Life + Culture

Summer's Last Hurrah

Five easy escapes to savor the final days of the season. Article by Elizabeth Ginns Britten Years ago, someone—pretty sure it was my brother—said to me, “August is like one long Sunday night.” Every year around this time, I find myself thinking about that phrase. The sun starts setting earlier. The first day of school appears on the calendar. Fall sports practices and carpools creep into the schedule. As Labor Day draws near, the carefree feeling of summer begins to slip away. As the mother...

Life + Culture

Dogs With Jobs

Meet local pups who are more than just pets. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy Ella, aka @elladaberner Age: 5 Breed: Bernese Mountain Dog Job: Therapy Dog Ella’s owner Sarah Greve had always wanted a dog as a child, but her siblings had severe allergies to pet dander. So when she met her now-husband, who had grown up with Bernese Mountain Dogs, they quickly decided the breed would be their first shared pet. They got Ella five years ago, though Sarah didn’t have plans to pursue the...

Life + Culture

Animals & Asanas

For yoga classes with kittens, bunnies, and puppies, look no further than Breathe2Flow. Article and Photography by Animal lovers know what a relaxing effect a furry friend can have. It’s exactly why Lindsay Riley created Breathe2Flow last year, a Connecticut-based pop-up yoga series that features animal companions. “After COVID, when I started teaching [in-person] again, I just thought I want animals, ” Lindsay, who has been teaching since 2019, tells Westport Lifestyle . She partnered with...

Life + Culture

Inside Jay Manuel’s Connecticut Haven

The TV personality opens up to Westport Lifestyle about leaving Fairfield County after 15 wonderful years. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy “The idea, really, was to have a place for my whole family to get together,” Jay Manuel, the television personality, best known as the creative director on 18 seasons of America’s Next Top Model , tells Westport Lifestyle of his decision to purchase a home in Wilton nearly 15 years ago. “My sister lives on the West Coast, my parents lived in Toronto [his...

Life + Culture

Welcome to Dogport

Article and Photography by Last year, 17-year-old Staples student Emme Dorfman wrote a speech for a “local persuasion” unit in her rhetoric and persuasion class about an idea for a fenced-in dog run somewhere in Westport. “I have two dogs, Bode and Ozzie, and they love to run around and play, but it’s hard to let them off leash,” she tells Westport Lifestyle about the inspiration for her speech. Her teacher loved the idea, as did her parents. “We thought, why don’t we see what it would take...

Sports + Recreation

Editor's Pick: The Wonder

Article by Sara Gaynes Levy As the mom of three young kids (plus one elderly dog), the August Family, Kids + Pets issue is one of my favorites to work on. There are so many amazing kid-friendly places in Westport, and it feels like another opens every day. But for the past three years, my kids have counted the Westport location of membership-based indoor play/funland The Wonder as one of their most loved. When my oldest was 18 months old, we visited their original location in TriBeCa, and were...

Health + Wellness

Sports & Mental Health

Perspective from a leading doctor—and local coach—on supporting student-athletes. Article by Dr. Jennifer Wider In Westport and surrounding towns, participation in athletic programs at the high schools is way above the national average. Varsity athletes in the public and private schools are in constant pursuit of excellence, whether it’s earning a spot on the starting lineup, getting recruited to college as a scholar athlete, or obtaining local and state recognition. Yet underneath the...

Finance + Legal Services

The Westport Lifestyle Guide to Saving for College

Local financial planners help explain the process. Article and Photography by For many parents, the largest single expense they will have for their children is college. The cost is skyrocketing: for the 2026-2027 school year, in-state tuition plus expenses at the University of Connecticut is $36,758, while the total at nearby private school Yale is an eye-popping $94,100. Luckily, while costs seem out of control, saving for higher education doesn’t have to be complicated. Westport Lifestyle ...

Local Services

Portraits for Pets

Westporter Missy Greenberg makes cherished pets into works of art. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy | Photography by Artwork by Missy Greenberg “Anyone who knows me knows I love animals,” says Missy Greenberg, a Westport-based wife, mom of two boys, dog mom to a one-year-old pup named Penny, lifelong vegetarian, and the artist behind custom pet portrait studio, Painting Paws by Missy. “I could really paint anything: scenic work, or portraits. But I decided to launch a pet portrait business...

Life + Culture

Team Hope

Westporters involved with the International Esperanza Project are bringing much-needed care to Guatemala. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy Dr. Flora Levin, a Westport-based, board-certified oculofacial plastic surgeon, first heard about the International Esperanza Project (IEP) through her longtime friend Michelle Hollaender, the CEO and founder. The IEP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving homes, healthcare, and education in Latin America, specifically Guatemala. Four years ago...