Every year I go on the town website. I re-learn how to navigate to the tax collector, and access documents I need for my accountant.
For some reason, after trying 3 different browsers I could get on the site, but could not drill down to what I needed.
I called the tax office to see if they were having a problem with the site. Dennis Corsalini answered the phone. He said he was not aware of any issues, but would check it out for me.
Dennis Corsalini
He tried, and was also blocked out of what I needed. He said it just might be a system overload, and to try again later. But he told me to call back and ask for him if I had any further problems.
Later in the day I could access most of what I needed, but was still missing one form. I called Dennis again.
He said he would wait on the phone while I got back on the site, and would walk me through the process to get exactly what I needed. Done!
Then I realized there was even one more document I needed, that was not available on the site. I told him I would come down to the office to have them print it out for me.
He said that was absolutely not necessary. If I told him what I needed he would access it right then, and email it to me — which he did.
I told him I was very grateful for all the time he spent with me, not only to teach me how to use the site but to get all my tax documents.
He said that was just his job, and he was happy to give me all the time I needed.
I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to work with Dennis, and how patient he was helping me get what I needed. He is my Unsung Hero today.
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For a quiet-seeming stretch of road, Cross Highway between North Avenue and Bayberry Lane sure sees a lot of action.
And accidents.
On February 8 (7 p.m., Town Hall auditorium), engineers from the Public Works Department will hold a public information meeting to discuss traffic and safety improvements there.
The design phase of a project is mostly complete. Now comes construction.
At the meeting, attendees can review proposed improvements, and learn how the
town will implement them. There will be time too to ask questions about possible impacts to the neighborhood. In addition to PWD staff, the design engineer will be on hand.
Questions? Contact town engineer Keith Wilberg: kwilberg@westportct.gov; (203) 341-1128.
An all-too-common occurrence on Cross Highway at North Avenue. (Photo/Westport Fire Department)
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StartUp Westport — the town’s public/private partnership aimed at making Westport a tech entrepreneurial hub — has 2 very cool upcoming events.
And everyone is invited to be part of our town’s tech future.
On February 29 (6 p.m., Westport Library), “Past, Present and Future Opportunities for Diverse Entrepreneurs” is a great addition to Black History Month.
NBC news anchor/Westport resident Craig Melvin will moderate the discussion. StartUp Westport’s own Jay Norris leads the event, which is co-sponsored by Westport 10.
Local business leaders Kal Amin, Eric Freeman, Ilka Gregory, Craig Livingston, Adam Moore, Pamela Moss, Paige Parker, Ted Parker, Michele Peterso and Kitt Shapiro will share stories of their careers, and offer insights into launching and running a successful business in film/TV, music, real estate, retail, technology, food and beverage, and financial services.
The program begins with a video history of diverse business ownership in Fairfield County, and also includes a cocktail reception. Click here to register.
On March 18 (6:30 p.m. cocktail reception; 7 p.m. program, Westport Library), StartUp Westport presents a “Female Founders and Investors” forum. Co-hosts are Tidal River Fund, Connecticut’s first angel group and fund for women investors.
The event will be led by Westport-based financial services, personal finance and angel investing expert Galia Gichon, co-managing partner at Tidal River Fund.
Female founders and investors will share their experiences with fundraising for, investing in and launching early stage start-ups. Click here to register.
To join the StartUp Westport Linked In group, click here.
Each year, the Westport National Charity League’s senior class completes a capstone project.
Since August, the Class of 2024 has planned theirs: renovating 4 bathrooms at Caroline House in Bridgeport.
Last weekend, they got to work.
The project received very generous support. Among others, Jason Raymond of Raymond Design Builders helped with preparation and professional final touches, while the Rings End/Benjamin Moore team in Westport donated paint and painting supplies. The generosity of the Westport community was shown by every individual and local business who assisted with this project. It was beyond inspiring and made all the renovations possible.
Krisztina and Isabella Rivel volunteer at Caroline House.
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Looking for something to do in the hours before the Super Bowl?
Representative Town Meeting member Andrew Colabella has organized a trash pick-up for Super Bowl Sunday (February 11).
Volunteers should meet at 11 a.m. at Grace Salmon Park, on Imperial Avenue. They’ll collect garbage from there to the Westport Library parking lot.
Dress warmly. Wear boots and gloves. Bring trash bags (and a picker, if you’ve got one).
Questions? Email acolabellartm4@gmail.com.
Grace Salmon Park is a Westport favorite. But there’s garbage to pick up there, and nearby. (Photo/Pam Kesselman)
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For 33 years, the Greens Farms Academy Community Service Board, Concert Choir, and Harbor Blues and Beachside Express a cappella groups have organized “Harmony for the Homeless.” Performances include solos, small groups and large pieces.
The groups select an organization or specific family to support. Last year, for example, Harmony helped the Reyes family rebuild their lives after a fire destroyed their home.
This year, instead of ticket sales, Harmony will collect food donations for the Danbury Daily Bread food pantry. The goal is to fill an entire truck with goods.
The event is March 2 (7:30 p.m., Janet Hartwell Performing Arts Center at GFA).
Among the items requested: dried beans, rice (1- or 2-pound bags), cooking oil, tea, coffee, meals-in-a-can, baby food, snacks and treats for children, breakfast cereal (hot or cold), ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, hot sauce, cookies, crackers, sugar, flour, baking items like cake mix,
Also needed: shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, laundry detergent, household cleaning products, hand sanitizer, soap, paper towels, toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, coloring books, crayons, inexpensive toys.
And — as it did the first time — People Magazine is chronicling every moment of the Westport actress’ nuptials.
Her first marriage was to 1999 Staples High School graduate/former professional soccer player/broadcaster/entrepreneur Kyle Martino. They divorced, but remain good friends as they co-parent their 3 children.
Now, Amurri — the daughter of actress Susan Sarandon and director Franco Amurri — is engaged to chef Ian Hock.
Click here for the full People magazine story. (Hat tip: Sal Liccione)
And finally … on this date in 1865, Congress passes the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, abolishing slavery. It was then submitted to the states, for ratification.
How far have we come in 159 years? You be the judge.
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TEAM Westport’s Teen Diversity Essay Contest is always timely.
This year’s topic is particularly so.
It’s about hate speech.
All students attending public or private high school — and those who live in Westport, and attend high school elsewhere — are invited to participate.
The prompt says:
The regulation of hate speech must balance limiting speech that may be considered offensive, threatening, or hurtful with the constitutional right of free expression.
In 1,000 words or less, with respect to speech that targets specific people or groups based on race, religion, ethnicity, and/or LGBTQIA+ identification, consider the guidelines one should set for themselves within Westport’s schools and in our community.
Explain how a diversity of opinions can be safely and respectfully shared. Are the rules different in a school community than on social media?
The entry deadline is March 4. Click here for rules, and information on submissions.
Subject to the volume and caliber of entries received, at the discretion of the judges up to 3 cash prizes will be awarded. The first prize is $1,000, second prize is $750, and third prize is $500.
The Westport Library co-sponsors the event. A ceremony for the winners will be held there May 6.
“In our current environment, hate speech seems to rend the fabric of our society further on a daily basis.” says TEAM Westport chair Harold Bailey Jr. “We look forward to this input from our young citizens to help us inextricably mend that fabric well into the future.”
First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker adds, “This community encourages constructive, respectful dialogue. As representatives of our talented and thoughtful population, the youth of Westport can be instrumental in sharing diverse ideas that ensure that everyone who lives, works, plays, and learns here feels welcomed and valued.”
The essay contest is in its 11th year. Prior challenges have tackled topics from white privilege and Black Lives Matter to micro-aggressions and dialogue. Essays have drawn widespread attention and engagement, in Westport and beyond.
“As a library, our goals are to foster inclusivity, understanding, awareness, and the free and open exchange of ideas so that we all can grow and thrive — as individuals and as a community,” notes Westport Library executive director Bill Harmer.
“The annual TEAM Westport Teen Diversity Essay contest uniquely illustrates that commitment, all while engaging young people throughout Westport to consider and work through the important and complex issues of the day.
“Combating hate speech should be a commitment for everyone, in Westport and beyond. I look forward to reading the essays put forth by our town’s talented and thoughtful teens. The Westport Library is once again proud to support the essay contest and honored to host the 2024 honorees.”
A few years ago, when I was coaching the Staples High School boys soccer team, we headed to Maine for our annual summer “bonding trip.”
I drove one car; a recent graduate drove the second one. Along the way, I watched in the rear view mirror as he took a wrong exit.
“Call their car!” I said to the player riding shotgun.
“I’ll text,” he replied.
“No, call. It’s quicker!” I said.
“Dan, we don’t call,” he countered. “We text.”
Setting aside for a moment the irony of that remark — We do not use phones to make phone calls — it was a profound moment for me. I realized how different communication is these days.
And how much has been lost by a generation that does not like to talk, in real time, person to person.
Or — to go further, as Nola Beldegreen does — by a generation that actually fears speaking on the phone.
She should know. The longtime Westporter and an executive coach, she specializes in speaking and communication skills.
Nola has noticed the strong aversion by Generation Z — roughly those ages 12 to 27 — to phone calls. A recent New York Post story says:
The very thought of making a call is often accompanied by a sense of dread and impending failure for some.
Most subject matter experts believe this apprehension to phone calls is associated with social anxiety. Social anxiety stems from the fear of judgment or humiliation.
Gen Z uses phones for many things. A phone conversation is not one of them.
Texting and using apps such as Snapchat prevents mistakes from being made. Texting allows Gen Z to proofread and keep track of their conversation.
Texting also gives them time to respond appropriately without awkward silences and prevents any unforeseen mishaps. This eliminates chances of being judged or humiliated.
Texting is also quicker. It allows Gen Zers to quickly send off a text and walk away while waiting for a response.
Texting allows multi-tasking, whereas phone calls mean focusing your whole attention to what is happening on the line.
So Nola — who was an interscholastic forensics competitor at Rutgers University, Dale Carnegie instructor, and Glamour and Gourmet Magazine sales and events person — has added young people with phone anxiety to her roster of executives and sales teams who need communication coaching.
Her own “aha!” moment came at a meeting with 2 young people, both of whom were silent. She realized that although they sat together, they were texting each other — not talking.
Reiterating the Post article, Nola believes that removing a screen — FaceTime, Zoom, or text bubbles — creates anxiety in young people.
Spoken conversations are not part of Gen Z’s “daily repertoire,” she says.
“People get nervous. ‘What should I say?’ they ask. You can edit text. You’re not on the spot with having to respond immediately. If you’re not conditioned to that, it can be daunting.”
One client was stressed just calling for a haircut appointment.
Nola and I remember our own phone conversations.
“Hello, Mrs. Welker,” I’d say. “Can I please speak with Glenn?”
“He’s finishing his chores,” she’d say. “I’ll get him in a minute. How are you doing, Danny?”
Today’s young people did not grow up having those types of conversations with people they don’t know well. They feel uncomfortable talking on the phone — and their fears extend to speaking with their own peers.
But those types of conversations are important in both the professional and personal world. So Nola helps Gen Z-ers learn to have them.
In 6 sessions, she teaches clients how to initiate and receive phone calls with ease. That means organizing thoughts and ideas, then “sharing them extemporaneously, back and forth.”
Each session builds on the previous one. She likens her work to a personal trainer, who helps build biceps or quads.
Phones used to be located in specific places: kitchens, bedrooms, offices.
Now they are mobile. Calling or answering in a crowded, public place can add to anxiety. That’s “not good for mental health,” Nola says.
In today’s lonely, disconnected world, one-on-one phone conversations can be “warm, rich and exciting.” They are “powerful skills that can last a lifetime.”
So how does Nola work with clients?
Some of it, ironically, is by Zoom.
But many of those conversations are by phone. Like any fear, the best way to overcome it is to face it.
And where do most of her clients come from?
You guessed it.
Word of mouth.
(To learn more about Nola Beldegreen, click here. You can email her: nola@nolabeldegreen.com. And — of course — you can call by phone: 212-381-0856,)
The theme of this truck — seen often around town, and here yesterday at Sherwood Island State Park — is safety. But doesn’t it look a bit, um, unsafe? (Photo/Chris Grimm)
A reminder: This Sunday is the “State of the Town” forum.
The annual event — featuring 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Board of Education chair Lee Goldstein — is February 4 (2 to 3:30 p.m., Westport Library; click here for livestream).
They’ll discuss the past year for the town and Board of Ed, respectively, and look to the future. They’ll take questions from the audience too.
As always, it’s a co-production of Westport Sunrise Rotary, and the Rotary Club of Westport.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Board of Education chair Lee Goldstein.
Cava opens Friday next to Westport Hardware, across from Fresh Market.
The national fast food chain has over 300 outlets. The menu includes pitas (crispy falafel, spicy chicken and avocado, spicy lamb meatball and Greek chicken), and salad bowls (spicy chicken, zesty falafel, lemon chicken, harissa avocado, lentil avocado, tahini Caesar and more).
CAVA is known for its community involvement. Even before its official opening, they’re showing Westport why.
On Thursday (February 1), guests are invited for a free lunch (10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.) or dinner (5 to 8 p.m.). Donations to Food Rescue US are encouraged — and CAVA will match them, up to $1,000. Advance registrations are required; click here.
Since 2019, CAVA’s nationwide Community Day program has donated more than $350,000 to over 60 non-profit organizations. Much of the funding is aimed at improving food security.
Westporter Kelli O’Hara’s performance as Kirsten Arnesen in “Days of Wine and Roses” earned a stellar review in Sunday’s New York Times.
Laura Collins-Hughes wrote:
O’Hara, who starred in Lucas and Guettel’s “The Light in the Piazza” on Broadway in 2005, is particularly sublime. Her nuanced and variable performance is as technically impressive and fully human in its acting as in its singing — and the singing is considerable.
Of the show’s 18 numbers, she has 14, seven of them solos. In her crystalline tone are secrets of Kirsten’s soul that aren’t explicit in Guettel’s lyrics; when she sings “Sammen I Himmelen,” a kind of prayer as lullaby, to baby Lila, we can hear Kirsten missing her own dead mother.
The same edition of the Times also included an in-depth story of the play’s route from movie to Broadway. O’Hara gets much of the credit.
The piece begins:
As origin stories go, the transformation of “Days of Wine and Roses” from a movie into a musical is a straight shot, with a twist. Kelli O’Hara and Adam Guettel had the inkling more than 20 years ago, when she was a Broadway ingénue, working on what became her breakthrough Tony-nominated role in “Light in the Piazza.”
Guettel had written the music and lyrics for that musical, which went on to earn him a Tony Award for best score. They talked through their coordinating vision for evolving “Wine and Roses,” the midcentury classic of a romance ruined by addiction. “I think I used the words ‘a weird dark opera,’” O’Hara recalled.
Later, Melena Ryzik writes:
In her New York Times review of its premiere last year, at Off Broadway’s Atlantic Theater Company, Laura Collins-Hughes called it “a jazzy, aching musical” with an “awfully glamorous” central pair. And O’Hara, who then as now sings 14 of the 18 numbers in the show, was, she wrote, “in exquisite voice.”
During that run and in previews on Broadway, O’Hara said she quickly understood how viscerally the narrative connected with audiences. One theatergoer came up to her after a show, “with a full drink in her hand,” she said, “crying and hugging me and saying, ‘you know, I’m a mother and I worry about my drinking.’ And she was quite past sobriety at that point.”
Another woman walked by and thanked her, quietly adding, “‘23 years’ — meaning 23 years sober,” O’Hara said.
Few people’s lives, she noted, have not been touched by addiction. “I lost a couple of friends to this over the pandemic, and I think many people got sober over the pandemic,” she said. Even though there’s more understanding of its pervasiveness than “in the time of Kirsten and Joe, it’s not changing, it’s not ending, and it won’t.”
The very same Times Arts & Leisure section included a review of Sarah Jarosz’s new album, “Polaroid Lovers.” It was produced by — and includes several songs written by — Daniel Tashian.
The Nashville-based singer/songwriter/producer is the son of country artists Barry and Holly Tashian. Both are Staples High School graduates; Barry was the founder and front man of The Remains, the band that camethisclose to national stardom, and opened for the Beatles on their final American tour.
Click here for the story on Sarah Jarosz and Daniel Tashian. (Hat tip: Tom Kretsch)
Kelli O’Hara and Brian D’Arcy James in “Days of Wine and Roses” at Studio 54. (Photo/Sara Krulwich for The New York Times)
From art exhibits and speakers to drag shows, MoCA Westport offers plenty of interesting programs.
Always among the most popular: concerts by Michelle Pauker February 8 (7 p.m.) for a special pre-Valentine’s Day “Songs for Lovers” show. From Broadway and jazz to folk and pop, she’ll cover just about every “love-ly” genre.
She has performed around the country. But MoCA remains one of her favorite venues.
Like Michelle’s 2 previous performances, this will sell out. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Michelle Pauker
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Cathy Malkin — a “humane educator” who teaches responsible pet care and safety around dogs, as well as an animal reiki teacher/practitioner — is offering 2 in-person classes for area animals (and their people).
”Learning to Communicate Telepathically with Animals (Especially Your Pet!) is February 3 (2 to 3:30 p.m., The Transformation Center, Westport).
The class includes a Q-and-A session where Cathy will answer one question about your pet, whether living or departed, so attendees can hear their wisdom and guidance. Bring a photo of the pet on your phone.
In addition, dogs are invited to an ”Animal Reiki and Sound Healing Bath Meditation” (February 8, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Hummingbird Healing Center, Westport).
The event combines the healing power of a guided animal reiki meditation with a soothing multi-instrumental sound bath, designed to help guests and their dogs relax on “a journey into a shared space of inner peace and heart connection with dogs.” (Dogs are optional.)
The County Assembly formal dance, for high school students, was held this past weekend. Among the attendees (below, from left): Samantha Henske, Megan Healy and Ava Chun.
Meanwhile, Village Pediatrics showed up in force. Doctors and office staff showed up in force, to ensure a smooth check-in for their patients — and everyone else.
Genna Grushkin, Evelyn Anderson, Crystal Perez and Dr. Nikki Gorman join parents at the County Assembly dance.
Chef Raquel Rivera teaches braising techniques that can be used for many Dutch oven meals, at a “Cozy Winter Meals” class on March 7 (7 p.m.) at Wakeman Town Farm.
Click here for tickets, and more information. (PS: It’s BYOB.)
Coq au vin
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Pianist Sarah Jane Cion returns to Jazz at the Post this Thursday (February 1, shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 7 p.m.; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399l music charge $20, $15 for students and veterans).
Her songs “Cat in the Hat” and “Golden Song” were featured in “The Mule” and “Thor: The Dark World.”
She’s joined by Mike Camacho (drums), Sameer Shankar (bass), and Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall (saxophone).
Reservations are highly recommended: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
Darcy Miller Boyd Austin died Friday peacefully at her home in Damariscotta, Maine, surrounded by family and friends. She was 81.
After moving from Manhattan to Westport in 1948, she attended Saugatuck Elementary, Long Lots Junior High and Staples High School. She graduated from Connecticut College, then earned a master’s in special education from Columbia University.
She married Warwick Boyd and moved to New Mexico with VISTA, and had a son, Jesse Boyd, in 1970. She divorced, and moved to Maine. She lived at the Pemaquid Lighthouse in keepers’ cottage from 1984 to 2004.
Darcy taught school in Bristol, then worked at the daycare in the YMCA, and got her CNA certification in 2004. She married Jim Austin in 1993.
After retiring, she volunteered for many organizations.
Darcy is survived by her husband, Jim Austin; Jim’s son Christopher Austin; his granddaughters Guinevere and Penelope Austin; her son Jesse Boyd (Sheila) and and her grandson Elliott Boyd; her sister Holly Watts (Michael); her brother John Miller; nieces Sara Miller, Kate Watts Gregory, Tory Watts Donohue, Ali Watts Sise, their spouses, and 8 grandnieces and grandnephews.
A celebration of her life will be held in Maine this June.
And finally … on this date in 1969, the Beatles gave their last public performance. Their impromptu concert on the roof of Apple Records in London was broken up by police.
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Ask Carlos Pia, who closed De Tapas on Sunday, just 2 years after opening the Post Road gastrobar.
Or 190 Main, which departed a few months ago.
Both were downtown, in the center of Westport’s dining world.
It’s even more difficult when you’re off the beaten path.
The Post Road on the Norwalk line is not exactly Podunk. Yet it’s also not front and center on diners’ mental maps.
Just ask Raman Bindra and his sister Simi.
They own The Naan. Every day — except Tuesday, but including Thanksgiving, Christmas and all other holidays — they drive to Westport from Queens and Long Island.
Simi and Raman Bindra, at The Naan.
Their Indian restaurant has drawn raves, and a steady stream of regular customers.
But the lunch crowd has dwindled since COVID, as nearby offices are partially or fully closed. Dinners are sometimes slow.
Raman and Simi do all they can. They cater for schools and other organizations. They open their space for parties — birthdays, baby showers, prayer meetings — of up to 110 people (with or without Indian food; guests can even bring in their own). They curtained off the back, so the space feels more intimate.
And they continue to serve their excellent meals. Chicken tikka marsala, butter chicken, kebabs and sizzlers are special favorites. There is a full bar.
The large kitchen and location — formerly Kibberia, and before that John’s Best Pizza — appealed to Raman when he first saw it. He designed the space himself, and opened in 2018.
Mixed grill at The Naan.
COVID was of course difficult. The Naan closed for 2 months, then reopened with an emphasis on takeout.
Business picked up in 2021 and ’22. Last year, however, was much slower.
The Bindras are trying to get the word out. Simi is visiting businesses throughout Westport, Norwalk, Wilton and Fairfield, touting their full-meal $13 lunch platters (appetizer, entrée, naan bread, vegetable, rice).
They’re pushing delivery. But — as with many restaurants — the economics are daunting.
Uber, DoorDash and Grubhub take 30 to 35% of each order. Direct delivery — up to a 10-mile radius — is more profitable, but can take 60 to 70 minutes.
Raman hails his customers. “Westport people love Indian food,” he says. “We have regular guests from Shelton. A group of 20 people from New Haven stop in on their way to and from New York.”
They find their way to The Naan, on well-traveled-but-not-a-dining-destination Post Road West.
Raman and Simi are working hard, in hopes many others do too.
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In a town filled with interesting people, Dave Briggs still stands out.
He’s a longtime national broadcaster with CNN, NBC Sports, Fox News and Turner Sports. He still does media work, but has branched out into business – with Cann Social Tonic, a drink micro-dosed with THC and CBD. He’s fully immersed in town activities, as (among other things) a Westport Library board member and Fashionably Westport MC.
Our wide-ranging chat last week at the Library ranged from national politics and the media to kids (he has 3), his varied career, and — notably — his passion for all things Westport.
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“In our current environment, hate speech seems to rend the fabric of our society further on a daily basis.” says 
Setting aside for a moment the irony of that remark — We do not use phones to make phone calls — it was a profound moment for me. I realized how different communication is these days.
In today’s lonely, disconnected world, one-on-one phone conversations can be “warm, rich and exciting.” They are “powerful skills that can last a lifetime.”
