Darien Soundings

FACES

Brooke Hastings

Darien resident Brooke Hastings recently began to pursue her passion for fashion and wardrobe editing by starting a business called the Master Edit. Brooke focuses on the initial cleansing of your closet and ends up with your perfect selection of clothes in which to live your best life. With the recent focus on editing and cleaning of clutter inspired by Marie Kondo, we asked Brooke to share her tips and tricks for a cleaner and more beautifully curated master closet!

Brooke’s Master Edit:
-Re-think the space
-Cleanse: purge, donate and consign
-Refresh with organization and decor to maximize efficiency of the space
-Shop your closet and style your current looks
-Dress for your mood

“My role as a closet editor and personal stylist is to help clients identify the
challenges and discover what is holding them back in choosing their look each day. Is it seasonal clutter, overcrowding, poor lighting, the absence of color or key pieces? The master closet is more than just a space in which your clothes live, it's a place to be creative and inspire expression of your true self. “

PLACES

Williams & Company

About 20 years ago, Mary Lou Williams decided she wanted to open a spa in her hometown that she would enjoy going to, hence the opening of Williams & Company

What makes Williams & Company so unique is they offer cancer care services to cancer patients and have been doing so for about 10 years. Mary Lou is a cancer survivor along with a few staff members. The phenomenal staff is able to customize each service and take out the harmful products in order to give their clients the most relaxing and comfortable treatment possible.

Another thing that makes this Darien spa so special is most of the staff has been at Williams & Company for more than 10 years! These longtime staff members have been able to see generations of residents come through the spa. Grandmothers, mothers, and daughters have all come together to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere.

HIGHLIGHTS

Men’s Paddle League

Meet Devon Walsh, pictured at left, the chairman of the Darien Paddle League, a title bestowed on him by the previous president, Commissioner Ben Adams, pictured with Walsh. Ben started the league in 2010 and has seen it grow to 170 teams in just nine seasons. While many start as beginners, there are teams that range from beginner to advanced, even some pro players, and everything in between! Just this past weekend the league celebrated the end of the season with a party at Weed Beach with food trucks, a fire pit and some fun competitive play.

Anyone is welcome to play - just know that one of the players on each team needs to be a Darien resident. The men play whenever they can get a court within their flights of which there are 7 - either the public courts at Weed Beach or at a private club. They begin the first week in October and the season ends around mid-March. There’s a small fee to join but it’s very reasonable. Log onto http://www.darienpaddleleague.com/ for more information!

BITES

Darien Butcher Shop

Peter Crawford, born and raised in Darien, Connecticut, returned to his hometown to pursue his culinary passion for fine food and superior meats when he opened the Butcher Shop 3 years ago. The Butcher Shop is best known for its high-quality meat selection and crowd-pleasing side dishes. Unique to the shop, is its selection of delicious dry-aged meats which pack a remarkable depth of flavor that residents LOVE. In addition to the meat, Peter's selection of popular prepared foods like creamed spinach and brussel sprouts also have become a huge hit!

For Peter, community involvement is just as important as delivering great food. In years past, the Butcher Shop has been involved in countless charity organizations, including work benefiting local elderly with special needs. Last summer, the Butcher Shop took part in supporting Darien youth baseball at McGuane Field by setting up concession stands filled with delicious snacks and treats — AND, they plan to partake again this summer! The Butcher Shop's greatest accomplishment is being a part of the Darien community and workers there tell us they absolutely LOVE their customers!