Home + Design

Studio CME

Blending Interior Design and Architecture to Create Spaces and Places for the Modern World Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Jennifer Zarine Photography Christine Everett, founder of Studio CME, has long been drawn to the visual arts. Growing up, she often exhibited her artwork and dreamed of turning her passion for clothing and garment construction into a career in fashion. After studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology for a time, she ultimately changed course, choosing to...

Wellness

Elevating Families

How SpireTHERAPY Is Redefining Mental Health Support for Kids and Parents Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Natasha Fleming Denise Santangelo may be petite in stature, but she’s impossible to miss. Whether she’s sporting sky-high heels, donning her signature cowboy hat, or wearing a Rubik’s Cube dress (she learned to solve the puzzle in her 40s), the founder of SpireTHERAPY radiates warmth, energy, and compassion. A former litigator in New York City, Denise pivoted careers in the late...

Local Services

My Mama Made

The Seamstress Behind Ridgefield’s Most Bespoke Clothing Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Jennifer Zarine Photography Ju Da Silva was just eight years old when she first picked up a sewing needle. We’re sitting in the sun-drenched living room of her daughter’s home in Branchville. Vibrant green plants spill from nearly every surface, and the space feels bright, cheerful, and alive—just like Ju herself. “I come from a very humble family,” Ju tells us in Portuguese, with her daughter...

Life + Culture

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

300 Years of Faith, Fellowship, and Forward Momentum Article by Katie Parry This year, one of Main Street’s most iconic facades marks its 300th anniversary—not just as a place of worship, but as a vibrant community hub that has woven itself into the fabric of Ridgefield for centuries. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church was founded in 1725 by Reverend Samuel Johnson, a native of Stratford. The current stone sanctuary, built in 1915, is only the church’s fourth on the same plot of land. Remarkably...

Local Services

Active Dog

How Eric Bleile Traded His Desk Job for a Life of Open Trails—and Tails Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Scott Sessions and Emily Perretti Eric Bleile has always loved dogs. Growing up in Maine, he was constantly outdoors—hiking, exploring, and spending time in nature alongside furry, four-legged friends. His career path, which began in finance in Chicago and eventually landed him at a hedge fund in Stamford, followed a fairly traditional route—at first. “A lot of companies didn’t...

Arts + Culture

Silly Goose

Grief, Grit, and Glitter: How Kate Haase-MacDonald Creates Joy Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Annie Fandl Photography If pressed to describe Kate Haase-MacDonald in one word, it would be: resilient . Six days shy of her daughter Mia’s first birthday, Kate’s husband Mike Ferranti died at just 39. She had recently started a new teaching position at The Windward School in White Plains—a school in Westchester dedicated to students with dyslexia. If we could use a few more words...

Education

Growing Green at Branchville Elementary

Students Plant a Pollinator Pathway to Support Bees, Butterflies, Birds—and a Greener Future Article by Katie Parry Branchville Elementary School (BES) celebrated Earth Week with a creative blend of hands-on learning, composting, and planting. On April 22, the Green Team, an initiative led by Sarah Motta-Stabile and Ella Lanzi, planted a pollinator pathway in the school’s garden.  Students got their hands dirty sowing native, pollinator-friendly wildflower seeds and planting blueberry bushes...

Life + Culture

Trailblazing Teenagers

Meet Four Ridgefield Students Making a Difference—In Our Community and Beyond Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Kate Wark Photography Ridgefield is a special place. Ask any resident why, and they’ll likely lead with the magic of Main Street—Deborah Ann’s, Books on the Common, the Memorial Day Parade. Ridgefield’s vibrant arts scene—The Aldrich, Ridgefield Playhouse, A.C.T of CT—would surely follow in a close second. And rounding out the top three? Ridgefield’s incredible sense of...

Life + Culture

Ridgefield Commemorates America at 250

A Pledge Signed in Blood and Fire Article by Geoffrey Morris It was a hot July day in Philadelphia nearly 250 years ago when 56 men stepped forward and did something unthinkable. With ink and conviction, they signed a parchment that would become one of the most revered documents in history—the Declaration of Independence. But in 1776, it was not a sacred relic. It was a death warrant. These men, founders of a new nation that had yet to win a single battle, pledged their “lives, fortunes, and...

Local Services

KAZ Outdoors

The Zulkeski Brothers Are Reeling in Ridgefield’s Next Generation of Anglers Article by Katie Parry | Photography by Jennifer Zarine Photography The Zulkeski brothers have always loved fishing. We joined Kris and Kory one sunny morning at Mamanesco Lake. When Kris received a phone call, his fishing reel ringtone (which was impressively realistic, we must admit) perfectly underscored just how next-level their passion for the sport runs. As kids growing up in Norwalk, the brothers learned to...