Category Archives: 5584

One of the hottest topics in Westport — besides whether you will lose power for a week in the next storm, or merely 3 days — is this: How dead is downtown?

A recent news story caught my eye. According to Destination Development International — a community branding company — in order for a place to be a “true destination,” it must have 10 places that sell food, 10 non-chain specialty shops, and 10 places that stay open after 6 p.m. (“preferably entertainment venues”).

I should mention that I read this story in FairfieldCitizenOnline.com. The piece was written by the president/CEO of the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, and it declared — suprise! — that Fairfield’s downtown meets those criteria. With “a definitive yes,” in fact.

Fairfield “has plenty of restaurants with varied cuisines and within walking or easy driving distance of each other,” Patricia Ritchie wrote.

With specialty shops, restaurants and entertainment -- plus trees, plantings and benches -- downtown Fairfield is a 10-10-10 destination.

There are many specialty shops too. (“Friends from Westport often tell me there is a noticeable difference between the two downtowns,” she jabbed, “mainly because Fairfield has more independent boutique shops, as opposed to national retailers.”)

Patricia hemmed and hawed a bit on entertainment (“after all, [it] is in the eye of the beholder.”)

But she tossed out an admirable list of places that “one can consider entertainment,” starting with Sportsplex near the train station (fencing and cheerleading lessons, rock climbing, skating, martial arts, laser tag, and god knows what else).

Fairfield's gazebo -- smack in the middle of downtown -- is pretty cool.

Patricia also cited the Fairfield Theatre Company, with “some of the best bands around.” (Upcoming: Christopher Robin Band, Fishhead Stew, and on February 15: John Mayall.)

The Community Theatre — currently closed — may soon be added back into the mix.

Patricia’s points are well taken. How, then, does Westport’s downtown stack up?

We probably have 10 restaurants, depending on the definition of “downtown,” “selling food” (does Starbucks count?), and “open” (2 new places will arrive this spring on Church Lane, and there’s a vacancy around the corner on Riverside Avenue).

We may reach the “non-chain specialty shop” threshold, again by creative definition of “non-chain” and “specialty.” There’s Sally’s Place, the Liquor Locker — whoops, it’s moving — and, um, of course, well, you know…

As for 10 places that stay open after 6 p.m., offering entertainment: Hah! There’s weekend music on Bobby Q’s roof.

There’s the Y — Westport’s answer to Sportsplex. (For a couple more years, anyway.)

And there is — one day, maybe, perhaps — a movie theater. Like Fairfield, we have a building that’s already served that function for many years. Unlike Fairfield, it is now an upscale hardware store.

Yet Westport does have something Fairfield lacks. It’s not downtown — but it’s showing signs of being a true destination.

It’s called Saugatuck.

The "Slice of Saugatuck" last September brought thousands of folks to Saugatuck.

There are plenty of restaurants — all within stumbling walking distance — and some have live music.

There are a few specialty shops — you don’t see too many kayak chains around — and the promise of pretty cool entertainment. There’s no Sportsplex or Y, but with the new plaza on the river, and 2 more phases of development to come, there’s lots of room for creativity.

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the Westport Downtown Merchants Association, it seems Saugatuck — with its 10-10-10 criteria — is the new cool spot to be.

Who knows? Saugatuck may even become the next Fairfield.

Here’s some trivia for you:

In 2009 David Jacobson launched TrivWorks — “New York’s only corporate entertainment and team-building company specializing exclusively in live trivia events.”

So far he’s produced over 350 of them, for “a broad range of prestigious corporate clients,” as well as bar trivia nights throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.

But, David writes on his blog, a year ago this month he participated in “the greatest honor any quizmaster could ever dream of”:  helping a couple get engaged.

More trivia:  The groom is Westport’s own Trevor Coen.

Here’s the story.

Trevor and Julie, at the bar.

Trevor and his girlfriend Julie were big fans of David’s pub quiz nights.  Each week, they traveled from Brooklyn to the Upper East Side.

So Trevor emailed David — and proposed proposing at an upcoming event.  A bit of trivia:  David had gotten engaged a couple of weeks earlier, so he knew what Trevor was going through.

At the bar, Round 4 was always an “iPod Round” — 10 songs were played, and the challenge was to identify every song and artist.  The plan was for Trevor to slip David his own iPod, loaded with 10 songs with special meaning for the 2 of them.

For example, when they were getting acquainted on Match.com back in 2006, Trevor had asked Julie who would win in a volleyball game between Men at Work and Men Without Hats.

After the 10th song was played at the bar, Trevor would present her with a ring.

But the best-laid plans…

On the afternoon of the big night, Trevor (trivia:  He’s a professional musician) drove from New York to Westport to pick up the ring.  Then he drove to New Jersey for an early evening gig.  He figured he’d be back at the pub for the 9 p.m. start time.

This being the music world, his show ran late.  Very late.  When the trivia game began, a lonely girl — David figured it was Julie — sat by herself at the bar.  She stared longingly at the door, guarding the empty bar stool next to her with her life.

Trevor frantically texted David, providing updated ETAs every few minutes.

By 10 p.m., David was panicking.  With over 100 regulars in the house, he said that “technical difficulties” forced the postponement of the iPod round.

Finally, “this tall guy with a dark suit and broad smile” handed David an iPod.  Then he sat down next to Julie, who fortunately did not see the handoff.

Though Trevor had tried to keep the musical selections recognizable by including only songs that reached #11 or higher on the Billboard charts, there were plenty of groans and sighs throughout the round.

Except, of course, for one very excited woman at the bar.  She knew all of them.

The 10th song — “Romeo’s Tune” by Steve Forbert — was Trevor’s cue.  He pulled out the ring.

The place erupted.  Julie went nuts.  The bartender pulled out a bottle of Champagne for the newly engaged couple.

And David nearly cried.

Trivia:  Trevor and Julie were married last month.

More trivia:  Here are the songs Trevor selected for Julie:

1. “Safety Dance” (Men Without Hats)
2. “Overkill” (Men at Work)
3. “Don’t Shed a Tear” (Paul Carrack)
4. “I’ve Been Thinking About You” (Londonbeat)
5. “Time Passages” (Al Stewart)
6. “Waiting for a Star to Fall” (Boy Meets Girl)
7. “Fields of Gold” (Sting)
8. “Bed Intruder Song” (Antoine Dobson [feat. Kelly Dodson])
9. “Heart to Heart” (Kenny Loggins)
10. “Romeo’s Tune” (Steve Forbert)

Trevor and Julie, on their wedding day.

The economic downturn has battered every Westport budget, from households and merchants to government.

Non-profit organizations have been particularly hard hit.  People and businesses have less money to donate to fundraisers.  More groups compete for fewer dollars.

Yet the need for the services provided by those organizations grows daily.

For over a century, the Westport Woman’s Club has relied on the Yankee Doodle Fair to bring in oodles of cash.  But the annual event — which ended its run on Sunday — is weather-dependent.  And costs continue to rise, for everything from carneys to cops.

The club — which (very quietly) provides charitable, educational, cultural and public health services in Westport and neighboring towns — has explored additional fundraising ventures.  They’ve looked at ideas that would generate substantial amounts, while at the same time broadening the Woman’s Club brand and appeal (aka both attracting younger members, and promoting the distinctive yet often-overlooked Imperial Avenue clubhouse as an event venue).

And yes, a venue that can be rented by other organizations.

The result:  “Waiting in the Wings Cabaret.”

“Cabaret” is a series of shows where “emerging young New York talent” can perform.  They get exposure and the chance to try out new acts.  Westporters get entertained.  The Woman’s Club gets a nice chunk of change.

The 1st pilot event — last February — sold out.  The 2nd — “Midsummer Night’s Dreamin’” — is scheduled for this  Saturday (June 25).

The actual “launch” will take place October 15.  Other cabarets follow, in January, March and May.

Sally Eidman

Among the June performers:  Sally Eidman.  The Staples (and Northwestern) graduate was a finalist in the 2010 “Next Broadway Sensation” competition.  She’ll be joined by actors, singers, musicians, comedians, improv artists — many with Broadway credentials.  Staples, Bedford and Coleytown “rising stars” will perform too.

As the Woman’s Club cast about for an intriguing fundraiser, they reached out to another category of Westporters struggling to survive:  restaurants.  The club offered partnerships for the cabaret series.

Matsu Sushi will offer appetizers at the June performances.  Also that Saturday, anyone showing a ticket before or after the show will receive a free appetizer at the restaurant.

And through July 6, Matsu Sushi is donating 5% of diners’ checks, when you present either a cabaret ticket or a certificate available on the Woman’s Club website.

The cabaret concept is a win-win-win-win:  for the Westport Woman’s Club; the rising young stars; anyone looking for great entertainment at a low price, and everyone the Woman’s Club helps through the funds they raise.

(Tickets for this Saturday’s 5 and 8:30 p.m. performances are $25.  For information, call 203-227-4240 or click here.)