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HOMESpecial Section to: The Valley Gazette I The Stratford Star I The Milford Mirror I The Amity Observer I The Trumbull Times I Fairfield Sun I The Huntington Herald I The Monroe Courier I The Easton Courier

HalloweenFrom eerie to elegant, its the biggest party of the year

OCTOBER 2011 HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS

by Robin E. GlowaHalloween has evolved from the simpler days

when kids would make ghost costumes from

white sheets or don cowboy hats and fringed

vests and trudge off to the local grade school

for hot dogs, popcorn and cartoons. Elevated to

the status of most beloved, exciting and festive

party of the year, Halloween is a celebration of

spooky to spectacular and hosts and hostesses

have unlimited sources for horrifying or hilari-ous, sexy or silly costume inspiration, dcor and

even recipe sites with tips for signature cocktails

and decadent, devilish menus.

Halloween is considered a uniquely American

event, but, in fact, it is celebrated far and wide.

And dressing up in costumes, trick or treating,

jack-o-lanterns, watching horror movies, visit-

ing haunted houses with ghostly apparitions,

all have their roots in ancient European customsand celebrations.

We have the ancient Celts to thank for the

majority of our Halloween traditions. The Celts,

who lived more than 2,000 years ago in what is

now known as Ireland, marked the end of sum-

mer harvest with a new-year celebration every

Halloween continued on page 8

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2 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers October 6, 2011

Exquisitely colored hues of orange, yellowand red decorate New Englands majestic

trees. Local farms show off sweet and

succulent apples, pumpkins and acorn

squash. The skies are sunny and clear,

with nary a hint of humidity hidden

amidst the crisp, cool temperatures. Its

autumn, and time to pick the harvest,

take a hayride and sample some warm

apple crisp.

At Benedicts Home & Garden in Monroe,

the Monroe Neighbors & Newcomers is

hosting its annual Childrens Fall Musicand Arts Festival on Sunday, Oct. 23,

from 10 to 2 to benefit Monroes schools.

The cost is $8. Last year the group raised

$3,000 for the districts arts and music

programs. Kim Henderson, chairperson

of the organizations civics committee,

said that they hope this years festival will

be even more successful.

We do this to bring community to the

town, Kim explained. We want to bring

people together, and our focus is always

BENEDICTS HOME & GARDEN

Music & Arts Festivalcelebrates autumn

by Karen Dydzuhn

Photos of kids or families are one of many attractions at the Childrens Fall Music and Arts

Festival on Sunday, Oct. 23.

KFH

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October 6, 2011 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3

the children. We get young people to vol-

unteer, and we raise money to benefit the

children in Monroe.

Bruce Benedict, one of the owners of

Benedicts, said that last years event was

one of the busiest days of the season.

These ladies really knew how to bring

people out, he said. They did a really

nice job. There were so many people that

we had to park cars on the fields. It was

phenomenal. Everyone had such a good

time, and we were happy to do it again.

He will provide a free pumpkin for every

child who attends the festival. Families

waited in line last year for 20-to-30 min-

ute hayrides that took them deep into

Benedicts fields, where 30 or so cows

and baby calves grazed. Families took

advantage of several photo opportuni-

ties as they fed and petted the animalswho gently approached the tractor. Art

activities provided by All About Art, sing-

a-longs by Music Together and dance

performances from the Monroe Dance

Workshop are also part of the festivities.

Kim, owner of KFH Photography, will

once again offer the first 25 children a

complimentary 5-by-7 inch photograph.

Children and their parents, if they wish,

may pose against a natural outdoor back-

ground sitting on a haystack or stand-

ing next to one of Benedicts beautiful

trees.

Benedicts hay maze attracts families

each year. They also enjoy spending time

feeding ducks in the pond and visiting

with the numerous animals chick-

ens, turkeys, peacocks, sheep and goats.

Zenkos Farm of Monroe will also have an

animal exhibit.

Kim said that the Monroe Neighbors &

Newcomers are grateful to be able to

host their fund-raiser on this scenic prop-

erty. Mr. Benedict has once again been

gracious enough to allow us to host this

exciting event at this beautiful site, she

said.

Last year, more than 400 people spent a

beautiful autumn day at the festival. We

host the festival each year for no other

reason than to give back to the commu-

nity, Kim said.

Benedicts Garden Center is at 480 Purdue

Hill Rd. in Monroe. For more information:

Susan Vasone, 203-987-6516.

Once the music starts, dancing is sure to follow.

WE WANT TO BRING

PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND

OUR FOCUS IS ALWAYS

THE CHILDREN. WE

GET YOUNG PEOPLE

TO VOLUNTEER, AND

WE RAISE MONEY TO

BENEFIT THE CHILDREN IN

MONROE.


4/10


Whenever I drive through South Norwalks

historic district, with its brick sidewalks,

old-fashioned reproduction lampposts and

beautiful brick-fronted buildings, I am

reminded once again how fortunate we are

here in Fairfield County to live just a stones

throw away from such an attraction.

The areas wonderful restaurants, galler-

ies, museums, unique retail shops and

festivals, as well as the nearby Maritime

Aquarium, draw visitors from all over

Fairfield County, the surrounding counties

and even Manhattan. I, too, find myself

visiting again and again.

I was curious about the history of South

Norwalk (commonly referred to as SoNo)

and, prior to a recent trip, I decided to edu-

cate myself. This, according to Wikipedia.

org, is some of what I learned.

After the original settlement of Norwalk in

1649, additional settlements developed in

the area, one in particular on the western

side of the Norwalk harbor and river. This

settlement came to be known as Old Well.

In a 1738 deed, present-day Washington

Street was referred to as the high Way that

Leads to ye Landing place ye Old Well. The

actual well was east of present-day Water

Street, about 75 feet south of Washington

Street.

In 1870, Old Well was incorporated as the

City of South Norwalk, and a charter for

the city was granted by the Connecticut

General Assembly in 1871. During this peri-

od, South Norwalk was a manufacturing

and commercial city, and, in 1913, South

Norwalk was combined with the Town of

Norwalk, the City (formerly borough) of

Norwalk and the East Norwalk fire district

into the present-day City of Norwalk.

Today, the 11-acre South Main and

Washington streets historic district encom-

passes approximately 35 buildings and

two other structures (including the South

Norwalk Railroad Bridge) of varied archi-

tectural styles, from the late-19th and early-

20th centuries, including Romanesque

HISTORIC SONO

A decorating

destinationby G. Lisa Sullivan

Bolts of high-end fabric are ideal for making pillows and chair cushions.

LisaSullivan

Jackie Perry, editorBryan Haeffele, designer

Thomas B. Nash, publisher

For advertising information

call 203-926-2080

Special Section to:

The Valley Gazette The Stratford Star The Milford Mirror

The Amity Observer The Trumbull Times Fairfield Sun

The Huntington Herald The Monroe Courier

The Easton Courier 1000 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton CT 06484203-926-2080

Copyright 2011, Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC

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Revival, Second Empire and Italianate.

With its designation as a historic district,

Washington Street looks, according to old

photos, pretty much as it did in the early

1900s (minus the trolley tracks that tra-

versed the road). Fortunately for visitors,

the buildings renters must adhere to strict-

ly enforced codes, with permits required

for even the smallest of changes, such as

paint color or signage.

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Over the last few years, the number of

SoNo interior-design-related retail busi-

nesses has burgeoned, and one of its lat-

est entries, Interior Design Consignors at

132A Washington St., has settled quickly

and comfortably into its new home.

Tucked between a sneaker store and a

tequila bar, the shop was launched by

Anne Wiacek, a New York native who

moved to the Connecticut suburbs in 1995

in search of a starter house with a garden,

and possibly a new career.

I had a background in business and com-

puters and had worked in the corporate

world for more than two decades, Anne,

a graduate of NYU, says. I started volun-

teering on Sundays at an interior-design

consignor shop in Wiltons Cannondale

Village, and I fell in love with the field of

home decor.

Annes passion for all things beautiful

in this case, furniture, accessories and

fabrics resulted in a career change for

her when she opened her shop in July

2010. I thrived on the creativity associ-

ated with working in the Cannondale shop,

which was owned at the time by interior

designer Robin Manzi McKay. It served as a

designer consignment shop where interior

designers could sell higher-end items they

had purchased on behalf of their clients

but ended up not needing or using, Anne

explains. It was a way for homeowners

to purchase high-end design products at a

more reasonable price.

Eventually, Robins shop closed and Anne

came up with a business plan to open her

own similarly modeled store in historic

South Norwalk. I looked all over Fairfield

County for the ideal location, and, based

upon my research, decided on Washington

Street, Anne recalls. Tom Rich, the land-

lord, was trying to rebuild the area as a

home design center, and having met with

many of the other local store owners, I

thought it would be a good fit.

Some of Annes interior design neighbors

include ASL Consignment Shoppe, Gregory

Cole Antiques & Home, Thomas K. Libby,

Knock on Wood Again, Gallery SoNo, Lillian

August, Connie Bs, C. Downing Auctions,

And Company, Sassafras, Cayambe,

Snaidero Kitchens & Design and Klaffs.

People who are stopped at the nearby

traffic light often see my storefront, and

jump out of the car to run in and grab a

business card, she explains. We also get

a lot of foot traffic from the restaurants,

bars and other stores, and word of mouth

shoppers, as well.

The local business owners are very sup-

portive of one another, according to Anne.

It sometimes feels like were part of a col-

lege campus, she says. We often meet at

Caffeine, a local coffee shop, to talk about

how we can work together to increase

business.

Annes beautifully stocked shop a long,

narrow space of approximately 900 square

feet features cleverly staged vignettes

showcasing upholstered chairs and sofas,

case goods (such as end tables and a china

cabinet), chandeliers, sconces, table lamps,

pillows, mirrors, pictures, frames and many

other unique decorative accessories.

At the rear of the store, bolts of high-end

fabrics hang, as does a rack of custom-order

fabric books, including manufacturers like

Brunschwig & Fils, Lee Jofa, Osborne &

Little, Schumacher, Donghia, Holly Hunt,

Duralee and B. Berger. Interior designers

often have bolts of high-end fabric left over

from projects, which are ideal for making

pillows and chair cushions, Anne says.

Anne finds herself learning more and more

about the interior-design industry each day,

particularly when it comes to upholstery. I

keep testing myself, trying to ascertain

what a fabric is made from, estimating the

yardage on a bolt or determining a chairs

construction, she says. The store owners

down here want to give people a reason to

shop, and the more knowledgeable we are,

the better off our customers will be.

For more information: Interior Design

Consignors, 203-857-0775.

In addition to upholstered furniture, there are tufted samples of rug colors.

LisaSullivan


6/10


That dark splotch creeping along the basement wall or

the bathroom tiles keeps coming back, worse than ever,

when you thought youd wiped it all away. Its mold, mil-

lions of spores that feed on moisture, hibernate, return

and eventually pollute the air you breathe. Its nasty, its

frustrating, it can make your downstairs playroom smell

like a cave.

The average dehumidifier, working 24 hours a day,

doesnt do much to solve the problem, uses up a lot of

energy and has actually been known to overheat and

cause fires. Besides, who likes the constant job of dump-

ing water from a dehumidifier pan?

All these issues, especially the unhealthy air quality that

results from chronic dampness, started Paul Toms on

a search for a solution. He found it with an amazingly

effective product: the E-Z Breathe Ventilation System.

It dries out damp, musty basements, reduces mold

growth. It not only removes unwanted moisture, but

also toxins, allergens, dust mites, pet dander, unpleas-

ant odors. You start enjoying a clean, healthy air flow

throughout the house. Its triple protection: a dehumidi-

fier, purifier and ventilation system all in one, Paul says,

adding, 80,000 of these units have been installed across

the country, and Im now a master distributor, respon-

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sible for introducing E-Z Breathe to the

Northeast.

The compact, unobtrusive unit contains

a fan and a humidistat, which constant-

ly monitors the humidity level of the

air. When the desired humidity level

is reached, the unit automatically shuts

off. It expels the dampest, coldest, most

contaminated air from the inside to the

outside. One unit can handle up to 7,000

square feet. The energy it uses is less thana 40-watt bulb.

E-Z Breathe is designed for homes with

central air conditioning or window air

conditioning for a continuous flow of

clean air. One of the first questions

people ask is whether it will suck out heat

in the winter-time. The answer is, no. E-Z

Breathe eliminates cold, damp air at the

lowest level. Since a damp basement is

harder to heat than a dry one, its actu-

ally more economical to replace damp air

with dry air and then heat it, Paul says.

The headline of one of the E-Z Breathe

brochures says: If you could see the air

you breathe, youd hold your breath!

People whove had the unit installed

notice that their allergies have decreased,

musty air and odors are gone and the air

quality throughout the house has defi-

nitely improved.

Paul Toms is a kind of Renaissance man

of nature and health. He ran a successful

garden center for 30 years; he sells a spe-

cial line of natural vitamins and supple-

ments; he has a deer-repellant product

and he designs Web sites. His versatility

centers around active living in a positive

environment.

His office is in his home in Ridgefield,

which is actually a reconstructed barn,

sturdily insulated and delightfully cozy.

His belief in the E-Z Breathe system is so

dedicated that hes eager to visit peoples

homes, offering a free consultation to

assess how dampness can be eradicated

and air quality improved. He does an

energy/dampness audit and examines

how the moisture is entering the house.

Very often, cracks have to be discovered

and sealed. But the unit itself is quiet,and fits easily into any room in the

house. With no water to empty or filters

to change, it requires no on-going time or

attention.

There was a situation where a couple of

heavy smokers just filled the house con-

tinuously with the smell of tobacco. It was

an awful problem that the E-Z Breathe

system solved, Paul says.

Up until now, mold and mildew have been

considered by most people to be chronic

conditions, but Paul Toms is hoping to

change all that. E-Z Breathe costs lessthan $2 to $4 per month to operate, and it

requires no time or attention. At $1,495,

including installation and a 10-year war-

ranty, its a new and long overdue answer

to home ventilation.

See dampbasementsolutions.com or con-

tact Paul Toms at dampbasementsolutions

@gmail.com or 203-422-9751.

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November 1st. They associ-

ated this time of year

soon to turn into the dark,

cold days of winter with

death. On the night before

the new year, the dead

would come to intermingle

with the living, and so Oct.

31st was called Samhain(pronounced Sow-in), the

night the ghosts of the dead

returned to earth. The Celts

also believed these spirits

helped the Celtic priests,

known as Druids, to make

predictions for the future.

As their very survival

depended on their relation

with the unpredictable and

often terribly harsh, natural

world, the Druid prophesies

were an important source of

comfort and direction dur-

ing the long, dark winter.

The Druids would celebrate

the arrival of the spirits by

building huge, sacred bon-

fires, which the Celts would

gather round to offer sac-

rifices to their gods, while

dressed in costumes made of animal

heads and skins.

As the centuries passed, Samhain became

known as All Hallows Eve and, later,

Halloween. European immigrants car-

ried their varied Halloween tradition to

America, where the holiday continued to

grow in popularity, exploding into todaysmodern and exuberant celebration.

Whether you go glam or gory, costume par-

ties and trick-or-treating are certainly the

number-one way to celebrate Halloween,

and 2011 is definitely the year of the

super hero! Spiderman, Captain America,

Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern,

Batman and Robin will all be taking to the

streets, along with plenty of pirates, both

sultry and smarmy.

Affordable costume options for both kids and

adults can be found at large discount retail-

ers, or at dozens of online Web sites, such

as spirithalloween.com or costumecraze.

com and dont forget the thrift shops.

Couples costumes continue to be hugely

popular this season, ranging from classics

such as doctor and nurse, airline pilot and

stewardess or great power couples such as

Antony and Cleopatra.

If you are hosting this years gathering of

ghouls and goblins, dignitaries and divas,

youll need a wonderfully decorated atmo-

sphere and fantastic food and drink. Party

supply stores are an excellent source for

everything you need to create a haunted

haven. Stock up on paper goods in vibrant

shades of orange, black, purple or slime

green, which can coordinate with lots of

balloons and strings of mini-lights.

Halloweenfrom page 1


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Or choose one object to build a complete

theme around, such as dozens of jack-o-

lanterns, in different sizes, shapes and col-

ors, each carved with a frightful or funny

face. Line the driveway, embellish the

entryway, place the pumpkins throughout

the house on every available surface and

you will dazzle and delight your guests.

Skulls or spiders are a frightfully fes-

tive way to set the stage for the home

Halloween party. Both can be found inall sizes and colors, including the gilded

or sparkly sort, for a sinister yet sophis-

ticated setting. Gather silver and crystal

candlesticks, white or black candles, silver

napkins, little white lights and create a

crme de la creepy cavern.

Chocolate reigns supreme as the most

treasured Halloween treat. While young

trick-or-treaters will be thrilled with candy

bars, brownies and cookies, tempt your

adult guests with wickedly wonderful spir-

its. Chocolate Orange Martinis are sin-

fully simple. For each cocktail, combine

2 ounces of either plain or vanilla vodka

with one ounce Godiva chocolate liqueur

and a splash of Cointreau in a shaker with

ice. Coat the rim of the martini glass by

dipping first in Cointreau, then in a mix-

ture of equal parts sugar and cocoa pow-

der. Shake vigorously and strain liquid into

the prepared martini glass. Garnish with a

little, black plastic spider and a chocolate

stick, or a chocolate-dipped orange slice.

Serve your phantoms and fairies delec-table cocktail nibbles like smoked salmon

on black bread with a squeeze of lemon,

a sprinkle of capers and a bit of chopped

red onion; bowls of roasted pumpkin

seeds, spicy peanuts and marinated black

olives, and follow up with a tremendous

tureen of pumpkin soup or soul-stirring

chili. Find recipes for these treats on Web

sites such as epicurious.com, foodnet-

work.com or chowhound.com.

Sumptuous and scary get ready for the

hottest party of the year!

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