Ridgefield's Talk of Our Town

Tomorrow is the Last Day to Take in the Bike Exhibit at the Aldrich

What a great way to spend a cold and snowy afternoon.  My family and I enjoyed a few cultural hours at The Aldrich Museum today.  Having  just traipsed into the city to visit The Museum of Natural History, it was nice to take in some fascinating, cultural exhibits without the hustle and bustle of bridges, tunnels and taxi’s.  It is a superb museum and a great teaching tool for our children.

Tomorrow is the last day for the museum’s bike exhibit.  If you haven’t done so already, stop by tomorrow to check it out.  Bike Rides explores the history of one of the oldest and healthiest forms …

Minimize The Hangover Blues

By Wellness Expert Dave Tyler

As a health counselor, it’s hard for me to endorse drinking… as a real person, I see it happening all around me.  New Year’s gatherings tend to be such occasions where folks tip the bottle back more often then not.  I really need to preface this post with  please Don’t Drink And Drive (don’t drive buzzed, don’t drive at all.. it’s not worth it).

O.K. You’re not driving… so you are drinking.. How do you prevent that crazy hangover?  Here’s some quick tips to help minimize the hangover blues:

Eat Food
It sounds simplistic… but how often have you known someone who gets sick because they drink too much …

Add Some Cheer to Your New Year from Wine Expert Monica Brown

New Years is a great time of the year; wonderful friends getting together with a great excuse to open a bottle of bubbly (or wine for those who prefer non sparkling).

My personal recommendations for bringing in the New Year are the 2006 Tahbilk Marsanne, a white wine from Australia which origins come from the Rhone region of France. It offers up notes of honeysuckle, lemon, melon and is medium bodied. This wine will work great with seafood or, on a night like tonight, maybe pick up some curry from Thali on Route 7.
$13 Cellar XV bottle price
$11.70 Cellar XV case …

The New Year Brings Wine Suggestions to Talk of Our Town

Ridgefield’s Talk of Our Town is starting the New Year off right.  Monica Brown of Cellar XV will grace us with her knowledge of fine vintages.  Don’t know a nice Cabernet to pair with your penne a la vodka or a Chardonnay to sip while nibbling on smoked salmon? Monica will make some wine suggestions that will make 2010 your best year yet!

Cheers!

Is Main Street’s Cafe Svago Closing?

I just had a nice chat with owner, Trish Arata, who is doing everything in her power to remain in business, but, it’s not that easy. Rent is high and her sales were down 50% this past year. Someone is already looking to rent her space.

Trish has been a dedicated shop owner in town for several years. Her creativity lights up a room, literally.  Her unique hand-painted furniture store and boutique, Enchanted Design Studio, was whimsical and fun and stood on Catoonah Street for two years before it moved to Bailey Ave where it remained for five years. She opened Café Svago four …

New Year’s Eve 2009 Happens Once in a Blue Moon

It happens once in a blue moon.
Have you ever wondered where this saying came from or what it actually means?

It hasn’t happened in nearly 20 years and it will not happen again until 2028: a blue moon will light up the night sky on New Year’s Eve.  The term “blue moon” does NOT mean that the moon shines the color blue, it refers to the second full moon in one month.

So, when you’re clicking your champagne glasses at the strike of midnight, take a peek out a nearby window ~ glance up at the celestial beauty and wish upon a star.  …

Decorating with Books from Talk of Our Town Design Expert: Olga Adler

Did your home library get larger this holiday season? Whether or not you have a room dedicated as library you can use your paperbacks, hardbacks and coffee table books to make your house more beautiful. So, how to use books in decorating?

Coffee table books are not only for coffee tables anymore and they can help you create beautiful vignettes on any surface in any room of your house. Think dining room sideboard, sun room etagere or open shelving in the kitchen. Pay attention to cover colors and pick the ones that will complement the room’s …

CARVING OUT TIME

Carving out time to be together… it is the not only the mountain that beckons them but that which the mountain represents: solitude; a weekend sojourn to a confined domain which keeps them coming back for more.  Unstructured time to talk, laugh, play and share meals is not easy to come by in a society of cell phones, email and text messages.  It seems that we can’t hide.  These folks have found a way…skiing.
The Snopkowski Family
Mount Snow, Vt.

“We do more talking in the winter than in any other seasons,” boasts Cathy Snopkowski. With five young, active children ranging in age from 8-14 family time is sacred.  During most …

A Little Bit of Ridgefield History

The Town’s Train Wreck

On April 17, 1905, the engine and tender of the 8:20 a.m. train from Ridgefield to Branchville became disconnected.  The tender was rammed twice by the engine, jumped the tracks, and turned over along the bank.  The engineer, William Horn, died at the scene of the accident.  The train wreck occurred at the 1.0 mile marker of the popular walking trail called “The Rail Trail” which was developed in 1990 and runs about 2.3 miles from the end of Prospect Street to Florida Road.

Ridgefield Welcomes New Shops and Some Familiar Ones to New Locations

So much is happening in town, it’s hard to keep track of.  Here are some of the changes Ridgefield has seen in recent weeks (and some changes soon to come).
Interior and Designs by Ursula has joined The Bissell House at 378 Main Street.  Wilton resident and professional designer, Ursula Hannon has opened a fabulous design studio that she describes as “a mixture of tomorrow, today and a little of the past”.  Her comfortable shop (with butler’s pantry for customer use) beckons you to sit on the plush furniture, while sipping coffee and browsing through design books.

Butterflies and Zebras will make every teen dance.   Just …