Alert — and avid — “06880” reader Fred Cantor enjoyed a recent post by Mike Joseph.
Cantor’s 1971 Staples High School classmate compared and contrasted his life now in Kansas City, with his hometown.
Cantor did not move as far. But he has his own tale to tell.
I enjoyed the piece written by my Staples ‘71 classmate, Mike Joseph, about the affordability of Kansas City and the option it presents in flyover country to living in Westport, where the cost of housing in particular has gone through the roof.
But I wanted to note that you can stay in the area in what were, for my wife and me, drive-through towns (on the Merritt, I-95 or Route 8), and find much more affordable home options as well.
This was exemplified by our recent move to a senior community in Stratford, where you can find nice condos at much lower prices than in Westport. The real estate taxes are higher, but the price differential more than compensates for that.
Fred Cantor and Debbie Silberstein’s Stratford condo.
There are some Westport-like amenities, such as a nice main town beach that even has a par-3 golf course. But what have been among the most pleasant discoveries are the types of area features we never would have seen simply traveling through on the highway.
For example, a traditional New England town green — Paradise Green — has a classic gazebo. It has been the site of summer concerts and a farmer’s market. Adjacent to the Green is a shopping district whose eclectic group of smaller shops includes an old-fashioned mom-and-pop bakery, Icing on the Cake.
Paradise Green gazebo.
We recently got curbside pickup of 2 brownies, 1 cannoli, a corn muffin, scone and Vermont hazelnut coffee — all for $10.40.
Holy cow! I felt as if I had been transported to Westport’s Main Street of decades ago.
Stratford also has a distinctive town park, Boothe Memorial, which sits on a bluff high above the Housatonic River.
In addition to offering nice grounds for a picnic and lovely views, it has an unusual array of historical attractions, like a section of the former Merritt toll plaza, plus a replica railway station/museum with indoor and outdoor model railway tracks that feature old New Haven Railroad trains.
Fred Cantor, at the Boothe Memorial Park Merritt Parkway toll plaza exhibit.
Being in the very north end of Stratford, taking advantage of amenities and attractions in neighboring Shelton is a breeze — exemplified by the fact that, in contrast to Westport, we have never encountered traffic problems doing curbside pickup at the nearby supermarket and other shopping venues.
The absence of significant traffic backups has been about the most dramatic change we have experienced.
For those who might miss old Westport restaurant standbys, there is a Spotted Horse very close by.
While living in Westport, we loved doing scenic drives to the Saugatuck Reservoir in Weston or Aspetuck Orchard in Easton. Here, the scenic Trap Falls Reservoir in Shelton is a short drive from our new condo. Amazingly, so are massive working farms such as the Jones Family Farms with 400 acres. And yes, they have farm stands.
Roosevelt Forest in the northern part of Stratford, visible to us on our drive to nearby shopping, is also roughly 400 acres.
The amount of open and undeveloped land has been a real eye-opener. Quite frankly, it far surpasses anything that existed even in the Westport of my youth when my family moved to town in 1963.
Now, if only Stratford had Southern California-like winter weather…
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It may be Westport’s best culinary event of the year.
The 17th annual “Taste of Westport” sold out quicker than ever this spring. Last night, hundreds of residents packed the Inn at Longshore, to enjoy food and drinks from more than 2 dozen restaurants and vendors — plus bid on an enormous silent auction, and buy raffle tickets.
It was all for a great cause: CLASP, the Westport-based organization serving adults with autism and developmental disabilities throughout Fairfield County.
The Inn went all out making it a special night. So did a host of groups that supported the Taste of Westport.
Special appreciation goes to the staffs who kept the treats coming all night:
Artisan
Boathouse Restaurant
Black Bear Wines & Spirits
Bridgewater Chocolate
Cold Fusion Gelato & Sorbet
DeTapas
5th Estate Distillery
Gruel Brittania
Gabriele’s Italian Steakhouse
Grumpy Dumpling Co.
Freisenet Mionetto
Isla & Co.
Little Pub
La Plage
Leven(thal) Bakery
Mrs. London’s Artisan Bakery
Magic Pie Co.
NewSylum Brewing
Nðmade
Nordic Fish
Rive Bistro
Rizzuto’s
Romanacci Pizza Bar
Post Oak Barbecue Co.
Tablao Wine Bar & Restaurant
Sono1420 American Craft Distillers
Tarantino Restaurant
Walrus Alley
A small part of the large Taste of Westport crowd. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Westport Country Playhouse artistic director Mark Lamos sent this email yesterday:
“Dear Subscribers and Donors –
“Thank you for your continued support during my 15 years with the Playhouse. Because I value the relationship we have, I wanted personally to inform you, before it is announced to the press tomorrow, that I will be leaving the Playhouse in January 2024.
“The pandemic, though challenging and globally tragic, also proved positive — for me — in many ways.
“While working tirelessly to sustain the Playhouse during this period of extreme uncertainty, I was also relieved of the burdens, excitement, and anxiety of producing and directing. I began to sense another way of living my life now. Though staff, trustees, and I worked diligently to keep the Playhouse functioning during 2 difficult years, the pandemic’s exigencies allowed me to spend more time at home with my husband Jerry, and to experience new-found quotidian joy: taking long daily walks, listening to more music, reading for hours a day, investing in our home, and taking care of an aging, beloved dog.
“The racial reckoning that awakened our country also had a profound, transformative effect on my feelings about how and why we make theater now. And I realized I’d need time to take the advice of 2 formidable female friends who insisted I create a new artistic challenge for myself. That project has begun but needs my full attention. And so after some thoughtful times over the holidays, last January 15 I felt the time had come to exercise the clause in my contract that allows me to leave upon 12 months’ notice.
“During my 15 seasons at this historic theater, I worked hard to raise its already formidable artistic standards as much as possible through my collaboration with some truly world class American theater artists. I sought to bring a wider range of voices to our stage in the most physically beautiful productions our budgets allowed. I took special pleasure in investing in the work of Black, Latinx, and AAPI artists, bringing the voices of many marginalized communities to our stage.
“And it’s been a real joy working with our amazing staff over the years, people who realized dreams and met goals, especially our Associate Producer/Director of Production David Dreyfoos, without whom the above — and so much else — would have been impossible. I’ll really miss them. I especially look forward to working with them all closely as I direct the upcoming production Dial M For Murder. I hope that you will join me during the run and celebrate all the wonderful memories we have made here, at the Playhouse.”
Westport Police made 3 custodial arrests between May 3 and 10.
One was for domestic violence, following an incident at a local business.
Another arrest was for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and failure to drive in the proper lane, after a head-on collision on Compo Road South.
The third was for violation of home improvement requirements, when a non-licensed contractor did not complete work.
Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 7 citations
Failure to comply with state traffic regulations: 6
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 4
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 3
Speeding: 2
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 2
Failure to obey stop sign: 1
Failure to obey traffic control signal: 1
Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
Improper turn/no signal: 1
Failure to display license plates: 1
Improper use of license plates: 1
Failure to renew driver’s license: 1
Every contractor in the state must have one of these.
Their newest K-9, Brute, just received a Kevlar bullet-resistant vest
The donation came from Responder Wellness, a non-profit that provides equipment and wellness services to first responders.
Brute, his bullet-resistant vest, his handlers and donors.
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Kai Ross is a star on the Staples High School water polo team.
His star now shines a bit brighter: He’s just been named to the USA Water Polo national youth team.
The 6-6, 248-pound center competes in San Diego this weekend, then heads back to California for the US men’s senior nationals in July.
He has had several college scholarship offers. But he’s young — not yet 18 — so he’ll take a gap year after graduating next month. He’ll likely spend the fall with a California club, then head to Spain, Italy or Croatia to play in the spring.
Last week the Westporter — who has played sax with James Brown, the Rolling Stones, Solomon Burke, Darlene Love, Tom Waits, Ray Charles, Robert Palmer, Bronski Beat, the Ohio Players, Usher and many others — jammed with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Mark Naftalin at the Westport Woman’s Club art show.
On May 19 (6:30 p.m.), his latest project is unveiled at the Westport Library.
For the past decade he’s been co-producing a documentary film (with Westport director Larry Locke called “Heaven Stood Still: The Incarnations of Willy DeVille.”
Cioe performed with singer/songwriter DeVille often in the 1980s, on tours and festivals in Europe and US.
DeVille (né Billy Borsey) grew up in Stamford, where he led teenage bands. After England and San Francisco, he landed in New York in the mid-’70s with his band Mink DeVille, at the newly opened CBGB. He had a solo career from the ’80s until he died in 2009, at 59.
DeVille is one of the greatest “lost” artist in pop music history. Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Tom Waits, Boz Skaggs and Southside Johnny all cite him as a revered influence.
The film reflects his music and troubled life in detail. It includes interviews with Ben E. King, Chris Frantz, and J. Geils Band singer Peter Wolf.
The May 19 showing is free; click here to register. It will be followed by a Q&A monitored by Cioe, with Chris Frantz, and writers Nick Flynn and John Eskow.
Speaking of sounds: The Westport School of Music introduces listeners to the music and culture of India and Iraq this Saturday (May 13, 1 p.m., MoCA Westport).
The free concert features violinist Ameen Modad, who hid for 2 years and composed music secretly while Iraq was controlled by ISIS, and tabla player Nilanjan Bhowmik and his wife Dipita Chakraborty, a soprano. The couple will share stories and perform poems set to music by Nobel Prize-winning poet Tagore.
Wakeman Town Farm announced a 5-session A Child’s Pose yoga class on Saturday mornings, for youngsters 1 1/2 to 5 years old.
“Partner poses will strengthen and soothe both child and their grownup,” WTF says. Click here for more details, and to register.
Also at the Farm, and for kids: weekday afternoon “animal socials.”
Youngsters can snuggle, hold, brush and watch goats and lambs play.
It’s suitable for all ages; tickets required for anyone over the age of 1. Click here to select a date, register, and learn more.
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Westporter Lewis Goldman died Tuesday, at home. He was 93 years old.
He graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, and earned degrees from City College of New York and Brooklyn Law School. During the Korean War, he served in the Army.
His family describes Lew as “a sweet, brilliant man, with a wicked sense of humor and a deep passion for learning.
He is survived by his wife Hedda; daughters Melissa of New York City and Amy of Novato, California; son David (Margo) of Santa Monica, California, and grandchildren Morgan Chapman, Andrew Goldman, and Alexa Goldman).
The family wishes thanks Karen Whittington, John Pounds, and others who cared for Lew in recent years.
A private burial took place at Temple Israel Cemetery. To share a condolence message, click here. Memorial contributions may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Over the years, several people have suggested Anna Rycenga as an Unsung Hero.
Andrew Colabella was the most recent. He offered this great — and well-deserved — praise:
On a November Saturday, members of the Westport Police Department, Westport Police Athletic League and Sunrise Rotary headed to Stop & Shop with a mission: to help stock the Homes with Hope and Westport Human Services food pantries.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., hundreds of Westporters dropped off bags of non-perishable items, either before or after they entered the store.
Many people helped collect the food: RTM moderator and former Homes with Hope CEO Jeff Wieser; current CEO Helen McAlinden; PAL president Craig Bergamo; Police Chief Foti Koskinas and Deputy Chief Sam Arciola; officers Dominique Carr, Scott Thompson and Wong Won; Push Against Cancer CEO Andy Berman, and Selectwomen Jen Tooker and Andrea Moore.
Anna Rycenga and fellow volunteers, delivering food to the Gillespie Center. Andrew Colablle is behind her; to the left is Police Chief Foti Koskinas.
But of everyone there, perhaps the hardest worker was Anna Rycenga. This was the 10th year that the mother of 3, and former chair of the Conservation Commission, had hosted a food drive.
She also organized annual toy drives for the both the Westport Police and State Police Troop G (where her brother is an officer), and coat drives too.
Anna Rycenga
Anna — a Bridgeport native — has worked tirelessly to serve her community and beyond. She grew up in a small apartment above a tiny bodega, on 746 Park Street. Her heart is still there.
She and her brother were raised by a single, loving, hardworking mother. Officers from the State Police barracks down the street checked up on them, offering any help they needed.
Anna never forgot where she came from, and who helped her. She has paid it forward ever since.
In addition to her work here, Anna has collected food for Bridgeport Rescue Mission, serving 8,000 families during Thanksgiving. She also spent 6 years gathering books for the Bridgeport Lighthouse Program, plus service to the Shoreline Diaper Drive, Center for Family Justice, and a prom dress and suit drive for young men and women.
Anna Rycenga (right) and friend, surrounded by donated food she helped collect.
When she is not helping people across the state and giving back, Anna was a part-time consultant to an attorney specializing in environmental law.
This winter Pete Romano, founder of LandTech, recognized her skill and bountiful knowledge about land use, planning and conservation, and hired her.
She is doing what she loves, professionally and as a volunteer. Congratulations and thank you, Anna: our “06880” Unsung Hero.
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email 06880blog@gmail.com)
(Unsung Hero is a weekly “06880” feature. To support our work, please click here. Thank you!)
Veteran Westport firefighter Nicholas Marsan will be the Department’s acting chief, following the retirement of Chief Michael Kronick on May 15.
Marson will also serve as the town’s emergency management director.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker announced those appointments yesterday.
Marsan has been a member of the WFD since 2007, with extensive experience in emergency operations and fire safety.
He is a graduate of the Connecticut Fire Academy, and is a nationally certified Fire Service Instructor III, Fire Officer III and a state-certified fire marshal.
Marsan earned a master’s degree in history at Western Connecticut State University, and a master’s in public administration and emergency management at Sacred Heart University.
He has received numerous awards for his public safety work, including 2 Westport Rotary Public Protection & Safety Awards, 3 unit citations, and 2 department honors.
Marsan served in the US Army and Connecticut Army National Guard, with a deployment to Afghanistan in 2010. He is also a fire instructor for the New York Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Nicholas Marsan
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Speaking of firefighters:
The Westport Fire Department and International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1081 invite residents to a memorial service, recognizing members who died in the line of duty.
The 38th annual Bridgeport Area Retired Firefighters event in June 6 (6 p.m.), at Assumption Church. A collation will follow at Westport VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399.
Lynsey Addario’s stunning image of the immediate aftermath of a Russian attack in Irpin, in the early days after their invasion of Ukraine, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News Photography.
The 1991 Staples High School graduate did not win.
But she — and her New York Times photography colleague, 1988 Staples grad Tyler Hicks — were part of the prestigious journalism awards nonetheless.
The Times staff received a Pulitzer for International Reporting, for its “unflinching coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.” Addario and Hicks contributed many photos to those stories.
Both Addario and Hicks are previous Pulitzer Prize winners, for their individual work.
Congratulations to them, to the Times staff, and all the other winners.
Ukrainian soldiers trying to save the only person in a group of 4 who had a pulse, moments after a mortar attack in Irpin, near Kyiv, in March 2022. (Photo/Lynsey Addario for the New York Times)
If spring cleaning includes getting rid of old mattresses and box springs — hold on until May 20.
That morning Earthplace, Sustainable Westport and Bye Bye Mattress will sponsor a free mattress and box spring recycling event. Up to 90% of them can be recycled into carpet pads, exercise equipment and bike seat cushions, insulation, air filters and steel materials.
The event runs from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., at Earthplace.
Can’t transport your mattress or box spring? No problem!
Boy Scout Troop 36 will provide pickup service, for a small donation. Click here to sign up.
Saving the planet, one mattress at a time. (Photo and hat tip: Pippa Bell Ader)
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David Pogue drew a standing room only crowd yesterday, for his Y’s Women’s talk on AI.
It was informative, fun — and a bit scary. The Westporter/”CBS Sunday Morning” and PBS “Nova” correspondent described coming changes in many fields, from writing, music, art and movies to politics.
He also noted “preventive measures.” The large crowd at Green’s Farms Church — all actual human beings — was very appreciative.
David Pogue with (from left) Y’s Women vice president Vera DeStefano and president Margaret Mitchell.
Now the small, scrumptious shop in the Joe’s Pizza Main Street shopping center just north of Avery Place has gotten national attention.
Forbes magazine features it on their Lifestyle/Dining page. “Decadent Treats with a Huge Helping of Goodwill” describes owner Aarti Khosla’s surprising career path, and honors her constant giving back.
Aarti’s donations of chocolates to first responders, students and many others get a shout-out; so does her fundraising for a variety of causes.
Click here for the full, well-deserved story. (Hat tip: Kristin Schneeman)
Aarti Khosla, in her Le Rouge store. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
Staples High School students Ryan Sunjka, Jack Schwartz, Jackson Tracey and Lucy Barney are members of the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital junior board.
They’re helping organize a May 20 event at Row House, in Compo Acres Shopping Center.
Contestants see which team of 3 people can row farthest on the machines in 30 minutes. The students’ goal is $10,000. Each team is asked to raise $300 (plus a $10 entry fee per person). They’ll be eligible for prizes — for both the distance rowed and the money raised — like Knicks, Nets, Yankees and Red Sox tickets, and a signed Derrick Rose basketball.
Junior board members promote the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital Row House event.
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Dozens of volunteers showed up this weekend, to help make the Long Lots Preserve a reality.
Phase III of the project — which is taking shape around the perimeter of the Westport Community Gardens, just south of Long Lots Elementary School — includes planting Connecticut natives like sweet gum and winter king hawthorn.
All ages took part. Among them, in the photo below: Emma and Melody Wilkinson. “They’re planting trees for the future, working with nature’s creatures,” says proud grandfather Joe Wilkinson.
The music series at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 continues its celebration of one of the greatest jazz bandleaders ever: drummer Art Blakey.
An all-star lineup will play classics from the ’80s: Antonio Hart (alto sax), Michael Mossman (trumpet), David Morgan (piano), Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall (tenor sax), David Berkman (piano), Phil Bowler (bass) and Tim Horner (drums).
Even more special: Staples High School jazz combos will play at 7 p.m., before the shows.
Advance tickets are available here for the 7 p.m. show (guaranteed seats, including dinner at 6:45); click here for the 8:45 p.m. show (with dinner). For the 8:45 show without dinner, click here.
Who says the Board of Selectwomen don’t have their finger on the pulse of the town?
There are 5 items on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting (9 a.m., Town Hall auditorium; livestream on www.westportct.gov; televised on Optimum Channel 79).
Item #2: “Acting as the Local Traffic Authority, upon the recommendation of the Westport Police Department, to take such action as the meeting may determine to approve a request to the Office of the State Traffic Administration – Division of Traffic Engineering, to increase the exclusive green light left hand turn timing at the State-controlled traffic signal located at the intersection of CT Route 1 (Post Road East) and Myrtle Avenue.”
Longtime Westporter Audrey Magida died last week. She was 93.
She was a lifelong lover of New York City, where she was born, raised, and graduated from George Washington High School.
She moved to Westport in 1961. Audrey had a long career as a real estate broker, most recently with Prudential Real Estate.
She was an honorary life member of Temple Israel, having served as president of the Sisterhood, board member, and vice president of the congregation.
Audrey was an avid book reader and bridge player, theater devotee, classical music concert-goer, ballet and dance connoisseur, and enthusiastic sailboat passenger.
She was married for 65 years to Nathan Magida. She is survived by her children Dan (Nancy), Meg, and Matt (Pat); grandchildren Ben, Sarah, Jane, Emily and Sam, and great-grandchildren Nathan and Aiden.
High Point Road is a popular spot for new Westporters.
Yesterday, Staples High School sophomore Max Saperstein photographed the latest arrivals, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature:
(Photo/Max Saperstein)
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And finally … we honor Westport’s new bicycle repair stations (story above) with the oldest recording ever featured on “06880”:
(As always, today’s Roundup is jam-packed with news you can [hopefully] use. If you enjoy this daily feature, please click here to support “06880.” Thank you!)
If you’ve been to Town Hall, the Westport Library, Staples High School, or Bedford or Coleytown Middle Schools recently, you’ve seen them there.
Daffodils at the Westport Library’s Jesup Green entrance …
It’s not a coincidence. It’s part of the “Yellow Tulip Project,” helping break the stigma of mental illness.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. To honor it — and let those who suffer know they’re not alone — the Westport Garden Club placed small “Hope Gardens” of yellow flowers at high-visibility spots.
… and outside the cafe.
It’s a great project. Of course, there’s a deeper Westport connection.
Garden Club member Kelly Pollard knew Yellow Tulip Project co-founder and executive director Suzanne Fox from their days in Staples High School’s Class of 1983. Kelly brought the idea to them. They unanimously agreed to go forward.
The Yellow Tulip Project was inspired and co-founded by Suzanne’s daughter, Julia Hansen.
As a teenager Julia felt alone dealing with depression. Deafening silence and stigma kept her from reaching out for help.
But after losing her 2 best friends to suicide as a high school sophomore, Julia fond her voice. She began speaking out.
She and her mom had an idea: create a space where youth could erase stigma, build community, and inspire conversations about how to combat rising rates of suicide. The Yellow Tulip Project was born.
All over Westport, you can see it blossom.
Yellow tulips outside Staples High School.
To learn more about the Westport Library’s resources and materials, click here. To learn more about the Yellow Tulip Project, click here. (Hat tip: Kelle Ruden)
(The Westport Garden Club will have more information on the Yellow Tulip Project at their annual Plant Sale. It starts at 9:30 a.m. on May 13, at Jesup Green.)
(“06880″ is truly where Westport meets the world. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
In journalism, a “dog bites man” story is one that happens so frequently, it’s not really news.
Without downplaying its seriousness, that’s a good way to describe accidents at the Cross Highway/North Avenue intersection.
Another one took place yesterday at the poorly angled, difficult-to-see-past site. This one involved 2 vehicles, with injuries. The Westport Fire Department released a photo, but provided no other details.
Yesterday’s crash at Cross Highway and North Avenue. (Photo courtesy of Westport Fire Department)
The Post Road/Wilton Road/Riverside Avenue intersection has been called Westport’s worst.
Coincidentally, Today’s “Westport … What’s Happening” podcast features 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker’s take on the recent public meeting on street improvement for traffic and pedestrian safety, and the increased Westport Police traffic safety enforcement program.
Click below to listen to this Y’s Men of Westport and Weston production.
Happy May! And happy return of the Westport Farmers’ Market!
Our favorite outdoor produce-and-much-more celebration returns to the Imperial Avenue parking lot May 11. It runs every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., through early November.
This year promises to be the best in the market’s 17-year history. A variety of programs operating under their “who grows your food” banner will add even more community-inspired programs, vendors, sponsors and activities.
Vendors – WFM favorites and new faces – will hold to high standards of sustainable practices, including plastic-free packaging, and participate in other market-to-community efforts. Among them: Farmer-to-School-to-Community, Farmer Kids Community, Friend of the Market, Recipe, Farmer-to-Veterans, Get Growing, Farmer Fund, Young Shoots, and other programs focused on giving back.
This year’s lunch and music areas will be shaded and separated from the central shopping experience. The Westport Library will select musical guests, through Verso Studios.
Tickets for “Booked for the Evening” — the Westport Library’s big fundraiser — go on sale next Monday (May 8, 10 a.m.; click here).
This year’s guest is Laura Linney. The noted theater, film and television actor will be honored in the Trefz Forum on July 13.
Now in its 24th year, “Booked for the Evening” celebrates an individual whose work reflects the purpose of the Library: to nurture a love of learning, and enhance our understanding of the world.
Laura Linney
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Mexicue — the very popular new Main Street restaurant — has expanded both their menu and hours.
They’ve added dinner-focused “Platos Fuertes,” while at the same time opening for lunch 7 days a week. Their new hours are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with brunch on weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Weekday happy hour is 4 to 7 p.m.
Updated hours below. We also just launched a new menu with several more dinner-focused “Platos Fuertes” – menu attached.
Mexicue is the newest addition to our “06880” Restaurants tab. Just click on at the top of our home page (or here), for a wide variety of local spots — including menus, websites and social media.
Speaking of restaurants: Is Emmy Squared coming to Westport?
CTBites — the state’s premier food blog, published by our very own Stephanie Webster — reports the “unconfirmed” news that the “iconic and much-loved” restaurant is looking for staff here.
Begun in Brooklyn in 2016, “they are known for their signature Detroit-style pizza, marked by its square shape, crispy bottom, fluffy dough, cheesy ‘frico’ crust, and signature sauce stripes.
“Their famed double-stack burger, Le Big Matt (served on a pretzel bun), was named ‘#1 Best Burger in Nashville’ by The Tennessean and Nashville Lifestyles, voted one of ‘The Best New Burgers In NYC’ by Gothamist, and listed as one of the ‘20 Best Burgers in NYC’ by The Infatuation. The menu also highlights a selection of approachable salads and sandwiches served on pretzel buns.”
There are now 8 location in New York, Nashville, Philadelphia, Washington and Louisville.”
In March, “06880” reported on Lynda Bluestein’s crusade. The longtime and very active member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport has terminal fallopian tube cancer. That month she reached a settlement with the state of Vermont, making her the first non-resident to take advantage of a law that allows people with terminal illnesses to end their own lives.
Yesterday, Governor Phil Scott signed a bill that removes the residency requirement from the state’s medical aid in dying law. Bluestein’s case prompted legislators to revise the law for all non-Vermonters. Click here for the full story.
Lynda Bluestein and her husband Paul. (Photo courtesy of NBC Connecticut)
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Westport resident Lee Bly’s home golf course is Longshore.
But on Sunday, at Stamford’s Sterling Farms, the 2007 Staples High School graduate had a hole-in-one. Playing with former classmate Carter Myers, Lee aced the 223-yard par 3 17th hole.
Congratulations, Lee!
Lee Bly, at his now-favorite hole.
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TAP Strength hosts a special Sound Bath Meditation Class tomorrow (Thursday, May 4, 7 to 8 p.m., 180 Post Road East).
Experience deep relaxation, enhanced mental focus, clarity and creativity through crystal and Tibetan bowls, gongs, chimes and other instruments.
Bring a mat and any other items to feel comfortable. Member and non-member class fees apply. Email nancy@tapstrength.com or call 203-292-9353 for more information.
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Jazz at the Post goes international this week.
Japanese pianist Hiroshi Yamazaki will be joined by Takashi Otsuka on bass, and Americans Jason Tiemann on drums and Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” on sax.
There are 2 shows (7:30 and 8:45 p.m., Thursday, May 4; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399). Dinner service begins at 7.
Reservations are highly recommended: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
Since moving here a couple of years ago, Shona Rhimes has become an avid Westporter.
Westport Lifestyle magazine caught up with our new neighbor, for their May issue. She describes how she chose our town, the buzz behind buying her house, what she’s up to now (a “Bridgerton” prequel) and more. Click here to read.
Shonda Rhimes, last year at the Westport Library. (Photo/Jerri Graham Photography)
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Once upon a time, you saw sights like this in Westport.
(Photo/Carl Addison Swanson)
You still see it in New York.
But — as Carl Addison Swanson, who spotted the sofa and sign on Richmondville Avenue — notes, “This may be the last free thing in Westport.”
And finally … Gordon Lightfoot died Monday in Toronto. He was 84.
Though never as popular in the US as in his native Canada — where he was a beloved icon — the folk singer was one of my all-time favorites. He had me with “Go Go Round” in the mid-1960s, and never let go.
(Every day, the “06880” Roundup is filled with news you can use [or not — your choice]. If you enjoy this feature, please consider a contribution. Just click here — and thank you!)
Suzanne Sherman Propp came to her current gig — a very popular Greens Farms Elementary School music teacher — after a long career as a performer. (She learned her craft growing up in Westport, and as a Staples High School student.)
Suzanne Sheridan is a longtime resident, and well-known musician too. She recently started the “First Folk Sunday” series at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399.
People sometimes confuse the 2 Suzannes.
A week from tomorrow — May 7, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. — Suzanne Sherman Propp headlines Suzanne Sheridan’s First Folk Sunday.
She’ll be joined by Bob Cooper. Her husband, Peter Propp, will bring his mandolin for a few tunes.
There’s brunch, and a cash bar (including mimosas and make-your-own Bloody Marys). The cover is $10; click here for tickets.
Staples High School’s counseling department does a great job helping seniors get into college.
But they’re just as focused on supporting students considering paths other than traditional 4-year degrees.
“Finding Your Path: Exploring Post-High School Options” (May 9, 6:30 p.m., Westport Library) features representatives from the military, community college, vocational school, and gap and postgraduate programs.
Local graduates who pursued those paths will be there too, to talk about their experiences and answer quesitons.
Students of all ages, and their families, are invited.
2011 Staples graduate Asia Bravo joined the military — and was accepted into its new Space Force program. She is shown here with B. Chance Saltzman, director of space operations.
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Middle and high school students looking to make money through outdoor yard work this spring and summer can join Westport’s Department of Human Services “We Do Walkways” program.
It’s a great way to connect teenagers with senior citizens. The suggested minimum is $15 an hour; chores are limited to outside.
Students must complete an enrollment form and receive parental permission to participate. Contact Westport’s Department of Human Services at 203-341-1050 or email humansrv@westportct.gov with questions.
Seniors can join the “We Do Walkway” list by calling Human Services at 203-341-1050 or emailing humansrv@westportct.gov.
This Thursday (May 4, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.), the Westport Senior Center hosts a “Meet the Authors” event.
More than a dozen local authors will discuss their books, in an informal questions. They’ll sell and sign them too. Light refreshments will be served.
Scheduled to appear: Winston Allen, Jill Amadio, Ronald Blumenfeld, Prill Boyle, Elaine Breakstone, Don Harrison, Scott Kuhner, Deborah Levinson, Diane Lowman, Allia Zobel Nolan, Penny Pearlman, Mark Perlman, Deborah Quinn, Lynn Ellen Russo, Patricia Sabena, Sue Stewart, Elizabeth Thomas Jean Marie Wiesen.
Prill Boyle is among the many excellent authors at the Senior Center. (Photo/Suzanne Sheridan)
The Earthplace-based organization — which for decades has monitored and restored local waterways — must get a new vessel, for research and education programs. It is imperative to maintain their biological and chemical data.
Tickets are on sale for their “Cocktails & Clams” fundraiser (June 10, 5 to 7 p.m.). The Copps Island Oysters location in Norwalk offers an unlimited and very fresh raw bar, hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, live jazz, silent auction — and spectacular views of Long Island Sound.
Reminder: The launch party for “Pick of the Pics” — the “06880” book highlighting over 100 of our blog’s best Pics of the Day — is tomorrow (sunday, April 30, 2 to 4 p.m., Savvy + Grace, 146 Main Street).
Books will be available for purchase at a special price of $20 (regular Amazon price: $24.95).
I’ll sign copies; so will Lyah Muktavaram, my “06880” intern who did 99% of the work on it.
Photographers featured in the book can pick up a free book at the launch party too.
On Monday, the popular workplace for writers leaves its 21 Charles Street top-floor space for 95 Mill Plain Road, in the Fairfield Arts District.
They have to give up their prime Saugatuck spot for an equally great site a few miles east. They’ll still be near plenty of restaurants, right near a train station and I-95.
Fairfield County Story Lab offers a free work day for writers and creatives (and a free week for former members). Call 203-374-8343 for more details.
The Westport Weston Family YMCA’s 100th anniversary celebration continues, with a yoga fundraiser May 11 (10 to 11 a.m.).
100 participants in a “Breath, Body & Balance” class at the Mahackeno Outdoor Center will be led by Greg Barringer.
There’s a $100 registration fee/donation per person. Funds go to the Y’s Financial Assistance Program, serving under-resourced families and those in need.
Participants get a high-quality 100-year anniversary yoga mat, and a flower from Blossom +Stem. Click here to register.
Westporters know Ed Gerber for his preservation work around town.
He’s also a trustee of Historic New England. In that role, he’s sponsoring a “Connecticut Preservation at Work” speaker series.
The free event kicks off June 2 (2 p.m., Metro Art Studios, 345 Railroad Avenue, Bridgeport) with speeches by the co-owners and developers of historic Crown Corset Factory, Bridgeport’s director of business development and more. For more information, click here.
Ed Gerber
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It will rain all day today. And tomorrow.
So here’s a “Westport … Naturally” photo — taken a couple of days ago — to remind us all that the weather here has been pretty good this spring.
And remember: April showers bring May flowers.
The calendar guarantees that April showers end tomorrow night.
(Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)
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And finally … April 29 is Eeyore’s birthday. He’s 40 today — and every day.
What a life!
(Our “06880” Roundup tells you what’s going on in Westport — today, and every day. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
The Westport Tree Board celebrates Arbor Day with a tree seedling giveaway tomorrow (Friday, April 28, 3 to 5 p.m., rear of Town Hall near the softball field).
The seedlings come with planting instructions for school-age children and residents of Westport on a first-come, first-serve basis. They’re donated by Bartlett Tree Service.
A reader who works on Riverside Avenue writes: “A stroll down Main Street recently, on an exceptionally warm day, spurred me into action.
Almost every door to every retail establishment was propped open, air conditioning the outdoors. And as always (I walk 2-3 miles a day in town) I passed many parked cars, engines idling with owners sitting inside, engrossed mostly in cell phones.
I think emissions could be curtailed significantly 2 ways:
• A reduction of idling vehicles (epidemic even during reasonable weather)
• Stores not opening their doors to attract people (heating the outside in cold weather, cooling it in hot),
Legislatively, these things could take much longer than we have to reduce our emissions and our warming climate.
What if they both were tackled as PSAs? Part education via some easily digestible data, and part message along the lines of “What can I do?” Perhaps a campaign akin to the crying Native American of our childhood, the icon for the anti-pollution campaign that was very effective in cleaning up our littered roadways.
A national effort is needed. Perhaps we here can take a leadership position.
This photo ran on “06880” in 2012. More than a decade later, little has changed.
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Westport Police were busy recently.
The Staples High School school resource officer was alerted to an irate parent in the front lobby.As the SRO approached the lobby he heard a man screaming at school staff. The man became increasingly agitated, about a custody issue. A staff member had to put their hand up in a defensive move.
The SRO could not de-escalate the situation, but moved the conversation outside The man continued to act aggressively, and refused to obey lawful orders from the SRO. He was arrested, and charged with criminal trespass, interfering/resisting an officer, and breach of peace.
Another shoplifting incident at Ulta Beauty led to the arrest of 4 people, for larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny, and illegal possession of a shoplifting device.
Westport Police also issued a number of citations, from April 19-26:
Operating a motor vehicle with a telephone, electronic device or texting: 16 citations
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 8
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 8
Unreasonable speed: 6
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 6
Improper use of marker: 6
Distracted driving, not cell: 5
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 5
Failure to comply with state traffic regulations: 4
A year ago, “06880” reported on Westport10: the social and networking group for Black men in town and their families.
The other day, News12 Connecticut picked up the story, with an insightful interview with founder Jay Norris.
He talked about the benefits and opportunities for the organization — now “Westport 100,” as it’s grown from 4 men to 55, plus their spouses and children — for the members, and all of Westport.
The opening of the Westport Woman’s Club’s 3-day art show will be special.
On May 5 (5-7 p.m.), Staples seniors Chloe Hackett and Mia Vindiola will be awarded scholarships of $10,000 each. The 2 very talented students plan to pursue arts careers — thanks in large part to the grants from the Drew Friedman Community Arts Center.
The scholarships will be presented by Miggs Burroughs of the DFCAC, and 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker. The scholarship project was a collaborative effort with “06880.”
The show continues May 6 and 7 (2 to 5 p.m.). Featured artists include Nina Bentley, Ola Bossin, Michael Brennecke, Ellen Ehli, Susan Fehlinger, Hernan Garcia, Erszebet Laurinyecz, Katya Lebrija, Diane Pollack, Tina Puckett, Jon Puzzuoli, Dorothy Robertshaw, Katherine Ross, Agata Tria and Kathleen Rampe.
All art will be on sale.
Mia Vindiola and Chloe Hackett.
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Several Staples student journalists with Inklings were honored recently by the Connecticut Press Club, as winners of their High School Communications Contest.
Finnegan Courtney cleaned up, taking 1st, 2nd and 3rd places for Best Newscast (“On the Wreckord,” episodes 6, 5 and 3 respectively.
Also taking 1st: Genevieve Frucht (Feature Story, for “Logan Goodman ’24 Incorporates Love for Sneakers, Art into Business”), Anna Diorio (Opinion, “The Damaging Effects of ‘I’m Just Teasing'”), and Talia Moskowitz (Sports, “Report Highlights Impact of Wealth Inequality on State Championships in Connecticut”).
Caroline Zajac was 3rd in the News Story contest, for “Connecticut Swatting Incident Highlights Growing National Problem.”
Samantha Sandrew placed 3rd for Video Feature Story, for “Sneakerheads of Staples.” Anna Diorio earned honorable mention in the category, for “The Power of a Good Book: A Discussion with Staples’ Librarians.”
Congratulations to all of Staples’ superb journalists!
The boys lacrosse team’s annual “Sticks for Soldiers” event is this Saturday (12:30 p.m., Paul Lane Field).
The ceremony — before the 1 p.m. game against Greenwich — highlights the service and sacrifice made by our military. Funds raised support wounded veterans and their families.
A minimum donation of $5 is suggested. For more information and to donate, click here or email edward.iannone@gmail.com.
Staples lacrosse players have worn special jerseys to honor “Sticks for Soldiers.”
Longtime Westporter Daisy McCann died last Friday, surrounded by her family. She was 98 years old.
Her family says, “She lived a long and wonderful life, leaving behind a legacy of love, faith and a commitment to giving back to her community.”
Daisy was born in New York City on May 31, 1924. She earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Hunter College.
After World War II she married Navy veteran Hugh (Bud) McCann. They moved to Westport in 1959, where all 6 of their children lived and attended school: Hugh Jr. (Sarah) of Venice, Florida; Marguerite Francis of New London, New Hampshire; Tom (Mary Jo) of Nantucket, Massachusetts; Rosemary Semanski (Paul) of West Hartford; Tim (Tricia) of Easton, and Rich Tina) of Darien. Daisy is also survived by her grandchildren Katie, Scott, Kristen, Brittany, Shana, Kyle, Conor, Erin, Ali, Jack and Colin, and 7 great-grandchildren. Her family says, “She loved shopping for all of the wee ones in her extended family, and nothing brought a smile to her face more than their visits.”
She was predeceased by her husband.
Daisy was a trustee at St. Luke Parish, where she organized ladies’ luncheons for several decades and hosted generations of priests at her holiday parties. “She loved to feed people; it was her love language, whether at the church, in her home, or at the Norwalk Soup Kitchen.” In recent years, attending St. Luke’s regularly became more challenging, yet she never missed her daily digital Mass.
The family will receive friends tomorrow (Friday, April 28, 4-7 p.m., Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home, 50 Reef Road, Fairfield). A Requiem Mass will be held Saturday (10 a.m., St. Luke). Interment will follow in Assumption Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Near & Far Aid in memory of Daisy McCann at www.nearandfaraid.org (select donate); P.O. Box 717, Southport, CT 06890 (note honoree’s name in memo).
They spend all their time playing video games, checking social media, and …
… fishing.
Richard Wiese sees them all over the place. Compo Beach, Ford Road, the Saugatuck Reservoir — in large groups and small, even alone — teens and tweens are spending time (lots of time) enjoying one of mankind’s oldest activities.
Fishing at Compo Beach. (Photo/Richard Wiese)
Richard has a dog in the hunt. The longtime Weston resident — a former president of The Explorers Club, and host and executive producer of the Emmy-winning “Born to Explore” — grew up fishing at Stony Brook Harbor and on the Nissequogue River, just across Long Island Sound from here.
But when he took his young sons Alex and Ricky out on a boat, they quickly grew bored.
Then came COVID.
The pandemic was “an inflection point,” Richard says.
Stuck inside not of their own volition, starved for contact with friends — but warned by parents about doing anything in close proximity with them — his twin sons began hiking and biking.
And fishing.
For Richard — who grew up “doing actual outdoor activities” — it was a joy to see.
Particularly since his 2 boys were among the most avid young fishermen.
Richard Wiese and his sons.
It happened organically. Kids were discovering the lure of fishing on their own.
And though they thought they were just having fun, Richard knew they were gaining life skills.
Every hour spent fishing — not on a phone — teaches “patience and perseverance.”
When they fish, youngsters who are hyper or anxious grow calm. “It’s almost like Zen meditation,” Richard says. Then they focus, for far longer than on other activities.
Richard iese’s son, at the Saugatuck Reservoir … (Photo/Richard Wiese)
Fishing represents “optimism and hope. There’s always the promise of catching something — maybe even the big one.”
There’s also a connection with nature. That’s especially important, Richard says, for young people who spend far more time indoors than previous generations.
And — go figure — fishing is educational too.
Richard’s sons and his friends discuss water temperature, the right weight line to use, the best way to cast, the biology of the river, the weather, the birds nearby.
“Fishing is all about problem-solving,” Richard notes.
Not to mention responsibility. The same teenagers who throw their stuff everywhere, all over the house, learn quickly that if they do that with their fishing gear, they’ll spend way too much time later untangling lines.
“Every day is Earth Day” to fishermen, Richard says. His sons have learned the importance of keeping rivers, reservoirs and Long Island Sound clean and healthy.
Just a few years ago, the only folks fishing on Ford Road were men in their 50s and older. They’ve been joined by teenage boys — and Richard’s 14-year-old daughter Sabrina.
… and in the Saugatuck River, at Ford Road. (Photo/Richard Wiese)
The Wieses did not fish here over spring break. They were in South Africa.
But Alex and Ricky were less interested in a safari than in fishing. “We’d pass a pond, and they’d ask what was in it,” Richard says. “They talk about fishing incessantly.”
Except when they don’t.
Fishing is great for sitting quietly, next to friends.
But as Opie Taylor-ish as fishing seems, Alex, Ricky and their friends are still 2023 teenagers.
They have not given up their devices completely.
Yet these days when they’re on their phones, they’re likely to be checking out their Fishbrain app.
It’s where they find tips, tools, forecasts, tide charts and more.
And where they feel part of the worldwide fishing community. The app is filled with photos.
The young local fishermen learned quickly how to show off their catches.
“They hold them way out in front of the camera,” Richard says. “Every one looks monstrous.”
It’s a big one! (Photo/Richard Wiese)
(“06880” is filled with fish stories — and more. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
A favorite Wiese fishing hole. (Photo/Richard Wiese)
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