Welcome to your Meet a Mom Interview!
Where are you from originally? New York, New York
How long have you lived in New Canaan? How many kids and their age(s)? 3.5 years in New Canaan. We have 3 daughters age 9, 7 & 5.
Favorite things to do with your kids in general or in town? After school I like to take the girls into town for a snack. They ride their scooters up and down Elm street and I walk the dog. This reminds them of when we used to live in NYC and scooters are the main transport for the 10 and under set. Depending on the weather we may stop in Rosie’s for a homemade cupcake, get an ice cream cone at Baskin Robbins or hot chocolate at Le Pain Quotidien.
What’s your favorite restaurant in town for a family date? A night out with friends? Why? As a family we love to go to Gate’s because there is something for every palette. Pizza, mini-sliders, tuna tar-tar, pasta and even homemade cotton candy for desert – oh my! Uncorked is my favorite spot for a night out with friends. I love the food and interesting drink menu and it is so fun to run into so many friendly New Canaan faces. My husband thinks Uncorked has the best steak sandwich!
What is your favorite kid-friendly recipe? A basic kid friendly dish I make is chicken quesadillas. I roast skin-on chicken breasts earlier in the day and then shred the meat with a fork. The skin goes in the dog’s bowl. I like to use corn tortillas and a mix of monterey jack and colby cheeses which I buy prepackaged at the store. I will put together a simple guacamole as a side – just smashed avocados, sea salt and a squeeze of lime juice. A simple salad of mixed lettuces, sliced grape tomatoes and shredded carrots with a lemon vinaigrette to compliment. Is this even cooking or more assembling? When in doubt or running behind, I can pick up wonderful meals from the New Canaan Diner, Uncorked, Baldanza and Spiga to name a few.
What is your local go-to store for children’s clothes? Shoes? Furniture? Yourself? My girls are getting older but I still adore traditional children’s clothing. I always find the perfect dresses for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter at the Whitney Shop. I love stopping into Found in town for interesting vintage furniture pieces, designer pillows, artwork and decorative accessories. The inventory is always changing so it is fresh.
What are your favorite events in New Canaan? There are so many to choose from! The Newcomers Holiday House Tour of course! The 2015 Holiday House Tour was one of the first big town events that I attended and I had a ball! It was such a festive event to kick of the holiday season in our wonderful town. Along the tour I ran into many friends I had met during my time in New Canaan and it was such a treat to catch up with friends and socialize all the while admiring some spectacular homes decked out for the holidays. I also love that the Holiday House Tour is a charitable event where all the proceeds are given to local Connecticut charities. After all it is moments like these when I realize how fortunate and thankful I am to be living and raising a family in such a wonderful town!
I also love playing paddle at Waveny in the women’s paddle tennis league that you can sign up for through the NC Rec department. Playing paddle is a great way to meet people and it makes the winter months go by faster!
The Newcomers Club of New Canaan has also been a great resource for fun family and adult events for me and my family. We have enjoyed the organized playgroups, Halloween party and Supper Club to name a few.
What has been the most difficult age with your children to date? What helped you overcome the challenges at that time? Oh boy – I think each age presents its challenges and it is up to me as their mother and main caregiver to help guide my children through challenging times. The more experience I have as a parent the more I realize how important it is to be patient, to have empathy, to be present in the moment and to leave enough time for little ones who are still learning how to navigate the world. I have learned that what takes me 5 minutes to accomplish may take my 5, 7 or 9 year olds a half hour – which means I need to prepare early to get to places on time so that we are not rushed and crazed and I maintain a calm and positive environment. I would like to work on a more fluid bedtime routine with my girls and getting them to be responsible for their rooms!
How do you relax and unwind? IF and when you get time to yourself, what’s your favorite thing to do? I relax by swimming in the ocean, catching up with friends over a glass of wine, reading books to my girls, trolling Instagram for décor inspiration or watching the Real Housewives franchise on Bravo.
What is one piece of advice you would pass along to other moms? What was the best advice your mom gave you? The best piece of advice my mom gave me was that everything is just a phase and nothing lasts forever – like just when you are at the end of the rope for sleepless nights with your newborn, all of a sudden you have a baby that sleeps through the night or your toddler refuses to eat anything besides pasta with butter then one day will eat chicken with broccoli off your plate and love it or tantrums that appear out of nowhere at 4pm will become a thing of the distant past.
What do you most value in your friends? I love, love what my friends add to my life. I have friends that make me laugh, friends that comfort me, friends that cheer me on, friends that give me great advice and friends that offer different perspectives on the world than mine. There is nothing greater than human connections and relationships and how they enrich our lives.
What was your career before having children? I worked in Municipal Bonds and while I was pregnant with my third worked part time at a decorative fabric and wallpaper company.
Anything else you want to add? Feel free to include a business venture, involvement in local organizations, etc. This year I am chairing the Newcomers Holiday House Tour which takes place on Friday, December 1st and Saturday, December 2nd from 10:00am until 2pm. We are showcasing 5 fabulous homes professionally decorated for the holidays so we hope you will grab some friends and support the Holiday House Tour this year. There will be a special holiday trunk show at one of the homes this year to pick up some décor your yourself or some gifts. Go to www.nchousetour.com to purchase tickets.
