Monthly Archives: June 2019

Pic Of The Day #804

Posted on June 30, 2019 | 2 comments

Under the I-95 overpass (Photo/Tracy Porosoff)

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Posted in Pic of the Day, Saugatuck, Transportation

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Second Storm: The Sequel

Posted on June 30, 2019 | 3 comments

As Westport continues to clean up following this afternoon’s storm, over 2,000 customers remain without power.

Lyons Plains Road. (Photo/Marty Jaramillo)

Downed lines and large trees still litter main roads and side streets, causing closures and detours.

(Photo/Les Dinkin)

Many Post Road traffic lights are out. One Westporter said it took her an hour to get from Southport to Compo Beach.

The fast-moving, tremendously intense storm — which roared through just after 2 p.m. — may have been a microburst. That’s defined by the National Weather Service as “a localized column of sinking air (downdraft) within a thunderstorm, usually less than or equal to 2.5 miles in diameter. Microbursts can cause extensive damage at the surface.”

(Photo/Westport Fire Department)

Grace Salmon Park, meanwhile, is in disarray after last night’s storm. Up to half a dozen large trees have been uprooted. One visitor called the Imperial Avenue park “decimated.”

One view of downed trees at Grace Salmon Park … (Photo/Wendy Cusick)

… and another. (Photo/Dalma Heyn)

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Posted in Environment, Weather

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Summer’s Second Strong Storm

Posted on June 30, 2019 | 14 comments

Just 18 hours after yesterday’s tree-downing, power-outing storm, a more brutal one — with even less warning — roared through town.

At the Westport Library, the Saugatuck River is nearly obscured by wind-driven rain. (Photo/Fred Cantor)

Packing winds of about 60 miles an hour, plus hail, this one followed by a few seconds an alert from the National Weather Service.

One umbrella hit this home’s window “like a torpedo.” (Photo/Marty Jaramillo)

In its wake, over 1,500 customers were without power. Trees blocked South Compo Road, Narrow Rocks, Jennie Lane, Mayflower Parkway and the Ned Dimes Marina at Compo Beach. Tents for the downtown Sidewalk Sale were uprooted on Main Street.

Hillandale Road, near West Parish. (Photo/Robin Gusick)

Just a couple of hours earlier, the forecast was for mostly sunny skies.

Mayflower Parkway (Photo/Andrew Colabella)

As of right now — 3:50 pm — the skies over Westport are clear and bright.

The deluge did not last long — but it was intense. (Photo/Jilda Manikas)

Tonight and tomorrow’s forecast calls for sunny and clear weather too.

Beachgoers fled Compo. (Photo/Bruce McFadden)

Westport’s marine police assisted a sailboat in distress. (Photo/Bruce McFadden)

Umbrellas were tossed into the water … (Photo/Bruce McFadden)

… and all around Joey’s. (Photo/Bruce McFadden)

The storm even toppled a tough-to-move lifeguard chair. (Photo/Bruce McFadden)

Amazingly, just moments before the storm hit, this advertising plane flew over Compo Beach. Its message: “Keep calm – Call Tom Atty.” (Photo/Beverly Bailey)

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Posted in Beach, Weather

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Photo Challenge #235

Posted on June 30, 2019 | 32 comments

With everything going on last Sunday — beautiful weather, the opening of the Westport Library, the Tom Petty Project at the Levitt — “06880” readers can be forgiven for not having the “time” to spend on our Photo Challenge.

“Time” is in quotes because Lynn Untermeyer Miller’s image showed a big, handsome, old-fashioned clock. (Click here to see.)

A couple of people thought it was at the train station. A smart guess — but wrong.

Then came many more stabs. I hinted it was “near” the station. More wrong guesses: Bistro du Soleil. The fire station. Bridge Square. Viva’s. Nope!

Finally — on Tuesday afternoon at 3:01 — Jonathan McClure admitted he was guessing, and said: Rive Bistro.

Bingo!

The clock (which is broken — stuck at 12:26) is on the patio outside the Riverside Avenue restaurant. It must be one of those landmarks we all pass, but never notice.

I don’t know why it’s there — or where it came from originally. If you do, click “Comments” below.

And click for this week’s Photo Challenge too. It’s a beautiful house — and still standing. Do you know where?

(Photo/Peter Barlow)

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Posted in Photo Challenge, Restaurants

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Summer’s First Strong Storm

Posted on June 30, 2019 | 1 comment

A fast-moving storm — with hail, heavy rain and high winds — roared through parts of town yesterday evening, around 7:45. More than 500 Westporters lost power.

A tree fell on a house on Vani Court …(Photo/Westport Fire Department)

The Fire Department responded to 18 calls with 45 minutes. They included burning and downed power lines, carbon monoxide, and a tree resting on a house on Vani Court.

… and barely missed one at Edgewater Commons. (Photo/Kaye Leong)

Sherwood Island State Park will be closed today (Sunday), due to damage.

But the storm left as quickly as it came. Skies cleared before nightfall.

Sherwood Mill Pond, moments after the storm passed … (Photo/Matt Murray)

Today is forecast to be mostly sunny, with a high around 80.

… and Ned Dimes Marina at Compo Beach, a few minutes later. (Photo/Kristina Bory)

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Posted in Beach, Weather

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Library Cafe’s Mystic-al Tale

Posted on June 30, 2019 | 1 comment

Westport Library officials anticipated a big crowd at their “transformation” opening last Sunday.

They just didn’t figure it would be so big.

After a brass band led hundreds into the new building at 11:15, they swarmed into the new space. People oohed and aahed over the Forum, the recording studio, the children’s section, art galleries and reading rooms.

And they lined up, 20 deep, for sandwiches, salads, baked goods and coffee in the new café.

By 1:30, the library had run out of food.

They called Mystic Market — their new partner. Barely half an hour later, the café was fully restocked.

Heli Stagg in the library cafe, with prepared food from Mystic Market, baked goods from Sono Baking Company, and the brand-new espresso machine.

Mystic Market’s popularity has grown steadily, since opening a couple of months ago in the old Blu Parrot/Jasmine/Arrow Charles Street site near the train station.

Now, library users far beyond Saugatuck are discovering the market’s magic too.

The new partnership “was meant to be,” says Heli Stagg, Westport Library retail and café manager.

As the library expanded, she’d searched for a new partner. Oscar’s was the first, when the small original café opened several years ago. After owner Lee Papageorge died, Gold’s took over. Both were “great,” Stagg says.

But with the transformation project nearly complete, the library wanted to offer more than basic salads and sandwiches.

Stagg had heard raves about Mystic Market’s prepared foods. When she met general manager David Griswold, the first thing he offered was a tour of their state-of-the-art kitchen.

David Griswold (center) and his Mystic Market team.

Stagg was impressed. Serendipitously, the market’s owners — Mystic-based Coastal Gourmet Group — were there for a meeting. She invited them to the still-under-construction library.

A few minutes in, they told her, “We have to do this.”

“Their food is excellent,” she says. “We want a high-end vendor. And we want them to succeed. This is a win for both of us.”

Mystic Market is not the only café partner. SoNo Baking Company is in its 4th year providing baked goods.

As with Mystic Market, Stagg had heard good things about the Norwalk-based firm. When she met the owners — and tasted their food — she was sold.

With both companies, Stagg says, “we’re doing exactly what the library likes to do everywhere: make connections. We want people to enjoy the café, and learn about businesses they might not know.”

Patrons enjoy the new Westport Library cafe inside …

The transformed library has made one more connection: with Food Rescue US.

That’s the innovate group that uses an app to match supermarkets, restaurants (and library cafēs!) having leftover food, with volunteers who can pick it up and deliver to shelters, kitchens and pantries.

Now — like Westport Library patrons — they too can enjoy the Mystic Market and SoNo Baking bounty.

… and out.

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Posted in Library, Local business, Organizations, People

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Pic Of The Day #803

Posted on June 29, 2019 | 37 comments

And a little child shall lead them: Emanuel Linvald, 8, at today’s Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge demonstration protesting inhumane conditions for children at the US border. (Photo/Darcy Hicks)

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Posted in Children, Downtown, Pic of the Day, Politics

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Andrew Colabella Remembers Sean Brown

Posted on June 29, 2019 | 4 comments

A few days ago, “06880” reader and RTM member Andrew Colabella shared his memories of Sean Brown, a Staples High School classmate who died a few days earlier. 

Today Andrew follows up with these thoughts:

Grieving is something we all do at some point. We can never picture or imagine how we will grieve. Suddenly, we are put to the test.

Memories spring to mind. They run as tears hit the page. Life flashes before our eyes, filled with memories. “Who was that in this photo?” “Why do I look like that?” And “wow, we were so young.” Bob Seger said it best: “We were young, and we were running against the wind.”

Rebellious but sensible, stubborn but witty, quick yet relaxed. That was Sean.

Do you ever go to a certain place in this bubble of a town, and flash back? Does something that happened 10 or 15 years ago feel like yesterday?

Do you ever remember when time would stand still in a particular moment of life? Sometimes you wish it would be over with. Sometimes you wish it would last longer.

Sean Brown

Last Sunday, a planned 4-hour gathering turned into a 7-hour reunion. Faces looked the same, voices sounded the same, everything seemed the same…but did it? Morgan Brown put together photos of Sean’s childhood. If only time could stand still like photos, Sean would be here. We would have more time with him, would have done more, said more, been together more.

All roads lead to Westport. And the DNA of Westport is spread throughout the world. As Sean’s father Doug made his way to Los Angeles to pick up his son’s ashes and belongings, he ran into people he’d never met, but who knew Sean from Westport.

Andrew Lunt received some of his clothes, fragments of evidence that this soul existed not only on earth, but in our lives. Proof that we are not dreaming of this short but mighty blond-haired, blue-eyed, raspy-voiced character. If only we could wake up from this nightmare of a friend missing.

Old Mill echoes with splashes of water cascading over the tidal gates. A younger generation has become fond of jumping off the gates into the deep pools, where fish tease first-time fisher kids.

Andrew Colabella and Sean Brown fished here. For decades, countless other kids have too.

Ship’s Corner — where kids once stood outside — went from mannequins with clothing samples to sparkling, shimmering interior design pieces.

At night Main Street was alive with kids playing “Manhunt,” chasing each other from roof to roof as police rushed to put their spotlights on us (but never caught us). The stairs to Onion Alley, where we all met while our families were at dinner, is now Bedford Square.

That Sunday, a warm sun and cool wind brought us together at Evan Harding Point. The people we once knew, but may have lost touch with, came together. Some discovered passion and talent, and became chefs. A sustainable engineer traveled from Florida; old lovers came from Colorado and Boston.

That night, we celebrated Sean Douglas Brown. I wish I could end this happily, but it wouldn’t satisfy what we truly wanted. It wouldn’t be the truth.

What I can end on is that our night ended with this group photo. As the sun and celebration came to an end, our souls came together in the light, because of one soul.

Until we meet again.

 

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Posted in Beach, Downtown, People

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Menu Moments: What To Order At Amis

Posted on June 29, 2019 | 4 comments

As part of “06880”‘s new feature, registered dietician Heather Bauer offers tips on the best, healthiest dishes to order at local restaurants.

Today she talks about Amis. The popular Bedford Square trattoria  offers indoor and patio dining — and many options. Heather says:

Amis is very accommodating for specific dietary needs. There’s even a key in the right corner of the menu specifying gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian.

Amis Trattoria.

With my recommendations, you will not have to make any substitutions or special requests. As always: Skip the bread and dessert, and enjoy your food the way the chef has prepared it for you!

Fish Lover Options

Appetizer:

Arugula salad

Ccucumber salad

Entree:

Grilled octopus appetizer (make sure you specify you want this to arrive with entree) + asparagus (share with table)

Grilled salmon

Whole branzino (recommended for fast eaters; you’ll have to “work” for your food)

Mussels (another good working food option;  great for faster eaters)

Meat Lover Options

Appetizer:

Arugula salad

Bufala mozzarella

Entree:

Grilled chicken paillard (bufala mozzarella as starter)

New York strip (arugula salad to start)

Sal’s meatballs (arugula salad to start)

Sal’s meatballs at Amis.

Vegetarian options (vegans must stick to vegan options listed on menu)

Appetizer:

Arugula salad

Cucumber salad

Asparagus “alla plancha”

Entree:

Spinach ricotta meatballs

Bufala mozzarella

Kale and quinoa salad (if you have this for an entree, start with asparagus)

Bonus dining tip from Heather

Be Prepared with A,B,C: Researching the restaurant beforehand is great, but have 2 backup meal choices in case your first choice isn’t available. A lot of clients get discouraged when they can’t order what they planned on. They end up making a choice they regret.

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Posted in Restaurants

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Happy 95th Birthday, Leonard Everett Fisher!

Posted on June 29, 2019 | 11 comments

Leonard Everett Fisher is a Westport icon.

One of our our town’s most cherished artist/illustrators, he’s designed 10 US postage stamps. His works hang in the collections of the Smithsonian, Library of Congress, New York Public Library, Yale Art Gallery and New Britain Museum of Art.

He’s also a World War II veteran. Between 1942 and ’46, as a topographical mapmaker he planned, edited and produced maps for campaigns in Italy, France, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the aborted invasion and occupation of Japan. In 2013 he served as grand marshal of Westport’s Memorial Day parade.

A longtime Westporter, Fisher just turned 95. Last night, at the Westport Arts Center — of which he’s a founding member, past president and current board member — friends, fans and family members celebrated his birthday.

Leonard Everett Fisher, last night at the Westport Arts Center.

Fisher has seen the WAC in and through many incarnations, from an itinerant organization, to its home at the then-closed Greens Farms Elementary School, to its current home on Riverside Avenue.

Now, the Westport Arts Center is on the move again. It will relocate soon to new digs at 19 Newtown Turnpike.

Fisher looks forward to being there for the grand opening. And for many shows and events to come.

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Posted in Arts, Organizations, People

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