Robin's Resources

Welcome to Robin’s Resources

2009-10-01T09:16:04Z

I’m a Fairfield County mom who loves to shop and loves having fun. I also love giggles from my three darling children, but I’d trade in a few guffaws for a great deal on a designer cocktail dress and a decent margarita. I’m confident I’m not alone in this.

But free moments are few and not to be wasted—which is why we created RobinsResources.com. Our mission is to create the definitive resource for all things—well, the good things—style, fashion, and lifestyle in Fairfield County.

There are a lot of great stores and a bunch that have no discernible reason for existence (a $355 acrylic wrap sweater? Honestly.) How do you navigate the harrowing minefield of consumerism?

When you have a chance to go out without the kids (or with—not all babysitters are dependable), where do you go?

After taking a long, hard look in the mirror, do you love what you see or is there room for improvement: Mani/pedi? Cut & color? Botox? Or (gasp!) Liposuction?

And after the spending sprees, it’s time to give back to your community.

There are a lot of worthy charities that benefit fellow residents, but how do you find them and how do they use your money?

At robinsresources.com, I’ll tell you about the charities, shops, bars, services, and restaurants that are worth your time and money and why.

So if whether you want to spend money or give it away, we’re here to help.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please e-mail us at .

Note: I don’t review anything I don’t believe in, and I don’t accept money for my reviews. But if you want to advertise, we have—or will soon have—options (e-mail blasts, text ads, banner ads, listings, and more). Please click on our “Advertising” link for more information.

Have Kids, Will Eat

2011-11-28T11:05:02Z

Dining Out with Kids

Last Thursday my husband was forced to enjoy cocktails and a swishy dinner in NYC with fellow workfolk. Again. Normally he declines the dinner invitation so he can have a late dinner with his wife. Which would be so sweet if it weren’t for the fact that his wife has to make and clean up after said late dinner. So… yeah. Fun.

But this night he accepted the dinner invitation, creating a free evening for me and my three angelic offspring.

As luck would have it, all three were wearing outfits that neither embarrassed nor confused me. So I dolled myself up a bit in preparation of a nice meal at a kid-friendly restaurant like Rizutto’s or Bertucci’s.

Now, if you don’t currently have kids I should explain: dirty and snot-smeared is the new black, and taking children to dinner is the new nightclubbing. When you have kids, your old life doesn’t “change” so much as it ceases to exist. Kids become your life, and you learn to appreciate small things such as sitting on a dry toilet seat or having someone else wash your dishes.

Anyhoo, back to dinner with the kids. We settled into a booth and placed our order without incident. We all had reasonably tasteful outfits, adequate table manners, and the kids weren’t screaming fart jokes. And–-I swear I’m not lying—my oldest son shared something about his day at school!

The older couple next to us complimented me on my well-behaved children, which made me smug and generously sympathetic of parents with less tame charges.

Then out of nowhere my oldest starts complaining, my youngest starts accusing the middle one of having fecal matter on her forehead, forcing the middle one to hit the younger one, setting off shrieks that may or may not have caused the accident on the Sherwood Island Connector.

It’s this kind of behavior that ruins the fantasy other people have of my perfect life.

The tab magically appeared, which I promptly paid, and I begin shoving my pack of snarling, snapping wolverines toward the exit.

Humbled, I mumbled an apology to the couple next to us. “We have children of our own,” the wife kindly responded, “We understand.”

And for the understanding of these and many other parents in Westport, which is extended to me more times than I care to fathom, I am eternally grateful.

Kids in Tow!

2011-11-28T09:46:32Z

Robinsresources.com is happy to announce a new category: Kids in Tow. We’ll fill you in on the delightfully* challenging experiences a mom or a couple may have while shopping or dining or whatnot in Fairfield County locales with, you know, children. Enjoy!

* “delightful” when reminisced about a year or so later

Barbara Barbara

2011-11-11T14:00:52Z

351 Pequot Avenue, Southport

As its name suggests, the more the merrier. And oh, gentle reader, how to impress upon you the degree to which this store is merry. There’s so much stuff packed into shelves and piled on tables you need a field guide and a degree in archaeology to shovel your way through the morass. But get through it you must, as your reward is twofold: 1) you’ll find something fabulous, 2) you’ll have a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.

Robin’s note: She has Christmas ornaments – in May! But I bought one, so she who laughs last, etc. etc.

Who you’ll see shopping here: Women 30-65 without children.

Their specialty: Everything.

What you should buy: Unique light fixtures and vases, and my daughter loved the plastic bananas…

What you may not know but should: She has a small collection of John Derian decoupage, including a rare placemat made from antique hand-written letters.

Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant

2011-11-11T10:40:10Z

18 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich
222 Summer Street, Stamford
4180 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield
63.65 North Main Street, South Norwalk

Well, that was skeevy.

Before I dive into details, two things:

1. Barcelona is a delicious and delightful wine bar/tapas joint with a fun, noisy vibe.
2. After reading this write-up, the new (and very kind) general manager of Barcelona SoNo, who was not aware of a certain employee’s behavior, contacted me to apologize. He was very concerned and expressed intolerance of such behavior. As of this writing, I’m confident that certain Barcelona employees will never hit on a patron—or, perhaps, anyone—again.

Robin’s note: One of the managers hit on me. Not in a flattering or coy way, but in a “God, it’s getting late and I haven’t picked up a chick yet” way. So here’s the story: I and 5 of my girlfriends go for drinks at Barcelona SoNo. We meet at 9:00 and there are several tables of women having birthday parties, drinks, whatever. When I ask a manager for the location of the restroom, he holds out his arm to escort me to a set of two doors in a narrow corridor across from the large glass wine refrigerator. I half-heartedly take his arm, then slide my arm back because it’s so queer.

An hour later I’m up again to use the facilities (I drink a lot of water when I tipple) and find both bathroom doors locked.

Instead of staring at two closed doors I decide to tamper with the handles of the refrigerator. Suddenly a different manager pops up and says in a low voice, “Would you like me to unlock the wine refrigerator for you?”
Me: “It… doesn’t…”
Him: “I’ll get the key…”
Me: “—”
He edges in for the kill “You’re very beautiful.”

A restroom door opens and I flee, lamely muttering something about having to use the bathroom. Once safely ensconced in the small room, I marvel: aren’t managers supposed to overlook the comfort of their patrons, not use them to fulfill personal fornication quotas (“forniquotas”)? More disturbingly, I’d been gifted an impossibly fertile ground for clever rejoinders and am too flummoxed to speak.

But Don Juan’s clearly not rooting for an interesting conversationalist. When I exit the bathroom he promptly flits to my side with a set of keys. He swiftly opens the wine refrigerator and invites me to feel inside. I dully put my ring hand in, allowing my wedding ring to sparkle at eye level.

“It’s cool,” I lamely contribute. Cool air. That’s his pick-up. And, I’m assuming, the reason why he’s not getting any.

Him: “What do you think the temperature is?”
Me: “I… don’t… 65?”
Him: “It’s 58 degrees.”
Me: “….oh”
He steps closer to me, reciting his well-rehearsed punch-line, “You’re so beautiful.”

At this, I turn and leave, sadly realizing my worst nightmare: I’m a cougar. And Barcelona SoNo is, evidently, their lair.

Or so its managers must think.

Who’ll you’ll see eating here: Couples age 30-50 and giddy groups of partying cougars.

Their specialty: Spanish and Portuguese-inspired tapas.

What you should order: Love the tapas and lovely wine selection.

What you may not know but should: Don’t let my experience dissuade you from going; this “authentic” tapas bar is popular for good reason. And the waiters are terrific.

http://www.barcelonawinebar.com

Le Pain Quotidien

2011-11-11T10:04:34Z

382 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich
81 Elm Street, New Canaan

“The Daily Bread” or, if pronounced incorrectly, “The Daily Rabbit,” is a delightful organic café (perfect for lunch) with a European flair that, thankfully, doesn’t extend to its service.

Robin’s note: Le Pain was my home-away-from-home in Manhattan. Wonderful coffee, delicious fare and now – a liquor license!

Who you’ll see eating here: Moms with kids at breakfast and lunch, groups of couples 30-55 years old in the evening, and French ex-pats. No kidding.

Their specialty: Artisan bread and tartines (elegant open-faced sandwiches).

What you should order: Bread and tartines.

What you may not know but should:
1. Each table has an assortment of their delicious signature jams and chocolate/hazelnut spreads to eat with their bread.
2. Cafés include one or two large communal tables for those of you who enjoy sitting next to strangers or “meeting new friends.”
3. It’s an environmentally-conscience eatery, with wood flooring from defunct railway cars and efficiently bio-degradable cups and spoons.
http://www.lepainquotidien.com

Tavern on Main

2011-11-10T14:39:01Z

146 Main Street, Westport

This 18th century girls’ school/grocery store is now a charming (some say drafty) restaurant with one of the few decent bars in town.

Robin’s note: The porch is great for people-watching, despite the fact you’re in downtown Westport and not a lot happens after stores close.

Who you’ll see eating here: Couples, with or without their grandchildren.

Their specialty: Salmon brown rice salad.

What you should eat: Grilled Atlantic salmon filet over sweet corn ragout.

What you may not know but should: They’re great for parties, events, and off-site catering. http://www.tavernonmain.com

Roundabout

2011-11-09T15:19:26Z

606 Post Road East, Westport
48 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich

If $60 Manolo Blahniks and $150 Gaultier suits send a riotous, teeming pack of non-sexual pheromones to your brain, then Roundabout is going to make you very, very happy.

Robin’s note: Try on everything before purchasing and make sure the shoes stay on your feet: just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it’s wearable. And they don’t return ANYTHING.

Who you’ll see shopping here: Moms who love to shop.

Their specialty: Chanel suits and overstock Shin Choi.

What you should buy: The mint condition Etro/Prada/Gucci/de la Renta (etc.) hiding in the racks on the left side of the store.

What you may not know but should:
1. Consignments are only accepted with original sales receipt.
2. Cut-rate deals are even crazier when they’re clearing out seasonal merchandise, so go late fall/late spring.
3. Chanel rarely, if ever, gets further discounts. So don’t hold your breath.

JoyRide Indoor Cycling Studio

2011-10-03T11:42:29Z

1200 Post Road E, Westport

I love JoyRide.

Robin’s Note: Before JoyRide, I couldn’t stand indoor cycling. Spin classes at my cheap gym left me cold: humid concrete room, extended remix of “Rocking the Casbah,” and sweaty male bodies inches from my face. The instructor invites us to “crank up the resistance to 10 while you feel the stress of your day leave your body.” Sure enough, the stress of my day leaves my body and is replaced by the stress of sensory torment, sore muscles, and claustrophobia.

So on my list of “things I want to do,” JoyRide hovered between “cage-free swim with sharks” and “be a charity surrogate for sextuplets.”

In short, I wasn’t their target market.

But despite these obstacles, JoyRide has made a spinner out of me! I LOVE it! The spin room is spacious and blessedly well-ventilated. The music selection is well-balanced, upbeat, and energetic. And the instructors are spot on. While each instructor has his/her own style, they manage to tease a hard-core work out of everyone by managing expectations and inspiring spinners to work their b*tts off.

Full disclosure: Though I’m saddened to report my derriere hasn’t actually fallen off, at least not the part of it I wish would fall off, it’s definitely in better shape.

Who you’ll see spinning here: Women and men ages 35-55 from Westport, Weston, and Fairfield, primarily. Good looking crowd.

What you may not know but should:
- Rides cost $23 each, but you can whittle the cost down by buying packages of 10 or more, or checking sites such as Livingsocial.com and Groupon for special discounts.

- They also offer exceptional Pilates and JoySculpt classes. Check out their website for more information.

- JoyRide is founded and run by three women. Goooo, Girlpower!!

http://www.joyridewestport.com

The Sugar Bowl

2011-09-16T16:02:21Z

1033 Boston Post Road, Darien

My husband and I were so excited to discover this wonderful breakfast spot in Darien. Turns out it’s one of the most popular cafés in FC. Who knew? I mean, besides us.

To the handful of you who haven’t been here: the first thing you notice is the Bowl’s festooned with so much holiday gewgaw you may confuse it with a souvenir shop at Mystic Seaport. For each of the past 7 years they’ve decorated for 8 occasions: Memorial Day/July 4, Beach, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s Day, and Mother’s Day/Spring. Halloween is their biggest undertaking, usurping the time and talent of 4 grown men for sixteen hours. Impressive.

The second thing you notice is friendly staff, swift service, and satisfying food. They make wonderful homemade lemon, apricot, or plum cake and animal-shaped pancakes for the kids (the chocolate chip ones of which contain so many chips, it’s like eating a candy bar with a fork.)

Robin’s note: The third thing you notice, or we noticed, is the large glass candy shelf is not enclosed on the sides, affording certain small children easy access to fistfuls of Nerd Ropes and the like.

Who you’ll see eating here: Young families and loyal locals of all ages.

Their specialty: Bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll, eggs benedict without the hollandaise sauce, and “…we make lots of pancakes.”

What you should order: Chocolate chip pancakes and eggs with grilled tomatoes.

What you may not know but should:
1. The Bowl has been owned by the same family for 52 years, Bob being the latest in a small string of familial proprietors.
2. The man who bakes the cakes works at the Bowl on weekends. During the week he’s a sommelier at the River Café in Brooklyn.

The Black Duck Bar

2011-09-14T13:47:41Z

605 Riverside Avenue, Westport

All hail our brave little eatery/watering hole featured on “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”. It caused a sensation, and rightly so. However, it’s better at night when the conviviality and darkness obfuscates its imminent slide into the Saugatuck River.

Who’ll you’ll see drinking here: Used to be the local cognoscenti and fishermen. It still is, actually.

Their specialty: Beer so cold it could remove a wart.

What you should order: Fresh lime margarita (beg for it) and request the good tequila.

What you may not know but should:
1. When it snows, the Duck reduces drink prices.
2. Consider patronizing the Duck on karaoke night if you enjoy crooning with people who wear: 1. ripped denim devoid of irony, 2. tight clothes, 3. cigarette company apparel.

http://www.niteimage.com/clubs/BlackDuck/BlackDuckCafe.htm

Coleman Brothers Foundation

2011-09-07T16:01:16Z

Coleman Brothers Foundation
http://www.westportsoccer.org

What they do: Founded in memory of two Westport brothers, Keith and Scott Coleman, who died in the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, the Coleman family and the Westport Soccer Association “support soccer players and others actively involved in youth soccer programs, who demonstrate a meaningful commitment to sportsmanship, leadership and integrity on and off the field.

Support provided by the Foundation includes college scholarships to graduating high school seniors and grants to provide opportunities for boys and girls from families with financial needs to participate in travel and other youth soccer programs, coaching or refereeing.” (website)

Who they are: “Keith and Scott Coleman grew up in Westport, Connecticut, playing soccer, baseball and wrestling. As adults, Keith and Scott worked together at Cantor Fitzgerald as colleagues, brothers and friends. Keith and Scott died in the World Trade Center attack on September 11, 2001.

“Keith played in the Westport Soccer Association through 9th grade, often on the same team as his older brother Todd. During his years at Staples High School, Keith focused on wrestling. After spending a post-graduate year at The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, Keith went to Bucknell University, graduating in 1990. It was at Bucknell that Keith met his wife Elodie. Their children, Vaughn and Neva, are avid soccer players.

Keith lived in London for six and a half years working as a foreign exchange trader for Cantor Fitzgerald and then returned to the U.S., to work in Cantor’s offices at 1 World Trade Center . By 2000, Keith was a Partner and was responsible for Cantor’s Equities Derivatives Department. It was in this role that Keith hired his younger brother Scott.

“Scott was a soccer enthusiast with a passion for the game… After graduation from Lawrenceville, Scott continued playing soccer with the Division I Colgate University soccer team and finished his college career as one of the leading goal scorers in school history. Scott earned his MBA from Fordham University in 2000 while working full-time.” (website)

How you can help: Help the Westport Soccer Association support the Coleman Brothers Foundation by donating proceeds from the WIN Tournament to the Foundation. Log onto http://www.westportsoccer.org and click on “Coleman Brothers Foundation.” Or you may send a check payable to “WSA – Coleman Brothers Foundation” in care of: Day Pitney LLP, One Canterbury Green, Stamford, Connecticut 06901-2047, Attn: M. Byrne. Contributions are tax deductible. The Westport Soccer Association’s Federal Tax Identification Number is: 06-1063236.

Graze

2011-06-30T10:06:36Z

http://www.grazedelivered.com

Graze(Click to enlarge)

So this goat farmer walks into my house…

That could be the beginning of a great joke or a bad porn flick. But it’s neither. It’s actually true. He comes to my home on Monday mornings and delivers fresh milk, eggs, chef-prepared meals, and other organic treats directly from artisanal farms in Vermont. And the price? No more than what you’d pay at Whole Foods.

Graze, the brainchild of Christy Colasurdo, a Westport mom and former New York magazine editor along with husband, Doug, and Vermont friends Julianna and Steve (a former CFO of Heineken Americas. Yes, male readers: beer) allows Westporters, and soon Fairfielders, to enjoy delicious farm-to-table foods to which they would otherwise have little or no access (farmers aren’t necessarily great marketers and, to be fair, vice-versa).

Chef Neil whips up a weekly menu of prepared foods, including a soup, adult dinner, kids dinner, grain salad, vegetarian alternative, tea bread, cheese, and much more. His meals and soups are beautifully prepared from local ingredients (Misty Knoll chicken, grass-fed angus beef, freshly picked vegetables) and are surprisingly, and refreshingly, well-seasoned (whoever decided that organic meals must be low-sodium should be locked into a room of hungry pre-schoolers. And their moms.)

Christy tells me, “We have taken great pains to make sure every ingredient we use and every product we sell is not only delicious and nutritious and wholesome, but also sustainably and humanely produced. (We) work with small farmers who know and love their animals and treat them with respect.

“Our third-generation dairy farmers, for instance, know all their cows by name and treat them like royalty, making sure that they get out in the fresh air and sunshine to wander and graze freely. At night, the cows sleep in clean and cushy hay beds, and they feed them the finest natural grains raised right on their pastoral acreage.” And, shoot, those happy cows, like everything else they sell, taste really good.

Who shops here: Westport moms.

Their specialty: They select the best of everything from the farms, including steakhouse quality steaks, prize-winning cheeses, and seasonal produce.

What you should buy: I loved their Papas Carnes and my kids gobbled up the pasta with chicken. The Zucchini Cheddar bisque, thick with cream and cheddar, is so wrong it’s right, as is their Chicken Chili, which contains no oil or dairy.

What you may not know but should:
- July 4 special! Order goodies for Independence Day and receive a FREE HOMEMADE PIE. Mmm!
- They’re happy to accommodate special dietary requests, such as vegan and gluten-free, and they sell a gluten-free special. A woman’s vegan daughter loved their mac & cheese, but demurred when she learned it contained chicken stock. After a quick chat with Chef Neil, he made a special batch with veggie stock.
- The site is fresh off its beta run, so expect some glitches. If you have any issues, their customer service team is very helpful and eager to ensure you have a good experience. As well, they’d love to hear your suggestions and comments.

Margarita Man

2011-06-24T13:00:18Z

Margarita Man
Mike Beetem, 860-790-1234

Every year my husband and I celebrate Mexican Independence Day with a large party. Being American, we change their day of freedom to whatever happens to work best for us, typically a Saturday night. So “Cinquo de Mayo” cheekily becomes “Secondo de Mayo” or “Octavo de Mayo” or whenever (and however we feel like translating it.) We think this is cool but it will probably be one of those dorky things that haunt our children far into their adult lives.

So when the stress of planning a party and knowing you’ll someday destroy your children’s social development starts becoming less fun than what you envisioned, it’s time to call… Margarita Man!

Margarita Man, aka Mike Beetem, saved my party and made me so happy I forgot about the other stuff that was bothering me. I simply told him when and where and he delivered a beautiful machine – all gussied up in a grass skirt and silk flowers – the afternoon of my party. He supplied the delicious mix, I supplied the tequila and the triple sec. After giving us a quick tutorial (1. Pour it in, 2. Flip the switch) he told us he’d pick up the machine the next day (which he did, precisely when he said he would).

And the party? WOW. Nothing says “Viva la Independence!” like one too many Margarita Man margaritas!

Robin’s note: Matt told me to expect roughly 1/2 of our attendees to drink margaritas. Good thing we didn’t listen to him because everyone except the pregnant chick tossed them back and the other beverages gathered dust on a nearby table.

What you may not know but should:
1. Margarita Man supplies other drinks, such as Mai Tais, Pain Killers, Bellinis, etc.
2. If you’re planning a big party or just need assistance, Matt is happy to provide personnel to help man the machines.
3. They also provide kids’ flavors.
http://www.margaritamanfairfield.com

4 Brothers Pizza

2011-06-23T10:02:48Z

Darien – (203) 662-9373
Westport - (203) 341-0505

Sure, we all adore the “wood-fired broccoli rabe/salumi assortito pie with a hint of pesto cream sauce,” but if you want to fire up the margarita machine and gluttonize until your arteries are begging for mercy and your brain cells are about to top the endangered species list, then this is your pizza.

Robin’s note: Pepperoni. It looks like plain but, ooh baby, it’s not.

Who you’ll see eating here: No one. It’s all about delivery.

Their specialty: Pizza.

What you should order: Pizza and grinders.

What you may not know but should: Check the website for coupons. They never verify them, so you can use them as often as you wish.
http://www.fourbrotherspizza.com