Meet A Mom, Amy Pal | Ridgefield Moms
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in town?
Although I grew up in Connecticut, I moved away after high school. I met my husband Kevin Manley while working for the same company in Seattle, and together we moved to London so that I could pursue my graduate degree in marketing. We ended up staying in the UK so long that we had our children there and even naturalized and have dual citizenship for the whole family. But 10 years ago we made the decision to come back to the US to raise our children and be closer to family,
When we found Ridgefield it seemed like a dynamic vibrant community that had so much to offer. We fell in love with it immediately. I was so fortunate to meet a group of mom friends that had children around the same age as mine. They have been my support circle of friends since I moved here and I’m so incredibly fortunate to have them in my life.
How many children do you have? Ages?
I have two middle school aged boys that keep me on my toes. Thor is turning 12 this month and Magnus is 13 years old. They both attend Scotts Ridge Middle School. As they are close in age and they have a close friendship as well. They are musicians and attend Ridgefield School of Rock. Magnus plays the guitar and Thor plays the drums and bass. The School of Rock has been amazing at keeping things moving during Covid, I cannot recommend it highly enough if someone is thinking of getting their kids involved in a music organization in town.They are about to perform in their 8th show since they started four years ago, this one is focusing on the music of Jimi Hendrix.
 
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in the corporate world? Please share!
I opened Whip Salon in October 2016, we just celebrated our 4 year anniversary and the stylists are incredibly talented and passionate about what they do — you can find us on instagram and Facebook @whipsalon. I myself am not a stylist so I spend my time on marketing and pr for the company. Since the original concept we expanded to Westport opening another corporate salon location in 2018, and to Newtown with our first franchise location in 2019. We work so hard to deliver a great experience to every single client and are driven by our passion.
In addition to running Whip Salon and its franchise, I am a Trustee for The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. The museum is just incredible and has three wonderful exhibitions on at the moment featuring Frank Stella, Genesis Belanger and Rudy Shepherd which I strongly encourage everyone to go see – the museum IS open for timed, ticketed entry! I have put together several fundraising events for The Aldrich in the past six years including the Whiplash fashion shows and the Hair Ball. I really enjoy working with The Aldrich and think it is such a fantastic asset to the Ridgefield community and beyond!
I’ve always been passionate about art and contemporary art in particular. In 2018 my husband and I launched a contemporary art gallery in Bedford Square in Westport, Newton Roux Gallery (www.newtonroux.com). This month we hung our 9th solo art exhibition called “Figures”, featuring well-known Ridgefield local artist Allison Meyler. The gallery is open 7 days a week and this exhibit will be running through the end of March 2021.
How has this community been instrumental in developing this initiative/business venture and how can others help to support your mission?

Our clients at Whip Salon have been really great about being patient with us as we navigate all the government and industry protocols for keeping everyone healthy and safe. At the moment we are so excited because we just launched our online shop for Whip Salon brand products! We wanted to provide a way to continue to sell our products remotely especially during these uncertain times and it’s a great way to allow our clients to shop and support local without leaving their home.
The collection is focused on an array of modern, must-have products. The packaging is hip and appealing and they have sassy names like “The Struggle Is Real” Dry Shampoo, “Humble Brag” Volume Spray and “Sorry Not Sorry” Dry Texture Spray to name a few. They make cool gifts and are available for purchase at the salon as well as through our website at https://shop.whipsalon.com.

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