Tag Archives: Mother’s Day

Roundup: 29 North Avenue, DNR — And Happy Mothers Day!

Posted on May 11, 2025 | 7 comments

29 North Avenue — the small saltbox jutting into the sidewalk near Staples High School — is one of the most admired homes in Westport.

Now the entire state knows about it.

On Thursday owner Annette Norton received a Connecticut Preservation Award, for her loving rehabilitation of the c. 1820 Mills house.

At just 930 square feet of low-ceilinged space — and vacant through 7 years of bankruptcy proceedings — it could well have been another teardown.

But the Savvy + Grace owner, working with contractor Javier Pasato, restored, rehabilitated and preserved the historic dwelling. (And the adjacent 19th-century barn, too.)

Congratulations, Annette. Your dedication to Westport — both residential and retail — is greatly appreciated! (Hat tip: Bob Weingarten)

29 North Avenue, after restoration.

==================================================

Happy Mothers Day!

And Wreathing for Community — the non-profit that creates gorgeous wreaths, then gives them to non-profits and lucky residents — has a Mothers Day winner.

Pamela Tinoco nominated her mom.

Wreathing’s Faith Sargent says that Pamela’s mom’s “love, resilience and presence have left a lasting impression on her family. The nomination was heartfelt and full of admiration — a beautiful reminder of the quiet strength so many mothers carry. I’m honored to gift this wreath in her honor.”

Pamela Tinoco, her daughter and the wreath to be delivered to Pamela’s mom.

==================================================

No one wants to hear “DNR.”

Unless they playing.

Doctors know the initials stand for “Do Not Resuscitate.”

Music lovers know it stands for one of Fairfield County’s favorite rock bands.

And — surprise! — nearly all the musicians are physicians.

On Saturday, June 14 (7 p.m.), they take their show to the Westport Library. It’s a fundraiser, for the Library’s great community programming.

Get your tickets ($40) here. There is also a cash bar.

==================================================

Some Staples High School sports get more recognition than others.

In the spring, baseball and lacrosse are big.

But hundreds of other athletes play a dozen other sports.

One of the most overlooked is girls water polo.

Today Ryan Allen — the sophomore whose photos and videos of a variety of subjects have impressed many “06880” readers — gives it the attention it deserves.

He stopped by the pool the other day, and created this video. Game on!

==================================================

Speaking of swimming (sort of): The Westport Country Playhouse celebrates the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” on June 2 (7 p.m.).

The classic film will be shown, along with a talk and trivia before and after with artistic director Mark Shanahan. Get your tickets ($25) here.

Not scared? Want more? A Script in Hand play reading of “The Shark Is Broken” — a witty, revealing play about the making of the film (directed by Shanahan) is set for June 9 (7 p.m.). Monday, June 9, at 7 p.m. Get tickets and more information here.

================================================

More than 5 dozen students were inducted into 6 Language Honor Societies recently. Felicidades to:

Società Onoraria Italica (Italian): Cooper Brundige, Sofia DiLeo, Uzi Greenman, Gabriel Hellmann, Carly Mulhern, Benjamin Peterson, Isabellal Pirkl, Myla Saperstein, Riley Sklar.

Delta Epsilon Phil (German): William Enquist, Thomas Nowak, Skye Selva, Matthewe Tybur.

Zhōngwén Róngyù Xuéhuì (Chinese): Danie Arava, Lila Boroujerdi, Ben Esser, Natalia Garment, Jay Hari, Miles Khan, Olivia Morgeson, Stella Nguyen, Olivia Saw, Rebecca Schachter, Rajan Sekhar, Andreson Seo, Brooke Shaughnessy, Michael Wang, Andersen Ye, Connor Yuan.

Associatonem Ad Promovendum Studium Latinum (Latin): Tanush Arora, Annie Bowman, Catherine Campagnino, Ava Carter, Samantha Hermus, Drew Hill, Nelly Kaminski, Olivia Kuliga, Mina Leon, Dhilan Patel, Jake Shufro, Sophie Smith, Oliver Vynerib.

Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (Spanish): Isabel Alfageme, Emma Asiel, Kevin Cano, Sofia Donroe, Kate Finger, Owen Goldfarb, Abigail Kane, Christian Michaels, Sydney Minervini, Sophia Novello, Devyn Peffer, Rei Seltzer, Taylor Serotta, Isabelle Wasserman.

Société Honoraire de Français (French): Kate Bulkeley, Penelope Eisenberger, Gunnar Eklund, Andi Jacobs, Isabel Jo, Souleye Kebe, Graysen Peters, Daniella Sacchetti, Maria Stiber.

=================================================

You may not have heard of the “J vs. K Book Tour.”

But your kid sure has.

The other day, it took the Library by storm. Best-selling authors and Newbery Award winners Kwame Alexander (“The Crossover”) and Jerry Craft (“New Kid”) took over the Trefz Forum to celebrate comics, creativity, and the magic of collaboration.

“J vs. K” is the latest book project from Alexander and Craft. The illustrated story features 2 talented 5th graders — one a writer, the other a drawer — going head to head in a creative competition for the ages.

As part of the book launch, the writers are traveling the country in a special van, talking to elementary and middle school students.

The crowd of 300 at the Library came from Dunbar School in Bridgeport, ESL students from Central High School in Bridgeport, Marvin Elementary in Norwalk, and Wooster Middle School in Stratford.

The J vs. K Tour comes to the Library.

==================================================

The public is invited to the Westport Police Department’s promotional ceremony (May 23, 4 p.m., Town Hall auditorium).

David Farrell will be sworn in as police chief. Also on stage for promotions: deputy chief David Wolf, captains Jillian Cabana and Eric Woods, and detective Rachel Hall.

Westport’s next police chief: David Farrell.

=============================================

Jack Krayson opened his pool opened on Friday.

It will be cleaned tomorrow.

In the meantime, it’s the perfect algae-ridden environment for this guy.

And his photo is the perfect image for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Jack Krayson)

=================================================

And finally … Johnny Rodriguez — one of country music’s first Hispanic stars — died Friday, at 73. Here’s his obituary. (Hat tip: Amy Schneider)

(Happy Mothers Day, to all who celebrate. To celebrate my late mother, or my 2 sisters who are great mothers, please support their son/brother’s blog by making a contribution here. Thank you!)

7 Comments

Posted in Entertainment, Library, Police, Real estate, Sports, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

Tagged , , , , ,

Roundup: College Protests, Mother’s Day, Robbie Mustoe …

Posted on April 27, 2024 | 33 comments

Westport college students are on both sides of the protests roiling campuses nationwide.

One made it into the Washington Post.

Reporting from the University of Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott is sending in troops, the paper quoted students who called his actions politically opportunistic.

However, the Post said: “Not every student found the response unsettling.

“Lily Caplan, 19, a sophomore journalism major from Westport, Conn., joined fellow members of Longhorn Students for Israel at a counter-protest next to the pro-Palestinian gathering Thursday, waving Israeli flags and chanting ‘Bring them home now’ — a reference to Jewish hostages in Gaza.

“‘Yesterday we saw a totally different response than other universities around the country and me, as a Jewish student, I was so grateful for that. Don’t mess with Texas,’ she said, echoing a state slogan as she stood in a circle with other counter-protesters.

“Caplan said she was reassured by support from Abbott and university president Jay Hartzell.

Click here for the full Washington Post story. (Hat tip: Douglass Davidoff)

================================================

Husbands and kids’ alert: Mother’s Day is May 12.

Westport Marketplace has the holiday covered. Brunch spots, spas, chocolates, other gifts and more are all in a handy list. Click here to see — then act!

The mom in your life will thank you.

==================================================

Officer Joe Saponare of Westport Animal Control wants Westporters to know: “All wildlife animals — especially coyotes — will be out more now, both day and night, searching for food because of their newborn babies.”

He suggests taking dogs out on leashes. Owners of little dogs should be especially vigilant.

Compo Beach coyote. (Photo/Richard Gabor)

==================================================

Soccer fans around the US know Robbie Mustoe as a keen-eyed commentator on NBC Sports’ Premier League coverage. Soccer fans around the world know that he’s a former English professional player.

Westporters know him as our neighbor — and a golfer.

He may not have scored the winning goal at Wembley. But on Monday he did the next best thing: He got a hole-in-one.

Don’t take our word for it. Here’s what he posted on X:

(Hat tip: David Groner)

==================================================

Tonight is A Better Chance of Westport’s annual Dream Event (Saturday, 6:30 p.m., Westport Library).

If you’re going, you know it will be an inspirational evening. But those not there can still take part in a great online auction.

Broadway and Yankees tickets, golf, Arabian horse lessons and more are up for bid. Just click here, then click “Not attending” and follow the prompts.

=================================================

ABC’s Dream Event is just one of many galas this spring. All are important, for excellent causes.

But the Westport Weston Family YMCA is hosting an “Extra Special Spring Bash” on May 4 (6 to 8:30 p.m.).

The evening is tailored to students ages 12-18 with disabilities. 

The Y promises fun and excitement, with food, a photo booth, gift bags and a DJ.

Students will be partnered with a student volunteer buddies who spend the evening with them. Parents can stay in a separate room where they can mingle, and enjoy refreshments.

Click here to register, and for more information.

==================================================

Jesse Terry and Sam Robbins share the bill next Saturday (May 4, 8 p.m.), at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport’s Voices Café.

Terry — a full-time touring artist for well over a decade, and Wilton native — has been called “a gentle soul with a formidable songwriting talent and a clear artistic vision.”

Sam Robbins is based in Nashville. He brings a modern, upbeat edge as a storytelling troubadour.

The concert supports local social justice programs. Click here for tickets, and more information.

==================================================

That’s not Sam Robbins’ only upcoming Westport appearance.

Carolyn Miller runs Westport-based Meals for Music. The non-profit provides free meals to touring musicians.

Their first fundraiser is May 8 (7:45 p.m.) at Fairfield Theatre Company. Damn Tall Building — and Robbins — provide the entertainment. (And presumably will eat well.)

Click here for tickets, and more information.

==================================================

Speaking of entertainment: Nearly 300 musicians have signed a letter, urging US senators to help fix the broken concert ticketing system.

Three of the them — more than 1% of all of signees — have Westport connections. Nile Rodgers lives here. And Billie Eilish and Finneas’ father, Patrick O’Connell, is a 1975 Staples High School graduate.

They’re in good company. Other signers include Duran Duran, Fall Out Boy, Graham Nash, Green Day, Cyndi Lauper, Indigo Girls, Jason Mraz, Siaand Lorde. (Hat tip: Mark Mathias)

Finneas has some Westport roots.

=================================================

Johanna Keyser Rossi loves Burying Hill Beach.

The other day, she noticed that artificial flowers placed along the fence at the top of the hill had been removed.

She thought they were a tribute or memorial to someone, and was sad to see them gone.

Yesterday, to her delight, someone — the same person perhaps, or someone else — had replaced them.

Beautifully.

(Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)

=================================================

Sometimes the Fresh Market osprey leaves its nest to fish.

Sometimes it just wants a change of pace, from its platform in a busy parking lot.

Hilary Ellis spotted today’s “Westport … Naturally” scene on Spicer Road.

(Photo/Hilary Ellis)

==================================================

And finally … Mike Pinder, founding keyboardist of the Moody Blues, died this week in California. He was 82. Click here for a full obituary.

(Go now! But before you do, please click here to support “06880” — your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

33 Comments

Posted in Beach, Education, Environment, Longshore, Politics, YMCA

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Roundup: Mothers Day, Choral Concert, LGBTQ History …

Posted on May 14, 2023 | 11 comments

Today — Mothers Day — 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker mourns the loss of her mother, who died last week. Jen writes:

“Today we celebrated the life of Kathleen (Grandmom) Salmon.

“She was fiercely independent, but never wanted to be without the love of her life, Bob, who passed away 16 months ago.

“She was a trailblazer, balancing family and a full-time career when few were doing so.

“She retired at 70, having spent the previous 2 1/2 years in Qatar doing ground-breaking work for women in education.

“Mom loved and supported her daughters beyond words, ensuring they knew the world was their oyster and there was nothing they couldn’t accomplish.

“Grandmom was in awe of her 5 beautiful grandchildren, and loved them unconditionally. At the drop of a hat, she would arrive to run the household and spoil her grandkids.

“Kathy was a woman of deep faith. We know we have a guardian angel, who is singing “You are My Sunshine” for us every day. We miss her terribly, but feel so lucky she spent her last years here in Westport.”

Happy Mothers Day to all! Huge hugs.

From left: Jen Tooker, her mother Kathleen Salmon and sister Shawna Saussus.

==================================================

Longtime “06880” reader Fred Cantor offers this tribute his mother — and all the others out there:

“My mom should perhaps be recognized as one of the first soccer moms. And I say that in a very positive way.

“About to turn 96, she is — and always has been — a big sports fan, despite growing up in an era when girls had far fewer opportunities to participate in sports.

“So when Marc started playing soccer at Staples, she and my dad (also a huge sports fan) came to watch virtually all of the games, and naturally brought me along. That sparked my interest in soccer and led me, as a 6th grader, to aspire to play Staples varsity soccer down the road.

“This happened at a time when very few parents watched those Staples soccer games on the Hill.

“My mom and dad were always very supportive of our athletic endeavors, but not in a way that pushed Marc and me in any particular direction. We both had the good fortune of playing soccer at the college level. My mom’s encouragement (and my dad’s) played a role in that.

“So as we celebrate Mothers Day (and also my mom’s 96th birthday), here’s a big thank you to her — and to all the soccer moms who have been supportive over the years.”

From left: Marc, Pearl and Fred Cantor. The “boys” are wearing their University of Massachusetts and Yale soccer hats, respectively.

==================================================

Mothers Day, Part 2. Hunter Jones Hampton posted a 1948 Saturday Evening Post cover on Facebook:

He explained that the illustrator, noted Westporter Stevan Dohanos, sketched it using a US Camera magazine cover shot of Hunter’s mother, for his model.

The 2 sign painter models were also Westporters: Joshua Sidebottom and his son.

The Saturday Evening Post noted: “Dohanos is spending the winter in Connecticut, while luckier wights vacation in the palm-tree and bathing-beauty latitudes.”

=================================================

Friday night’s choral concert — filled with contemporary music selected by Staples High School students — ended on an emotional note.

The 22 graduating seniors honored director and mentor Luke Rosenberg with a special song: “Underneath the Stars.” Sophia Betit organized her classmates, and conducted the piece. She and James Dobin-Smith soloed — and also received the National Choral School Award for their contributions to the Staples music program.

==================================================

Westport salutes Pride Month in June with a celebration on Jesup Green rally, a drag show at MoCA, the presentation of a scholarship, and the newest initiative: an oral history project.

Westport Pride — the town-wide LGBTQ+ and allies group — has partnered with the Westport Museum for History & Culture. The museum’s mission is to “make history whole,” including a focus on marginalized groups.

Area residents can book a time slot for a video interview at the Westport Museum. Officials hope for a diverse range of ages and experiences.

Interviews will be housed in the museum’s digital archive. Each one will be accompanied by a transcript.

For more information or to sign up, email cmenard@westporthistory.org.

=================================================

At last! Westport’s long wait for another nail salon will soon be over.

The oddly named Nail Factory is set to move into the vacant space next to CVS.

Whew!

(Photo/Molly Alger)

==================================================

“Lux Freer” — Triple Threat Academy’s indie film shot last summer in Westport, directed by Staples High School graduate Cynthia Gibb, and featuring 20 Westporters in main roles and more as extras — will screen at the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival on Saturday (May 20). The “Provocative Shorts” program begins at 2:30 p.m. Click here for more information, and tickets.

 ================================================

There’s a new addition to the Westport Community Gardens.

Lou Weinberg sends this photo of a killdeer nesting in a raised bed.

“The largest of the ringed plovers, it performs the broken-wing display to distract intruders away from nests and chicks,” he explains. “So far, so good!”

Gardeners wait excitedly for the eggs to hatch.

(Photo/Lou Weinberg)

==================================================

And finally … Fred Cantor wrote a great tribute to his mother (story above). BJ Thomas did it musically — and included, as Fred did, a mention of her support from the sports sidelines.

(“06880” is your hyper-local blog — today and every day. We’re a non-profit, so contributions are tax-deductible. Please click here to help. Thank you!)

11 Comments

Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Local business, Sports, Staples HS

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Roundup: American Song Contest, Ukraine Concert, Late Mothers Day …

Posted on May 9, 2022 | Comments Off on Roundup: American Song Contest, Ukraine Concert, Late Mothers Day …

Connecticut has made it to the finals of tonight’s “American Song Contest.”

Actually, Michael Bolton has.

The Westport resident — representing the state — is in tonight’s NBC finale. The show is based on the wildly popular Eurovision, and includes representatives from all 50 states, plus Washington DC and 5 territories. There are 10 finalists.

Good luck, to one of the real good guys in the music world! (Hat tip: Mark Mathias)

Screenshot from the “American Song Contest” website.

====================================================

Tenor Craig Gillespie — a Westport resident, and son of Jim Gillespie for whom the town’s men’s shelter is named — is among the local musicians offering a mix of Broadway, American songbook, jazz, reggae, traditional Irish, spiritual, country, classical and opera songs, in a “celebrate spring/raise money for Ukraine” concert.

The event is Sunday, May 22 (Southport Congregational Church, 3 p.m.). It’s free, but donations to Save the Children’s Ukraine Project are requested.

Southport Congregational Church

======================================================

An update on the closure of Riverside Avenue near the train station, for paving: It’s now scheduled for Wednesday (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Thursday (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.).

=======================================================

We missed this photo yesterday. But we don’t want to wait till next Mothers Day to run it.

Here was one tribute, on Post Road West:

(Photo/Patricia McMahon)

=======================================================

The rainy weather last week diverted our attention from our usual spring beauty.

But Claudia Sherwood Servidio found inspiration in these “Westport … Naturally” Richmondville Avenue petals.

(Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

======================================================

And finally … Mickey Gilley died on Saturday in Branson, Missouri. He was 86.

He had 34 country Top 10 hits. But he was best known as the owner of a huge bar near Houston that became synonymous with country music. Gilley’s had a mechanical bull, and was the location for much of the famed “Urban Cowboy” movie.

Buried in the New York Times’ obituary: He was a cousin of both Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Swaggart.

Comments Off on Roundup: American Song Contest, Ukraine Concert, Late Mothers Day …

Posted in Arts, Entertainment, religion, Transportation

Tagged , ,

Roundup: Sustainable Westport, Mothers Day Pig …

Posted on May 8, 2022 | 2 comments

Earlier today, “06880” featured musician/Westporter Sophie B. Hawkins’ experience with food scrap recycling. (Spoiler alert: She’s passionate about it.)

That’s one Sustainable Westport initiative. There are many more. And you can check them out at the organization’s newly redesigned website.

It highlights news, events and action items. There are resources for reducing carbon footprints for residents as well as businesses, in areas like energy, transportation, landscaping and purchasing, plus information on social equity and sustainability.

There are links too to the Zero Food Waste Challenge, Restaurant Certification program, and Green Building Awards.

Click here for the website, then dive in.

=======================================================

WordPress’ new formatting means that for some “06880” readers, photos are elongated. For others, the print is smaller than before.

I didn’t make the change, and I can’t fix it. But here’s a pro tip: Click on the headline of any “06880.” It should magically appear in the correct format.

I’m sorry you need to take that extra step. But I hope it helps.

Elongated photos, this morning (courtesy of Jack Backiel)

======================================================

Jolantha — Weston’s favorite pig — wishes a happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there.

She just hopes you don’t have ham for dinner.

(Photo/Hans Wilhelm)

======================================================

The weather has been a bit un-May-like. But on a rare nice day recently, June Rose Whittaker captured this “Westport … Naturally” image at the Longshore golf course 7th hole.

(Photo/June Rose Whittaker)

=======================================================

And finally … one more Mothers Day wish, this one from “06880”!

 

2 Comments

Posted in Environment, Media

Tagged , ,

Pic Of The Day #1483

Posted on May 9, 2021 | Comments Off on Pic Of The Day #1483

Happy Mother’s Day! (Photo/Ellen Wentworth)

Comments Off on Pic Of The Day #1483

Posted in Pic of the Day

Tagged

The Mother Of All Diapers

Posted on May 14, 2017 | 2 comments

Happy Mother’s Day!

Today we honor all our mothers — those who are here and those who are gone. Our own, our mothers’ mothers, and those unrelated by blood but whom we love nonetheless.

This being “06880” — where Westport meets the world — we give a special shout-out to Marion Donovan.

Marion Donovan

An Indiana native and 1939 graduate of Rosemont College near Philadelphia, she became an assistant Vogue beauty editor in New York. But after marrying James Donovan — a leather importer — and starting a family, the Donovans moved to Westport.

She was not a typical early-postwar suburban housewife. Though she majored in English literature, she inherited her father’s tinkering gene. He helped invent the South Bend lathe, a major metalworking innovation.

His daughter’s invention was — in many ways — just as important.

When her 2nd child was born in 1946, Donovan grew tired of constant diaper changes. As the New York Times reports:

With cloth diapers serving more as wick than sponge, and with rubber baby pants virtually assuring a nasty case of diaper rash, Mrs. Donovan started looking for a way to hold the dampness in without keeping the air out.

Which is how moisture-proof diapers were created.

In Westport.

Marion Donovan, with a baby modeling her invention.

The “aha!” moment came when she cut a panel out of her shower curtain. It took 3 years of experimenting at her sewing machine, but eventually Donovan devised the Boater, “a re-usable diaper cover made of surplus nylon parachute cloth.”

The Times notes another important “advance in diaper technology”: Donovan replaced “the optimistically named safety pins with plastic snaps.”

The diapers — sold first at Saks Fifth Avenue in 1949 — were an immediate hit. In 1951 she sold her rights for $1 million, and “moved on to her next brainstorm: replacing cloth diapers with disposable absorbent paper.”

However, paper company executives — all men — told her that disposable diapers were “not necessary.”

A decade later, Donovan’s idea finally led to Pampers (they’re credited to Procter & Gamble, and a guy named Victor Mills). By then, Donovan’s “diaper days were over.”

She’d moved on to other inventions, including a hanger that holds 30 skirts or slacks in a tight space; a wire soap holder that drains directly into the basin; an elastic zipper allowing women to zip up the back of a dress by pulling down from the front, and the Dentaloop (it prevents floss users from cutting off circulation in their fingers).

Not all those inventions were made in Westport. At some point she moved to Greenwich — where Donovan, who (of course!) earned an architecture degree from Yale at age 41, designed her own house.

She received 20 patents, between 1951 and 1996. Donovan died in 1998, at 81. In 2015, she was inducted posthumously into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Marion Donovan’s diaper patent. Filed in 1949, it was granted in 1951.

Her name is not well known. To the best of my knowledge, her inventions have never been honored in the town where she once lived and worked.

But on this — and every other — day, mothers (and fathers) should thank Marion Donovan.

Moisture-proof diapers are nothing to pooh-pooh.

(Special Mother’s Day hat tip to Maxine Bleiweis. For Marion Donovan’s full  New York Times obituary, click here. )

2 Comments

Posted in Looking back, People, technology

Tagged , , , , ,

Mom

Posted on May 11, 2013 | 22 comments

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day.

Everyone’s got one.

So today the “06880” community honors our mothers. Whether yours is still around or long gone; whether she takes care of you or you take care of her; whether she’s always lived in Westport or just comes to visit — it doesn’t matter.

Click “Comments,” and let the world know all about your mom.

Here’s my contribution:

Here’s to Jo Woog. You no longer play tennis, but at 86 there’s little else you don’t do. You still play piano, have an active social life with a great group of Westport friends, and take care of the house I grew up in.

Jo Woog (Photo by Susan Woog Wagner)

Jo Woog (Photo by Susan Woog Wagner)

Around town, people always say, “I saw your mother the other day. She looks great. And what a personality!”

They’re right! I’m glad we share the same town. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. Here’s to many more!

22 Comments

Posted in People, Totally random

Tagged ,