Fairfield Community Foundation

http://www.fccfoundation.org

As many of you know, at least those who scroll beyond “Bars” and “Look Good,” this site includes write-ups of local charities and foundations. Why? Three reasons: 1) it’s amazing how many wonderful opportunities exist for giving, 2) it’s alarming how few of the 2,243+ organizations we’re actually aware, and 3) researching them independently is as tedious as cleaning Vaseline off your carpet with toilet paper and baby shampoo.

The FCF understands this and was created to make giving a lot of easier.

What they do: The FCF helps you “select those [organizations] that match your charitable passions and provide well-run programs that achieve results…. [and] help local nonprofits operate at peak efficiency so they get the most good out of every dollar. You can also join other like-minded donors to engage in collective giving.”

Who they are: FCF’s leadership is composed of local community and business leaders.

Where your money goes: To ensure money is used most effectively, grants focus on 6 areas –
  - Education and Youth Development
  - Economic Opportunity (including affordable housing, workforce development, and immigrant success)
  - Health and Human Services
  - Arts and Culture/Arts Education
  - The Environment/Environmental Education
  - Nonprofit Capacity Building

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Give     Darien     Fairfield     Greenwich     New Canaan     Norwalk     Stamford     Weston     Westport     Wilton    

Cava Wine Bar

2 Forest Street, New Canaan

Forest Street is a small stretch of road littered with restaurants offering patio dining. It’s a crowded place to see and be seen, especially the former, as heads to turn to follow every pedestrian or loiterer.  So look your best because you’ll be noticed.

Cava counts among these eateries. Here, you’ll find that diners here tend to focus more on their wine and repast than their passers-by. The food is delicious and elegantly prepared, and the wine list—over 120 Italian and California wines, some hard to find— is comprehensive, varied, and of very good value. Our oenophile friend was impressed and ordered a couple of excellent bottles.

Robin’s note: Careful not to stumble to your car or say something stupid like, “Wow – let’s hope I’m not too drunk to drive!” There are plenty of people listening. Most of them looked humorless and they all have cell phones.

Who you’ll see eating here: Groups of friends, mostly couples ages 30-70 years old.

Their specialty: Homemade pasta, especially panzotti (filled pasta “pillows”) and grilled calamari.

What you should order: Papardelle with chicken and truffle oil, scallops and lobster.

What you may not know but should:
  1. The owners, two brothers, are expanding into Darien (Scena) and also own 55 Degrees in Fairfield.
  2. If you’re, like, really excited about great service you may be disappointed. On the up-side, the long waits afford quality time for eyeing your neighbors and sipping vino.
http://www.cavawinebar.com

Dining     New Canaan    

Harvest Supper

15 Elm Street, New Canaan

I now believe in love at first sight. I walked in, noticed the hostess’ white-embroidered black linen sheath dress with white bead necklace, and was smitten with this bistro. It only got better: the service was beautifully orchestrated, the wine selection impressive, the menu scrumptious, and the atmosphere lovely.

It was late on a Tuesday and my husband and I decided to split a few things instead of gorging ourselves and going straight home to bed. Among the wonderful dishes we selected was the kobe beef burger: a pain to split, I’m sure. But split it, they did. And when I sent mine back for more cooking (no fault of their own: I ordered poorly), they did so promptly and graciously.

But back to the hostess. I had the uncanny feeling I’d seen her before. When I went to the restroom I noticed a New York magazine clipping of a gorgeous couple in an embrace above an article about NYC’s restaurant power couple: Jack and Grace Lamb. I’d seen the photo and article before and realized – it was she of the great dress! In New Canaan!

Click to read the rest ... "Harvest Supper"

Dining     New Canaan    

Fresh Air Fund

http://www.freshairfund.org

Last year my husband and I decided to host a 6 year old boy, Eddie*, from the Fresh Air Fund. For two weeks that summer I became the mother of 4 instead of 3. It was a living hell. Imagine a playdate that lasts 334 1/2 hours too long, riddled with late-night bouts of homesickness.

However, I liked Eddie. So, despite all reasons to the contrary, we invited him back this year. When my husband picked him up in New York, he exclaimed, “I can’t wait to see Miss Robin!” He ran into my arms as though his whole year culminated in being with us once again. This time, we delighted in being together: the arguing mitigated dramatically, as did his homesickness. Eddie swam every day with us, went to the playground, went to parties, played baseball, and was genuinely and visibly thrilled with every thing we accepted as part of our normal summer routine. As difficult as the past visit had been, through it we had learned how to interact and succeed as a “family.”

Toward the end of his visit he popped his head out of the swimming pool and I saw he was drooling. He laughed and wiped his face and exclaimed, “I slobbered on the tire swing yesterday, too! I slobber when I’m having fun.” With that, he popped back into the water. I never thought I’d be so happy to see someone slobbering in my pool. That must be why God created chlorine.

The day before we drove him back to the city, he said, “Miss Robin, wouldn’t it be fun if I could stay here all summer?” Well, maybe. But I can’t wait to see him again next summer.

Click to read the rest ... "Fresh Air Fund"

Give     Darien     Fairfield     Greenwich     New Canaan     Norwalk     Stamford     Weston     Westport     Wilton    

Pimlico

7 Elm Street, New Canaan

I entered this store with my son on a drippingly hot day, more with the intent of drying the sweat off of our bodies than buying something (a detail I decided not to discuss with the friendly owner, Jill). It’s a small shop with excellent air conditioning, the blues and silvers of the fabrics and furniture lending to the cooling effect.

However, it takes self-restraint to not buy something because everything looks so… fabulous. The glamorous mirrored furniture and tastefully embellished fabrics glimmer and glow with just the right amount of understatement. Co-owners Jill and Melissa update the collection/presentation often so there’s always something new to see and covet.

Robin’s note: Most of the pieces are tough to find on the web or elsewhere which, I think, helps justify profligacy.

Their specialty: Mirrored furniture (new and antique) and chic throw pillows.

What you should buy: Mirrors, unique accessories, and gorgeous chandeliers.

What you may not know but should: The customer service is superlative: they’re happy to answer any questions, are unfailingly polite to shoppers and browsers, and are wonderfully accepting of young children who lick mirrors.
http://www.pimlicohome.com

Home + Garden     New Canaan    

The Lilly Pulitzer Litmus Test

The quality* of a Fairfield County vintage/consignment store directly correlates to the average price of its Lilly Pulitzer sundresses:

  1. Roundabout, Greenwich & Westport: $69, if available.
  2. DWR, New Canaan: $65
  3. Designer Label Consignment, Westport: $45
  4. Twice is Nice, Southport: $20

*Quality includes store atmosphere, ease of shopping, price, and rarefied designer selection.

Fashion     Fairfield     Greenwich     New Canaan     Westport    

Reid’s Country Kitchen

17 Elm Street

The food is fine, the service is nice, the atmosphere is predictably diner-ish. But, holy cow, it’s the cleanest, tidiest diner I’ve ever patronized. Packets of hot chocolate stand like pudgy, determined toy soldiers and neat containers of butter tower steadfastly over their syrup counterparts. The only mess I saw was the one my toddler son left after enthusiastically destroying a blueberry muffin and dropping a full cup of milk on the carpeting (the kind waitress promptly poured him a fresh cup and told us not to worry). 

The diner is set back from the maddening Elm Street crowd and not readily detectable to first-time shoppers. But long-time residents seem to know and depend on it as a source of basic fare and drinkable, fresh coffee. Prices are decent, but before you question the cost of a scrambled egg with multi-grain toast, remember what town you’re eating it in.

They switched the channel of the flat screen TV to Cartoon Network when they saw my son sitting at the counter. A nice touch, and it captivated him long enough for me to drink my coffee and pilfer his blueberry muffin crumbs.

Robin’s note: We went early on July 6, as the heat was climbing from “This must be what hell feels like” to “I wish I were in hell so I could cool off.” So customers were few. However, the waitress and cook knew exactly what the regulars ordered and fetched it for them the moment they slid their sweaty bodies onto a seat.

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Dining     New Canaan    

Love146

Love146
http://www.love146.org

We’ve all read about child sex slavery and trafficking but we rarely see foundations set up to prevent it. Due to its stigma, it’s not a cause that has historically received attention from the glamorous charity ball set. However, it’s an extremely important cause that affects millions of innocent children worldwide including the United States and Fairfield County. Thankfully, Love146, based in New Haven, is dedicated to the abolition of child trafficking through prevention, research, and aftercare. Please be aware: the story I’ve included below is harrowing and may be difficult for some to read.

Who they are: In 2000, a group of 4 people—Rob Morris, Lamont Hiebert, Desirea Rodgers and Caroline Hahm—traveled to Southeast Asia to research child exploitation. The child sex slave industry they witnessed was so horrifying, they created Love146 with the goal of ending sex slavery and helping to physically and psychologically repair its young victims.

Their name: In early 2007, two of the four founders went undercover with Thailand police into a brothel. “We found ourselves standing shoulder to shoulder with predators in a small room, looking at little girls through a pane of glass. All of the girls wore red dresses with a number pinned to their dress for identification. They sat, blankly watching cartoons on TV. They were vacant, shells of what a child should be. There was no light in their eyes, no life left. … These children…raped each night… seven, ten, fifteen times every night. They were so young. Thirteen, eleven… it was hard to tell… Except one girl. One girl who wouldn’t watch the cartoons. Her number was 146. She was looking beyond the glass. She was staring out at us, with a piercing gaze. There was still fight left in her eyes. There was still life left in this girl…

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Give     Darien     Greenwich     New Canaan     Westport    

Margarita Man

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!

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Bars + Baristas     Entertainment     Darien     Fairfield     Greenwich     New Canaan     Norwalk     Stamford     Weston     Westport     Wilton    

Patricia Funt Antiques

110 Main Street, New Canaan

It’s not often one walks into an antique shop and walks out with 3 sterling napkin rings and a capsule history of an extinct species. But it’s not often one sees a genuine curiosity shop the likes of Dodo enthusiast Patricia Funt’s, well-stocked with Black Forest carvings and various other collectibles and curios.

Funt, an antiques dealer for 30 years, is best known for her English imports (including her gregarious English husband, Ken Oxman.)  Known for “small” rarities (“the only furniture we sell are the display pieces”) this shop has sated collectors and gift-buyers in the area for 12 years. Sadly, like the flightless bird from Mauritius, they will soon disappear from Main Street, though their business will continue thrive on their website (unlike the ingenuous Dodo, which “wandered up to sailors, got knocked on the head and eaten, just like that.”)

In the interim, stop by and enjoy their whimsical and interesting store until the end of July.

Robin’s note: Customers receive a 20-30% discount off of everything in stock.

Who you’ll see shopping here: Women ages 40-70, buying gifts or augmenting collections.

Their specialty: Children’s pottery, silver napkin rings, and nautical items.

What you should buy: Just about anything.

What you may not know but should: Dodos didn’t taste very good, they were just readily available and easy to tackle.
http://www.patriciafuntantiques.com

Home + Garden     New Canaan