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HOMEA Hersam Acorn Special Section

October 2010

Greenwich Post The Darien Times New Canaan Advertiser The Ridgefield Press The Wilton Bulletin The Weston Forum The Redding Pilot The Lewisboro Ledger

Designer Show House

Vertical Gardens& Living Walls

In Good Company Artisans Form Trade Guild

Award-WinningLandscape Architecture

Pleasing Design Is Multi-Faceted


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2 HOME , a Hersam Acorn special section, Ridgefield, Conn. October 2010

HOLIDAY MARKET The Young Womens League of New Canaan will hold their Holiday Market at Waveny House onWednesday evening, Nov. 17, from 6:30 to 9:30 and Thursday, Nov. 18, from 9 to 4. For more information,ywlnewcanaan.org/holidaymarket.

Box 1019, Ridgefield CT 06877203-438-6544

Copyright 2010, Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC

Jackie Perry, editor Jessica Perlinski, designer

Thomas B. Nash, publisher

For advertising information

call 203-438-6544O C TO B E R 2 0 1 0 VOL XIV, ISSUE 9

Special Section to:Greenwich Post, The Darien Times, New Canaan Advertiser,

The Ridgeeld Press, The Wilton Bulletin,The Redding Pilot, and The Weston Forum in Connecticut,

and The Lewisboro Ledger in New York

Cover photo by: Bryan Haeffele

HOME


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October 2010 HOME , a Hersam Acorn special section, Ridgefield, Conn. 3


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Watching Phil Longobardi, managerand butcher at Ridgefield Prime, slipoff the silver skin on a rich-looking cutof filet mignon is like viewing a masterpainter wielding a fine brush. The move-ments are quick but precise. He knowsexactly what needs to be removed toenhance the cut. Only years of experiencecan lead to such fine butchering, and, asthose who respect good food know, its allabout the quality and the cut.

In Copps Hill Plaza in Ridgefield,

Ridgefield Prime is a few steps from theother widely popular cluster of foodstores. It opened in 2008, though Phil isno stranger to Ridgefield and his custom-ers.

Ive been working in Ridgefield since1990 when Hay Day opened up, Philsaid. It was a meat concession at thattime, and Roy Cogswell offered me a

partnership. Roy owned the Early Bird.He was such a great guy to have as a part-ner. We had meat and seafood, and thenBalduccis came in and I stayed there onand off for a few years.

Phils father was a butcher in Queens,and, by the age of 10, Phil began to learnthe trade. When he was 21, he opened hisown market in Queens, then took a leftturn, going to the Culinary Institute inHyde Park. After graduating from there,and for the next eight years, it was on to

various restaurants, such as Maurice inthe Parker Meridian Hotel in New York,as well as country clubs in the area.

It was my family that brought meback to butchering. When youre a cook,the hours can be brutal on a family, hesaid.

Phil settled in this area, going backto what he knew, though he explained,

Attending the Culinary Institute andcooking for so many years enabled me toput a twist on my meat case. Now its alittle bit of what I learned at the Culinaryand a little bit of my own style and Ivecome up with a beautiful looking case.

Looking at the array of beef, poultryand fish, you can see its all about qual-ity, and, above all, fresh. All of our meatis American-raised beef, lamb, pork andpoultry, Phil said. We handle prime,

Butcher, baker & cookbook-makerby Priscilla Whitley

See Cookbook page 26


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Two New Canaan-based landscapearchitects were honored earlier this year bythe Connecticut chapter of the AmericanSociety of Landscape Architects for theirdesign/built works. In the municipal/publicspaces category, Wesley Stout AssociatesLLC was recognized for RestoringEnvironmental Balance at the Village atRivers Edge in Stamford, while RichardBergmann Architects was acknowledged

in the residential Landscape For Sculpturecategory.L. Wesley Stout, ALSA, AICP, who estab-

lished his firm in 1992, explained the roleof the landscape architect: We start withthe big picture site planning how to bestuse the space available for the purposesdesired, then work down to the details andexecution. If a structure is in place or to

be built, our area picks up once you stepoutside the door.

Wes added, A lot of our work is witharchitects and teams, structural engineers,construction firms, etc., depending on thesize of the project. Our design style is todetermine what the site is set up to do; wework with site conditions, listen to the cli-ent and provide creative solutions to theirinterests and aesthetic.

The Village at Rivers Edge was quite thetransformation. The before aerial photoshows an unattractive nine-acre site alongthe Noroton River and Springdale Brook, aswell as Metro-North train tracks a formerrock-crushing operation that was literallywalled off from the neighboring communitywith no public access. Proliferating invasiveplants and run-off, which produced an

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excessive build-up of sediment, contributedto the lands environmental degradation.

Today, the transit-oriented developmentof RMS Construction comprises 170 town-houses occupied by more than 300 peoplewho can walk to the train station or nearbybusinesses, shops and restaurants. Threemiles of waterfront have been restored, theerosion corrected and the invasives replacedby native species selected for their seasonalinterest, soil stabilization and enhancementof wildlife and water quality. The visualaccent is on the river and its tributary, withno mow grass areas along a perviousstone path, with benches to enjoy quietspots and access to recreational opportuni-ties and a public playground.

Regarding current residential trends, Wes said his firm is creating a number of outdoor living spaces, noting that what

began as patios or in-ground pools with aconcrete deck have grown to create differ-ent spaces for different functions.

Wes also likes where he sees the land-scape architecture profession going. Thereis a trend, with momentum, toward theconcept of sustainability, of going green,being able to reuse current or reduce use of resources, using recycled materials or local

and native materials, things that use lessfuel to make or transport, he said, as wellas growing interest in using LEED-accred-ited professionals.

Richard Bergmann, FAIA, ASLA, formal-ized his landscape architecture creden-tials relatively late in his long architecturalcareer. He established Richard Bergmann

Architects in New Canaan in 1967 after astint with the Mid-century Modernist EliotNoyes, one of the Harvard Five who putNew Canaan on the map as a mecca forModernists. Previously working with a staff of eight, he has been a solo practitionerfor 15 years. His wife, Sandra, has beenworking alongside since his second year inbusiness in a number of capacities, doingwhatever needs to be done that he doesnt,she said.

Always a passionate gardener, Dick has

been continuously involved with horticul-tural studies at New York Botanical Gardensince 1991, and often incorporates land-scape design in his architectural projects.

About five years ago, he took, and passed,the state licensing exams.

See Landscape architecture page 24

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A holistic vision of what a localbusiness can be in terms of careful landuse, preservation and the adaptive use of historic structures is exemplified by the

Wilton-based Canine Fence Company onDanbury Road (Route 7).

The well-known company, owned byCarol and Henry Hill, occupies four hillyacres that have been carefully developedon this busy thoroughfare. Tranquil inappearance, the site includes several his-toric buildings that were either there orig-

inally or reconstructed after being movedfrom other locations in the area.

The Connecticut Trust for HistoricPreservation recently conferred a

joint Connecticut Preservation AwardCommendation to the projects architect,

Wilton-based Rob Sanders, and the Hillsfor the rescue, preservation, and adaptiveuse of two endangered historic barns.The award was presented at an April 7ceremony in Hartford.

On the same day, the AIA of Connecticut

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recognized the Canine Fence barn proj-ects with a Building Design Award for abusiness with more than 50 employees.The award cited the company for sensi-tive site consideration and maintainingthe integrity of the original 19th-Centuryarchitecture.

Adaptive Use Of Vintage Structures A tour of the site with Mr. Hill and

Mr. Sanders confirmed the thoughtfulplanning, respect for and love of historicstructures and commitment to site integ-rity and beautification that mark the com-pany headquarters.

The oldest structure on the propertyis a 19th-Century, Federal-style residencewith an attached carriage house. The Hillspurchased the vintage structure in 1986when their Canine Fence business out-

grew its original space in Weston. Theyrenovated the structure for office use butsoon realized they needed more space.

At that point, we decided to redoan old barn on the site from the sameera, Mr. Hill said. It was in very poorcondition with lots of rotted wood. Wedisassembled it and then reconstructed it,using about 70% of the existing structure.

We had a barn raising in March of 1991. At about 2,300 square feet, it gave us a bigincrease in capacity.

Nothing succeeds like success, andCanine Fence continued to thrive andneed more space.

Soon, the business needed to adda call center and staff-training space.We found an old dairy barn over onPimpewaug Road, Mr. Hill said. Afterdeconstructing it, we brought it over ona flatbed truck and reconstructed it in2000. The refurbished 2,400-square-footbarn became our call center.

In 2007 still more growth demandedadditional warehouse, storage and officespace. Mr. Sanders said that need wasmet with the old Sturges barn on CannonRoad, another Mid-19th-Century struc-ture that had been condemned. As with

other structures on the site, it was care-fully taken apart, loaded on a flatbedtruck and reconstructed.

Mr. Sanders said that throughout thegrowth of Canine Fence and its adaptiveuse of historic structures, all of the new-est technology was integrated into the

Henry and Carol Hill, owners of Canine Fence, worked with architect Rob Sanders to expand the business whilemaintaining the sites historic character.See Historic preservation page 28

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Our long-standing cat, Franny, left ussuddenly one night in May while I wastoiling away in the mental hospital. I got arare call from Melissa at 3 a.m., and I didnteven think about the time; when you workall night, the clock is just an ornament thattells you its time to go home.

Melissa had taken Fran to the all-nightvet and the deed was done. We buried herin our tiny yard under a tree where, with

any luck, her spirit will reign on this littlecorner of Rusty Hinge Road until long aftersomeone digs holes for us.

It was sad. The house was empty. Now,full disclosure, Franny had been a hand-ful for years. She required daily infusionsof subcutaneous medications related toa kidney problem. She had never quitefigured out the whole cat box procedure

and toward the end, her stomach becameunforgiving. Still, she was a sweet cat, aloving and predictable cat. And after shewas gone it was spooky. We continuedto watch our step, and now and thenwed think wed seen her shadow comingaround a corner or her dark shape tuckedinto the couch.

At first we thought, tentatively, that itwould be nice to be free of the tether of a

pet at the house. We could come and goas we please, free from worry and respon-sibility, and free from the heartbreak of losing a pet.

It was settled.In a week or two Melissa arrived home

with two kittens. One was named Tilly, afeisty tortoiseshell, reminiscent of out pre-vious cat, and Tess, a little ball of fluff who

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looked like a cross between a raccoon anda possum. Once released from the cat car-rier, they immediately hid in fear behindthe downstairs toilet.

In a few days, though, they began tounderstand where the food came from.Tilly and Tess provided hours of endlessentertainment. Tilly took the lead, provingto be the more agile kitten, nimble on hertiny feet. It suddenly became clear thatshe was bullying her sister, who neededto see the vet soon after they moved in tohave an infection, which made her a bitpunk, treated.

Before long, it was kitty-entertainmentcentral. We couldnt wait to get homeand watch the little rascals get into mis-chief. Tilly was the curious one. Shedcome into the bathroom and stare throughthe shower glass while one of us was in

there. She was the first to venture into theupstairs bedroom and make herself com-fortable at night. Tess was shy, often havingto be coaxed out from under the couch.Eventually all four of us were comfortablewith each other.

Now we were ready to have two cats,companions to each other during the long

human-less days and to us at all othertimes.

In August, we went to the lake forvacation, and packed Tilly and Tess off to our neighborhood vet. We hated toleave them behind, but back in the daysof Franny, wed either have to take her orstay home. So part of our new, healthy catscenario was wed be able to board themas needed.

The lake was great. Cool evenings onthe shoreline. Relaxing.

At some point, mid-week, we got wordthat Tilly was sick. The vet wasnt surewhat was going on, but she was treatingher and there was nothing to worry about.She felt that the little cat might have pickedsomething up at the cat rescue place whereshe had stayed.

By the time we got home, Tilly was in

quarantine. She had bloated up. A viruscaused fluids to empty into her abdominalcavity. A Google search on the conditionproved so horrific it would make yourhair fall out. The prognosis was grim, but

See Home Moaner page 22


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The concept of a trade guild an organi-zation of people with related interests andgoals is alive and well among a groupof Fairfield and Westchester County indi-viduals and small companies involved indesigning, building and decorating homes.Two years ago, they came together to formthe Home Design Guild. Currently, it com-prises 22 members, whose skills rangefrom architecture, timber-frame design andconstruction to window treatments, tiling,audio systems and furniture making.

The idea was the brainchild of DonnaSexton of Greenwich and Vicki Taylor-Bloch of New Fairfield, both former execu-tives in the mens apparel business andfriends for 25 years. Seven years ago, theydecided it was time for a change, and to gointo business for themselves. Donna hadbeen primarily involved in retail, finding

locations and building stores, while Vickiwas a designer. Combining their skills, theyformed At Home Design LLC.

We provide a broad range of servicesfor our clients, they said. We work withcustom builders to do new design or wholehome renovations, as well as smaller proj-ects, and help clients get through theprocess. We get to meet wonderful people,become part of their lives. We offer reallygood design, which is affordable, and greatservice we take a lot of time taking care of our clients needs.

In the process, Donna and Vicki workwith many creative people builders, archi-tects, craftspeople and artisans whoseskills and talents help make a house ahome. While those in the design andbuilding trades generally have an informalnetwork of people they use for specific

In good company TRADE GUILD BENEFITS MEMBERS & CLIENTS

by Janis Gibson


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jobs, in 2008, impressed by the caliber of local talent they were coming across andbeing referred to, Donna and Vicki decidedit would be great to have something moreformal, more of a collective, where they

could share information, leads and abilitiesamong companies.

The result was the establishment of the Home Design Guild, which promotesitself as a regional organization of talented

design professionals working together topromote local artisans and small businessesby bringing outstanding residential designservices to the community through collabo-ration and networking exhibitions.

Vicki adds, We are a group of peoplewith similar interests who love to supportlocal people. Kind of a six-degrees-of-separation thing that makes our work morepersonal.

That November, the guild introduceditself and its members with a public eventat David Boyajians Sculpture Barn in NewFairfield, which included examples of theirwork through samples, portfolios and aslide show of completed work.

We wanted to raise the awareness of theHome Design Guild in the area, raise thevisibility of the individual firms and createbusiness, and about 200 people attended,

Vicki said. The participants were pleasedwith the results, and the grass-roots mar-keting the guild provides, and those whocame appreciated meeting skilled artisansfrom the area, they said.

The benefits for guild members, Donnaexplained, is the business they can bring toeach other, working together and sharingleads. They get to ask questions and share

their experiences, discuss how they canperform better individually or as teams.

And since they offer different services forexample, members include an interior/exte-rior painter, a decorative artist, a faux fin-

A gate created by David Boyajian, noted sculptor.

Creative kitchen design by Jason Landau of Amazing Spaces.

P h o t o s c o ur t e s y of H om e D

e s i gn G ui l d . See Home Design Guild page 14


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isher, as well as a fine furniture-maker andone who specializes in Americana furniture they are not directly competitive.

Our clients love the guild concept,said Vicki. It is reassuring to homeownerswhen we say that we have a cadre of people

we can call on that we know. It becomes thego-to source for them. For Donna and I, ithas made us better designers, knowingthere are people we can call on for specificideas we have. We, or a client, might have agreat idea, but are not sure how to executeit, or what it would cost. Now we have

someone to call on, who can say yes or no,or yes, but ... they can produce a drawingand numbers we can take back to the client... everyone gets to be more creative.

And with the growing interest in buy-ing local and environmental sustainability,Our clients love the idea of supportingbusinesses and artisans in their own com-munity, Donna added.

The guild approach is also time-savingfor both homeowners and artisans, Vickisaid. We bring people from the guild tothe jobs. We know who they are and whattheir skills are, and we can bring in theirportfolios and save the clients from havingto interview various people. Clients like theidea. It also saves the artisans time in hav-ing to market themselves.

Noting the growing interest in unique andcustom pieces, as when clients say, I wantsomething I am going to have for the rest of my life, Vicki and Donna find the guild tobe invaluable. Your home should definitelybe about who you are, and the artisans wework with can create unique pieces thatyou wont find in a store anywhere. Clients

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Home Design Guild continued from page 13

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really respond to that, and wecouldnt do it without the guildmembers.

By working with guildmembers, almost anythingcan be made to fit a spot ordesire. Citing two examples,

Vicki said, One of our clientswanted an entertainment bar

in their living room, but notvisible unless needed. So acustom cabinet was built thatopens to include a wet bar,glasses, everything you needfor entertaining. Our memberscan also customize artworkthat is functional, as well.David Boyajian, who is knownfor his sculpture inspired bynature, recently created abronze table with iron legs forone client; it is a magnificentpiece used in a library.

For more informa-tion: Vicki Taylor-Bloch [email protected], 203-788-2177; Donna Sexton [email protected],

203-253-4083. Fine craftsmanship by evolve design group.


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LOCATION: This 1840s barn in South Salem, N.Y., was moved to its cur-rent site in 1982.PROPERTY: More than four acres encompass meadows, woodlands, lawns,gardens and a pond. Theres also a lap pool.HOUSE: Rebuilt and restored while maintaining its authenticity, the barnhas a two-story great room with stone fireplace, dining room, a cookskitchen that combines rustic charm with stainless steel appliances, studyand bedroom. Level two has a master bedroom with bath, two family bed-rooms and a playroom. There are three full baths. Other features are 200-year-old Shaker doors, wide-plank floors and skylights.GARAGE: Two-car, attached.PRICE: $1,110,000.REALTY: Houlihan Lawrence.

Agent: Jill Miller, 914-232-5007.Photography: Bryan Haeffele.

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As the cooler weather blows in, New Englandgardeners are focusing their attention indoors onhouse plants and greenhouses. In the garden room atthe Shippan Designer Show House hangs an exquisitevertical garden designed by Victoria Lyon and RobinHorton, which is sustained by a drip irrigation sys-tem.

We created an eco-friendly space that allows youto bring the outdoors in, said Robin. She is the cre-ator of Urban Gardens: Unlimited Thinking for LimitedSpace, an award-winning blog that recently garnered aGold Award for Best Graphic Design from the Garden

Writers Association. On Wednesday, Oct. 20, at noon,Robin will give a talk about Vertical Gardens andLiving Walls at the show house, 422 Ocean Drive

West, Stamford. Also known as green walls, vertical gardens have

become increasingly popular in the past five years.When you dont have a lot of space, growing verti-cally works, Robin said, smiling.

She also noted that while gardeners might opt forexpensive vertical gardens with more elaborate irriga-

A renovated garden shed incorporates a living wall, also known as a vertical garden.

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Living Walls

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See Shippan Designer Show House page 20

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service you deserve. We want you to LOVE the look and comfort of your home. Chris LaForte, Owner

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Rebekah Sandridge


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trends such as ver 23 show houses in


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trends, such as ver-tical gardens, recy-cling objects andrepurposing thingsso that they dontend up in landfills,Robin said.

From her ownhome, she recy-

cled three bronzedsculptures by art-ist Danielle Mailer,and placed them inthe greenhouse andoutdoor garden. Thewomen agreed thatthey enjoy incorpo-rating artwork withtheir garden andlandscape designs.Part of the fun here isin doing what is para-doxical, Victoria said.Thats what makes thisall so interesting.

Franco Grimaldi, producerof Stamfords designer show house, saidthat although hes been at the helm of

23 show houses inManhattan, Floridaand Connecticut,this is the first timean interior design-

er and gardeningexpert have joinedforces to create anoutstanding garden

room and green-house design. Its afirst, and it is cer-tainly somethingspecial, he said.

The ShippanDesigner ShowHouse runs throughOct. 31. Generaladmission is $30 andincludes the show-house journal. Nochildren under sixor pets are allowed.

All proceeds willbenefit the Stamford

Museum & Nature Center.For more information, shippandesigner-

showhouse.com.

Live art is com-posed of moss, flo-ral succulents and

barnacles, framedand hung in thepotting room.

ily


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the same Internet also gave us scant hope,and we sought all sorts of treatment. Wegot Russian antivirus medicine. We got catinterferon. We got contradictory advice.

Tilly was laid low, but did not toappear to be in pain. Her sweet face andspark glowed from the pillow we set upin the corner. Tess looked through the

Tilly R.I.P.

B e n G u e r r e r o

Home Moaner continued from page 11

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, g gher sister. But stress would exacerbateTillys condition so we kept them apart.Every couple of days the vet would sedateTilly and drain the excess fluid from hertummy. Her weight hovered just underfour pounds.

After four weeks, we couldnt keep hop-ing. The poor little cat was trapped by her

own body. She had stopped eating and wasunable to make it into the cat box. We buried Tilly under a paving stone

in the backyard. Her little body care-fully wrapped in an old sweater and fleece.

When we walked back into the house, all

, ,were so wrapped up with Tillys illness,had turned into a large, sleek cat, whoseems healthy, loves to eat and play, andknows where the cat box is and doesntmind using it.

Sweet Tilly was not meant to stay long.Perhaps she came into our lives becausewe needed to practice compassion. We

love Tess and we know that another catwill find us if that is what is intended. Infact, we have an interview with two prom-ising kittens tomorrow.

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The American Society of Landscape Architects recognition came for theBergmanns own gardens, which surroundtheir 170-year-old Greek Revival-stylehome and office on a one-third-acre lot on

the corner of Park and Seminary streets.The Bergmanns acquired the then run-down and overgrown property the housecould not be seen from the street in1973, and fully renovated it inside and

Landscape architecture continued from page 7

Residents of the Village at Rivers Edge take a picturesque walkway to the train station, nearby shops andbusinesses.

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out. It was listed as a National Literary is more playful and includes a hammock a tip he learned while touring an English of periwinkle and prefers meadows to grass,


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Landmark in 2002 due to its prior occu-pant, the renowned editor Maxwell E.Perkins (think F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas

Wolfe, Ernest Hemingway). It was alsoplaced on the National Register of HistoricPlaces in 2004.

What was once a gently sloping yardnow has terraces, stone walls and gardens.

Dicks approach is to divide the gardeninto a series of spaces, noting he likes toplay with geometry. The front is formaland well-groomed with a parterre gardenand a rhododendron walk, while the back

suspended between two hemlocks in asunken garden. Among the spaces are awalled garden; a raised crabapple bosque;woodland, circle and evergreen gardens.They are dotted with sculpture, both hisown and by others.

When a large maple tree on the frontcorner of the lot fell during a storm a num-

ber of years ago, he took advantage of theopened space and planted a series of bushesthat he shaped into cone topiaries. Askedabout the required maintenance, he replied,I only trim them once a year, and shared

topiary garden: Trim when the new growthhardens, which in New England is in July.

For his own gardens, Dick admits thathe is not a fan of a lot of color. I dontfind it restful and I like it cool and restful. Ienjoy playing the greens against each otherthrough texture and placement.

When designing for others, his goal is

the clients visual pleasure, but he doestend to encourage the use of more or lessnative plants at least those that have beenin this area for a long time. He particularlylikes Canadian hemlock, the sustainability

but says he is not a purist in any form. A successful design, he said, incorporates

three elements. First, understanding every-thing that goes on on a site, from zoningto prevailing winds. Next, all the intendedfunctions what the owners requirementsare and what types of spaces are desired.

And finally is the design, which cannot

be created until you fully understand thefirst two.Wesley Stout Associates LLC, 203-966-

3100, wesleystout.com; Richard Bergmann Architects, 203-966-9505.

buildingpros.com

Cookbook continued from page 5


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dry-aged and all-natural beef, while ourseafood is delivered every day, six days a

week, sometimes twice a day if need be.The poultry is all natural as is the sausage

and veal. And we have some of the bestnitrate-free hot dogs in the state. I keepmy quality of fish to a very high stan-dard. Its really very easy ... if it doesnt

make me happy, its not in my case.Having a full-service shop suchas Ridgefield Prime is a convenientalternative to shopping in the bigbox stores. Along with their finemeats and seafood, prepared foodsare also on the menu. Lou Lacivita isthe chef who fills the cold cases withMarinas chicken potpies, beef stewand mac and cheese, to name a few.Fresh pasta is available, keeping bothgrown-ups and kids happy.

With Phil Longobardis longcareer as both cook and butcher passing out advice along the way it seems only natural that hedeventually get around to writing hisown cookbook.

Through the Eyes of a Chef, Fast andEasy Cooking is a thorough, friendly

p g

This friendly guide offers enticing recipes and tips on howto make those nightly meals a little easier.

Join us for a ,walk the sites & view the quality and

stage of construction. Put our ideasto work and create a home uniquely

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guide filled with straightforwardbut enticing recipes and tips on


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but enticing recipes and tips onhow to make those nightly mealsa little easier. He offers advice onorganizing a pantry, what staplesto keep on hand and a not-so-intimidating list of equipment tomake cooking more enjoyable.The glossary is one of the most

informative sections; its helpfulfor everyone from beginners toseasoned cooks. For example, hedefines roulade, explains whatit means to carriage and tellshow to determine opaque whencooking fish. With almost 200recipes for beef, poultry, vegeta-bles, pasta, sauces and desserts,this is a fine addition to anyonescollection.

Accompanying the book isa Web site with a smatteringof recipes to get the taste budsgoing, plus a comprehensive listof their products, including whatfish is available. Meals to Go isuseful for planning ahead, and

Along with fine meats and seafood, Phil Longobardi offers a variety of tasty prepared foods and food stuffs.

P r i s c i l l a Wh i t l e y

See Cookbook page 29

The preferred surfacefor Bathrooms, Kitchens,Laundry Rooms, Bartops

Hygenic Non-PorousSeamless

We also offerGranite Quartz

Butcher Block Your Local Source since 1993

The Corian Specialists

92 North Street, DanburyBetween Exits 5 & 6 off I84

203-743-6808www.countertopsbystarian.com

The Bright Yellow Building

Historic preservation continued from page 9


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buildings. Everything is totally up-to-date from a technological standpoint, hesaid. The interiors of all of our buildingsfeature exposed timber frame whereverpossible and the floor plans are open andflexible.

In our reconstruction projects, Mr.Sanders said, the timber frame was docu-mented prior to reassembling on newfoundations. Reclaimed siding materialof the barns was installed over new in-fillwalls. New connecting structures betweenthe original and relocated buildings pro-vide functional and stylistic bridges.

The result is a company compoundthat provides a distinctive and visuallypleasant working environment that alsoaccommodates the office and storageneeds of a business within the CannondaleNational Historic District.

Mr. Hill said that each of the repur-posed buildings on the site houses differ-ent components of his company, includinga second renovated residence that housesthe marketing/advertising and informa-tion technology departments. This build-

ing has 10,000 square feet of state-of-the-art space, he said. Everything here andon the rest of our site is completely code-compliant and ADA accessible.

Conquering A Steep Site

Although the four acres are steep,thoughtful location of the structures alongwith imaginative landscaping has resultedin a small campus, well-screened fromthe traffic flying by on Danbury Road.

We preserved almost all of the originalmature trees and planted many more, alongwith shrubs, Mr. Hill said. We have ourown grounds-maintenance crew. The steepslope of the rear of the property is carefullydrained, as is the rest of the site, and ourparking lots are gravel, not asphalt.

The result is a peaceful companyenclave with benches, picnic tables anda walking path. If you take a couple of loops on the path up and down the rearsteep slope, you will get a good workoutduring your lunch hour, Mr. Hill said.

Asked why he took the adaptive-useapproach to expand his company rather

than simply putting up new buildings,Mr. Hill said he had always been inter-

structures support a thoroughly mod-ern company. The energy of the repur-


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yested in preservation, all things historicand the environment. Along those lines,another thing we do at Canine Fence isuse all hybrid vehicles, he said.

Mr. Sanders summed up the approachhe and the Hills have taken to expandingthe company site. Adaptive use is part

of Canine Fences commitment to protectthe environment, he said. The historic

p y gy pposed buildings, enhanced by mechanicalupgrades for efficient operation, joinstheir fleet of hybrid vehicles to showcasethe best aspects of adaptive use.

Canine Fence, at 493 Danbury Road in Wilton, has 135 employees and serves allof New England plus New York and New

Jersey with the Invisible Fence brand of pet-containment products.

their catering list offers a variety of items.They offer take-out catering as well aspartnering with As you Wish, a companythat provides planning and staffing forevents, ranging from a backyard barbecuefor 20 to an elegant wedding for 150.

Offering cheese, baked goods, freshproduce and desserts, the diversity of shops in Copps Hill Plaza is ideal for one-stop shopping. Ridgefield Prime roundsout a meal with their wide selection

of high-quality meat and other foodstuffs, and theyll compile your order inadvance.

Theres a reason Phil Longobardi hasbeen around here for so long. As he putsit, My key to success is consistency andcustomer service.

Ridgefield Prime is at 113 DanburyRoad in Ridgefield; 203-894-8273;Web, ridgefieldprime.com andPhilsFastAndEasyCooking.com.

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