Just in “time” for the Holiday Stroll, the new Main Street clock has been installed, and wired.
The new attraction in front of the Gap is a gift to the town, from the Westport Downtown Association.
Today’s Holiday Stroll is another gift too, from both the WDA and “06880.”
For the 5th year in a row, everyone is invited downtown. From 4 to 7 p.m. today (Saturday), Main Street and environs is the site for caroling by Staples’ Orphenians, photos with Santa, Buddy the Elf, other characters (and a Riverside Realty piglet), face painting, a “letters to Santa” mailbox (Savvy + Grace), s’mores at Nômade, a collection box for the Police Department’s toy drive, and much more.
Over 60 stores, restaurants, vendors and non-profits will offer giveaways, promotions and more. They include:
American Colors by Henry Lehr: 20% off Hampton Wash and American Colors clothing Bartaco: Hot chocolate table Bella Bridesmaids:$25 off per dress Bloom Salon: Holiday treats, and discounted hair tinsel Bridgewater Chocolate: Raffle for $50 gift card, with purchase Brooks Brothers: 30% off nearly everything Candle Caboodle: TBD Chait Gallery/Photography Studio: 20% off all artwork, portraits in studio; $200 for 1-hour session, includes 8×10 print Chocolatieree: Blissfully toasted & gooey S’morestick with every purchase (minimum $20) Clarendon Fine Art: Holiday cheer; live music by Warren Bloom Cold Fusion: Free wrapped chocolates Core Burn Pilates: Discounted group class and private sessions (booked on day of Stroll) Courtgirl: 15-30% off storewide Earthplace:10% off Winter Solstice Campfire on December 21 (register here on Saturday) Eleish Van Breems: Raffles; cider in courtyard Everything But Water:Fit sessions; $25 off $150+ with Beach Club signup Faherty: Refreshments and cool vibes Fred: Gift with purchase Gabriele’s: Buy $500 worth of gift cards; get $100 extra Gioiella Jewlery: Raffles Hummingbird Healing Center: Light bites, wine, raffle Il Pastaficio: Focaccia di recco, Italian hot chocolate, salame di cioccolata; gift card for 10% off purchases of fresh pasta boxes and sauces Jimmy’s: Christmas-themed stocking fillers Joe’s Pizza: Garlic knots Johnny Was: 40% off sale; gift with purchase; free gift wrapping Kerri Rosenthal: 25% off selected items La Source: Enter to win a $500 gift card, with every purchase of $100 or more Lululemon: Hot chocolate from Oggi Gelato; chance to win gift basket and gift card (1 free entry for every $200 spent) Lux Bond & Green: Holiday cheer and treats Massi Co: Hot cider J. McLaughlin: Handbag raffle 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; cookies and Prosecco in the afternoon Naturino Kids Shoes: 25% off single pair Nômade: S’mores Offline by Aerie: 10% off purchase; $25 off $125 if booking an appointment Paper Source: Buy one; get 50% off holiday boxed cards Rhone: Beverages; 15% off first purchase Rowan: Buy 2 non-piercing pairs of earrings; 2nd is 15% off Savvy + Grace:North Pole mailbox for letters to Santa; photo booth Scout & Molly’s: Free gift with $200 purchase Shoe-Inn: Up to 75% off Sorelle Gallery: 20% off original artwork and prints all day; Champagne and holiday treats Southern Tide: $50 off $150 or more Splash of Pink: Gift with purchase over $200 Swarovski: TBD SWTHZ: $10 off 60-minute contrast therapy session, in a private luxury suite Theory: Holiday sip and shop Toy Post: Small gifts for children Vince Westport: 25% off W Hair & Color: Raffle for package of 3 blowouts Walrus Alley: Happy hour, featuring Glüwein West Elm: General promotions West Out East: 15% off all accessories Westport Book Shop: Gift with purchase of children’s picture books Westport Centerpiece: Holiday gifts Westport Country Playhouse: Raffle for prizes; discounts on tickets Zoomin Groomin: 25% off any mobile grooming booked the day of the Stroll.
See you at the Stroll! (Photo/Ryan Allen)
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Speaking of the Orphenians: When you hear them later today at the Holiday Stroll, you’ll know how great they are.
Yesterday, thousands of others found out too.
Staples High School’s elite singing group was at Radio City Music Hall.
And not just to watch. They took the stage as a warmup act for the world-famous Rockettes.
But that’s not all.
Right after a group photo in front of the Rockefeller Center tree, they broke into song.
A crowd quickly gathered. They listened, filmed and celebrated the Orphs’ impromptu performance.
Passersby could not believe what they were hearing.
“They sound incredible!” they said. “Their harmonies are amazing!” “They’re doing this without a conductor!” (Choral director Lauren Pine — who led the group in Radio City — stood proudly off to the side.)
Well done, Orphenians! We’re honored you’ll join us in a few hours downtown.
Staples Orphenians and parents, at Rockefeller Center. Director Lauren Pine is in front, 5th from left.
The temperature was cold. But there were warm feelings yesterday on Post Road East.
The Westport Fire Department welcomed Bridgeport Rescue Mission. They picked up 1,887 winter coats. All were donated by community members. Each was inspected, folded, and prepared with care by firefighters and volunteers.
The WFD thanks everyone who made the mission a success. “When our neighbors need help, Westport shows up,” the department says.
Taking a break from loading nearly 2,000 winter coats. Front row, from left: Fire Chief Nick Marsan, Bridgeport Rescue Mission’s John DaCosta, Human Services director Elaine Daignault, BRM’s Laurie Molner, 1st Selectman Kevin Christie, Deputy Chief Matthew Cohen, Human Services’ Cynthia Pérez-Hernández. Rear: BRM’s Brian Stern, WFD’s Jennifer Petrosinelli, BRM’s Bennie Davis.
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Westporters already know and love Faith Sargent for her high tea parties, and her Wreathing for the Community (through which donated florals are transformed into wreaths, given away to spread cheer).
She’s got a new project: Faith’s Cottage Kitchen.
Her licensed home-based bakery offers small-batch breads, brownies, marshmallows and seasonal treats.
Faith Sargent (bottom right), and her creations.
Everything is made fresh in Westport. Faith uses simple ingredients — and the same warmth that goes into every gathering and every wreath.
See below for a full list of offerings, and prices. For orders and questions, text or call 603-219-2773.
Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church’s annual Christmas 9 Lessons and Carols service is set for December 14 (5 p.m.).
The CHT Parish Choir of choristers, adults and soloists will be accompanied by organ and cello. From the first notes of “Once in royal David’s city,” sung by a lone chorister, to the soaring descants of “O come, all ye faithful” and “Hark! the herald angels sing,” the spirit of Christmas will be everywhere.
Admission is free; donations are gratefully appreciated. A reception follows the service.
With cold weather here, Westport has activated its “severe cold weather protocol.” It’s in effect through noon Tuesday.
Warming centers open to the public include:
Senior Center (Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Westport Library(Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.; weekdays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.).
Westport Museum for History & Culture(Saturday, Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Westport Weston Family YMCA (Weekend, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekdays, 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
Residents experiencing hardships due to the cold — including those without adequate heat — should call Westport Human Services (203-341-1050; weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). For other times, dial 211.
The Westport Astronomical Society is the space. December 16, 8 p.m. is the time.
The event is a free lecture by Yale physics professor Larry Gladney. The topic is “A Survey for the Ages: the Vera Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space & Time.”
The talk will also be livestreamed, on YouTube and via Zoom.
Professor Larry Gadney
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Westport resident Mildred Bunche died peacefully on November 16. She was 92, and was diagnosed with lung cancer 8 years earlier.
The Alabama native taught biology in Chicago and Connecticut. Her husband Oscar was also a teacher.
They married in 1959, and moved to South San Francisco. Oscar worked for United Airline and IBM.
Mildred studied for degrees in social work and counseling, but those ambitions were put on hold with the arrival of her son Steven in June of 1965.
The family moved to Westport in 1972, when Oscar was transferred to White Plains. She headed the Young Parents Program, a group for unwed teen mothers, and Hall Neighborhood House for troubled girls.
After her divorce in 1975 she returned to teaching. She earned several counseling and hypnotherapy degrees during that era.
In her 50’s Mildred became involved with Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, feeling a sense of community and belonging with the clergy and congregation. She spent her last decades working with the church.
Mildred was also president of the Y’s Women, active in the Senior Center, a patron of the Quick Center for the Arts, and an avid bridge player.
Mildred also had a passion for travel. Her obituary says, “the girl from rural Alabama traveled to places her family could only have imagined, gaining wisdom and insight into cultures that enriched her mind and pursuits.
She is survived by her son Steven. A celebration of her life will be held today (Saturday, 10 a.m., Christ & Holy Trinity Church).
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New timber at Burying Hill Beach — stretching far into Long Island Sound — highlights today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature photo.
And finally … in honor of today’s “06880”/Westport Downtown Association Holiday Stroll (story above):
(“06880” is proud to co-sponsor today’s Holiday Stroll. We’re also glad we can bring Westport together in many ways. And we’re especially grateful to all who support our work. Thank you)
With speeches, music and many rainbows, Westport celebreated Pride today.
The 5th annual event — sponsored by Westport Pride — drew a couple of hundred members of the LGBTQ+ community, and allies, to Jesup Green.
Several speakers — including state and local legislators, human rights advocates, and Miss Connecticut USA Shavana Clarke, the first openly lesbian state titleholder — noted how far the LGBTQ community has come in terms of acceptance and legal righs, and yet also how endangered some of those gains are.
Shavana Clarke talks about her religious upbringing as a Jamaican female, and the community she’s found now as a queer woman.
But despite the political climate, and the heat and humidity, the mood was upbeat.
Pride is a day of celebration. After proclamations from State Senator Ceci Maher and 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, the entertainment began.
Happy Pride!
From left: 2nd Selectwoman Andrea Moore, Westport Pride co-president Brian McGunigle and his kids, and 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker.
From left: Kevin Christie (Board of Education), Amy Wistreich (Planning & Zoning Commission), State Representative Jonathan Steinberg, State Senator Ceci Maher, Westport Pride co-presidents Brian McGunigle and Kayla Iannetta, State Representative Dominique Johnson, Connecticut Against Gun Violence chair Melissa Kane, StartUp Westport co-founder Peter Propp.
Temple Israel cantor Julia Cadrain, and assistant cantor Becky Mann.
If you’ve ever sat outside at Mrs. London’s, parked in the Baldwin lot near Church Lane, or had any reason to visit Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, you’ve seen the fenced in playground between the church and the Seabury Center next door.
Except, apparently, no one notices it.
Pam Kopack was the only reader to correctly identify last week’s image. (Click here to see.)
Other guesses included Haskins Preserve, Winslow Park, Earthplace, private homes, the Westport Library, Wakeman Town Farm, Riverside Park, and — close, but wrong pew — Green’s Farms Church.
It’s on now to this week’s Photo Challenge. If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/David Cross)
(Every Sunday, “06880” hosts this Photo Challenge. We challenge you too to support your hyper-local blog. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
A Westport woman faced a scary situation yesterday morning.
Working out at a fitness center in Southport, a heavy metal bar slammed down on the back of her head as she changed weights.
It felt like a bat smashed into her. She fell to the ground in pain.
But no one stopped to help. Not anyone exercising nearby; not one trainer.
She stumbled downstairs, only to be told at the front desk: “Sorry, the ice machine is broken. And there’s no first aid kit.” They offered her a seat, if she wanted.
One kind woman took a can from the drink cooler, and put it on her head.
The woman who was hurt wondered described the incident on social media, and wondered: Should she let it go, or pursue it with management?
Over 70 people replied. They offered smart suggestions — document everything; consult an attorney; ask for security camera footage; cancel your membership — as well as the most immediate advice: Go to a hospital! Get yourself checked out! You probably have a concussion.
Most impressive: 2 people offered to drive her to the hospital.
She replied that her husband was on top of things. But what a great thing to hear: that 2 complete strangers were willing to drop everything, and help.
That’s the upside of what could have been a very bad outcome.
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Gregg Jacobs reports:
“The boardwalk/bridge over the tidal gates at Sherwood Mill Pond started sagging a few days ago.
“As a result, Mill Pond was drained so the town could inspect the pilings. Several of them have rotted and are completely gone.
“Town employees inspecting it said it will need to be closed in the near future so they can install temporary supports, until the town finds the money to install new pilings and supports.”
Rotted pilings (Photo/Gregg Jacobs)
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Here’s a sight you don’t see every day:
(Photo/Stephen O’Shea)
Stephen O’Shea spotted this dolphin about 50 yards from the Compo Beach Hillspoint Road jetty, around 5:45 p.m. Saturday night.
Did anyone else see this cool-looking visitor?
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Here’s another animal story.
On Saturday, Westport animal control officer Peter Reid received a call from a resident about a mother cat and several kittens trapped in a storm drain at the entrance to a Post Road business.
He called the local cat rescue group to no avail.
Next was Westport Animal Shelter Advocates. Two volunteers found the mother and at least 3 kittens looking up at us from the bottom of the storm drain.
The heavy grate covering the drain prompted WASA to contact Police/Fire dispatch for assistance. Firefighter Eric La Riviere (a cat owner) and Chris Carroll of Engine Company #5 arrived quickly and removed the grate.
But the cats scurried further back into the drain pipe, which empties into a 12-foot well filled with water.
Peter Reid entered the storm drain. He could not see the feline family.
From left: Peter Reid, Eric La Riviere, Chris Carroll.
WASA is not a cat rescue organization. They do not have a variety of cat trap sizes, and this area is not large enough for a standard cat have-a-heart trap. The grate also presents an issue.
They wondered if a temporary cover or coned area could work.
After the grate was replaced, and the Fire Department and Animal Control left, the kittens came out to eat the canned food placed below by WASA.
Yesterday, WASA volunteers returned to the site. Jennifer Petrosinelli helped coordinate Fire Department help lifting and replacing the grates.
Traps were set, but none of the 5 kittens went in. WASA will try again this week, joined by cat-catching professionals from Animals in Distress in Wilton.
The rain is concerning because the kittens are too small to climb out of the drain but too big to be carried out by the mother cat. (Hat tip: Julie Loparo)
Cat, underneath grate.
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Tom Chapin comes to Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church on Sunday, September 22 (1 to 3 p.m.).
The singer/songwriter/storyteller headlines a “Family Fun Day.” Also on the bill: a bounce house, ice cream truck and face painting.
And … it’s all free!
Homes with Hope is a co-sponsor of the event.
Tom Chapin
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Whether you’re involved in youth sports as an athlete, coach or parent, or you’re just setting off fireworks (see photo below): clean up after yourselves!
The collage is from Wakeman Field. But it could be any facility in Westport.
(Photos/Richard Fogel)
Trash cans are there for a reason.
And if they’re not nearby, pick up what you brought, and dispose of it at home.
I mean, come on. Respect your town, and everyone else.
This is as basic as it gets.
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Bob Weingarten writes: “On Sunday morning I found that a large tree limb had fallen, and considered how to remove it.
“But a short time later I saw a deer eating its leaves. I hoped that deer would eat it all, but it was too large.”
He calls the photo: “Nature taking care of nature.”
I call it: today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
And finally … happy 76th birthday to Valerie Simpson.
Our former Cross Highway neighbor was known — with her husband Nick Ashford — as both a stellar songwriter team, and a hit performing duo.
(From dolphins and deer to one of our favorite duos, “06880” covers all of Westport — 24/7/365. If you enjoy our work, please click here to support our efforts. Thank you!)
Following Monday’s Planning & Zoning Commission vote approving plans to redesign the Parker Harding and Jesup Green parking lots, longtime Westport resident and civic volunteer Lawrence Weisman has launched a petition.
Its goal is to for Representative Town Meeting moderator Jeff Wieser to place on the agenda “the matter of how best to supplement and improve downtown parking.”
Westport is a vibrant town which owes great deal to its downtown and its merchants for whom adequate, convenient parking is a priority. The scheme which is making its way through the approvals process, involving an unnecessary complete restriping of the Parker Harding lot without loading spaces and with parallel (as opposed to angled) parking is inadequate and poorly conceived.
A parking deck on the Baldwin lot will provide additional parking in an easily accessible location at affordable cost without the need to encroach upon the town green. If you want to keep Westport vibrant, sign our petition so we can make the case to the RTM.
The petition to the RTM includes the idea of a parking deck on the Baldwin lot, off Elm Street.
Another Change.org petition — also opposing changes to Jesup Green and aimed at the RTM, though it does not seek an agenda item — was started by Tracy Porosoff. It says:
Save Jesup Green and mature, beautiful trees from being turned into parking spots!
As Dr. Seuss said, we must speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.
Please ask the RTM to reject the funding to convert 1/3 of Jesup Green, an inviting green, open space in the heart of downtown, into parking spots that the downtown merchants do not even want.
Turning this area into paved parking spots will only exacerbate existing flooding problems near the Saugatuck River.
This proposal is not a solution to Westport’s parking issues- it is a sad attempt to destroy our precious trees and open, green spaces. The Westport Library conducts story times in this area. Children play in this area. Birds build nests and rest in the leafy branches. People walk their dogs and sit outside and relax in the shade of these magnificent trees. Jesup Green has been a community meeting space for protest groups, Westport Youth Commission events and the annual Westport Library book sale.
Tell our RTM representatives to preserve Jesup Green and vote against cutting down trees to fund a Jesup parking lot.
Use your voice to keep Jesup Green green, open and beautiful for our town! Vote against funding the destruction of Jesup Green to create inconvenient, unwanted and environmentally unsustainable parking.
We must speak for the trees, which some people are chopping as fast as you please!
Jesup Green, looking south toward the Westport Library.
In the 6 years since the Parkland High School shooting, Fred Guttenberg has become one of America’s most prominent anti-gun violence advocates.
On May 21 (noon), he’s the guest speaker at CT Against Gun Violence’s spring benefit luncheon. He’ll discuss his — and his fellow activists’ — efforts to turn pain into purpose, as well his book “Find the Helpers: What 9/11 and Parkland Taught Me about Recovery, Purpose and Hope.”
Since its founding in 1993, CAGV has lobbied effectively for some of the strongest gun laws in the country.
They were behind Connecticut’s 1993 assault weapons ban, the 3rd in the nation. Since Sandy Hook, they’ve worked closely with the state legislature to enact universal background checks, an expanded assault weapons ban, and limits on large capacity magazines.
The Westport Sunrise Rotary Club is proud of its interesting guest speakers.
Next Friday (April 19, Green’s Farms Church), US Senator Richard Blumenthal takes the mic.
The public is invited. Coffee, bagels and muffins are served at 7 a.m.; the meeting begins at 7:45.
Senator Richard Blumenthal
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Speaking of politics: Congratulations to the Staples High School Class of 2024!
On Wednesday, the Westport League of Women Voters registered 112 seniors who will turn 18 by Election Day (November 5). Another 15-2 took home forms to complete there.
Last year, 57 seniors registered. So the Class of ’24 set a Staples LWV single-day voter registration record — by a landslide.
Och and oy! Alan Cumming and Ari Shapiro are a powerful 1-2 punch.
The Scottish actor (“Cabaret,” “The Good Wife”) and American journalist and singer (NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Pink Martini) join forces for an evening of entertainment at the Westport Country Playhouse.
The November 22 event is called “Och & Oy.” The title pays homage to Cumming’s Scottish and Shapiro’s Jewish roots.
The show combines the best bits of public radio and a musical, with “deep, thought-provoking conversations and also entertaining, perhaps slightly bawdy, musical numbers.” It’s a mix of songs, Q&A and personal storytelling.
Click here for tickets (on sale at 1 p.m. today), and more information.
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The Westport Weston Family YMCA is all about health for all — especially youth.
So it’s a no-brainer for them to invite everyone to Healthy Kids Day (April 27, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
Part of a national Y program, Healthy Kids Day highlights the importance of nutritious eating, physical activity, mental resilience, and developing lifelong healthy habits.
The event includes mini-classes, food trucks with healthy options, a bounce house, water safety demonstrations, and community vendors and partners.
The “swirling, ethereal” voices of Lyyra Ensemble’s women’s choral comes to Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church on Sunday, April 21 (5 p.m.).
The repertoire includes jazz, folk and classical pieces. Afterward, attendees can meet the singers at a special reception.
Tickets are available at the door, or by clicking here.
Lyyra
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There are garage sales.
And then there is MoCA and Designport’s “Upscale Garage Sale.” It’s set for May 4 (noon to 4 p.m.), at MoCA Westport.
Interior designers, stagers and local shops will join together to “spring clean” excess inventory at discounted prices — for example, furniture pieces like end tables, dining chairs and ottomans), tableware, vases, lamps, pillows, accessories, throws, frames, small rugs, coffee table books and more.
Upscale Garage Sale sellers include Apadana Fine Rugs, Kerri Rosenthal, House of Prim, The Post, The Rath Project, House of Huck, Maison Sheik, Smart Playrooms and Innate Studios.
A “Drop In Kids’ Art Studio” will entertain youngsters. There’s also music by LeRoy Decker.
There is a suggested $10 donation. Click here for more information.
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Molly Doe Wensberg.is Sorelle Gallery’s new featured artist. Her abstract landscapes of New England scenery — from rolling hills to coastal sunsets — are on view through May 4.
The show opens tomorrow (Saturday). Click here for more information about her work.
Westport resident and tennis aficionado Christian Le Brun died Saturday at home. He was 56, and had been diagnosed 22 months earlier with glioblastoma brain cancer.
Born in Buenos Aires, he grew up in Scarsdale, New York. He played tennis for Scarsdale High School and Lehigh University, and met his wife Oona on the tennis courts of Roosevelt Island.
A voracious competitor, Chris had a rich social life built around tennis. He spent many hours while ill watching the Tennis Channel, with a sprinkling of news. He also played canasta with his sister and parents.
His family says, “Chris was a stylish and elegant man, tall and slim, always impeccably groomed. On the work front he was unusual: a lawyer who loved being a lawyer.”
After working in New York for Chadbourne & Parke, Chris joined Orbcomm as general counsel in 2005. He played a key strategic role through an IPO, multiple satellite launches, 12 acquisitions and a go-private transaction.
His family says, “Chris loved family dinners with his wife and 1 boys, taking long walks with Oona and their chocolate lab Latte, and playing as much tennis as his busy schedule would allow.”
In addition to his wife and sons Nicolas and Jacque, Chris is survived by his parents Yves and Ana, brothers Lee and Paul, and sister Ceci.
A memorial service is set for on April 22 (2 p.m., Greens Farms Congregational Church). Click here to leave online condolences.
To honor Chris’s love for tennis, his family encourage donations to OTA, which supports underprivileged children in Cameroon through tennis and education.
And finally … happy birthday to Herbie Hancock! The jazz great is 84 years old today.
(And finally … every day, “06880” brings news of upcoming shows, talks, gallery openings and every other event imaginable. Please click here to support our wide-ranging blog. Thanks for your help!)
The New England Music Hall of Fame has a new member: Charlie Karp.
The Staples High School Class of 1971 member — who left school to play with Buddy Miles, then worked with Jimi Hendrix and Keith Richards, wrote songs for Joan Jett and Joe Perry, before returning home to earn a fanatic following with bands like Dirty Angels, White Chocolate, Slo Leak and the Namedroppers, while simultaneously earning Emmys as a producer of music for sports networks, documentaries and feature films, and becoming a guitar teaching mentor to generations of aspiring young stars — was inducted posthumously.
Karp died in 2019, a few weeks after being diagnosed with liver cancer.
The ceremony was led, fittingly, by Brian Keane. A Staples classmate (and friend since Coleytown Junior High) — and himself a Grammy-winning artist, songwriter and producer — he and Karp often collaborated on musical projects. (Hat tip: Fred Cantor)
Brian Kean (left) and Charlie Karp. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
Westport’s rainbow crosswalk was installed yesterday, by the Department of Public Works.
As the photo below shows, this one will last quite a while. It replaces the temporary one laid down in June on Jesup Road at Taylor Place, to celebrate Pride Month.
This crosswalk — funded by private donations — will be dedicated at 1 p.m. October 11: National Coming Out Day.
Nearly 80 members and guests of the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston enjoyed a tour of an architectural landmark on Sunday.
Fellow Y’s Man Win Allen opened his historic home on Burritt’s Landing North.
He’s notable too. Allen founded the first Black-owned broker dealer firm on Wall Street. His book “I Pried Open Wall Street in 1962” chronicles his journey.
He and his late wife Ruby bought their home in 1975. Built in 1957, it was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s protégé Roy Binkley. His Wikipedia entry mentions the Allen House in Westport — listed on the National Register of Historic Places — as one of his masterpieces.
Allen told the Y’s men that Marilyn Monroe spent months in the house as a guest of director Lee Strasberg, when he conducted workshops for prominent actors there.
Win Allen’s landmark home ..,
… and Allen (center) with his guests. (Photos/Dave Matlow)
The Westport Farmers’ Market is a Thursday tradition for shoppers of all ages.
Including the youngest.
Each week, the WFM’s “Get Growing” program includes a craft or activity for kids and toddlers. It introduces them early to the importance of shopping locally and sustainably.
Program leader Mae Farrell loves interacting with kids and their families, while providing a fun place to visit.
As the program grows, so has its need for craft items. On October 12 and 19, WFM hosts a craft material drive. They’re looking for cheese cloth, paper, pom pons, markers, crayons, shells, toilet paper rolls, mini wooden ornament slabs, cookie cutters, felt, dried beans and lentils, ribbon, clay, washable paints, paper straws and white paper plates.
The Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Imperial Avenue parking lot.
Little kids love the Farmers’ Market. (Photo/Margaret Kraus)
Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church’s new “Music & Arts” year kicks off this Saturday (October 7), with an afternoon of all things Celtic.
Attendees will enjoy Irish dancing, learn to play a bodhran, and discover other Celtic activities for all ages. All activities are free, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.; everyone is invited.
At 4:30, a concert in Branson Hall features Ringrose and Freeman, accompanied by Loretta Murphy on accordion and Mary Gardner on bodhran. Food, drink and s’mores follow at the fire pit.
Tickets for the concert are $35 for adults; children are free. Click here to purchase.
Speaking of music: One of Jazz at the Post’s most popular performers — Westport’s own Melissa Newman — returns this Thursday (October 5; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner begins at 7; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; $15 cover; reservations: JazzatthePost@gmail.com).
The Westporter will be joined by guitarist Tony Lombardozzi, bassist Phil Bowler and drummer Bobby Leonard.
Another iconic Westporter — internationally best-selling author Jane Green — takes the Sacred Heart University Theatre stage this winter.
She’ll be Chris Sarandon’s guest on his podcast, “Cooking by Heart.” The “worlds of literature and gastronomy (will) converge in a symphony of flavors, anecdotes, and inspiration” as she and Sarandon talk about childhood memories, share recipes, and chat about their culinary creations.
Scott Smith writes: “I was in the yard this weekend after Friday’s deluge and took these photos. Fungi were on the logs that enclose my compost heap.
“What strikes me about the mushroom colonies is how similar in structure they are to mineral formations and coral reefs, though I bet Mother Nature already knew that. The ephemeral bulbs sprout up in the yard this time of year. Life blossoms even as the decay and decomposition of fall sets in.”
And finally … if you never heard Charlie Karp (story above), click the videos below.
And if you are a Charlie Karp fan, here are a few memories to enjoy.
(Music, the Farmers’ Market, real estate, downtown — it’s all part of the daily “06880” mix. If you enjoy our daily “Roundup,” please support our work. Just click here to contribute. Thank you!)
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