What does Bill Taibe — founder of Le Farm, The Whelk, Kawa Ni and Don Memo — do for an encore?
And what’s next for Basso, the highly acclaimed restaurant that closed last year?
hi’Amba!
The new restaurant and market — featuring eastern Mediterranean food — moves in to the Jesup Road space previously occupied earlier by Matsu Sushi some time this fall.
The announcement came via Instagram, from The Connecticut Edit. It was first reported earlier today, by CT Insider.
The post said, “Think: a working bakery on the ground floor, a grab-and-go market brimming with house-made dips, pantry goods, and a full dining room upstairs with a menu made for sharing.
“The food focuses on flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean: shakshuka, hummus, man’oushe, and a seasonal, locally-driven menu that shifts with what’s fresh.”
Taibe calls hi’Amba “the kind of place you want in your neighborhood and can rely on every day.”
The restaurateur has sold his interests in The Whelk, Don Memo (now Massi Co) and Le Farm (now The Cottage).
He currently operates Kawa Ni in Westport and Denver, and the Norwalk Art Space Café.
Bill Taibe
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Sunday’s CT United motorcycle ride will impact travel on Riverside Avenue, Wilton Road — and cross streets — from Exit 17 to the Wilton line.
The event — paying tribute to the victims and first responders of 9/11 — is the largest motorcycle ride in the state.
It begins around 11:30 a.m. at Sherwood Island State Park. Hundreds of riders head south on I-95; take Exit 17, and then proceed to Wilton, and on through 7 towns before ending in Bridgeport.
The route is closed and continuous. With the assistance of a police escort, motorcyclists drive through traffic lights and do not stop at stop signs.
Drivers should expect extended traffic delays along the route — potentially 45 minutes or longer. Alternate routes are recommended.
The start of the CT United ride, at Sherwood Island State Park. (Photo/Penny Pearlman)
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Speaking of cool vehicles: Mauro Motors BMW of Bridgeport and the Westport Police Department are hosting “Cars & Coffee” on Sunday, September 13, 8 to 10 a.m., Westport train station).
The event features a car show with entrants from around the region, automotive vendor displays, a DJ, live K-9 demonstration with the Westport Police Department, and coffee from Steam of Westport. All proceeds benefit the Westport Police K-9 Unit.
Everyone is invited — to display your car, or just enjoy all the others.
Westport’ sK-9 unit.
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After months of bad news, the situation in Lyman may be improving.
“Ukraine Matters” reports that Ukrainian forces in Westport’s sister city have isolated and cut off Russian invaders. The situation for Russia is “dire.”
Click here or below to see the report. Lyman is first mentioned at the 3:45 mark.
To donate to Lyman through Ukraine Aid International, click here. Click the “I want to support” box; then select “Support for the City of Lyman.” Scroll down on that page for other donation options (mail, wire transfer and Venmo.)
(Hat tip: Robert Gerrity)
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The Historic District Commission meets September 8 (7 p.m.; Zoom).
The agenda includes discussion of demolition permits for:
- 27 Owenoke Park
- 15 Jennie Lane
- 8 Bedford Drive
- 7 Bedford Drive
- 31 Richmondville Avenue
Click here for links to all materials.
27 Owenoke Park
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For years, Lorenza Arnal has shared her love of Mexico through food: creating her own brand of salsa macha, selling homemade guacamole at the Westport Farmers’ Market and more.
Now there’s another way to experience her home country, even more deeperly and personally: on trips that celebrates Mexico’s history, culture and traditions.
Lorenza leads culinary, cultural and Jewish history tours, and a trip to Oaxaca to experience the Day of the Dead.
The next Oaxaca journey is October 25 to November 1.In Mexico’s “culinary capital,” streets are filled with colorful altars dedicated to the deceased, food, parades, dancing and flowers. Lorenza’s group dines in the best restaurants in town.
For more information, email lorenza@capitanaadventures.com.
Dining in Oaxaca.
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MoCA\CT says: “We are terribly sad at the passing of Yayoi Kusama, an artist whose limitless vision transformed the way we see ourselves, one another, and the world around us.
“In 2019 Kusama’s work helped inaugurate MoCA\CT (then MoCA Westport), welcoming our community into her unforgettable universe of light, reflection, repetition, and wonder. For 7 remarkable weeks, visitors experienced ‘Infinity Mirror Room: Where the Lights in My Heart Go and Narcissus Garden’ together. It was an unprecedented presentation on the East Coast.
“Her work invited us to step beyond ourselves: into lights that seemed to extend forever, reflections that connected each visitor to the people around them, and a world where wonder felt infinite.
“Today, we pay tribute to an extraordinary artist whose imagination and brilliance continue to inspire us all.” (Hat tip: Chris Grimm)
“Infinity Mirror Room” (Photo/Jenna Bascom)
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Oops!
We mixed up 2 similar-looking photos, and gave an incorrect credit in yesterday’s Roundup.
This is the correct picture by Jim Corgel:
(Photo/Jim Corgel)
And this is the one by Carrie Kuhn:
(Photo/Carrie Kuhn)
Our apologies to both photographers. But please: Keep ’em comin’!
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Westport resident and Staples High School graduate Jaclyn Sharp is the founder and CEO of IMPOSTER 4 Animals.
IMPOSTER is “the exclusive global partner for T-Rex Leather for a variety of products, including small leather goods and equestrian sporting goods.”
The first T-Rex Leather handbag in the world recently made its US debut at the Hampton Classic Horse Show, in Bridgehampton.
The UK company that made the T-Rex Leather is IMPOSTER’s partner. The CEO brought the handbag, which had been under glass in an Amsterdam museum. It’s valued around $200,000. This was the first time any T-Rex Leather samples have been seen in North America.
The bag, at the show.
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A savanna in Africa?
Nope.
A backyard on Whitney Street.
And a very compelling photo, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
(Photo/Richard Fogel)
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And finally … in honor of the CT United motorcycle ride this Sunday (story above):
(Get your motor runnin’ … and once you’ve done that, please click here to support “06880,” your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
