Category Archives: Photo Challenge

Photo Challenge #456

Posted on September 24, 2023 | 9 comments

The YMCA left downtown nearly a decade ago.

But it still lives, in its original home.

A large, heavy concrete sign — with the Y’s old, triangular logo — sits inside Anthropologie. The clothing/accessories/home furnishings store occupies the former Bedford Building, where the YMCA began here in 1923. (The benefactor’s name lives on, in the retail complex known as Bedford Square.)

That was an easy one. Ron Japha, Richard Hyman, Bonnie Strittmatter, Rick Benson, Andrew Colabella, Jeff Jacobs, Cathy Malkin, Beth Krane, Shirlee Gordon, Lynn Untermeyer Miller, Beth Berkowitz, Amy Schneider, Molly Alger, Bobbie Herman and Jonathan McClure all knew where (and “Y”) the big sign can be found. (Click here to see.)

This week’s Photo Challenge comes courtesy of Sunil Hirani. If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Sunil Hirani)

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Posted in Photo Challenge, YMCA

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Photo Challenge #455

Posted on September 17, 2023 | 17 comments

All those outdoor meeting places with log benches look alike.

There’s one at Earthplace. Another at the Westport Weston Family YMCA’s Mahackeno Outdoor Center.

But the one shown in last week’s Photo Challenge, courtesy of Mark Mathias, was the “chapel in the woods,” behind Saugatuck Congregational Church. (Click here to see.)

Built as an Eagle Scout project by Tobey Patton — son of scoutmaster Craig Patton and Saugatuck Church pastor Rev. Alison Patton, who moved last month to a new church in Maine — it actually is on church property.

There was a brief debate in the “06880” comments as to whether the chapel was inadvertently built on land belonging to the town.

But even though most people assume it’s part of Winslow Park, it’s not. Mathias provided proof — via the town of Westport’s GIS map system — it is the church’s woods.

Congratulations to Dan Vener, Jodi Stevens Bryce, Chris Buckley, Mary Sikorski, Molly Alger, Seth Schachter, Nancy Vener, Amy Schneider, Wendy Crowther, John Suggs, Nancy Bloom, Richard Ellis, Karen Kim, Robert Mitchell, Andrew Colabella, Tom Long, Karen La Costa, Matt McGrath, Colette Winn, Bruce Borner and Lois Himes. You definitely know your outdoor log benches!

Now to this week’s challenge.

Last week’s photo had nothing to do with the Y’s outdoor meeting place. But this one is definitely Y-related.

If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Nancy Barrer)

(If you enjoy our Photo Challenge — or any other “06880” features — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

 

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Posted in Friday Flashback, Photo Challenge, religion, YMCA

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Photo Challenge #454

Posted on September 10, 2023 | 39 comments

Most “06880” readers chose not to labor over last week’s Photo Challenge.

They no doubt spent the Labor Day holiday at the beach, barbecuing, or doing anything more constructive than trying to suss out where Ellen Wentworth’s image could be. (Click here to see.)

It was, as reader Jack Backiel commented, “udderly frustrating.”

But don’t have a cow. As (only) Jill Denowitz knew, the bovine in question is at Little Barn.

On a shelf. Its buddies, of course, are on the menu.

Now the holiday is over. Back to business. If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Mark Mathias)

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Posted in Photo Challenge, Restaurants

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Photo Challenge #453

Posted on September 3, 2023 | 11 comments

The intersection of Riverside Avenue and Bridge Street is one of the most heavily trafficked in Westport.

But because it’s so congested and complicated — with drivers converging from several directions (including nearby parking lots) waiting for that elusive green light, pause in traffic or wave from the cop — most drivers don’t seem to look around and enjoy the scenery.

Like the solar-powered flamingos in front of Rizzuto’s restaurant.

They were the subject of last week’s Photo Challenge. (Click here to see.)

Despite being right there in plain sight, only 4 readers knew the answer. No one else even hazarded a guess.

Congratulations to jim McKay, Harry Brady, Beth Berkowitz and Andrew Colabella.

When I see you at Rizzuto’s bar, I’ll buy you a drink.

Meanwhile, don’t have a cow complaining about the difficulty of last week’s Photo Challenge. Instead, turn your attention to the new one.

If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Ellen Wentworth)

(If you enjoy our Photo Challenge every Sunday, please support “06880.” Click here to contribute — and thank you!)

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Posted in Photo Challenge, Restaurants

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Photo Challenge #451

Posted on August 20, 2023 | 21 comments

Last week’s Photo Challenge was interesting — both the image, and the answers.

Nearly a dozen readers quickly checked in with the correct response: Bruce McFadden’s shot of big beams and heavy machinery indeed showed the swing turntable underneath the William F. Cribari Bridge over the Saugatuck River, connecting Bridge Street and Saugatuck Avenue. (Click here to see.)

But then several others all said it was the underside of the I-95 Saugatuck River bridge, or perhaps another on the same highway.

Fortunately, the I-95 span does not swing open. Imagine the traffic jams if it did!

Congratulations to Morley Boyd, Alfred Herman, Jonathan McClure, Tom Risch, Jim McKay, Diane Silfen, Ken Runkel, Abby Gordon-Tolan, Seth Schachter, Craig Clark, Ann Bacharach, Micheal Simso, Ralph Balducci, Andrew Colabella, Matt McGrath and Howard Potter. You know your undersides of bridge machinery!

Here’s a nice late-summer one challenge. If you know where in Westport you’d see this peaceful scene, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Patti Brill)

(Here’s a challenge: Please support your hyper-local blog. Click here to donate. And thank you!)

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Posted in Photo Challenge, Saugatuck

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Photo Challenge #450

Posted on August 13, 2023 | 21 comments

There’s not a lot to do while waiting — and waiting — for your Hook’d burgers or fries.

You can watch the other people also waiting at the Compo Beach concession stand. You can stare at your phone, waiting for your order to be called.

Or you can glance up at the ceiling.

If you do that, you’ll see — written in small letters, but clearly visible on a wooden beam — the words “Help me!”

That was the subject of last week’s Photo Challenge. (Click here to see.)

Dave Eason, Fred Cantor, Patricia McMahon, Jonathan McClure, Seth Schachter, Andrew Colabella and Beth Berkowitz have spent enough hours on line to know exactly where that image was taken. Congratulations!

Beams of a different kind highlight this week’s Challenge. If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Bruce McFadden)

(Whether you often know our weekly Photo Challenge, or it regularly stumps you, please consider a contribution to support this — and our many other “06880” features. Just click here. Thank you!) 

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Posted in Beach, Photo Challenge

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Photo Challenge #449

Posted on August 6, 2023 | 15 comments

Remember Ross Perot?

If you’re at the Greens Farms railroad station, and glance up at a certain utility pole, you’ll see his 1996 campaign sticker.

That was his second presidential campaign. He received 8% of the votes, less than half of his 19% in ’92 (which, some historians believe, tilted the election to Bill Clinton).

Perot’s ’96 run for the White House is long forgotten. But his sticker endures. (Click here to see.)

Alan Shinbaum, Nanette Buziakk Lexow and Andrew Colabella all have seen it at the station, and identified it correctly. They had a lot more success than Ross Perot’s political ambitions.

Today’s Photo Challenge may be another tough one.

But, as I learned long ago: Our “06880” readers are a very observant bunch.

If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Jodie Brooke Aujla)

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Posted in Photo Challenge, Politics, Transportation

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Photo Challenge #448

Posted on July 30, 2023 | 10 comments

First it was National Hall. The handsome brick building on the west side of the Saugatuck River housed — among other things — a bank, newspaper, meeting hall, and (in 1884) the first few months of Horace Staples’ new school.

In the 1900s it became Fairfield Furniture. Painted white, its 3 floors were filled with — you guessed it — sofas, tables and the like.

The roof was filled with something else: a century of bird droppings.

When the Tauck family considered buying it in the late 1980s,  that almost became a structural-defect deal-breaker.

But the Taucks persevered. Their painstaking renovation returned it to its original splendor, this time as a boutique hotel and high-end restaurant.

In the years since, the rechristened National Hall has been the site of other restaurants, offices and a real estate firm.

Last week it — well, the top floor window and adjacent molding — was the subject of our Photo Challenge. (Click here to see.)

Fred Cantor, Rick Leonard, Diane Silfen, Andrew Colabella, Molly Alger, Jonathan McClure, Jim Dickenson, Seth Braunstein, Kenny Gilbertie, Jodie Aujla and Clark Thiemann quickly knew the answer.

Most of them are longtime Westporters. All have, I am sure, sat in traffic often, gazing up at that sight: one of our town’s most historic structures.

Speaking of history: Who remembers Ross Perot’s run for president in 1996? (I didn’t; I thought his only attempt was in ’92.)

It lives on in Westport. But where?

(Photo/James R. Morgan)

If you know where you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

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Posted in Downtown, Looking back, Photo Challenge

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Photo Challenge #447

Posted on July 23, 2023 | 15 comments

For a hidden gem, Haskins Preserve is pretty popular.

The 16-acre spot on Green Acre Lane — a quiet street off Compo Road South — is among the Aspetuck Land Trust’s least-known properties.

But it’s clear that some Westporters are in on the secret.

With woods, meadows, 2 ponds, dams, a spectacular assortment of rare trees — and a very intriguing history — it lures those in the know to its tiny parking lot.

Click here to learn about Haskins’ fascinating back story. Click here to see a photo.

That image by Mark Mathias was last week’s Photo Challenge.

Several readers thought it showed Newman-Poses Preserve, Winslow Park, the Lillian Wadsworth Arboretum, Ford Road, Grace Salmon Park or the Westport Community Garden.

While those were good guesses — and a timely reminder of the beauty that surrounds us here every day — the correct answer came from 15 readers.

Congratulations to Mike Ray, Robert Mitchell, Ivy Gosseen, Fred Cantor, Diane Bosch, Kris Nash, Dan Vener, Edward Bonham, Micil Ryan, Andrew Colabella, Jonathan McClure, Werner Liepolt, Laurie Sorensen, Seth Schachter and Michael Calise.

But ssshhhh — don’t tell anyone else about it!

This week’s Photo Challenge is below. If you know where in Westport you’d see it, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Bob Weingarten)

 

15 Comments

Posted in Environment, Photo Challenge

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Photo Challenge #446

Posted on July 16, 2023 | 29 comments

Last week’s Photo Challenge may have been the easiest ever.

A week before Bastille Day, the photo of 2 Citroëns was — bien sûr! — in front of Westport’s favorite (and only) French restaurant, Rive Bistro. (Click here to see.)

Clearly, it’s also a very popular spot. Félicitations to the more than 3 dozen readers who quick responded correctly:

Fred Cantor, John McCarthy, James McKay, Morgan Smith, Luke Garvey, Ferdinand Jahnel, Jeff Jacobs, Lois Himes, Paul Quinsee, Scott Broder, Andrew Colabella, Susan Yules, Ian Overton, Ed Simek, Susan Moran, Jonathan McClure, Barry Cass, Seth Braunstein, Judith Marks-White, Jack Krayson, Karen Como, Ken Stamm, Robin Jaffee Frank, Tom Feeley, Amy Schneider, Howard Edelstein, Marjolijn Baxendale, Sally Cadoux, Beth Berkowitz, Peter Powell, Steve Stein, Audrey Fox and Laurie Sorensen.

This week’s Photo Challenge is more difficult.

Then again, any one would be.

(Photo/Mark Mathias)

If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

(If you enjoy our weekly Photo Challenge, please consider an “06880” contribution. Click here — and thank you!)

29 Comments

Posted in Photo Challenge, Restaurants, Transportation

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