Home + Design

The Book Barn

A Historic Barn, a Storied Bookshop, and the Couple Behind Its Restoration Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Kate Wark Photography When Amanda DiGiacomo and Jason Pastuzyn first saw the Book Barn, sunlight streamed through holes in the siding, and lead paint coated the walls and windows. But the space felt like kismet—as if it had been lying in wait for its next tenants to steward it through another chapter. Amanda, who grew up in North Salem, met Jason while the two were attending...

Home + Design

The Roof Specialists

How a Father-Son Team Turned Decades of Expertise into One of the Most Trusted Roofing Companies in the Area Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Jennifer Zarine Photography When Gabriel Loja first arrived in Connecticut, he did what many newcomers do: he worked wherever he could, learning a trade from the ground up. For Gabriel, that trade was roofing. Years spent installing shingles in summer heat, repairing storm damage, and mastering the details of flashing and drainage eventually gave...

Arts + Culture

From Branchville to Broadway

Lia Christina Makes Her Debut In Stranger Things: The First Shadow Article by Katie Parry At three years old, Lia Konstantakopoulos would climb onto her family’s coffee table, strike a pose, and proclaim, “I want to be on Broadway!” Most children who make such declarations spend a lifetime chasing them. Lia—who goes by Lia Christina professionally (“because my last name has 17 letters!”)—made hers come true in just seven years. Last fall, at age 10, she made her Broadway debut as Alice Creel...

Life + Culture

Tiger Shark Tank

Ridgefield’s Celebration of Innovation Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Jay Graygor Five years ago, Sean Dowd had a simple idea inspired by the small screen. As a member of Ridgefield’s Economic and Community Development Commission (ECDC), he wondered what might happen if the town hosted its own homespun version of Shark Tank . On the long-running ABC reality show, budding entrepreneurs pitch their businesses in pursuit of funding and mentorship. In the Ridgefield version, local...

Food + Beverage

À Table

How Bernard and Sarah Bouïssou Brought 40 Years of French Cooking Home Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Jennifer Zarine Photography Entering À Table feels like stepping into a small shop in the French countryside. Country-blue trim frames the counters and tables. Shelves are stocked with linens, fleur de sel, and French pantry staples. Coolers brim with house-made sauces, salads, sorbets, and prepared dishes that look—and taste—restaurant-worthy. Opened in 2023, À Table (pronounced ...

Sports + Recreation

The Home Stretch

A Winter Olympian’s Speedy Pursuit of the Podium Began Right in Our Own Backyard Article by Ed McGrogan | Photography by USA Luge and Brett West Tucker West’s journey to the 2026 Winter Olympics, like the luge tracks he’s slid on since childhood, has been anything but straightforward. Now 30, Tucker spent his formative years in Ridgefield before relocating to Lake Placid, New York to follow his dream. There are less than a handful of luge tracks in North America at all, with the best arguably...

Food + Beverage

Salem Golf Club

Where Tradition Meets Hospitality Article by Lorraine Piazza | Photography by Courtesy of Salem Golf Club Nestled in Salem, New York, just minutes from the Connecticut border, Salem Golf Club has been a fixture in the community for generations. The original house on the property dates back to 1903, when it served as a dairy farm owned by the Lawrence family.  Over time, the Lawrences transformed the land into a golf course before eventually selling it to four original owners. In 1966, the...

Food + Beverage

Ridgefield Organics & Specialty Market

Inside Mark Hill’s Vibrant Market Where the Produce Is Perfection Article by Katie Parry | Photography by New Light Photography Ridgefield Organics looks less like a market and more like a gallery where nature’s most vibrant creations are on display. Sunset-colored melons. Pineapple, kiwi, and apples with rose-hued flesh. Figs and Brussels sprouts still clinging to their vines and stalks. Juices lined up like Pantone swatches. But the shop is anything but solemn or austere. It hums with...

Wellness

Keystone Place at Wooster Heights

A Life-Fulfilling Senior Living Community Where Care, Connection, and Joy Shape Every Day Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Natasha Fleming Photography Stepping through the doors of Keystone Place at Wooster Heights, guests are greeted with an immediate feeling of comfort and warmth.  “When people think about moving into a senior living community, they’re afraid of losing their independence,” says Eluisa Callanan, Senior Living Counselor. “But when they come here, it becomes home. That...

Health + Wellness

The Chi Chi Life

Lauren Chiarello Mika on Resilience, Movement, and Joy Article by Katie Parry Lauren Chiarello Mika is a two-time thriver of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and mom of identical twin boys, but her story is defined just as much by joy as by resilience. With two decades of experience in fundraising, event planning, cancer advocacy, and community building, she brings heart, humor, and human connection to everything she touches. She is the Founder of Chi Chi Life, a community rooted in connection and shared...