Tom Leyden and Christopher Bean connect to chat about the Westwood Living Bean Farm Summer Bonanza and the months ahead at the farm.

Christopher Bean operates the Bean Family Farm, originally opened in 1971 and operated by his grandfather, Charlie Bean. Chris took over the reins after completing his studies at Cornell and has continued to build the family business, while expanding what the Bean's offer.

With fall abound and the holiday season approaching thereafter, we talked about the expansion of his Christmas tree business and the TLC that's put in by Grammie Elena making the bows and wreaths that are so popular with customers.

You can follow The Bean Farm on Instagram - @beanfarm1971

Tom Leyden connects with Ed Jones, the founder and owner of Iron Hog BBQ.

Ed Jones, who has built a successful barbeque business from the ground up, shares his very personal story of recovery and growth with Tom Leyden, detailing the tragic loss of his son and how he stopped drinking to refocus his life and build his dream business as a pitmaster.

Iron Hog BBQ regularly provided food at Bubbling Brook throughout the summer of 2024 and has continued to grow in popularity in the Westwood area.

Learn more about Ed's story and Iron Hog BBQ by visiting the official website at http://www.ironhogbbq.com

Tom Leyden and Lauren Watson announce the details related to their "First Steps to Success" event planned for October 3.

Lauren Watson is the owner of Watson College Consulting and has spent more than 20 years in the college admissions industry. Her expertise has proven to benefit hundreds of families and students as they navigate the path to college admission.

Watson College Consulting and Westwood Living will host a special event on Thursday, October 3 at Neroli Ristorante in Westwood, aimed at parents of freshman and sophomores. This event will provide a useful overview and timeline for parents, detailing what's most vital and what isn't as they take the first steps toward preparing for the admissions process.

Space is limited and details are available at http://www.bit.ly/watsonfirststeps - dinner, camaraderie, networking and useful information related to an important topic.

Tom Leyden chats with Jennifer Cobb at The Boston Park Plaza.

Jennifer Cobb is the founder of Team Gateway to a Cure in St. Louis, MO and the Executive Producer of "House of Arms," a documentary focused on famed quarterback coach Tom House, his battle with Parkinson's Disease and his interactions with his caretakers.

Jennifer, a former St. Louis Rams Cheerleader, spent many years caring for her father, William "Ty" Cobb, who battled Parkinson's until his death in 2023. Her work in the Parkinson's Care space has been game-changing and her dedication to shedding a light on the disease has defined her life over the last decade.

This fall, a 12-minute premiere trailer will debut during a red-carpet event in Boston. Tom and Jennifer chat about her experience in the world of Parkinson's care and fundraising, the process of making the documentary and her years on the sidelines cheering for the Rams.

Learn more by visiting http://www.teamgatewaytoacure.org

Tom Leyden catches up with Dennis Doucette in the offices of William Raveis in Wellesley.

Dennis Doucette is a fascinating people person who loves to connect with new friends, colleagues and business partners. He is also a firefighter in Winchester and during this conversation, he shares how the knowledge he's built as a Realtor and a firefighter has frequently combined to give him an advantage.

We also discuss the latest trends in the real estate market and what his advice is to clients who are considering waiving contigencies and also a warning to those who are waiting to act - things will get even more competitive when rates drop.

You'll want to stick around for his recounting of a recent trip on the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Osterville.

Learn more about dennis at http://www.dennisdoucette.com and give him a call at 781-254-1910.

Tom Leyden and Bridget Hagen connect from the offices of Wellesley Testosterone.

Men - This is for you! Women - Have your men listen.

Bridget Hagen, DNP, APRN, FNP-C is the owner and operator of Wellesley Testosterone and an Expert Contributor in Westwood Living. Bridget works indiviually with each patient to determine his eligibility for Testosterone Replacement Therapy and customize a personalized plan.

Tom and Bridget talk about her history in health care, her work as a nurse in the ICU and as a nurse practitioner, what drew her to the field of men's health and what sets her apart from other practices in the region.

For more information, you can visit http://www.wellesleytestosterone.com and call Bridget at 781-908-0100. Be on the lookout for Bridget's expert contributions on this topic in future issues of Westwood Living.

Tom Leyden chats with Virginia and Nick Kayes at the Barrows Custom Window Treatments showroom on Route 9 in Newton.

Virginia and Nick Kayes are Westwood residents and owners of Barrows Custom Window Treatments. Barrows sponsors the Barrows Featured Artist of the Month in Westwood Living, allowing us to shine a light on musicians, actors, painters, artists and more from our community.

Virginia and Nick share the story of how they came to own Barrows and what they've learned about window treatments during their time in the industry. So much has changed with automation and the move away from dangerous pull strings. They've served over 20,000 customers and more than 1,000 homes in Westwood, alone. Fascinating conversation.

Learn more by visiting http://www.barrowscwt.com and give Virginia a call at 617-964-4580 to upgrade your house!

Tom Leyden and Eric Arnold connect from the grounds of Hale Education.

Eric Arnold is the Executive Director of Hale Education and has overseen the growth and expansion of what Hale offers the residents of Massachusetts throughout the year on the amazing grounds located in Westwood and Dover.

As the summer season approaches, Tom and Eric discuss how people can utilize and enjoy Hale in the months ahead, and also get into the details surrounding Hale's push to protect their property in perpetuity from development - what that entails and why the organization is working so hard to raise the funds necessary to do so.

Sometimes, it's the simplest questions that garner the most useful answers and this episode features a number of those back-and-forths, so it's worth your time.

To learn more about everything happening at Hale, visit http://www.hale.education or http://www.hale1918.org

Tom Leyden connects with Sarah Cantley and Courtney Hetrick from the Westwood Young Women's Club.

Sarah Cantley is the president of the Westwood Young Women's Club and Courtney Hetrick is a co-chair of the Touch-A-Truck Event scheduled for June 8 at Westwood High School. Tom, Sarah and Courtney talk specifically about the event, which has become a staple of on the WYWC calendar. They also discuss the history of the Westwood Young Women's Club and what the organization does for the community while providing an opportunity for mom's to interact with each other and support Westwood.

Learn more about the Westwood Young Women's Club and the upcoming Touch-A-Truck event by visiting http://www.wywc.org

Tom Leyden connects with Paul McGovern, a partner and co-owner of CorMC Developments.

Paul McGovern has lived in the U.S. for 15 years and, during that time, has established himself as a skilled contractor and project manager, who works with homeowners to renovate and reinvigorate their interior and exterior living spaces.

Currently, Paul has overseen the development of The Pastures at Dover, a brand-new, 34-unit complex on County Street (Route 109) in Dover that will welcome its first tenants in June.

Tom and Paul discuss the project, how long its taken to get to the finish line, Paul's background in construction and what drew him to the trade, along with what special amenities are included at The Pastures At Dover.

Two numbers to call if you're interested - 978-377-1705 to connect with CorMC Developments, and 857-930-7662 to learn more specfically about leasing one of the beautiful new units.

Learn more at http://www.pasturesatdover.com