How old are your kids and how long have you lived in Westport? My daughters are 19, 23, and 26, They were all raised here in Westport, where we have lived for 27 years. My husband, Marc, is Deputy Director of Westport Emergency Medical Services
What is your favorite family activity to do in Westport or the surrounding towns? My family and I really enjoy going for hikes on a beautiful day. Having grown up in the heart of NYC, I have really come to appreciate nature in Connecticut. We bring our dog along and it becomes a full family outing.
What was your most memorable family vacation and why? My family loves going on cruises. With older kids, it allows everyone to be independent and do their own thing but also have meals and entertainment together. The fact that food, and often drink, is included, takes a lot of the stress out of the trip.
What’s your favorite restaurant in town for a family dinner? A night out with friends? My favorite restaurant in town is Pink Sumo. Aside from the fact that I love sushi, and I think theirs is by far the best, I think the service is excellent and the place is warm and inviting.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? People are surprised to find out that I am formally trained in 3 careers: as an actress, chef, and teacher. For 15 years, I owned a company named Cindy’s Sous Chefs, and taught cooking to kids, with lots of drama sprinkled on top!
If you had 24 hours to do whatever you wanted – what would you do? If I had 24 hours to do whatever I wanted, I would go to Paris. Paris is my favorite city, next to NYC. I would simply walk around and eat/drink. Can I request blue skies and sunshine?
What is your most marked characteristic? I am incredibly organized, motivated, and energetic.
What is your greatest regret? I don’t believe in regrets. Everything happens for a reason.
How did you end up where you are now in terms of your job, or whatever passion project it is you might be doing? NewBrook Paleo Kitchen is a labor of love that I co-own with my middle daughter Danielle. We opened in early June. Both Danielle and I were formally trained as chefs and then were both diagnosed with different auto immune disease within a few months of each other. That motivated both of us to start cooking and eating paleo in order to feel better. Eating paleo “out” became a real challenge and we fantasized about creating a chic and warm cafe where paleo diners could feel free and confident to order anything on the menu. We also wanted to create food that is exciting and flavorful, while still being good for your body. The dream became a reality when we discovered our current space in Westport and everything seemed to fall into place. Danielle is the head chef and I do all the desserts and breads. I feel like I’m living a dream come true: I wake each day so excited to go to work…..to be able to work side by side with my daughter is a real blessing. We have met so many new people and feel like we are really providing a service that is appreciated.