This is a big year for Westport civic centennials.
Last month, the Rotary Club celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding.
This month, it’s the Westport Garden Club’s turn.
April marks one full century since 10 Westporters — 8 women and 2 men — met, at the suggestion of Nevada Hitchcock and Amelia Cutler, to form a garden club.
Two months later, in June, 19 more women were recommended for membership. They included names that are still familiar: Wakeman, Coley, Bradley and Staples.
Sara Crawford, Connecticut’s first female Secretary of the State, was an early member too.
Garden Club founders Nevada Hitchcock and Amelia Cutler.
The club’s first project was the installation of a memory garden at Christ & Holy Trinity Church.
Since then, the Westport Garden Club has been deeply involved in the community, and environmental concerns around the state.
Projects include:
Establishment of the Connecticut College Arboretum
Founding of the Connecticut State Federation of Garden Clubs (which now numbers 114 clubs and 6,000 members)
Tree and shrub plantings along the Merritt Parkway
The first-ever “Clean-up Westport” day, in 1962
Creation of Grace K. Salmon Park on Imperial Avenue, site of a former dump
Projects at Town Hall, the Westport Library, Earthplace and the Westport Museum for History & Culture.
Longtime Westport Garden Club member Winnie Balboni, at Grace Salmon Park.
The passion and mission of the 60 Westport Garden Club members in 2024 remains the same as the founders’ in 1924: to further interest in and knowledge of gardening, horticulture, landscaping and floral design; participate in civic beautification, and promote conservation and environmental education.
The anniversary month kicks off with an open meeting today (Thursday, April 4, 1:30 p.m., St. Luke Church). In observance of a recent project — the Westport Pollinator Pathway, launched in 2019 with Earthplace and the Wakeman Town Farm — Geordie Elkins will discuss “The Essential Role of Native Plants in our Landscape.” Attendees should RSVP: westportctgardenclub@gmail.com.
Westport Garden Club members beautify downtown …
The Westport Garden Club celebrates Earth Day and National Poetry Month at the Westport Library on April 28 (2 p.m.). Winners of the club’s Youth Poetry Contest will read and participate in a workshop with town poet laureate Jessica Noyes McEntee inspired by the theme “I Spy with My Little Eye… Something Green.”
The annual plant sale is Saturday, May 11 (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Jesup Green) It features over 1,000 homegrown perennial plants from members’ own gardens, with a special section of Connective native plants, tomatoes and herbs. Special this year: a collection of unique peonies.
There is also a selection of decorative container gardens, gifts for Mother’s Day and more.
… and clean up Grace Salmon Park.
As always, the club will mark in the Memorial Day parade.
Save the date for the Garden Club’s 100th anniversary flower show, “Westport’s Town Treasures.” It’s September 28, at Saugatuck Congregational Church.
All year long, when you’re at the entrance to Compo Beach, or pass the Nevada Hitchcock Garden (corner of Cross Highway and Weston Road) or Cam’s Garden in Old Hill on Winding Lane, you can see the club’s work.
The Westport Garden Club always welcomes new members. The only requirement is an interest in gardening and community.
(For more information on the Westport Garden Club, click here. For a history of the club’s first 90 years, click here.)
A great new summer event has just been added to Westport’s calendar.
On Sunday, July 28, Soundview Drive will be closed to vehicles. The beach exit road will turn into a street fair, with live music, kids’ activities (face painting, balloon artists, etc.), food, fun and more.
The first annual “Soundview Summer Stroll” is a collaboration between “06880” and the Compo Beach Improvement Association.
We’re throwing a party. And the entire town is invited!
The idea came from the July 4th fireworks, when vehicular traffic is prohibited starting in late afternoon.
“06880” wondered: Why not celebrate summer the same way another day too?
Compo residents Sunil Hirani and Kristin Mott Purcell loved the concept, and got the ball rolling. The Parks & Recreation Department and Police offered their insights and ideas.
Yesterday morning, the Board of Selectwomen approved the idea unanimously.
More details will be announced soon. For now: Get ready to stroll!
Soundview Drive before the fireworks. On July 28, it will again be closed to traffic, for the “Summer Stroll.” (Photo/Diane Yormark)
It’s May 11, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Jesup Green). In addition to home-grown perennials, native plants, vegetables and herbs, there are Mother’s Day garden-themed gifts, creative planters, baked goods and fresh bouquets.
Last year, the Garden Club moved the long-running event from Friday to Saturday. That drew a whole new crowd of families.
This is the 100th anniversary of the Westport Garden Club. It’s also the “Year of the Peony,” so there will be plenty of those flowers for sale too.
The state Department of Transportation will hold a virtual meeting April 16 (7 p.m.), to provide information on the proposed rehabilitation of the Saugatuck railroad bridge.
Work would include the mechanical and electrical systems responsible for lifting and lowering the span. Construction is expected to begin the fall of 2025.
Dartmouth College just received a huge gift: $150 million, from the estate of Glenn Britt. The former president and CEO of Time Warner Cable died in 2014; his wife Barbara passed away last year.
Both lived for many years on Long Lots Road, in the house once owned by Harry Reasoner — and before that, Nat and Lee Greenberg (who rented it one year to Elizabeth Taylor). In Westport, the Britts were very generous supporters of Earthplace.
The bequest — the largest dedicated entirely to scholarship in Dartmouth’s history — will enable it to raise its annual family income threshold for a “zero parent contribution” for undergraduates from $65,000 to $125,000, Forbes says.
Glenn Britt graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth, with a degree in economics. He also received an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business.
About 350 undergraduates will receive the new Britt Scholarships. Click here for the full Forbes story. (Hat tip: Joan Gillman)
Glenn Britt
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“Burst-Goldtop Believers” — a Facebook group dedicated to guitar aficionados — celebrated yesterday’s 56th anniversary of Cream’s Staples High School concert with this post about Eric Clapton (he was playing a Goldtop).
Comments ranged from “the guitar is a 56 because of that bridge” to “Westport, where?”
Eric Clapton with Cream, at Staples: March 27, 1968.
Elsewhere on Facebook — “Remembering Concerts at the Pinecrest & Other Fairfield County venues” — Matthew Mandell spotted this post:
For more on that concert — and many other bands that played at Staples in the 1960s and ’70s — click here.
Westport Police made 4 custodial arrests between March 20 and 27.
A man was charged with violation of a protective order, following a domestic disturbance.
Another man was arrested for disorderly conduct, following a domestic disturbance in which the victim was pushed, striking their head on a radiator.
A man was charged with larceny, after a shoplifting complaint from HomeGoods.
“06880” previously reported the arrest of a man for reckless driving, engaging police in pursuit, resisting arrest, burglary and larceny, and conspiracy to commit burglary and larceny, following a motor vehicle theft in the Compo Beach area. Two juveniles were also involved in that incident.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 9 citations
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 4
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 4
Failure to obey state traffic control signals: 3
Speeding: 1
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 1
Failure to obey stop sign: 1
Failure to display lights: 1
Failure to return license plates: 1
Failure to renew registration: 1
Larceny: 1
Possession of a vicious dog: 1
Possession of a vicious dog is a misdemeanor. Angela Simpson’s print does not show a vicious dog.
Speaking of guitarists: Unforeseen circumstances have forced the postponement of Jon Gailmor’s songwriting workshop at the Weston History & Culture Center.
Jon sends his regrets to young musicians in the area, and hopes to reschedule soon.
A few spots remain for La Plage’s 3-course prix fixe Easter menu.
Click here for the menu. The price is $95 per person, $55 for young adults. Reservations are required: 203-684-6232.
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Former Westporter David Feliciano died earlier this month in Florida. He was 75, and had been in hospice care.
The native of Puerto Rico had a career in law enforcement.
He is survived by his wife of 30 years Lorraine, and son Brian; sister Claire Beam; grandchildren Amanda (Hamilton) and Christopher, and great-grandchild Carter. He was predeceased by his grandson David.
A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Naples, Florida on April 3 (10 a.m.). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice.
David Feliciano
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The birds are back!
This one took a rest from building a nest in one of Laurie Sorensen’s trees, to pose for a “Westport … Naturally” photo:
Shearwater Coffee Bar– the Westport outpost of the Fairfield shop, in what was formerly Bertucci’s and, long before that, the Clam Box — closed permanently yesterday.
Word on the street is that it will be replaced by Greenology, a New Canaan vegan spot.
The 1st annual Staples Tuition Grants Fun Run — for youngsters in grades 3 through 5 — is set for April 6 (8 to 10 a.m., Paul Lane Field at Staples). Registration is just $25.
All proceeds benefit STG. Last year the organization awarded $407,000 to 116 students, in grants ranging from $1,000 to $7,500.
The morning includes races, a bounce house, face painting, temporary tattoos, a bake sale and raffle.
Medals will be awarded to winners at each age level.
The STG Fun Run is the brainchild of Staples junior Alexis Krenzer. She wanted to do something good and fun for her community, with a theme of “kids helping kids.”
Alexis got Sara Hollard Sports to coordinate the races, and rallied other students to help. Over 30 volunteers will work with the children that day. Others have been involved, for example creating the logo.
Staples cheerleaders will lend their support too, while and SCI mentors — a group encouraging kids to learn about science — lead the bake sale.
Click here to register for the run. Information can be found on Instagram (@stgfunrun).
Earthplace’s 3rd annual Beer Garden & Tasting is not just for adults.
The Arbor Day “Toast to the Trees” event (April 27, 4 to 6 p.m.) includes sparkling beverages and arts and crafts for kids, and beer tastings for those over 21, along a self-guided trail walk.
Then everyone gathers in the Beer Garden for s’mores, lawn games, food trucks, and beers for purchase.
The Staples High School Class of 1971 graduate is an attorney, theatrical producer (“All Good Things”) and short film producer.
“The High School That Rocked!” explored the magical years when great bands — The Doors, Yardbirds, Cream, Remains — played at Staples.
Cantor’s latest documentary is “It’s a Hollywood Life!” The half-hour film focuses on longtime Westport resisdent Susan Granger’s 80-plus years connected to the movie business. (Spoiler alert: She started in childhood, appearing with some of the biggest stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood.)
The Ridgefield Independent Film Festival will screen Cantor’s movie May 18. Immediately after, there’s a Q-and-A with Granger, Keir Dullea, Mia Dillon, and directors, Laurie Valentina Gomez Acosta and Maya Weldon-Lagrimas.
The Super Bowl drive led by Westport Sunrise Rotary and the Westport Police Department at Stop & Shop brought in 600 bags of groceries, and nearly $1,200 in donations.
The food will last for several months at Homes with Hope’s pantry.
Homes with Hope CEO Helen McAlinden thanks all who participated, on behalf of the many recipients.
Presenting a symbolic check at the recent Sunrise Rotary meeting (from left): Liz Wong, Sunrise Rotary president; Officer Craig Bergamo, Westport Police; Rob Hauck, Sunrise Rotary; Helen McAlinden, Homes with Hope CEO; Paris Looney, Homes with Hope vice president; Officer Scott Thompson, Westport Police.
As the FCIAC (league) finalist Staples High boys basketball team prepares for the first round of the state tournament this week, they invite Westporters to the school gym today (Sunday, March 3).
From 9:45 to 11:30 this morning, the Wreckers’ practice is open to the public.
From 4 to 5:15 p.m., shooting coach Dave Hopla will offer one of his legendary clinics.
From 5:15 to 6 p.m., Staples coaches and booster club representatives will discuss the team’s program. Future Wreckers will have a chance to play games, and shoot with current varsity stars.
The cost is $50 per family (Venmo: @staplesboysbasketball). Youth players receive a Staples basketball March Madness t-shirt.
Meanwhile, the team’s silent auction continues through 8 p.m. tonight. Click here to bid on sports and Broadway tickets, Staples “fan experiences” and more.
Proceeds help fund program improvements, including a shooting machine, strength and conditioning program, game jerseys, etc.
Diners at Jeera Thai got an extra treat the other day.
Joining them at the popular downtown restaurant were members of Lyyra. The 6-woman ensemble pushes the boundaries of treble choral, jazz. pop and folk music, as they redefine the entire genre of treble music.
They’ll perform at Christ & Holy Trinity Church on April 21 (5 p.m.; click here for tickets), and the Westport Library April 23 (7 p.m.; click here for tickets). The Library performance is a partnership with local high schools, and feature a mass choir with all students singing alongside Lyyra, and plus a solo set for Lyyra.
Meanwhile, click here for a video of Lyyra entertaining the surprised, but grateful, diners at Jeera Thai.
And finally … on this date in 1923, Time magazine published its first issue.
(If you’ve never supported “06880” — but enjoy our 24/7/365 coverage of all things Westport — now might be the “time.” Please click here, to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
The Ithaca College junior sports media major earned a spot at the Las Vegas media row.
He was a 3-time John Drury National High School Radio Award winner (best play-by-play, sports talk and news feature) at Staples High School) for his work at WWPT-FM, while at Staples High School.
Manna was selected to work the first-ever ESPN Sports Kidcast. He covers a variety of sports for Ithaca and Cornell University, and recently won 2 College Broadcaster Inc. awards.
He is active too with the Ithaca Youth Bureau, coaching after-school football, basketball and baseball, and assists with arts and crafts and homework at a local elementary school.
Congratulations, Cam. “06880” is following your career with interest and pride.
Herm Freeman is the Westport Book Shop’s artist exhibitor for February. His recent landscapes — inspired by Cezanne, Soutine and villages in the south of France — are on display at the Jesup Road store throughout the month.
Freeman has taught art in Connecticut schools since 1973, and exhibited works throughout the US and Europe for over 40 years.
And finally … today is National Thank a Mailman Day.
Kind of weird that it comes on the one day a week when the mail is not delivered, right? I’m just sayin’ …
(“06880” is your hyper-local blog. You can support us by mail — or credit card, PayPal, Venmo or Zelle. Just click here for all the options. We will email our thanks. Or mail it to you, if you’d like.)
Yesterday’s “06880” Unsung Hero award came from Marty Yellin. The 84-year-old fell into a creek by his house, and was 15 minutes from possible death when he was saved by the Westport Police and Fire Departments, and Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service.
Marty did not have the names of those who helped.
Chief Foti Koskinas does. He writes:
“First and foremost we are extremely grateful as a department that Mr. Yellin is doing well ,and we were able to get to him in time.
“Two of the officers who responded to the incident are currently in their field training program, as they are new officers. Officer Melissa Bike was with field training officer Greg Gunther, and Officer Ryan Kardamis was with field training officer Taylor Field. The supervisor on scene was Sergeant Richard Bagley.
“It’s calls like these that our new officers get to see the level of expectation that we have of them, and how we value human life and how we treat people.
“This was truly a team effort in getting Mr. Yellin to the ambulance safely, without further injury in a timely manner .
“Westport EMS staff on scene: Crew chief James Schwartz, Westport Volunteer EMT David Harmston; Norwalk Hospital paramedic Marcos Rodriguez.
“Westport firefighters on scene: Lieutenant Kevin Dumas; firefighters Ron Burgess, Chris Carroll, Ryan Farrell,m Liz Ferguson.
The final installment of the Westport Library’s Short Cuts Film Festival will be entertaining, thought=provoking — and wide-ranging
Award-winning short films from the US, China, Canada, France and Australia will be screened next Thursday (January 18, 7 p.m.; $26.50; popcorn and refreshments provided).
All were curated from the Tribeca Film Festival. They include:
Chat Mort (Dead Cat) (Canada), a humorous look at parents trying to protect their daughter from the truth about her cat.
Sealed Off (China, Macau, US), set in 1940s-occupied Shanghai during an air raid lockdown.
Et Maintenant? (What Next?) (France), about a ballet dancer who ages out after 30 years.
Shadow Brother Sunday (US) about a sibling rivalry.
Blood (Australia), a sensitive look at Tamil customs around fertility and menstruation.
Audience members can ask questions after the show.
“Good Witch/Bad Witch” — a concert by artists who played the roles of Glinda and Elphaba in Broadway’s “Wicked” — is set for the Westport Country Playhouse stage.
There are 2 shows on Saturday, January 20: 3 and 7:30 p.m.
The show features vocals and banter by Alli Mauzey and Dee Roscioli. In addition to “Wicked” music, the performance features songs from “Frozen,” “Funny Girl” and more.
“I’d like to salute whoever trains the checkout team at Trader Joe’s.
“My cart this morning included 2 six-packs of beer. The checker politely asked me for ID.
“At the age of 78 I was at first surprised, then flattered, to be considered under age.
“So I tipped my hat, revealing a mature hairline, but provided my driver’s license just in case. Being carded made my day, which is probably why TJ has its staff pick out the random grown-up for special attention.”
Combining hands-on learning and art, Earthplace and Silvermine Arts Center together create a memorable experience for 2nd and 4th grade students from 4 Bridgeport elementary schools.
Youngsters from Wilbur Cross, Dunbar, Hallen and Beardsley travel to Earthplace to experience the great outdoors with naturalists, and meet resident animals. Earthplace’s lesson plans are aligned with state standards, and augment the school curriculum.
Silvermine Arts Center Outreach then visits the students in their classrooms to create mixed media artwork that helps reinforce new knowledge and vocabulary.
Artwork from this initiative is on display at Earthplace through the end of January.
In 2014, Team Velominati has raised funds for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They do it through the Pan-Mass Challenge, a great event that crosses the state of Massachusetts. Since the Challenge began, participants from across the country have raised nearly $1 billion,
Team Veelominati does it in conjunction with Coastal Bridge Advisors, the Westport-based investment firm. Last year, the team raised more than $560,000.
This year’s goal: $1 million.
The kickoff comes Monday (Jaunary 15, 6:30 p.m., 54 Wilton Road), at an event hosted by Coastal Bridge founding partner and Westporter Bill Loftus.
The event includes food, beverages, and a presentation about the team and the Pan-Mass Challenge. For more information, email dchilds@coastalbridgeadvisors.com.
Team Velominati, in 2022.
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Turkey vultures fill the sky, in today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature. These were spotted above Bayberry Lane, at Long Lots Road:
One of the first compelling events of the new year is set for next Wednesday (January 10, 7:30 p.m.).
Chabad of Westport sponsors an evening of hope and inspiration. Esther Basch — the Honey Girl of Auschwitz — will tell her gripping story of survival and resilience. At 95, she is one of the world’s few remaining Auschwitz survivors.
Esther was transported to the death camp on her 16th birthday in a cattle car. she later faced a death march to the Salzwedel concentration Camp, where she was liberated by American soldiers in April 1945.
Despite the horrors she experienced, Esther’s unshakable faith and universal love for humankind helped her survive, then motivated her to share her story globally.
The event is part of Chabad’s new “Critical Conversation Series,” addressing contemporary Jewish and timely issues.
The RTM Long Range Planning Committee takes its charge seriously.
On the agenda for its next meeting (January 11, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall Room 201): “Overview of climate change and how it will affect Westport.”
In the past few years we’ve seen heavier rains and stronger winds than usual. That leads to greater flooding.
Still to come: rising sea levels. And who knows what else.
Hopefully, the RTM — and other town bodies — will help us be ready.
Parker Harding Plaza, in October. (Photo/Eliza Barr)
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Speaking of climate: Whatever snow we get this weekend probably won’t be enough to snowshoe in. The 3 sets that Earthplace rents ($10 an hour) will have to wait.
But the non-profit science, conservation and education center offers plenty more too, for children, teenagers, adults and families.
Their seasonal program guide includes information on their naturalist programs and events, plus camp offerings. Click here to view and register. Some sessions start next week.
A muffed punt with less than a minute to go almost cost Michigan its College Football Playoff semifinal game against Alabama on New Year’s Day.
But the play — involving Wolverine punt returner Jake Thaw, the 2020 Staples High School graduate who made the most of his walk-on success at UM — was described this way in yesterday’s Detroit Free Press: “Those on the outside saw a senior making a near-catastrophic play.
“Those on the inside saw a game-saving play that propelled U-M to the national championship game.”
In a conference call previewing next Monday’s title clash with Washington (January 8, 7:30 p.m., ESPN), quarterback J.J. McCarthy said: “I think it was tremendous the way (Thaw) handled the situation.
“The way he handled it and not freaking out once the ball was going towards the end zone and accidentally kicking it or muffing it again and making sure he didn’t fumble it when he got hit by those three guys.
“There’s a lot of good that he did in that scary situation that I feel like needs to be appreciated, and that’s just a testament to our training and the mindset that we’ve forged over the last year.” (Click here for the full Free Press story. Hat tip: Pete Wolgast)
Jake Thaw, just before fielding Alabama’s punt on Monday.
Lifelong Westporter Mary Ann Andronaco died December 31 at Yale New Haven Hospital. She was 76.
A graduate of Central Catholic High School in Norwalk, she worked at Morehouse Barlow in Norwalk, where she met her husband Joseph of 46 years.
She also enjoyed teaching religious education for many years at Assumption parish.
Mary Ann was a breast cancer survivor for over 30 years, and supported the Sherwood Island walk.
She is survived by her husband; daughters Toni-Ann, Tracey, Meghan Terwilliger (Christopher), and beloved dogs Molly and Cammie.
She was preceded by aunts, uncles, and pets Tabby, Rory and Maggie.
A funeral will be held Monday, January 8 (Assumption Church, 11 a.m. for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will follow in Assumption Cemetery on Greens Farms Road.
And finally … on this day in 1933, construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge.
When it was completed 4 years later, it was both the longest and tallest suspension bridge in the world,
Local connection: Richie Havens gave several concerts here, in venues like the Westport Country Playhouse and Westport Arts Center. Memorably, he filled in for the Blues Project at Staples High School, when the band was tied up for several extra hours in a New York recording studio.
(Every day, “06880” offers an intriguing mix of stories of our town’s past, present and future. Please click here to support our efforts. Thank you!)
The former Staples High and Long Lots Elementary School staff member, kids’ and adults’ yoga teacher and meditation leader (at schools, the Senior Center, YMCA and Christ & Holy Trinity Church), and longtime Westport resident, is just 63 years old, and in excellent health otherwise.
Her family has a history of chronic kidney disease. Her son and daughter are not eligible to donate, because they’re at risk of the disease. Her siblings have compromised kidneys too.
A kidney from a living donor has a much higher success rate than waiting 5 to 7 years for a deceased donor kidney. At 15% function, and stage 5 kidney failure, she would have to go on dialysis before one would become available. She watched her father suffer through that.
Testing is easy. It involves an EKG, bloodwork, stress test and colonoscopy.
Even if you don’t match with Maria, your donation starts an exchange program. She could get another matching kidney, from someone who donated on another person’s behalf.
Call Yale New Haven Hospital (866-925-3897, option 1) to find out more about donation. Give Maria’s name as the recipient.
This one snuck up on us: Tonight (Friday, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.) is the annual Wakeman Town Farm holiday tree lighting.
In addition to the lights, there are home-baked cookies, treats and hot chocolate from The Porch and Sweet P Bakery — plus a bonfire, and local musicians.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Bill Constantino — a Wakeman family member — do the lighting honors.
The 2021 Wakeman Town Farm tree. (Photo/Dan Woog
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Don’t forget: Tomorrow (Saturday) is the day for the “06880”/Westport Downtown Association Holiday Stroll! Its’ 5 to 7 p.m., up and down Main Street, plus Church Street and the Post Road.
It’s a great, family- and kids-friendly way to ring in December.
The Holiday Stroll is very family friendly. There’s a visit from Santa, costumed characters, a photo booth, holiday music from the Orphenians, caroling (beginning at Sconset Square) and more. Youngsters can drop off letters to Santa too (he’ll personally answer each one, with a self-addressed envelope).
Meanwhile, another 8 merchants have signed on. That brings the total to a whopping 60 stores, restaurants and more who will hand out goodies, offer discounts, or find other creative ways to welcome Strollers.
New additions include Cloud Nine Designers, Cold Fusion Gelato, Courtgirl, Club Sweat, Middlemarch, Moxie Salon & Beauty, Penfield Collective, and State & Liberty Clothing.
Here are the treats:
Arogya Holistic Healing & Tea: Hot tea to go
Artistex Salon & Spa: Buy 1, get 2 free; sale on service packages
Awesome Toys & Gifts: Giveaway (TBD)
Basso Restaurant & Wine Bar: 15% off for guests mentioning the “06880” Stroll (seating between 4 and 6 p.m.)
Birddogs: Free duffle bag with any 5-pair purchase
Bobbles & Lace: wine and Bobbles Bucks
Bond Vet: Swag and treats
Castle Wine & Spirits: Expert wine pairings, with hand-picked selections
Clarendon Fine Art: Bubbly, tasty treats, décor and music; framed, limited edition still life from Tim Fowler (valued at $300)
Cloud Nine Designers: Holiday beverages
Club Sweat: 3 weeks of classes for $69
Cold Fusion Gelato: Free chocolates
Cove Collective: 10% off; wine, champagne and a sweet treat
Courtgirl: 20% off storewide
Crafty Kids: TBA
Don Memo: Festive holiday beverage
Fred: Holiday treats
Gogi Steakhouse: $40 vouchers for dine-in customers
Gordon Fine Arts: Light hospitality and hot mulled cider
Hummingbird Healing Center: Discounted Harmonic Egg session of $99.99; free gift to everyone visiting the center on the 2nd floor
J. Crew: Free pair of cashmere socks, and discount of 15% with any purchase of $125 or more; free tee with every 2 purchased; free tech hat with every 3 purchased; long-sleeve tee or water bottle with every 4
Jeweled Coquette: 14K gold “express” permanent bracelet for $100; hot cocoa bar
Johnny Was: GWP while supplies last; raffle to win a $250 gift card
Kerri Rosenthal: 20% of all KR products; rosé and Prosecco
La Plage: 10% off when you mention the Stroll
Le Rouge Artisan: White chocolate raspberry hot chocolate
Lomito: Peruvian-style hot chocolate with Peruvian paneton or rotisserie chicken mini-sandwich
Maxine Salon & Beauty: $20 voucher for any service (except blowouts, men’s/kids and retail); 20% off R & Co. retail products; 10% off all other retail products
Mexicue: Happy hour drinks: house margarita $8.50; wine by the glass $8; beer $5
Middlemarch: Raffle for $250 gift card, with purchase
Naturino Kids Shoes & More: 25% off single item all day long
Nômade: Firepit to make your own s’mores
Offline by Aerie: 30% off select items; free yoga mat or water bottle with a booked appointment
Party Harty: 10% of all Westport-related merchandise
Penfield Collective: Prosecco
Rhone: Holiday cheer, wellness and gift giving
Rive Bistro: Festive cocktail
Ron Lakek Gallery: 20% off all framed photos, plus wine and chocolate
Rowan: Free pair of earrings with purchase of $75 or more
Savvy + Grace: A “north Pole” mailbox for kids’ letters to Santa; holiday cookies
Scout & Molly’s: 20% off total purchase
Serendipity Labs: Complimentary week of co-working
Sorelle Gallery: 20% off in store, all day
South Moon Under: 20% off when you spend $100 or more
State & Liberty Clothing: 10-15% off bulk purchases of shirts and pants
Stretch Zone: Stretches and free stretch vouchers
The Tailored Home & Studio Café: Complimentary Santa’s cookies and hot chocolate; 50% off on all pillows
Town of Weston Ukraine Sister City Partnership: Apple cider, water, bracelets, ornaments
Toy Post: Free giveaway to children
Vince: 15% off full price merchandise when you sign up for texts
Vivid Cottage: 5 free holiday cards with purchase
Walrus Alley: Happy hour prices
WEST: $50 gift card for holiday shopping, through December 31
West/Out East: Prosecco and presents
Westport Book Shop: free gift with purchase, and coupon valid through December 31
Westport Country Playhouse: Buy 1 ticket for “A Sherwood Carol,” get 1 free (December 22 2 p.m. or December 23 7 p.m. shows)
Whip Salon: $10 gift card for stopping to say hi (18 and over); holiday treats
Williams Sonoma: Hot apple cider and peppermint bark
Winfield Street Coffee: $3 hot chocolates with candy canes
Merchants and restaurants wishing to participate should click here, to fill out an online form.
There will be vendor booths too, including Tend, Stretch Zone, SugarKrisp and Westport is the Bestport. Non-profit booths like Homes with Hope and MOSS will also be in attendance. Sponsors David Adams Realty and SCA Crowley make it all possible.
A serious Santa conversation, at last year’s Stroll. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Stew Leonard’s community menorah lighting celebration is next Thursday (December 7, 5 p.m.).
It’s the 32nd annual family-friendly event for “the world’s largest dairy store,” which began life as a Clover Farms milk vending machine in Saugatuck.
Rabbi Yehoshua Hecht of Beth Israel Chabad will light an 18-foot menorah, followed by live music, holiday songs and pre-packaged kosher refreshments. Hot potato latkes, dreidels and chocolate gelt will be distributed to all.
Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling and Westport dignitaries will be on hand for Fairfield County’s largest menorah lighting. .
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Speaking still of the holidays: Westport Country Playhouse is a collection site for Norwalk Toys for Tots and Westport Homes with Hope food pantry during its December lineup of shows, including “The Lightning Thief” on December 2, the “Warrior Class,” Script in Hand play reading December 4, “A Sherlock Carol” December 19-23, and “The Nutcracker” December 8-9.
But you don’t have to see a show to help. Items for the 2 charities may be dropped in collection boxes in the Playhouse lobby any time the box office is open (Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.), as well as performance times.
For Norwalk Toys for Tots, new, unwrapped toys and books for children will be collected through December 14. Items sought include books for all ages in Spanish and Haitian Creole, and toys for newborns through age 18.
For the Homes with Hope food pantry, items may be dropped off in the Playhouse lobby during the run of “A Sherlock Carol,” Tuesday, December 19 through Saturday, December 23. Items needed include canned tuna, chicken, meat; canned vegetables and fruit; hot and cold cereal; canned soup, beef stew, chili; peanut butter and jelly; pasta sauce; mayonnaise; rice (small bags or boxes); protein and granola bars; and crackers.
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Production began this week on “The Apprentice.”
The film with the familiar name is “an exploration of power and ambition, set in a world of corruption and deceit.” It explores Donald Trump’s efforts to build his real estate business in New York in the ’70s and ’80s, along with his relationship with attorney Roy Cohn.
Deadline says, “Filled with larger than life characters, it reveals the moral and human cost of a culture defined by winners and losers.”
The Westport connection: “The Apprentice” was written by Gabe Sherman. He went to Kings Highway Elementary and Bedford Middle School, then Staples High for one year before transferring (in part for skiing) to the Holderness School in New Hampshire.
Sherman graduated from Middlebury College in 2001. His bestseller “The Loudest Voice in the Room” inspired Showtime’s miniseries “The Loudest Voice,” starring Russell Crowe as Fox News founder Roger Ailes.
Earthplace’s winter program guide is online. It includes information on youth and teen programs, drop-in activities, family and adult events, and day and summer camps.
Posted onNovember 22, 2023|Comments Off on Roundup: Foiled Car Thefts, 80 Turkeys, Gift Wrapping Service …
The video is grainy. But it sends an important message.
Westport’s Police Department released film from a Nest camera, recorded early Monday morning.
It shows 2 people running up a driveway, where 2 cars are parked. One person tries to open one driver’s side door; the other attempts to open the other vehicle.
Both are locked. The men quickly scamper away, to a car waiting on the road.
Screen shot of the attempted theft. A man is trying the doors of the re car; another approaches the vehicle on the left. The getaway car is at the upper right.
“A great example of what happens when you lock the car doors … they leave!” the police say.
There is no stronger proof than this: Residents should always lock their cars.
If everyone does, the difference in auto thefts will be like night and day.
(If you are on Facebook, click here to play the video.)
While many Westporters were preoccupied with planning a Thanksgiving feast for family and friends, Gillian Anderson worried about area residents who can’t afford a turkey dinner or holiday experience.
When she learned that the Light on the Hill food pantry at Summerfield United Methodist Church in Bridgeport had fallen short on its Thanksgiving food drive for 250 families, Gillian called on her friends at the Westport Rotary Club and the United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston.
They quickly volunteered to raise money, then shop and drive carloads of food — including frozen turkeys — to Bridgeport.
80 turkeys, 180 boxes of stuffing mix and 50 cans of cranberry sauce were procured and transported. All 250 families received their Thanksgiving dinners.
The Turkey Drive generated so much enthusiasm at Westport Rotary that this holiday project may become a new club tradition.
Lots of turkeys, at Summerfield United Methodist Church.
Just in time for holiday gift giving (and its tedious cousin, gift wrapping), Jean Symonette has started a new business out of her Westport home.
The Wrapping Bow-tique — a wrapping service — “understands that the presentation of a gift is as crucial as the gift itself. With hundreds of paper and ribbons to choose from, we transform ordinary presents into gifts that are as unique and beautiful as the sentiment behind them.”
The Wrapping Bow-tique also creates environmentally friendly gift boxes. All are repurposed, and reusable with lids that lift off. They are hand wrapped in premium paper, and adorned with bows.
For many years, the Westport Weston Family Y has opened its doors and programs to the special needs community.
This winter, the Y expand its programming, and reestablishes its partnership with Special Olympics Connecticut.
The Y’s special needs programs include gymnastics, swimming, open play, and organized sports like basketball and soccer. People of all ages with social, behavioral and physical differences can enjoy a variety of activities that promote wellness, creativity, socialization and belonging.
To support those efforts, the Y has hired Brittany Williams as special needs coordinator.
Y chief operations officer Christina Scherwin says, “Last weekend we celebrated our gold medal champions. ‘Team Happy’ participated in the Special Olympics unified basketball state tournament, and placed first in their division.
“It’s not about the color of the medal though, but the process. These participants have worked really hard improving their skills, attention and teamwork. It is so rewarding to see their progress and dedication shine through.”
This spring, the Westport Weston Family Y debuts its first Special Needs Prom. Participants ages 14 and up will enjoy a prom experience, with a red carpet entrance, live DJ, dancing, photo booth, food, and fun activities.
The Kiev family’s contributions support this expansion of the Y’s programming.
To volunteer on the court or poolside as a coach, player, mentor, prom date or helping organize social activities, or to become an event sponsor, email bwilliams@westporty.org. For more information, click here.
Westport Weston Family Y Special Olympics participants.
Earthplace invites Westporters (and their holiday guests) to check out several drop-in offerings this Thanksgiving weekend (except tomorrow).
“Story and Animal Program” runs every day except Sunday (and Thanksgiving) at 10;30 a.m. Children 5 and under enjoy and animal-themed story, and an encounter with an Animal Hall resident.
“Birds of Prey Feedings” are held daily at 11 a.m. Watch the feeding, and learn what birds eat in the wild.
“Saturdays at Earthplace” (November 25, noon) is a chance for children of all ages to take part in a nature-based arts and crafts activity. A parent or caregiver must be present.
The Westport Country Playhouse “Script in Hand” season concludes with “Warrior Class.”
The December 4 (7 p.m.) play is about a candidate for Congress. “The ghosts of his college days come back to haunt him. Nothing reveals true colors like a sprint to the finish, when friends become enemies and allies can turn on a dime. ‘Warrior Class’ is a political battle of race, romance, forgiveness and debt.”
All tickets are $25. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
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Steve Halstead sends today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo, with this note:
“A pileated woodpecker eats an early Thanksgiving dinner on a tree behind our house.”
And finally … I’ve posted Dion’s powerful “Abraham, Martin and John” video before.
Today, on the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy, here is an especially haunting version of a song that — sadly — never grows old.
(If you learn nothing else from “06880,” it’s this: Lock your car! If that saves you several thousand dollars, consider a contribution to your hyper-local blog. Please click here. Thank you!)
Comments Off on Roundup: Foiled Car Thefts, 80 Turkeys, Gift Wrapping Service …
One more reminder that summer is over: Yesterday (November 1), the barriers were removed at Church Lane and Elm Street.
The outdoor restaurant tables are gone.
The road is once again open to traffic.
Church Lane (Photo/Sal Liccione)
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One more reminder Halloween is over: Your rotting pumpkins.
No problem! Next Thursday (November 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), the Westport Farmers’ Markets hosts its 5th annual Great Pumpkin Toss.
Just bring your pumpkin to the Imperial Avenue parking lot. Action Waste Solutions will collect them.
It’s one way to turn a tiny portion of the 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins wasted in the US each year into usable compost.
All pumpkins and gourds in their natural state are accepted. Squishy and rotted ones are fine. Unfortunately, decorated or painted pumpkins cannot be composted.
Participants can “toss” their pumpkin in the bin, or just drop and go.
Last year, Westporters diverted one ton of pumpkin waste from landfill. Farmers’ Market director Lori Cochran-Dougall hopes to beat that record next week.
There’s no trick to that — just an environmental treat.
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Westport’s 5 polling locations for Tuesday’s elections are the same as last year:
Districts 1 & 2: Saugatuck Elementary School
Districts 3 & 8: Coleytown Middle School
District 4 & 5: Greens Farms Elementary School
Districts 6 & 7: Long Lots Elementary School
District 9: Westport Library
Polls are open Tuesday (November 7) from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Unsure of your voting district? Check the map below, or click here.
Questions? Contact the registrars of voters: 203-341-1115.
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Westport Police made 6 custodial arrests between October 25 and November 1.
A man was charge with 2 counts of burglary, 2 counts of larceny, and illegal taking of a payment card, after stealing a purse from an unlocked vehicle. An off-duty officer saw a man later trying door handles in a Post Road East parking lot; his license plate matched that of a car seen by a Good Samaritan following the theft.
A man was charged with interfering with an officer, after a domestic violence call at a house under construction. When asked for identification, he provided fake names and addresses.
A man was charged with driving under the influence and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, following a report from Compo Beach of an intoxicated person stumbling in the parking and yelling with another person. He was stopped while driving away from the beach.
A man was charged with violation of a protective order. After a previous arrest for domestic violence, he tried several times to contact the victim via phone and messaging.
A man was charged on Halloween with criminal trespass and criminal attempt at burglary, after a homeowner reported witnessing by remote surveillance camera a suspicious person trying to enter their home. When stopped by officers he said he was “trick or treating with his family,” but was alone.
A man was charged with threatening, unlawful restraint, reckless endangerment and breach of peace, after a juvenile reported that a man had pointed a gun at the heads of several juveniles, accusing them of breaking bottles and trespassing. The teens had been playing “break or bounce” with bottles in the raod. The man demanded the teens text him photos of their licenses, and ordered them to sit down before they ran off.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 18 citations
Distracted driving: 2
Traveling at unreasonable speed: 2
Operating a motor vehicle while using a cellphone: 2
Failure to obey stop sign: 1
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 2
Permitting a minor to possess alcohol: 1
Passing in a no-passing zone: 1
Following too closely: 1
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 1
Failure to renew registration: 1
Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
Permitting a minor to possess alcohol is a serious offense.
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Westport is grateful for Club 203.
And Club 203 — which offers social activities and friendship for adults with disabilities — is grateful for community support.
Their November meeting is a “Thankful & Grateful” event. It’s November 15, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Earthplace.
On the menu: “Thankful bites, a gratitude art corner by MoCA, and an exclusive tour of Earthplace’s incredible animal exhibition.”
In the holiday spirit, guests are asked to bring a thankful gift to be donated to clients of Westport’s Human Services Department. Any toiletries and/or household cleaning items that cannot be bought with SNAP are welcome.
For details and registration, click here. Questions? Email club203ct@gmail.com.
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It’s November, so it’s time to think about holiday gifts.
Give sustainably this year!
you can get a head start at Staples High School’s Zero Waste Committee 2nd annual EcoFest (Saturday, November 11, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Staples cafeteria).
Organizers promise “sustainable gifts and ideas for every occasion,” plus exhibitors, food, thrifting, kids’ crafts, educational presentations and more.
PS: It’s free — no admission charge!
I have no idea if these gifts are sustainable. But the wrapping is!
Westport-based Bridgewater Associates is often called “the world’s largest hedge fund.”
But how does it make so much money?
Rob Copeland wondered. The New York Times journalist interviewed hundreds of people in and around the company. He pored over emails, recordings, court records, company documents, and published interviews and articles. (He did not speak with founder Ray Dalio and other Bridgewater executives, who provided feedback through lawyers and representatives.)
The result is a new book. “The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend” will be published next Tuesday.
Yesterday, the Times ran a long excerpt (click here).
Copeland’s conclusion: It is not a Bernie Madoff-like Ponzi scheme.
But I’m still not sure how they do it. (Hat tip: Allan Siegert)
“The Book of Mormon” professionals offer a “Broadway workshop” at the Westport Country Playhouse (November 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Included is musical theater instruction, dance performances, and Q-and-A. Fifth graders through college students are welcome.
Cast members include Joshua Keen, dance captain/swing, and Andrew Stevens Purdy, ensemble and understudy for Elder Cunningham.
After the workshop, they head back to New York for a performance that night.
To register, email curleylaura@hotmail.com or text 917-734-8462.
A reader enjoyed last week’s Friday Flashback, about the Platt Burial Ground on Post Road West at the Norwalk line. He writes:
“I own a house that sits nearby, near Kings Highway South.
“I’m pretty sure both it and Post Road West existed in the early 19th century, albeit with less traffic.
“So I wonder if the Platt Burial Ground has always been as small as it is today. Could it have, in the past, extended all the way to Kings Highway South?
“My house’s back yard lawn has this pesky rectangular bare spot, about 6′ x 3′, over the septic tank. Or is it something else?
“So far, no portals into Hades have ever opened up in the closet.
“Nevertheless, every Halloween we keep an eye out to make sure the poltergeists are resting in peace, and that nothing like an arm or leg decides to poke out.”
Dr. Jerome Brodlie died peacefully at his Weston home last week. He was 85.
He worked as a child psychologist in private practice and at Greenwich Hospital, where he chaired the psychology department. As a regular guest on “CBS This Morning” he reached millions of American parents. He also built mental health services in areas affected by natural disasters, in the US and overseas.
The Bronx native attended the University of Illinois on a baseball scholarship. After graduation in 1960 he passed up a chance to play professionally, and got his doctorate in psychology at Columbia University.
He did post-doctoral work at the Alfred Adler Institute, while he taught at Brooklyn College. He married Lisa Evans, a pediatric oncology nurse.
In 1968 they moved to Weston. In addition to his private practice in Greenwich, he taught at Yale School of Medicine and Southern Connecticut State University, while also serving as a consulting psychologist for Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich Academy, and the Eagle Hill School.
In 2001 he was part of a statewide commission that advised on new laws and processes for child custody in divorce cases.
In 2005, Dr. Brodlie went to New Orleans to train nurses, doctors, and teachers who were helping children recover from the trauma caused by Hurricane Katrina. He also advised the school systems, students and teachers affected by Hurricane Ivan, which had struck the Cayman Islands, where the family vacationed frequently. The State Department later recruited him to go to Burma to work with young people experiencing PTSD; there he met and counseled victims of torture, caregivers for people with terminal illness, former political prisoners, and others. He returned there often.
His family says he enjoyed “playing sports, traveling, cooking, painting and telling jokes, although his paintings were usually more successful. He played pickleball and basketball, but he was most proud to have played 78 consecutive baseball seasons.”
He is survived by his wife Lisa; children Matt, of Los Angeles, Sara Gray of Middletown, Rhode Island, and Dr. Rachel Brodlie Corse (Griffin) of Cambridge, Vermont; grandchildren Maximus, Lola, Stella and Benjamin, and sister Barbara Scheinert.
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Screen shot of the attempted theft. A man is trying the doors of the re car; another approaches the vehicle on the left. The getaway car is at the upper right.
