Alert, loyal and very generous “06880” reader Terry Brannigan writes:
I can’t believe I’m just thinking of this now, but if any of your readers are without power and need a place to go, we have plenty of room.
How’s that for a spectacular offer? First come, first served: terence.brannigan@gartner.com.
Liliane Bonora died quietly of heart failure on October 20.
That’s what the obituary said, anyway. Some people might have read the name, not recognized it, and moved on.
But if the story said simply “Lili died,” nearly everyone in town would have noticed.
Lili, of course, owned Lili’s Fine Food and Catering, the railroad station coffee shop that for 28 years served coffee, croissants, conversation — and much, much more.
Her obituary noted that she was born in Monte Carlo, moved to Canada in the 1960s and the US in the early ’70s, then became an American citizen just in time to cast her first vote for Bill Clinton.
She was “an accomplished cloisonné artist and designer.” She was a concert pianist, and also played violin, flute and guitar. For a while, she gave piano lessons.
Lili worked at Soup’s On before opening her railroad station spot. There, she met countless customers who were enchanted by her “generosity of spirit, and her gifts as a chef.”
The obituary continued:
Her devotion to beauty and perfection translated into everything she did. Her culinary and floral creations were breathtaking. She is held lovingly in the hearts of all the lives she touched.
Among those lives was Ellie Solovay’s.
“I was probably one of Lili’s first customers,” the longtime Westporter recalls.
For many years she cooked Friday night dinner for me and my family. In the past few years my husband and I would walk over the railroad bridge to her cafe on Saturday mornings. She made us the best omelets this side of the Atlantic.
When Ann Sheffer — who lives on Stony Point, just across the parking lot from the train station — heard Lili had died, she remembered so many parties Lili had catered.
Ann contacted friends, and learned that a group of parishioners at St. Luke Church had taken care of Lili.
They and others started planning a tribute. A memorial service is set for 10 a.m. this Saturday (November 5), at St. Luke’s.
A reception will follow. At Lili’s Place, of course.
(Lili’s obituary noted that contributions in her honor can be made to the Connecticut Food Bank and Homes With Hope. The story concluded: “An act of kindness each day dedicated to Lili would please her.)
Posted in Local business, People, religion
Tagged Ann Sheffer, Ellie Solovay, Lili's Catering, Liliane Bonora
When Josh Frank received a Westport Arts “Horizons” Award in 2009 — as a “rising young artist” — he was surprised and honored.
He also felt guilty. “I thought, ‘they recognized me, but what have I done for Westport?'” the trumpeter, composer and movie producer asked recently.
Though he lives in New York, he vowed to do more.
Josh enjoys working with kids. He’s doing that now, teaching pro bono “master classes” for trumpeters at Staples and Coleytown Middle School.
Josh Frank
He talks with the students about trumpet fundamentals — but ties the instrument in with the real world. “Music doesn’t exist by itself, or in a box,” he says. “The lessons that come out of it — practice regimens, connecting with people — they’re so important in life.”
His students like to hear about his own post-Staples career. He’s recorded a film score for a Francis Ford Coppola movie; performed at Central Park’s SummerStage with Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin; been featured on camera in “Royal Pains”; recorded a commercial for IBM; toured as a soloist with the New York Symphonic Ensemble; helped found a chamber orchestra that’s been featured on Channel 13; and performed with his “Batteries Duo” group at various sites in Minneapolis — including the Apple Store.
The Staples (Class of 2000), Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music grad has recorded with David Byrne, and toured Japan with Boyz II Men.
Who says you can’t make a living doing what you love?
Josh Frank in action.
As if that’s enough, Josh has started teaching privately in Westport. He’s got a few trumpet students already, but has room for one or two more.
He can relate to plenty of kids in town.
“When I first started playing, in 5th grade at King’s Highway, I was like every other kid in band,” he recalls. “I loved it, but I had no idea where it would lead.”
But his teachers and parents encouraged and supported him. Gregg Winters, Nick Mariconda, Adele Valovich — all those Westport instructors and more have helped make him who he is.
And now Josh Frank is paying it — and playing it — back.
And forward.
(To contact Josh, email josh@joshfrankmusic.com, or call 917-742-6040. Click here for his website.)
Posted in Arts, Education, People, Staples HS
Tagged Adele Valovich, Gregg Winters, Josh Frank, Nick Mariconda
Once upon a time, the anchor tenant of Playhouse Square was Derma Clinic:
Soon it will be the post office:
David Waldman, where are you when we need you?
Posted in Downtown, Local business
Dennis Jackson’s family rented an Old Mill home in the summer of 1950. They moved here that fall, and in 1956 moved to “the middle of nowhere”: North Avenue.
Dennis’s brothers and friends camped out in the large woods across the street, until it was cleared to build “a fancy new high school.”
Dennis was in the first graduating class — 1958 — at nearby Burr Farms Elementary. Three years later he joined a young Gordon Joseloff and others in forming an AM radio station called WWPT.
Mentored in radio by a friendly Staples High physics teacher named Nick Georgis, Dennis designed and built a small AM/FM transmitter. He still has it.
He graduated from Staples in 1964, and went to RPI. In 1967 “the allure of Westport life and Westport girls proved irresistible,” so Dennis came back.
He worked at Norden; helped start the new WWPT-FM at Staples; got an MBA at UConn; did a morning show on WMMM/WDJF, and from 1974-76 rented a beach house with his girlfriend Maureen (Staples ’67).
They moved to Wilton, Vermont, the Berkshires, then back to Wilton in 1982.
The other day, Dennis visited the Occupy Wall Street site in lower Manhattan. He reports:
Dennis Jackson (right), with friends (from left) George Levinson and Ed Hoffman, at Occupy Wall Street.
There has been much criticism from conservatives that the occupiers have no proposed solutions. However, in the tradition of American patriots who have assembled peacefully throughout our history, this is a protest against injustices for which Wall Street has become the focal point.
Much dialogue takes place among the occupiers and day visitors like us, and a regular schedule of “think tanks” in which anyone may participate. Especially when compared to the relatively unfocused anger and deconstructionism of the tea partiers, these dialogues seem to offer very constructive ways to resolve feelings of frustration into refined thinking. and move toward consensus.
An older occupier. His sign protests the influence of corporate financing on political campaigns. (Photo by Dennis Jackson)
In addition to high unemployment, record levels of home foreclosures, and the expense and difficulty of obtaining health coverage, it seemed clear that a number of prominent financial absurdities that are highly unfair to the average American underly the protest.
One example is the ever-increasing income and wealth disparity between Americans in the top brackets relative to what we used to refer to as the “middle class,” and the disadvantaged, as exacerbated by the Reagan revolution and Bush tax cuts.
Another is the bailout of banks when people had to default on mortgage payments, when far less bailout money could have been applied to the write-down of mortgages so those homeowners wouldn’t have had to default in the first place. Perhaps then, banks might not have been in the position they were to hand out bonuses that many homeowners and ordinary Americans consider obscene.
As in the ’60s, there was a current of peace and anti-war sentiment at the expense of more humanistic applications of the trillions of dollars invested in our military adventurism and warmaking, particularly in Iraq. A good number of veterans were represented while we were there.
A woman with a Ph.D., who can't find a job, asks for work. (Photo by Dennis Jackson)
From the tone of many conversations, it’s probably fair to say that the occupiers, although not universally “liberal,” are progressive thinkers. They seem mostly opposed to the Republican national agenda, which they perceive as favoring the already rich and powerful, seeking to increase corporate influence, hegemony and control, and to undermine and blockade programs intended to help the average American.
Comments overheard suggest that Fox News, the only network not in evidence, and Channel 5, the only local TV absent, were generally held in low regard.
Liberty Square was populated by everyone from college students to octogenarians. All races were well represented.
A code of conduct was posted in several places. There was no violence, discourtesy, scatology, drug use, “free love,” or unsanitariness in evidence. Directions were posted to several nearby rest room facilities. Volunteers circulated constantly, sweeping and cleaning up.
Bags of coats and bedding were free to anyone who got cold or wanted to “occupy” overnight. A “free kitchen,” manned by what we understood to be 5-star chefs prepared food, and would not accept a donation for the delicious piece of chocolate cake I had. I offered, but the reply was, “No thank you. We’d like to contribute the cake to you.”
In spite of all the vitriol directed at the OWS movement by the right-wing media, it would be hard to imagine a more thoughtful, courteous, productive gathering of like-minded people opposed to financial injustice.
Many Occupy Wall Street protesters are young. (Photo by Dennis Jackson)
Posted in Economy, Looking back, People, Politics
Tagged Dennis Jackson, Occupy Wall Street
Though town officials “strongly urged” that trick-or-treating be postponed until Saturday, November 5 — citing downed wires, branches and other safety hazards from the weekend storm — many parents and kids are disregarding the message.
There’s plenty of action already at always-crowded Compo Beach, where homes are close together and the candy-to-walking ratio is great.
This neighborhood house — on Danbury Avenue — is all decked out for Halloween:
I was very impressed that the home houseboat owners had named their decorative creation after me.
Until I learned that “Dan” is that guy’s name too.
Boo (hoo)!
Nearly 20 years ago, Gwen Campbell and Brie Garrison were Westport moms and friends. Each had a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old.
Their kids were too little to trick-or-treat. But Halloween was coming, so the women approached First Selectman Joe Arcudi with an idea: have a costume parade up Main Street.
Gwen and Brie printed flyers. Stew’s donated cider and cookies. The Bedford Middle School band played.
The Westport News was there.
Writer Harold Hornstein described “the panorama of precious little people.”
He described 3-year-old Michael Friedman, dressed up as Mets star Bobby Bonilla.
Ryan Fazio — also 3 — was an airline pilot. He said he wanted to take Concorde to California.
Johnny Fable, 2, was a kitty cat.
A scene from last year's Halloween parade. (Photo courtesy Matthew Vinci/The Hour)
“I can’t believe this many kids showed up,” said Gwen (dressed as a witch).
Police Department inspector Steve Smith — “I came as a cop” — estimated 150 children paraded from the YMCA to The Limited (now Vineyard Vines).
“This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” added spectator Nina Morse.
Writer Harold Hornstein predicted, “From the amount of tots, it might well become an annual fixture.”
It has.
The organizers’ kids grew older. They moved on to actual trick-or-treating (and, perhaps, Mischief Nighting, then high school — and now college — partying).
The Garrisons moved to London. The Downtown Merchants Association, PAL and Parks and Recreation Department took over the event.
This year’s event got rained out. (It was not the 1st time.) Still, tons of kids — and camera-wielding parents — gathered at Town Hall, for the traditional cider and cookies.
No one was dressed as a Concorde pilot.
Then again, in 1993 no one came in a Kim Kardashian costume.
There’s no telling what the cool outfit will be 18 years from now, in 2029.
Hopefully though, kids will still parade up Main Street a few days before Halloween.
And today’s participants will look back at photos of their then-3-year-old selves, and look forward to the day their own children will dress up for their own Halloween parade.
This year’s Board of Education campaign hasn’t gotten a lot of press. The Planning and Zoning race — that’s where it’s at.
But the Board of Ed is important. It’s the biggest part by far of the town budget, as we all know.
Still, it takes an involved citizen to sift through position papers, and listen to board candidates natter on about ERGs, CAPTs and whatnot.
If you want to know more, though, there’s one event you shouldn’t miss.
It’s this Wednesday (November 2, 7-9 p.m., Staples High School library).
It’s a “forum” — not a debate — and even better, it’s sponsored by an organization that has a true stake in this election: Staples Student Assembly.
Someone who’s been to a past forum calls it “the most interesting” pre-election session.
“Others are scripted and boring,” this education-watcher says.
“At Staples they asked about teaching intelligent design, open campus and other good topics.”
Herman Cain is not on the Westport Board of Ed ballot. But — if we’re lucky — a high school student or two might come up with questions that elicit Cain-like answers that reveal something fascinating about this year’s candidates.
For better, or worse.
Posted in Education, Local politics, Staples HS
Tagged Board of Education, Student Assembly
The Westport Family Y has opened its doors (and showers) to Westporters who are without power following yesterday’s (ugh) snowstorm.
Non-members are welcome to warm up, clean up, and charge their electronic devices today at the Y.
There are child advocates in Connecticut.
And then there are Child Advocates of Connecticut.
That — capitalized — is a group of volunteers. They collaborate with the state Department of Children and Families, child protective attorneys, schools and local community providers, to advocate for a child’s best interests.
No, we’re not talking about if a kid should have a TV in his room, or a girl should be allowed to have a tattoo.
Child Advocates of Connecticut are involved in custody battles. Decisions on whether to remove someone from an alcoholic, drug-filled or abusive home. These are life-and-death situations — sometimes literally.
Advocates are “guardians ad litem” — looking out for the best interests of a child. They’re appointed by the court in cases of abuse or neglect. Developing a unique relationship with the child — and working with parents, foster parents, doctors, teachers and others — they make recommendations to the court.
“DCF workers and attorneys are good. But they’re overworked,” says program director Jackie Grundei, a Westport resident. “We work with one kid and one family.”
Child Advocates may, for example, monitor whether a parent is actually involved in court-mandated substance abuse rehabilitation. That helps determine whether it’s in a child’s best interest to live with those parents, or not.
“Our goal is to find children a safe, permanent home as quickly as possible,” Grundei says. “We have no preconceived notion of what that is.”
Advocates undergo extensive training — but they don’t need specific legal knowledge.
“We have attorneys, but also nurses and social workers,” Grundei says.
“The best qualifications are 2 eyes to see things, 2 ears to hear, a mouth to advocate with, and a heart.”
Feedback is fantastic. The courts appreciate the help, and advocates cherish the chance to help.
“Things don’t always go right,” Grundei notes. “Every ending is not happy. But the opportunity to make a difference in a child’s life is great.”
Every child needs help growing up. (Image/Jeff Smallwood)
The judge who swears in Child Advocates concurs. Her message is the same each time: “You’ll never make as big an impact on a child’s life in anything you do as this. You’re there at a very vulnerable time in his or her life. Thank you for all you do.”
“None of this would be possible without the energy, talent and commitment of an extraordinary group of people who know firsthand that volunteers make a significant contribution to Connecticut’s overwhelmed juvenile protection system,” says executive director Jill Bicks — another Westporter.
If it seems as if Westporters have embraced Child Advocates of Connecticut with special zeal — they have.
The newest crop of volunteers to be sworn in include 8 local women: Senta Cassell, Gail Cohen, Catherine Davis, Theanne Feldman, Jennifer Ferrante, Francene Jarvis, Deb Koenig and Linda Smith.
“Some people go around the world to do volunteer work. But Bridgeport is right next door,” says Koenig.
“It’s important to put time into things that have meaning to me.”
(The next training sessions for Child Advocates of Connecticut are February 7, 8, 9, 14 and 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Westport area. Click here for details.)
Comments Off on Advocates For Kids
Posted in Children, Organizations, People
Tagged Child Advocates of Connecticut, Deb Koenig, Jackie Grundei
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