Unless you have business with one of the tenants at Colonial Green — an eclectic mix including attorneys, CPAs, and the offices of CLASP and Newman’s Own — there’s no reason most Westporters would ever see the lobby at 246 Post Road East.
What a shame. Its walls are lined with local history. There’s a great collection of large photos and old postcards, with intriguing text. They tell wonderful stories of Westport’s first library, National Hall, a spectacular hotel on Beachside Avenue, and more.
And who knew the Cribari Bridge was once painted red?
Thanks to Eve Potts, for this fascinating find!
Home Movie is a dark comedy about a wounded family’s struggles with death, deception and general mania.
Jarret Liotta — a longtime Westporter, and Staples High School graduate — filmed it entirely in Westport.
The title also refers to the help he got from many local people and groups, like the Westport Woman’s Club, Senior Center, Police Department, Kaia Yoga, Gold’s Deli, even Harding Funeral Home.
On January 7 (7 p.m.), Miggs Burroughs will host a live (virtual) Q-and-A with Liotta. Everyone registering for the event through the Westport Library (click here) will receive a link to view the film any time the week before the event.
Liotta — a noted writer, photographer and video producer — is also a filmmaker. He says his first film, How Clean is My Laundry, “received moderate acclaim but wasn’t very good.” His second, The Acting Bug, “was much better, but no one saw it.”
His current project is a comedy exploring racism and gun violence (!). It will filmed entirely in Westport.
Jarret Liotta
Top Hat Tutors — the Staples High School juniors and seniors who charge less than adult competitors, but deliver quality with a teenage vibe — is starting the new year right.
Now through March, they’re offering their services free, to low income families and students on tight budgets. The offer is available every other Friday and Saturday, between 2 nd 5 p.m. There is a limit of 5 students per time slot.
Top Hat tutors cover math, science, language arts, social studies and standardized testing prep, for all age students.
Click here for the special free tutoring service. Click here for the Top Hat Tutors home page.
And finally … on this date in 1845, Texas became the 28th U.S. state. It had been an independent republic since 1836.
Can we give Texas back?
Was the bridge really red? Judging by the streetcar on the bridge–I believe streetcars were gone by Westport in the early thirties–color photography was rare. It was common to paint in the color. Ii have a picture of my sister and me from around 1952, before we moved to Westport, taken at a photography studio by a photographer who was behind a black curtain attached to the rear of the camera. The photograph was exposed on a glass plate, on which the photographer then painted in the color.
Agree, the framed historic image of the Cribari Bridge (which is wonderful) is most likely colorized. Btw, that image appears to depict the bridge’s original wood deck – which you know must have smelled like Creosote on a hot summer day.