Kind (Self) Regard: Yes, Virginia. There is Life Outside of New York City.

So there I was sitting at this ever so cool “insiders only” restaurant on the Lower East Side with a friend extolling the virtues of life outside of NYC. Could this be?  But first, the restaurant – located at the end of Freeman’s Alley on Rivington Street between the Bowery and Chrystie Street.  See what I mean?  You need to be a New Yorker just to get there and even then it can be tricky.  Of course, it helps if you know that it’s down the alley behind the bespoke tailor shop with the $4000 suits…and, if you’re late enough, you can kind of pinpoint the location based on idling town cars.  Otherwise you’re on your own.  And when you get inside, what do you find?  Décor that looked very much like our first house when we bought it.  Peeling paint, taxidermy on the walls, ancestral portraits and, of course, it all worked brilliantly.  

Inside the restaurant, my friend, a longtime and consummate New Yorker, was talking about leaving.  He wanted something different.  I, surprisingly, found myself telling him “if you found the right place, there were plenty of arts, culture and other fun stuff ‘out there’.”  I had just been to a chamber music concert at Treetops and I was still basking in the glow.  What is Treetops you say?  One of those hidden Stamford gems:  A former 100 acre estate with a fascinating history.  Home of Libby Holman, who first attracted attention in the 1920’s with her sultry voice and voluptuous figure.  If you like, you can listen to her singing Moaning Low on YouTube.  Libby lived a scandalous life, and entertained the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Martin Luther King at Treetops.  She also planted tens of thousands of daffodils which just happened to be in bloom.  Where today, the current owners have taken what was once the art studio of Libby’s last husband and opened it up for chamber music concerts.  Good ones.  

Libby Holman

So what’s happening here?  I do still enjoy a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art or a Broadway Play.  But I’m also extremely happy with a $40 ticket, a ten minute drive and a small venue where I can actually talk to the artists at the post performance reception if I’d like.  And did I mention there was also an art exhibit with the Israeli artist also in attendance.   The kind of art I love: art that makes the older person next to me lean over and ask,  “where’s the artwork? “ 

I used to think anything less than NYC wouldn’t do.  But I’ve grown to love our local museums. I think the Avon is a terrific place for interesting films and conversation. Local music runs the gamut from classical to whatever your preference. And ever since I discovered CTBites, I’ve been running all over Fairfield County eating great food.   A special Vietnamese dinner in Norwalk?  Works for me.  And, by the way, did I mention how excited I am about my upcoming dinner at Elm in New Canaan?




Vicki Wray lives in North Stamford, and until recently spent most of her waking hours in New York City as a corporate communications executive. Working for companies like Pfizer, Revlon and AOL Time Warner has allowed her to meet wonderful colleagues and a slew of interesting personalities including the president of the United States, supermodels and star athletes, famous artists and a Justice of the Supreme Court. She is a natural observer, type A personality, and a life-long "spa junkie". Vicki firmly believes in the health benefits of being kind to oneself; taking a moment to breath, relax and finding simple joy in our every day existence.

Her column, Kind (self) Regards, will be a regular feature of the Aetheria Spa blog. If you enjoy her point of view, or would like to share your ideas, please contact her at vicki@aetheriaspa.com.