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Business BuzzLeaders of the local business & neighborhood

associations open up about what they love about We-Ha

FIT FASHION • WEDDINGS • TRAVEL • FINANCE

This can be yours this summer! Call me for a consultation. – Jeff

860-986-4282 www.JeffHodgesLandscapeContractor.com

6 I we-ha.com ISSUE NO. 1, 2015 west hartford magazine

ON THE COVER: Local business leaders gathered for the taping of the premier episode of “We-Ha MAG” television show at the WHCTV studio. See page 16. Photo by TODD FAIRCHILD/SHUTTERBUGCT.COM

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

ISSUE ONE2015

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GARDENSeasonal Transitions

FINANCEEstate Planning Essentials

SUBSCRIPTION CLUBMember Listing18 I

26 I

BUSINESS BUZZLisa LelasLeaders of the local businessand neighborhood associa-tions open up about what theylove about working in WestHartford.

FIT FASHIONStephanie Blozy & Michelle KurnikIn conjunction with fitness instructors and enthusiastsfrom all over town, Fleet FeetSports showcases the FitFashions for spring.

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FROM THE PUBLISHERFascinating Fascinators

PEOPLEWest Hartford’s Cookin’The Bridge Family CenterTaste of ElmwoodKara Sundlun Book Signing

WEDDINGSJohnston & WolfBain & Hussain

TRAVELThe World is Waiting!

FOODTwin Tasters visited HB Seafood

Spring Fashion Week 2015Monday, April 20 - Sunday, April 26

Spring Fashion is front and CENTER in West Hartford Center and Blue Black Square!

What’s NEW and TRENDING in clothing, jewelry, gifts, home decor

and so much more...Fashion Shows, Designer Trunk Shows, Product Launches, Informal Modeling,Free Consultations, Free Drawings,

Free Demonstrations, andSpring Fashion Preview on the Stage

Thursday 6:30 p.m.

Strut your Spring Fashion on the West Hartford Center Red Carpet

Eat and Drink IN STYLE with specialty menuitems and flirty cocktails

Guide coming to print and online at TheCenterWestHartford.com & We-Ha.com

West Hartford Magazine is published six times a year by WHMedia, Inc. SUBSCRIPTIONS: One year for $35. Newsstand $4.95 each. To subscribe, renewor change address write: West Hartford Magazine, PO Box 271835, West Hartford, CT 06127; www.we-ha.com. EDITORIAL & LETTERS: [email protected] – please include full name, town and phone number (for verification only, not for publication). ADVERTISING: 860-508-4032. ©2015 WHMedia, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without express permission of the publisher.West Hartford Magazine is a registered trademark owned by WHMedia, Inc. The opinions expressed by writers published by West Hartford Magazineare not necessarily those of the magazine.

PO Box 271835, West Hartford, CT 06127www.we-ha.com

office 860-508-4032

A WHME D I A, I N C. CO M PA N Y CorrectionIn the “Teamwork Makes The Dreamwork” story featuring Westfarms in the Holiday Issue, 2014 , the following corrections were submitted: Page 27 photocutline shoud be: Stephen Merkent, KevinKeenan and Joe Leiberis, at one of the entrances during remodeling. Page 28, the biographies for Paul Listro and Joe Leiberiswere swapped. Our apologies.

PublisherThomas P. Hickey, [email protected]

C.O.O. & Creative ServicesJoy Brigham [email protected]

Managing EditorLisa [email protected]

Guest Style EditorsStephanie Blozy & Michelle Kurnik, Fleet Feet Sports

Guest Style Hair & Make-Up The Hair Color Company

InternMishaal Tanveer

Publishing AdvisorJonathan Moffly

Contributing Writers & ColumnistsLydia Brown, Karla Dalley, Linda Knierim,CPA, Twin Tasters.

Contributing PhotographersThe Bridge Family Center, Todd FairchildPhotography/ShutterbugCT, LaceyGabrielle Photography, Danny Kash, Stuart Levy Photography, Paul and KrystalMcNearney/Studiofoto.com, Amy Melvin,Ronni Newton, University of Saint Joseph,

Print AdvisorBob Carr

BookkeeperDebbie [email protected]

ProofreaderBarbara Gordon


Preschool

Let Your ImaginationFlourish – Right Here

in The Center!The Children’s Museum Preschool,

located in The Center of West Hartford,has a strong tradition of fostering creativityby providing wide array of rich multi-sensory experiences. Our innovative, play-based curriculum guides children asthey explore, experiment, and make dis-coveries. They take part in museum-based“meet the animals” classes, planetariumshows, and physical science lessons.Come for a visit and discover why our preschool is an outstanding place to beginyour child’s journey into lifelong learning.

For your convenience, Full Day and Part DayPreschoolers have lots of options, including: � Extended lunch time care, we like to call “LunchBunch” � Early drop-off available� Camp offered during vacation weeks� Summer Options are Full day or Part day

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Guarantee delivery to your home or office and support a local organization at thesame time!*For every NEW or RENEWED $35 Subscription to West Hartford Magazine, we will donate $10 to the organization of your choice. Include your email address to be

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PUBLISHER

Fascinating Fascinators this May!

This May we celebrate two fascinating annual events in town … Ron’s Run for the Rosesbenefiting the Ron Foley Foundation and the Mayor’s Charity Ball benefiting the Playhouse on Park and The Town that Cares. We are Media Sponsors of each event so please join us!

Because Run for the Roses celebrates the Kentucky Derby and ‘people watching’… of course, thehat watching will be the fascinator, at least for me! And, you don’t have to attend a royal wedding towear a fascinator! This year you can buy your own special hat at BK & C0. on LaSalle Road. Years ago,when I first saw purple lights on Stoner Drive, I asked residents Kevin and Cathy Dowd what theywere all about. This was when I first learned about Pancreatic Cancer and that Ron Foley had lost his battle. Years went by and this past Fall, Barbara at BK introduced me to Tony Sisti who was interested in spreading the word about the Ron Foley Foundation. This year, I’m sure many of yousaw purple lights all over West Hartford as Tony met with associations in town to generate moreawareness. I even lit up the trees in front of my house to show support. This November, PancreaticCancer Awareness Month, join us in lighting up purple. Check out www.ronsrun.org to learn moreand please join us on May 2nd.

I’m sure the Mayor’s Charity Ball won’t mind if you wear your fascinator to their annual gala the following Saturday, May 9th under the Taylor Rental Party Plus tent in front of Town Hall. Max Catering puts on an amazing presentation and a meal you won’t soon forget. You don’t have to bepolitical to attend or even a season ticket holder to the Playhouse … all are encouraged to come outand enjoy dinner, dancing and auction items, all to support the Playhouse on Park and The Townthat Cares. For more information, visit: www.themayorscharityball.org. Hope you can join us!

GOLF is in the air and we also invite you to join us at any of the many GOLF CLASSICS to supportlocal charities: Please go to We-Ha.com and click on the GOLF icon to learn more. What better wayto support these charities … ok if you don’t have time to golf like me, then at least attend the dinner!

SUBSCRIBE and help raise money for Safe Grad @ Conard, Ron FoleyFoundation, l and WestHartford Community TV. $10 of every NEW subscription or RENEWAL will go to your selectedcharity (see page 9). Remember, the only way to guarantee delivery of every issue to your home oroffice is to subscribe … we’ll make each issue worthy of a corner on your coffee table. As always our Subscription Club Members (see page 44) are acknowledged and thanked in each issue.

WE-HA.COMEvery issue past and current of WEST HARTFORD MAGAZINE is on-line! For years we have been trying to figure out the best way to reach you while the kids are on school break, or you are vacationing for the summer … so via We-Ha.com we can reach you and you can find us no matterwhere you are. Please be certain to subscribe to We-Ha.com so you don’t miss a beat! When yousubscribe to WEST HARTFORD MAGAZINE we will automatically include you as a We-Ha.com subscriber.

Our next issue will be in your homes as we get out of school at the end of June!

Best wishes,

Thomas P. Hickey [email protected]

Held on Kentucky Derby Day each year, Ron’s Run for the Roses is a fun and elegant afternoon, complete with mint juleps, southern fare,Derby Day attire and Dixieland Jazz, as well as live and silent auctions.The event culminates with the viewing of the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby. (May 2, this year. Visit www.ronsrun.org).Photos courtesy of RON FOLEY FOUNDATION.

The annual Mayor’s Charity Ball (held under the “big top” tent on thelawn of Town Hall), is full of fun and will take place on May 9 this year.Photos by TODD FAIRCHILD/SHUTTERBUGCT.COM

TITLE SPONSORS:

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has so many diverse offerings, it’s about time we have our

very own “Best of” contest! That’s why we’re asking our

readers to choose their favorites in a number of categories.

The best part: If you participate in our Readers’ Choice

Poll, you will automatically be entered to win four general

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Nominating period goes through April 27, and Voting on the “Best” is from May 1 through Celebrate West Hartford (June 7)


PEOPLE

Visit We-Ha.comfor complete stories and photos from the following events ... and MORE!

Celebrity Chefs Came to the TableThe annual West Hartford's Cookin' event drew a crowd to Town Hall on March

21, 2015 to support the Foundation for West Hartford Public Schools. Local celebrities prepared signature dishes including meatballs by town council memberChris Barnes, and bread pudding by Claire Kindall, also on town council. Dollarsraised at the event will fund the Foundation's 2015-2016 teacher grant program.The Foundation awarded over $70,000 in grants for 2014-2015.Bristow Middle School Principal Steven Cook, King Philip Middle School Principal Joy Wright andSedgwick Middle School Principal Andrew Clapsaddle. Photo by STUART LEVY PHOTOGRAPHY

The Bridge's 16th Annual Ball Was IlluminatingOn Janurary 17, Bill Hann and Bridge Executive Director Margaret Hann celebrated with

Honorary Chairs Jane Lehman and Matt Winter, Allstate Insurance Company (pictured), at the Bridge's 16th annual Children's Charity Ball. More than 370 guests gathered at theHartford Golf Club under a canopy of lighted cream, white, and champagne paper lanternsreflecting the gala's theme, "Light Up A Life." The event netted more than $240,000 that willsupport Bridge services for children and families in need. The Bridge is grateful to thedonors, sponsors, volunteers, and attendees at the event. Photo courtesy of THE BRIDGE FAMILY CENTER

1022 Farmington Avenue • West Hartford, CT 06107Tel: 860.521.8035

www.bridgefamilycenter.org

The Bridge is a comprehensive, regional family service agency offering prevention and intervention programs for young people andfamilies in West Hartford, the Greater Hartford region, and beyond.We provide counseling, youth shelters, parent education, in-schoolgroups, a Teen Center, early-learning playgroups, after-school support and enrichment activities.

The Bridge’s Mission is to foster the courage and strengthin children and families to meet life’s challenges andbuild fulfilling lives.

We are hereto make adifferencein her lifeand in yours

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we-ha.com ISSUE NO. 1, 2015 west hartford magazine I 13

Don’t miss out on THE hyper local news!Visit We-Ha.com to sign up for the 3-time-per-week newsletter.

Elmwood Tasted Great!Saint Brigid School hosted more than 200 people at the second annual Taste of Elmwood in

February. Favorites included HB Seafood’s lobster bisque, Greek salad from Tapas, shepherd’spie courtesy of the Corner Pug, a selection of pizza from both Pepe’s and Elmwood Pizza, a Peruvian chicken stew from Cora Cora, and several quiches as well as ravioli from Fernwood(pictured). Sliders’ raspberry wings were also a crowd pleaser. Desserts came from ClassicCakes as well as Rita’s Italian ices. Two Pour Guys provided beverages. This is a fundraiser forboth the Elmwood Business Association and Saint Brigid School. It was sponsored by Jerry’sArtarama and J.P. Carroll Construction. Photo by RONNI NEWTON

Kara Sundlun Book Signing at University of Saint Joseph

Dozens of students, faculty and guests from the University of Saint Joseph attendeda book signing and discussion featuring WFSB-TV journalist Kara Sundlun, author of anew book, Finding Dad: From Love Child to Daughter. Joining Kara, pictured thirdfrom right, at the University of Saint Joseph on Feb 12 were, from left, Kate Mordarski,Kaitlyn Keddy, Vivian Carlson, Ph.D., Sarah Lentini and Lindsey Dionne.

Photo courtesy of UNIVERSITY OF SAINT JOSEPH

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Congratulations

Sarah Bain & Syed Hussain

photos by Danny Kashwww.dannydash.com

When Sarah and Syed first met, while out one night in WestHartford Center, they knew right away their connection was realand one of a kind. They never looked back. After a year of dating,Syed secretly asked Sarah’s dad for his permission, before pop-ping the question on a Friday night after Sarah got home fromwork. The couple spent the entire weekend celebrating withfamily and friends in Boston.

The bride is the daughter of Stephen and Janice Bain ofHampstead, New Hampshire. Sarah graduated from UCONNand is employed by the Tribune Events Group.

The groom is the son of Syed M. and Najma Hussain, ofBloomfield. Syed grew up in West Hartford and graduated fromHall High School before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps. Healso attended Johnson and Wales University and Central CTState University. He is employed as the Business Developmentand Marketing director for Doctors Express Urgent Care and as afirefighter for the City of Hartford.

Their New Years Eve candlelit wedding ceremony took placeat the Hill-Stead Museum Estate in Farmington with a receptionat The Pond House in West Hartford to ring in a very special newyear!

Sarah and Syed honeymooned in the Riviera Maya, Mexico torelax, unwind and get some sun. The couple currently resides inWest Hartford. �

Sarah and Syed on the grounds of the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington.

(Right) Syed is surrounded by hisgroomsmen.

Visit we-ha.com formore photos and moreWEDDINGS.

Stephen Bain walks his daughter Sarah down the aisle of the MakeshiftTheater space of the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington.

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WEDDINGSCongratulations

Brie Johnston & Nicholas Wolf

photos by Paul and Krystal McNearneywww.studiofoto.com

It has been said you can always rely on theinstinct of your pet. It worked for this bride.When Brie went hiking on her first date withNick, she brought her 20-pound dachshund, Max,for ‘protection’! Max fell in love with Nick…and so did Brie!Three years later, Nick proposed on a beautiful mountain cliff overlook-ing the ocean in Acadia National Park. The couple tied the knot last fall.

The bride is the daughter of Meryl and Alan Johnston, of Newington.Meryl grew up in West Hartford. Brie holds a BA in Political Science andUrban studies from UCONN and is employed as a lobbyist with Gallo &Robinson, LLC in Hartford.

The groom is the son of Sharon and Joe DeLuca (step dad) of St. Pe-tersburg, FL and David Wolf and Deborah Zulauf (step mom), of NorthWales, PA. His mom, Sharon, met Joe DeLuca when they worked at Im-print, in West Hartford. Nick attended Green Mountain College in Ver-mont and holds numerous professional certifications. He is currentlyemployed as building information modeling manager and MEP specialistwith KBE Building Corporation in Farmington.

The October wedding took place at Rosedale Farm in Simsbury. Brieand Nick love the outdoors and fell in love with this rustic farm and vine-yard location. They honeymooned in Vermont and plan to travel cross-country this summer. The couple currently resides in Manchester. �

Visit we-ha.com for more photos and more WEDDINGS.

Brie and Nick were married on a (muddy)but beautiful day at Rosedale Farms &

Vinyard in Simsbury.

Brie and Nick with Nick’s parents Joe (step dad) and Sharon DeLuca

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ven if you didn’t grow up here, chances are you’ve already witnessedsome positive changes in West Hartford over the past few years. Atthe helm of the metamorphosis are four strong association pillars thathave served as the foundation for change and development: The West Hartford Center Business Association, The Elmwood BusinessAssociation, The Park Road Association and The Bishops CornerNeighborhood Association. And alongside them, all the way, is theWest Hartford Chamber of Commerce.

West Hartford Center Business Association (WHCBA)Meet Barbara Karsky… president of the West Hartford Center Business Association

(WHCBA). Barbara has been a member of the association for 20 years as owner of BK &Company. She has been serving as the association president for the past two years and vicepresident for two years prior.

“The brand of the WHCBA is Shop, Dine, Stroll,” says Barbara, “we try to wrap all ourevents into a stroll, or a shopping or dining experience! The Center is such a pretty sectionof town. A great place to come with your family and have a great time. It’s a vibrant commu-nity. We have wonderful members, great stores and restaurants…some of the best-ratedbusinesses in the state are found right here in the Center!”

Barbara is the owner of BK & Co., a business wrapped around its own brand of ‘selling so-phisticated clothing for fabulous women like you!’ As she explains, “it’s all about feelingcomfortable in fashion, in your own style. We keep it friendly and non-intimidating…justlike the sense throughout the Center in all of the businesses!”

Good customer service is important to the members of the WHCBA. “Most businesseshere offer exceptional service. We are all about the customer. We really celebrate them andmake the customer experience friendly and non-intimidating. Unlike big chain stores, inour businesses, you’ll find the owner or a local manager there to help you every day.”

While the center of town is becoming known for its fabulous events, Barbara laughs asshe admits, “We need to make our events especially fun because parking is still an issuehere in the Center!” and adds, “people will park and walk, if needed, because the eventshere are always such a big draw!”

Annual events such as the West Hartford Center Sales Days (January and July) are three daysof shopping extravaganza twice a year…one being a very popular sidewalk sale every July. “Dur-ing Fashion Week, in the fall and spring, we do a week of multiple events for many of the cloth-ing retailers, culminating in one big fashion show event highlighting the best of the best frommany of our local retailers.” There are other popular events, including a Holiday Stroll every De-cember (they even had a flash mob this past year!), a Halloween Stroll, an exclusive FerrariEvent, and an annual Kids Card event, which benefits the Children’s hospital (this particularevent has raised over a quarter million dollars, so far).

Business BuzzLeaders of the local business &neighborhood associations open up about what they love about We-Ha

by Lisa Lelas

photos by Todd Fairchild/ShutterbugCT.com

E


“Our Association is really a great collaboration of different minds. Wetry to have events not just geared to retail sales but also for giving backto the community through charity events and just fun family days tobring the community out and about.”

The WHCBA has about 60 members now. “We are campaigning thisyear to generate more local businesses to join the Association. We’vereally evolved in many ways over the past 20 years. We’ve always had aboard of directors, requiring a 2/3 majority vote on special issues, suchas how to spend money on marketing and events, and so on.”

Linda French was the original face, for many years, behind theWHCBA and the Chamber, since she ran both for a long time. “Whenshe retired,” Barbara explains, “the Board of Directors took over and wewere forced to go in an all new direction. We have a great board of direc-tors and very informative meetings. Everyone in the community gets in-volved, from the public works department to the police department. Allthe pieces of the community are discussed.”

Reflecting most of the country post 9-11, the association had dwin-dled. The Board of Directors took it over, but it was a challenging timetrying to get members involved because it was a tough time economi-cally. “It’s gone thru many evolutions. It’s been hard for many mom &pop stores in recent years. Many years ago, taking one small ad in a localnewspaper was enough to bring customers in, but now, as we discuss inour meetings, the issue is, ‘how and where do I spend my advertising/marketing dollars?’ There are so many choices now from radio, satelliteradio, cable TV, newspapers, magazines, social media, digital advertis-ing…it can be overwhelming! The business association has been veryhelpful for everyone in collaborating ideas, generating events to bring inbusiness, and offering solutions to many common challenges.”

In recent years, the WHCBA has since resurged incredibly. “Ourmeetings are much more fun and social now. This year, the Board meetson the second Wednesday of the month and every couple of months orso, we do an evening ‘mixer’. We combine our business meetings with asocial aspect for networking. All issues are discussed, from marketingand parking issues to whatever current challenge might be happen-ing…but combining the meeting with a fun social event has allowedbusiness owners to really get to know each other for cross-marketingpurposes. It’s been very beneficial in sparking new interest for joining.”Barbara continues, “The social aspect of our meetings has been great.We want them to be fun! For instance, we had a Halloween mixer lastyear where members came dressed as their favorite super hero! We hada ‘white elephant’ gift exchange, whereby everyone wrapped somethingfrom their business and explained the meaning behind it when it wasopened. We’re always coming up with new ways to learn about each oth-ers’ businesses.”

Coming up next, Barbara says the association is going to feature a‘speed dating’ type of business networking, where everyone will have afew minutes one-on-one to engage personally with another business.Camaraderie is key. It is important to members that they address thepersonal side of businesses as well as the business side.

“Things are looking up now!” smiles Barbara, “people are feelingmore connected. It’s gone back to feeling like more of a ‘community’again. Smaller groups within our own area recently started collaborat-ing for mini-events, which help make the entire community prosper.They’ve been very instrumental in our growth and our success!

People are feeling more connected, as a result. But of course, it goeswithout saying that a good economy is always helpful to get people inbetter moods!”

West Hartford Center Business AssociationBarbara Karsky, [email protected]


The Elmwood Business AssociationDr. Rick Liftig is a local dentist in the cen-

ter of Elmwood. He has been the presidentof the Elmwood Business Association forthe past 15 years.

As Rick explains, “the original associationbegan in the 1950’s, post WWII when sol-diers were coming back home. Businessgrowth lasted about 15-20 years. Then, withthe influence of national chain stores mov-ing in, people began to retreat and the busi-ness association became dormant for about30 years. Eventually groups of ‘charettes’were assigned for businesses and for citi-zens (groups designed to help people de-cide where to go in a series of meetings over6 months to a year). Out of this, the corebusiness group became re-invigorated.”

The Association was back up and runningcirca 2000, with Rick steering the ship asPresident. “We have about 30 members, butof course, there are many more businessesin the area. You have to understand thatmany small business owners don’t alwaysjoin or have the extra time to get involved.We meet monthly, with very informativediscussions.”

Rick admits that the growing success oftheir association comes largely as a result ofborrowing ideas from another business as-sociation in town. “Actually, we have cometo model our structure after The Park RoadAssociation (from John Paindiris & TracyFlater). Like them, we started a large com-munity outreach effort, we got a lot of infor-mation out to the public, we have arepresentative from the police departmentfor regular police reports/updates on ourcommunity, we discuss and try to solve anychallenges that come up for our membersand plan terrific community events eachyear, such as A Taste of Elmwood.”

Along with the resurrection of a viablebusiness association, it appears that theoriginal beauty of the Elmwood area is backalso. “It was the culmination of many smallchanges over the years that added up to abig change,” explained Rick, “it certainlywasn’t overnight.” From transforming anold school building into beautiful condos toupgrading many retail storefronts for fresh,modern appeal, the “frosting on the cake,”as Rick put it, “was the refurbishment ofNew Britain Avenue as a whole. All of a sud-den you looked around and said, ‘wow, this

place really has changed!’ It’s really been ajoint effort between the town residents,businesses and even the state, over theyears.”

And another thing Rick and the entirecommunity are proud of…the trees areback!

“We’ve replaced a lot of asphalt withtrees. And, a lot of Elm trees too! Tree linedstreets is a beautiful feature right throughour community center.” Rick actuallyplanted the first Elm tree on the ElmsGreen back in 2007 and the tree-plantingeffort has been going strong ever since.

Current shopping trends in the area haveassisted with Elmwood’s sudden boom ofbusiness. “As the center of town becomesmore congested and pricey, we are seeingthe Elmwood area as an alternative. Moreand more restaurants are coming in.

The economy is better now. We have atremendous support system in place forsmall business owners in this community.Elmwood offers business owners a great location!”

And Rich admits that there is somethingvery unique about West Hartford as awhole. “While nobody has a crystal ball forthe future, we all know that West Hartford,

by nature, keeps reinventing itself. Resi-dents in this town really like shopping local.It’s a hometown that people like comingback to and it’s also a great place to start liv-ing in the town. Helping with affordability,you can walk to Elmwood center. There’sgood mobility in town.”

And the cherry on top? “We are anticipat-ing amazing growth in the future,” Rick saysexcitedly, “honestly, we were all very sur-prised about the new CTfastrak bus route(New Britain to Hartford). We were all ini-tially against it, but surprisingly it hasspawned a new interest. With that, there isconfidence that it will springboard into awhole new train-line from New Haven toHartford, with an Elmwood stop. There is awhole corridor of old factories and aban-doned buildings for the past 15-20 yearsthat will surely come alive again with an ac-tive train stop right here in this part of thecommunity. The whole area has really mor-phed into the future. I remember we startedwith sharing our dreams at an associationmeeting years ago, each of us sharing howwe’d love to see this or that happen in thefuture. I look back now and say, Holycow…dreams really come true!”

Elmwood Business AssociationDr. Rick Liftig, [email protected]


The Park Road Association Johnny Paindiris and Tracy Flater are

names most locals know very well, indica-tive of their community involvement.Johnny is the owner of Effie’s Place Restau-rant and Tracy is the founder of Playhouseon Park theater. Together, they havestepped into the role of co-presidents of thePark Road Association.

As Johnny explains, “We no longer call ita ‘business’ association. We changed ourtitle a few years back. Our goal is to attractmore residential members from the stigmaof an all-business association. It’s our goalto really start growing the membership.”

Back in 1991, the association was startedby several prominent business people intown. “My father was involved too,” saysJohnny, “Unfortunately, crime was growingat that time in this area. They found thathaving this association as part of the Cham-ber would provide residents and businessowners with a voice to town officials andthe police department.”

“There are about 20 members,” addsTracy. “Johnny & I are newbees. We tookover the association in September. Wehaven’t yet had a formal membership drive.We meet at Playhouse on Park, the thirdFriday of every month (except August) at 8a.m. The meetings are open to everyone.Usually about 20-40 people attend. Differ-ent people may come at any time. Our database is hundreds of businesses and residen-tial neighbors, but you have to keep in mindthat there are a lot of small business and re-tail shop owners who can’t leave their busi-ness to always come to the meetings.”

Those considered the founders of the as-sociation were Pat Daly, Angelo Faenza(first president) and Richard Patrissi (vicepresident). “When I first co-founded thetheater (it was under different ownership)in June 2009,” explains Tracy, “we created abrand new non-profit theater company.Richard and Angelo, at the time, were verymuch engaged in helping me make my deci-sion of taking over that empty theaterspace. Their care was prevalent. I was in-vited to participate in meetings right away.They were instrumental in helping me net-work to meet people in the community andfinancially support my decision. Part of thereason I decided to jump in and help out onas an association leader was to ‘give back’!”

“And the Association has been just ashelpful to me over the years,” adds Johnny,“Effie’s Place Restaurant has been on ParkRoad for 25 years. I was a young kid when Istarted getting involved in our family busi-ness. I knew a lot of the town’s people fromthe restaurant. That’s been very rewardingto me over the years, but being a part of thisAssociation proved to be invaluable…forgathering news and information about hap-penings in the town, networking, public re-lations, and more. The Association is greatfor new businesses in the neighborhoodneeding advice or help. It’s an opportunityto really meet key people who can help youin the future, such as the mayor, publicworks people and the chief of police.”

Tracy explains, “Currently, we are re-evaluating and formulating our member-ship and our website presence. We nowhave a strong Facebook presence with asolid connection to the town.”

The leaders are fully aware that their as-sociation has been an inspiration to others.“We’ve been a model for the Elmwood As-sociation. They saw the value of having theresidents of the town and local businessowners come together with regular meet-ings,” said Johnny. “When Park Road un-derwent a huge construction project in 1997 (building a new road, sidewalks, etc.)business owners wanted to know how longtheir businesses would be affected, so theystarted a monthly meeting just for con-struction updates. “Public safety is our toppriority at the Park Road Association. Wealways have reps from planning & zoning,police department, local politicians, and so on.”

And much to the delight of local busi-nesses and residents alike, the Park Roadarea is literally booming! “A lot of peoplerecognize Park Road now and want to havetheir business located here. It’s a friendly

Park Road AssociationJohn Paindiris & Tracy Flater, [email protected]@playhousetheater.com


neighborhood, a real viable business option.” Johnny stated. Tracy agrees. “I’ve only seen really positive growth. All changes

here have been for the better. People come from Hartford and surrounding towns to our restaurants and businesses. There’smore and more desire to be here and better quality restaurantscoming in.”

Noting the change, Johnny remembers, “at one time there mayhave only been 3-4 restaurants. Now there is probably two dozen!”

And more exciting news keeps popping up. The co-presidents areanticipating many more residents moving into the area as 300-400new apartments are being constructed on the old St. Joseph’s prop-erty.

“We’re working really hard in marketing right now to become a

unified neighborhood. The Park Road area is a great cross market ofresidential and business. We want, and are establishing, a greatpresence like The Center has.”

Annual events are part of the process and they are working to es-tablish more. The Park Road Parade was originally started to cele-brate the re-construction on the street 15 years ago, and a yearlyCelebrity Breakfast, every June, is the biggest fundraiser for the pa-rade. “Local business owners are invited to my restaurant to servebreakfast & we donate 100% of the proceeds to the parade fund,”Johnny explained.

“And we are always looking for new ideas,” says Tracy. “Watch formore Park Road events coming soon. We’re about to announcesome new and exciting initiatives…so stay tuned!”

Bishops Corner Neighborhood Association

Robert “Bob” Fressola is president of theBishops Corner Neighborhood Associationand knows, first hand, what Bishops Cornerreally feels like. He is a proud resident of theneighborhood. “My wife and I both feel verystrongly about our community. We havetwo kids growing up here (3rd grade andkindergarten at Bugbee). I’ve lived in WestHartford for about 10 years, been in theBishops Corner area for about 6 of thoseyears.

The Association was started about 40-50years ago. As Bob explains, “It used to bestrictly for residents. The Post Office wasonce thinking about closing the BishopsCorner location and suddenly, residentssprang into action to prevent it. Primarily,residential issues would come to life as vari-ous issues came up. People like Rob Rowl-son, Chuck Coursey and myself, withothers, made the decision to pump new lifeinto the area and resurrect it. We decided tomove forward as a combination associationwhereby businesses and residents activelyparticipate together. What’s unique aboutour Association now is that it’s comprisedof residents, as well as business owners.There are 8 board members. Half of ourboard is made up of business owners and abig chunk of our meetings is now geared tolocal businesses.”

The Bishops Corner Neighborhood Asso-ciation meets on the second Friday of eachmonth (8-9 a.m.) at the Bishops CornerSenior Center. There are no dues. About 20-30 people typically show up at the meetings.

“Two residents in particular, Sidney Ro-galski (vice president), and Jack Bass (trea-

Bishops Corner Neighborhood AssociationRobert Fressola, president (out of town for photo session)

[email protected]

Bert Kaplowitz, vice president (pictured)

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surer) were original board members and kept the group going overthe past few decades, helping us through the transformation.”

And what a transformation it has been. “It’s pretty exciting to seeall the new development and re-development in Bishops Corner.When I first moved here, the 4 corners looked tired…then transfor-mations began, starting with the Whole Foods/Walgreens plaza andcontinuing through the current Albany Avenue Residential project(transforming a former nursing home to several hundred residen-tial units). More residents moving into this neighborhood meanmore money to be spent in our area. Also 12 new town housesacross from Big Y are coming in, as well. As various business parcelscontinue getting developed, the need for more residential areascontinues to grow. “

The Association is proud of the events and opportunities it hasbrought to their community. They sponsor the Bishops CornerFarmers Market every Saturday in the Crown Market parking lot in

warm weather months and sponsor summer poetry nights at Max’sand Blue Plate Kitchen.

“We’ve met with the town and state Department of Transporta-tion to make Albany Avenue and North Main Street (the main inter-section) more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. Already, more safetycrossings and better signage is getting in place. “

And Bob continues, “we can’t stress enough the many volunteeropportunities we have available…from the Farmers Market com-mittee to the Marketing committee, helping the Association withre-branding and community outreach, to the Arts committee,tasked with putting on events, like the poetry nights. A meet theartists night is another event coming soon.”

“There is a shift in the country where people are now movingback toward city centers and closer to more populated suburbs.Bishops Corner is unique because it’s walk-able and bike-able.” Bobadds with a smile, “quite simply, we’ve got everything here!”

West Hartford Chamber of Commerce

Barbara Lerner has been the executive di-rector of the West Hartford Chamber ofCommerce since July of 2014 and hasbrought a wealth of business experience toher position. “I owned a jewelry store in theCenter for 13 years and in downtown Hart-ford before that. I was President of theWest Hartford Center Business Associationfor 10 years until 2008 and after that, I wasthe marketing director for Blue BackSquare.”

Tapping into her own life has helped herimmensely. “Everything I’ve done in mywork history over the past 30 years totallyprepared me for this position... from my re-tail experience, knowing how to run a smallbusiness, marketing, work experience withlarge and small businesses and being ac-tively involved in the community. I know alot of people and have met so many morepeople through the chamber…more than Iever would have in my regular life!”

She recalls how helpful the Chamber hadalways been to her in the past. “LindaFrench was the former executive directorand she was very welcoming when I was abusiness owner. The Chamber is very bene-ficial for growing businesses.”

Located at 948 Farmington Avenue, Bar-bara says, “We are in the center of every-thing. It’s a great location! Our office isopen 8:30-4 every day. Currently we haveclose to 500 members!” The role of thechamber is clearly defined in West Hart-ford. “We are here to serve tourists (provid-ing maps of the town and answering anyquestions) and we serve local residents and

West Hartford Chamber of CommerceBarbara Lerner, executive [email protected]


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Golf for a Cause

businesses. People join for the networking opportunities, forservices and programs offered, the camaraderie of new friendsand business colleagues, to simply learn how to do things bet-ter. For small businesses, we even offer chamber insurance forour members in CT. Competition is not a factor. Being unifiedis good. We try to connect businesses together to help eachother.”

The Chamber boosts many regular events in town, including2-3 multi-chamber annual events, together with neighboringtowns. Their monthly Business After-hours takes place the sec-ond Thursday of each month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at variousmember locations. “On the first and third Friday of eachmonth we run a group called ‘Connections’ at 7:30 a.m.,” saysBarbara, “It’s free and open to everybody to come in and net-work. We also run the annual Mayors State of the Town ad-dress at Wampanaoug Country Club and our big EconomicDevelopment Update, which recently took place with MarkMcGovern, director of community services speaking on newdevelopments in town. We have a Breakfast series with varioustopics of discussion. Our next one is coming up on April 14 at7:30 a.m at Chatfield.” These meetings are free for members.$10 for non-members. “And, of course, our annual golf tourna-ment will take place on September 21 this year at the HartfordGolf Club.”

Innovation is key and the chamber is always willing to trynew things. “we recently brought all of the Business Associa-tions together in the same room for a meeting to share ideasand visions for growth. Many members had never met before.It’s a great forum to work together. At our monthly meetings,we have all of the Association Presidents or an Association repthere.”

Bettering the community is the mission of the Chamber.“We’ve been a part of every transformation this town hasseen…from cobblestone sidewalks to the traffic islands withtrees…the Chamber is diligent in preserving the character of acharming hometown. Despite having a population of 65,000,the look and flavor stays quaint.”

One of the most recent developments the town has seen isthe launch of the Fasttrack, which has been getting favorablereviews.

Originally from New York, Barbara has lived in CT for 40years and in West Hartford for 30 of those years. She and herhusband, Hank, a psychologist, have one grown son, Sam.“West Hartford has changed drastically over the years! I’veseen it all. Changes have all been positive, even if people didn’twant them originally. New Englanders, I have found, typicallydon’t like change, like when Blue Back came in and Westfarmsexpanded!”

Barbara’s message to the business community is simply put,“If you want to be successful… you need to be involved in theChamber!” �

Find us on We-Ha.com


fashionGuest Stylists: Stephanie Blozy & Michelle Kurnik Photos by: Lacey Gabrielle PhotographyHair and Make-up by: The Hair Color CompanyFIT


Now that spring has arrived and our thoughts turn toward getting outside more, we thought it was a good time to invite StephanieBlozy and Michelle Kurnik from Fleet Feet Sports in West Hartford Center to be our guest fashion stylists. In conjunction with fitnessinstructors and enthusiasts from all over town, Fleet Feet Sports showcases the fun FIT FASHIONS for spring with a little help fromAkua Ba Fitness, Elmwood Senior Center, Hall High Athletes, FIT4Mom West Hartford, TRIBE, WIP Fitness and Pilates Defined.

Fleet Feet Sports1003-B Farmington AvenueModels: Beth, Joe, Kevin, Melody, Katie, Jill, KelleyClothes & Shoes: All clothes and shoes provided by Fleet Feet Sports


Akua Ba Fitness121 Talcott RoadModels: Dmario, Becca, and ChrisClothes: New Balance, Brooks, Saucony, CraftShoes: New Balance, Brooks


Elmwood Senior Center1106 New Britain AvenueModels: Judy, Joe, and WiniClothes: BrooksShoes: Brooks and New Balance


Hall High School Students @Herb’s Sport Shop60A LaSalle RoadModels: Ari, Monica, Vinh, and AlyssaAll clothes and shoes: Nike

Please note, Conard High School cross country runners were not available at the time of the photo shoot.


We all know that lady in Pilates orspin class who always looks so wellput together with matching span-dex, sneaks, and socks. Next time,before you go “hatin’ on her,” thinkabout it, does her snazzy fashion

sense seem to make her FEEL better too? Studies showthat you can get much more out of your exercise routinewhen your attitude, and fashions, start out on a positivenote.

While finding the right FIT FASHIONS to look good foryour needs may be important, you also need to considercomfort, because what you wear can impact the success ofyour workout. Have you ever tried doing yoga in anythingbut yoga pants? It’s not easy, and it’s no fun. Keeping coolis also key, so choosing the right fabric is important. Syn-thetic fibers will allow your skin to breathe by wicking, ordrawing the sweat away from your body. Polyester, Lycraand spandex work well. Of course, you can wear cotton ifyou do not anticipate sweating a lot, if you are taking awalk or a gentle yoga class, for example.

For you early morning joggers, layering is important,even in the spring. Even if you know you’ll heat up, youwant to start out comfortable so your muscles don’ttighten up and risk injury. Always wear items you can eas-ily discard as your body temperature heats up during yourworkout, and importantly, keep smiling!

FIT4MOM West Hartford1500 New Britain AvenueModels: Courtney, Monika, Lisa, and KerryClothes: North Face and BrooksShoes: Saucony, Asics, and Adidas

32 I westhartfordmagazine.com

TRIBE1003 Farmington AvenueModels: Pam, Richard, JanelleClothes: Brooks and Saucony


WIP Fitness485 New Park AvenueModels: Laura and Mary KateClothes: CraftShoes: Topo

Pilates Defined1143 New Britain AvenueModels: Jessica, Lauren, Anna, and JeanneClothes: Nike


Americans today are takingless vacation time than atany point in nearly 40years, according to an Oc-tober report for the U.S.Travel Association by Ox-ford Economics. So, where

and how will we be spending our preciousleisure time in 2015? The world is waitingfor you! There are plenty of exciting placesto go this year and it seems like many Amer-icans are now looking for more than just abeach or a golf course. We are immersingourselves in experiences such as cookingclasses, wine making, language studies,painting classes, photo safaris, yoga andhealth retreats. Let this year be the year for‘experience-led’ travel consumption. Well-ness travel is another buzzword for 2015.We are traveling to yoga retreats and spas

for rejuvenation and a holistic lifestyle andreturning with a new body, habit or hobby!With family time being so precious, thosewho can afford luxury travel will often optto take the entire family along for the ride.Family retreats and reunions are becomingbig business with cruise lines and resorts.

Dr. Auliana Poon, Managing Director ofTourism Intelligence International and au-thor of “How Americans will Travel 2015”argues that the ‘creative class’ of Americantravellers do not want to merely take pho-tos and sit on the sidelines. They want toexperience the culture of a place they visit;they want to know about the content or‘goodness’ of a product before they buy it;they want to be active participants. Not sur-prising, over two-fifths of all Americanswho travel abroad, choose Europe. Destina-tions will need to focus more on supporting

and promoting local, indigenous events atthe community level to attract the creativeclass of American travellers. The Caribbean:

For you active types out there, trying tostay healthy and experience a top rated spaand luxury accommodations to boot, trythe Jade Mountain Resort in Anse Chas-tanet, St. Lucia, FWI. This is a rare jewelthat features a menu of classic andAvurvedic spa rituals. Guests receive body,beauty and couples spa services in theirroom. Complimentary seaside yoga classesand guided hikes of the 600-acre estateround out the relaxation for an experience“beyond words.” Central America:

Now that you are relaxed and in greatshape, maybe it’s time to get closer to na-ture with a trip to Costa Rica and see what

Jade Mountain, Saint Lucia.

TRAVEL

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The World is Waiting!Where Will You Travel in 2015?by Lydia Brown

Travel Tips• What vacation matches your personality?Health-minded: Soak up the manyspas of St. Lucia

Environmentalist: Try the ecotourism of beautiful Costa Rica

Nature lover: Experience the Galapagos Islands in South America

Family Adventurer: Discover all that South Africa offers


ecotourism really is. This is one of theshowcase destinations when we speak of“ecotourism”.

Although Costa Rica is a small territory, itmakes up about 5% of the earth's biodiver-sity. Fortunately, this natural treasure is pro-tected by the National System ofConservation Areas, preserving a total of 25%of the national territory. Visitors can enjoythe country's majestic volcanoes, Pacific andCaribbean beaches, tropical dry, wet, andrain forests, as well as exhilarating junglelandscapes, all without traveling long dis-tances. Visit the Jaguar Reserve, the onlyprotected jaguar preserve in the world, whileseeing many species of birds and animals.

I found a small hotel that looks like a littlepiece of paradise. Tucked into the remotejungles of the Mountain Pine Ridge reserveoverlooking the gentle rapids and waterfallsof the Privassion River. Blancaneuax Lodgeis the personal vision of filmmaker FrancisFord Coppola. With cozy cabanas and 2bedroom 2 bath villas appointed in rusticcomfort with brightly colored textiles, na-tive art and handcrafted furnishings fromBelize and Guatemala.

South America: With your new found love of everything

nature, let’s head to South America’s westcoast, 600 miles from Ecuador, to the Gala-pagos Islands for a photographic journeywith Lindblad Expeditions on board theNational Geographic Endeavor and learntips and techniques as you capture imagesof flightless cormorants, marine iguanas,giant tortoises, and the remarkable sceneryof the islands. Here you will hone your pho-tographic skills while capturing images ofwildlife in a variety of landscapes, fromblack lava fields to white-sand beaches, andfrom rocky cliffs to lush highland forests.You will see rare giant tortoises at theCharles Darwin Research Station and ex-plore the waters of the Galapagos by kayakand glass bottom boat, snorkel or Zodiac,all while in the hands of the experts.

South Africa: For those looking for the ultimate family

adventure, how about 10 days in SouthAfrica on a family adventure created byTauck and BBC Earth? How would you andyour family like to stand eye-to-eye with anostrich as you ask him for a ride, fist-to-talon with an eagle, happy to perch on yourarm or trunk-in-hand with an elephant asyou go for a walk? Take a drumming lesson,make tasty samosas and meet a cheetah am-bassador during a three-night stay in CapeTown, zip line through the treetops and gowhale and seal watching on a private boatcruise during two nights at a Garden Routeestate, or go on safari game drives to spy theBig Five when you spend three nights in awilderness lodge near Kruger NationalPark. You’ll learn more about wildlife withcameramen's gadgets, like night vision gog-gles and infrared cameras, to see and hear

things not normally experi-enced by family travelers toSouth Africa. �

Lydia Brown (860) 944-9686Sanditz American ExpressTravel, 8 North Main St.

The “Alchemy of Two” spa treatment at Jade Mountain, Saint Lucia.

Membership includes:

Your business listing in our on-line Membership Directory and a new mem-ber advertisement in West Hartford Life.

Free event promotions on our Community Calendar (read by approximately 700 people each week) which helps you get to the right people for your business.

Meet West Hartford’s business leaders in a casual setting! Enjoy good food and beverageas you network through the Chamber’s Business After Hours

and West Hartford Connections events.Exclusive Chamber Rewards including member-to-member product opportunities,special offers, and innovative and competitively priced benefit solutions with CIT.Taking advantage of just one of these rewardscan pay for your membership!

For membership information,please contact Barbara or Morgan

at (860) 521-2300 or e-mail

[email protected]. We look forward to hearing

from you soon!

www.whchamber.com

Join the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce!Good for your business, good for the community.

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Thank you to our Chefs, Sponsors, Advertisers, Benefactors, Volunteers, Auction Donors, In-Kind Donors, School PTO’s, Principals, Event Committeeand all of the West Hartford’s Cookin’2015 attendees!

We appreciate your help raising funds tobring educational projects, programs, and initiatives that enhance and enliven the classroom experience for all West HartfordPublic School students.

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We found the perfect remedy for recovering from winter … get yourself overto HB Seafood’s “modern clam shack,” in Elmwood, to enjoy the fresh taste of the seawithout having to leave town!

Owners, Matt and Juntimar Malahan are diligent about getting the freshest seafoodshipped in from all over New England, and theyeven use the same Maine lobster source usedby the famed Luke’s Lobster of NYC.

They also get Long Island Sound bluefish(for tacos), clams from Rhode Island, and come summer, Matt has “a guy” who dives forlocal pink shrimp in Stonington. Their menuchanges seasonally.

We tasted delicious lobster bisque withhearty chunks of fresh lobster and a hint of tarragon and a REAL New England clam chowder that was swimming in flavor. New to the menu: shrimp tacos, which did not skimp on shrimp nor flavor. Make sure you try the

Connecticut-style lobster roll, servedwarm…and hold the mayo. We have to say, theclam roll gave us an instant flash back to a childhood favorite, BUT, this is NOT the clamroll from your childhood - this one has flavor! Yum!

Everything was delicious, well priced, andwas served on trays and paper plates, in keepingwith the clam shack motif. Place your order atthe counter and take a seat in the roomy andclean dining area, or take out, of course.

Congratulations to HB Seafood on its firstanniversary. (They just survivedtheir first winter and what adoozy it was!). Matt and Juntimar also own Hot Basil, aThai eatery they opened on New Park Avenue in 2006. �

You never know where the Twin Tasters will showup. Contact: [email protected]

Shrimp Tacos, fries, and cole slaw. (Inset) New England Clam Chowder and Lobster Bisque.

FOOD

Fresh Seafood in a CasualAtmosphere, in WeHaby The Twin Tasters

Restaurant:HB Seafood1142 New Britain AveWest Hartford, CT860-206-9466www.hbseafood.com7 days/week12 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Sweet potato fries, salad andlobster roll.

Clam roll.


GARDEN

Gardeners are the eternaloptimists…either that orwe have very short memo-ries. But clearly, we wouldnever garden again if we remembered the challeng-

ing weather patterns of just the last twosummers alone. As we try to forget the longcold winter we endured, we should focus onpast summers when planning our gardens.While these summers weren't particularlyhot (there were no 100 degree days) it wasthe rainfall patterns which made each growing season challenging.

In 2013, we had 16 inches of rain during“meteorological summer” (the months ofJune through August). Unfortunately, therain was not nicely spaced out, as 10' fell inJune, and almost 4" fell in a single day in August! In contrast, the last "meterologicalsummer" gave us only 7" of rain over thewhole summer and 4" of that fell in a 3 dayperiod around July 4 from a tropical storm.Obviously, it was one dry summer! As gardeners, certain steps we take to dealwith these weather challenges, whether it isunusual dryness or occasional cloudbursts,will make gardening easier, no matter whattype of gardening we are doing.

Soil & MulchFirst, consider the soil. Whether your

soil is sandy, hard-packed clay, or some-thing in between, adding compost is a bene-fit, both in drought summers and in yearslike 2013 where it was both too wet and toodry. Compost is the great equalizer, aerat-ing clay soils and helping sandy soils retainmoisture. If you make one change in thegarden, this is the one to make. The morewe learn about soil, the more we know thatit is best to disturb it as little as possible.

When I add compost, for example, I try to

do it in the fall by tossing it on top ofthe garden and letting the winter rainsand snows bring the nutrients to theplants. In the spring, you can mulch overit if you choose. But do not go crazy withmulch! I have seen garden writers advisethat if a 2-3" cover of mulch is good, a 4-6"cover of mulch is even better. This is not so.The garden is not the place to “compost inplace” with wood chips. Moisture may noteven be able to penetrate such a deep cover,especially if we only have a gentle rain.

WateringWatering is an issue, of course. While we

do not yet have watering bans or prescribedwatering days like the western UnitedStates, as good stewards of the earth (and assmart gardeners) it makes sense to usewater wisely. One of the best ways to do thisis drip irrigation. Many myths surrounddrip irrigation. Part of this is becausehomeowners do not realize that it takeshours and not minutes, with drip irrigationto thoroughly saturate the soil, particularlywhen watering gardens (as opposed tolawns). How many hours depends on thesoil type, how dry it has gotten, the home-owner's water pressure, whether the home-owner is on well or city water and the typeof irrigation used, among other things.

A simple way to determine how long torun the irrigation system is this: an estab-lished garden needs an inch of water a week(on average–roses, vegetables and newlyplanted plants would need more). Duringthe first test of the irrigation system, turn iton early in the morning, and every twohours go out with a trowel to see howdeeply the water has penetrated into thesoil. When moisture reaches the desiredlevel, that's how long the system will haveto have to run. Drip irrigation can consist of

something as simple asa soaker hose (buried under mulch for evenbetter effectiveness) to a kit that can bepurchased, either online or from a homeimprovement store. These are in-groundwatering systems for your gardens, just asmany folks have for the lawn. Timers areavailable to turn the systems on and off,keeping in mind that with gardens, water-ing longer and more deeply is always prefer-able to watering three times a week fortwenty minutes the way one does with alawn, for example. If you automate the irri-gation system, add a rain sensor so that thesystem will not turn on should it rain.

Finally, for even less impact on the envi-ronment, there are rain barrels. When theyare properly installed and fitted, they donot breed mosquitoes. And while the wateris not safe for drinking, it can water orna-mental gardens and trees, which are so dif-ficult to keep watered in drought situations.The water, with proper fittings, can be di-rected right to drip irrigation systems. Asthe cost of our municipal water rises, "free"water is always a bonus.

Gardening can be challenging in weatherextremes. These are a few steps you can taketo minimize the effects that the weather hason your garden in the years to come to ensurethat gardening will always be a pleasure and adelight. �

Karla Dalley is a garden writer and speaker from West Hartford. [email protected]. gardendaze.wordpress.com

Seasonaltransitions

Helping The Garden Cope With Weather Changes

by Karla A. Dalley

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FINANCE

Developing an estate plan isan important financialstrategy that will benefityou, your family and lovedones for years to come.Whether you are looking to

maximize the estate you leave to your chil-dren, pass the family business on to futuregenerations or satisfy philanthropic goals,you will need a detailed and well-docu-mented estate plan.

Financial Benefits Estate planning has a wealth of financial

benefits. Assess your current and projectedpersonal and financial circumstances.Don’t think you have enough assets to war-rant an estate plan? Think again. You will besurprised at how much you have accumu-lated over the years. Consider putting to-gether a team of advisors – your CPA, yourlawyer, your investment advisor and your

insurance agent – to offer a 360-degree viewof your finances. A good estate plan allowsyou the ability to transfer wealth to familyand loved ones without complications, pro-tect your family assets from creditors andensure your assets go exactly where youwant them to go. For example, have you re-viewed beneficiary designations on life in-surance policies or retirement accounts?These types of assets will pass to the desig-nated beneficiary regardless of the benefici-aries you name in your will.

Getting Started Each estate plan is unique. Develop a cus-

tomized plan to meet your tax and non-taxobjectives. Construct a clear and detailedlist of everything you own. Identify areas ofquestion and concern and along with youradvisors, find the solutions that are rightfor you. Few individuals will have enoughaccumulated assets to be concerned about

the federal estate taxes. As of the 2015 taxyear, federal estate taxes apply if your estateis worth more than $5,430,000. In the Stateof Connecticut, state estate taxes apply ifyour assets exceed $2 million. If you believeyour estate does or will exceed the federaland/or state tax exemption, work with youradvisors to take advantage of strategies thatwill reduce these taxes. By doing so, you willbe able to secure a plan that meets your per-sonal needs and keeps your family andloved ones comfortable.

Objectives Take stock of your personal and family fi-

nancial assets – personal interests, house-hold effects, business ventures,investments, etc. Who should you desig-nate to make decisions with respect to yourfinancial assets in the event that you arerendered incapable of doing so? Considerwho will inherit your assets or make sure

Estate Planning EssentialsLeaving a Legacy

by Linda Knierim, CPA


that your estate and inheritance taxes arepaid. Apply the most effective options avail-able for preserving and allocating yourwealth. Did you know that life insurance issubject to estate tax along with your otherassets? A specially-designed trust can beeasily established to hold life insurance so itwill not be included in your taxable estate.

Prepare for the UnexpectedCoordinate with your advisors to guaran-

tee all aspects of your estate plan are fully-integrated. Develop an estate plan to ensureyou have provided enough financial secu-rity for your family and loved ones in the af-termath of an unexpected life event. Hasthere been a death, marriage or divorce inthe family or the birth of an additional childor grandchild? How will these changes af-fect your estate plan?

Keep it Current Conduct periodic updates of your plan to

keep pace with changes in your family andloved ones’ personal or financial situations,tax laws or market conditions. Your advi-sors can work with you to develop estate-

planning strategies that factor in differentunknowns. Revisit your plan every fewyears, evaluate whether updates are re-quired and make changes accordingly. Ver-ify that designations for beneficiaries,executors and trustees are up-to-date. Rela-tionships change and the person you origi-nally chose to serve as executor or trusteemay no longer be a good fit to manage youraffairs. �Linda Knierim, CPA Director of Estate, Gift andTrust Services for Filomeno & Company, P.C. 860-760-7020 [email protected] learn more, visit: www.filomeno.com

This article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for an investment decision. Consult your financial advisor/tax/legal consultant regarding your personal circumstances before making any investment decisions.

ChecklistBelow is a list of items that will help initiate the estateplanning process.

• List of Financial Assets

• List of Real and Personal Property

• List of Business Interests

• List of Retirement Accounts and Annuities

• List of Life Insurance Policies

• List of Likely Inheritances

• Names of People and/or Charities to Whom YouWant to Make Gifts

• Copy of Current Wills and Trusts

• Copy of Divorce Decree and Pre or PostnuptialAgreements

• List of Liabilities

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