Health + Wellness

Grieving Through It

Britta Mulderrig is the founder of Jasper, a platform that helps people process grief. Article by Ariella Steinhorn | Photography by Stephanie Lynn Studios Tell us about the idea to create Jasper? To know me over the last 15 years was to know my dog Jasper. Jasper was my baby.  Jasper passed away a year-and-a-half ago. During that time, two of my best friends lost parents. We started to have these profound conversations about loss and purpose, and also about “disenfranchised” grief...

Home + Design

Play Smart

Westport-based toy brand Domino & Juliette is setting kids up for a bright future. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy Westport has a strong educational toy legacy. Back in 1988, Westporters Melissa and Doug Bernstein founded Melissa & Doug, a toy brand known for encouraging imaginative, open-ended play. Now, 37 years later, Westporter Cali Carleton is building another educational toy brand here: Domino & Juliette. Her inspiration came from a place familiar to many parents: not being able to find the...

Life + Culture

Westport’s Next Gen

Meet five of our community’s young people who prove the best is yet to come. Article and Photography by Addison Moore , 20 Community activist and founder of Up Next  Addison moved to Westport in 2017, and started giving back almost as soon as he arrived. It was nothing new for the rising junior at Lafayette College— he has been fundraising since age seven, when he ran an apple-cider-and-donut stand to raise money for food insecurity in his native Manhattan. “I joined any organization I...

Style + Beauty

Get Your Kicks

A new sneaker-painting studio in Norwalk is reinventing custom footwear. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy | Photography by Courtesy Kicksmith Studio A few years ago, Norwalk resident Matthew Smith was planning a holiday party for his team at work when he stumbled upon the idea of a sneaker painting night in New York City. It sounded fun, but when he took his colleagues, he started thinking of ways it could be even better . “I was sitting there thinking if I were to do this, I’d have a bar, and...

Life + Culture

Welcome to the Club

You may not know it, but the Westport Woman's Club is quite the force. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy | Photography by Bevy Rutledge and Dariusz Terepka You’d be forgiven if, before you picked up this magazine, you didn’t know how much the Westport Woman’s Club does here in town. Many residents don’t realize that they’re the force behind the family-favorite Yankee Doodle Fair, their biggest fundraiser of the year and a cherished summer tradition that dates back to their founding in 1907. Or that...

Life + Culture

Westport Is The Pet-Port

Westport Lifestyle's partners share their beloved furry friends. Article and Photography by Jazzie, age 14  "At Cadoux, our office dog holds the prestigious title of  Chief Barkitect . Far more than just a friendly face at the door, she’s the four-legged force behind team morale and quality control. Her daily rounds include rigorous desk inspections, strategic nap placement, and surprise audits of lunch crumbs. In times of high stress, she deploys advanced tail-wag technology and tactical...

Food + Beverage

Freshly Picked

Elevate your summer entertaining with what’s in your herb garden. Article by Robin Selden | Photography by Michael Kleinberg Photography There’s something undeniably magical about summer herbs, those leafy green bundles of flavor that can take a dish from good to unforgettable. Whether it’s a handful of freshly picked mint tossed into a salad, a sprig of rosemary in a cocktail, or a little potted herb plant to brighten up your table, herbs are the unsung heroes of the season. And it’s time we...

Life + Culture

Westport Is The Bestport

Summer favorites from the local lifestyle brand that celebrates and gives back to the town. Article by Ariel Dunne Like many Westporters, founder and designer, Ariel Dunne moved to Westport from N.Y.C. and immediately fell in love with the town, beach side vibes, and the pride and participation the people of Westport have in their local community. Here, Ariel shares some of her favorite things about this special place we call home. Old Mill Beach:  My family often likes to escape the...

Style + Beauty

Soak Up The Sun

MDSolarSciences CEO Renee Plato is a true sun safety advocate. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy | Photography by Tomira Wilcox Before joining MDSolarSciences as their CEO, Westporter Renee Plato had an impressive career in media, working for brands like Univision, Nielsen, and the Walt Disney Company. “I worked across digital platforms, developing strategies, building partnerships, and scaling audiences. But what fascinated me was watching how beauty and skincare brands were really leading the...

Entertainment

SATC at WCP

Candace Bushnell, creator of 'Sex and the City,' brings her one-woman show to Westport. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy On July 9th, Candace Bushnell will bring her one-woman onstage memoir, True Tales of Sex, Success and Sex and the City , to the Westport Country Playhouse. Candace is, of course, the creator of Sex and the City , the column-turned-book that became the iconic TV series.  Westport Lifestyle chatted with Candace—a Connecticut native!— about what audiences can expect from this...