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

By Wendy Carlson
Photographs by Wendy Carlson

In the days leading up to opening night of The Nutcracker, the music of Tchaikovsky flows out of the third-floor studio at the Nutmeg Ballet Conservancy in Torrington during dress rehearsals. It’s  time to make costume adjustments, finesse dancer movements, and remind performers to smile at appropriate times. This is not an easy feat when you have perfected the same adagio, allegro, arabesque, or any of the many combinations thereof for the umpteenth time. Or, imagine you are one of the little angels who lost her front tooth before opening night, and Nutmeg artistic director and executive director Victoria Mazzarelli is coaxing you to smile.

“Hold your candle up, and smile,” Mazzarelli gently cajoles a tight-lipped diminutive angel. “Oh, I see you’ve lost your front tooth,” she says, adding, “Maybe the Sugar Plum Fairy will grow you a new one.”

So it goes. To the audience, this much-loved classic holiday performance appears as if by magic on the Warner Theater stage in Torrington and at the Bushnell in Hartford. The work of fairy dust? Hardly.

“The boys need elastic for their tights, they’re falling down,” Mazzarelli says, turning to an assistant who is taking copious notes. Mazzarelli has been directing The Nutcracker since 2006. She even performed the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in 2003. Production manager and faculty member Tim Melady has been with Nutmeg for 15 years, and in 2003 performed with Mazzarelli as soloists in “Arabian Coffee” in Act 2, which she choreographed. This year marks 16 years that Thomas Evertz, Mazerelli’s husband, has played the role of Herr Drosselmeyer.

Along with the other conservancy instructors, they are the main cylinders of the robust engine that keeps the annual performance running smoothly. Then, there are the “support Moms,” who act as stage hands, work as seamstresses, and make sure the youngest to the oldest ballerinas remain calm and composed backstage. 

“It’s like a family here,” says Lauren Werkhoven, who as a young girl performed in The Nutcracker and whose two daughters, Eloise, 7, and Alexis,13, have followed in her footsteps. Between classes and rehearsals, it’s  a huge time commitment for the students––and their parents. 

As for the odd onstage glitches, they often go unseen. One year, an eyeball popped out of one of the huge mouse head costumes, and rolled across the stage. (The eyeballs are actually Christmas ornaments.) “I don’t think the audience even noticed,” says Adriana Hoxie. She is one of a half-dozen seamstresses who work feverishly backstage during performances to keep the intricate costumes–some of which are 30 years old–fitted to each dancer.

After the final performance, those costumes are carefully stored away until next fall, when auditions are held and the music of Tchaikovsky once again fills the studio.

“It’s exhausting,” says Mazzarelli, “but I wouldn’t change a thing. Our students, faculty, and families pour their hearts into every rehearsal, costume fitting, and late-night practice. The true spirit of the season shines in the shared effort.”

Find performance information at www.nutmegconservatory.org/nutcracker

Photos by Nutmeg Photography

The Art of Hair: Robin’s Boutique Approach

A lifelong love of beauty began with a pair of stationery scissors and an impromptu haircut in a family bathroom. Today, Robin Dobos channels that same creative spark into The Hair Factory in Bantam, where she has cultivated a serene, intimate salon experience anchored in artistry and care. Known for her calm touch and impeccable eye, Robin stays attuned to the latest fashion and hair trends—something she insists she’d do even if she weren’t a stylist. Drawing inspiration from both the runway and real life, she blends years of technique and creativity to personalize each client’s look, creating more than just great hair: She creates moments of confidence, self-care, and connection for everyone who walks through her door.

What makes The Hair Factory unique compared to other salons in the area? 

The vibe, hands down. It’s a private, boutique-style experience so there’s no rush, and no chaos. Just calm energy and great conversation. My goal is for every client to leave feeling rejuvenated, relaxed, and the very best version of themselves. 

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned running your own salon, one that you wish everyone knew? 

Confidence and streamlining come with time, and I’ve realized that less really is more—in hair and in life. Once you stop overthinking everything (even your blow-dry), everything flows better.

How would you describe your philosophy on hair today compared to when you started? 

My approach has completely evolved from over-styling back in the day to simplifying. I love a lived-in look and believe a great, personalized haircut should do most of the work. With the right cut and one good product, you can look amazing without spending an hour on your hair every day. 

What are your top tips for keeping hair healthy during the colder winter months? 

Hydration is everything. Use a good shine serum, deep condition regularly, and try to minimize heat styling when you can. Cold weather can be drying, so treat your hair the same way you treat your skin: Keep it nourished and moisturized all season long. 

Are there any holiday hairstyles you recommend for parties or family gatherings? 

I’m all about the “less-is-more” approach. A soft, undone wave, a sleek pony (one of my favorites), or a tousled updo are my go-tos. Holiday hair should feel beautiful and realistic—something you can do quickly, and still feel polished. 

If you could give one “secret” styling tip that most people don’t know, what would it be? 

I love second- or even third-day hair! Believe it or not, we shouldn’t wash it every day. Less heat is always better, too. And plain cornstarch works just as well as dry shampoo, without all the heavy fragrance. Flip your hair upside down, work a little into the scalp, and lightly drag it through the ends. Oh, and get a silk pillowcase—and don’t sleep with a hair tie! 

The Hair Factory is in the Bantam Arts Factory, 931 Bantam Rd. / Rte. 202 —thehairfactory.co

[Sponsored]

Chef Cédric Durand Elevates Litchfield County Dining

By Clementina Verge

TASTINGS, the renowned New York-based culinary and event agency, is officially expanding its presence to Litchfield County, marking an exciting new chapter for the company and the region. The move brings chef Cédric Durand, a celebrated figure on the international gastronomic scene, to the area, further enhancing Tastings’ reputation for exceptional culinary experiences. Hailing from Toulouse, France, Durand built an extraordinary career rooted in Michelin-starred training, mastering classical techniques while developing his own creative vision. In 2007, he joined the Payard team in New York City under Alexandra Morris, who at the time oversaw the company’s catering operations. Recognizing his exceptional talent, Morris immediately placed her trust in him, securing his first U.S. visa and launching his American culinary journey, a defining moment in his career.

After Payard closed in 2009, Morris and Durand reunited in 2011 at Tastings. He initially served as sous-chef before rising to the position of chef from 2013 to 2022, a period marked by numerous milestones. Together, they orchestrated prestigious events, including catering for each of the French presidents visiting New York, achievements that hold special significance for Durand. His leadership in the kitchen, combined with Morris’s visionary approach, allowed Tastings to establish a reputation for excellence, creativity, and flawless service.

In 2018, Durand opened Gaudir, the restaurant at Tastings’ TownHouse in New York City, further cementing his position in the culinary world. He later joined Le Gratin, Daniel Boulud’s esteemed restaurant, contributing to its celebrated offerings and gaining invaluable experience in high-level gastronomy. Eventually, he moved to Litchfield County to assist with the launch of the acclaimed Pink House, all while maintaining close ties with Tastings, demonstrating his continued commitment to the company and its growth. Today, he returns to collaborate once more with Morris on Tastings’ Litchfield County expansion. His vision, expertise, and deep knowledge of local producers are key to this venture, ensuring a unique blend of international culinary excellence with local authenticity. “Alexandra trusted me from the very beginning, when I was very young. She has always had the ability to inspire confidence and reliability. “Today, I’m thrilled to develop this symbolic project in Litchfield County,” Durand says. This partnership signals a new era for Tastings, solidifying its position as a leading force in luxury culinary experiences and event management. With Durand’s return, Tastings is poised to create unforgettable gastronomic moments for the Litchfield County community, combining refined technique, artistic presentation, and thoughtful sourcing. The collaboration emphasizes dedication to exceptional cuisine, respect for tradition, and a drive for innovation, ensuring that each event becomes a memorable experience. As Tastings expands, the synergy between Alexandra Morris and Cédric Durand highlights a commitment to excellence, a passion for storytelling through food, and a vision embracing both global influences and local charm. Tastings continues its exciting growth, taking a new turn with the arrival of Anissa Arichi, who joins the team alongside Alexandra Morris and is in charge of marketing and strategic brand development. This next chapter promises to elevate Litchfield County’s culinary scene, offering residents and visitors alike the signature Tastings experience — renowned for creativity, sophistication, and remarkable attention to detail. —bytastings.com

[Sponsored]

By Clementina Verge

Jewelry designer. Former pastry chef. Licensed race car driver. Jill Brody embodies reinvention—a woman living with precision and bold creativity. From Barefoot Contessa kitchens to the curves of Lime Rock Park’s world-class track in Salisbury, Brody’s life is a master class in passion pursued without hesitation.

Her journey began with gemstones. A teenage trip to New York’s Fashion District sparked a lifelong love for jewelry, inspiring her to launch Jill Lynn & Co. at 19. She opened her first boutique in Sag Harbor in 2005, later relocating to Southampton.

Brody’s artistic instincts extended into the culinary world; during her time as a baker for The Barefoot Contessa, she created artwork for the menu boards featured in cookbooks and shops. Then, in a bold pivot, she shut it all down and moved to Connecticut with her family to build something deeper. As life slowed, driving got faster, she laughs.

In summer 2020, she bought her dream car: a Porsche Cayman. A car control clinic introduced her to Lime Rock Drivers Club, and that changed everything.

“I’ve always loved cars. My dad used to take us on the highway in his ‘third car’ just to feel the speed,” she reminisces. “Once my kids were older, I had more time, and I rediscovered that part of myself.”

Today, Brody is a licensed Sports Car Club of America driver, piloting a Porsche GT4 and BMW M2 Competition, both meticulously tuned for the track. Joining Lime Rock made it all possible, she asserts with certainty.

“It’s more than a track—it’s a community,” she says. “The coaches, led by club director Simon Kirkby, are world-class. One day you’re driving alongside professional racers, the next with passionate beginners. Everyone respects the drive.”

Few women occupy this space, but she’s always felt respected.
“No one treats you like you don’t belong,” she says. “The Drivers Club is welcoming; it’s about passion and mindset.”

Camaraderie is a hallmark of the Lime Rock Drivers Club, where membership grants access to private track days, one-on-one coaching, advanced clinics, and five-star hospitality. Perks extend beyond Salisbury, with reciprocal privileges at 13 other race tracks in the United States.

The club’s historic 1.5-mile track—steeped in 65 years of motorsport legacy—is easy to learn, but incredibly difficult to master.

“No day at Lime Rock is ever the same,” says Brody. “It forces you to be present: alert, calm, connected. It’s almost meditative—but with adrenaline and horsepower. It’s not recklessness. It’s precision.”

Off the track, Brody balances high-octane days with the slow joys of rural life: coffee, laughter, and Sunday drives down the Merritt Parkway with friends. In her Wilton studio, she crafts elegant, heirloom-quality jewelry pieces—until it’s time to get back on track.

“People ask if it’s dangerous. I say, so is crossing the street,” she declares. “What’s life if you don’t chase the thing that lights you up?”

For Brody—and her fellow Lime Rock Drivers Club members—that pursuit happens full-throttle, one thrilling turn at a time.
For membership details, contact Simon or Jeanette at limerockclub.com Jill Brody’s jewelry can be found online at jilllynnandco.com.

[Sponsored]

By Alexandra Mazza

Q: Did Puritans Celebrate?

Long before Litchfield’s town Green was trimmed with modern twinkling holiday lights, December 25 came and went quietly, shunned by the Puritan founders. These settlers had fled England to break away from what they saw as impure religious practices. Elaborate church celebrations were seen as corrupt and paganistic. So the Puritans treated December 25 as a regular day: no presents, no trees, no merriment. 

After the Pilgrims had landed, their first “Christmas” was spent building houses to shelter them from New England’s harsh winters. In 1621, Connecticut Gov. William Bradford allowed those who had been raised in the Church of England to take time off to worship at home. But when those same workers were seen playing in the streets, he ordered them back to work. 

In 1659, the governor imposed a 5 shilling fine for anyone caught celebrating Christmas. Some Church of England congregations ignored these regulations, and continued their Christmas observances. By the late 1700s, strict Puritan orders began to loosen;  in 1823, Hartford’s Brick Meeting House held its first Christmas service. 

Other American settlers were less reserved, and their customs gradually spread. The Dutch introduced Saint Nicholas; the Germans brought the idea of cutting evergreens and bringing them into the home. 

The chilly hearths of early Litchfield could not foresee the merriment to come. Time softened the strict Puritan edges, and in time holiday cheer became the norm. By the mid-1800s, the Christmas traditions we know today had become widespread: Trees, stockings, and gifts began to adorn more homes. 

A Festive Collaboration

This holiday season, the Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Collection, will be transformed into a winter wonderland through an exclusive collaboration with AERIN, the luxury lifestyle brand founded by Aerin Lauder. 

Known for its timeless New England charm, the Mayflower in Washington will take on a new level of seasonal splendor as AERIN’s effortless elegance graces every detail—from an 18-foot Christmas tree trimmed with vintage glass ornaments to whimsical folk-inspired decor, and a children’s tree sparkling with toys and treasures.

Guests can experience the holidays in true AERIN style through curated touches throughout the property, including a limited-edition AERIN x Mayflower ornament available exclusively to guests. The inn’s Signature King Suite with Library becomes the AERIN Suite, complete with Aerin Lauder–selected décor, bespoke amenities, and a signed copy of her book, Living with Flowers, for December stays.

For a more intimate celebration, the Private Fireside Fête offers an elegant five-course dining experience in the AERIN Library, where floral tablescapes and seasonal dishes set the stage for an unforgettable evening.

The partnership culminates with an AERIN Holiday Trunk Show & Pop-Up on December 5 and 6, featuring giftable treasures from AERIN’s world of beauty, fashion, and home. This inspired collaboration invites guests to celebrate the season beautifully in the heart of the Connecticut countryside. —auberge.com/mayflower

Belonging Through Faith

By Rich Pomerantz

A little more than 30 years ago, Washington residents Susan Haber and Sharon Ruchman set out to fulfill a dream: creating a Jewish community where local families, couples, and singles could connect and grow together. That dream became the Greater Washington Coalition for Jewish Life (CJL), which today serves as both a spiritual home and an extended Jewish family for hundreds of full- and part-time residents across western Connecticut.

Since its founding, the Coalition has nurtured a deep sense of warmth and belonging through a wide range of religious, cultural, educational, and social experiences. Members gather for regular Shabbat services in private homes, High Holiday services, and festive holiday celebrations. A book group, speaker series, and special programs led by a part-time rabbi offer opportunities for learning and reflection, while trips, luncheons, and other lively social events strengthen personal connections.

CJL also embraces meaningful community engagement. Over the years, members have partnered with local religious and nonprofit organizations on food drives, volunteered at Judea Garden, and collaborated closely with area groups to support neighbors in need.

This year, the Coalition joyfully marked its 30th anniversary with a spirited community celebration in Washington—honoring three decades of connection, tradition, and growth.

For details about upcoming programs, holiday observances, or membership, email jewishlifect@gmail.com or visit jewishlifect.org.

By Michelle Madden 

In 1920, women got the vote—but it  wasn’t until nearly 75 years later, in 1993, that lawmakers mandated that women be represented in clinical medical trials. 

Women’s health care has also been woefully underfunded: Ovarian cancer ranks fifth for lethality, but 12th in terms of funding-to-lethality ratio.

The gender gap is real. New Milford Hospital is changing this.

Generous community supporters such as Margery Feldberg and Jeremy Levin, Julie and Bob Bailey and Diane von Furstenberg have contributed to the more than $3 million dollars raised.  

The aim of the center is to aggregate care at all stages of a woman’s life. “We want to offer one-stop health care, making it easy to access providers specifically trained in women’s health,” says Miriam Levy, vice president of Women & Children’s Health for Nuvance. 

The center will be finished in 2027, but the “doors” are open already, with practitioners offering: primary care, gynecology, breast surgery, cardiology, and behavioral health. This is in addition to existing hospital services such as mammograms, bone density testing, pulmonary care, and gastroenterology. Future hires at the center will include: family medicine, urogynecology, nutrition, and osteoporosis care. Menopause support—an often-overlooked area—will be woven into all specialties.To make an appointment, call 860-210-5535. —Nuvancehealth.org 

The Tremaine Art Gallery at The Hotchkiss School presents Wish You Were Here, a collaborative exhibition featuring artists Fern Apfel and Colleen McGuire, curated by Joan Baldwin. On view from November 4 through January 25, the exhibition invites visitors to consider themes of memory, home, and the passage of time through two distinct yet complementary artistic voices.

Fern Apfel’s meticulously detailed still-life paintings depict letters, diaries, journals, and lists, blending language, painting, and memory into works that feel both intimate and universal. Her pieces encourage reflection on personal histories and the ways memory shapes our sense of place.

Colleen McGuire captures the ephemeral qualities of everyday life, such as light falling on a fogged mirror, rain streaking a window, or fractured sunlight on a porch. Working in oil on board, McGuire translates these fleeting moments into quiet meditations on the spaces and experiences that define daily living. 

The gallery is located on The Hotchkiss School campus at 11 Interlaken Road in Lakeville. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from noon to 4 pm. The gallery will be closed during school breaks (November 22 to December 1 and December 16 to January 5).

Artful Connection

When journalist Troy McMullen bought a weekend house overlooking Hauser Nature Preserve in Litchfield five years ago, he quickly went about finding ways to use his reporting skills to connect with Litchfield County’s cultural community.

Writing for this magazine and others, he profiled artists and architects from Kent to Cornwall, poets and preservationists in New Preston, and woodworkers and artisans in Litchfield.

“I saw the county through an entirely new creative lens,” says McMullen, a former staff reporter at the Wall Street Journal who’s now an executive editor at ABC News. “It really expanded my cultural orbit.”

That cultural orbit now includes a series of children’s books McMullen created that introduces young readers to the county’s rich history of art and culture.

“Hello Litchfield” visits the people and places that make the historic town unique; “Litchfield Modern” reveals its surprising array of mid-century architecture;and “I See Art” guides readers through the county’s contemporary art galleries.

All proceeds from the sale of the books go to local charities, including the Litchfield Historical Society, Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy, and Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Connecticut.

“It just seemed like a perfect way to give back to the people and organizations that have welcomed me to this community,” McMullen says. 

The books are $10 each and sold at Amazon and local book stores and businesses in Litchfield.