Travel

Mind the Gap

Tea, towers and Hyde Park on a trip to London. Article by Marisa MacLean London is one of those cities that somehow works for everyone. There’s history, shopping, incredible food, theater, and just enough chaos to make it exciting for kids and adults alike. But where you stay really shapes the experience, especially when traveling as a family. For us, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London ended up being so much more than just a beautiful hotel. It became a huge part of the trip itself. The...

Sports + Recreation

Earthplace for Everybody

Known for a stellar array of family programming, Westport’s beloved nature center offers plenty of adventure for grownups as well. Article by Yael L. Maxwell | Photography by Courtesy Earthplace Tucked away in the quiet northeast corner of Westport is one of the town’s gems. Part 62-acre nature preserve, part school, part wild animal care center, part research station, and still so much more, Earthplace is treasured for its conservation efforts, educational initiatives, and animal encounters. ...

Style + Beauty

Swimming With Sharks

Connecticut-based swimwear entrepreneur Hayley Cannon is reinventing how women think about bathing suits.        Article by Sara Gaynes Levy | Photography by Ioana Alexandrescu & Emily Denny Photo New London native Hayley Cannon (Segar) has an origin story that will be familiar to many women: seven years ago, she was shopping for swimsuits for a trip to Miami and couldn’t find a single one she liked. Nothing fit as well as her beloved no-show underwear, with its bonded seams and lay-flat...

Food + Beverage

Compo’s Big Upgrade

The changes that the Nikki Glekas Collective has made to Compo Beach and Longshore are just what Westport needed. Photography by Manolis Klimis Just before the start of beach season, Westporters got word that the Nikki Glekas Collective—the hospitalty group founded by Westporter Nikki Glekas that operates the three food service locations at Chelsea Piers in Stamford, the Beach Grill at Weed Beach, event spaces like Bank Street Events, The Loft at Chelsea Piers, and Stone Hill, plus much...

Life + Culture

Celebrating America at 250

How Westport is bringing history to life this summer. Article by Elizabeth Ginns Britten Two hundred and fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Westport is marking America’s birthday by doing what it does best: bringing together the community through history, music, art, and beloved summer traditions.  While the nationwide America250 initiative includes everything from oral history projects to student contests and community celebrations, Westport’s observance is...

Travel

Editor's Pick: Yale Peabody Museum

Article by Sara Gaynes Levy | Photography by Courtesy Yale Peabody Museum When planning this feature for our annual “Explore” issue, I thought back to the last time I had encountered a sense of exploration, that feeling when you know you’ve uncovered a hidden gem. The first place I thought of wasn’t anywhere in Westport, but it wasn’t some far-flung locale, either: it was the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven. A few months ago, a friend suggested a day trip there with our families, and I was...

Home + Design

Shop Smart

Top travel advisors give their best advice for finding souvenirs you’ll actually love. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy For even the most seasoned travelers, a highlight of every trip is finding a perfect piece of the destination to bring home: something that will spark happy memories long after the vacation ends. “Even before I was in the travel industry, I’ve always loved buying things on my trips, because I’ve always loved having a piece of my travels with me,” says Carly Ritter (...

Beauty

Pretty Necessary

Summer's hot, but you'll be hotter with these road-tested and expert-approved beauty hacks. Article by Carly Cardellino and Lauren Cosenza Colorescience Sunforgettable Brush-On Sunscreen SPF 50 Need to reapply your sunscreen, but already have makeup on? Dust this powder over your existing look for sun protection that won't disrupt your glam. This one comes in four shades, plus translucent. $69, colorscience.com Barefaced Polishing Pads Want smooth, shiny, perfectly-even Barbie...

Food + Beverage

The Seed Oil-Free Revolution

Local restaurants are ditching seed oils for a healthier alternative.  Article by Sara Gaynes Levy There’s nothing outwardly obvious about what local eateries Hey Taco, Lyfe Café, Press Burger, and Kneads all have in common. And indeed, it’s not the cuisine they serve that binds these restaurants together: it’s the oil they use to cook their food. These spots are all early adopters of Zero Acre Farms’ Organic Fera fruit oil, a new, seed oil-free, high-heat-performance cooking oil brought to...

Style + Beauty

Hayley's Summer in CT Picks

The onewith swim founder shares her favorites from the line for a Connecticut summer. Article and Photography by "To me, Westport style is refined and timeless with a coastal infusion, which is so onewith," says Hayley. "Our designs are always minimalist and clean."  Here are her picks:  Idlewild High-Neck One Piece ($98.95, onewithswim.com):  " What I love most about Idlewild is that it combines the security and coverage of a high neck with the effortless sportiness and polish that comes...