George Washington visited Westport (then part of Norwalk) at least 3 times.
In 1780 he is said to have discussed war strategy with the Marquis de Lafayette and Comte de Rochambeau at the Disbrow Tavern (where Christ & Holy Trinity Church is today). He returned twice in 1789 as president, coming and going on an inspection tour of the Northeast. He spent 1 night at the Marvin Tavern — located on the Post Road, opposite King’s Highway South — but did not have a bang-up time. In his diary, he called it “not a good house.”
A plaque commemorating one of those visits — dedicated in 1932, on the bicentennial of the Father of Our Country’s birth — was the subject of last week’s Photo Challenge. (Click here to see.)
I was pretty sure at least a few readers would guess the wrong tavern: Marvin’s “not good” one.
But every one who knew it was a tavern nailed it. The old Disbrow site is where the plaque rests — 246 years after Washington’s visit, and 94 years after it was dedicated.
Congratulations to Todd Ehrlich, Pat Saviano, Andrew Colabella, Morley Boyd, Seth Schachter, Wendy Schaefer, John Lisée, Amy Schaefer, Jonathan McClure, Janet Navon and Matt McGrath. You know your history!
But do you know the site of another historical marker? This one is not Washington-related. It’s from 1806 — 7 years after he died.
If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/Andrew Colabella)
(Every Sunday, “06880” hosts this Photo Challenge. We challenge you too to support your hyper-local blog. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
Unless — uh oh — there are any more cancellations between now and then.
Last night, the Board of Education approved superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice’s recommendations to adjust dates, based on recent weather-related closures.
The school year will now end on Thursday, June 18.
Friday, March 20 will now be a regular school day. It had been scheduled for professional development.
The student calendar will be reduced from 182 to 180 days.
Westport’s delegation in Hartford will look very different next year.
State Representative Jonathan Steinberg announced in January that he would not seek re-election this fall.
Yesterday, State Senator Ceci Maher said the same.
As first reported by “Good Morning Wilton,” the 26th District legislator — who represents Westport, Weston and 6 other towns — said her decision “reflects both personal priorities and a broader belief that public leadership should make space for the next generation.”
She said, “As a boomer, it’s time to get out of the way,” she said.
“I love the job, so it’s hard not to run again, not to legislate again, not to be out in the wider community again. But I really believe if we run just because we can, it keeps the stopper in the system. My belief is the next generation needs to be in it and needs to be learning how to do this.”
Maher is 72 years old. She has 2 grandchildren, with a third on the way. She looks forward to gardening, mentoring and more.
This is her 2nd term. She succeeded Will Haskell, a 2-term senator from Westport.
Alisyn Camerota — the former CNN anchor and Westport resident — is used to interviewing prominent political figures.
Joe Walsh — the Tea Party co-founder who is now an ardent anti-Trumper, and a Democrat — is one of those figures.
But when the pair got together — remotely — for Camerota’s Substack podcast, the topic was “grief.”
The journalist and politician spoke candidly and movingly about Camerota’s 19-month journey, after the death of her husband Tim Lewis to pancreatic cancer.
Walsh has a lot to say about the state of our nation, and Camerota has drawn him — and many others — out about it.
Speaking of track and field: The Joggers Club is warming up for spring.
Their Kid’s Run Club — for kindergarten through 8th grade — meets every Sunday from April 5 through June 7, from 4 to 5:15 p.m. at the Staples track.
Eight coaches lead youngsters — of all abilities — in meets, games and relays. (There’s also an ice cream truck). The price is $199 until March 15; then $250. There is a maximum of 100 participants.
The Joggers Club’s run club of adults meets every Saturday at 8 a.m., at Compo Beach.
There are short runs, long runs, and everything in between. The post-run fun is catered by Village Bagels, with coffee from McDonalds. The cost is $50 — and new members get a free Lululemon shirt (value $58).
Speaking of running: For the second year, Westport’s Positive Directions has been selected as a charity partner for the New York Marathon.
Runners who are not drawn from the bib lottery can apply to run for Positive Directions (and pledge to raise a minimum of $3,500).
Last year, 3 PD runners raised over $19,000.
100% of funds support Positive Directions’ mission to support individuals and families in need, and to de-stigmatize and foster mental well being through individual and group therapy, community prevention, and recovery assistance
New York Road Runners CEO (and Westport resident) Rob Simmelkjaer (3rd from left) with Gianna Alfi, Brian McGarvey and Cam Gaylord. They ran the NY Marathon last year, for Positive Directions.
Brian McGarvey and former Staples High School track star Cam Gaylord — both Westport residents — and Gianna Affi
Speaking still of sports: Oscar Edelman — the Westport native and Greens Farms Academy graduate — has had an excellent season for the Wesleyan University basketball team.
The sophomore — a 6-8 starting center — helped lead the Cardinals to a #1 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) ranking. They open NCAA Division III tournament play tonight (Friday, 6:15) at home vs. Lehman.
State comptroller Sean Scanlon gave an informative presentation yesterday, to business owners and others interested in Connecticut finances.
The event, at the Westport Library, was part of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce “Your State – Your Business speaker series.
Scanlon discussed his role as the state’s primary financial watchdog, the rainy day fund, state pension obligations, and financial issues that impact business owners and residents (rising utilities costs, healthcare, taxes and more).
The comptroller noted his experience as CEO of Tweed New Haven, and as a legislator, in the context of transportation and commuting.
The “Your State – Your Business” series continues March 19th (Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, 11 a.m.) and April 2 (Attorney General William Tong). Click here for more information.
State comptroller Sean Scanlon, and Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce director Matthew Mandell.
The Blondinit wishes “Chag Sameach” to its customers — and offers a special Passover menu.
Dishes range from matzo ball soup and salatim to Mediterranean chicken, brisket and pistachio-crusted black sea bass. Options include à la carte trays, or packages for 4–6 or 8–12 guests.
Orders must be placed by March 27. Kosher for Passover wines are available for pickup or delivery. A limited kosher menu is available to dine in, April 1-8.
To order: Click here, call 203-557-3277, or email catering@theblondinit.com.
The newest addition to the Levitt Pavilion’s 2026 lineup is Andy Frasco & the UN and Kitchen Dwellers.
They bring “a wildly eclectic approach (to) navigating funk, jazz, surf rock, blues, swing, gospel, reggae, exotica, and more with horn-blasted positivity and soulful power.”
The opening act is Magoo.
The show is August 23. Tickets go on sale today (Friday), at 10 a.m. Click here to purchase, and for more information.. $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to the artists’ partner charity, Backline Care (offering mental health and wellness resources for music industry professionals and their families).
But 3 years earlier — on April 12, 1961 — another iconic activist spoke at the same synagogue.
During Black History Month, we recall James Baldwin’s lecture. This information comes from a story on the writer’s Connecticut decade (1954-63) by Andrew Lopez, a research support Librarian at Connecticut College. He writes:
The public lecture on the “Negro mood” was organized by Marjorie Koster Beinfield and other members of the synagogue’s social action committee.
James Baldwin, in his Connecticut days.
Marjorie and her husband, Malcolm Beinfield, were involved in many causes promoting equal rights and social justice in the early 1960s.
Their daughter, Harriet Beinfield, was 14 years old at the time and remembers Baldwin’s talk, and asking him how he tolerated white people.
She recalls with admiration his generosity in responding to her.
Malcolm Beinfield, a longtime Westport physician and surgeon, had done his medical residency at Harlem Hospital in the 1940s – the same hospital where Baldwin was born on August 2, 1924.
Lopez also notes that Baldwin wrote much of his historic essays “The Fire Next Time” at the home of his agent, Robert Park Mills, in Norwalk.
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The Beinfield family, not long before James Baldwin’s Westport visit.
Amanda Doyle and her daughter Niamh are probably not the only 2 Westporters at the Winter Olympics in Italy.
Amanda and Niamh Doyle, at the Olympics.
But Amanda is probably the only one who posted a video that went viral.
Her clip from the US-Switzerland women’s ice hockey game — of the entire arena singing John Lennon’s “Imagine” — racked up over a million views and 71,000-plus likes, in just one day.
It looks like a great moment. And Amanda’s comment about the true spirit of the Olympics — uniting “beyond borders, languages and differences” — is pure gold.
PS: The hockey game was especially fun for Niamh. She goes to Coleytown Middle School, and plays for the Shoreline Sharks.
PPS: The US won, 5-0.
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Dominique Johnson is running for re-election.
The 143rd District state representative — serving parts of Westport and Norwalk — and deputy majority leader says she is not taking donations from lobbyists.
The veteran theater educator and director, Staples High School graduate, Emergency Medical Service leader and all-around good guy will be honored May 17.
Schoke Jewish Family Service will present him with its Community Service Award.
JFS says, “With more than 30 years of experience across the arts and public safety, he brings a powerful blend of creativity, leadership, and service to every role he undertakes.
Frimmer is deputy chief of Weston Volunteer EMS, and a tactical emergency casualty care and EMS Instructor.
He served on the board of Temple Israel, and is on its Security Committee. During the pandemic, he was the congregation’s COVID response point person.
Frimmer was a producer of “John Proctor Is the Villain,” and is on the producing team for “The Hunger Games” in London. He has earned kudos for his work as director of Coleytown Middle School’s Company drama program.
He serves on the board of the Westport Country Playhouse, and co-chairs its Development Committee. He holds master’s degrees in teaching and educational theatre from NYU.
A reminder: WestportREADS’ keystone conversation is this Thursday (February 19, 7 p.m.)
Eiren Caffall — author of this year’s selection, “All the Water in the World” — chats with Catherine Shen, host of Connecticut Public Radio’s morning talk show and podcast, Where We Live, about Caffall’s thriller about a flooded future, and a family fighting not to be drowned by a changing world. Click here for more information.
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We’ve posted photos of horses at Sherwood Island State Park before, in our “Westport … Naturally” series.
But the images never get old. Here’s a shot from yesterday:
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An overflow crowd filled Assumption Church yesterday, to say goodbye to Pete Romano. He was a lifelong parishioner of the church around the corner from his Saugatuck roots.
The Staples High School graduate, generous philanthropist, and avid volunteer with organizations ranging from Westport PAL and Al’s Angels to Festival Italiano and Wakeman Town Farm was remembered for his willingness to help everyone, his strong friendships, and his ability to own any room he walked into.
Saugatuck and Westport were common themes at the service. Pete’s LandTech civil engineering firm is located just down the street from Assumption.
If you don’t — but would like to, in 2027 — check out “Sips & Sparks.”
The speed dating event is set for Thursday (February 19, 7 p.m., The Clubhouse). It includes a casual mixer kickoff, guided conversational ice-breakers, and a “simple matching system.” Mutual matches receive contact information the next day.
It’s advertised for singles in their 30s and 40s. But, organizers say, “if you’re slightly outside this range but feel you’d connect well with this group, you’re welcome to join.”
Another social event is geared to the LGBTQ (and allies!)
Westport Pride hosts their second Happy Hour of the year on March 5 (6 p.m., The Boathouse at Saugatuck Rowing Club).
Organizers say, “We believe Pride isn’t just a month — it’s a year-round movement rooted in visibility, connection and care.” Click here for more information.
Volunteers will score submitted manuscripts. The best-reviewed books advance to a panel of judges, who will select the winner.
Click here for more information. (Westport residents only, please!)
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Speaking of the Library: Memoirist/essayist/critic Claire Dederer is the lastest addition to VersoFest.
She takes the Westport Library Saturday stage Saturday, March 28 (1 p.m.), chatting with journalist Hilarie M. Sheets.
Dederer’s most recent book — “Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma” — examines what happens when good art (writing, painting, film) is made by bad people.
Click here for information on Dederer’s talk. Click here for full details on VersoFest 2026, including appearances by Ani DiFranco, Wyclef Jean, Susanna Hoffs, The Thing and more.
Speaking of music: Jazz pianist (and Westport native) Jeff Franzel has toured with legends like Les Brown and The Hues Corporation, and accompanied Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Mel Tormé. He’s a Grammy-nominated star.
Jeff’s new trio has performed at clubs like The Bitter End. On February 28 (2 p.m.), they’ll be live — and free — at the Pequot Library.
Also appearing: Eva Slossberg, the Staples High School senior who has who has just been accepted into the Clive Davis School at NYU Tisch. Click here for more information.
Jeff Franzel
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It’s a longtime Westport question: How dressed up should I get for a fundraiser?
Here’s one you don’t have to worry about.
Rach’s Hope PJ Gala returns for a 7th year on March 28 (7 p.m., Fairfield Theater Company).
As the many attendees at the popular event have learned: It’s all about pajama chic.
Rach’s Hope hich honors Rachel Doran, a Staples High School graduate and rising Cornell University senior who died after developing a rare reaction to common medications. A Staples Players costume designer, she had already founded a pajama company. (That’s the PJ connection!)
The evening includes live music by Michael Cantor of Frog Salon and Fairfield’s favorite band Ellis Island, great appetizers and desserts by AMG Catering, an open bar, and live and silent auction experiences.
Funds raised support families with children facing extended ICU stays.
This pajama-chic evening blends cocktails, music, and meaning to raise critical funds for families with children facing extended ICU stays — a lasting legacy, created lovingly Rachel’s family and friends. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Rachel Doran
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Temperatures are slowly rising.
But the effects of the recent 2-week freeze remain.
This boat — at a private dock on Harbor Road, in Saugatuck Shores — did not make it. All that can be seen now is the flying bridge.
(Photo/Rob Jackson)
The good news: Temperatures will be in the mid-40s today, the high 30s tomorrow. Nighttime lows will be just below freezing.
Break out the sunscreen!
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“06880” gives a V-Day shout-out to the Learning Community Day School.
The pre-school staff began yesterday’s professional development day by creating valentines for folks at Homes with Hope’s Gillespie Center, and the Westport Center for Senior Activities.
HB 8002 is law. What does it mean for affordable housing in Westport?
Homes with Hope’s Affordable Housing Advisory Council took a deep dive into that topic yesterday, at Christ & Holy Trinity Church’s Branson Hall.
The legislation — signed last year by Governor Lamont — expands fair rent commissions, eliminates most off-street parking requirements for developments of less than 12 units, and requires towns to create housing growth plans,
State Senator Ceci Maher and Representatives Dominique Johnson and Jonathan Steinberg provided insights into policy and practical implications for municipalities and housing advocates alike.
Other participants included 1st Selectman Kevin Christie, Planning & Zoning Commissioner Craig Schiavone, Planning & Zoning director Michelle Perillie, Human Services director Elaine Daignault, and Board of Education members Lee Goldstein and Abby Tolan.
Also in attendance: Amanda Sayegh of the Westport Housing Authority, Ralph Yearwood and Kate Weber from the Affordable Housing Committee, and Homes with Hope’s emeritus board chair John Walsh and board chair Becky Martin.
The Advisory Council plans a follow-up session to support Westport, as it approaches deadlines, and works to expand affordable housing.
Listening and learning, at yesterday’s Homes with Hope affordable housing event.
New York Times readers are familiar with Lynsey Addario’s photos of wars, famines and other humanitarian crises in troubled places like the Middle East and Africa.
The 1991 Staples high School graduate has earned a Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Fellowship for her work.
She turns her camera less frequently on the US.
But when she does, the results are equally compelling.
Addario’s latest photos accompany Nicholas Kristof’s long story on how 3 states that traditionally lag in education ratings — Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi — have found success in elementary schools, raising reading scores and reversing chronic absenteeism. (It’s a multi-pronged approach, emphasizing human support and minimizing technology.)
Click here for the story, and Addario’s photos of American students, working hard to succeed. (Hat tip: Jonathan Berg)
Learning to read. (Photo/Lynsey Addario for the New York Times)
Speaking of elementary schools (but closer to home): The Long Lots Building Committee meets tonight (Tuesday, February 10, 6 p.m., Town Hall room 201).
The agenda includes a project update, public comment, and a work session to review interior finishes and details.
Tonight’s discussion focuses on what’s inside the new school.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport has long been at the forefront of social justice issues.
This Saturday (February 14, 4 p.m.), they invited “all who need and want to be together to share songs of spirit and freedom during this trying time in our nation’s history” to a sing-along.
The “guides” are singer/songwriter Bethany Yarrow (daughter of Peter Yarrow, Peter, Paul & Mary), and musicians Francine Wheeler and Gordon Titcomb.
UU Westport says: “Many members have been inspired by the resistance singing coming out of Minneapolis. We open our sanctuary to offer the same opportunity to share our collective strength and commitment together.
“Many people are searching for ways to channel their feelings, and build connections and hope through music and song. This community gathering shares the collective message of sadness and vulnerability, and, importantly, of solidarity, strength, courage, resistance, and purpose.”
All ages and faith traditions are welcome. No music experience is necessary. For more information, click here.
Everyone needs a blowout. (Well, my hair would not qualify. But you get the idea.)
Here’s a blowout bonanza: now through February 28, Bianca Bazante — The Artist Loft’s owner and creative director Bianca Bazante offers $100 off her signature Brazilian Blowouts.
Bianca — whose mother operated a salon in Westport — learned her trade in New York. In 2020, after giving birth to twin boys Jagger and Bryceson, she moved back and opened The Artist Loft.
Bianca is also the author of “The Curly Hair Crew,” which teaches children to embrace curls with no boundaries.
For more information, and to book appointments, click here. For her Instagram page, click here.
Pianist David Morgan headlines Thursday’s Jazz at the Post (February 12, VFW; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner at 7).
An area resident, he has performed and recorded with Wynton Marsalis and Wes Anderson, and written music for CBS Sports, Discovery, A&E, MTV, and TV shows.
Readers have sent in plenty of photos of frozen beaches, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
Here’s one from often-overlooked Canal Beach. Sprite Island is in the distance.
(Photo/Lynn Flint)
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And finally … in honor of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport’s upcoming sing-along, may we suggest:
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