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OCTOBER 2011

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Halloween

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

by Robin E. Glowa
Halloween 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 hilarious, 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, visiting haunted houses with ghostly apparitions,

Halloween continued on page 8

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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 summer harvest with a new-year celebration every

Bark Mulch

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October 6, 2011

How can YOU

protect your family
and your homes vital
systems when the
power goes out

KFH Photography

?
Photos of kids or families are one of many attractions at the Childrens Fall Music and Arts
Festival on Sunday, Oct. 23.

BENEDICTS HOME & GARDEN

Music & Arts Festival

celebrates autumn

800-972-4264 or visit us on
the web at northeastgenerator.com
Call us at

by Karen Dydzuhn
Exquisitely colored hues of orange, yellow
and 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.

hosting its annual Childrens Fall Music

and 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

At Benedicts Home & Garden in Monroe, town, Kim explained. We want to bring
the Monroe Neighbors & Newcomers is people together, and our focus is always

 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers

October 6, 2011

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.
Once the music starts, dancing is sure to follow.

the children. We get young people to volunteer, 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.

Children and their parents, if they wish,

may pose against a natural outdoor background sitting on a haystack or standing 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 chickens, turkeys, peacocks, sheep and goats.
Zenkos Farm of Monroe will also have an
animal exhibit.

He will provide a free pumpkin for every

child who attends the festival. Families
waited in line last year for 20-to-30 minute hayrides that took them deep into
Benedicts fields, where 30 or so cows
and baby calves grazed. Families took
advantage of several photo opportunities as they fed and petted the animals
who gently approached the tractor. Art
activities provided by All About Art, singa-longs by Music Together and dance
performances from the Monroe Dance
Workshop are also part of the festivities.

Kim said that the Monroe Neighbors &

Newcomers are grateful to be able to
host their fund-raiser on this scenic property. Mr. Benedict has once again been
gracious enough to allow us to host this
exciting event at this beautiful site, she
said.

Kim, owner of KFH Photography, will

once again offer the first 25 children a
complimentary 5-by-7 inch photograph.

Benedicts Garden Center is at 480 Purdue

Hill Rd. in Monroe. For more information:
Susan Vasone, 203-987-6516.

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 community, Kim said.

 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers

October 6, 2011

HISTORIC SONO

A decorating
destination
by G. Lisa Sullivan

Lisa Sullivan

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.

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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 period, 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
I was curious about the history of South Norwalk and the East Norwalk fire district
Norwalk (commonly referred to as SoNo) into the present-day City of Norwalk.
and, prior to a recent trip, I decided to educate myself. This, according to Wikipedia. Today, the 11-acre South Main and
Washington streets historic district encomorg, is some of what I learned.
passes approximately 35 buildings and
After the original settlement of Norwalk in two other structures (including the South
1649, additional settlements developed in Norwalk Railroad Bridge) of varied archithe area, one in particular on the western tectural styles, from the late-19th and earlyside of the Norwalk harbor and river. This 20th centuries, including Romanesque

The areas wonderful restaurants, galleries, 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.

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Special Section to:

The Valley Gazette The Stratford Star The Milford Mirror
The Amity Observer The Trumbull Times Faireld Sun
The Huntington Herald The Monroe Courier
The Easton Courier

1000 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton CT 06484

203-926-2080

Copyright 2011, Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC

Jackie Perry, editor

Bryan Haeffele, designer

Thomas B. Nash, publisher

For advertising information

call 203-926-2080

VOL V, ISSUE 10

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.

 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers

October 6, 2011

The local business owners are very supportive of one another, according to Anne.
It sometimes feels like were part of a college campus, she says. We often meet at
Caffeine, a local coffee shop, to talk about
how we can work together to increase
business.

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 traversed the road). Fortunately for visitors,
the buildings renters must adhere to strictly enforced codes, with permits required
for even the smallest of changes, such as
paint color or signage.

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.

Over the last few years, the number of

SoNo interior-design-related retail businesses has burgeoned, and one of its latest entries, Interior Design Consignors at
132A Washington St., has settled quickly
and comfortably into its new home.

Lisa Sullivan

Home Is Where the Heart Is

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

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 computers and had worked in the corporate
world for more than two decades, Anne,
a graduate of NYU, says. I started volunteering 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 landlord, 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.

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.

 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers

October 6, 2011

E-Z BREATHE

Goodbye, damp
basement ... Hello, clean air!
by Lois Alcosser
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, millions 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 dumping water from a dehumidifier pan?

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It dries out damp, musty basements, reduces mold

growth. It not only removes unwanted moisture, but
also toxins, allergens, dust mites, pet dander, unpleasant odors. You start enjoying a clean, healthy air flow
throughout the house. Its triple protection: a dehumidifier, 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-

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.

 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers

October 6, 2011

sible for introducing E-Z Breathe to the

Northeast.
The compact, unobtrusive unit contains
a fan and a humidistat, which constantly 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 than
a 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 actually 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 definitely 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 special line of natural vitamins and supplements; 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 continuously 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 less
than $2 to $4 per month to operate, and it
requires no time or attention. At $1,495,
including installation and a 10-year warranty, its a new and long overdue answer
to home ventilation.

See dampbasementsolutions.com or contact Paul Toms at dampbasementsolutions

@gmail.com or 203-422-9751.

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 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers

Halloween

October 6, 2011

from page 1

November 1st. They associated 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 during the long, dark winter.
The Druids would celebrate
the arrival of the spirits by
building huge, sacred bonfires, which the Celts would
gather round to offer sacrifices to their gods, while
dressed in costumes made of animal
heads and skins.

Whether you go glam or gory, costume parties 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.

If you are hosting this years gathering of

ghouls and goblins, dignitaries and divas,
youll need a wonderfully decorated atmosphere 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.

As the centuries passed, Samhain became

known as All Hallows Eve and, later,
Halloween. European immigrants carried their varied Halloween tradition to
America, where the holiday continued to
grow in popularity, exploding into todays
modern and exuberant celebration.

Affordable costume options for both kids and

adults can be found at large discount retailers, 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.

at
Bridgeport Lumber

 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers

October 6, 2011

Or choose one object to build a complete

theme around, such as dozens of jack-olanterns, in different sizes, shapes and colors, 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 festive way to set the stage for the home
Halloween party. Both can be found in
all sizes and colors, including the gilded
or sparkly sort, for a sinister yet sophisticated 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 spirits. Chocolate Orange Martinis are sinfully 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 mixture of equal parts sugar and cocoa powder. 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 delectable 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, foodnetwork.com or chowhound.com.

Sumptuous and scary get ready for the

hottest party of the year!

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10

October 6, 2011