Pic Of The Day #402

Posted on May 24, 2018 | 1 comment

Ned Dimes Marina at Compo Beach (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)

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Staples Sings With One Voice

Posted on May 24, 2018 | 4 comments

Staples High School’s many choral ensembles — male, female, mixed, from freshmen through elite Orphenians — came together last Friday for a special “One Voice Concert for Unity.”

They sang by themselves and together. There were featured solos, and soaring, intricate group selections. Orphenians performed 2 pieces by Jake Runestad, the heralded composer whose work they’ll showcase this summer in Australia.

And there was a compelling rendition of “Tell My Father,” Sullivan Ballou’s tender Civil War letter to his wife, put to music.

It was an outstanding evening. Just when you think choral director Luke Rosenberg and our town’s teenagers can’t set the bar higher — they do.

(Hat tip: Jim Honeycutt, videographer)

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Posted in Arts, Staples HS, Teenagers

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Naree Knows Trader Joe’s

Posted on May 24, 2018 | 16 comments

In 1994, Naree Viner was a new intern at the Getty Museum. Her family was back in Indiana, so her colleague Madeleine invited Naree to her parents’ home in Pasadena for Thanksgiving.

“You’re going to Trader Joe’s house!” her co-workers exclaimed.

Naree had no idea what they were talking about.

Joe Coulombe and his wife Alice welcomed Naree with a flute of champagne. Each course had a different wine, which Joe described. The Coulombes were Francophiles so the main dish was goose, not turkey.

Joe and Alice Coulombe

It was a delightful day. And — as Naree learned — Joe Coulombe was also known as Trader Joe.

The Trader Joe.

A Stanford Business School graduate and serial entrepreneur, in 1967 he’d turned a poorly performing Pasadena 7-Eleven into a new kind of grocery store.

The target market was “people with bachelor’s and master’s degrees who made teacher’s salaries,” Naree says.

The concept caught on. By the time of that Thanksgiving dinner, there were Trader Joe’s — the store’s name — across California. Joe Coulombe had already sold the company to German conglomerate Aldi.

Last year, Joe Coulombe celebrated the 50th anniversary of Trader Joe’s with his son Joe Jr., and 2 employees.

In 2012 Naree and her husband moved to Westport. After leaving the Getty — armed with a master’s in art history — she became a headhunter. Specializing in museum directors, she’s worked with institutions like the Smithsonian and Yale Art Gallery.

She’s still friends with Madeleine. And Naree has never forgotten that Thanksgiving as an intern.

She marvels at what Joe developed. He thought of tropical costumes for employees, and created a corporate culture that celebrates smiles and good fellowship.

As she studies organizational culture for work, Naree is amazed that the now-national grocery chain has managed to maintain so much of its original charm.

Naree Viner

Today Naree lives just a mile from the Westport Trader Joe’s. She loves finding new items there, and is not disappointed when favorites (like mango lemonade) disappear. One of the keys to Trader Joe’s success, after all, is low inventory.

Naree has told a few of the very cheery Westport crew that she knows the real Trader Joe — and that at 87 he’s alive and well, still painting and gardening.

“They’re amazed and amused,” she says of the local store staff.

Still, Naree wondered, why did I think this would make a great “06880” story?

“It’s fun and quirky,” I said.

Just like Trader Joe’s.

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Posted in Looking back, People, Totally random

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Pics Of The Day #401

Posted on May 23, 2018 | 4 comments

One view of Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve … 

… and one from there. (Photos/Betsy P. Kahn)

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Unsung Hero #49

Posted on May 23, 2018 | 19 comments

On Monday, Westport celebrates Memorial Day.

We do it with one of the town’s most popular and beloved events of the year: a fun, wonderful and wide-ranging parade, followed by a solemn yet uplifting ceremony across from Town Hall.

It’s a huge undertaking. Hundreds of town employees and volunteers pitch in to make it all work. It seems effortless, but it’s anything but.

None of it would happen, though, without the leadership of Bill Vornkahl.

This will be the Westporter’s 49th year at the helm. When he started in 1970, the parade may have included Spanish-American War veterans. Today there are only a few who served in World War II.

Vornhkahl — now 88 years old — is a Korean War vet. He spent 14 months on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, working as a high-speed radio operator in the 1st Cavalry Division.

In 2013, he was inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame.

Bill Vornkahl

Vornkahl has been a member of the Westport Veterans Council even longer than he’s run the parade: 57 years.

From 1996 to ’99 he was treasurer of Westport’s War Monument Committee, helping place memorials to various wars on Veterans Green.

He joined the Greens Farms Volunteer Fire Company in 1950. He’s served as secretary/treasurer of both that company and Saugatuck Hose Company #4, and as president of the Westport Volunteer Fire Company from 1973 to ’93.

He coached Little League for more than 20 years, and for over a decade was part of the Staples High School football sideline crew.

Vornkahl has dedicated his life to Westport. Of all he’s done, the Memorial Day parade is his special passion. He makes sure it all happens flawlessly.

In 2015, Bill Vornkahl and 3 Girl Scout Daisies recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Of course, the one thing he can’t control is the weather. The last 2 years, predictions of rain have canceled the parade, and moved the ceremonies indoors.

You may have seen him inside Town Hall, introducing the color guard, bands and speakers.

This Monday, we all hope he’ll be outdoors on Veterans Green, doing the same.

He’ll be busy — as he has been every Memorial Day since 1970. So now is the best time to thank him for all he does.

Veterans usually don’t like honors. But Bill Vornkahl is a true Unsung Hero.

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Posted in People, Unsung Heroes, Westport life

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Justin Paul Is Booked In Westport

Posted on May 23, 2018 | 1 comment

When Justin Paul was a Staples High School student, he played piano for the Westport Library’s signature Booked for the Evening fundraiser.

The Class of 2003 graduate returns to the event this year.

This time though, he’s not the entertainment.

He’s the honoree.

Justin Paul

Paul — the Oscar, Grammy, Tony and Golden Globe Award-winning songwriter whose collaboration with Benj Pasek includes “Dear Evan Hansen,” “La La Land,” “The Greatest Showman,” “A Christmas Story,” “Dogfight” and “James and the Giant Peach” — joins the likes of Tom Brokaw, E.L. Doctorow, Pete Hamill, Martin Scorsese, Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Halberstam, Patti Smith, Alan Alda and fellow Westporters Nile Rodgers and Lynsey Addario as “Booked” recipients.

Not bad for a 33-year-old.

Paul admits that he doesn’t have the “life experiences” of honorees. But he’s got plenty of riveting acccomplishments.

And he knows the Westport Library well.

“Growing up, it was a constant in my life,” Paul says. “I went there to research school projects, to find new books to read, and everything else. It’s a cornerstone of Westport.”

In middle school, going downtown by himself to the library made him feel “very adult, very cool.”

The CD and DVD collections helped him on his career path. “I think they subtly encouraged my exploration of music, movies and plays,” he says.

Another library — the music one at the University of Michigan — played an important role in Paul’s life too.

“I spent a healthy percentage of time there,” he recalls. “They had scores of every classical piece, and every Broadway musical. It completely fed my hunger and curiosity.”

Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, at January’s Golden Globe Awards. (Photo/Paul Drinkwater NBC)

When Paul and Pasek began their songwriting careers, librarians would request official copies of their work.

“We always said yes,” Paul notes. “As 23-year-0lds, hearing from a librarian made us feel very grown up.”

A lot has happened in the decade since. And it’s been only a decade and a half since Paul went from playing piano at Booked for the Evening, to the main event.

What will he talk about on June 11?

“I could fill an hour just listing all the Westport influences on my life,” he jokes.

“But the library is all about story-telling. That’s what Benj and I do. So it will probably have something to do with stories.”

Book it!

(“Booked for the Evening” is set for Monday, June 11, 7 p.m. at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton. For tickets and sponsorship information, click here.)

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Library, People, Staples HS

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Pics Of The Day #400

Posted on May 22, 2018 | 10 comments

Talented Bridgeport artist Cleiton Ventura painted this mural, at Long Lots Elementary School. He worked on it with assistance from 5th graders.

He also painted this, at the newly opened Chabad of Westport — the former Three Bears restaurant.

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Posted in Arts, Children, Education, Pic of the Day, religion

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Color My (Volleyball) World

Posted on May 22, 2018 | 2 comments

It’s a Staples High School sports tradition.

Before post-season tournaments, some boys teams shave their heads. Others get Mohawks.

This year, the volleyball guys decided that instead of looking fierce (or stupid), they’d look good.

Yesterday, they headed to Effi’s Salon in Saugatuck.

There, owner Effie Andriotis colored the Wreckers.

The 2018 Staples High School volleyball team — and Effie.

But make no mistake: This team is tough.

The volleyballers finished their regular season last week with a perfect 19-0 record.

Even more incredible: They won 57 sets this spring, and lost just 2.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, May 23), the top-seeded Westporters take on Trumbull in the FCIAC semifinals. Game time is 5 p.m., at Fairfield Ludlowe High School.

They’d love a huge crowd to cheer them on.

They wouldn’t mind some props for their hair, too.

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Posted in Local business, Sports, Staples HS, Teenagers

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The End Of The World: Now On Display At Whole Foods

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Posted on May 22, 2018 in Local business, Totally random

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ABCs Of Westport Contest: Get Those Entries In!

Posted on May 22, 2018 | 2 comments

The collage is beautiful.

But some “06880” readers may have been intimidated by the challenge.

(Photo collage by Shelly Welfeld)

Last week, we invited you to guess where in downtown Westport Shelly Welfeld found all the images she photographed to formed the “letters” in this work.

The first correct complete answer wins a $50 gift certificate, generously donated by The ‘Port restaurant. But we don’t expect anyone to get all 26 — maybe not even half. So if no one gets all 26, the person with the most correct answer wins.

The contest deadline is extended to noon on Wednesday, May 30. Email your entries to dwoog@optonline.net.

Come on! Don’t be intimidated. This is your chance to win a great meal at The ‘Port.

Which of course is located in National Hall — one of the photos in the collage.

See — you’re already on your way!

 

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Posted in Arts, Downtown, People, Restaurants

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