The Board of Selectmen invites all residents to join them for an informal community conversation this afternoon (Wednesday, 3 p.m., Town Hall Room 201/201A).
It’s the first in an ongoing series. The goal is to provide “an open, welcoming space for residents to stop by, ask questions, share thoughts, and raise topics of interest related to town government.”
==================================================
Following a long run, International House of Pancakes/Westport Pancake Shop closed their Post Road restaurant in 2011.
After sitting empty for 3 years, the building opposite Fire Department headquarters reopened as a nail salon.
Thank god! The closest nail salon at the time was at least 25 yards away.
The nail place eventually went the way of IHOP: past the very slanted roof, to the big business scrap heap in the sky.
After another long vacancy, the landlord has finally found a new tenant.
JetSet Pilates will open in mid-summer. The Miami-based “market leader in Reformer Pilates” has over 100 locations open, or in development.
Excellent news! If there’s one thing keeping Westport from greatness, it’s our lack of a Reformer Pilates studio.
Artist’s rendering of Westport’s JetSet Pilates.
==================================================
Speaking of local businesses, Chris Grimm writes: “You would think, given that their clients are largely sick and old, Walgreens would clear their parking lot of snow.”
For proof, he sent this photo yesterday:
(Photo/Chris Grimm)
==================================================
The Artists Collective of Westport’s 12×12 Holiday Exhibit opened last night, at the Westport Country Playhouse barn.
Interestingly, all works are 12×12. And all are for sale, just in time for the holidays.
The show runs through Sunday (December 21, noon to 4 p.m.).
Admiring some of the dozens of 12×12 pieces.
The pianist at last night’s Artists Collective opening was not some random guy. It was Mark Naftalin: founding member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and Westport resident. (Photos/Susan Garment)
==================================================
Like many trail and ultra runners, Jes Parker loves and appreciates the outdoors.
Yet, she knows, runners often engage in behaviors that are not exactly environmentally sound.
Long distance runners, for example, experiment often with gear. Before finding what’s comfortable or works well, they’ve missed return dates, snagged the fabric or others made items non-returnable.
But wait! Don’t throw them out!
Jes — a Westport resident — is building a business that keeps trail running goods, and other running synthetics, out of landfills.
At the same time, it makes the sport more accessible.
Take2Trail — Parker’s brainstorm (and a great, clever name) — buys those items. She then resells them, at a deep discount.
Parker knows that buying and selling on internet peer-to-peer sites can be unfulfilling. Items are strategically photographed to hide warts; they’re not always delivered; meet-up exchanges fall through.
People hyper-focused on their fitness, family — and full-time jobs — don’t have the time or patience to jump through hoops to keep things out of landfills (or even take them to Goodwill).
Take2Trail a great idea. Fleet Foot owner Dave Wright has helped too, donating some return inventory and other sunk cost items.
Click here for the website. Click here for a podcast about the venture.
Jes Parker, on the trail.
=================================================
Congratulations to Scotty Coleman!
The 2022 Staples High School graduate, and current senior soccer player at Johns Hopkins University, has been named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America team.
Coleman — a neuroscience major with a 3.95 GPA — is also an All-Centennial Conference 2nd team pick.
He was named to the Allstate NACDA Good Works team for fall sports, for his efforts as president and fundraising chair of Baltimore Scores in STEM. The mentorship program supports local youth pursuing STEM education.
=================================================
Staples High School Class of 1963 graduate Sam Pair has published “Le Yankee Noir: The Power of Acceptance.”
The write-up on Amazon says: “In the global aviation industry, where building cross-cultural relationships is essential, cultural gaps and accepting others unlike ourselves remain issues.
“A veteran aerospace engineer with vast experience with inter-cultural bridge building, Samuel E. Pair has created a book that illuminates the value of acceptance and its influence on creating the climate for building trusting cross-cultural relationships.
“The culmination of a frustrating career journey — still healing after multiple rejections to his quest to enter a prominent management development program, an African American aerospace engineer is surprisingly summoned to the south of France in 1994 by French aircraft industry leaders.
“Tasked with managing the oversight of the recovery of a floundering new jet propulsion program for intensely anticipated jet liners, his reflection on the experiences of interacting with French and other nationalities on-site, explores the power of mutual acceptance and its influence on inspiring, motivating and propelling him through a myriad of formidable issues and a life threating condition.
“While ruminating about the significant events and consequential happenings during this twelve-year period, he is drawn to the factors that promoted his transformation, the ability to build relational bridges over cultural divides and contributed to his success. He shares them in this book.”
Click here to order, and for more information.
===============================================
Sunday’s snow brought out plowers, shovelers, photographers — and this guy.
Jonathan Rosenoer snapped today’s “Westport … Naturally” image outside his front door, near Cross Highway and North Avenue:
(Photo/Jonathan Rosenoer)
==================================================
And finally … in honor (sort of) of Jes Parker’s excellent idea for reusing running gear:
(Where would you be without “06880” telling you there will soon be a new Pilates place in town? If you enjoy news like that — and much more — please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thanks!)
