Fitness

Gift Local

A Curated List of Ridgefield Businesses to Shop This Holiday Season Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Various Are you hopelessly behind on your holiday shopping? Don't fret, we've put together the ultimate gift guide so you can cross off everyone on your list—and the best part? Every single business is right here in Ridgefield! So keep calm and get your local shopping on this holiday season. For the Person who Needs Serenity Now Plank Ridgefield  is now open on Main Street! Give...

Arts + Culture

Books on the Common Celebrates 40 Years

Ridgefield's Beloved Shop On the Corner Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Dariusz Terepka Photography Ridgefield’s beloved independent bookstore, Books on the Common, celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. Ellen Burns and Darwin Ellis, who are married and who run the shop together, have owned the store for the last 20 years. The story of Books on the Common began in 1984, when Bob and Sally Silbernagel first opened in the brand-new Copps Hill Common (now The Marketplace) on Danbury...

Style + Beauty

Desires by Mikolay

Experience Main Street's Newest Gem of a Jewelry Store Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Dariusz Terepka Photography It started with an Hermès scarf.  Wait, let’s back up.  It started with a meet cute.  Tara was a social worker, living in Rockland County, when she and her cousin went to Killington for New Year’s Eve. They couldn’t get into the bar they wanted—so they went to one across the street. Scott, who was living in Yorktown at the time, was also in Killington. And he couldn’t...

Arts + Culture

Nutcrackers Across Town

Three Local Girls Dance the Role of A Lifetime Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Jennifer Zarine Photography and Others Stella Tompkins took her first ballet lesson at NY Kids Club in Long Island City when she was two years old. Nine years later, Stella, who is a 6th grader at East Ridge Middle School, has been cast as the lead in the world’s most beloved Christmastime ballet— The Nutcracker . The Nutcracker debuted in Russia in 1892, and while Tchaikovsky’s score was instantly...

Arts + Culture

Ridgefield's Sparkling Gem

The Prospector Theater Celebrates Ten Years! Article by Kristy Jefferson | Photography by New Light Creative Services The true beginning of The Prospector was actually a moment of time travel. Back in 2012, Val Jensen found herself at a stoplight on Prospect Street looking at a derelict old building. It had been the original Playhouse. It had been a bank. And soon enough, it would be knocked down. “I was sitting there and just had a vision of this place as it is today, totally working, just...

Arts + Culture

The Aldrich Museum's Breathtaking Expansion

An Extensive Reimagining of the Museum's Outdoor Space Leads Straight to Main Street Article by Kristy Jefferson | Photography by Dariusz Terepka Photography Tucked away just behind one of Ridgefield’s most recognizable landmarks, a significant expansion is about to open up a whole new world. As it celebrates its 60th anniversary, The Aldrich Museum is completely reimagining its outdoor space, making use of land it already owns that will change the way Ridgefielders interact with both art and...

Health + Wellness

SOARing to New Heights, Together

Ginger Smith Sparks Joy in Ridgefield Community Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Chris Svendsen Ginger Smith is a longtime macro-level social worker and self-proclaimed community-connector. In 2023, Smith founded SOAR Together because she observed a glaring issue in the social fabric of Fairfield County: an intergenerational community in desperate need of connection. While she stops short of calling herself “Pollyanna,” Smith has made it her mission to help end epidemic levels of...

Home Services

Time For Fall

Fox Hill Luxury Real Estate Services Tell Us How To Prepare For The Coming Cold Article by Kristy Jefferson | Photography by Natasha Fleming Photography Andrew Hopkinson has seen it all. The owner of Fox Hill Luxury Real Estate Services has not only been doing the work of building and property management for decades, he also comes to the table with experience in law enforcement, counter-terrorism, and emergency management. What may seem like disparate fields mesh perfectly together when you...

Food + Beverage

Baker's Dozen

Fletch’s Bagels Serves Up Bagels, Bites, and Community Article by Kristy Jefferson | Photography by Natasha Fleming Photography One could argue that the origins of Fletch’s Bagels can be traced back to one nagging question - “where do we get our dozen?”  That question plagued owner Fletch Tison after moving back from Manhattan in the middle of the pandemic. Born and raised in Ridgefield, Tison had gotten used to his regular bagel fix and wasn’t ready to give it up. So he started experimenting...

Food + Beverage

Posa Brings Amalfi Coast to Ridgefield

A Global to Local Experience Like No Other Article by Kristy Jefferson | Photography by Dariusz Terepka Photography When picturing the Amalfi Coast, what might come to mind is clear, glittering waters, fragrant lemon trees, or classic Italian architecture. “Positano is one of the most beautiful places in the world,” says Ariane Carro, co-owner of Posa Ristorante and Vineria. “It’s a gem.” And while it’s true that Danbury Road is far from the breathtaking cliffs of Positano, Ridgefielders can...