Candlewood Isle Newsletter

The Newsletter of the Candlewood Isle Tax District

Sept. 30, 2011

In This Issue:

Adult Recreation

Book Club:  Book Club is reading “The Paris Wife” by Paula McLain. As the New York Times Review of Books describes it:  “The strikingly attractive cover of ‘The Paris Wife’ depicts a glamorous, poised-looking woman perched in a Paris cafe. She wears a belted, tailored dress reminiscent of the late 1940’s or early 1950’s. Her face cannot be seen, but her posture radiates confidence and freedom. The picture is interesting because it has absolutely nothing to do with the book it is selling. The heroine of “The Paris Wife” is Hadley Richardson, the athletic, sturdily built, admittedly unfashionable homebody who married Ernest Hemingway in 1921. They were divorced in 1927. Hadley was, by all accounts including this one, a very fine and decent person, but she was the starter wife of a man who wound up treating her terribly. Had she not married him, no novelist would be telling her story. Get ready for abundant debate on issues raised by ‘The Paris Wife,’ because what it lacks in style is made up for in staying power. This is a work of literary tourism that expertly flatters its reader. It invokes an artist-packed Paris where ‘nearly anyone might feel like a painter.’ It keeps Hadley so trusting and good-hearted that it’s impossible for the reader not to spot trouble, i.e., get smart before she does. And it heats up a blaze of righteous indignation on her behalf.”  The book club will meet Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. at the home of Gillian Grozier, 16 Hemlock Trail.  RSVP to Gillian at 203-746-6645.

aw Bar and Pig Roast at Columbus Day Dinner Dance Sat., Oct. 8:  New Isle residents Mike and Diane Policastro will host the annual event at the Clubhouse. The dance will feature a raw bar from 6-7:30 p.m., an antipasto, an Italian Pig Roast (La Porchetta) and Cavatelli and Chicken Parmigiana served family style with fine Italian wines. Complete menu will be cooked in the CI Clubhouse kitchen.   Singer Salvo Randazzo, (read all about him at  www.salvorandazzo.com ) will sing. The Forget Paris band will also play. Tickets will be $60 per person which includes open bar all night.  Reserve now! Also cooking will be Frank Morgante and Bob Sicurelli with help from Amie Morgante and Roger and Linda Wise. Send checks to P.O. Box 22 CI or call Mike at 914-760-7554 or home at 203-546-8853.

Chili Cook-Off Oct. 29:  Melissa Stewart and Erin McCollam are bowing down as chair people for the chili cook-off this year (but do plan on cooking this year).  However, the Chili cook-off is going to be held Saturday October, 29.  Cooking will begin at noon, and chili will be served at 5 p.m.  Volunteers will be needed to help pass out People’s Choice tickets and watch the voting boxes, coordinate the judges’ blind tasting and tally the votes.  Teams are asked to bring their own accompaniments (sour cream, cheese, scallions, jalapenos, etc.).  All cooking and prep work is to be done on site or a team may lose points or be disqualified.  Trophies will be awarded for Judges Choice (first place), People’s Choice (first, second and third), Best Team Beverage, and Best Team Spirit/Theme. Cooking may be on the tennis court or basketball court this year.  Please call me with any questions or to volunteer 746-9439.

occi League Plays Fridays

The CI Bocci League meets every Friday at 7 p.m. and invites anyone interested in joining to come and have fun.  The group has even bought a picnic table to enhance the area near the Guardhouse tennis courts.  Call Amie Morgante at 203-312-0607 for further information.

Zumba at the Clubhouse:  The current Zumba schedule is Saturday mornings at 9 a.m.  Zumba is high energy, fun and effective.  Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for schedule or call 203-770-2057.

Updates from the Board

Board meetings:   If you would like to submit items for the regular monthly meeting agenda, please do so at least one week prior to the meeting.  The next regularly scheduled meeting will be Oct. 20.. Submissions may be made by email to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . CITD Board meetings are scheduled the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm in the Clubhouse.  Meetings for the rest of the fiscal year are:  11/17, 12/15, 1/19, 2/16, 3/15, 4/19, 5/17.  All are subject to change.

Road Issues? Please call Jim Crawford at 203-746-4453.  

eep CITD office updated:  It is important to keep the Candlewood Isle Tax District Office up to date on your current contact information.  If you have had a change/addition of your email address or any other contact information, please make sure to update Karen Yoho (see story in Candlewood Eye) via:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 746-0220. 

Items to Note:

The Candlewood Isle Tax District office hours are Tuesday from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for Isle-related business.  Please check the answering machine for any schedule changes. The phone number is 746-0220.  The fax number is the same. Taxes must be current to use any Isle amenities or participate in any Isle events.  

Coldwell Banker Lake Properties staff of Realtors includes Jefferson Guthrie, Bob Warner, Mary Ellen Lupo and Sandy Guthrie, Lori Campbell, Jody Dunbar, Joanne Durkin and Holly Mullins.  Our experienced Realtors are here to assist you with all of your real estate needs.  As always, if you are thinking of buying, selling or renting a home, please call Coldwell Banker Lake Properties (203-312-9991). 

News from the Candlewood Eye

Emily Robinson plays Tessa in 'Brindlebeast,' a new musical in development

An article in the August 27 issue of Back Stage Magazine features Emily Robinson,12, daughter of CI residents Jim Robinson and Debbie von Ahrens, in a new musical “Brindlebeast.” Emily and her family live in New York City but have spent weekends and most of the summer on the Isle for the past 11 years. The seventh-grader attends Manhattan’s Professional Children’s School but loves water skiing with her CI neighbors, kayaking, swimming, CI summer camp and especially the chili cook-off. (Her family has won the People’s Choice award.)  

Emily’s “career” began when she started modeling at the age of five when neighbor and model Debbie Sturman sent Emily’s photo to an agency. “I was excited,” Emily remembered, doing modeling for print ads for Company Store Kids, Sears, Lord & Taylor and Macy’s. “Then when I was eight, I started TV and commercials,” she said. She also did "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" and "Saturday Night Live." She takes acting classes a few times a year and doesn’t mind memorizing scripts because she loves to read.  Working on Brindlebeast in the role of Tessa, she plays a child of a deaf adult and gets to sing, dance and use American Sign Language. “That’s exciting,” she said.  

According to Back Stage, “The musical focuses on confronting your personal demons and involves a deaf single mother and a children's book illustrator coming together and resolving their personal issues. Tessa is the matchmaker daughter of the single mother, eager to be a conduit of information between the two via signing.”Anita Riggio, who conceived the Equity project as writer and lyricist, wrote the children's book "Beware the Brindlebeast," based on her own experience. And she said Emily made quite an impression on the casting directors. According to Back Stage, "Emily did her homework," Riggio recalls. "She came prepared knowing fingerspelling and a few signs. She looked everyone in the eye, asked questions and established immediate rapport with Eric Kunze [the male lead] by teaching him how to fingerspell his name."

Eyeflash:  Chris Poole was once again featured in the Citizen News this week leading the charge for the New Fairfield High School Cross-Country team.

Eyeflash:  Joy Scott was pictured in the Citizen News last week as one of the New Fairfield Thrift Shop Volunteers who travel to the Kent Nursing Facility in Kent twice a year.

Eyeflash:  Casey O’Connor was pictured in the Citizen News last week with the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) chapter at New Fairfield High School officers. Casey is vice president. The club consists of Marketing I and Marketing II students learning to be academically prepared, community oriented and professionally responsible.

Newsletters now  monthly through June 2012

NOTE:  Next issue: Friday, Oct. 28. Submission deadline:  Tuesday, Oct. 25.  Call Aimée Suhie at 746-5155, or e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to submit items for the newsletter or to be included on the e-mail lists. You can also see the newsletter at our NEW AND IMPROVED Website www.candlewoodisle.com.