modernist retreats with stunning views

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June 2016

T H E

L I T C H F I E L D

C O U N T Y

T I M E S

M O N T H LY

Music Mountain Celebrates Its 87th Season

Indoor Flea Market in Terryville a Nostalgic Paradise

Author’s New Novel Weaves Past and Present in France

modernist retreats with stunning views

SALISBURY Panoramic views, 1000 sf of decks & porches, 13+ acres, MBR suite with vaulted ceiling, gym. $2,195,000

WInGDALE, nY Two beautifully designed homes on Ten Mile River with outstanding views. Separate garage. $1,735,000

IRA GOLDSPIEL, The Goldspiel Group | o 860.927.7724 c 917.626.3481 | [email protected] | [email protected] Litchfield County Brokerages - Kent, Lakeville, Litchfield and Washington Depot | williampitt.com

ShAROn Artfully designed home on 20+ acres with conservatory/greenhouse, gunite pool & western views. $1,695,000 Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated.

2 LCT JUNE 2016

JUNE 2016 THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY June’s Bill of Fare

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4 almanac The Week & Month Ahead.

8 mark your calendar A Magical Venue

Music Mountain Celebrates 87th Season With Returning Favorites, New Artists

12 dining Tapas Sizzle on Bank Street

Zaragoza Plates Warm Appetizers, Cool Cocktails

16 women on the move Following Her Dream to Provence

28

Author Weaves Drama of the Present and Past In Her Latest Novel

19 centerpiece Bringing Nature Indoors

Bright Prints Find Homes on Specialty Pillows

22 antiques Turning a New Leaf

Indoor Flea Market a Nostalgia Paradise

25 interview Building Books Like a Pro

Roxbury Author Dishes on Sheds

28 homes&gardens Serendipity Shapes Country Garden Experience The Millbrook Garden Club Crosses the Line to Juniper Ledge

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onthecover

Published by Editor Catherine Guarnieri Designer Greg Moody 59 Field St., Torrington, CT 06790

Spring tulips are about ready to give way to the blooms of summer.

For advertising information contact us at: 860-294-0315 [email protected]

Advertising Director Elliot Huron Account Executive Donna Musler

© 2016, all rights reserved. THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 3

the week ahead MAY 27 - JUNE 2

May 27 Documentary: Memorial Hall, Bethlehem, 7 p.m., “Little Town HeroesVeterans of WWII.” The Greatest Generation is what Tom Brokaw calls the veterans of World War II. Bethlehem calls them their “Little Town Heroes” in this professionally produced documentary. From Okinawa to Omaha Beach, these five men: Joe Ballou, Tony Bosko, Bob Hirsch,

Buz Russell, and Sal Zarella have their stories to tell and make us proud to have them as neighbors and friends. Tickets for the coffee and dessert showing are $20 and will go to the charity of each veteran’s choice. The project is sponsored by the Old Bethlehem Historical Society and American Legion Post #146. Tickets are available at Little Town Deli, Towne Apothecary, and the Package Store or by calling Carol Ann Brown. Checks payable to American Legion Post #146. For more information call Carol at 203-2665196 or email: abuelacab @hotmail.com.

May 28 Art Show: Kent Art Association (KAA),

21 South Main St., Kent, “Elected Artists’ Invitation and Solo Show.” The Kent Art Association is pleased to present the opening of its prestigious annual show. A ceremony and reception to also be held on Saturday, June 4, 2-4 p.m. This year’s show features the amazing works of watercolor artist, Beverly Bourassa. KAA shows remaining for the season are: President’s Juried Show, July 2 August 4; Member Show II, Aug. 13 to Sept. 2; Fall Juried Show, Sept. 4 to Oct. 11; Small Works, Recurring - concurrent with other regular shows; Portfolio, Recurring concurrent with other regular shows. For information on exhibits, how to enter or become a KAA member you can call the Gallery during exhibit

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This event is held rain or shine. For more information visit: www.norfolkfarmersmarket.org.

Festival: The Gary The Olivia Theater, 249 Flanders Rd., Bethlehem, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., “Farm Art Festival-Inspired by Nature.” Join us for a celebration of local artists, small farms, artisan food producers and the Clay & Wattles Theater Company. Artists Suzan Scott and Marc Chabot will join other local artists displaying their work in different mediums – and all art work will be for sale. They will be joined by local and regional food artisans presenting cheeses, jams and condiments, baked goods, chocolates, meats, produce, Farmers Market: Town honey, wine and beer. Hall Lawn, 10 Maple Bethlehem›s own Percy Ave., Norfolk, 10 a.m. Thomson Meadows to 1 p.m. “10th Birthday Farm (lamb, beef, Celebration of the Norfolk pork, produce), Sunset Farmers Market.” 10 a.m. Meadow Winery (bouuntil 1 p.m. Children of tique wines), Two all ages are welcome to Roads Brewing (craft participate in party games beers) and Artisan Made and enjoy free birthday America (local and cake, balloons and live regional award winning music. Your favorite cheeses) are several of the vendors will be there featured festival vendors. with the freshest produce, A portion of the festimeats and cheeses, breads val proceeds will go to and pastries. Local artisupport Clay & Wattles Theater Company, a 501 sans will be selling hand (c) (3) educational and crafted items. There is performing arts nonprofit free parking available. Art Show: Cornwall Bridge Pottery, 425 Sharon Goshen Turnpike, West Cornwall, “2016 Memorial Day Weekend Lamp Sale and Gay Schempp Exhibition.” An artist’s reception will be held Saturday from 3-5 p.m. The show runs through July 31. Gay Schemmp is a local artist and teacher who started his artist career as a studio potter. The Lamp Sale will also be held on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call 860-6726545, e-mail: tpiker@ optonline.net, or visit: www.cbpots.com.

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organization. This event is held rain or shine. Admission is $15. For more information and for online tickets go towww. thegarytheolivia.com, e-mail: info@thegary theolivia.com, or call 203273-5669. Fishing Derby: Farmington River between the Route 219 Bridge and Satan’s Kingdom, “The David Childs New Hartford Fishing Derby.” Held on the May 28 and 29, this event will benefit Emma’s Angels, a local New Hartford Charity. Pre-Registration is available now at Upcountry Sportfishing, 352 Main Street, New Hartford. On the day of the event, you may register at Upcountry Sportsfishing, beginning at 6 a.m. Weigh-ins will be held at Upcountry Sportsfishing – Saturday by 5:00 pm, Sunday by 2:00pm. An Awards Ceremony and After Party will be held on Sunday May 29th 3:30 pm at Parrot Delaney Tavern in New Hartford. Cost for this event is $10 Adult, $15 family, $3 Children 12 and under. For more information call Mark Russo at 860-227-5570. Plant Sale: BellamyFerriday House and Garden, 9 Main Street

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North, Bethlehem, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., “Memorial Day Weekend Plant Sale.” Memorial Day is a traditional planting weekend, whether you are just getting starting, or finishing up a seasonal swap out in your garden. An assortment of annuals and perennials will be available for sale and our Site Horticulturist, George McCleary, will be available to advise on planting techniques to help beautify your garden. This event will also be held on May 29. For more information, visit www.ctlandmarks. org; www.facebook.com; BellamyFerridayHouse Garden; or call 203-2667596. Plant Sale: Litchfield Grange Hall, 453 Bantam Rd., Litchfield, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., “Annual Seedling Sale and Open House.” Seedlings available for purchase will include heirloom tomato varieties and other popular vegetables. Seedlings can be purchased as singles or flats, depending upon variety. Cash purchase prices begin at $3 per plant. Refreshments will be offered, and information about needs of the community that the Grange can help to serve will be gathered. Bring your friends, garden plans, and get a local start on your gardens. For sixty years, the Litchfield Grange Hall has served as a hub for community activities. Now, after the building was left unoccupied for years, a new group of Grange members is seeking to renovate it in order to serve the community once again. Funds raised by this seedling sale will be used to pay for repairs to the roof and back wall, as well as the

kitchen. Applications to join the Grange will be available. For more information call Kathy at 860248-0845.

June 2 R&B Sports World: 19 Rowley St., Winsted, 6-9 p.m., “2nd Annual Mini-Golf Fundraiser.” The Civitan Club of Torrington will be holding this fun evening of family entertainment. A raffle prize drawing and food for purchase will also be on-site. Tickets cost $10 per person for one round of 18 holes of golf plus raffle entry, or golf only for $7 per person. Addition raffle tickets are $3 each. Holesponsorship are available for $125. All proceeds will benefit local charities and scholarships. To donate a raffle prize or for more information call Michael at 860-489-2613.

the month ahead JUNE

the prior vaccination. For more information call 203-266-6666, or Sue March at 203-266-7890.

June 4 Concert: Merryall Center for the Arts, 8 Chapel Hill Road, New Milford, 8-10 p.m., “Berkshire Jazz Orchestra.” Returning to the stage under a different name, the 17-piece former Berkshire Big Band will again rock the house with all the classics from the Big Band era. This group, under the direction of Chip Zellner, has delighted Merryall audiences for years with their solid sounds that keep feet tapping and hearts humming. Come along for the ride and prepare for an entertaining evening. For more information email: info@ MerryallCenter.org or visit www.merryallcenter. org. Dance: Cornwall Town Hall, Cornwall, 7 p.m., “New England Country Dance.” Live old time music by: Still, the Homegrown Band with contras, circles and squares called by Rachael Gall. All ages, skill levels and left feet welcome.

No partner necessary! Donation requested to pay the caller. For more information call Jane 860672-6101 or go to motherhouse.us. Expo: Goshen Fair Grounds, Route 63, Goshen, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., “Family Festival and Business Expo.” Sponsored by Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce. There will be pet adoptions, a petting zoo, bouncy houses, live music, food, beer & wine tasting, product demonstrations, a business expo and much more! Indoor booths are $199 for Chamber members and $399 for non-members. Outdoor booths are $100 for Chamber members and $200 for non-members. If you are a food or beverage vendor, the cost is $100 for Chamber members and $199 for non-members. We invite you to explore exhibits, enjoy displays and giveaways, taste great food and beverages and enter for a chance to win great prizes. There are also great sponsorship opportunities available. Call 860-482-6586 for more information.

June 3 Rabies Clinic: Bethlehem Ambulance Association, Bethlehem, 5-7 p.m., “Annual Rabies Clinic.” Dr. Christine Shupenis, from Northwest Corner Veterinary Hospital in Bantam will administer the vaccinations. Cost will be $18 per animal. Cash only. All cats must be in carriers; all dogs on leashes. Pet owners desiring a 3-year rabies certificate must bring their certificate (not tag) from

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Festival: Town Green, 2 Main St, New Milford, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., “20th Annual Teddy Bear Festival.” Hosted by the Woman’s Club of Greater New Milford, this is a great family event. Smokey the Bear will be joining us again this year, escorted by firefighters from Water Witch Hose Company No. 2, and heading up our Teddy Bear Parade at 12:00 noon. Attendees are invited to join us with their furry friends in the parade. The highlight of our festival is always the Teddy Bear Hospital. Attendees are invited to bring their favorite plush toys for a check-up with our volunteer nurses from the Girl Scouts. “Surgeons” will be available for plush friends in need of repairs. The hospital will include an adoption center for bears in need of new homes, as well as our Bare Bear Boutique to outfit your newly adopted friend

or accessorize one you already have. All Teddy Bear Hospital services are free of charge, but co-pay donations are welcome. Featured entertainment this year will be story time under the Big Tree, a Princess Tea Time featured two times throughout the day, the Teddy Bear Parade, a Games area with prizes, and many others. Several food and business vendors will also be on-site. For an up-to-date schedule of when things are happening, or a list of vendors that will be present, please visit our Facebook Event page: https:// www.facebook.com/ events/989254364451147. For more information or to be a vendor email: [email protected]. Race: Bridgewater Pavilion, Sarah Sanford Road East, Bridgewater, 9:30 a.m. “Fourth Annual 5K.” Sponsored by Little Britches Therapeutic Riding. If you don’t walk or run, come out and

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support others who are participating by cheering from the sidelines. Food will be available and prizes awarded. Entrance fee for participants is $25. Pre-registration is required. For more information email [email protected]. Race: Valley Rd., Harwinton, 1p.m., “The third Annual Wheels and Heels 5K.” New this year is a 2 mile walk, added to the 5K and the kids 1/2 mile Fun Run. The event is in memory of Jamie Kirchner, a young man from Harwinton who competed in many Special Olympics events. Proceeds go to make a handicapped access to the Naugatuck River along the proposed Naugatuck River Greenway. Wheelchair athletes are welcome to participate. You may Register at: http://tinyurl.com/k8rgfex or Active.com. For more information call 860-7333551 or 860-480-1941. Tag Sale: Lee H. Kellogg School, Route 126, Main Street, Falls Village, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “16th Annual Tag Sale.” Early bird entry is $5 and runs from 7-9 a.m. This event will also be held on June 5, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friends of Lee Kellogg School (FOLKS) ask that while people do their spring cleaning and decluttering, they help by donating their usable items for a colossal cooperative tag sale to be held on the weekend of June 4th and 5th at Lee H. Kellogg School in Falls Village. Donated items, large and small, clean and in good working order, can be dropped off at Kellogg School June 2-3, from 3:30 to 7p.m. Items such as furniture, framed 6 LCT JUNE 2016

artwork, lamps, clothing, books, videos, CDs, sports equipment, kitchen and house wares, lawn and garden gear, electronics, hardware, pottery, toys and games are welcome (no large exercise equipment, obsolete electronics, computers, or damaged furniture please). The proceeds from the giant tag sale will be used to help support sports and arts programs, field trips, assemblies, and special equipment purchases for student activities. For more information contact Jaime at rosehip0452@ att.net.

June 5 Concert: St. Michael’s Church, 25 South St., Litchfield, 4 p.m., “Pianist Alan Murchie.” Alan Murchie began his musical career at age ten when he joined the renowned St. Thomas Choir of Men and Boys. He graduated summa cum laude from Yale College, where he was named “most promising and gifted composer.” The program will include works by Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Handel, Schubert, and Chopin’s Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major. The public is welcome to attend. A suggested donation of $20 will benefit St. Michael’s music programs. A reception will follow the concert. For more information call 860-567-9465 or [email protected]. Lecture: Beth El Synagogue, 124 Litchfield St., Litchfield, 10 a.m., “Jerusalem in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.” Rabbi Benjamin E. Scolnic, Ph.D., a wellknown biblical scholar and author, will discuss

“Jerusalem in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Scolnic, who is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Hamden, is the latest guest speaker on the on-going Dr. Stanley M. Mand Lox & Lecture program at Beth El. There is no charge for the program, but reservations are required. A donation for the breakfast would be appreciated. To reserve a seat, email the synagogue at [email protected] or leave a message at 860482-8263. Be sure to leave your name and phone number and number of people in your party. Survivor’s Day: Chatterley’s Banquet Hall, 371 Pinewoods Rd., Torrington, 10:30 a.m., “26th Annual Cancer Survivors Day.” This is a free event for Northwest Connecticut cancer survivors and their families to celebrate and honor those living with and beyond cancer, it will feature brunch, free photographs of survivors, and guest speakers. The event begins at 10:30 a.m. rain or shine. For more information or to register to attend Cancer Survivors Day, please contact Kathy Chadwick at 860-2016945.

June 6 Lecture: Litchfield Community Center, 421 Bantam Rd., Litchfield, 7-8 p.m., “Epilepsy and seizure disorders.” There will be a brief presentation on epilepsy by a staff member of the Epilepsy Foundation of CT with time for questions as well as an informational session on the Vagas Nerve Stimulator by a LivaNova Registered Nurse. This is a free event. Light refreshments will

be provided. For more information please email: [email protected] or call 860-346-1924.

Olivia Theater, Abbey of Regina Laudis, 249 Flanders Road, Bethlehem, 7:30-9:15 p.m., “Act One.” The 2016 Clay & Wattles Theater June 7 Company opens with Lecture: Litchfield the Tony-award winning Community Center, 421 play “Act One,” by James Bantam Rd., Litchfield, Lapine. The inspirational 9:15 a.m., “Regional Initiative State Arts Grant story is based on the autoInformation Session.” The biography of the same name by the American Northwest Connecticut Arts Council will host an theater icon, Moss Hart. Hart’s autobiography is information session for essentially a love letter to the Regional Initiative Grant program made pos- the theater. It has initiated thousands of young actors sible by the Connecticut and theatergoers alike Office of the Arts. The Regional Initiative Grants into the inner workings of theater life for over offer local funding for 50 years. The play offers arts and cultural proja comical and moving ects and programs in the behind-the-scenes glimpse Northwest Connecticut at Broadway during the Arts Council’s 25-town service area. For a second 1920’s and 30’s. It also chronicles the life of the year, the Connecticut son of a poor immigrant Office of the Arts has family from England who allocated funds by region moves to the Bronx and to provide arts project becomes one of the most funding to artists, art successful playwrights and organizations, art prodirectors of his time, with grams of non-arts orgahits such as “You Can’t nizations, municipal Take It with You,” “Once arts departments, Pre-K in a Life Time.” through high schools and “Act One” will run from PTO organizations for June 10-19 with a cast of community projects in any arts discipline. Grants professional actors from Connecticut, New York awards for this program and New Jersey. For more will be in the $1,000 to information email: info@ $4,000 range. The grant thegarytheolivia.com or application process is via visit www.thegarytheoan online portal and all applications and required livia.com. materials are due by July Race: Flanders Nature 29, 2016. The session is Center & Land Trust, free but requires registra- Church Hill and Flanders tion at https://2016regiRoads, Woodbury, 6 p.m., info.eventbrite.com. For “Second annual Field and more information about Forest 5K Trail Run.” the REGI Grant info All ages and skill levels session or the Northwest of runners, joggers and Connecticut Arts walkers are welcome to Council’s services, visit register to enjoy this 3.1 www.artsnwct.org, call: mile run/walk through 860-618-0075 or email the trails and rolling hills [email protected]. of the picturesque nature center. After the race parJune 10 ticipants will enjoy a postPlay: The Gary The race celebration with food

trucks and live music provided by the popular local rock band, “Root Six”. Registration is $30-$40 and includes the run/walk, two food truck items and a complimentary craft beer, for those over age 21. Additional food and drinks will be available for purchase by spectators and participants. The first 300 race registrants will receive a performance race t-shirt. Awards will be given to top male and female finishers overall as well as in 8 age categories ranging from age under 10 to over 60. This event will be held rain or shine. Strollers and pets cannot be accommodated on the course. For more information and to register online go to www.flandersnaturecenter.org and click on the trail run box on the website homepage.

June 11 Art Show: W. David Herman Gallery, 23 Kent Green Boulevard, Kent, 2-7 p.m. “Official Opening Reception.” W. David Herman, sculptor, whose stainless steel pieces capture powerful moments and cast them in ways that are both challenging and engaging will open a new studio. Pieces on display in June will include the dramatic “Shoah,” the nostalgic “Embrace,” and the energized “Ten Furlongs” as well as new works never before displayed. The opening reception will feature a performance by singer/songwriter Michael Shiel and a sampling of wines from Kent Wine & Spirit. The gallery is open Thursday and Friday 12-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call Eileen

Herman at 845-242-0807. Farmers Market: St. Paul’s Evangelical Church, 837 Charles St., Torrington, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. “The 2016 Torrington Farmers Market.” This year the market is at a new location is the parking lot of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. The mid-week market will kick of on June 11 and then run on Tuesday’s, from 2 to 6 p.m., starting June 14. The market offers fresh fruits, vegetables, berries, meat products, maple syrup, honey, cheese, soaps, baked goods, jewelry and much more.

June 13 Art Demonstration: First Congregational Church Hall, 40 DeForest St, Watertown, 7 p.m., “Watertown Art League Hosts Rick Daskam: Plein Art Oil Painter.” Rick Daskam’s paintings have appeared in Art Galleries and Juried Exhibitions throughout the Connecticut and New York area. In 1998, he followed his passion of painting plein air, and spent his time painting landscapes and farms in the local area surrounding his home. In 2002 Rick first visited Monhegan Island (Maine) and fell in love with its rugged beauty. Returning every year for a week of “sun up to sun down” painting, the artist has produced some of his most memorable works. Rick makes his home in Southbury, CT with his wife Paula and their daughter Alex. The demonstration is free and open to the public. For more information call May at 203-574-2835 or visit: www.walart.org/

June 17 Lecture: The Beardsley & Memorial Library, 40 Munro Place, 11 a.m., “Wildlife Outside Your Window.” Learn about the menagerie of animals here in the northwest corner of Connecticut with the White Memorial Conservation Center. Find out what snake lives in Connecticut that is 6 feet long, the salamander that can detach its tail, or about the tiny shrew that can emit a venomous bite. For more information call 860-379-6043.

June 18 Book Sale: Barkhamsted Town Garage, Route 44, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., “Spring Book Bargains.” The Beardsley & Memorial Library is holding a used book sale. All proceeds of the book sale will be used to benefit the Library. 860-379-6043 Concert: Merryall Center for the Arts, 8 Chapel Hill Road, New Milford, 8-10 p.m., “Brianne Chasanoff.” Known for her sultry voice, and dark, melodic songs about love, Brianne’s passionate vocals speak to the listener intimately through her sensitivity and her depth of emotional expression. Brianne is a classically trained vocalist and pianist, who plays music from Broadway and classical to pop. She also has performed as a vocalist for various church services, weddings, and other private venues. She teaches music at Pawling Elementary School, where she passes on her love of music to children ages K-4. She was a semi-finalist in the National Pro Voice Singer/Songwriter contest for two consecutive years.

Chasanoff received her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Western Connecticut State Univ. and her Master’s in Studio Composition at SUNY Purchase. For more information email: info@ MerryallCenter.org or visit www.MerryallCenter.org

June 25 Art Show: Litchfield and Thomaston, 10 a.m.to 5 p.m., “7TH Annual Open Your Eyes Studio Tour.” This event also runs on June 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council 2016 tour will feature more than 25 artists who have their studios in those Litchfield and Thomaston. Participating visual artists and artisans will open their creative spaces and show their processes to the public during the days of the tour. Free ticket packets can be ordered through the art council’s website and include a map, directions sheets, suggested itineraries and convenient sign-in stickers. This year’s tour artists include painters, photographers, sculptors, multi-media artists, ceramicists, textile artists, jewelers, illustrators, and woodwork-

ers. For more information go to: openyoureyestour.org or contact the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council at 860-618-0075 or [email protected]. Race: YMCA Camp Wa Wa Segowea, 408 Foley Hill Rd., Southfield, MA, “WYLD Obstacle Run.” Individual and Team Competitions will be featured for this 7K Course with 30 obstacles. In addition to a 1-mile Crazy Kids Challenge. Stay after the race and enjoy a free cookout, swimming, fishing, paddle boarding, camp and family activities and much more. For more information or to register visit nwctysports.org.

June 30 Golf Tournament: Chippanee Country Club, Bristol, 11 a.m., “Landmark Community Theatre to hold 6th annual Charity Golf Tournament.” Landmark Community Theatre, a local non-profit arts organization which manages the historic Thomaston Opera House. The tournament includes: 18 holes of golf, a barbeque lunch,

cocktails, and a buffet dinner. Door prizes, contests, and an exciting raffle will also be held. Contests include: Longest Drive (Male and Female), Closest to Pin (Back 9/ Front 9), Hole-in-One and others. To register as a foursome, single golfer, or dinner guest, or for information about sponsoring this event, visit www. landmarkcommunity theatre.org or call the Box Office at 860-283-8558.

Preview Party June 18th

June 27 Children’s Programs: Kent Historical Society, 4 Studio Hill Rd., Kent. “Summer Art Enrichment.” Weekly sessions June 27-July 22. Early bird discount by May 31. Fees $90 per week for KHS members; $100 non-members. Full details and online registration at www.kenthistoricalsociety.org. For more information call 860-9274587 or email info@ kenthistoricalsociety.org .

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markyourcalendar written by

Emily M. Olson • Submitted photograph

M usic M ou n ta i n

s

A Magical Venue celebr at es

87 t h

season

w it h r et u r n i ng favor it es , n ew art ists

I

n the town of Falls Village, summer signals the start of a musical tradition that has gone on for more than 80 years — Music Mountain’s chamber music festival. As the festival continues, loyal subscribers flock to this beautiful venue for an afternoon or evening of live music performed by national and international superstars — some up and coming, and others who have established themselves as perennial favorites around the country.

The series kicks off its 87th anniversary season on Sunday, June 5, at 3 p.m. with a gala performance and reception featuring the multiple Grammy awardwinning ensemble, the Emerson String Quartet, playing Haydn: String Quartet in D Minor, Opus 76 # 2; Beethoven: String Quartet in G Major, Opus 18 #2; Schubert: String Quartet in G Major, Opus 161, D.887. The Emerson String Quartet has accumulated

Left, Jazz pianist Dan Tepfer, a member of the Catskill Jazz Factory, performs Saturday, July 23, playing all four of Beethoven’s “Goldberg Variations” as well as work of his own. Right, the Cassat String Quartet, with cellist Colin Carr, performs June 26.

an unparalleled list of achievements over three decades; in a season of over 85 quartet

performances, mingled with the Quartet members’ individual artistic commitments,

the Emerson plays extensively throughout Continued on Page 10

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THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 9

Continued from Page 8

North America. Multiple tours of Europe include dates in Denmark, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom, among many other countries. Based in New York City, The Emerson String Quartet is Quartetin-Residence at Stony Brook University. The festival features 15 weekends of music, with returning favorite chamber ensembles and musicians, including pianists Peter Serkin and Julia Hsu; first-time guests, including the pianist Richard Goode; the ever-popular Saturday Evening Twilight Series with an array of jazz ensembles and musicians and introducing, for the first time at Music Mountain, in five concerts, the artists of the Catskill Jazz Factory; and the second season of the new Music Mountain Master Classes for Young Artists. Concerts are scheduled through Sept. 11. Music Mountain board president Nick Gordon, who has served for more than four decades, said recently that while some arts organizations might be worried about attendance, Music Mountain’s audiences continue to grow. “Over the last 4 or 5 years, our attendance has increased, which is wonderful,” he said. “Of course, we always want more, but the audiences just keep growing; and when people come to us for the first time, we can’t get rid of them, and that’s good. All we need is to have you visit once, and you’ll keep coming back.” Gordon noted that many patrons drive an hour or more to Music Mountain from around Connecticut as well as Massachusetts, New York 10 LCT JUNE 2016

Pianist Soyeon Kate Lee is a guest of the Avalon String Quartet on Sunday, July 24.

and New Jersey. “There are many who have weekend homes who come up from New York City, and Music Mountain is their destination,” he said. “We have a couple who come up every year from New Jersey. We have someone who started coming here to concerts with her grandmother, and she was married in our concert hall.” Chamber music concerts continue with the Borromeo String Quartet on June 12; Penderecki String Quartet with Maurycy Banaszek, viola on June 19; Cassatt String Quartet with Colin Carr, cello, on June 26; and Cantata Profana on July 3. The popular Saturday Evening Twilight Series begins on Saturday, June 11, with The Galvanized Jazz Band, and continues June 18 with the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players, New Black Eagle Jazz Band on June 25, and Swingtime Big Band on July 2. Varied musical offerings keep Music Mountain competitive with other venues in the area, Gordon said. “Competition in the arts is good; its effect is an expanded audience,” he said. “If there are five places like ours (hold-

Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, perennial favorites in Connecticut and beyond, join the Twilight Series at Music Mountain on July 9 with their own brand of vintage jazz.

ing concerts) then more people interested in the arts will attend. “This year we’ve made some major changes to the Saturday Twilight Series; we’ve invited a group called the Catskill Jazz Factory, and they are wonderful young artists who are the best of the best, coming up in the jazz world. You’ll find them at Lincoln Center in New York City, places like that. They are absolute virtuosos,” Gordon continued. “Then there are old favorites, like Vince Giordano; we have Peter Serkin (performing again), and a weekend with the Shanghai Quartet, who are really smooth. “We have a young group called Cantata Fortata coming on July 3, and they’re doing Beethoven, and they’ll do things with voices — a true masterpiece of the 20th century,” Gordon said. “There’s a quantity of concerts this year that are worth a long

The Emerson String Quartet performs for Music Mountain’s season opener on June 5 in Falls Village.

or a short drive.” Gordon’s 47 years as board president has allowed him the privilege of being the festival’s commentator, leading live broadcasts on various radio stations around the country for 40 years, on stations including WHDD in Sharon and many others. Gordon is confident

that Music Mountain’s legacy of providing summer entertainment will continue for many years. “For many of our concerts, we begin scheduling dates in early March, and we’ll have the hall sold out by a third before the season even starts,” he said. “We may have, by Thursday or Friday,

reached half or twothirds of people who just don’t want to miss a particular concert.” The hall’s acoustics provide a wonderful listening experience as well, Gordon said. “You can sit in the front row or the last row, and you’ll hear every note,” he said proudly. Arts organizations

Above, the Galvanized Jazz Band joins the lineup of twilight concerts at Music Mountain on June 11. Right, the Enso String Quartet performs at Music Mountain on July 17 with pianist Daniel Epstein. Their program will include pieces by Beethoven, Turiana and Schumann.

strive to raise money and draw contributors, sponsors and subscribers, and it’s no easy feat. “I won’t pretend that we don’t have a money problem, as many arts organizations do, but we have a loyal audience and they know that if they want good music, they need to contribute; and they do,” Gordon said. “We have more audiences and more contributions that ever before, and we keep going along happily.” Tickets for the June 5 opening concert and reception are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2016 concert. All tickets to the Peter Serkin/Julia Hsu, Piano 4 Hands Concert on Sunday, July 10, are $60. Tickets for the Mid-Summer Benefit Concert with Richard Goode on Sunday, July 31, at 3 p.m. are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2016 concert. Tickets for the Labor Day Benefit

Concert and Reception, with the Shanghai String Quartet, and pianists Gilbert Kalish and Jonathan Yates, are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2017 concert. Music Mountain will continue to offer two ticketing options to complement their established family-friendly ticket prices. Concert-goers will be able to reserve their favorite seats in advance for a one-time payment of $60 per seat, per season. For information on how to reserve a seat and specific seat availability, call 860-824-7126. Music Mountain also continues its popular Gold Pass program. Major Gold Pass benefits include: Admission to all concerts; Priority Reserved Seating (subject to availability); $20 price for one guest per Gold Pass. Cost for Gold Pass Memberships: Individual: $780; Pair: $1,500. For a list of other benefits and more infor-

Mountain will welcome fruits and other tradition- iced teas, water, cookies, mation, please call 860South County Crepes and al toppings, along with rich chocolate brownies 824-7126. All Gold Passes Wraps, offering artisan healthy, delicious wraps and ice cream novelties are transferable. crepes filled with fresh and quesadillas. Coffee, are also available. Chamber Music Concerts are $35 at the door/$30 in advance. Twilight Series Concerts are $30 at the door/$27 in advance. Children ages 5-18 are admitted free to all concerts when accompanied by a ticket holder. Saturday Twilight Concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon Chamber Music concerts are at 3 p.m. Group rates and pre-season ticket plans are available. Discounts apply through participating organizations. For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visitwww.musicmountain. Where students from 35 communities in central CT org or call 860-824-7126. come to experience a truly great Catholic high school Music Mountain is and live our core values of located at 225 Music Faith, Character, Community, Excellence, Service. Mountain Road, a short drive to Gordon Hall Contact our Admissions Office to schedule a visit or for more information. atop Music Mountain. Free parking and picnic 1001 Stafford Avenue Bristol, CT 06010 facilities are available. 860.584.0911 - www.spchs.com This summer, Music

Welcome Home!

THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 11

dining story and photos by

John Torsiello

Z ar ago

z

Tapas Sizzle on Bank Street a plat es z

war m a ppet i ers , cool cockta ils

I

t’s a warm, late spring morning and Bank Street in New Milford is buzzing with activity. There is an event taking place on The Green and people are wandering around this funky, chic section of town that includes Main and Railroad streets, an area that has grown into a hot destination, with its boutiques, restaurants, pubs and small stores. Inside one of the newest hot spots, at 31 Bank St., the staff of Zaragoza is preparing for the lunch crowd. Overseeing the operation is owner Artie Praino, dressed nattily in a sport coat and exuding an air of confidence and control over the restaurant that opened its doors in late April. That he opened this, his first restaurant, may be viewed by some as a leap of faith for the 45-year-old, but he doesn’t see it that way. “I believe when you are 12 LCT JUNE 2016

focused, know what you want to do and how to do it, and are at the business seven days a week like I am, you don’t get intimidated or nervous. I’ve been in the food business since I was a teenager, so it’s not new to me, although this is the first restaurant I have owned and run.” Praino grew up in Queens, N.Y., and landed his first job at the Corona Park Pork Store, where he caught the attention of the owners, who proceeded to teach him almost every aspect of the business. In 1993, he opened up his own A delectable Zaragoza appetizer, of seared scallops. establishment, Bayside Salumeria, an Italian deli in Queens, which quickly became a favorite in the neighborhood. After he and his wife decided to leave Queens to raise their growing family in Newtown, he began to look for other opportunities. In 2001 he sold Bayside Salumeria and opened The Newtown Deli, a popular spot for families and local businesses seeking quality deli sandwiches, hot dishes, and catering. In 2006, he opened The Woodbury Deli (which he Above, slicing and dicing for the dinner crowd. sold in 2009). In 2010 he Right, Artie Praino, owner of Zaragoza in New Milford.

Above, getting ready for the lunch crowd. Below, Fresh ingredients are ready to prep in the kitchen.

opened The Sideline Café (at The Newtown Youth Academy) and, in 2013, The Sandy Hook Deli. When an opportunity came to sell the delis in 2015, Praino believed it was time to open the restaurant he wanted: a warm and inviting eatery in New Milford that would feature exceptional drinks and quality food. He and his wife are particularly fond of tapas (basically well-made and unique appetizers), and believed this fashionable dining experience would do well in the area. When the chance to move into 31 Bank St. opened up, Praino jumped at it, naming the spot Zaragoza,

after a small, picturesque city in northeastern Spain. In addition to tapas, the restaurant also features delectable craft cocktails. Praino and his business partner and friend, William R. Hart Jr. of Avon, who owns and manages several commercial and residential properties in Connecticut, Texas and Florida, gutted the interior of the space, uncovered brick walls that had been hidden, put in new lighting and seating, and created a subtly relaxed and inviting ambiance where diners are welcome to linger over tapas and cocktails. Ruperto

Cardenas was brought in as head chef, leaving a similar post at The Foundry in Sandy Hook. Tapas restaurants have become extremely popular in the U.S. Tapas envelop a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold or hot. In some restaurants, tapas have evolved into an entire, sophisticated cuisine. Patrons can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal. The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation, as diners are not focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them. Tapas means “to THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 13

cover” in Spanish and it is believed that the appetizers served a small dish were at one time used by patrons of taverns to cover the drinks with between sips. “I think it’s a wonderful way to dine,” says Praino, as he sits at a table in his establishment. “When you go out for a big dinner, often you become so full the only thing you want to do after the meal is get up and go home. With tapas, the meal is slow and just part of the experience. It’s about having a drink or two, conversation, and enjoying various foods. We encourage diners to stay and enjoy themselves and not hurry away after eating. The tapas, even if you order three or four, are not brought out at the same time, but spaced out to encourage relaxation and conversation.”

14 LCT JUNE 2016

Zaragoza presently has seating for 64, with a soon-to-be-opened outdoor patio which will offer seating for another 30 diners. “We believe the outdoor dining is going to be a hit,” says Praino. “People love to eat outdoors during the nice weather.” Praino says success in the food business comes down to several important ingredients. “You have to have great food at a reasonable price and it has to be consistent. The latter may be the most crucial aspect of a restaurant. When people order a dish they want it to taste the same every time they come in.” Zaragoza offers a multitude of tapas, including such traditional dishes as chicken, beef or pork Vanessa Radlet tends the bar at Zaragoza.

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wrapped in prosciutto and served over an orange sauce. In all there are around 60 tapas to choose from, as well as a multitude of custom cocktails. Reception to Zaragoza has been encouraging, says Praino. “We have had great crowds. We have locals and people from Roxbury, Washington, Sherman and Southbury. And a lot of people from Newtown who know me and have come into the restaurant. We believe as word spreads people will travel from other towns to visit us.” Hours are Monday through Thursday 5 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m to midnight, and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit www.zaragoza restaurant.com for a full menu.

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empanadas served with salsa, potato, pancetta and corn croquette cakes served with Spanish crème, a cheese plate, and spicy shrimp. There are tapas featuring a variety of vegetables, pasta, such as pappardelle, a ribbon-like pasta served in a mushroom sherry cream sauce and topped with wilted arugula and pine nuts, and yucca fries and fried goat cheese with honey appetizers. Zaragoza’s tapas include “Land” selections such as short ribs, slow cooked and served over a bed of pappardelle and topped with a port wine reduction; “Sea” choices, such as salmon roasted with parmesan and herb crust and drizzled with a creamy lobster sauce; and “Earth” tapas, embodied by artichokes stuffed with mascarpone cheese,

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womenonthemove Written by Joseph Montebello • Photos contributed by Constance Leisure

W

a

a

a

a

a

w e v es dr m of t he pr esen t n d p st i n her l test nov el a

Following Her Dream to Provence

Au t hor

ho hasn’t fantasized about living in the south of France for part of the year? And what writer has not dreamed of getting that novel published? Constance Leisure has had both those dreams fulfilled.

Some 20 years ago Leisure’s husband Steve Landers, a lawyer, got a job offer in France — an offer, as they say, they couldn’t refuse. “I was then in my late 30s,” Leisure said. “We had two children who were five and three, I was doing freelance writing. It seemed like a great time to go, so we moved to Paris and Steve was much happier. I had to learn to speak French. I had been so used to dealing with people and being verbal, I wasn’t used to not being able to converse and I didn’t get the jokes. I studied away but I can’t say that even today I get all the jokes.” During their time in Paris, Leisure and Landers traveled to Burgundy to look for a house. They were hoping 16 LCT JUNE 2016

“Amour Provence,” a novel by Connie Leisure, weaves a tale of life in a small wine village in the south of France.

to duplicate their home in Litchfield, a charming period house that had once belonged to Leisure’s grandmother. “We couldn’t find anything we liked or could afford,” Leisure explained. “But on a holiday to the south, where we had simply gone to buy wine from local vintners, we found something we liked. It was a fallingdown, 17th-century farmhouse, but it had this enchanting garden and I fell in love with it.” The house itself needed a tremendous amount of repair and the couple decided they didn’t want

Photo by Van Son Huynh

Connie Leisure relaxes in her garden in Provence.

to take on such a project. But, upon returning south a few months later, they discovered that the price had been reduced — so they bought it. “It was fate,” Leisure said, “and we’ve been there ever since. Living

in the French countryside is very different from living in New York City where I grew up and even Paris, where we lived for 12 years. Life is much simpler there. I don’t feel pulled in so many different directions as I

did when I lived in a big city. Social life is more relaxed. You run into people, you talk, you have a coffee together. There is no pressure to see and be seen in the latest restaurant or to wear the latest fashion. It’s very

informal. People come by and knock on your door to say hello. They see our shutters open and that means we are at home and available. Our village only has 700 people. And everyone knows everyone and everyone’s business!”

Leisure at a memorial for American pilots shot down in Provence in 1944 that inspired her to write about a wounded pilot who was helped by a young French resistance fighter.

The contrast between Litchfield and the south of France certainly affects the way in which Leisure and Landers live. “We eat differently and drink more wine in France,” she said. “And we travel a lot more because there are so many places that are only a few hours away. When we are in Litchfield, we generally stay close to home except for trips into New York City to go to the theater.” Wherever she is, though, Leisure devotes time to her writing, which she has been practicing since she was a teenager. “I wrote a lot of poet-

ry,” she recalled, “which I also illustrated. As I got older, I switched to short stories and took writing classes in the evening. I was a psychology major in college but decided that publishing would be more interesting for me.” In the 1970s, when Leisure went job-hunting, it was a much easier time. There were many jobs to be had in publishing and the procurement of one was not difficult. “I just walked into Condé Nast, who published all the most prestigious magazines, asked if there were any openings and I was hired. The job was in the art department, which wasn’t my

cup of tea, so I moved on after a while.” Leisure has since had an impressive career working for various magazines, from Book Digest to Family Circle and Ladies Home Journal, where she was an editor. All the while she kept up with her own writing. “When we lived in Paris, I wrote a short story that was published in a literary magazine. But after that I never wrote about France except for nonfiction articles. When we moved south I started up with fiction again and began a story about a young man who was not getting along

with his father. As soon as I started the piece, it just began flowing and eventually became a novel.” That novel, “Amour Provence,” hits the stores in mid-June and is shaping up to be the perfect summer read. Leisure describes it as a contemporary novel about the drama of daily life in a small wine village in the south of France. Certainly there have been many books about that part of France, beginning with Peter Mayle who brought attention to Provence in the first place. But having lived there for over 20 years, Leisure has more of an insider’s view, present-

ing life as it really is and giving the reader a ringside seat from which to observe and become absorbed with the fascinating characters the author has created. While much of the action and story take place in the present time, there are flashbacks to the Nazi occupation as experienced through the lives of some of the characters. “I read quite a lot about the Second World War,” Leisure explained. “And certain facts sparked my imagination. For example, at the end of the war five young American aviators were shot down not far from where I live.

There’s a very discreet memorial that I never would have known about except that a vintner’s daughter whose land abuts it showed me. So that inspired me and I found that I could anchor my characters in time by referring to real events.” It is Leisure’s ability to weave several threads of narrative seamlessly that makes the book so readable. There is a sense of being able to relate to the characters and their environment. She has managed to have the dialogue flow as if the characters themselves had written it. And that is what makes a successful novel. It took Leisure three

THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 17

years to write and finetune the book to its published form. During that time, she wrote every day and listened as her characters developed the story. “I had my own idea about the characters when I started, but as I wrote about them that completely changed and my characters began to let me know who they were, not who I thought they were.” “Amour Provence” has the advantage of being written by someone who

knows Provence but who also has the ability to be an observer. For people who know the South of France the book may deepen their understanding of the area and may add to their knowledge. Those unfamiliar with the south of France will find themselves wanting to plan a trip, to discover more about this beautiful but complex area of France. Leisure spent three years writing “Amour Provence” and unlike

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the frustration that most writers experience in trying to get published, she had an easy time. “I had been showing my agent pieces I had written and she had been encouraging me for years,” said Leisure. “When I showed her the novel she thought it would work and gave me some suggestions. After some rewriting, she sent it out to several publishing houses at the same time (known as a multiple submission) and within three days one answered and made a preemptive bid.” Now ensconced in her Litchfield home where she will be until September, Leisure feels blessed with her life and her career, as one has nurtured the other. Here she will continue her writing, cook wonderful French meals, tend her garden, and resume her

Leisure’s village in the region of Vaucluse in the south of France.

extends into a forest that I am always trying to tame. It’s a great contrast and I love the challenge. I love being here but when fall

American country life. “In France I have a teeny stone garden behind our house. Here I have an endless garden that

J.H. Barlow

approaches I will anticipate the move back to France and my other life.” As they say – it’s the best of both worlds.

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or artist and budding pillow designer Mary DuLude, “gardening has always been my salvation.” And so the Litchfield-based owner of Paola Prints found inspiration in her gardens and a creative outlet by using her plantings to create luminous and boldly colored prints for her specialty pillows, made entirely in the U.S. DuLude, one of 11 children born to an Italian father and German mother, credits her European heritage and family background for shaping her artistic process. Gardens were extremely important to her family, not only for their produce, but also

for their beauty. Both her parents were artists and integrated art and gardening into their everyday life. “The family life revolved around the garden, from planting to harvest,” she says. DuLude says her work begins and ends in the garden and she has to “take it, it’s not a passive thing,” meaning it is an active choice on her part to pull what she needs from it, whether a bountiful harvest, flowers, photos for her project, or simply centering and aligning with the earth. DuLude has a considerable background in the fine arts. She attended Catholic University in Washington, D.C., majoring in painting. But before college, she had the opportunity study abroad in Italy for two years, fine-tuning her sensibility for exquisite craftsmanship with one

Paola Prints pillows come in a variety of color palettes.

Mary DuLude often photographs plants in different stages of their life. On the right is a blue hosta in the prime of life, on the left, the same plant after a frost has transformed it.

of those years spent in Florence. Her drive for entrepreneurship was strong. She wanted to take a product from concept to completion. For several years after coming back to the U.S.,

DuLude suppressed her artistic talents, but still remained creative through her marketing and consultation. Her last stint as a marketing consultant for New Morning Mary DuLude talks about her artistic process. Market in Woodbury THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 19

talents, so she began to think in terms of fabric. “I didn’t want to just paint flowers and then it’s just hung on a wall and does nothing, or do sculpture even. I wanted something kinetic and beautiful at the same time, as well as useful,” says DuLude. “So I came up with pillows. You can put them anywhere, and covers can be changed any time, for any season.” DuLude’s process starts in the garden, tending her Left, Mary DuLude shows the accuracy of the seam plantings until they are matching on one of her pillow covers. Right, one of works of art themselves, Paola Prints’ newest designs. and then photographing fine-tuned her interest tional and made well, and what catches her eye. She photographs throughin fine arts and holistic with integrity.” out the life of the plant, living. This set her gears The form of her art whether it is a showy working on how to intebegan not with a pillow, rose, or a leafy hosta in grate her love of gardenbut with what DuLude her flower bed. She uses ing, holistic living and calls her “Coat of Many macro lenses to focus in the arts into her everyday Colors,” a quilted coat closely on her subjects, so life — and she came up she embellished with with her pillow line. It is appliquéd flower cutouts they are nearly abstractions of the plant. Still, a product she says must of many hues and forms. they are recognizable. “look beautiful, be func- Sewing is one of her

She then manipulates the image so that it is luminous and bright, ranging the gamut of her chosen color palette, but she credits most of the mystique of the plant to the plant itself, rather than her manipulation of the image. The images are then ready to print. DuLude’s search for a printer who was able to give her the color accuracy she desired on her chosen fabric, a fine cotton sateen, was exhaustive. She finally settled on a printer in North Carolina who was familiar with fiber-reactive processes and began the back-and-forth trials of calibrating the press to her specifications. She finally achieved the results she aimed for and production began. DuLude’s seamstresses then craft a pillowcase that is painstaking and

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incredibly nine, or colorful — but she precise. Each counters, “You seam aligns wouldn’t match perfectly on all a flower boufour sides of the quet to your case, despite decor, would the variations in you? They are the print. They what they are.” are aligned Indeed, without flaw, DuLude’s and contain and designs are invisible zipper. more abstract It is a threeforms than dimensional floral, a form work of art that she hopes will is functional appeal to a and beautiful. wide audience. The pillow is a She also hopes hypoallergenic to expand into Mary DuLude’s Coat of Many Colors, which down-filled fashion, putting set her on the path to create Paola Prints. form with high her prints on loft, she says. businesses and make silk scarves. During a recent connections there. She Paola Prints are sold interview, DuLude said considers the show her on Houzz.com. DuLude she was about to travel test market. also maintains her own to Highpoint, North Some have questioned website, Paolaprints. Carolina, to a trade show DuLude’s use of flowers com, where she talks in an effort to sell her for her pillows, saying about her craft and pillows to home decor they may be too femimaintains a blog.

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antiques written and photographed by

John Torsiello

S

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Turning a New Leaf se

omething old can be new again and is pumping vitality into Main Street in Terryville. Anew Leaf Terryville Indoor Flea Market opened early this year at 211 Main St. and is already becoming filled with vendors and shoppers looking for a unique item or a bargain.

put a post on Facebook about his troubles renting a location on Main Street in Terryville and I thought, especially with the traffic volume, it could work out well.” Murdock says the reception from the browsing and buying public has been “great.” He adds, “We hear all the time that Terryville needed something like this, and with Pasquale’s Deli opening in the plaza next door and Willie’s Burgers just opening we’re starting to turn that section of town around. We’ve had “We decided to open good foot traffic so far a flea market because and we expect it to keep I was selling Android growing as we stabilize television boxes in New with solid vendors. We’re Britain and I did well not expecting to build for about a month until something huge overI realized that it lacked night, but were encourthe advertising to attract aged by the feedback new customers,” said we’ve received. We recone of the owners, Paul ognize some of the bigger Murdock. “My business partner, David Haberfeld, flea markets had to build

22 LCT JUNE 2016

The interior of Terryville Flea Market, jam-packed with everything you can imagine.

to their current success.” Indoor flea markets have become very popular in recent years. They offer a dual benefit to shoppers and vendors,

Vintage glasses galore at the flea market.

Left, father and son team Randy, left, and Ron Picard man their sports memorabilia area. Right, the exterior of Terryville Flea Market on Main Street.

providing a multitude of items, ranging from antiques to memorabilia, all under one roof, while allowing vendors to develop a synergy with one another and benefit from heavier foot traffic in the market. Vendors also don’t have to be at their location seven days a week, as most take turns helping to run the market and working with customers. Those who like to go to flea markets, garage sales and yard sales, or set up their own in the spring, summer and fall can do this in mid-winter as well, as having a number of mini-shops under one roof means not having to battle the elements. Items can range in price from several hundred dollars and up for a special antique piece down to a few dollars: the latter price range is another reason flea markets are so in vogue. Indeed, some individuals decorate a room or an entire home with furni-

ture, artwork and other pieces found at flea markets for a fraction of what it would cost them to do so with new merchandise. Plus, there is always a strong affection among buyers for nostalgia, and flea markets offer that up in spades. While Anew Leaf has a modest number of vendors, indoor flea markets across the country sometimes can have as many as several thousand vendors in one space. Often, an eatery is included in the operation, and there are sometimes attractions and entertainment for both adults and children, all of which conspires to not only attract shoppers but encourage them to stay for hours at a time. The Terryville flea market currently has 5,000 square feet of display space with room for expansion if vendors can continue to be added, says Murdock. Haberfeld owns the building, which formerly housed a True Value hardware store; Murdock

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MARSHALL COHEN 860-307-2594 or JOHN CAVACIUTI 860-307-6440 THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 23

runs the overall operations, and Dori Green runs the day to day operations. They are all equal partners in the venture. Paul Murdock’s wife, Cindi, was at the market on a recent Sunday morning. She believes the shop will bring a fresh vitality and look to Terryville’s Main Street business district. “There really isn’t anything like this close by and we thought it would be great to do something for the community. We have had a good response thus far and we think it will continue to grow as word gets out. We have everything from antiques to collectibles. We also have vendors who are selling their handmade items. We have several

Left, a welcoming sign. Right, a wise friar quietly judges you.

children of vendors and owners helping out at the shop, and it teaches them how to run a business and deal with customers.”

Anew Leaf Terryville Indoor Flea Market presItems on display cover a wide vareity of tastes. ently has about two dozen vendors with plans to as 50 more in the coming well as selling on Ebay. perhaps bring in as many months. “We will contin“This is a great spot for us,” says Randy Picard. ue to advertise and seek “One of the big pluses is quality vendors,” says • Inground Pool Construction that the vendors in here Paul Murdock. “We are • Full Service and Repair are all selling different trying to recruit farmers items, which attracts a to sell their produce on • Maintenance the sidewalks come farm- wider range of custom• Openings/CIosings ers. We all work together ers’ market season.” • Fiber Optic Lighting The father-son team of and try to help out when some of the vendors Ron and Randy Picard • Salt Water Systems aren’t in the shop.” were manning their • Full Line of Chemicals and Products Says the elder Picard, sports memorabilia and “It’s a good location collectibles section as Ticonpools.com (860) 496-9639 Tim Considine and there is a lot of foot customers began to filand car traffic. Parking ter into the flea market. IMPECCabLE WORk FOR IMPECCabLE TaSTES! was difficult at first, but They have been collectLicense # PLM 0287165-SP1 • #SPB 0000055 Over 30 yrs Exp customers can now park ing, buying and selling in the Rite-Aid store for over 20 years, often lot across the street traveling to shows and and that has helped to open air flea markets to encourage people to display their wares, as

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come to the shop.” Don Cote is selling vintage album and music memorabilia in another section of the flea market. The owner of Don’s Music in Bristol says the market allows him to promote his business, as well as make a few bucks. “This gives me visibility, where people come in and I can promote my main business to them.” The flea market is currently open weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit Anew Market Terryville Flea Market on Facebook or call 860-919-4356 for more information.

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interview written by

Holly M. LaPrade •

Larry Dolamore

photos contributed by

J

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S

Autho D ishes

O

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Roxbu

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Building Books Like a Pro

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oseph Truini found a unique niche when he decided to write his first book on how to build a backyard storage shed. He is now working on his third book, devoted entirely to the topic and aptly titled “Building Sheds,” after his previous book, “Build Like a Pro: Building a Shed,” sold nearly 300,000 copies. According to Truini, there is no shortage of shed building books currently on the market. So when he decided to take on the subject, he knew he had to find a way to set his books apart from the crowd. He was able to accomplish this in multiple ways. The most important feature was the overall structure of the books, which include detailed step-by-step instructions accompanied by a wealth of photographs and technical illustrations. “Every single shed building book I had seen previously was exactly the same, so I wanted to take a decidedly more hands-on approach,” Truini said during a recent interview from his Roxbury home. He went on to explain that most other shed books include only pictures of the finished product, but don’t show the reader how to actually build a shed, which presents an obvious problem for those without a background in construction. Unlike many other titles, Truini said that he designed and built each shed specifically for his books.

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Top, Larry Dolamore prepares a building site for a shed, leveling the ground, and setting a cement block foundation for the structure. He used “Building Sheds” by Joseph Truini to successfully guide him through the project. Middle, Dolamore’s construction site, ready for a gravel base to build his shed. Bottom, the foundation is set.

CHARLOT T E H U N G E RF O RD.O RG THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 25

The joists for a floor are ready to be covered with plywood during Larry Dolamore’s shed construction.

Larry Dolamore’s shed, shaping up with siding, a partial roof and floor installed.

By doing this, he was able to visually show his readers the step-by-step process, while his words clearly explained each step in sequence. Larry Dolamore, a reader from North Carolina, used Truini’s second book to construct his own shed several 26 LCT JUNE 2016

years ago. Prior to that endeavor, Dolamore had never constructed a building, so he put substantial effort into carefully planning out the project. Before beginning the shed building project, Dolamore had thoroughly researched other options;

including purchasing a pre-fabricated version or using plans that were available online, but he wasn’t pleased with the results of his search. “That led to looking further, and it turned out to be a great thing,” Dolamore said during a recent phone interview

The sides of Larry Dolamore’s shed, held in place with 2x4s.

from his home. “I’m glad I found the book – who knows what would have happened without it.” A large part of the appeal of building a custom shed as opposed to purchasing a pre-made structure is the sense of satisfaction in doing it yourself, according to Dolamore, a sentiment that most do-it-yourselfers can likely agree with. “I’m old school, I wanted to use a hammer and a chisel to build it. I feel the end result is better when you are controlling the quality, as opposed to using a nail gun,” Dolamore explained. Dolamore said it took him about six months to build his shed. He was very satisfied with the end result, and pleased that he was able to stay within the budget he had set for the project. “I ended up spending what it would have cost to buy a prefab version of lesser quality,” he said. In this latest book, Truini wanted to offer a

diverse variety of options to his readers. In addition to a comprehensive section on building materials and construction methods, the remaining chapters detail how to build five different styles of sheds, including a timber-frame garden shed, a board-and-batten shed, a vinyl-sided storage shed, a cedar-shingle shed and a post-and-beam barn. Dolamore particularly liked the fact that he was able to “cherry pick” different elements from various sheds within the book – overall design, foundations, windows, siding, roof style, shingles, etc. — in order to build a highly customized structure. “I liked the variety of options that the author presented,” Dolamore said. “He also demonstrated a sense of quality, of something built to last, in his workmanship. It was important to me to build something sturdy. The cheap ones will be gone in 10 years.”

Don Draper, a reader who posted a review of Truini’s previous book on Amazon’s website, agrees with Dolamore on the book’s representation of high quality building methods and materials. “The sheds featured in this book are probably built better than most peoples’ homes,” Draper wrote. “The author uses only the best materials and methods. If you are turned off by the flimsy tin and home center kit sheds, or if you want a shed that has some character and can be used as an extension of your home, then this book is for you.” Many of Truini’s readers have raved about the extensive use of images in his books. This is another aspect of the books that Truini feels sets them apart from other similar shed-building manuals. “The photographs are extremely informationrich, because I’m often the guy behind the camera or behind the tool,”

Truini said. “You just can’t get those kinds of photos unless you’re actually on the jobsite.” Truini prides himself on taking many of his own photographs, but has also worked with a professional photographer for some aspects of his books. From the perspective of a reader using the book as an instruction manual, Dolamore explained that the photographs made the book extremely valuable. “I’m handy, but I’m not a contractor,” he said. “With the information provided I felt confident that I could not only build the shed but it would be done well.” Another distinct feature that Truini offers his readers is a wealth of helpful tricks-of-thetrade, which are placed in sidebars throughout

the book. They are called out as either a “Helpful Hint” or a “Tool Tip” and give readers guidance on different aspects of the building process. “People love them, they can’t get enough of them,” Truini said. “A little tip can stay with you forever.” Another Amazon review, by reader David Seltzer, acknowledges the usefulness of the tips. “It was like I had a seasoned veteran helping me along the way at every step,” Seltzer wrote. “The books shows you what to do, and even explain the little things you might otherwise have missed.” One of the most important benefits Truini is able to provide to the first-time builder is his extensive background in the construction trade. His father was a remodeling contractor and gave

Truini his first introduction to the industry at the age of 10. Following his early involvement in the trades, Truini worked in various other building-related positions for many years, including working as a custom cabinet maker and union carpenter, before leaving the industry in 1983 to pursue a writing career. He went on to become an editor at Popular Mechanics magazine and later moved on to become senior editor of Today’s Homeowner magazine for 13 years. He has been a freelance writer with a primary focus on home improvement projects since 2000. Not one to sit idle, Truini also has another newly released book that is available to those wishing to try their hand at a “do it yourself” home tiling project.

A side view of Larry Dolamore’s shed, which was constructed following “Building Sheds” by Joseph Truini.

“A Homeowner’s Guide to Tiling” is Truini’s seventh book and provides the reader with instructions for

completing various projects, including building a tile-top console table and constructing a mosaicglass tile mirror.

Both books are available at www.taunton. com, www.amazon.com, and wherever books are sold.

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In The Middle Quarter Mall (Across from Woodbury Chevrolet) THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 27

homes&garden written and photographed by

Tovah Martin

Serendipity Shapes Country Garden Experience

I

t should come as no surprise to learn that the Millbrook Garden Club is planning to infiltrate Connecticut for this year’s garden tour. After all, the garden club of that nearby New York town often partners with its eastern neighbors for programs, support, and conviviality. The members are frequent admirers of the gardens in Litchfield County and vice versa. And that explains why the tour committee of this nearby chapter of the Garden Club of America is hosting A Connecticut Ramble from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Friday, June 24, with tickets available to the general public. For their Nutmeg State jaunt, the tour committee came up with five landscapes that represent some 28 LCT JUNE 2016

g

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The M illbrook G ar den C lu b C rosses he i n e o J u n iper ed e

of our finest and most astute gardeners. Take Juniper Ledge, for example. Many new homeowners purchase property, take the landscaping under their wing, but toss out what they’ve been given. When George Mason and Pamela Wilson bought their 1958 Lakeville Cape Cod cottage in 1992, it was adorable but a little too snug for comfort. Not only was it begging for expansion, but it lacked the sort of gardens that would make the country experience meaningful for the new homeowners. It possessed a few old-fashioned trees and shrubs, it had some venerable maples and cedars, but otherwise, it was landscape-less. What was in situ at the time was a litany of invasives with an emphasis on noxious multiflora roses and Japanese honeysuckle. The homeowners had something much more palatable in mind for

Layers of shrubs — including the namesake junipers — give the scene depth.

their country house, and they took action. Rather than tossing out what they were given, they redistributed the wealth. Traditional farmstead standbys such as the Korean spice, Viburnum carlesii, lilacs, and herbaceous peonies that came with the package were moved into the farther reaches of the

acreage because they found themselves looking outward at the potentially breathtaking view of Indian Mountain. Stands of grey dogwood were left in place because they felt right. “I guess the word is serendipity,” says Mason. Although they wanted to anchor the house with plantings, they also planned to incorporate

all of their acreage into the dialogue. Considering the fact that there was no real landscape initially, it was a foreword thinking initiative. In addition to the lack of scenery, there was another issue standing between Mason and Wilson and the country experience of their dreams — an eyesore

house that warranted screening was smack dab in their view line. One of the early projects on the agenda was planting an evergreen screen. Eventually, they bought that property and created a rental that complemented the scene. But even so, the house remains virtually screened from view. Meanwhile, Mason was

Skillfully sculpted trees accent the stroll through the landscape at Juniper Ledge. A gazebo/tennis house was patterned after the pavilion at Hill-Stead Museum.

making a garden. After accomplishing a 2004 addition to the house, he began sculpting gardens in earnest, working his way down the slope, framing further vistas. Starting at the house, he accomplished one of his most brilliant maneuvers. In addition to forging gardens swarming around the house’s foundation, he also put in a berm garden and granite steps on the far side of the driveway to block the road but also to offer something to admire from the front door. In addition, Judy Murphy (one of several adept local consultants who came onto the property and added input) insightfully recommended pushing back the hill that abutted the house, installing a

handsome retaining wall, and thus increasing parking space convenient to the house. Given a couple of lanterns, the wall serves as an accent to the curvaceous beds that undulate down the hill. Each meticulously edged and mulched bed has its own unique personality expressed in a combination of graceful trees, shrubs, and groundcovers. Benches and accent stone garden ornaments tastefully peppered in. Native trees such as amelanchier or shadbush, and a grove of river birches, recommended by landscape designer Debbie Munson, grow not far from fastigiate hawthorns. You duck beneath a wisteria/ clematis arbor, you can

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THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 29

30 LCT JUNE 2016

Above, unique gates define space in the gardens. Right, a retaining wall created additional parking spaces close to the house.

Tuesday, June 14th 9am ~1pm

The Dealer’s Fair

Antiques Show Decorative Arts @ the Goshen Fairgrounds Open to the public! Join us for a casual gathering of 100+ select antique dealers specializing in 17th/18th century fine furninshings, mid-century modern art & design, garden ornament, jewelry, folk art, and more!

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tarry in a custom crafted gazebo/tennis house patterned after the version in Hill-Stead Museum’s sunken garden designed by Beatrix Farrand. The tennis court looks out on a larger-than-life-size statue from RT Facts. Every tree has a story and Mason loves to stand beside each and every lilac, crabapple and tulip tree, and tell its tale. Even the wild cherry has history: “It was planted by God,” explains Mason. That said, he lavishes it with the same royal treatment as the purchased inventory in residence. This property shows great sensitivity and dedication to working in tandem with nature. Below the house, in a difficult-tomaintain slope, the homeowners allow a wildflower meadow to flourish. Some truly savvy fancy footwork is on site. For example, when Mason craved a woodland garden behind the house and wanted to harness the shade of a maple tree, he installed metal tanks below ground and filled them with soil to eliminate root competition for the epimediums, actaea, rodgersia and other plants that now dwell in peaceful harmony below the tree. He even has a wonderful little device that has successfully dissuaded rabbits from chomping on what could be perceived by a bunny as a botanical buffet. Juniper Ledge is a truly inspirational property that will make you want to run home and polish up your own acreage. It displays devotion as well as environmental sensitivity. But it is just one stop on a tour that includes four other equally smart destinations. The Millbrook Garden Club

Connecticut Ramble will visit a Cornwall property that has been tended by the same family for nearly one hundred years and planted formally with casual accents. The tour includes a visit to a garden writer’s own

landscape accented by artful moments achieved by sculpting trees and hedges. The tour’s West Cornwall destination is a classical experience with a heavy dose of Gothicstyle adventure. Also open to ticket holders

is an interior designer’s sumptuous Falls Village spread of formal plantings juxtaposed against natural pathways. The Millbrook Garden Club’s Connecticut Ramble garden tour will be held Friday, June 24,

between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with tickets available for $60 per attendee. In addition to the tours, a buffet luncheon will be served at the Sharon Country Club from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Luncheon reservations

are $40 each. Also at the Sharon Country Club, boutiques will be open on the tour day for shopping between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.. Go to www.millbrookgardenclub.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

Customize

THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY TIMES MONTHLY 31

Welcome to the CHABAD Monthly! Judaism With A Smile! All events are at: Chabad, 85 West St., Litchfield, CT 06759 860.567.3609 - chabadNW.org

32 LCT JUNE 2016

Sunday, June 12 Shavuot Ice Cream Social - in Tent On The Green 10:00 AM Services 10:30 AM Ice Cream Social & Ten Commandmet reading ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Monday, June 13 Yizkor - in Tent On The Green 10:00 AM Services 10:30 AM Yizkor followed by Kiddush Luncheon ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Saturdays Shabbat Services in Tent On The Green 9:00 AM Torah Study 9:30 AM Prayer followed by Kiddush/Luncheon ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Sunday Morning Teffilin Lox & Bagels in Tent On The Green 9:30 Prayer 10:15 Breakfast & Torah study ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Tuesday Evenings Torah Class 8-9 PM Schnapps & Torah!

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