Cava restaurant

Yesterday, “06880” introduced The Blondinit. The Israeli restaurant opens this summer in the former Church Lane space of Manna Toast.

It’s not the only new place with cuisine from that part of the world.

Cava will take over the newly remodeled spot next to Westport Hardware, across from Fresh Market.

As first reported on Westport Journal, it’s a national fast food chain with over 100 outlets. Among them: New York, Westchester and Greenwich.

The menu includes pitas (crispy falafel, spicy chicken and avocado, spicy lamb meatball and Greek chicken), and salad bowls (spicy chicken, zesty falafel, lemon chicken, harissa avocado, lentil avocado, tahini caesar and more).

3 choices, from the online menu.

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Need documents or other stuff shredded? Want to support cancer research?

You can do both at once this Saturday (May 13, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., William Raveis rear parking lot, 47 Riverside Avenue).

The real estate firm is sponsoring another “Shred It for Cancer Research” event.

The suggested donation is $10 per box or large shopping bag; $20 per large garbage bag (cash or check).

Staples do not need to be removed. You can watch the shredding happen — without even getting out of your car.

100% of every donation benefits the William Raveis Charitable Fund, Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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Quote of the Day:

“Part of me was obviously happy that Donald Trump was not branded a rapist.” — Joseph Tacopina, the former president’s lawyer and a Westport resident, after a jury found his client liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of E. Jean Carroll. She was awarded $5 million in damages.

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This week’s “What’s Next in Weston” podcast features 1st Selectwoman Sam Nestor, with details on how American Rescue Plan Act money is being used to deliver improvements in many areas of Weston.

It covers lots of areas, and answers many questions. Click below to listen to the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston production.

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Much of the Greens Farms Association’s work involves zoning.

So the guest speaker for their annual meeting (May 18, 7 p.m., Green’s Farms Church) makes a lot of sense.

Danielle Dobin, chair of the Westport Planning & Zoning Commission, will discuss that topic, including affordable housing, upcoming developments and more.

The meeting includes a recap of the Association’s 2022 activities, and a look ahead to the coming year. Non-members are welcome.

Green’s Farms Church — one of the icons of the neighborhood — is the site of the Greens Farms Association’s annual meeting.

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Luisa Francoeur is downsizing from the Westport home she grew up in, and lived in for many years.

On her mantel sits her late husband Jim Goodrich’s model of a schooner. It’s very handsome — and large.

She would like to sell it for $300 to someone who can come take it away (without breaking it).

It is 45 inches from the tip of the bowsprit to the end of the boom, and 8 1/2 inches from the deck to the bottom of the keel.

If interested, email nutmeg5@optonline.net.

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Unlike Sam Cooke, Westport students do know much about history.

Last Saturday was Connecticut History Day — the state-level part of a national competition. The them was “Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas.”

Seven teams from Staples High School (Senior Division) and Bedford and Coleytown Middle Schools (Junior Division) finished in the top 3 in their categories. There were also 2 special prize winners.

The Staples winners are:

1st place, Individual Performance: Camille Mergenthaler (“Food Network; Pioneering Opportunities for Women in the Culinary Industry”).

2nd place, Individual Exhibit: Kate Rodriguez (“The Boom Heard ‘Round the World: The Development and Deployment of the Atomic Bomb”).

2nd place, Group Exhibit: Perrin Root, Oliver Oren, Evan Wallitt, Claudia Trinchi (“Laying Down Frontiers of the Future: The Transcontinental Railroad’s Economic and Cultural Influence”).

3rd place, Group Website: Levi Nested, Elliott Galina, Jake Wadley, William Fleming (“From TV Dinners to Fast Food Nation: The Cultural Impact of Processed Foods in America”).

Special prizes, Outstanding Entry Related to Civics, Government or Citizenship: Liam Furlong (“Ulysses S. Grant and His Effect on the Civil Rights Movement of the 1800s”).

Special prize, Outstanding Entry in American Legal History: Katherine Fitzgerald, Lola Lamensdorft, Rhiya Anand, Sophie Cochran (“Margaret Sanger: The Creation of Birth Control”).

The Bedford winners are:

1st place, Group Documentary: Siri Klassen, Gargi Karve, Elise Yan (“From the Farmland to the Runway: How Denim Revolutionized the
Fashion Industry Through Affordability and Transformative Styles”)

2nd place, Papers: Blake Carson (“An Unexpected Frontier: How the Civil War Exposed Medical Shortfalls and Prompted Change”).

The Coleytown Winners are:

2nd place, Individual Website: Jonah Frey (“How Amateur Radio Changed the Nation”),

F0r more information on Connecticut History Day, click here. For a list of all winners, click here.

From left: Evan Wallitt, Perrin Root, Oliver Oren in front of their Transcontinental Railroad project.

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On Monday, Morgan Veltri spotted a great egret eating fish in the water. Here’s the very cool, binocular-focused “Westport … Naturally” that followed.