beauty, now offered at one picturesque Washington Depot location.

Partnering with the award-winning Byrde + the b team is Dr. Jeffrey LaFrance, a specialist in advanced and innovative non-surgical techniques. Whether seeking laser treatments, injectables, or topical skin care, clients can trust Dr. LaFrance’s knowledge and reputation for producing “natural, subtle, and amazing results, enhancing each patient’s unique beauty and self-confidence.”

After obtaining certification in internal medicine and emergency medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and New York Medical College, respectively, Dr. LaFrance practiced emergency medicine for 20 years. In 2010, turning attention to aesthetic medicine, he merged clinical skills with a keen sense of artistry and balance, establishing a Bristol-based office.

Now, in a space especially allocated for his procedures, Dr. LaFrance offers a wide array of services in Litchfield County, including Botox, dermal filler injections, laser hair removal, laser tattoo removal, vein reduction, and skin resurfacing; addressing facial wrinkling, volume loss, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, and scarring.

In this age of “Medi-spas,” LaFrance Medical Aesthetics is distinct in that all medical procedures are performed by Dr. LaFrance in a low-stress, medical environment, ensuring comfort and safety.

“I practice the same attitude as I did in the ER,” Dr. LaFrance explains. “It is all evidence-based, integrating an academic-approach, and using best practices. All injections and laser treatments are performed by me, not a nurse tech or an aesthetician.”

Dr. LaFrance believes clients should look their best at every age, a conviction seamlessly aligned with Byrde + the b’s goal of healthy, glowing skin through all life stages.

Incorporating cutting-edge techniques and maintaining high standards ensures optimal care regardless of objective. Some choose simple skin care products, while others undergo routine laser and injectable treatments—all without pressure.

Byrde + the b owner Scott Bond praises Dr. LaFrance’s “conservative hand” and outstanding outcomes.

“He does not push procedures that are not needed,” declares Bond, whose salon was recently voted best by Litchfield Magazine readers. “He specializes in the mature face, to rejuvenate it, enhance it, slow down the aging clock or back it up a little bit, but in a most natural and subtle way.”

After Dr. LaFrance completes a treatment plan, individuals can establish a skin routine with Barbara Tilley, Byrde + the b’s leading aesthetician. Facials, Celluma light therapy, and LED light therapy are powerful tools in reducing the appearance of wrinkles, improving pigmentation, and promoting collagen production.

Using the same product lines—whether vitamin-infused Environ products with revolutionary skincare technology or protective eltaMD sunscreens—Dr. LaFrance and Tilley create a continuum of high quality skincare.

“The collaboration allows us to make everything more beautiful together,” Bond notes.

At Byrde + the b, beauty goes well beyond skin. Nothing showcases a rejuvenated face better than a fresh hairstyle or flattering color. The full-service salon also offers the balancer gold lymphatic drainage suit, a medically-designed, contactless massage system that rhythmically compresses the body, boosting metabolism and immunity, eliminating toxins, and promoting weight loss.

LaFrance Medical Aesthetics
72 Pine Street
Bristol
860-845-8296

Byrde + the b
10 Titus Road
Washington Depot
860-619-0422

With a Little Bit of Heat

By Charles Dubow

Torsten Gross is one of the coolest people you are ever likely to meet. Despite breaking his neck at the age of 15, today at 42 he is, as he says, ”the world’s only quadriplegic rescue SCUBA diver.” He designed his own smart home in Sharon. He was a senior executive at J. Walter Thompson and Deloitte. He tells corny jokes. And he sells his own line of honey. But not just any honey.

“We left New York in March and came up here,” he says as we sit outside his home on a chilly January morning while his dog Jake sniffs around the lawn—oblivious to the spectacular view over the valley. “I needed a hobby.” So he and his wife Maggie started making their own hot honey. “I love hot food. I’d had hot honey before but nothing that really worked. It either scorched your mouth, instead of just producing a satisfying heat, or once you drizzled it on food it just sort of sat there. I wanted to create a honey that wouldn’t burn your mouth but would instead heat your throat.” Using locally sourced honey, Gross decided to go with Carolina Reaper chili pepper, the world’s hottest.

The result is a one-two punch of flavor: first, you get the familiar honey sweetness followed by a shot of heat. The initial sensation may be a little jarring to your taste buds but after the second bite all you can think about is, wow, what else can I put this on? (Here are a few suggestions: spicy chicken sandwiches, fried chicken, Manchego cheese, salad dressing, pizza, spare ribs, marinades and, yes, even ice cream. Try it. You’ll love it.)

It wasn’t until last October that Gross decided to turn his hobby into a business. “I had been making it for us and a few friends when one of them asked me for 25 jars to give for Christmas. That’s when the light bulb went on.” As a former ad exec he knew just what to do. He came up with a name, a logo, cards and a website. Sweet Fire Honey was officially born.

His first customers were friends, or friends of friends. However, it wasn’t long before he started getting orders from people he didn’t know. He started ordering 300 glass jars at a time, which are the only non-local products he uses. “We sold out three times in one month. I couldn’t get the jars fast enough. Because of COVID, demand for glass has outstripped supply and my hope is that once things normalize I can get more jars.”

And he will need them. Gross has ambitious plans for Sweet Fire. In addition to selling it through his web site, he is reaching out to local vendors to get them to stock his honey. “Normally I’d bust right in and make my pitch but I’m high risk and have to be careful. My dream is to have Arethusa pick it up and put it in their gift boxes.”

Sweet Fire Honey
thatshot@sweetfirehoney.com
203-952-3559

Laurie Simmons Reflects on Her First Film

By Joseph Montebello

As a renowned still photographer, Laurie Simmons never photographed people. Her intricate tableaux included dolls and dollhouses, dummies and puppets, yet never a human being. Until 2005.

“I have always loved film and movies so much and am passionate about music and musicals, yet I was never able to segue from still photography to creating movement. But I had this itch about filmmaking and I wanted to say goodbye to a period of my work.”

And thus was born “The Music of Regret,” which premiered at the Museum of Modern Art in 2006. Recently it was shown at the Cornwall Library and featured a virtual conversation between Simmons, at home in Cornwall, and her daughter Lena Dunham, quarantined in London.

It is a short film—40 minutes long—and consists of three acts featuring Child Craft hand puppets from the ‘60s and one human—Meryl Streep. “I’ve known Meryl a long time,” says Simmons. “We met when she first started dating her husband Don. I have tremendous admiration for her and we have a friendship. But that doesn’t mean she will yes to being in a puppet movie.

Before I approached her I wrote all the lyrics and Michael Rohayton wrote the music and we recorded it. Adam Guettel, grandson of composer Richard Rodgers, was going to be singing the part of the dummy. When I approached Meryl I had a tape deck and played all the music for her. She was either going to respond positively or not.”

It worked.

“Meryl likes to sing and has the voice of an angel. She is super sympathetic to artists’ travails and I think she saw it as an interesting fun project.” Simmons had not seen the movie for a few years and had some apprehension about the screening. “I was afraid I wouldn’t still like it, but I did. I was happy to be able to revisit it.”

Dunham felt the same way. “I didn’t realize how much I missed this movie until I saw it again. It was an amazing walk down memory lane. The emotion of regret is something that a 19-year-old girl can’t tap into, but a 34-year-old can. Getting to see how you made your movie was my entry into my own moviemaking.”

“The Music of Regret” was filmed in Simmon’s apartment, as was Dunham’s first film.

Coincidentally, that also premiered at MOMA. “Everything I know about framing and filmmaking I learned from you,” Dunham says to Simmons. “And everything I know about light comes from our bike rides in Cornwall.”

Simmons went on to make a second movie and is now thinking about her future during this pandemic. “I call it my one age of enlightenment,” says Simmons. “It has been a period of reflection for me, but I can’t go in and make anything new and one needs courage to get through this period.”

Peter and Kathryn Gallagher Love the Stage

By Joseph Montebello

Kathryn Gallagher knew from an early age she wanted to be a singer-songwriter.

“I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t want to be one,” she says. “When I was little we’d be driving somewhere and my mom would say ‘Okay Kathryn, write a song about a bus.’ And I would. I didn’t start writing songs with a guitar until I was in second grade.”

But what can one expect from the daughter of Peter Gallagher, award-winning star of stage, screen, and television. Her mother Paula Harwood is the daughter of a famous Broadway dancer, and her brother Jamie is a writer and director. Show business runs in the family.

When Gallagher was in the television series “The O.C.” the family was living in Los Angeles and Kathryn announced that she was booked for a gig at Whisky a Go Go. Her father thought it was a joke and humored her until the phone rang and it was someone from the club asking if she had parental permission to perform since she was only 15. It’s the last time he ever doubted her.

“That was the beginning of a period of abject terror for me,” recalls Peter. “I didn’t want my little girl exposed to be hit on. It’s both exciting and nerve-racking to watch your kids find their way in the world. It’s important to feel authentic in your craft and the only way to do that is to put in the hours.”

Kathryn has been working ever since, successfully writing and recording her own music. While much of her music is sad, it tells a story and heals the heart. And when she sets her mind to something it usually happens. Case in point: “Jagged Little Pill.”

“I have been a fan of Alanis Morissette since I was a little kid and my mom was blasting her music throughout the house. In 2013 when it was announced that they were developing a stage musical based on that album, I wrote to my parents and said I need to do this.”

After several callbacks she got the role of Bella, which had been expanded. In 2019 the show opened on Broadway. Kathryn’s performance was called a standout and she was nominated for a Tony Award. Ironically she received the nomination performing in the Broadhurst Theater—the same theater where Peter won his first Tony nomination for his role in “Long Day’s Journey into Night.” The Playbills sit side by side in their home.

The pandemic has given Kathryn time to work on her music and Peter is off to film a new series. But both look forward to family time at their home in New Milford.

“Our family is like a little space pad,” says Peter. “It’s always been just the four of us through thick and thin. At this point my kids know so much more than I do. And the only thing better than succeeding yourself is seeing your children succeed.”

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By Clementina Verge

Nestled in the heart of New Preston—at the southern tip of majestic Lake Waramaug—stand a café and market offering a true farm-to-table experience. The Smithys—as they are affectionately called—reflect Steve Shabet’s vision of nourishing the community while showcasing its farmers, artisans, and culinary professionals.

The delicious cycle begins at Sunny Meadow Farm in Bridgewater, which consists of two farms that Shabet rescued from development. The one on Northrop Street has been continuously cultivated since the early 1700s and contains a farm stand that is a welcome source of healthy food for the community. Its mission is to continue the town’s agricultural heritage. Today, the harvest yields maple syrup, fruits, vegetables (some 50 varieties), honey, and hay, while free-range poultry and eggs are raised using sustainable organic methods.

The growing farm operation required distribution beyond a farm stand, Shabet explains. Purchasing The Smithy Market in 2018—the name, an ode to New Preston’s historic blacksmith shop on whose foundation the store stands—created an opportunity to distribute locally-produced items to the Lake Waramaug community.

Atypical of a large, impersonal grocery store, the market resembles a cozy mountain retreat and places utmost importance on quality and nutrition. The mottos  “Eat well – Live well” and “Local Farms = Local Food” are materialized by the aroma of freshly baked bread mingling with vibrant leafy greens, and refrigerators brimming with select meats, artisanal cheeses, and fresh dairy.

More than two dozen local farms and vendors supply everything from edible flowers and delectable ice cream, to fine chocolates, roasted coffee, cooking oils, and specialty sauces. Anything that customers demand that cannot be produced locally, like lemons, limes, and avocados, are sourced from speciality vendors, with a focus on quality.

Since July 2020, the goodness extends across the street, where Shabet purchased The Smithy Café at 9 Main—a community cornerstone lively with activity. The innovative menu reflects sustainable ingredients while a talented group of local chefs and bakers prepare comforting soups, hearty sandwiches, refreshing salads, and scrumptious desserts, including gluten-free and vegan pastries, as well as special locally roasted and blended coffee.

Overlooking the cascading Aspetuck Falls, the café starts serving breakfast at 7am and continues to bustle throughout the day as neighbors meet for coffee, friends gather for lunch (at this time, outdoors only), or visitors learn about local history. A large deck is being planned under the canopy of 200-year-old maple trees, accommodating even more camaraderie.

Exciting plans are also pending across the street where the market’s second floor art gallery will morph into a gift shop, exhibiting the work of local artists, woodworkers, potters, as well as offering select kitchen goods.

“We have created a synergy of farms, chefs, and suppliers,” Shabet explains, proudly hanging historical photographs on the cafe walls. “We have vertically integrated a true farm-to-table ecosystem that sustains our bodies while also preserving the heritage of the community.”

The Smithy Market & Cafe at 9 Main
9 Main St
New Preston
The Smithy Market: 860-868-9003
The Smithy Cafe: 860-619-0699

Bunny Williams, author, entrepreneur, and one of the most talented names in design, shares some of her favorite things about Litchfield County.

My upbringing in Charlottesville, Virginia was an idyllic one, filled with frequent adventures to beautiful gardens and historic homes. I have vivid memories of visiting Monticello and exploring old Georgian houses along the James River with my mother and aunts. My first time driving through the rolling Litchfield Hills, which are filled with breathtaking vistas and dotted with old barns, was like being transported back to the landscape of my childhood. From that moment my heart was set on calling northwestern Connecticut home. After a nearly two-year hunt for a house in the area, I finally found one.

Time and time again I’ve said that every new design project is like embarking on a new romance. You see all of the potential in what a house can become, but none of the flaws. Mine has been a 35 year project, but the excitement I feel after going on a long drive and pulling in through the driveway has not faded.

My husband John Rosselli and I love to entertain. Every year, we invite visitors to tour our gardens through The Garden Conservancy and annual Trade Secrets events. Both were put on hold in 2020, but we long for the day we can welcome visitors again. Knowing how much we’ve been inspired by our own travels, and how profoundly those childhood visits in Virginia impacted me, it’s always a pleasure to open up our space and hope others will leave inspired in some way.

Favorite home decor shops: 

The most interesting rooms have a mix of antiques and contemporary furnishings. As it turns out, so do all of my favorite stores. RT Facts mixes antique finds with their own modern designs, all made locally. I have gotten many wonderful gardens ornaments here which age beautifully. Michael Trapp and Montage are other favorites I can’t stay away from.

For the garden & greenhouse: 

Paley’s and Old Farm Nursery are both to blame for my greenhouse overflowing. The annual Trade Secrets event brings together the best of local growers and dealers.

For fashion:

I tend to dress more casual in the country, and Westerlind has all the essentials for hours spent in the garden.

For art & gift giving: 

After years of driving past an old, vacant building in downtown Falls Village, I decided to renovate the space and turn it into what is now 100 Main. Everything in the store is made by local artists and artisans. It’s really remarkable how much talent we have in our own backyard. Pergola also has a wonderful mix of treasures for the home and garden, many of them sourced from the owners’ trips to Japan.

Favorite place to fill the shelves: 

Oblong Books in Millerton is housed in a sprawling 19th century space. It’s on a narrow strip of land near the New York-Connecticut border that, at one point, both states claimed as their own. The only thing to fight over now is the urge to spend hours browsing.