Momu — the ice cream shop that replaced Saugatuck Sweets — opened yesterday.
Judging by the menu, the vibe and the crowds, it will be a delicious addition to the neighborhood.
Momu is not exactly Saugatuck Sweets 2.0. Nearly everything about the new spot is different from its predecessor.
The space has been reconfigured, with an entrance right on Riverside Avenue.
Large windows offer a bright view of the Saugatuck River.
So many choices! (Photo/Dan Woog)
And the ice cream and sorbets — offered as scoops, home-made waffle cones, pints and milkshakes — are all made in-house, using locally sourced ingredients.
That means flavors like rhubarb and elderflower, honey, and matcha (green tea).
The “mud” ice cream is made with coffee, and Kneads oreo cookies. Another flavor mixes in Kneads’ challah.
The connection with the café and bakery across the street is more than coincidental. Momu is owned by 2 couples: Christian and Emily Muñoz, and Daniel and Brittany Moreno. The Morenos also own Kneads.
(The name “Momu” comes from the first two letters of their last names.)
Momu’s owners.
The new place has been in the works for a while. Sam Gault, who owns the property, is a Kneads fan, and knew of the Morenos’ long background in the ice cream business too.
The key to success, Emily Muñoz says, will be that homemade touch.
The owners plan to shop at the Westport Farmers’ Market, using local fruits and produce to add season items to the menu.
“You name it, we’ll make it,” Emily says.
Emily Muñoz with fresh rhubarb — ready for ice cream. (Photo/Dan Woog)
All toppings are made on-site too. (Except the sprinkles: They’re Kneads’.)
Westporters flocked to Momu yesterday. Lemon, coconut, lavendar and marshmallow, coffee, salted caramel swirl, s’mores — all drew raves.
Sweet!
(For Momu’s website, click here. For their Instagram, click here. Momu is open 7 days a week, from noon to 10 p.m.).
(“06880” regularly features new business news. We’re part of the community — and, like those businesses, we rely on your support. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
It may be hard to remember. And newcomers have no clue.
But the current look of Riverside Avenue, in the heart of Saugatuck, is less than 15 years old.
The redevelopment was not without controversy.
The block containing DeRosa’s restaurant, Westport Florists, Riverside Barber and Gault was demolished. So too was the building across the street, which housed a salon and restaurant, and a nearby former garage that was Doc’s Café.
Today, this is the block with The Whelk and an ice cream shop.
There have been changes in the past 15 years. The first butcher shop moved across the street; after various iterations, it’s now Saugatuck Provisions, part of Match Burger Lobster.
Saugatuck Sweets is gone. It will be replaced soon by an ice cream shop operated by Kneads Bakery across the street — which itself took over from Garelick & Herbs.
One kayak rental shop has come and gone. Another moved in.
Doc’s Café was a favorite coffee shop.
Westport has welcomed thousands of newcomers since the early 2010s. They have no memory of the “old” Saugatuck — which itself was only the latest incarnation of an area that was the first commercial center of Westport, in the mid-1800s, then became a thriving Italian neighborhood that gave our town so much of its character and history.
More change may come soon to Saugatuck. Meanwhile, this was the scene that Peter Barlow saw — and was surprised by — when he visited the town he grew up in, 14 long (and short) years ago:
Riverside Avenue, under construction in 2010. (Photo/Peter Barlow)
(“06880” chronicles the changes in Westport — in real time, and in this regular Friday feature. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
“It is with mixed feelings that we announce that after spending the last 10+ years building Saugatuck Sweets Westport, we will be closing this location effective December 17.
“In recent years due to the challenging economic conditions and Covid issues, we have determined that it is no longer financially viable for us to keep this business afloat.
“We have so many amazing memories from our time in Westport that we will always cherish. So many incredible and lifelong friendships that we have built in our time here. It is our hope that while serving the Saugatuck section of Westport we have provided you and your families with not only great ice cream and candy … but also a tremendous family experience.
“We extend our appreciation to the Gault family, our landlord, for their great support, patience and help over the last 10 years….
“While we are saddened to be leaving the Westport area, we are excited to continue to serve you at our Fairfield location.
“Thanks for your love, support & business.
Chris & Al DiGuido
“PS. Please note that Westport gift cards will continue to be honored at the Saugatuck Sweets Fairfield location.
“PPS. There are a number of great photos hanging in the store featuring your children. If you would like these photos. you can pick them up in the Fairfield Store as well.” (Hat tip: Mark Mathias)
Friends and admirers of Lynda Bluestein packed the Westport Library yesterday, for the dedication of 2 wind phones. Donated by the longtime Westporter and her family, the disconnected (but real) telephones allow people to “stay in touch” with loved ones who have died.
Originated in Japan, there are now 170 wind phones in the US. However, these are the first in a public library. One will be in the “Library of Things,” available for checkout. The other will be in the Children’s Library, allowing youngsters to “call” not only grandparents and others, but pets who have passed.
Children’s Library wind phone (left), and the one in the Library of Things.
Lynda — who has terminal fallopian tube cancer, and who after reaching a settlement with the state of Vermont, will be the first non-resident to take advantage of a law allowing people with terminal illnesses to end their own lives — was at the Library ceremony, with family and friends.
Speaking gracefully, she acknowledged the importance of wind phones at the library: a public place where people can also find privacy.
The Library’s wind phones will be accompanied by recommended reading for both children and adults, plus a dedicated resource guide.
Lynda also spoke about the process of grief, and what it means to feel connected to those who are gone.
Library director Bill Harmer and actor James Naughton — who, like Lynda, is a staunch advocate for legislation permitting medical aid in dying — also spoke, lauding Lynda’s generosity, compassion and humanity.
Lynda Bluestein, at the Westport Library. (Photos/Dan Woog)
A SWAT team descended on 24 Ferry Lane East yesterday.
First responders from 6 towns used stun grenades. Officers — including K-9 corps — breached the house, and found suspects inside.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
No one was arrested, either.
It was the right house, though: one slated for demolition later this month.
Personnel from Westport, Wilton, Easton, Darien, Monroe and Trumbull seized the opportunity for a training exercise. The “suspects” were playing roles — but the action (except for live ammo) was real.
Neighbors were notified last week. They were told to expect military-looking vehicles and officers along the road.
And explosions too.
It’s great to know that emergency personnel are constantly training.
It’s equally great to know that everything they did yesterday was not for real.
SWAT action on Ferry Lane East yesterday. (Photos and hat tip/Matthew Mandell)
Anyone lucky enough to have tickets to this weekend’s Candlelight Concerts knows they’re in for a treat. In addition to the usual superb show, the Staples High School Music Department premieres its first commissioned work in 40 years, by Class of 2000 graduates Jake Landau and Emily Garber.
But there’s another important element of Candlelight — and it’s called “Can-Delight.”
This year, the Staples chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society is bringing back the tradition of donating cans of food, for Homes with Hope.
They’ll collect nonperishable canned and boxed foods at all 3 Candlelight Concerts. Donation boxes will be in the lobby.
So grab your tickets — and as many cans as you, um, can. It’s an extra-special way to enjoy the Music Department’s 83rd annual gift to the town.
Poster design by Tri-M Music Honor Society co-president Shivali Kanthan.
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Yesterday’s Roundup included an item about contractors’ trucks being parked at the triangular green on Kings Highway North and Old Hill Road, across from the cemetery. It’s a historic site: Militias trained there during the Revolutionary War.
I expected a few reactions:
“Who cares?”
“Aren’t there more important things to worry about?”
“It’s better than parking on that narrow, busy road.”
I did not expect this to be posted in the Comments section:
It is my contractors who have been parking on the green across from the Old Hill Cemetery.
I have felt awful about the damage done to the green and have been planning on repairing everything. The repair will be done in the spring. I already have a quote from my landscaper to put new topsoil down and seed and will do anything else necessary to repair and restore the area.
Thank you,
Ann Sisto
4 Old Hill Road
Just when you think you’ve heard everything …
Happy holidays, Ann. And here’s wishing you a speedy, beautiful and hassle-free renovation!
This month marks the 25th birthday of Tess Meisel.
The Coleytown Middle School student was killed in a motor vehicle accident in 2011, during summer camp in Maine. She was just 12 years old.
Her mother, Suzanne Tanner, invites friends who are in town over the holidays to visit her memorial bench at the Westport Library.
It is adorned for the season in “Tessie Blue,” and includes Tess’ poetry.
Tess Meisel’s bench.
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In 1999, Aaron Donovan — just 5 years out of Staples High School, and a New York Times news assistant whose job included updating each issue number — discovered that the venerable “paper of record” had inadvertently credited itself with 500 extra issues.
The mistake happened 101 years earlier — in 1898.
Thanks to Donovan’s epic research, on New Year’s Day 2000, the Times corrected the error.
On Tuesday — nearly 24 years after that memorable correction — the paper looked back on the story behind the story.
The occasion was the Times‘ 60,000th issue. In commemoration, the “Times Insider” column featured an interview with Donovan. (He has moved on to a new position: deputy communications director of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.)
Click here to read the full, interesting tale, and Donovan’s take on it. (Hat tip: Mary Condon)
Page 1 of the January 1, 2000 New York Times, when the issue number error was fixed. Besides the momentous turn of the millennium, there was some interesting news from Russia.
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Amy Simon Fine Art is moving.
It’s not far — just a few yards east, to 155 Post Road East (opposite Design Within Reach). The target date is January 1.
They’re transitioning to a showroom with full inventory, rather than a public gallery space. They’ll be open by appointment.
“So much of our business is online and all over the world, this just makes sense for us,” Amy says.
Meanwhile, nearly everything is on sale. Amy can provide retail and discounted prices by request, or in person (123 Post Road East).
Looking for something artsy for your kids over the holiday break?
MoCA Westport’s Intensive Art Camp is open to youngsters ages 8-10. There are 2 sessions: December 18-22 and 26-29. Both run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:3 p.m.
Students will learn art fundamentals like line work, color theory and composition, as they explore the MoCA gallery. They explore painting with a palette tool, ink on watercolors and more.
Click here for more information — including sessions for younger boys and girls – – and to register.
Registration is open for 3 of Wakeman Town Farm’s winter kids’ programs.
“Little Farmers Parent & Me,” “Toddler Sprouts” and “Fantastic Farmhands” all begin January 23. Click here for more information, including registration.
A reminder (and we can’t remind readers often enough): From tonight through early Monday morning, the second “bridge slide” takes place.
The new I-95 Saugatuck Avenue bridge will be slid over, replacing the old one. Traffic will be diverted onto local roads.
Drivers using Waze and other apps will find their own ways around the miss, as they did 2 weeks ago. Areas far from 95, like Hermit Lane and Gorham Avenue, were affected.
If you’re going to weekend happenings — like Saturday’s Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Services banquet at the VFW, or the next day’s “First Folk Sunday” (also at the VFW), or Sunday’s “Historic Homes of 06880” house tour — plan accordingly.
If it seems like there are a lot of vape and smoke shops popping up around town: You’re not high. It’s true.
The Planning & Zoning Commission has taken notice too.
The first agenda item at its November 13 meeting (7 p.m., Zoom; click here to see) includes a text amendment that would “protect the public health and welfare by adding language to define and prohibit Smoke Shops and add stricter standards applicable to other establishments that sell smoking related products, but do not qualify as a Smoke Shop as described in the definition.”
New language is also proposed to “prohibit light emitting diode or LED signs so as to reduce potential distractions to motorists” — one of the complaints about Savvy Smoker, the new shop next to Christian Siriano at the corner of Post Road East and West Parish Road.
Nearly 400 fans packed the Inn at Longshore last night, for Westport PAL’s 2nd annual gala.
The Romano family (Pete, his parents PJ and Joan, sister Pam Romano-Gorman, and daughters), and former PAL president Ned Batlin, were honored for their longtime contributions to the non-profit that serves thousands of Westport youth every year.
There was an auction too, including special items like VIP parking — and beach sitting — areas for the PAL-sponsored 4th of July fireworks.
And there were heartfelt testimonials to the importance of Westport PAL (and the influence of so many volunteer coaches) by former lacrosse player Henry Dodge, current Staples High School quarterback Caleb Smith, and 6th grade athlete Tristen Rycenga.
It was a great, Westport-centric evening. Funds raised will go to the new, 2-story clubhouse planned for (of course) PJ Romano Field.
6th grader Tristen Rycenga (at microphone) and teammates thank Westport PAL for all they do. PAL president Craig Bergamo is at left. (Photo/John Videler for Videler Photography)
Also yesterday: 90-year-0ld Win Allen provided a snapshot of his life story to the Y’s Men of Westport & Weston.
The 48-year resident of Westport grew up in Harlem, attended law school, earned a Fulbright Scholarship, then created the first Black-owned Wall Street firm.
He has written 3 books, most recently“How I Pried Open Wall Street in 1962.”
Win Allen speaks to the Y’s Men. (Hat tip and photo/Dave Matlow)
Ukraine Aid International –– the non-profit founded by Westporters Brian and Marshall Mayer — continues to deliver crucial aid.
The organization has purchased a water filtration truck, for deliveries to frontline locations to places — like our sister city of Lyman — without permanent installations.
Lyman’s police also just received a generous donation from the Westport Police Department. The shipment includes gear that was scheduled to be replaced here, including bulletproof vests, shoulder radios, winter hats and gloves, car radios, police belts and ballistic helmets.
Donations to Lyman are always welcome. Click here; then 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.)
Ukraine Aid International’s water filtration truck.
For adults — well, you may have way too many Kit Kats, M&Ms and apples (just kidding) left over from Monday night.
Al’s Angels are happy to take it off your hands.
From now through Wednesday (November 8), bring extra Halloween candy to Saugatuck Sweets’ Westport or Fairfield locations.
It will be placed in nearly 1,500 Al’s Angels Thanksgiving holiday meal bins, for children battling cancer, rare blood diseases and several financial hardship.
“On September 13, the Conservation Board approved a plan to build a luxury townhouse next to Eloise A. Ray Park, on Riverside Avenue.
“This approval occurred over the objections of a number of residents, including a ‘Friends of the Park’ group which has been lobbying against the project for some time.
“Opponents of the project argue that it will be unusable while construction is ongoing; that it will be used in part as a staging area, and damaged by equipment; that the park will be ‘forever altered by having a multi-level house, driveway, patio and walls’ encroaching on it; that trees will be cut, wildlife displaced, and that traffic on Riverside will be affected for lengthy periods of time.
“While the project still requires approval by Planning & Zoning (no hearing date has yet been set), Friends of Eloise A. Ray Park urges residents to find out where P&Z candidates stand on this issue. They also invite interested residents to email saveeloise@gmail.com.”
People with Autism Spectrum Disorder, who are drivers or passengers in cars, are invited to a “Traffic Stop Practice” tomorrow (Saturday, November 4, 8 a.m. to noon), Sacred Heart University).
Sponsored in part by the Westport Police Department, the goal is to provide those with ASD with information about interactions during a routine traffic stop. They’ll also learn how to use the Department of Motor Vehicles’ “Blue Envelope,” which helps enhance communication with officers.
To register, email asd-center@southernct.edu; include “Traffic Stop Practice” in the subject line, and include name, phone, email and physical address.
The state DMV “blue envelope” program, for people with autism.
Though 180 families applied to the Salvation Army for Thanksgiving turkeys and other food, the organization expects their CT Food Share allotment will not cover the need.
The seek additional support from are residents.
The Salvation Army also hopes to purchase new coats, sneakers and toys for hundreds of youngsters.
To help, and for more information, contact Major Persi Sanclemente: Persida.Sanclemente@USE.SalvationArmy.org; 401-439-3480.
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Yesterday’s frost was the first of this fall.
Jacqui O’Brien captured it in Greens Farms, for “Westport … Naturally”:
(Photo/Jacqui O’Brien)
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And finally … this weekend’s “bridge slide” is not electric.
But this video will get you in a happier mood than you otherwise might be:
(Staying home to avoid all the traffic? Slide over to this link, and help support “06880.” Thank you!)
Dave Briggs headed to Compo Beach yesterday. He expected to enjoy the first dogs-allowed day of the season.
It was ruined by creatures of a different kind. There were spotted lanternflies everywhere — “all over everybody” — Dave reports.
Leigh Gage adds: “I did my part in eradicating about 100 of this invasive species at Compo. There’s a tree of heaven out on the spit of land past the kayaks, and they’re all over it.
“Perhaps some others can come squash these bugs too. I felt a little funny/ murderous killing so many — but my understanding is it’s my environmental duty.”
Spotted lanternflies on the Compo Beach cannons … (Photo/Dave Briggs)
… and nearby. (Photo/Dana Kuyper)
Bruce McFadden adds:
“Although I know lantern flies are not new to Westport, my wife and I and many others were surprised to find them everywhere on Sunday.
“During our paddle they were all over the water surface and on sea grasses just out of the E.R Strait Marina into Gray’s Creek.
“They were on our picnic table at lunch, and all over our car and tires as we departed for Compo. All sidewalks at Compo were spotted by the less fortunate members of the species.
“The Lanternfly Stomp was clearly big at the beach today, and probably all over town!”
Spotted lanternfly on the water. (Photo/Bruce McFadden)
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And another “ugh” report from Compo:
On September 26, a reader got this email from the Parks & Recreation Department:
A reminder…Our policy states that all bathhouse assignees are to clean out their lockers no later than September 30th.
You may use Sunday, October 1st to make sure that your bathhouse has been cleaned out and your lock has been removed. Any locks remaining as of Monday, October 2nd, will be cut off and the contents will be removed and discarded.
Thanking you in advance for your attention in this matter. Have a great day!
The bold items were there in the original message.
Yesterday — October 1 — he went to the beach to remove his lock.
It was already gone.
“They cut off locks and started removing everyone’s things today,” the reader says.
“Seems like a huge mistake. It’s going to cost people lots of money in ruined locks and trashed property.”
Another teed-off beachgoer posted on social media:
Our lock was cut as of 12 p.m. We found most of our stuff in a pile by the bathrooms, but there was a tractor carting piles of stuff away. There was a lot of nice stuff being removed. I believe our email said this would happen tomorrow, not today.
Compo lockers cleaned out, with contents ready for removal. (Photo/Jason Stiber)
Jason Stiber was more blunt. He told “06880”: “I have never understood logic of having no grace period. This year, even worse, they removed stuff one day early to their email.
“We’re talking thousands of dollars lost collectively, and such a waste of good, expensive beach furniture, sand toys, umbrellas, boogie boards and beach wagons.”
But there’s good news from Compo Beach. Jo Shields Sherman reports:
“I imagine you probably got quite a few doggy pictures from yesterday, the first day dogs were allowed back on the beach.
“But here’s a nighttime one. Buggy, my service dog, has battled lymphoma for a little over a year now. Most days she feels like a puppy, and acts like one too.
“She actually started swimming this summer. She loves the beach. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?”
Westport Pride, the Westport Library and Triangle Community Center are offering a 2-part community education series. The aim is to address an abundance of misinformation about the queer community.
The October 11 event — “LGBTQ+ 101” — covers basic vocabulary concepts and history.
The November 9 session applies information from the first training to real-world examples. Participants will brainstorm ways to be inclusive and affirming, and how to address bias.
Both are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Registration is required; click here.
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“Bad Influencer” — the new immersive fiction podcast whos stars include Deuxmoi, Kristen Doute, Perez Hilton and Christy Carlson Romano debuts tomorrow (October 3).
The 9-episode romantic comedy is told through the eyes of a 20-something wannabe living in New York. She makes a wish and wakes up a famous
influencer, but finds that the glitzy, glamourous world is not always what it seems.
“Bad Influencer” was written by Staples High School Class of 2005 graduate Gabi Conti. She’s the author of “Twenty Guys You Date in Your Twenties.”
It was co-created by fellow Westporter and international best-selling author Jane Green.
To listen on all major streaming platforms, click here.
Gabi Conti
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How much can I afford to pay at Saugatuck Sweets?
The ice cream-and-more shop, with outlets in Westport and Fairfield, is offering free classes on a wide range of financial literacy topics.
It’s a partnership with Merrill Lynch Fairfield and Junior Achievement. Sessions are scheduled for high school and middle school students.
The next one is this Saturday (October 7, noon to 1:30 p.m., 28 Reef Road). Parents are welcome to accompany their kids.
And finally … in honor of the Compo Beach lockers …
(There’s always lots of Compo news in town — and plenty more. “06880” is your source for whatever is happening. But we need your support. Please click here to contribute. Thank you!)
Today’s weather sliced into the Slice of Saugatuck attendance.
But plenty of people of all ages still headed to the triangle formed by Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place and Saugatuck Avenue, for the 11th annual food tasting, retail experience and fundraiser for the Homes with Hope pantry.
The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce event included bouncy houses, a face painter, balloon bender, firehouse tours, beer and wine gardens, and 7 bands.
Any way you slice it, it was a great Saugatuck day.
Pasta, meatballs — and dog treats — at Tutti’s …
… Tuck Gin on Railroad Place …
… kids’ fun by the train station …
… tickets sold by RTM moderator (and former Homes with Hope CEO) Jeff Wieser …
… one of 7 bands …
… Deputy Fire Chief Nick Marsan at the Saugatuck stationhouse, where the Fire Department raised awareness of breast cancer …
… and let little kids drive a fire truck …
… treats at Saugatuck Sweets …
… and cheeseburger meatball at Match Burger Lobster (All photos/Dan Woog)
Last night, the Representative Town Meeting voted 30-1 to restore $133,000 the Board of Finance had cut, to Wheels2U Westport’s 2022-23 budget.
Wheels2U Westport, is the Westport Transit District’s on-demand, group ride shuttle service. It takes riders from their door to the Saugatuck and Greens Farms train station platforms, and from the stations to their jobs and other places in Westport.
The restoration will keep Wheels2U operating through June 30, 2023.
Peter Gold, Westport Transit District director (and an RTM member), said he and his colleagues received over 200 letters from “all segments of Westport’s population” in support of restoring the funds.
For more information about Wheels2U, click here. For more information about the Westport Transit District’s services for the elderly and people with disabilities, click here,
If you’re starved for good news, listen up: The Westport Farmers’ Market returns to the Imperial Avenue parking lot on Thursday, May 12.
Favorite farmers return, including Fort Hill, Riverbank, Ox Hollow, Calf + Clover Creamery, Beaver Brook, Herbal Deva, Muddy Feet Flower Farm, Two Guys from Woodbridge, Bee Love Project, Horseshoe, Deeply Rooted, Popp’s, Rose’s Berry, Seacoast Mushroom, Lost Ruby and Woodland. There are a few surprises too, says director Lori Cochran-Dougall.
Prepared food vendors include fresh faces alongside those you have come to rely on for your weekly shopping and entertaining needs, including Boxcar Cantina, NitNoi Provisions, Farmers and Cooks, Simply Local, Herbaceous Catering, Badass Bagels and Parlor Pizza, among others.
After 2 years, dining returns 🙂 . Music again fills the air , kids’ activities take center stage, and chef and other demonstrations are back as well
A 10 a.m. mindful opening will be led by Pause + Purpose. A toast follows at noon, with Cross Culture Kombucha.
The market runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday, through November 10. For more information, including a full list of vendors and programs, click here. find us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, too!
What a sweet way to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month!
1st Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker presented the town’s official proclamation on Sunday, before an excited group of Asian American and Pacific Islander Westport families — at Saugatuck Sweets.
2nd Selectwoman Andrea Moore, Board of Education chair Lee Goldstein and RTM member Sal Liccione joined in.
To celebrate the month, Saugatuck Sweets is lighting their Westport and Fairfield stores yellow.
Staples High School’s AWARE Club is not only aware of the world.
They’re doing something to help.
The acronym stands for Assisting Women through Actions, Resources & Education. It’s affiliated with local and national AWARE organizations.
The teenagers are supporting refugees their age from Ukraine and Afghanistan, who will arrive in Connecticut this summer. They’re collecting new beach towels and water bottles, so their peers can have a bit of enjoyment.
The towels and bottles can be dropped off from now through May 11. There’s a bin by the front door at 14 High Point Road (off Long Lots).
Teens who would like to join Staples’ AWARE Club — or volunteer at the “Tapas & Twilight” May 14 AWARE fundraiser, to benefit the Women’s Mentoring Network — should email info@awarect.org.
The Martin Luther King Day presentation by noted author Heather McGhee — postponed from January — has been rescheduled. It’s now set for May 18 (7 p.m., Westport Library).
Her book “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together,” spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was longlisted for the National Book Award. Her 2020 TED talk “Racism Has a Cost for Everyone” reached 1 million views in just 2 months.
The MLK Day program also includes a recital by the Bridgeport Boys Choir, and a dance by the Regional Center for the Arts.
Click here to register for the free program in the Library’s Trefz Forum, or via livestream, and to purchase a copy of “The Sum of Us.”
The event is sponsored by the Westport Library, Westport Country Playhouse, TEAM Westport, Westport/Weston Interfaith Council, and Westport/Weston Interfaith Clergy.
Westport Sunrise Rotary’s Great Duck Race returns for its 13th running on July 9. The location is new: Jesup Green.
On Sunday, the Rotarians tried out their new design. The Westport Fire Department provided the water; AJ Penna donated the front loader, to dump the ducks. In case you missed it:
The test will help the event run smoothly. Meanwhile, tickets are already on sale from any Sunrise Rotarian or online. $10,000 in prizes will be awarded — and all proceeds go to charity.
The Housatonic Museum of Art is out of this world.
Actually, it’s just a few minutes away in Bridgeport. But they’re hosting :How Beautiful, The Universe …” — a free exhibition of 20 astrophotography prints — in association with the Westport Astronomical Society.
The Museum is on the 3rd floor of Beacon Hall. It’s open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (until 7 p.m. on Thursday).
Next Monday (May 9, 7 p.m.) there’s a special viewing and talk on the art and science of astrophotography. Right after, there’s guided use of telescopes and moon viewing in the Housatonic Community College courtyard.
Families are welcome. To reserve a seat, click here.
Thursday is forecast to be beautiful. Which means it’s perfect for a drive-in movie.
The Remarkable Theater screens “The Hangover” with Bradley Cooper, at the Imperial Avenue lot. Tailgating begins a half-hour earlier than usual, at 6:30 p.m.; the film is at 8.
The next day (Friday, May 6) is Family Night: “Dumbo.” The length — 1 hour, 4 minutes — is perfect for young kids.
Saturday (May 7) is Mothers Day Eve. Celebrate with “Mermaids.” starring Cher and Winona Ryder — the cult mother-daughter classic.
June is LGBTQ Pride Month. June 3 is the day it will be celebrated in Westport schools.
Westport Pride — the townwide organization — is offering “Don’t Hide Your Pride” shirts for the month, and the day. The ones with the WPS logo are fundraisers for the fundraise for the Westport Public Schools Pride Coalition, which includes Staples High, and Bedford and Coleytown Middle Schools.
Click here to order. The deadline is May 10. Shirts can be picked up at Nice Threads in Westport on June 1.
Nashville trio South for Winter headlines the Unitarian Church’s Voices Café this Saturday (May 7, 8 p.m., in-person and livestream).
South for Winter blends acoustic duets with folk and bluesy ballads, combining cello, guitar, mandolin and harmonies in what’s been called “a genre-bending ‘impeccable sound.'”
Voices Café and South for Winter share a commitment to social justice. A portion of the concert proceeds benefit community organizations under the Unitarian Church in Westport’s social justice programs, including anti-racism, identity and equity, immigration and refugee efforts, and projects serving under-resourced communities.
Groups of 4 or more can reserve table space. General admission is $25 per person; livestream tickets are also available. For more information and tickets, click here.
Nature can be brutal. This crab learned that the hard way the other day at Compo Beach. Today’s “Westport … Naturally” food-chain photo comes courtesy of Nancy Lally, who saw similar scenes all along the shore.
And finally … Naomi Judd — with Wynonna, the older half of the famed mother-daughter country music duo the Judds — died Saturday hear Nashville. She was 76.
Naomi’s other daughter, actress Ashley Judd, said, “We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness.”
The Judds had 14 Number 1 hits. They racked up 9 Country Music Association Awards. and 5 Grammys. Click here for a full obituary.
Posted onApril 28, 2022|Comments Off on Westport Welcomes AAPI Heritage Month
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month begins Sunday — and AAPI Westport is ready.
With a full slate of activities, the group invites all residents to learn, connect and celebrate together.
Kickoff AAPI Heritage Month at Saugatuck Sweets on Monday, May 2 (4:30-6pm). Get an ice cream cone discount, and hear First Selectwoman Jen Tooker’s official proclamation.
Join the discussion: #StopAsianHate: One Year Later (Wednesday, May 4, 6 p.m., Westport Library). The film We Need to Talk About Anti-Asian Hate will be shown. NBC News correspondent Vicky Nguyen will moderate a discussion with Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, Organization of Chinese Americans of Fairfield County president Miriam Yeung, #IAmNotAVirus founder Mike Keo, and AAPI Westport co-founder Patra Kanchanagom. Click here to register.
Vicky Nguyen
Enjoy performances and food at the AAPI Festival (Westport Weston Family Y, Saturday, May 7, 2 to 4 p.m). Mecha-Uma will sell Japanese food. Admission is free; register click here to register.
Cocktails, conversation and fellowship are on tap at the AAPI & Allies Happy Hour (MoCA Westport, May 10, 5 to 7 p.m.).
Middle and high school students are invited to an interactive workshop about AAPI History: Fighting Anti-Asian Hate with Immigrant History Initiative (May 14, Toquet Hall, 4 to 6 p.m.). Admission is free; pizza provided. Click here to register.
To experience the multiverse and see Michelle Yeo, watch Everything Everywhere All at Once (May 19, Remarkable Theater, 8 p.m.). A short film about AAPI Westport will be shown too. Click here for tickets.
Fore more information click here. Sign up on Instagram (@aapiwestport) for updates.
Comments Off on Westport Welcomes AAPI Heritage Month
United Way of Coastal Fairfield County has awarded the town of Westport $2,000. The funds — and a supply of KN95 masks — support residents impacted by COVID, along with a supply of KN95 protective face masks.
This is the third round of United Way grants to help during the pandemic. It brings to 6,500 the number of masks donated to residents. A previous award of gift cards helped ease the way for struggling residents.
United Way has also helped area agencies, including Homes with Hope, during COVID.
It’s not great haiku. But that’s what’s happening February 28 (7 p.m.) at Wakeman Town Farm.
Westport’s own Diane Lowman (aka Dustin’s mother) will help you learn to write concisely and beautifully — well, at least more beautifully than my effort. The Farm will serve as inspiration. Click here for details and registration.
Fans of Mark Twain and/or music will enjoy the Westport Library’s February 27 event.
Westport composer Barbara Backlar Reis will present songs and commentary from her original collaboration “My Millionaire.” The musical is based on Twain’s short story, “The Million Pound Bank Note.”
The show explores the themes of money and power and how people behave toward those who possess them. Click here for details, and registration.
The family of Roberta Eggart writes that their “proud stage manager, assistant to Michael Sottile, writer, dancer, sister, mother of 3, widow, comedy texter, giver of gift cards to strangers and collector of stray humans, died peacefully on January 26 at the age of doesn’t matter. She will be missed by all who interacted with her.”
She lived in Westport for 3 decades, and knew nearly everyone. She is survived by her children Kat, Casey and Jesse Eggart, and grandson Kai.
Kat calls her mother “one of a kind, and a huge influence in so many people’s lives. She loved to dance, sing and write. She was the best stage manager in the world, and the coolest mom in town!”
The family adds, “A celebration of life will be announced at a later date. Light a candle and wish her well. That’s how she rolled.”
Nancy Prevo Andersen — believed to be the last surviving member of Staples High School’s Class of 1941 — died recently in Texas. She was 98 years old.
A noted illustrator and artist who showed frequently in the Southwest and Mexico, she was married to Bill Andersen (Staples ’42). Nancy’s father-in-law, Einar Andersen — longtime president of Westport Bank & Trust — helped put together financing for the town’s purchase of Longshore in 1959.
Nancy and Bill had 4 children: Nonnie, Lee, Diane and BJ. Further details on survivors and services were unavailable. (Hat tips: Carl Addison Swanson, Tom Allen)
The news that not one but two gelato shops are coming to Main Street is mouth-watering. They’ll be packed, and add plenty of life to downtown.
But they won’t be the first such places.
In 1954, the Ice Cream Parlor opened where Brandy Melville is now. It was an instant hit. Fred Cantor found this story from that year:
Several years later, the Ice Cream Parlor moved to Compo Shopping Center, where Cohen’s Fashion Optical is now. Its final location was on Post Road East just past Colonial Green, in what is now an office building.
Generations of Westporters remember the Ice Cream Parlor’s wrought iron chairs, penny candy, ice cream concoctions, and the “Pig’s Trough.” If you finished it, you didn’t have to pay. It was $69.95 half a century ago. That’s serious money.
A small portion of the Ice Cream Parlor menu. “The Pigs Trough” cost $69.95 — but was free if one person could eat it all in 3 hours. Above it was the “Staples Fruit Delight,” a large $2 sundae.
And of course, there was the menu, signed by everyone famous who ever enjoyed the Ice Cream Parlor.
Today’s kids are making their own childhood memories at Saugatuck Sweets — the modern-day Ice Cream Parlor.
Soon, we’ll add gelato shops to the mix. Here’s wishing them long, fruitful lives here.
And if they really want to win our hearts, they should add a Pig’s Trough.
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