Monthly Archives: August 2020

Roundup: WTF Dinner, Sherwood Island, Friday Flowers, More

Posted on August 29, 2020 | 3 comments

Wakeman Town Farm’s Harvest Fest is a major fundraiser — and major fun.

This year’s event (Saturday, Sept 12, 5 to 9 p.m.), is still on. But it’s “reimagined,” to be COVID-compliant.

The dinner features a small number of tables of 4 to 8 friends, spaced out on the lawn, served by masked-and-gloved waiters. There is a 75 guest limit.

There’s an outdoor, multi-course feast by Marcia Selden Catering + Events, drinks courtesy of Tito’s Handmade Vodka (signature cocktails) and Iain and Linda Bruce (wines), and live acoustic music by Henry Jones. Town Fair Tire is the presenting sponsor. Click here for tickets.

Because of limited seating (tables sell out fast!), WTF chefs created a gourmet picnic box, to be enjoyed at the beach, a favorite scenic spot or home.

Each box includes a full meal for 2: Long Island lobster roll, jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce, classic creamy coleslaw, handcut crisp potato chips with French onion dip, and truffled popcorn. Click here to order.

You can even help Wakeman Town Farm without eating. It costs more than $10,000 a year to feed their alpacas, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks and rabbits. Click here to donate.

We’re #4!

That’s the rank of Sherwood Island State Park on New England Travel Today’s list of 10 Prettiest Beaches in the 6 states. Many Westporters already know how great it is. Others have no clue.

Click here to read the writeup, and compare. (Hat tip: Jon Sinish)

Very pretty indeed! (Photo/Lauri Weiser)

Also beautiful: this week’s Westport Garden Club’s #FridayFlowers basket.

The group honored the hard work of school administrators and staff to reopen the district.

Shown below on the Town Hall steps are (from left) Michael Rizzo, assistant superintendent of pupil personnel services; John Bayers, director of human resources and general administration; Anthony Buono, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning.

(Photo/Kelle Ruden)

Melissa Newman has not yet decided “weather” or not she’ll be on Main Street at Elm at 12:30 p.m. today, distributing her Paul Newman “register and vote” poster. That depends on the skies.

But she’ll be there for sure on Saturday, September 12. In the meantime, here’s another look at what she’s handing out:

And finally … just look at the sky outside:

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Posted in Beach, Downtown, Education, Environment, Organizations, Politics

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0*6*Art*Art*0 — Week 23 Gallery

Posted on August 29, 2020 | 1 comment

As August ends, our art gallery continues as strongly as ever.

As always, all submissions are welcome — in any medium. The only rule: It should be inspired by, relevant to, or somehow, in some way, connected to our current world.

Coronavirus, social justice, politics — have at it! Email dwoog@optonline.net, to share your work with the world.

“In the Deep End” (Amy Schneider)

“Burying Hill to Frost Point” (Werner Liepolt)

“Take a ‘Musical Moment'” (Lawrence Gordon)

“The Great Escape” (Ellin Spadone)

“Small Twigs Against a Blue-Colored Sky” (Larry Untermeyer)

“See No Evil. Hear No Evil. Hundreds of People at Compo Beach Not Masked.” (Ann Chernow)

“Come Outside” (Jo Ann Davidson)

“Ennui” (Marybeth Woods)

“All Twisted Up” (Karen Weingarten)

“Another Brick in the Wall” (Tracy Benton)

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The Rachel Rose Of Texas

Posted on August 29, 2020 | Comments Off on The Rachel Rose Of Texas

Earlier this summer, Savvy + Grace sponsored a great afternoon of sidewalk music.

Some of the entertainers were current Westporters. Getting to the Main Street gifts-and-more shop was easy.

Rachel Rose’s route to the Main Street gig was a bit more circuitous.

The Long Lots Elementary, Bedford Middle and Staples High School (Class of 2014) grad was fortunate that her grandmother, Sylvia Wachtel, lived in Westport too. A huge Turner Classic Movies fan, Sylvia shared her love of jazz films — and the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Etta James — with Rachel.

Rachel’s parents were also music fans. They played Bryan Adams and John Mayer CDs in the car. Her dad liked the Dead, Steve Miller and Dave Matthews.

Rachel Rose

After graduation, Rachel — who sang with Staples’ Orphenians, and took private lessons with Cynthia Gibb — headed to the University of Texas. She calls Austin “the live music capital of the world,” and figured it was the perfect place to get a general degree (she majored in psychology) while also performing.

She joined an elite UT vocal group, Ensemble 109, and formed a band. Austin’s 6th Street bar-and-music scene was indeed hopping. She played everywhere, met plenty of people, and got an A&R job with a music streamer.

Rachel calls her musical style “Jewish soul., contemporary soul and R&B.” She identified with Amy Winehouse, whose “Back to Black” album was particularly influential.

Jazz remained important to Rachel. New York had a more robust jazz and sould scene than Austin, Rachel says, so in 2018 she reluctantly left Austin, and relocated to Brooklyn.

As soon as she arrived she began writing songs. “It was a leap of faith,” she says. “I tried to find my image, my music.”

What emerged was “a melding of Austin and Brooklyn.” This past February she quit her job with a music distribution company, and concentrated full time on her career.

She finished writing songs for her EP this spring. In mid-August she released her first single, “You.” It’s available on every major platform.

The second single followed. The full EP is available September 7.

Her Savvy + Grace gig represented a great “homecoming” for Rachel Rose. There could not have been a more appropriate venue, for this savvy, graceful — and quite talented — rising star.

(Click here for Rachel Rose’s website.) 

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Local business, People, Staples HS

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Pic Of The Day #1229

Posted on August 28, 2020 | 1 comment

Smooth sunset (Photo/Amy Schneider)

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Posted in Beach, Pic of the Day

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Friday Flashback #207

Posted on August 28, 2020 | 9 comments

At the start of the beach season, our Friday Flashback featured Chubby Lane’s — the long-time, much loved Compo Beach concession located where the volleyball courts are now.

It drew (of course) dozens of comments.

But Chubby’s was hardly the first food service at the beach.

Jim Gray made a collage of concession stand postcards that predate Chubby’s by decades.

They were way before my time. I don’t know the back story for any of them. The buildings changed over the years — but you can tell it’s the same spot, by the distinctive small turret at the top of each one.

(Photo collage courtesy of Jim Gray)

If you have any information on any of these iterations, click “Comments” below.

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Roundup: Kings Highway Welcome, Bank Of America, More

Posted on August 28, 2020 | 19 comments

As Kings Highway Elementary teachers returned to the building yesterday for the first time since March, students and parents welcomed them with messages of gratitude, encouragement and support

Families also clapped as staff members entered (from a safe distance, of course). The traditional school message echoes again: Kind hearts shine, and we will get through this together!

Working together to welcome teachers. (Photo/Elizabeth Ginns Britten

One of the oddest aspects of the pandemic — and there have been many — is the continued closure of local Bank of America branches.

At least 6 in the area have been shut since early spring. That includes the 3 on the Post Road in Westport. The one near Whole Foods, just over the Norwalk line, is still open.

I understand the ease of online banking. But sometimes you need a human being.

BOA is MIA. And no one has said a peep.

And finally … as we near the end of one of the strangest summers ever:

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Posted in Children, Economy, Education, Local business

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After The Deluge

Posted on August 28, 2020 | 4 comments

Once again (and again and again), Westport is cleaning up from a strong storm.

Last night’s series of downpours did not deliver the devastation of previous rain and wind. A possible tornado thankfully never materialized.

Still, 42 customers remain without power this morning (down from a high of 650). A driver narrowly escaped tragedy when she was trapped on Wilton Road, after a tree tangled with wires crashed onto her car.

Here is a reminder of Mother Nature’s force …

Golf ball-size hail. (Photo/Adrian Mueller)

… and her beauty:

Route 57 and Lyons Plains Road. (Photo/Ilene Frost)

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YMCA Adds Morning Child Care

Posted on August 28, 2020 | 1 comment

For many families, a new item has been added to the back-to-school list of pens, notebooks and snacks: child care.

As Westport rolls out its hybrid schedule, working parents — whether outside the home, or in — seek options for new times.

For decades, the Westport Weston Family YMCA has offered a great after-school program. Now it adds morning child care.

Students in the program will be transported to and from Coleytown, Greens Farms, Kings Highway, Long Lots and Saugatuck Elementary School. The newly expanded Y has enough room to keep kids in small, socially distanced groups.

The Y’s Bedford Family Center expansion.

“The Y has served the community for more than 97 years, during which we have made it through many challenging times together. The COVID-19 pandemic will not be any different,” says CEO Pat Riemersma.

“After 10 weeks running Camp Mahackeno and seeing first-hand how essential it was for the campers after the spring closures, we knew we needed to offer a program to help families navigate this difficult time, “says Y camp and family services director Jesse Kanaple.

Safety measures include

  • Daily temperature and health screening for staff and participants.
  • Mandatory mask wearing for staff and children (youngsters will have “mask breaks”).
  • Enhanced cleaning of space and equipment.
  • Enhanced focus on personal hygiene

Lunch and snack must be provided by parents or guardians. Financial assistance for the program is available. For more information and registration, email jkanaple@westporty.org, or call 203-226-8981.

Just as at Camp Mahakeno, youngsters in the Wetport YMCA child care program will wear masks.

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Posted in Children, Education, YMCA

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Pic Of The Day #1228

Posted on August 27, 2020 | 3 comments

Moon over Soundview (Photo/Andrew Colabella)

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Another Day, Another Possible Tornado

Posted on August 27, 2020 | 12 comments

It wasn’t Hurricane Laura. It wasn’t Tropical Storm Isaiais.

It was just another torrential thunderstorm — kind of like, oh, 48 hours ago.

With a tornado warning.

The first one moved through a few minutes ago. Another is expected at 6:15 p.m.

Clouds over Sherwood Mill Pond (Photo/Matt Murray)

Oh, yeah: A downed power line on Bridge Street cut power to over 1,400 customers around 4 p.m., without any wind or rain. Power was restored an hour or so later.

Rain and sun. (Photo/Ellen Wentworth)

As we always say: At least it’s not a blizzard…

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Posted in Beach, Weather

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