Tag Archives: Rizzuto’s

Roundup: Playground Rebuild Week, Drug Take-Back Day, Tip-A-Cop Night …

Posted on April 23, 2025 | 1 comment

The Compo Beach playground rebuild has begun.

There is still time to volunteer. In fact, more hands are definitely needed.

Good progress has been made. But construction is a bit behind schedule. The target for completion is Saturday.

All kinds of help, of all skill levels, is welcome — for all shifts (8 a.m. to noon, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and 5 to 8 p.m.).

Meals, fruit, water — and a free t-shirt — are all provided.

Click here to volunteer — or just stop by.

PS: The temperature will be in the 70s all week. What better place to be outdoors than Compo Beach?

It takes a village to rebuild the Compo playground. Can you help?

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Got drugs you no longer need (or want)? Or those that have expired?

This Saturday (April 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Senior Center) the Westport Police Departmet takes part in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

Residents can bring tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs to the Senior Center. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container.

Do NOT bring syringes, sharps and illicit drugs. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.

Drop-offs are free, and anonymous.

Westport Police also offer a year-round collection bin in the lobby of the headquarters building on Jesup Road. There is a supply of medication disposal bags in the lobby, to dispose of liquid and pill medications in your regular garbage.

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Speaking of police: This Friday (April 25), Rizzuto’s Oyster Bar & Restaurant will have some special staff members.

From 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Westport Police Department officers will welcome diners, take orders and serve meals.

No, Rizzuto’s is not short staffed. And the police are not pocketing the proceeds.

The Tip-A-Cop event is a fundraiser for Special Olympics Connecticut. Customers are encouraged to leave extra tips. All tips the officers receive will help provide sports, health and fitness programs to athletes of all abilities.

Our police are known as Westport’s finest. Thanks to the force, Rizzuto’s and Special Olympics, for this very “fine” idea.

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Two long-vacant storefronts at “Elm & Main” — the new name for what decades of Westporters knew as Brooks Corner — will soon be filled.

Everything But Water is moving into the old Birddogs space. The Orlando-based women’s retailer specializes in designer swimwear, vacation essentials and accessories.

They operate 34 stores. Westport will be their third in Connecticut. The other locations are Farmington and Greenwich.

Beyond Yoga opens their second Connecticut store in September. The first will be in Greenwich, starting next month.  The female-founded activewear brand is owned by Levi Strauss.

Fun Fact: Brooks Corner was named not for longtime tenant Brooks Brothers, but for B.V. Brooks. The real estate developer built the shopping center in the early 1960s.

“Elm & Main” — formerly Brooks Corner.

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Speaking of openings: The next location for The Granola Bar is …

… 330 Madison Avenue, in New York City.

Instantly popular from the day in 2013 when it opened in Playhouse Square — still its “flagship” location, with offices nearby — the breakfast/lunch/catering-and-more spot has since expanded to Fairfield, Darien, Stamford and Greenwich, plus Rye, Woodbury (Long Island) and the Upper West Side.

Now comes Midtown — just steps away from Grand Central.

Starbucks, McDonald’s, Subway … look out. You’re goin’ down!

330 Madison Avenue, New York City.

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Tomorrow’s Board of Education meeting (Thursday, April 24, 7 p.m., Staples High School cafeteria) includes the usual mix of topics: academic performances, revisions to the school caelndar, board policies regarding employees, and students with disabilities.

The discussion item at the end should be less dry. It’s about Staples Block “S” trophies, and the controversy raised this year when the traditional metal awards were replaced by plaques.

 Block “S” plaque”

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Coming soon at Wakeman Town Farm:

“Wild About Veggies: Tips for Planting a Garden” (May 5, 7 p.m.). Learn about seasonal rotations, and much more. Click here to register.

“Learn to Shuck Oysters with a Local Pro” (June 8, 5 p.m.). Then enjoy the oysters you open (from Copps Island in Norwalk). You’ll also gain an understanding of oyster anatomy, and learn about the history of oyster farming here. $50; BYOB. Click here to register.

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Coming Sunday (April 27) to the Weston History & Culture Center i

Opening Day of “Images of a Forgotten Village: Valley Forge” (1 p.m.). The Saugatuck Reservoir in Weston was home to a small neighborhood called Valley Forge. Now the once-thriving community of mills, forges and farms has vanished from memory and sight. The only reminders are photos.

Author Talk with Heather Pemberton About her debut thriller, “Hidden Below” (3 p.m.) — inspired by the history of Weston’s Valley Forge

Both are free for members, with a suggested donation for non-members.

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For 2 decades, STAR Lighting the Way’s “Walk & Roll” has been a spring highlight. The event brings together families, friends, supporters and businesses to celebrate individuals of all abilities, and raise needed funds for STAR’s programs and services, aiding people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

This year’s event is May 4 (Sherwood Island State Park, 10:30 a.m.). The day includes family activities, music, food trucks, games and entertainment.

As always, the public is invited to walk, roll, volunteer or cheer from the sidelines. Click here to donate, register to walk or roll, or become a sponsor.

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Here’s an early head’s-up, on an event that will sell out soon.

On June 27 (6:30 p.m.,), Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads make their first-ever Westport appearance.

They’ll fill the Westport Library with their fun Caribbean swagger, and bouncy reggae rhythms, for a special dance party.

Salon says: “Talking Dreads play Talking Heads songs as shimmering one-drop reggae jewels. Tom Tom Club vet Mystic Bowie (swaps out) urbanity for roots and sincerity.”

Tickets are $37.50. Click here to purchase, and for more information.

Mystic Bowie

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Max Harper’s family and friends — and many Westporters who did not know the Staples High School senior who died last fall — are admiring a new memorial to him.

The handsome stone is at Compo’s South Beach, near the trees and benches.

It was designed by longtime Westport artist (and Staples graduate) Miggs Burroughts.

On a cold, windy March day, an expert from Enduring Monuments met Miggs and Max’s father Marcus at the rock Marcus had chosen.

The Westchester firm had created stencils from Miggs’ artwork. They blasted as pecial powdery spray into it, then spray painted the recessed areas to make them stand out.

Creating the memorial …

 … and the finished memorial. (Photo/Pam Docters)

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A reader writes: “I went into the AMC (used to be Bowtie) Royale 6 this afternoon. They are open. Who knew?!

“I thought they had closed. They switched owners, and took down the board where they used to post movie titles you could see from Route 1. So for the last 6 months I drove by and thought they were closed. I bet 50% of Westport has no idea they are open.”

I’m in the 50% who knew they were open. In fact, I bet 90% of the town did not think they were closed.

But, as a public service announcement, I’m relaying the “news.”

Hopefully, it’s a lot more interesting than all the announcements you hear before a movie.

At the AMC Royale 6, which — did you know? — is open!

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Seth Schachter sends today’s “Westport … Naturally” image.

For those who are not early risers (or morning beachgoers): It’s an early morning shot of Burying Hill, looking toward Frost Point.

Burying Hill Beach (Photo/Seth Schachter)

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And finally … in honor of the AMC Royale 6 theater (story above):

(You go to the movies every once in a while. But “06880” entertains — and maybe informs and inspires — you several times a day. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support us. Thanks!)

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Posted in Beach, Environment, Local business, Police, Restaurants

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Roundup: Shonda Rhimes, Old Dominion, Selma Miriam …

Posted on February 13, 2025 | 4 comments

Shonda Rhimes has stepped down as treasurer of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The Emmy-winnng producer/director/screenwriter/author/CEO of Shondaland — and a Westport resident — resigned after President Trump fired the longtime president of the Washington arts institution, and was named chairman of the board by new members he had appointed.

Opera star Renée Fleming also stepped down from the board. And Ben Folds said he would resign as an adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra, which operates under the Kennedy Center umbrella.

Shonda Rhimes, at the Westport Library. (Photo/Jerri Graham Photography)

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Chairs of 4 major Westport bodies have written a joint letter.

Lee Caney (Board of Finance), Lee Goldstein (on behalf of the Board of Education), Paul Lebowitz (Planning & Zoning Commission) and Jeff Wieser (moderator, Representative Town Meeting), express their “disgust at the creation of the antisemitic snowman which appeared recently.

“That might be the act of one very misguided person, or it may be the view of other Westporters who do not respect the diversity of our vibrant community.

“We want to state as representatives of every member of this wonderful community, however, that the snowman has no place in Westport and is a despicable act. It is shameful that anyone would harbor such hate, and we hope it will never occur again in the town we love.”

Town leaders reacted to this snowman, built last Sunday at the Newman Poses Preserve.

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How do you celebrate winning 7 straight Country Music Association Group of the Year awards?

If you’re Old Dominion, you play 7 shows at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.

And you give the money to charity.

The band — which includes guitarist/vocalist Brad Tursi, a 1997 Staples High School graduate — raised a cool $1.25 million.

They gave it (of course) 7 charities: MusiCares, Save the Music, Backline Care, Opry Trust Fund, CMA Foundation, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Ramsey Foundation.

And — this really shouldn’t be a side note — the “7 for 7 Residency” the band set a record for most consecutive shows in Ryman’s history.

“06880” reader Tricia Summers — who went to 2 of the shows, and loved them — sends along this photo of Tursi, at the Ryman:

(Photo/Tricia Summers)

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A memorial service for Selma Miriam — the co-founder of Bloodroot vegetarian restaurant, and a longtime advocate for feminism and social justice who died earlier this month at 89 — has been set.

It will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at the United Congregational Church of Bridgeport (2200 North Avenue).

Selma’s many friends and admirers are invited.

Selma Miriam

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Last Saturday’s food drive to stock the Homes with Hope pantry was a huge success.

As they do every year just before the Super Bowl, the Sunrise Rotary Club and Westport Police Department collected over 500 bags of food and supplies, and more than $1,500 in cash, outside Stop & Shop.

But it was not the only drive held that day.

Addison Moore — a 2023 Staples High School graduate, winner of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s Young Entrepreneur award, and now a pre-law student at Lafayette College — ran his own effort.

He organized it quickly, out of concern that a predicted snowstorm would impact the Gillespie Center’s stock.

He set up near the Westport Library, and in just a few hours collected a couple of hundred pounds of food.

It takes a village. Congratulations, Addison — and all who donated, to either food drive — for being part of ours.

Addison Moore, with his food collection.

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Susie Kowalsky read yesterday’s Roundup story on compostable cups and containers with interest.

She writes: “Rizzuto’s and Casa Me both use compostable containers for takeout and doggy bags. I’m sure there are more in town, but these are two I frequent.  They are sturdy, and do not leak.”

Details on a Casa Me compostable container.

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Presidents Day is known not for celebrating presidents, but for deals.

Mattresses, TVs, cars … they’re all on sale this weekend.

So are 25% 2-play subscriptions to the final shows of the Westport Country Playhouse’s “Season of Laughter.”

“Native Gardens” (February 18 through March 8) and “Theatre People” (March 25 through April 12) are the shows. Click here to learn more about them.

To access the discount, click here. A code will be provided beginning Saturday at westportplayhouse.org, and on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse) and Instagram (wcplayhouse).

(In addition to the Presidents Weekend special promotion, the Playhouse regularly offers discounts on single tickets to students, senior citizens, educators, military and first responders, Indigenous peoples, professional playwrights, and groups, as well as options for pay-what-you-will and library passes.  Click here for details.

Playhouse seats are 25% off, this Presidents Day weekend. (Photo/Robert Benson)

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It’s not always easy for senior citizens to live in the suburbs.

Fortunately, Westport’s Department of Human Services has resources for residents who need help with outdoor tasks like yard work, snow removal and other light chores.

The office has a list of middle and high school students who want to help. The recommended fee is $16 per hour, but both sides are welcome to negotiate a different agreeable amount.

Seniors who require assistance with outdoor chores can call the Department of Human Services at 203-341-1050, or email humansrv@westportct.gov.

Middle and high school students who want to help can use the same contact information above. Written permission from a parent or guardian is required.

Local teens are eager to help seniors.

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A large crowd packed Riko’s Pizza last night, for a combined social event of the Westport and Fairfield Chambers of Commerce.

It was an introduction to the new Saugatuck restaurant for some, and a chance to network for all.

Chambers of Commerce, at Riko’s Pizza. (Photo/Matthew Mandell)

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Jolantha — Weston’s favorite pig — gets dressed up for every holiday.

She especially loves Valentine’s Day.

(Photo/Hans Wilhelm)

“06880” has chronicled Jolantha’s many intriguing costumes. Now you can see them all, in one place.

Her friend Hans Wilhelm has created a website — with photos, and her story.

It is quite a tail — er, tale.

Click here to see, and read.

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Daniel Purcell III — co-owner of Purcell Moving Inc., with his brother Larry, and former owner of Westport’s Sportsman’s Bar — died February 10. He was 82.

He enjoyed playing softball, boating with his family, tinkering with cars and trucks, long car rides, flea markets, and time with family and friends.

He played shuffleboard with his daughter Sandra at the Ukrainian Club in Southport on Monday nights He was also president and lifetime member of the Screwballs

Daniel is survived by his wife Stacy; daughters Laura Romano (Rob) and Sandra Scotto (Rob); granddaughters Ashley Gorkin (Elliot) and Kaitlyn Scotto; great-granddaughter Olivia Barbara Gorkin; 2 sisters, 4 brothers, sisters-in-law and brothers-in laws, nieces and nephews, and a great-nieces and great-nephews.He was predeceased by his first wife Barbara, and son Donald.

A celebration of life will be held at the Eagles Club (6 Mott Avenue, Norwalk) on June 10 (3 to 7 p.m.). Condolences may be left online. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.

Daniel Purcell

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Geese obey the sign. They refuse to land, and just skim the surface in today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature image.

(Photo/Carl McNair)

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And finally … let’s hear it again for Westport’s own (sort of) Old Dominion (story above):

(From the Kennedy Center to Ryman Auditorium — if there’s a Westport angle to a story, “06880” finds it. If you appreciate our hyper-local, worldly coverage, please click here. Thanks!)

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Posted in Arts, Environment, Local politics, Obituaries, Politics, Westport Country Playhouse

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Roundup: VFW Dredging, Restaurant Week, Sunrise Rotary …

Posted on September 29, 2024 | 7 comments

Yesterday — after years of fundraising and preparation — VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 began dredging its 50-year-old marina.

The Saugatuck River project will restore the 34-slip marina, a task required every 20 years to maintain its functionality and safety.

The initial phase began with Post members dismantling the existing marina, in preparation for the digging to start next week.

 

“We’re very excited and relieved that we are finally moving forward,” says Post 399 quartermaster Phil Delgado.

“With growing local membership and more visiting veterans taking advantage of our offerings, we realized this project was essential to ensuring our financial future.

“We will create a space where veterans, their friends and the community can enjoy the fantastic views of the Saugatuck River.”

 

Dock work on the Saugatuck.

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Restaurant Week begins today.

The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s annual event runs through Sunday, October 13. Yes, that’s 2 weeks. I guess “Restaurant Fortnight” sounds too confusing, in this video game age.

One of the 20 restaurants — Rizzuto’s — has added something special to its prix fixe menu.

Owner Bill Rizzuto has planned a “throwback menu” to the days the Riverside Avenue spot was Manero’s. (It was later several other restaurants, including John Harvard’s and Conte’s.)

It features a buttery garlic bread basket, prime rib, and (of course) Manero’s beloved gorgonzola salad with each main course dish.

They’ll also serve “dividend martinis and Manhattans.”

For a full list of all participating restaurants, with links to their menus, click here.

PS: This week marks Rizzuto’s 15th anniversary here. Congrats!

Rizzuto’s

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There’s a special guest at this Friday’s Sunrise Rotary Club meeting.

1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker will share her administration’s priorities, and offer updates.

The event, at Green’s Farms Church, starts at 7 a.m., with coffee, bagels and muffins. The meeting begins at 7:30, with Tooker starting around 8.

At its regular meeting on Friday, October 4, 2024, the Westport Sunrise Rotary Club will have as its speaker Westport First Selectwoman Jen Tooker. She will share her administration’s priorities and provide an update on all the great things that are happening in Westport. There will be time for Q&A.

The public is invited,witht RSVPs requested:  info@WestportSunriseRotary.org.

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Many Staples High School sports teams run car wash fundraisers.

All are high-energy. They almost always attract a few interesting vehicles.

Yesterday’s boys soccer squad car wash, at Christ & Holy Trinity Church, drew a very interesting one.

(Photo/Dan Woog)

The Westport Fire Department stopped by, after answering a call for a possible gas leak at nearby Church Lane.

No, the boys did not wash the truck. Firefighters take care of that on their own.

They are very smart men and women.

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Thomas Jendrock spotted this sign, at Sherwood Island State Park:

He calls it ambiguous.

Agreed.

“The red slash is through the person and the dog,” Thomas notes.

“Does that mean people are banned (doggie’s pets), or doggies are banned (people’s pets)?” Or both?

But the red slash does not look official. Maybe someone is trying to suggest that the sign itself should be banned?

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And so it begins.

One of the first trees to turn this fall — and the subject of today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature — is this one on Peaceful Lane, off Whitney Street:

(Photo/Molly Alger)

There are thousands more to come.

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And finally … today is Broadway Musicals Day.

There are so many to choose from. But let’s go with one song, from one musical, with a Westport connection: 2003 Staples High School graduate Justin Paul’s “Dear Evan Hansen”):

(Since 2009, “06880” has been your source for hyper-local news and journalism. If you appreciate our work, please click here to support us. Thank you!)

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Posted in Beach, Local politics, Restaurants, Sports, Staples HS

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“06880”‘s Newest Feature: Restaurant Tab

Posted on March 2, 2023 | 7 comments

“06880” always looks for ways to serve our community. Readers always look for ways to find out what’s happening around town – including where to eat.

Which is why “06880” introduces today a new feature: a “Restaurants” tab. It appears permanently in two places on our home page: at the top (directly underneath “06880”), and on the right side (under “Pages”).

It’s a way to feed the hunger of our readers — for both information and food.

The drop-down menu (ho ho) includes:

  • Links directly to a restaurant’s website
  • Its social media handles
  • Its phone number
  • And a 2- to 3-sentence description (from them) about why they’re special.

Each restaurant can choose its own category. (NOTE: Restaurants pay a small fee to be listed.)

Click here (or above, or on the right side of the home page) to access the “Restaurants” tab. For more information on being listed, email 06880blog@gmail.com.

What to eat tonight? Click on our “Restaurants” tab!

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Posted in Categories

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Igloos, Cabanas, Takeout And More: One Restaurant Weathers The Pandemic

Posted on November 23, 2021 | 5 comments

In early March of 2020, Rizzuto’s was booming.

With a prime location —  Riverside Avenue across from the Cribari Bridge — plus great Italian-and-more food, a booming bar, live music and plenty of parking, owner Bill Rizzuto was pleased. His 2009 decision to open in Fairfield County — his first Rizzuto’s was in West Hartford — was paying off.

Then came COVID.

Every Westport restaurant closed to in-person dining.

Many resorted to takeout. Rizzuto’s shut completely.

“Safety was the guiding light,” explains the owner. “We were concerned about the safety of our customers and our employees.”

Rizzuto’s reopened 2 months later, on May 22 — the first day outdoor dining was allowed in Westport — with both patio seating and takeout.

Rizzuto’s, on Riverside Avenue.

They saw an “exponential” increase in online orders, compared to pre-pandemic numbers.

He invested in new technology, to speed up and ease the process. “We became really good at takeout,” Rizzuto says proudly.

That’s just one way the restaurant has adapted to the new normal.

He looked into renting or buying tents. But, Rizzuto says they did not seem to offer a different experience than indoor seating. Diners were leery of that.

Then he had a “crazy idea” install cabanas in the parking lot.

The 8×8-foot structures provided physical barriers. for each party. People felt comfortable and safe.

Plus, he says, “they’re fun.”

In the winter came more fun: igloos. They’re safe too — and warm.

Rizzuto’s popular igloos. (Photo/Joel Treisman)

Rizzuto’s did not open its indoor space until October. By that time they’d redone the ductwork, renovated the HVAC, and installed ultraviolet lights.

Thirteen months later, they still have not added back all their furniture.

Rizutto’s igloos are here for a second winter. The owner thinks a fourth wave of COVID is coming.

He also thinks masks may be mandated indoors again. He wears one all the time. So do waiters and servers who enter the igloos.

There remains a “significant number” of people who will still not dine inside. “I respect that,” he says. “My wife is one of them.”

Yet — as he surveys the restaurant industry nationwide — Rizzuto knows he is lucky.

Bill Rizzuto

“I’m blessed we could expand into the parking lot,” he says. “And all of us in Westport have been blessed beyond belief at the support from Town Hall. Zoning laws that had been written in stone were bent, to allow people to survive.”

Without that — and outdoor dining, and takeout —  Rizzuto says, “we would not be here.”

“Here” is decidedly different from before the pandemic.

Rizzuto’s live music is gone. So is happy hour. Lunch is served on weekends only. (Weekday lunches used to be driven by nearby offices. Most of those people have not yet returned, Rizzuto says.)

There’s been an uptick this year in holiday party bookings. (That’s all relative, of course. Last year there were none.)

But the groups are smaller. They keep things low-key. And organizers are waiting as long as possible before reservations, in case situations change.

During his 12 years in Westport, Bill Rizzuto has seen plenty of changes. COVID created new challenges, caused unforeseen disruptions, and prompted plenty of changes.

It may be a while before Rizzuto’s happy hour returns.

Rizzuto looks on the bright side. “I’m blessed with incredible customers. We’ve gotten to know them even better now. That’s incredibly rewarding.

“And I’m blessed with a great staff. They all came back when we reopened. This has brought out the best in people.”

Speaking of people: The owner has seen one other big change over the past 18 months: A lot more 212 and 917 area codes when people call to order takeout.

“New residents really appreciate what we do,” he says. “They came here from a scary situation in New York. I’m glad we can be here for them.”

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Posted in Restaurants, Saugatuck

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Restaurant Owners Feast On Outdoor Dining

Posted on March 27, 2021 | 7 comments

The Planning & Zoning Commission seldom hears “thank you.”

Their decisions are often controversial — or humdrum.

But this month’s unanimous vote to extend outdoor dining until further notice was met with effusive praise from restaurant owners throughout town.

From Tutti’s to downtown (where the other day all the well-spaced tables outside Basso were filled) — and even spots like Sherwood Diner — outdoor dining has been an important lifeline during a difficult time.

Basso. on Jesup Green (Photo/Dan Woog)

If neighboring property owners give consent, restaurants can use otherwise unusable setbacks, as Rizzuto’s has done with their popular igloos.

Rizzuto’s popular igloos. (Photo/Joel Treisman)

They can use adjacent property too, as Rive Bistro does.

Restaurants can even request Board of Selectmen permission to put tables in street parking and on sidewalks. Railroad Place (Romanacci, Tarantino, Harvest) and Church Lane (Spotted Horse, Manna Toast) are prime examples of town-restaurant cooperation.

Romanacci’s Xpress.

The application process is simple. It’s managed by P&Z director Mary Young, with support from fire marshal Nate Gibbons, to ensure the safety of patrons and staff.

As the weather gets better, more outdoor dining options are sure to appear.

And who knows? They’re so popular, the P&Z may decide to keep them, long after the pandemic ends.

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Posted in Downtown, Local politics, Restaurants, Saugatuck

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Roundup: Beach Stickers, Rizzuto’s Igloos, Blue Light …

Posted on March 5, 2021 | 4 comments

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This is usually the time of year when we sign up for beach stickers, handpasses and the like.

In this year of COVID, the Parks & Recreation Department says:

Spring and summer are just around the corner. Our team is hard at work getting things ready to open up our facilities and provide programs!

We plan to provide offerings that we were unfortunately unable to offer last year due to COVID-19. Please anticipate modifications while we follow best practices and state guidelines as we strive to create safe environments for all facility users and program participants.

Keep watching for more information later this month on programs, beach emblems and more! Stay safe!

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Despite the loss of signature fundraisers like the Yankee Doodle Fair, the Westport Woman’s Club held strong to its 114-year tradition of helping local organizations in need.

Last year, the WWC concentrated its donations on groups that offer COVID-related help. They include

  • Bridgeport Rescue Mission
  • Center for Family Justice
  • Circle of Care
  • CLASP Homes, Inc.
  • Department of Human Services
  • Domestic Violence Crisis Center
  • ElderHouse
  • Family & Children’s Agency, Inc.
  • Filling in the Blanks
  • Food Rescue Us
  • Homes with Hope
  • Malta House, Inc.
  • Person-to-Person
  • Rowan Center
  • Town of Westport: Department of Human Services Visiting Nurses & Hospice of Fairfield County Westport Volunteer EMS

Fingers are crossed for a Yankee Doodle Fair this year. But whether there is a full, scaled-down version — or none at all — the Westport Woman’s Club will find a way to make Fairfield County a better place for all.

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Spring is (almost) here. But to ensure that diners feel comfortable outdoors, Rizzuto’s is adding personal igloos.

Much warmer than the Inuit variety, they’ve got personal electric heat and lights.

They should be available this weekend. Let’s hope they’re the least snowy igloos we’ve ever seen.

Rizzuto’s igloos (Photo/Tracy Porosoff)

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Earthplace is the place for all things environmental. And March is the time for Earthplace to spring into new programming.

A few offerings:

  • Teen Volunteer Club
  • Talking $hit in Westport (recognizing scat! — Tuesday, March 16, 7 p.m.)
  • “Restoring Soil to Fight Climate Change” (Zoom seminar — Thursday, March 18, 7 p.m.)
  • Family Campfire (Saturday, March 20, 4 p.m.)
  • Environmental Book Club (“The Genius of Birds” — Wednesday, March 31, 7 p.m.)
  • Nature Trivia (Thursday, April 22, 5 p.m.)
  • Science in a Box program (for 2 participants)
  • Summer camp registration

Click here for details.

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The “blue light” mystery has been solved.

On Tuesday, “06880” ran a photo of a mysterious sight photographed by Nancy Vener, from Saugatuck Shores. Other readers sent similar photos:

(Photo/Nancy Vener)

Ever-vigilant Wendy Crowther found this statement from NASA’ Keith Koehler:

A 3-stage suborbital sounding rocket was launched in the afternoon on March 3, for the Department of Defense from NASA’s launch range at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The launch was to study ionization in space just beyond the reaches of Earth’s atmosphere.

After flying to an altitude of several hundred miles and about 500 miles offshore, the rocket’s payload released a small quantity of vapor into the near-vacuum of space. There is no danger to public health or the Earth’s environment from the vapor release.

In other words: It’s just vapor. Or so they say …

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MoCA Westport’s spring Exhibition, “Smash,” premiers April 2. It’s devoted  exclusively to the videos of contemporary artist Marilyn Minter.

Both grandiose and intimate, in settings throughout the museum’s galleries, Minter’s videos will be exhibited together for the first time in a public institution. Seeped in lush imagery and moving between figuration and abstraction, his works encapsulate feminism, pleasure, voyeurism and notions of beauty, desire and chance.

Her custom-designed AMC Pacer –featuring an interior, surround viewing of her work “Green Pink Caviar,” will also be exhibited for the first time.

Click here for more information.

“Smash,” by Marilyn Minter

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It’s not too early to think about Easter — well, the catering part, anyway.

Mystic Market across from the train station is early out of the box. Their appetizers and platters (artichoke jalapeño dip in a bread bowl, charcutier board…), salads, soups (carrot giner, potato leek), brunch quiche, breads, sides, dinners (roasted pomegranate lamb, potato-encrusted Chilean sea bass, roast beef tenderloin, salmon filet, beef lasagna…) and desserts) must be ordered by April 1.

I’ll take one of everything, please …

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The March/April issue of Westport Magazine is out now. It’s a look at “fresh starts for spring, like salons, skincare, what’s happening, and the local real estate market,

Also featured: outdoor spaces, from batting cages and home farms to a 16-foot firepit, across from a swimming pool’s transparent outer wall.

Westport Magazine is available at Barnes & Noble, Balducci’s, Whole Foods and CVS.

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And finally … on this day in 1963, Patsy Cline was killed in a plane crash in Tennessee. One of the first country music artists to cross over into pop, she was 30 years old.

 

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Posted in Arts, Environment, Local business, Media, Organizations, Restaurants, Saugatuck

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Westport’s Restaurant Scene: What Will Winter Bring?

Posted on October 16, 2020 | 21 comments

This week, Merri Mueller posed a great question on Facebook’s Westport Front Porch group: Where to dine outdoors in Westport? It’s getting cooler, she said — but she is not yet comfortable going indoors.

Suggestions poured in:

Pene e Bene. Rive Bistro. Pearl at Longshore. The Boathouse at Saugatuck Rowing Club. Little Barn. Harvest. Manna Toast. Walrus Alley. Tarantino. The Cottage. Rizzuto’s (where you can request heaters — and they’ll close your private tent flaps).

I’m sure there are more. I’m also sure that “06880” readers will add them in the Comments section below.

Rizzuto’s has always offered outdoor dining. There are more tables now.

But Merri’s query — and the responses — sparked an idea for more crowdsourcing here.

What else can Westport restaurant owners do for their customers, over the next few months?

The coronavirus will not go away. The holidays will be here before we know it. The weather will be much colder.

The speed, creativity and hospitality with which so many restaurants pivoted this spring and summer was impressive. With new delivery services, curbside pick-up, takeout and outdoor tables, they turned what could have been a disaster into an almost robust dining scene.

The next few months will be crucial for their bottom lines. With winter looming, it won’t be easy.

“06880” is here to help. Let’s hear readers’ creative ideas of what they’d like to see — outdoors and inside — at our many restaurants (and any other place that sells food).

You can be specific (mentioning one or two spots) or general.

So chew on this. Then click “Comments” below.

Church Lane, this summer. How can restaurants adapt this winter?

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Posted in Restaurants

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COVID Roundup: Rizzuto’s; Coffee An’; Plant Sale; More

Posted on May 24, 2020 | 1 comment

It’s nice to hear that Westport restaurants are reopening.

It’s also nice to hear that town and civic officials are doing all they can to help.

Rizzuto’s and The Lobster Shack were back in business Friday. Owner Bill Rizzuto says, “our Planning and Zoning people and fire marshal were fantastic. And a big hats-off to Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce director Matthew Mandell, who worked tirelessly to support us all.”

Rizzuto’s offers outdoor dining Monday through Thursday 4 to 9  p.m., Friday and Saturday 12 to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday 12 to 8 p.m. They’re continuing curbside service and delivery too. Click here to order.

The Lobster Shack is open for curbside pickup and delivery Monday through Thursday, 4 to 8 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, 12 to 8 p.m.

Also reopening tomorrow at 7:30 a.m.: Coffee An’!

(Photo/Katherine Bruan)

Aspetuck Land Trust — whose 40+ preserves have provided area residents with healthy, mood-lifting walking trails throughout the pandemic — is sponsoring its first-ever native plant sale.

It’s simple: Order online, and reserve a curbside pickup time. Plants can be picked up at Gilbertie’s Organics in Easton in 2 weeks.

Up to half of the purchase price is a tax-deductible contribution to Aspetuck Land Trust!

Choose from pollinator herb variety packs; pollinator garden kits; mailbox garden kits; shrubs and trees, and eco-type plants (plugs) for containers and gardens.

Prices range from $9 to $80.

Click here to order. To join a webinar this Wednesday (May 27, 10:30 a.m.) about the importance of planting natives, click here, then scroll down.

What’s a Sunday without former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb on “Face the Nation”? At least this week his live-remote hometown got a shout-out on the chyron. (Hat tip: Alan Shinbaum)

And finally … sing it, Dionne!

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Posted in Environment, Media, People, Restaurants

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Restaurants Take Drastic Steps; Savvy + Grace Closes Temporarily

Posted on March 15, 2020 | 20 comments

First it was schools. Then the library, Town Hall and Y. Last night, it was the beaches and Compo playground.

Now, COVID-19 is rippling through our restaurants.

Yesterday, Bill Taibe closed his 3 restaurants — The Whelk, Kawa Ni and Jesup Hall — for in-house dining.

Takeout meals are available through curbside pick-up. If you can’t leave the house — or don’t want to — they’ll deliver. It may take some time how to do it, Taube says, “but we’ll figure it out. Everybody’s got to eat!

“We feel this is necessary in order to do our part to help stop the spread of this virus,” says the owner of 3 of Westport’s most popular dining spots.

“If there’s ever a time to tip, this is it,” he adds.

For the time being, the doors to The Whelk will be closed. (Photo courtesy of Our Town Crier)

While not closing, other restaurants are taking their own measures during the pandemic.

Pearl at Longshore — which recently hired a new chef, reworked the menu and remodeled the interior — has removed some tables, creating more distance between diners. They offer 10% off on takeout orders, and will bring it outside for pickup.

Pearl at Longshore has made changes….

In addition to also removing tables, offering curbside pick-up and delivery (within 3 miles), Rizzuto’s has removed items like flowers and salt and pepper shakers from all tables. They’re printing menus on lightweight paper for single use. too.

… and so has Rizzuto’s …

The Boathouse has added curbside pick-up, and will soon offer delivery.

… and the Boathouse, at the Saugatuck Rowing Club.

They — and every other restaurant in town — have strengthened existing health policies, and implemented new ones, such as washing hands upon arrival at work; before and after serving or removing food and beverages; before resetting tables, and after every customer interaction, including credit card processing. They’ve also expanded and enhanced their cleaning and disinfecting protocols.

Restaurants also encourage patrons to buy gift cards. They provide much-needed cash now — particularly for small, great places like Jeera Thai — and can be used whenever you feel comfortable going inside.

PS: It’s not just restaurants. Customers can call Calise’s Market (203-227-3257). They’ll put together hot foods, soups, sandwiches, cold cuts, homemade pizzas, drinks, snacks, milk, water, bread, eggs, butter, dry goods — whatever you want  — all for curbside service or delivery.

Sandra Calise-Cenatiempo reports they just stocked up on pasta, sauces and many canned goods. Tomorrow (Monday) they’ll start making dishes that can be frozen.

If you own a restaurant — or store — and would like “06880” readers to know what you’re doing, click “Comments” below.

But restaurants are not the only small businesses reeling from COVID-19.

Savvy + Grace — the great, locally own downtown unique gifts-and-more store — will close for a while. But only the doors.

Owner Annette Norton — Main Street’s biggest booster — says:

As a small business owner I have been grappling with how to handle this.

I am responsible for the rent, vendor bills, expenses, yet with all of the information I am collection, it pales in comparison with our community’s health. Therefore, I have decided to close until further notice.

I will be inside, alone, processing all of our new merchandise for spring. Which, by the way, allows me to offer curbside delivery and call-ins, or direct message me on Instagram for shipping: @savvyandgracewestport. You can also call the store: 203-221-0077.

My store has always been, and always will be, about putting my customers first. This too shall pass.

I just want to do what is responsible, given the information available. It has been my pleasure to serve this community, and I am committed to seeing this through.

See you soon. Stay healthy!

Savvy + Grace, a jewel on Main Street. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)

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Posted in Downtown, Local business, People, Restaurants, Saugatuck

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