1st Selectman Jim Marpe and Parks & Recreation director Jen Fava confirm that the Longshore golf course fairways, rough and cart paths are open to walkers. The greens are not open, and of course the course is closed to play.
Oh, yeah: It’s closed to dogs too.
(Photo/Patricia McMahon)
Can’t get to the Westport Country Playhouse? Missing Paul Newman?
In 2002, our town’s hero appeared on stage — as the stage manager — in Thornton Wilder’s classic “Our Town.”
It was one of the most memorable performances on that venerable stage. And now you can watch it all, through the magic of YouTube. Click below — and thank your lucky “stars.”
Speaking of stars, Jon Gailmor shined brightly — and sang beautifully — even before graduating from Staples High School in 1966.
Decades later, “Peaceable Kingdom” — his Polydor album with classmate Rob Carlson — remains one of my favorites ever. (You’ve got time on your hands. Click here and here for 2 of the greatest tracks.)
Gailmor then moved to Vermont. He runs music-writing workshops in schools, writes and performs all over, and has been named an official “state treasure.”
Ever the social commentator, he’s taken his guitar and pen to the coronavirus. “What We Have Found” (“This is 2020 from a distance”) is all too true, and very poignant.
There’s not a lot to enjoy about COVID-19. This, though, is one of them:
They’re located just a few yards over the border, in Southport. So Garelick & Herbs did not make the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s great list of markets open for takeout and delivery.
However, their many local customers will be glad to know that G&H offers curbside pick up and home delivery, via phone (203-254-3727) or online (click here).
Trader Joe’s is limiting the number of customers in the store at a time. Mornings are the most crowded, but the line moves quickly. This was the scene this morning, as shoppers lined up (properly socially distanced) beyond Jersey Mike’s.
(Photo/Tom Cook)
At 12:30 there was no line. When I left 15 minutes later, 2 people waited outside.
Reader Adam Murphy writes about this generous act: “When the owner of The Simple Greek in Norwalk (its really close to Westport!) found out that a recent catering order was for the Gillespie Center, he voluntarily doubled the amount of food. ‘I want to make sure everyone has enough,’ he said. In times that must have him worrying about his business surviving, he still has generosity for others. Great food and great people!”
Westporter Steve Parton reminds readers that — with galleries closed, and self-isolating the new normal — our neighbors who make their living from art and art lessons are having a tough time.
“We would all like to make a sale if possible,” he says. “Everything must go! No reasonable offer refused!”
Check out his website — and those of any other local artists you like. As you look at your walls (what else is there to look at?!), now is the perfect time to buy new works!
“Compo Beach,” by Steven Parton
The Westport WestonChamber of commerce has garlic and herbs listed under takeout as per their request in the form that they filled out. Please correct! Anyone can be apart of the lists, they simply need to fill out a form on our website. Please note our take out list reflects restaurants, markets and delis.
Once you enter Trader Joe’s, there a sign asking customers to limit themselves to not more than two of any product and to use only one shopping cart.
As one approaches the checkout area, the floor is marked with taped yellow arrows pointing to each cashier. Just before the cashier, a horizontal yellow line asks customers to wait there until the preceding customer has left the cashier station.
A new twist on the “yellow brick road.”
Stew Leonard’s has signs saying to please keep a friendly social distance and very wide bright red tape all along the registers, express registers and customer service.
Most people read the sign and respect the red tape and wait their turn.
Many just come barging up to the cashiers while still taking care of a customer ignoring the red tape which is hard to miss and unloading their groceries. The cashier has to kindly ask them to step back and wait their turn.
It’s like the red tape is a stop sign or red light traffic sign. They roll or blow through it. The traffic light and the stop sign, in this case red tape on the floor, is not a suggestion or reccomedation, it’s an absolute, you need to stop.
The Simple Greek never disappoints!
Thanks so much for keeping us apprised of what is happening outside. Your blog is a deliverer.
If the golf course is open to walkers, why not try giving access to Compo for walking only?
Compo technically is open during daytime hours, but since you can’t park, it’s essentially a Member’s Only park for the neighborhood uber-wealthy, which raises a serious fairness issue, as public access to the seashore is the law of the land.
Why not try again with some rules: no lying or sitting, no playground, no team athletics, no groups bigger than 5.
I gather that what led up to the closing of parking lots was the warm day last weekend when a bunch of parents and kids mobbed the playground as if they hadn’t heard there was a pandemic going on,
My wife and I (and our dog) were walking the beach on that same busy day and still we had absolutely no trouble staying 10+ feet from anyone else. We were actually much closer to other people when we used the sidewalk up Hillspoint Rd.
No one’s closing sidewalks — even NYC and San Francisco are letting the public get their fresh air exercise on them — so why freak out about the beach when it’s at least 100 times wider than a sidewalk?
Another option: Park at Longshore and walk to Compo.
Old Mill parking lot is open and it’s a nice walk to Compo from there.
Another artist’s website http://www.NancyBreakstonePhotography.com to check out, Westport photographer Nancy Breakstone. Click on her “Blog” tab first and watch the short video of her gallery talk at Silvermine to understand her work.
If you fall in love with anything, call her at 914-261-0118. She is framing in self-isolation and will disinfect metal and wood sides before packing for delivery.
Here is Nancy’s “Saugatuck Reservoir”:
https://danwoog.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/saugatuck-reservoir-nancy-breakstone.jpg
Good idea. Also cycling. I did that day before yesterday, but just before they closed for the evening. 6 pm I think
So the governor and first selectman seem to be doing everything right. They are advising people to practice social distancing and to not congregate in small or large groups, yet Saugatuck and Staples field is still packed with teenagers playing en made. Of course they feel invincible, but where are their parents to say, “no you can’t play with your friends”. I understand that we are not on an official lockdown, but if we don’t monitor these situations, then all of our safety precautions as a town are for naught. Maybe it is time for police to monitor the areas where groups seem to congregate and advise groups to disperse. If we don’t practice what is being preached, then this town is destined to suffer