Last Minute Gift Guide Hersam Acorn Newspapers 2010 North/South Edition

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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2 Last Minute Gift Guide Hersam Acorn Newspapers December 16, 2010

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


4/10


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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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

$229$299$399

twin

full

queen

king


7/10


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


8/10


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


9/10


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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Last Minute Gift Guide Hersam Acorn Newspapers 2010 North/South Edition

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