last minute gift guide hersam acorn newspapers 2010 north/south edition
TRANSCRIPT
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8/8/2019 Last Minute Gift Guide Hersam Acorn Newspapers 2010 North/South Edition
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December 16, 2010
GiftLAST MINUTEGuideHERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS
Special Section to: Greenwich Post I The Darien Times I New Canaan Advertiser I The Ridgefield Press I The Wilton Bulletin I The Redding Pilot I The Weston Forum I The Lewisboro Ledger
Festival of LighthousesMany Beacons To Light The Way
A Tour of the TownsFor Items Most Merry
Creative RenovationOf Treasures Now Tarnished
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Finding presents for loved ones can be a joy!
However, it can also be a chore, especially
when you are extremely busy. If youve left
gift-buying till the last minute and dont
know where to turn, take a look at the sug-
gestions for last- minute gifts listed below.
You may hit on the perfect solution for your
difficult- to-please mother-in-law, petulant
teenager or best friend who has everything!Gift wrapping is available and free in the
majority of the stores listed.
Nicholas Roberts Fine Wine
1053 Boston Post Road
Darien, 203-656-9463
Gift packages of a bottle of wine in a cherry-
wood box, along with four wine accessories:
a corkscrew, a bottle stopper, a pourer and a
drip ring. The box and accessories, $30, the
wine is extra. A recommended red wine is
Tyrus Evans Syrah, $55; white wine, Colin
Morey Meursault, $54. Antique corkscrews
in decorative wood gift boxes, $30.
Erica K
1049 Boston Post Road
Darien, 203-655-8088
Candles in the seasonal scent of evergreen,
$36. Kai perfume, $80, or Oil by Kai, $45,
is a big seller. Kai is in the gardenia scent.
The oil is more concentrated than the per-
fume and is rolled on pulse points.
Just Books
28 Arcadia Road
Old Greenwich, 203-637-0707
Staff members are knowledgeable in all
genres. Dads may enjoy the new biog-
raphy of Mark Twain or George Bushs
memoirs. Paperbacks popular with teen-
agers include The Lost City of Z for boys
and Halo for girls. Moms might like the
new cookbook by the Barefoot Contessa,
How Easy is That, which is very popular.
Hardback books, $30 to $40, paperbacks,
$10 to $20. Note cards with pictures of Old
Greenwich and Greenwich, $8 to $12.
Charles Department Store
113 Katonah Avenue
Katonah, 914-232-5200
Yaktrax, which fits over boots and shoes, is
great for walking on ice, and is very popu-
lar with hikers, $19.99; a $29.99 version
has a Velcro strap. Many people barbecue
all year, and the trend is to use charcoal
grills, which are on the upswing becauseof flavoring. Charcoal can be hard to start,
and a Looft Lighter puts flame on the char-
coal in seconds, $79.99. Mason Pearson
hairbrushes from England, with nylon and
natural bristles, $80.
The Whitney Shop
100 Elm Street
New Canaan, 203-966-4566
A wide assortment of Christmas decora-
tions, $7.50 to $180. A huge gingerbread
house, $180; Byers Carolers $45 to $80.
Christmas ties, $35. Fragrant soaps and
cosmetics bags, $10 to $44. A lovely host-
ess bowl from Simon Pearce, $60. Frasier
Fir candles, pine scent, $12 to $30.
New Canaan Toy Store
94 Park Street
New Canaan, 203-966-2424
Big sellers for girls this year are Mogo
bracelets, which are worn by Taylor Swift
and Miley Cyrus, $25. Lego themes, espe-cially Harry Potter, are good choices for kids,
$15 to $75. Lincoln Logs, $25 to $50, and
Thomas the Tank Engine, $10 to $50, are
always popular, as are Pogo sticks, $40. Both
boys and girls would enjoy the Dwarf Frog
Eco-Aquarium, $30. Frogs live in an internal
eco-system; its the lowest maintenance pet!
Squishies are good stocking stuffers at $.50,
as are Lego mini figures, $3.
Blackbird Yoga
28 Main Street
West Redding, 203-587-1221
Every age group and gender is trying yoga
A tour of the townsby Isabelle Ghaneh
Y.Z. Jewelry Mfg.
LEFT OFF EXIT 5 OFF I-95GREENWICH MUSIC
1200 EAST PUTNAM AVE.
RIVERSIDE, CT 06878 - TEL: 203-637-1119
WWW.GREENWICHMUSIC.COM
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December 16, 2010 Last Minute Gift Guide Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3
Mary Mayland knows retail. She began
her career as a buyer for Bergdorf
Goodman, eventually progressing to
the point where she owned four retail
stores, specializing in clothing for busi-
ness women.
After I had my fourth baby, I decided to
be a stay-at-home mom. I couldnt face
missing another school recital or con-
cert. I wanted to be more involved in my
childrens lives. I sold my stores and got
involved in school projects, Mary said.
Mary spent 10 years as a full-time mom.
She lived in Manhattan during the week
and in North Salem on weekends, stay-
ing at her horse farm. She then ran an
animal hospital in Cross River for the
next 12 years. Then she decided to sell
the farm.
I had many beautiful pieces, and when
I sold the farm, I had to get rid of a lot
of furniture. I sold my items through big
auction houses in Manhattan. At that
point, I had the idea of opening my own
home-goods store. The idea stuck in the
back of my brain until I was able to open
my shop, Mary said.
She hit on the name Baxter & Company
because Baxter was the name of her
farm in North Salem, and is also the last
name of her first boss in retail, Virginia
Baxter.
I had just graduated from Marymount
when I got the job. Virginia was a tough
boss. However, I learned a lot from her.
She was a terrific teacher, albeit a hard
taskmaster. I was scared for the first sevenyears I worked with her, Mary said.
She opened Baxter & Company in June
2010. I had lived in the Katonah area
for over 20 years as a weekender, and
knew Tim, the owner of Katonah Art and
Frame. He said there was space available
in the front of his store and I took it,
Mary said.
Baxter & Company offers lots of antique
and vintage items for the home or office.
Creativerenovation
Of treasures now tarnished
by Isabelle Ghaneh
these days. A beginners pass for $30
is good for seven days of consecutive
classes. A class card goes for $95 for five
classes and $180 for 10 classes, expira-
tion is one year after purchase. Class
cards and gift certificates may be bought
at the studio or on-line at blackbirdyoga.
com. Also offered are massages, $95 to
$125; Tai Body Work, a cross between
massage and yoga, $125; and Reiki, $75.
All sessions are 60 minutes.
Wilton Jewelers
300 Danbury Road #303
Wilton, 203-210-7026
Pandora charm bracelets are top sellers at
Wilton Jewelers. Sterling silver bracelets,
$55, charms start at $25. Gold Pandora
bracelets $1,500. Pandora colored-leath-
er bracelets come in black, brown, red,
white and pink, $30. Small earrings for
children and teenagers start at $50, gold
pendants at $500, pearl necklaces at
$250, diamond necklaces at $500.
Wilton Sport Shop
426 Danbury Road
Wilton, 203-762-8631Wilton Sport Shop will print on demand
any Wilton, Weston or Redding sports
logo on T-shirts, sweatpants or sweat-
shirts, and personalize the clothing with a
name, while the customer waits. T-shirts,
$20, sweatpants and sweatshirts, $25 to
$30. Footballs, basketballs and soccer
balls, all in boxes, $15 to $30. Bring one
home and stick a big red bow on top!
Langs Pharmacy of Weston
190 Weston Road
Weston, 203-226-7800
Langs offers a vast array of gift items
for the harried shopper. A wide vari-
ety of scarves, including lace mohair
scarves and scarves that can be used as
shawls, are available, $28 to $36. Vanity
trays decorated with decoupage prints
of flowers, $28. Swedish soap, $16.
Cookies in a Santa-decorated gift tin,
$20. Christmas ornaments, snowman
mugs, ornaments of Weston churches,
and Weston-themed mugs, trivets and
paperweights, all of which are made
locally, $20.
Deborah Anns Sweet Shoppe
381 Main Street
Ridgefield, 203-438-0065
Sweet treats are always a popular last-
minute gift item, even for dieters. If you
cant have a piece of chocolate during
the holidays, when can you? Deborah
Ann offers assorted chocolates in fes-
tive decorated boxes, starting from four
pieces up to two pounds, $4.50 to
$48.95.
Parker East Dry Goods
420 Main Street
Ridgefield, 203-894-8433If a customer is unsure of the size of the
gift recipient, Parker East recommends
the Michael Stars selection of T-shirts,
dresses and cardigans, which come in
one size fits all, $39 to $138. Sweaters
are also good choices. Minnie Rose cash-
mere sweaters, $98 to $250, are very
popular, as are multi-colored handknit
scarves, $50 to $80. Hats by La Scala,
including faux sheepskin, $22 to $68,
are big sellers. Featured items are gloves,
including leather gloves that go over the
elbow, $20 to $200.
Treasures continued on page 6
fair trade gifts from around the world
2009 The Hershey Company.
plume device are used under license, World Trade Jewelers, licensee. Made in China.
Available in Sterling Silver or in Gold and Diamonds.
www.HersheysKissJewelry.com
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That knife you use to slice a tomato or
mince garlic may not seem very exciting,
but after a visit to the Wsthof Cutlery
store on Wilson Avenue in Norwalk,
the subject of knives, as described by
store manager Andrea Arnold, becomes
dramatic.
Andrea is Swiss and ran a restaurant
near Zurich for many years. It was
called Arvini, and we served seasonal
pastas. I used to work with Wsthof
knives, and now I sell them. Its much
better than the restaurant business.
Americans eat dinner early, but in
Switzerland, dinner is at 9 or 10 p.m.,
so the restaurant didnt close till one in
the morning.
Wsthof Cutlery has been a family busi-
ness for seven generations. Located in
Solingen, Germany, the business started
in 1814, and now is one of the largest
in the world. Andrea made a point of
A cut aboveHoliday meals with Wsthof knives
by Lois Alcosser
Andrea Arnold demonstates the proper way to use a honing steel. A cut above continued on page 8
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December 16, 2010 Last Minute Gift Guide Hersam Acorn Newspapers 5
Six months of toil, and wouldnt ya knowit, the 100-pound, plywood, three-quarter-
inch-scale model of Connecticuts New
London Ledge Lighthouse wont squeeze
into the car.
The roof had to be removed. The house
had to be lifted off the body. I had to take
the back seat out of my car and slide it (the
base) in sideways, recalls frequent contes-
tant Ed Skerrett of his 2008 entry, which
won third prize in the annual Festival of
Lighthouses contest at Norwalks Maritime
Aquarium. His girlfriend, Jackie Hochard,
a Missouri resident, who won fourth prize
for her Lego Lighthouse that same year,
waited at the aquarium with part of Edslighthouse, while he returned to his Darien
home for the rest of the pieces.
Visitors may appreciate and vote for their
favorite beacon from a field of 24
displayed throughout the galleries of
the aquarium during the ninth annual
Festival of Lighthouses, which runs through
January 17, 2011.
Even though the monetary prizes $1,000
grand prize, $500 second prize, $250
third, $200 fourth, $150 fifth and $100
sixth (all entrants win one family mem-bership to the aquarium) may not ante
up to the commitment involved, enthu-
siasm trumps any complaint. According
to marketing director Dave Sigworth, one
quarter of the entries, limited to a first-
come basis, derives from repeat contes-
tants.
Dave describes the designers as mostly
lighthouse buffs who are not professional
artists or craftsmen, but just have this
desire to try and create something that
they love and appreciate. In the past,
individuals, teams and school groups, such
as Giant Steps School in Southport and
the Ursuline School in New Rochelle, haveentered.
In order to encourage creativity, contest
rules are minimal: three-dimensional light-
houses must measure three to six feet
and contain a working light. Artisans, who
must be 14 years or older, may work with
any material, apart from animal remains,
including shells. Theres always a few
that are very out there, using interesting
materials or designs, and then there are
some that are perfect scale models of real
lighthouses, Dave says.
New Canaan resident Norman Jensen,who entered the contest for the first time
last year, ordered 3,000 toothpicks online
for his entry this year. To the retirees
advantage is his hobby of creating three-
dimensional diorama boxes, a procedure
similar to constructing lighthouses. Hes
started the project by gluing the toothpicks
to sheets of balsa wood, and plans to paint
the lighthouse in the same red, white and
blue colors he used last year. Im using a
ton of glue, he says.
This year, Ed Skerrett is designing a twin
lighthouse, constructed almost entirely of
plastic flowerpots and vases of different
sizes and shapes. The four-time winner isrefashioning a pair of old, outdoor metal
lamps as the beacon. His lighthouses usu-
ally take him about three months to con-
struct. With the contest in mind, he spends
the year amassing miscellaneous objects.
Almost everything I use is recycled, Ed
says, explaining that a rare mix of dupli-
cate items inspired him to design a twin
lighthouse.
Last year, Greenwich residents Jennie
and Rob Miklautsch (he has an engineer-
ing degree complemented by construc-
tion experience) entered the contest forthe first time. He designed a candy-cane
lighthouse, modeled after North Carolinas
Cape Hatteras. The couple, using coat
hangers for the candy canes, completed
the project in approximately 30 hours.
Maritime Aquariums Festival of Lighthouses
Many beacons to light the wayby Stacy Lytwyn Maxwell
Not only was this some project to build, it also had tobe dismantled to fit in Ed Skerretts car.
Lighthouses continued on page 6
Resale Couture
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It was a great, fun thing for
the kids to see come together
... you never know when you
start what its going to look like
at the end, Rob explains. This
year, Rob says he doesnt want
to spoil the surprise, but reveals
that the entry will be a North
Pole lighthouse, which he calls
a fantasy lighthouse, created
of wood, plastic, fiberglass and
cardboard. So far, Rob says, the
work-in-progress has proved to
be more labor-intensive than last
years creation.
The New England holiday tradi-
tion of decorating lighthouses
initially inspired the contest.
Today, with 9,000 to 12,000
spectators, the staff ropes off
each lighthouse to deter curious
hands, though minimal damage
has occurred. Although Dave
says that viewers, overall, have
been diligent about the no-touch
rule, he asks, Parents, please
watch your kids.
When planning a trip to the
aquarium this season, be on the
lookout for an admission ticket
with an accompanying lighthouse
trail map and judge for yourself
(remembering all the effort that
goes into creating these nautical
pieces of art). Upon exit, peruse
the photo montage of all the light-
houses and cast your ballot. A
closing reception announces the
winners. At the awards, you are
so relieved that the model made
it until the end Im happy, its
good, Ed says, recalling these
memorable experiences.
For more details: maritimeaquari-
um.org or 203-852-0700.
Lighthousescontinued from page 5
We put our own touch on the pieces. We take it
and make it look different. We add magic, Mary
said. She has a workshop in the basement of the
store where she and her partner, Claudia, who
majored in fine arts, do all the work themselves.
Mary is always working on pieces. Currently she
is refurbishing a wall sconce, which has two arms
and a fancy design. She will rewire the sconce
and then pick a finish.
I may use silver or gold leaf, or use a terracotta
color, or paint it black. Im also working on a
frame that Im covering in silver leaf, she said.
Mary will work with customers to update their
personal pieces. She provides ideas so tired items
can be revitalized with a new look. She has a very
discerning eye for art, design and color. Many
good pieces just need love, attention and some
work, she said. Rather than dispose of a good
piece, bring it to me and I will work with it. Many
pieces can be rescued, reused and recycled.
Often she finds her items at estate sales, through-
out the tri-state area. One of her finds is a lovely
end table with good bones. Its a heavy-duty
wood, probably maple, with fluted legs. I love to
work with good, old pieces, she said. There are
a variety of items to choose from in her store,
including lamps, tables, paintings, candlesticks
and figurines.
One of Marys interesting ideas was to use pic-
tures of dogs from tobacco stamps, circa the
1940s. She put the photos in beautiful frames.
She also hit on the notion of using rice boxes as
decorative holders.
I bought an orchid that came in a Chinese rice-
scoop box. I researched the rice boxes and dis-
covered they are from the early 1900s. I bought
a container of hundreds. They are all stitched in
the corner and have a variety of uses. I did one
for a baby that I painted pink and filled with gift
items small soaps, baby oil and lotion. You can
use the rice boxes for television remotes or paint-
brushes. They are a great gift for teachers, since
you can fill them with pens, pencils and erasers.
They are wonderful for flowers; I used poinsettias
last Christmas, she said.
Treasurescontinued from page 3
Fantasy Isle
NaughtyNice?
orLarge
st
Selectionof
AdultToysin
Faireld
County!
D I S C O U N TB E D D I N G & F U R N I T U R E
HOLIDAY SALE !!
5 pcDINETTESPECIAL$269
Extra LargeBEAN BAGS
$69-$99
SLEEPER SOFAS& FUTONS
$199-$599
MATTRESS
SETS$179
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twin
full
queen
king
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December 16, 2010 Last Minute Gift Guide Hersam Acorn Newspapers 7
Mary has two versions of the rice boxes.
One has a leaf side, either inside or outside
of the box, and one primitive side, which
sells for $95. The painted rice boxes go
for $55.
She has a demonstration on leafing put-
ting gold or silver leaf on a surface on
youtube.com. Type in Baxter Gold Leaf on
youtube.com, and up I come, Mary said.
She is also going to demonstrate how to
use gold leaf on Christmas cookies on
News 12 in Westchester County. The
cookies are edible, since I use 23-carat
gold, which you can eat, Mary said. On
Dec. 3, she is holding a cocktail party to
introduce herself and her wares to the
public.
Baxter & Company is at 188 Katonah Street,
Katonah, N.Y.; 914-232-1200. Hours: Tues.
to Sat. 10 to 5 p.m.
There is nothing more special than the Gift of Giving
Merry Everythingand
Happiness Always!
The Possibilities are Endless!
29 Katonah Ave Katonah, NY 914-232-2322 Open Every Day Thurs til 7pm
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8 Last Minute Gift Guide Hersam Acorn Newspapers December 16, 2010
describing the Wsthof factory immacu-
lately efficient, environmentally friendly.
The water goes out cleaner than it came
in, she says. Our workers are treated well,
respected like members of the family.
Wsthof makes two kinds of knives
stamped and forged. Stamped knives
are made from a large piece of metal and
require seven steps. Forged knives are
finished by hand and require 40 steps.
Wsthof has more than 350 different
styles, sizes and shapes of forged knives.
The most popular knife is a cooks knife,
which has a wide blade. It comes in
numerous blade sizes, from four to 14. It
can do just about everything cutting, slic-
ing, dicing, mincing.
There are boxed sets that make wonder-
ful gifts; a starter set contains eight to
23 pieces. The knife connoisseur will
want specialty knives, such as a paring
knife or a serrated bread knife. There is
a serrated tomato knife, which will slice
a very ripe tomato without losing any
juice. At the tip is a prong to pick up the
slices.
The choice, use and caring of knives
becomes a culinary art, and Andrea knows
from experience that a good knife the
right knife makes you a better cook. A
good knife can make someone want to
start cooking again, she says. Take a par-
ing knife, for instance. There are different
sizes, different handles. Its essential for
small jobs, like removing the eyes from a
potato. There is a paring knife with a hol-
low ground blade for cutting sticky fruits.
The knife is made to create an air pocket
between the blade and the fruit so it will
cut easily, without stickiness.
A cut abovecontinued from page 4
CAPPY & SON and DAUGHTER INC.
Banksville
We Have An Extensive Selection of :Single Malt Scotch Blend Scotch Vodka Tequila
Bourbon Cognac Gin Rum
Gift
Guide
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December 16, 2010 Last Minute Gift Guide Hersam Acorn Newspapers 9
Knives become very personal, favorite pos-
sessions. When I go anywhere to cook,
I take my own knives with me, says
Andrea.
The care of knives is also a culinary art.
Honing and sharpening are two different
things. A honing steel will straighten the
edge of the blade, which can sometimes
curve (almost invisibly) with use. It should
be held perpendicular on a flat surface. The
blade should touch the honing steel at a
20-degree angle.
Good knives should never be put in the
dishwasher. Its like the Atlantic Ocean
hitting it over and over again, dulling the
blade, Andrea explains. Knives should be
sharpened once a year; Wsthof sells easy-
to-use sharpeners, or will do the sharpen-
ing for $2 a knife. Andrea emphasizes that
cooking with a dull knife is more dangerous
than a sharp knife.
At first glance, Wsthof knives may seem
expensive. I dont like the word expen-
sive, says Andrea. When you think that
you can get 20 to 30 years of wear from a
good knife, thats about one cent a slice!
At the Wsthof store, knives are especially
affordable, because they may have a tiny
scratch or something very minor that keeps
them from being sold in regular stores.
Often, no matter how hard I look, I cant
find anything wrong, Andrea observes.
Ideally, the person whos going to use the
knife should select it. When a husband
comes in to buy a knife for his wife, I sug-
gest that he bring her in. A mans hand
is larger than a womans, so how can he
choose the right size and handle shape?
Wsthof has a fabulous Web site which
describes every single knife they make.
And, if you want a cutting-edge conver-
sation with Andrea, shes at the store
Monday to Friday from 10 to 4, Thursday
till 6.
Wsthof Trident Cutlery is at 355 Wilson
Avenue, Norwalk, 203-852-8000.
FromThe
Affordable
ClosetExperts
EST. 1989
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