“A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.”
No wonder that it was a Frenchman who is credited with declaring this obvious truth. One could argue that the Italians are equally obsessed with wine and food, and that, yes, it’s a universal thing (it is!). But I’m partial to the French, so Brillat-Savarin’s quote […]
How would you describe your personal style?
After doing interior design for twenty years that’s still the hardest question to answer. I’ve discovered that the words I would use to describe my style are not necessarily what others understand. I’m more a traditionalist than a modernist. I like rooms that are textured, warm, patterned, complex and layered […]
For October’s history issue we researched the long history of October 31 celebrations and the increasing commercial importance of this holiday. Halloween is not only a night of fantasy – you can dress up as anyone or anything regardless of age, nationality, politics, or gender – it is a growing business opportunity. Internationally, Halloween is […]
Before it started to rain and after the last Sunday lunch was served in the dining room, Tim Bontecou, President of Tamarack Preserve Ltd., took me for a SUV drive over the gravel roads and fields of the preserve, which have been in the Bontecou family since the late 1930s.
Starting out at the clubhouse and […]
Tom Scott, the founder and owner of Falls Village Flower Farm, sat down with me in his home office on a Sunday morning, to talk about the business he has built – or perhaps planted – over the last 24 years.
How did you arrive in Falls Village in this idyllic location?
I grew up in Dover Plains […]
Gunther Fishgold and I talked over a picnic table at the Tierra Farm headquarters in Valatie, NY, for Main Street’s food issue. Tierra Farm is a profitable food manufacturer specializing in certified organic and fair-trade nuts, seeds, granola, dried fruit, spices, coffee, and tea. Starting from an organic farm stand in the Finger Lakes, the business has experienced rapid growth […]
Does it seem unlikely that fine caviar from all over the world is shipped to Millerton, NY, to be repackaged and sold to American consumers? After seeing Pointy Snout Caviar tins in Westerlind Pantry I wanted to find out more and interviewed Alex Du Cane and Michael Kline. They started this boutique, caviar business ten […]
Once we decided to do a real estate feature on new house construction in this June issue, it was logical to interview Rick McCue who has been building custom homes in New York and Connecticut for 46 years. We had an early morning conversation at his office on Walton Street in Lakeville, CT, before he […]
When did planes first fly from this airport?
A couple of farmers started flying from their potato field here in 1909, not so long after the Wright’s first flight in 1903. The Modolo brothers created an actual airstrip in 1914. In those days it was called “anywhere” airport. Walter Koladza, a former test pilot, purchased the […]
For Main Street’s environmental issue, we interviewed Daniel Rukakoski, head of Environmental Consulting for regional engineering firm Tighe & Bond. The multi-disciplinary firm is known for its expertise in engineering, design, and environmental consulting. In this interview we discover what these specialized consultants do and why environmental consulting might be a career to consider (but […]