Tessie, at Compo Beach … (Photo/Richard Abramowitz)
… and Guinness … (Photo/Karen Mather)
… and Yogi Bear … (Photo/Cathy Malkin)
… and Koda at the Ned Dimes Marina … (Photo/Jim Hood)
… and someone’s umbrella … (Photo/Mark Mathias)
… on a lonely beach …(Photo/Molly Alger)
… and then, nearby, a sunset (Photo/Jennifer Kobetitsch)
One view of the Compo Beach cannons just a few days ago … (Photo/Suzanne Sheridan)
… and another (Photo/JD Dworkow)
Westport’s Representative Town Meeting (RTM) does not always agree on everything.
That’s the messy part of democracy.
But this morning, members were unanimous: The Minute Man Monument needs more tulips. RTM member Andrew Colabella writes:
Last year, 100 tulips were planted by the Minute Man statue, as part of a beautification project.
The results were eye-popping, colorful and bountiful in beauty.
Blooming tulips.
This year, I decided to expand to 300 tulips.
Many hands made the work lighter, and smarter.
Top: Jimmy Izzo hangs with the Minute Man. Fellow RTM members include (middle, from left): Nancy Kail, Harris Falk, Seth Braunstein. Front: Don O’Day, Andrew Colabella, Kristin Mott Purcell.
The group came armed with shovels, a cordless drill, and donuts.
It was great to see families that biked, drove or walked by. A father and 3 children stopped, and asked to take part. Don O’Day lent a hand (below).
They asked about the history of the Minute Man statue, then posed with H. Daniel Webster’s 1910 sculpture.
With so much help, the work did not take long.
(All photos courtesy of Andrew Colabella)
The 300 tulips from Colorblends in Bridgeport came directly from the Netherlands. They were harvested this past summer.
Westport Hardware donated a bag of grass seed for top dressing, while Thomas Kerrigan of Kerrigan Industries provided a mixture of topsoil and compost.
I want to thank this group of green thumb enthusiasts and caring individuals for helping continue a vision I had a long time ago. It is finally coming to life.
Make sure to look for the tulips in the spring.
The “Real Housewives” franchise has wandered all over, from New York to Beverly Hills, Miami to Salt Lake City (!).
Up next: “The Real Housewives of Westport”?
We’re not sure. But the other day, what appeared to be multiple cast members were filmed on Church Lane.
They prepped at Mrs. London’s Bakery, nearby.
My favorite part of the photo above: the dude in the background, who couldn’t care less as he works on his laptop.
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The Greens Farms Garden Club helps our town look prettier.
They also help people in food deserts eat nutritiously, and well.
Every summer, the “Growing For Good” initiative provides fresh organically grown herbs and vegetables to local food banks. It’s part of the club’s mission to advance horticulture skills, civic development and environmental awareness.
This year’s harvest donations weighs i at 818.5 pounds. That’s almost half a ton of good food.
Last week, the Greens Farms Garden Club earned an Award of Excellence for Civic Development, at the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut’s 94th annual awards meeting in (of course) Plantsville,
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Carrie Kuhn took this photo yesterday, at noon:
(Photo/Carrie Kuhn)
What do you see?
Or, more specifically, what don’t you see?
Traffic.
There is not one car or truck on I-95. Carrie took the shot when the Saugatuck Avenue span — and, here the Saugatuck River bridge — was closed, during the “slide” replacement project.
When was the last time you saw I-95 with no vehicles?
I know, I know: 2 weeks ago, during the first “slide” event. But still, it’s a scene worth memorializing.
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Also yesterday, shoppers from throughout the region battled the fear of “traffic-geddon” to reach Staples High School, for the Westport Young Woman’s League’s “Craft Westport” sale.
There were crafters of all kinds, plus food vendors and more. The youngest exhibitor was probably Aiden Schachter. The Staples senior — pictured below — makes and sells LED lightclouds.
“Craft Westport” continues today, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $11; seniors $10, children 12-18 $5, children under 12 are free. Click here for more details.
Aiden Schachter, at his CloudLight booth. (Photo/Susan Garment)
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Compo Beach is timeless.
But there’s always something new there, too.
Early today, there was a photo shoot on the shore.
That’s not unusual. But this morning’s subject was — well, a bit different.
(Photo/Matt Murray)
If you know the back story, click “Comments” below.
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Wheels2U — Westport’s on-demand, door-to-train shuttle service is almost free. ($2 per ride — close enough).
But on Tuesday — Election Day — the coffee is free.
The Westport Transit District and Compass Real Estate offer gratis coffee at Steam to anyone riding between 6 and 8:30 a.m.
Riders use the Wheels2U Westport app to request a pickup between mornings, then again between 4 and 9:30 p.m. to be taken to or from the Saugatuck or Greens Farms train platform and their front door. Pickups should be requested about 20 minutes before you would normally leave to drive to the station.
Wheels2U deposits riders right next to Steam, at the Saugatuck train station. (Photo/Phil Bancroft)
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Last month, over 50 children painted 40 windows throughout town.
And the winners of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce Halloween Window Painting Contest are …
Elementary School
“Scariest Window”: Moksha & Dhruv Iyer, 5th/3rd grade, Mill Hill School (Bridgewater Chocolates window)
“Most Halloween”: Maddy and Morgan Chang, kindergarten, Kings Highway School (Westport Book Shop)
Middle School
“Scariest Window”: Penelope Whitbourne, 7th grade, Bedford Middle (Greens Farms Spirits)
“Most Creative”: (tie): Milo Milgrom, 8th grade, Bedford Middle (Winfield Deli); Manuela Roza, 7th grade, Bedford Middle (Cold Fusion)
“Most Halloween”: Ryder Elgort, 6th Grade, Weston Middle School (Cycle Dynamics).
Winners received gift certificates from Saugatuck Sweets.
Ryder Elgort, with her window decoration at Cycle Dynamics.
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The current Westport Country Playhouse Ella Fitzgerald tribute ends tonight.
But great music continues February 10.
Audra McDonald sings songs from Broadway and the Great American Songbook, in a one-night fundraiser.
The 6-time Tony, 2-time Grammy and 1-time Emmy Award winner received the National Medal of Arts from President Obama. She was also one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People.”
$2,500 tickets include a pre-show dinner and post-show meet and greet; call 203-571-1291, or email cmackay@westportplayhouse.org.
For $225 and $165 tickets, click here.
Audra McDonald
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Longtime Westport resident Liz Beeby died September 25, at her Fairfield home. She was 62.
Her obituary calls her “the friend who was bold, thoughtful, fearless, artistic, kind, outrageous, supportive and the coolest….It wasn’t uncommon to see her wearing minks, feather boas and glitter, belting out the lyrics to ‘Layla’ by Eric Clapton. Along with her angelic beauty, she had a sharp wit when needed.”
Liz was an accomplished artist. Her assemblage pieces appeared in Westport art shows and area auctions. “Jewelry Creations by Lucky” was her jewelry design business. She also created “Moving Memories,” which transformed still photos into special occasion videos with music and narration on a DVD.
Liz’s likeness can be seen in many award-winning photographs by Westport artist Miggs Burroughs.
A wake is set for Friday (November 10, 4 to 7 p.m., Spear Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield.)
Liz Beeby
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Of the many places in town to view fall foliage, Winslow Park is one of the best.
Patricia McMahon captured this classic scene, for our daily “Westport … Naturally” feature:
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And finally … to get ready for Audra McDonald’s Westport appearance (story above):
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Posted in Beach, Entertainment, Environment, Local business, Obituaries, Transportation, Westport Country Playhouse
Tagged "Real Housewives", Aiden Schachter, Greens Farms Garden Club, Liz Beeby, Mrs. London's Bakery, Westport Transit District, Westport Weston Chamber of Commerc, Westport Young Woman's League
Compo Beach at night
(Photos/Dinkin Fotografix)
Sherwood Island State Park, from the 9/11 Memorial (Photo/John Kantor)
Once upon a time, Westport was a mill town.
As Mary Gai notes, “All mills were the same at first. The mill stones were imported from France.
“They were simultaneously wood cutting mills and grain mills. When steam power overtook all around 1840, the mills did cider, cotton (making raw fibers into ‘belts,’ the Mill at Richmondville went into twine. Both of my parents worked there in the late 1930s, making twine. Much of that road was employees of the mill. Mills were not appreciated. They were dismantled and turned into either commercial centers or residences.”
In the case of The Mill at Richmondville, they were turned into an office building — and, now, into apartments.
There was the mill at Compo Cove, which burned twice (and is now the home straddling the Sherwood Mill Pond inlet). It’s memorialized still in the name of the “Old Mill” area.
(Photo/courtesy of Paul Ehrismann)
And, by Ford Road, there were these:
It’s misspelled on the postcard. Today, nearby, is Sipperley’s Hill Road (often misread as “Slippery Hill Road”).
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50 Years Ago This Week:
Led by former Bedford Junior High School principal Norman Flint, a group of parents, students, administrators and others did a protest walk to demonstrate the dangers for students who must walk to the Riverside Avenue building. (Today it is Saugatuck Elementary School.)
RTM candidate Charles Ziff noted: “In many areas sidewalks don’t exist and where they did, they were in very poor condition or overrun by shrubs.”
Bedford Junior High School, back in the day.
(“Friday Flashback” is one of our many weekly features. If you enjoy it — or anything else on “06880” — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
Posted in Beach, Friday Flashback
Tagged Bedford Junior High School, elderly housing, Old Mill, Richmondville Mill, Sipperley's mill
Late-season boating off Compo Beach … (Photo/Dinkin Fotografix)
… and one final sail … (Photo/RB Benson)
… as the sun goes down (Photo/Nancy Diamond)
A full moon rises, as a beautiful day ends at Compo Beach … (Photo/Seth Goltzer)
… complements last night’s moon over Burying Hill Beach … (Photo/Wendy Levy)
… and this shot, from the Compo Beach pavilion … (Photo/Laurie Sorensen)
… and tonight, at the cannons … (Photo/Nancy Lally)
… and tonight’s moon, outside the Westport Library before the Halloween party (Photo/Jeanine Esposito)
Posted in Beach, Pic of the Day
Tagged Burying Hill Beach, Compo Beach cannons, Compo Beach pavilion, Full moon
Sustainable Westport — the town’s non-profit advisory environmental committee — recently surveyed all candidates running for the Representative Town Meeting, Board of Education, Board of Finance and Planning & Zoning Commission.
36% of candidates responded. Click here to view their answers.
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Last weekend’s first “bridge slide” — replacement of the I-95 Saugatuck Avenue bridge, with resultant closures and diversions of the highway — went smoothly.
Until Sunday afternoon.
The second (and final) slide is set for next weekend. It begins at 8 p.m. Friday, November 3, and is scheduled to end at 6 a.m. Monday, November 6.
Last weekend’s work ended sooner than expected. Fingers crossed …
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On Wednesday (November 1, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium), the Board of Finance holds a public meeting.
Most items are routine: financial reports, status updates, appropriation requests.
Tucked into the agenda — #4, of 8 items — is “Long Lots Building Project (Discussion only).”
The meeting will be livestreamed at www.westportct.gov. Meeting materials will be available there too.
The Board of Finance will discuss the Long Lots Elementary School project on Wednesday. It faces further review from other town bodies too.
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Wednesday’s Roundup included a plea from a reader to golfers to stop chipping balls into water. She recently fished over 100 out of Long Island Sound, at Burying Hill Beach.
Yesterday brought a different kind of fish to the same beach.
Three baby sharks washed ashore. Nicholas Eisenberger — who sent along this photo from his Greens Farms neighbor, Margaret Schwabe — wonders if this is very normal, somewhat normal, or quite unusual.
Marine biologists: Click “Comments” below!
Sharks, at Burying Hill Beach. (Photo/Margaret Schwabe)
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Speaking of beaches: The raising and moving of the 1917 house on Compo Cove continues to fascinate everyone who lives at or walks by Old Mill Beach.
Here’s a photo from yesterday:
(Photo/Matt Murray)
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The Westport Farmers’ Market is all about healthy eating.
As part of their mission, next Thursday’s market (November 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Imperial Avenue parking lot) includes a Health & Wellness event.
Dharma Massage will discuss the value of massage, and provide 10-minute chair sessions. Zion Physical Therapy will teach shoppers proper stretching plans. Pause + Purpose has teamed up with GWell to offer Gu Shaw treatments, and will speak to the benefits of meditation.
In addition, Mae Farrell — head of WFM’s”Get Growing” program — will show attendees — including children — how to make healing bath salts.
And nutrition and recipe expert Terry Walters will share recipes and answer questions on how to best nurture bodies with healthy food.
All that is in addition to the usual vendors — and healthy food.
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Three new exhibits have been unveiled at the Westport Library.
Suzanne Benton’s “All About Color” is featured in the Sheffer Gallery. Norm Siegel’s “Visual Curiosities” is in the South Gallery, while “Showtime!” — a series of selections from the Westport Public Art Collections — can be seen in the Jesup Gallery.
They run through January 8, 2024. Each includes a special artist reception: November 1 for Benton, November 8 for Showtime!, and November 20 for Siegel. The Benton and Siegel events include artists’ talks.
From left: “Yanone C” by Hiromitsu Takahashi, courtesy WestPAC; “Tilted Finish” by Norm Siegel; “Continuum” by Suzanne Benton.
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With rain predicted tomorrow, La Plage has postponed its Patio Closing party.
The Inn at Longshore restaurant begins winter hours this week. They’ll be open Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. They’re closed Monday and Tuesday, through April.
Beginning Wednesday (November 1), they’ll offer a 5-course tasting menu for $85. A wine pairing menu will also be available.
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As Breast Cancer Awareness Month ends, Chocolatieree reminds “06880” readers of their fundraiser.
They created a “Save the Tatas” collection. 50% of all sales will be donated to Pink Aid Westport.
The collection includes a $20 ruby (pink) chocolate tata pop, and 6 pink heart palettes in dark chocolate.
The collection can be ordered (and shipped) through their website, and can be shipped or picked up at their Church Lane shop.
There is also an option for the chocolates to be sent to a location like a cancer center or food insecurity site. Click here to see.
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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature wanders over the border, to Weston.
It’s definitely worth the trip, for this shot:
(Photo/Pat Weist)
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And finally … well, you knew this was coming:
(Where else but “06880” can you learn where candidates stand on the environment, AND be warned about sharks? Please click here to help us continue covering all this stuff. Thank you!)
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