Tag Archives: Staples Orphenians

Roundup: Post Office Thefts, Hamlet Meeting, Arts News …

Posted on March 21, 2025 | 9 comments

For the past couple of years, Westport has suffered thefts from private mailboxes. Checks are stolen, altered and cashed.

Amazingly, thieves also hit the big blue drop box outside Westport’s main post office in Playhouse Square.

Last Friday night — in a stupendously surprising and brazen move — the mail drop inside the post office was victimized. (The outside box was too).

Bad guys apparently “fish” for mail through the small slot. The staff is gone at night, but the front part of the building is open.

Westport’s postal clerks (who are perhaps the friendliest and most helpful in the entire US Postal Service) advise handing mail — particularly checks — directly to them.

Even the mail slot on the left is no longer safe (after hours).

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

The Planning & Zoning Commission meets next Thursday (March 27, 6 p.m., Zoom).

They’ll continue to discuss a request for special permit/coastal site plan approval for The Hamlet at Saugatuck: the mix of hotel, residential and non-residential uses in the area bordered by Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place, Franklin Street and Charles Street.


Part of the Hamlet at Saugatuck plan: a market, adjacent to Luciano Park, where boats are now stored in a private parking lot.

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

For nearly 50 years, Neighborhood Studios has helped underserved children and those with special needs throughout Fairfield County.

Programs include an art institute for children ages 4-12; a dance academy for those as young as 3; theater for 6-12-year-olds; a Saturday studio; a music school, and a conservatory for teenagers serious about the visual arts, media, music, theater and dance. It’s hands-on, dynamic, fun. Neighborhood Studios offers hope, and changes lives.

Program graduates have gone on to attend colleges like Yale, the University of Connecticut, Howard University, Art Institute, Parsons School of Design, the New School, and Berklee College of Music. Some have become music or art teachers — and Broadway performers.

(That’s an added bonus. The goal of Neighborhood Studios is not to produce lifelong artists. It’s to use the arts to help each child achieve his or her potential — and, hopefully, nurture a lifelong love of the arts.)

It’s a small operation, with a big mission. And some of Neighborhood Studios’ driving forces are Westporters. Board members include Rita Appel, Bob Jacobs and Laurie Gross.

Laurie and Jeff Gross, their son Zack and his wife Sheera, Jim and Lizzie Wolf, Tauck and Brigade Capital Management are sponsors of a very cool “Dueling Pianos” fundraiser.

The April 24 event (7 p.m., Park City Music Hall, Black Rock) includes (or course) music — with a twist. Attendees can request favorite songs, then sing and dance along. There’s plenty of food and drinks, too. Click here for tickets, and more information.

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

Speaking of the arts: Cabaret Olé — the fundraiser for the Staples High School Orphenians and VOCES8 Foundation that includes entertainment, Spanish tapas, a raffle and a silent auction — just got even better.

A VIP Flash Sale ticket — now just $170 — includes special seating, and a meet-and-greet (with photos) with “Wicked” star Mary Kate Morrissey, “Wicked” music director Dan Micciche, and more.

The raffle includes up to 10 nights at the Pineapple Beach Club in Antigua, theater tickets, restaurant gift cards and more. The silent auction features over 80 experiences and items. Bidding begins at noon on March 30; click here.

Cabaret Olé is March 30 (6 p.m., Christ & Holy Trinity Church). Preferred tickets are $150; general admission is $125. Click here for tickets, and more information.

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

Speaking (still) of entertanment: VersoFest has added another big name to next month’s music-and-more Westport Library event: 3-time Grammy Award-winning hip hop artist and co-founder of The Roots, Black Thought.

A conversation with “one of the best lyricists in hip hop history” and community leader June Archer is set for April 5 (4 p.m.; free).

Copies of Black Thought’s memoir, “The Upcycled Self: A Memoir on the Art of Becoming Who We Are,” will be for sale, with the author signing copies after the talk.

Black Thought and Questlove founded The Roots in 1987. From humble beginnings performing on Philadelphia street corners to commercial success, they expanded their reach as the house band for Jimmy Fallon, on “Late Night” and “The Tonight Show.”

Click here for more information on Black Thought. Click here for full details on VersoFest ’25.

Black Thought

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

And more about music: Voices Café often attracts interesting artists, from up and down the East Coast.

On April 5, one of them is a homegrown talent.

In fact, very talented.

Dustin Lowman — a 2011 Staples High School graduate, now making his name as a New York-based singer/songwriter — opens for Lucy Kaplansky.

Dustin says: “In the years since leaving Westport, I’ve forged an unconventional path, using the tools that growing up there afforded me.

Livingston Taylor says,“Dustin is on the path of a terrific musical career. His musical voice is waiting to be heard by those hungry for the next real thing.”

Kaplansky has gained a fervid following over 3 decades for her folk-inflected singing and songwriting.

Click here for tickets about the show at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport, and more information.

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

Hey, Staples High School Class of 1985: Your 40th (!) reunion is coming!

Organizers have planned a welcome gathering on July 18 at the Black Duck, followed by a July 19 dinner at Saugatuck Harbor Yacht Club, and brunch at Compo the next morning.

Email stapleshs1985@gmail.com for more information, or click here to sign up.

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

Female high school seniors who plan to continue their education at a college or vocational school can apply for a $3,000 Philanthropic Educational Organization scholarship.

Criteria include academic success, community service and financial need. For more information click here, or email pal9948@aol.com.

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

Staples graduate and prolific author Carl Addison Swanson has a new book out. It’s called “Thank You For Your Service!”

The author says: “The beloved boat bum Hush McCormick is back on center stage as he is hired by a veteran’s wife to get her husband out of an immigrant detention center in Buffalo.

“While the vet in question served his country honorably in Iraq with 2 deployments, he is not a naturalized citizen, and subject to deportation if he commits 3 misdemeanors or 1 felony. Follow Hush and his small band of Marines who try the impossible: help a fellow Marine get out of federal prison.”

Click here to order, and for more information.

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

For today’s “Westport …. Naturally” feature, we head to Nash’s Pond.

And a fine feathered photo by Dan Nash.

(Photo/Dan Nash)

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

And finally … hey, didn’t Bob Dylan kind of predict the mail drop thefts (story above) in this song?

(Whether you’re in Westport, Mobile, Memphis — or anywhere else in the world — if you enjoy “06880,” we hope you support our work. As Dylan says; “I want you.” Please click here to donate. Thanks!)

9 Comments

Posted in Arts, Library, Local politics, Real estate, Saugatuck, Staples HS

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Roundup: Town Boards, Staples Cabaret, GFA Robots …

Posted on March 2, 2025 | 3 comments

First Selectwoman Jen Tooker’s most recent newsletter, “Westport in Focus,” has hit email inboxes all over town.

Among the items: a call for volunteers for town boards and commissions.

She writes: “Over the past few years, 2nd Selectwoman Andrea Moore has spent considerable time meeting with and recommending eligible residents for appointments to non-elected town boards, Committees and commissions. Many people have heeded the call for civic involvement, and we are very appreciative of their efforts. These volunteers are making a difference in your community!

“The work of filling these positions is ongoing. Opportunities remain that may be of interest to those with unique skill sets, life or professional experience. This includes those with architectural experience for possible appointments to the Historic District Commission, or perhaps a background in building or engineering for the Building Maintenance Committee or the Public Site and Building Commission.

“Other agencies, such as the Parks Advisory Committee, Racquets Advisory Committee, Human Services Commission, Flood & Erosion Control Board (alternates), and Tree Board are for those seeking an opportunity to volunteer, listen, and learn about town operations and how they may contribute in an advisory capacity.

“You must be a registered voter to be considered. Please submit an interest form (click here) and discover how you may volunteer to serve Westport. You will find it very rewarding, I’m sure!”

The Flood & Erosion Control Board plays an important role in Westport life. (Photo/Andrew Colabella)

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

On Friday night, former CNN TV journalists Alisyn Camerota and Dave Briggs emceed Fashionably Westport, the Westport Downtown Association’s fun fundraiser for Homes with Hope, at the Westport Library.

Just moments before though, they were back in breaking news anchor mode. The pair — who recently began a joint podcast series — used the Library’s Verso Studios facilities to interview Ian Bremmer.

They asked the founder and president of Eurasia Group — a highly regarded political risk research and consulting firm — about that afternoon’s global alliance-shaking meeting in the Oval Office between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The interview was almost as stunning as the presidents’ session.

“This was probably the worst day for the world since 9/11,” Bremmer began.

It marked “a catacylsmic shift in the Western order … a core break.”

Bremmer noted that the US has been the only NATO nation ever to invoke Article 5 — the principle that says if one member country is attacked, all other members will defend it.

“America’s allies now look at us and say, ‘We don’t feel we have a trusted ally,'” Bremmer added.

Click below for the full 14-minute podcast:

Click here for Alisyn’s Substack. Click here for Dave’s Instagram.

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

Cabaret Olé — the fundaiser for Staples High School’s Orphenians trip to Spain, with performances by that elite a cappella ensemble, and highly regarded VOCES8 — just got even more special.

Mary Kate Morrissey — lead in Broadway’s “Wicked” — and Dan Micciche, the show’s music director and conductor — will also perform at the March 30 event (6 p.m. Christ & Holy Trinity Church).

Morrissey spent a decade touring 92 cities with “Wicked,” “Mean Girls” and “Hair,” before making her Broadway debut in Wicked in 2023. Micciche has been with the show for over a decade, including national and international tours.

He will coach the Orphenians on their song with Morrissey.

Cabaret Olé includes tapas and other light bites, and a silent auction. Funds raised go to both the Spain Choral Festival and the VOCES8 Foundation.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Monday, March 3, noon) at www,Orphenians.com.

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

Mindy Wolkstein’s husband died recently, from complications of dementia.

During his illness, ElderHouse Adult Day Center in Norwalk took great care of him.

For 48 years they have provided care for many others too, while giving caregivers much-needed breaks.

To give back, Mindy joined their board of directors. Now, she’s spreading the word about an upcoming Elderhouse benefit.

“Night at the Aquarium” (April 3, Maritime Aquarium, Norwalk) features hors d’oeuvres, dinner, drinks and an auction.

The evening will also honor the Greens Farms Academy Community Service Program. Led by Susan Wilchinsky, it has engaged hundreds of students in service to ElderHouse for over 25 years. Students meet weekly at the Norwalk adult day center.

For tickets, sponsorship opportunities and more, click here.

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

Speaking of Greens Farms Academy: Their Dragonoid team recently completed a very impressive robotics competition season.

They earned several engineering and programming awards, showcasing their skills at the State Championship, held at Bridgeport’s Total Mortgage Arena.

The Middle School team, Dragonoid Mechanics finished second overall. They also received the Create Award, for innovative problem-solving.

The Upper School team, the Dragonoid Brawlers, demonstrated adaptability and resilience, fine-tuning their robot under pressure. Earlier in the season they received a Judges’ Award, for dedication and ingenuity.

Greens Farms Academy Dragonoids Middle School robotics team. From left: Ben Kiev, Cooper Mleczko, Will Manes, Liam Haverstick, Mackenzie Bloom.

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

In 2021, Anjali McCormick was named CEO of the Westport Weston Family YMCA. She came from New Jersey, where she served as senior vice president and chief operating officer with the Summit Area YMCA.

McCormick left Westport this past August, after navigating the local Y through COVID, and celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Now she’s back in the Garden State — at the same Summit Y. She returns as interim CEO of its 4 branches on March 10.

Board chair Maria Brugg says, “Her extensive leadership experience, deep knowledge of the larger Summit area, and business acumen as a graduate of Harvard University with an MBA from New York University will help us forge new paths during this transitional period for our nearly 140-year history.”

Click here for the full story. (Hat tip: Pete Wolgast)

Anjali McCormick, at the Westport YMCA. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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

Sorelle Gallery’s new show, “Refraction,” features abstract watercolor paintings by Connecticut artist Nealy Hauschildt.

It opens next Saturday (March 8), with a reception andn artist meet-and-greet from 2 to 4 p.m. Click here for more details.

Nealy Hauschildt

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

It’s Tummy Time!

That’s the class — sponsored by Little Gan — Chabad of Westport’s pre-school — to help parents and caregivers support their baby’s physical development (ages 0 to 6 months), through fun activities led by a pediatric physical therapist.

The sessions emphasize the important of “tummy time,” with exercises to build strength, balance and coordination.

The class runs from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. on Mondays, from March 31 to June 2.

Click here for more information, or email jewishwestport.com/grownupandme.

Looking for tummy time.

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

Slowly warming temperatures have drawn residents to our beaches — including, in this “Westport …Naturally” photo, Sherwood Island State Park.

Today’s high temperature will struggle to reach freezing. By Tuesday, it will be back near 50. Welcome to March!

(Photo/Celia Campbell-Mohn)

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

And finally … in honor of Tummy Time, the program for infants’ parents and caregivers (story above):

 (“06880” echoes 1st Selectwoman Tooker’s call to get involved. Our suggestion: Click here to make a tax-deductible contribution to this hyper-local blog. And then, yeah, join a board. It’s all good.)

 

3 Comments

Posted in Library, Media, YMCA

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Roundup: Cabaret Ole, Art Scholarships, Westport Hardware & Playhouse …

Posted on February 15, 2025 | 1 comment

Staples Orphenians have shared their music with audiences all over the world. They’ve particiated in global educational events too.

This June, the elite high school choral group heads to the Spain Choral Festival

To ensure that every singer can particiapte, they’re hosting a “Cabaret Olé” fundraiser.

The March 30 event (6 p.m., Christ & Holy Trinity Church) features members of
grammy-nominated VOCES8 and other Broadway stars, along with tapas, other light bites and a silent auction.

Funds raised will also support the VOCES8 Foundation, which is developing an educational music hub in the Westport area.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

Staples Orphenians

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

Speaking of the arts: Less than 2 weeks remain for high school seniors to apply for $5,000 worth of scholarships.

The Drew Friedman Community Arts Center grants go to students with financial need who want to pursue an arts education at any level — university, community college or an arts school. All Westport 12th graders are eligible, no matter where they currently attend school.

The DFCAC is funding the scholarships. It was founded by Friedman — the downtown property owner, restauranteur (Onion Alley, Cobb’s Mill Inn, Stonehenge Inn) and philanthropist whose first wife Bobbie was an accomplished artist.

The Drew Friedman Community Arts Center also sponsors workshops and projects for students. The center is administered by Nick Visconti, Friedman’s longtime business partner.

To apply, students who currently participate in art classes or art activities should send up to 8 digital images (JPEGs) of their work. It can be any medium — photography, painting, sculpture, drawing, digital art, or other.

Applicants should also submit a statement of up to 300 words describing the value of art in their life, and the world at large.

Send images and the statement (or any questions) to info@DrewFriedmanCommunityArtsCenter.org (subject line: “2025 Scholarship”). The deadline is February 28.

2024 Drew Friedman Scholarship winners Chloe Hackett and Mia Vindola (holding checks) with (from left) DFCAC co-directors Miggs Burroughs and Nick Visconti, and First Selectwoman Jen Tooker.

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

Speaking still of the arts: The Westport Country Playhouse and Westport Hardware may seem to have little in common.

But they’ve teamed up on a special “buy one, get one free” offer for the upcoming production of “Native Gardens.”

The show’s theme is “good fences make good neighbors (or do they?)” — and of course Westport Hardware sells every type of garden accessory imaginable.

For more information, and tickets, click here, or call the box office (203-227-4177). Use or mention the prmoo code “COMMUNITYBOGO.”

Fences — common to the Westport Country Playhouse and Westport Hardware.

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

Congratulations to John DiBartolomeo!

The 2009 Staples High School basketball star — who went on to earn Division III National Player of the Year honors at the University of Rochester — has had a long professional career in Israel.

On Thursday, his Maccabi Tel Aviv team won the prestigious Israeli Cup.

Click here to read all about his pro career. (Hat tip: Chuck Haberstroh)

John DiBartolomeo

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

Speaking of sports: DiBartolomeo’s fellow 2009 Staples graduate Parker Kligerman won his 4th-ever NASCAR Truck Series race this week, an event leading up to the Daytona 500.

But he was disqualified an hour later. His truck failed ride height checks, and was too low in the rear. His team said they’d appeal.

Click here and click here for the full story. (Hat tip: Frank Rosen)

Parker Kligerman

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

Yesterday’s “06880” Friday Flashback noted that there are 19 Westports in the United States, and 22 around the world.

Right on cue (and it was actually the next day there), Pippa Bell Ader checked in.

She and her husband David are in New Zealand, visiting her sister. Here’s one of the Aders’ stops, on the west coast of the South Island:

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

Doris Ghitelman captured yesterday’s full “snow moon” yesterday. Her intriguing “Westport … Naturally” image was taken at the Saugatuck train station.

(Photo/Doris Ghitelman)

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

And finally … on this date in 1764, the city of St. Louis was established in Spanish Louisiana (now Missouri).

(If it happens in Westport, Connecticut — or Westport, New Zealand — you’ll read about it on “06880.” If you enjoy our hyper-local coverage, with a global twist, please click here. Thank you!)

 

1 Comment

Posted in Arts, Library, Local business, Sports, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Roundup: Orphenians’ Valentines, Compostable Cups, Carnegie Hall …

Posted on February 12, 2025 | 6 comments

In June, Staples Orphenians — our high school’s renowned, audition-only choral ensemble — travel to Spain, for an international choral festival.

They want to make sure every student can participate, regardless of financial circumstance. Proceeds raised above their goal will go to the Voces8Foundation, which is creating a music education hub in Westport.

As a fundraiser, Orphenian singers have created 1-minute a cappella clips of pop Valentine’s tunes. They range from love to friendship to (ugh) breakup — for example, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “My Girl” and “I Want You Back.”

For just $5.50, anyone can send a digital Orphenians Valentine “Singing Gram” to anyone in the world. It will be delivered Friday (Valentine’s Day). Click here to order (songs are listed under “Select an Option”).

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

A reader writes: “I just learned at Starbucks that the town is requiring all businesses to switch to compostable cups and lids. Do you know more about this initiative and what happens when businesses don’t comply?”

I contacted Gately Ross, co-director of Sustainable Westport. She replied: “Nothing that we’ve heard about explicitly. I suspect they are referencing Westport’s Single Use Plastic ordinance.” (Click here for the full regulation.)

The ordinance — passed in 2019 — says that any food service business must “transition from disposable plastic food service ware to compostable and recyclable alternatives.”

“Single use plastic food service products” incudes food containers, straws, stirrers, plates, “clamshells” — and hot and cold beverage cups.

1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker cited the ordinance — and last year’s “Skip the Stuff” campaign, encouraging customers to request only utensils and other items that they really need — at this month’s State of the Town meeting.

Ross thinks that may have prompted Starbucks’ compliance with the ordinance.

The Conservation Department can issue fines of $150 per infraction, plus additional fees.

Ross notes: “Disposal of compostable goods is nuanced. Often they are confused for recyclable (which is suboptimal, because they will contaminate the recycling stream).

“Also, they are not accepted at the town transfer station food waste collection.

“Sustainable Westport recommends that residents contact their private hauler to see if they are permitted in curbside collections.

“Best answer: Reusables! Bring your own mug! Which Starbucks permits.”

A Starbucks compostable cup.

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

The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee meets tomorrow (Thursday, February 13, 8:30 a.m., Town Hall rooms 307/9).

The agenda includes a review of the downtown design master plan, including parking study strategy and Jesup/Imperial lots design, as well as Church Lane closure, and “Jesup Alley.”

The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee will discuss the alley between Jesup Road and Post Road East.

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

Sam Weiser has made it to Carnegie Hall!

The 2012 Staples High School gaduate takes the stage on February 27, with his Columbus, Ohio-based Carpe Diem String Quartet. Their presentation includes 2 world premieres.

The group is “one of the most unique and sought-after chamber ensembles on the cincert stage today. (The) boundary-breaking ensemble that has earned widespread critical and audience acclaim for its innovative programming and electrifying performances.”

Click here for tickets, or call 212-247-7800.

Sam Weiser (center, rear) with the Carpe Diem String Quartet.

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

Speaking of the arts: One of the best shows in town is a backstage tour of the Westport Country Playhouse.

From the history-rich green room and dressings rooms, to the costume and set shops, you’ll get an up-close-and-personal, behind-the-scenes (and free) look at the 94-year-old theater.

Susan Garment took one the other day. She was particularly intrigued at the set being readied for the next production.

Working on the “Native Gardens” set. (Photo/Susan Garment)

“Native Gardens” opens February 18. Click here for details, and tickets. Click here for details about the Playhouse tours. The next ones are in Apri, May and June.

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

Speaking of the Playhouse: Applications are open for this summer’s Joanne Woodward Internship Program.

Named in honor of the actress, director and former Playhouse artistic director, the program is one of the nation’s top training opportunities for emerging theater professionals.

Internships are available in marketing, development/fundraising, general production, and artistic and education.

In addition to working in their special Playhouse departments, interns attend weekly seminars with guest speakers, including staff members, visiting designers and artists, commercial producers and more.

The internships date to the 1940s. Among the most prominent alums of the program: Stephen Sondheim.

The Woodward Internships run from May 27 through August 1. Applicants must be 20 or older. The stipend is $655 per week. Housing is provide,d though ransportation is the responsibility of the intern.

For more information, including applications, click here or email education@westportplayhouse.org. The deadline is March 7.

Stephen Sondheim (crouching, top) during his 1950 apprenticeship. Other interns include future film director Frank Perry (front row, left) and Richard Rodgers’ daughter Mary (2nd row, 4th from left).

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

Sure, you can send a store-bought Valentine’s Day card.

But Staples students have a chance to handwritten ones — with a strawberry heart, lollipop and words of encouragement.

The Teen Awareness Group sold Candygrams last week. On Monday, members personalized each one, with personalized messages.

The project was a fundraiser for TAG’s effort to connect the community, and remind students to support one another while making healthy choices around drugs and alcohol, and normalizing seeking support for mental health issues. 

Teen Awareness Group members create Candygrams. (Photo/Elaine Daignault)

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

Like many Westporters, Seth Schachter checks eBay often, for items of local interest.

His latest find: this 19th-century sign.

The price: a mere $750.

Or “best offer.”

Click here to offer whatever you think it’s worth.

Or instead of buying it, perhaps a reader can clue us all in on John F. Coyle’s back story. Just click “Comments” below.

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

Aspetuck Land Trust is partnering with Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center, and Oliver Nurseries, to sponsor a new book club.

The first selection is “Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden,” by Camille Dungy.

The book – about a family’s decision to plant a diverse garden in Fort Collins, Colorado — has been called “a poetic reflection on plants, family, community, race, place, and legacy.”

Meetings are virtual. They’ll be facilitated by ALT member Jennifer Groves. A positive psychology coach and naturalist who leads efforts to connect people in meaningful ways to nature and each other.

“Soil” is available from Amazon, and at the Westport Library. The signup deadline for the club is February 20. Click here to register for the Monday, April 7 (6:30 p.m.) session. Click here for the Tuesday, April 22 (12 noon) meeting.

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

In 1986, trombonist and bandleader John Fumasoli formed a 10-piece little big band, The Jones Factor. It has become a jazz legend.

Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall met John a few years ago, at a memorial concert for Micky Golomb (namesake of JazzFC’s scholarship fund), and appreciated his musicianship and friendly vibe.

Tomorrow (Thursday, February 13, VFW Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m.; dinner service from 7; $20 music cover, $15 veterans and students), Jazz at the Post welcomes The Jones Factor back.

In addition to Fumasoli and Wall, the shows feature bassist Dave Anderson, keyboardist Rob Aries, trumpeter Mark Collins and drummer Tyger MacNeal. Click here for tickets.

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

It’s a tossup who likes to romp in the snow more: kids or dogs.

Based on today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo — taken near Burying Hill Beach — we’re betting on man’s best friend.

The canine variety, that is.

(Photo/Chrissey Hunt)

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

And finally … today is the 216th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. The 16th president’s birthday was celebrated as a holiday — at least outside the South — as was George Washington’s, 10 days later. In 1968 Presidents Day was created to honor both, on the third Monday in February.

(“06880” is your hyper-local blog. We rely on support from readers like you. If you enjoy our work — and our 24/7/365 dedication to this town, and you — please click here to donate. Thank you!

6 Comments

Posted in Arts, Downtown, Environment, Local politics, Westport Country Playhouse

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Roundup: Caroling Last Saturday; Farmer’s Market Today; Pig For Wednesday …

Posted on December 23, 2024 | Comments Off on Roundup: Caroling Last Saturday; Farmer’s Market Today; Pig For Wednesday …

Right on cue, a cold snap settled in on Saturday. Diners headed to restaurants, for warm holiday dinners.

And 7 Staples High School Orphenians made the rounds of Saugatuck, making the evening even more special for everyone.

This year’s “Caroling Crawl” — sponsored by the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce — may have been the best ever.

Many Westporters made reservations specially for the event. Crowds cheered when the singers strolled in.

The group hit nearly every Saugatuck spot. They began at The Boathouse, The Bridge at Saugatuck, Kawa Ni, The Whelk, Tutti’s, Black Duck, Tarantino, Harvest, Romanacci, Riko’s, Zucca, Rizzuto’s, Viva Zapata, and Little Pub at Dunville’s. They ended back at the Saugatuck Rowing Club, singing for a private party.

Thank you to Brianne Caporale, Josie Caricato, Frankie Diyoka, Jasmita Mani Lorenzato, Fin Maddaloni, Gracie Masters and Helen Root. You rocked it!

Orphenians caroling at Kawa Ni …

… and then at a private Saugatuck Rowing Club party. (Photos/Matthew Mandell)

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

A reminder: This week’s Westport Farmers’ Market is being held on a special day.

Instead of Thursday, it’s today — Monday, December 23 — at the usual place (Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center, Sylvan Lane) and time (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

Next week’s Farmers’ Market is also on a different day: Tuesday, December 31.

Then it’s back to normal: Thursdays, through mid-March.

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

Jolanthan — Weston’s favorite pig, who dresses up for every holiday — wishes all “06880” readers a very Merry Christmas.

Especially those who live in the 06883.

(Photo/Hans Wilhelm)

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

Two sharks were spotted yesterday in Westport.

Fortunately, they were not in Long Island Sound. (Also fortunately, it was the second day of winter — not mid-summer).

This was the scene yesterday at Riverside Avenue and Post Road West:

(Photo/Ken Warren)

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

Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo is timely, serene — and chilly:

(Photo/June Rose Whittaker)

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

And finally … Joseph Smith was born on this date in 1805. He published the Book of Mormon at age 24, and attracted tens of thousands of followers. While in jail on charges of treason and inciting a riot, Smith was shot and killed by an armed mob.

(Wondering what to get “06880” for Christmas or Hanukkah? Easy! Just click here, to send a tax-deductible contribution supporting our work. Thank you!)

Comments Off on Roundup: Caroling Last Saturday; Farmer’s Market Today; Pig For Wednesday …

Posted in Environment, Restaurants, Saugatuck

Tagged , , , , ,

Roundup: Orphenians’ Caroling Crawl, Startup Westport’s Party, Dick Fincher’s Memorial …

Posted on December 18, 2024 | 2 comments

“Caroling Crawl” — a Saugatuck tradition — continues this Saturday (December 21, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.).

Staples High School’s elite a cappella group the Orphenians will entertain diners at several restaurants, in the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event.

They’ll start at the Saugatuck Rowing Club’s Boathouse, then make their rounds at other restaurants around Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place and the rest of the neighborhood, ending at the Little Pub at Dunville’s.

Add that to the list of specials on Saturday’s menu!

Staples Orphenians’ Caroling Crawl.

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

Speaking of Christmas in Saugatuck: Startup Westport — the public/private partnershp for tech entrepreneurs and innovators — chose a perfect location for their holiday party.

Nearly 150 people gathered at Content Studio — Chirag Shah and Jay Norris’ Saugatuck Avenue production studio/meeting/media location — to celebrate the season.

Startup Westport events are always high-energy, with plenty of creative men and women sharing ideas and networking.

Throw in food, drinks, and a DJ, and it was one of the organization’s best events in their very busy 2 years.

Some of the many attendees enjoying yesterday’s Startup Westport holidy party, at Content Studio.

Startup Westport co-founder Jay Norris and his wife Crystal. They celebrated both the party, and her birthday.

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

A memorial service for Dick Fincher — the Tree Board chair, Earthplace and Staples Tuition Grants board member, and church vestryman, who died October 31 at 86 — will be held Saturday, December 28, at 11;30 a.m. at Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

A reception will follow. The public is invited to attend.

Dick Fincher

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

16 teams of Staples High School students and Westport Police officers hurled balls at each other Monday, in the annual Westport Youth Commission dodgeball tournament.

The event — held in the Staples fieldhouse — has 2 important rules. Each team must include 1 cop. And no aiming at heads.

Otherwise, is a night for ducking, diving, and of course dodging.

Staples’ Teen Awareness Group co-sponsored the tourney. Entry fees help fund their projects.

The Dodge-a-Cop champs! From left: James Penny, Anthony Armentano, Charles Clark, Casey Bag, Nicholas Weil, Officer Mike Davis. (Photo/Andrew Colabella)

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

Over the summer, herbicide was applied to the Jesup Road median, near Westport Pride’s rainbow crosswalk.

The strip between Westport Book Shop and Jesup Green started to look a bit ratty.

Two local businesses rode to the rescue.

SCA Crowley donated a cleanup crew, and mulched the site.

Then Tuliptree Site Design of Norwalk reseeded the pollinator pathway.

Next spring, the colors of the blooms will rival that of the crosswalk nearby.

Mike Mushak of Tuliptree Site Design tends to the Jesup Road median.

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

The New Orleans Museum of Art’s current exhibit “Show & Tell: A Brief History of Photography and Text,” explores t marriage of photos and words.

It includes a work by Larry Silver, the Westport-based, internationlly known photographer.

His image of the Grand Central Terminal waiting room was taken in 1952.

(Photo/copyright Larry Silver)

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

Margery Fisher — a longtime Coleytown Middle School librarian, children’s book author and the wife of noted illustrated Leonard Everett Fisher — died peacefully at home on Friday. She was 94.

After majoring in mathematics and earning Phi Beta Kappa honors at Mount Holyoke College, Margery was recruited by IBM to teach at their school in New York City.

She soon became a system service representative, one of the very few women in the IBM business machine program and pioneering computer path.

While at IBM she met and married her husband of 71 years. She and Leonard  moved to New Haven. IBM transferred Margery to its office there. For the next several years she serviced IBM’s growing business machine products, from industrial computers installed in hardware stores and grocery stores to the United States Navy’s first atomic submarine, the USS Nautilus.

Margery left IBM prior to the birth of their children. After moving to Westport she earned a master’s degree in library science at Southern Connecticut State University.

She served as Coleytown Middle School’s librarian for 25 years, retiring in 1995.

Margery was the author of 2 children’s books, for which her husband provided the illustrations: “But Not Our Daddy” and “One and One.”

Margery continued her interest in children’s literature after retiring. She joined the Bank Street College Book Committee, creating, editing and publishing world-wide yearly lists of the best in North American children’s literature.

Margery and Leonard lived in Westport for more than 68 years. They traveled the world together from England (33 times) to the Panama Canal, Italy, Russia, Egypt, China, Hawaii, Normandy and Maine.

Margery is survived by her children Julie Fisher (Robert Aldoroty), Susan Fisher Plotner, and James Fisher (Pamela Viglielmo); grandchildren Lauren, Michael, Samuel, Jordan, Gregory and Danielle, and her sister Betty Meskin Pincus.

Donations in Margery and Leonard’s name can be made to the “Margery & Leonard Everett Fisher Endowment for Children’s Books in the Arts,” c/o Westport Library, 20 Jesup Road, Westport, CT 06880.

Margery Fisher

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

Longtime Westport arts community member and philanthropist Gary Cosgrave died peacefully on Monday. He was 82.

A graduate of Mamaroneck (New York) High School, Gary did not go to college because he suffered from undiagnosed dyslexia. Nevertheless, he achieved remarkable business success.

After the passing of his father, Paul, Gary took over the family business, PROGroup, and as chair and CEO turned it into a conglomerate of 5 businesses: Pro Hardware. Garden Master and Farm Mart, as well an advertising agency and distribution business.

For over 25 years Gary was an active member of Vistage, a worldwide business advisor group.  After selling his business in 2011, Gary continued to mentor business executives and entrepreneurs, and was on the board of Soluxe Inc., parent company of Solomon Community Solar LLC.

Gary served for many years on the boards of the Westport Country Playhouse and MoCA CT.  In 2012 he was honored by the Westport Art Center for his success as chair in stabilizing the group’s finances and developing a new strategic vision.

He was a major donor to the Southport School, an independent day school for cerebrodiverse children dealing with challenges like dyslexia, and to Seeds for Peace and Operation Smile.

An accomplished sailor and scuba diver, Gary threw himself into underwater photography. He built an impressive portfolio of stunning images that he published as books, sold and displayed widely.  He co-authored a book, “Stop, Think and Dream: Be the Difference That Makes a Difference (Teens for Planet Earth),” empowering New York City teenagers.

Gary survived by his fiancé Dina Upton of Westport; son Terry Cosgrave of Colorado Springs, and grandchildren Michaela Patry, Lily Cosgrave, Isabell and Ella Rosenberg.  He was preceded in death by his wife Ruby, daughter Tracey, and brothers Jack and Victor.

Gary’s ashes will be interred at his family plot at Lakeview Cemetery in New Canaan on February 8 (10:30 a.m.), followed by a celebration of his life at Rive Bistro (11:30 a.m.).

Memorial donations may be made in Gary’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Gary Cosgrave

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

Claudia Sherwood Servidio — one of our very talented “Westport … Naturally” contributors — finds beauty everywhere.

She shot this image yesterday, at rainy Sherwood Island State Park:

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

And finally … Robert Moses — the urban planner responsible for the construction of hundreds of highways, bridges, tunnels, playgrounds, beaches — and a World’s Fair — in and around New York, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse, was born on this day in 1888. He died in 1981.

(Holy Moses! If you appreciate “06880”‘s daily coverage of all things Westport, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

2 Comments

Posted in Arts, Obituaries, Police, Saugatuck, Staples HS

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Roundup: Tree Lighting, Holiday Giving, Wreath Sale …

Posted on December 6, 2024 | 4 comments

With a countdown by little kids (and 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker), some blasts from the Westport Fire Department’s trucks, and the flick of a switch, the Town Hall holiday tree was officially lit yesterday.

1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, and her helpers.

The Staples High School Orphenians provided music. The Westport Museum for History & Culture added hot chocolate.

Choral director Lauren Pine leads the Staples Orphenians.

The ceremony was quick, fun — and cold.

The tree will shine brightly, throughout New Year’s.

The tree — and the fire trucks that salute it. (All photos/Dan Woog)

At the start of the ceremony, Westport poet laureate Donna Disch offered this special poem, called “Lights Up”:

We spar with darkness in December.
The day’s light fed and put to bed by four.
We resist with hymns and gingerbread,
wreathes and songs, Dancer, Prancer,
Cupid, Vixen and that soul who steers the sleigh.
Tonight we gather to sing and illuminate our living tree.
No chainsaw teeth, for us, nothing felled, hoisted or hauled.
We affirm the ever of living and green and spatter our spruce with stars.
And so our noble tree reminds us to trust the truth we know.
There is living. And there is loving.
And there is no more light than that.

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

The Westport Human Services Department’s annual Holiday Giving Program is in full swing.

And it’s important.

The department is seeing more families in need. Parents are dealing with unemployment, underemployment, rising costs, and other stresses.

With multiple jobs and tight budgets, there is little or no money left over for gifts.

100% of donations go directly to families in need.

Click here for the  “Family to Family Seasonal Holiday Giving Program,” or mail a check to Department of Human Services, 110 Myrtle Avenue, Westport, CT 06880.

Westport residents facing financial difficulties can contact Human Services for free, confidential consultation and assistance. Call 203-341-1050, or humansrv@westportct.gov.

Questions? Contact Annette D’Augelli: adaugelli@westportct.gov; 203-341-1183.

A little gift goes a long way.

Westporters will be out in force this weekend, buying Christmas trees and gifts.

But don’t forget holiday wreaths!

Scout Troop 36 is selling wreaths Saturday (December 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and Sunday (December 8, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Saugatuck Congregational Church.

Wreaths are $30 and $45. Baked goods are also available.

Funds will help projects like the installation of Eastern bluebird houses and bat boxes at Earthplace. The troop also partners with Sustainable Westport each year, for a mattress recycling drive.

Troop 36 Scouts, and a few of their wreaths.

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

As the story above shows, Westporters help neighbors.

They also help strangers — who have become friends — thousands of miles away.

Luca Caniato is a senior at Staples High School, and president of Il Circolo Italiano (the Italian Club). He writes:

“For many children in Rione Sanità, Naples, the holiday season doesn’t come with the joy and celebration it should. This year, we have the opportunity to bring a little extra Christmas magic into their lives.

“Centro La Tenda, a beacon of hope in this community, provides a safe haven for these children, offering them education, support, and the chance to dream beyond their circumstances. With your help, we’re raising funds to buy Christmas gifts for these children. It’s a simple but meaningful way to spread holiday cheer and show them they are cared for.

“Every donation, no matter the size, will go directly toward purchasing gifts that will bring smiles and joy to these kids.

“Let’s come together to create a Christmas full of hope, happiness and community for the children of Centro La Tenda. Thank you for your generosity, and for helping make the holidays a little brighter for those who need it most!”

Click here to donate.

Children at Centro La Tenda, in Naples.

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

You may be tired of hearing “Jingle Bells” (and/or “Jingle Bell Rock”) everywhere you turn.

But the Westport Weston Family Y’MCA’s Jingle Bells Jamboree is well worth checking out.

The Saturday, December 14 family event (5:30 to 7 p.m.) includes ornament decorating, face painting, a bouncy house, and a bus ride/light show to the “North Pole” (Mahackeno Outdoor Center).

Once at Beck Lodge, children will meet Santa, explore his holiday workshop, enjoy free hot cocoa and snacks, and create a special ornament for display in the Y lobby.

A pizza truck will be on-site, serving food.

Tickets for the Jingle Bells Jamboree are $10 for Y members, $20 for non-members (admission is for children only; adults go free). Parents are required to accompany their children. Click here to purchase.

Jingle Bell Jamboree, at the Y.

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

The curtain rises tonight on the Bedford Acting Group’s production of “Shrek: The Musical.”

The young actors and tech crew have worked hard on their comedic timing, beloved music, fun costumes, great puppetry and spectacular sets (with help from a “Saturday Night Live” designer).

the beloved fairytale to life with stunning performances, hilarious comedic timing, and unforgettable music.

Shows are tonight (Friday, 7 p.m.); tomorrow (Saturday, 3 and 7 p.m.), and Sunday (3 p.m.). Click here for tickets, and cast lists.

Bedford actors (from left): Maya Greenblatt, Beya Altman, Dylan Post, Genevive Watras,  Maya Steigler, Olivia Wollowick.

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

Ed Simek writes: “My was driving yesterday, when suddenly her ‘low tire pressure’ light went on.

“She drove to Fetzer Tire to have it checked out. The first question they asked was, ‘Have you been near Staples today?’

“We live next to the high school, so the answer was yes. Fetzer said that 7 cars pulled in already, with the same problem.

“Apparently a truck near the school spilled a box of 3-inch drywall screws all over the road.

“The guy at Fetzer pulled a screw out of our tire. One woman had 5 screws in her tires.

“I guess there’s not much we can do about it, except warn people. I’m sure there are still many screws lying in the road.”

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

Johanna Keyser Rossi could not tell what kind of bird this was. It took off too quickly.

But it’s a good candidate for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature. If you know the name, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)

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

And finally … in honor of the YMCA’s Jingle Bell Jamboree (story above), here is the song you hoped I wouldn’t post.

Fortunately, it’s not the ubiquitous Bobby Helms version. This is one you may not have heard.

Plus, it’s not the song you always hear from this group, either. Party on!

(“06880” is your hyper-local source for everything Westport-related. If you enjoy learning about our community — and don’t mind the occasional song like this — please click here. Thank you!)

4 Comments

Posted in Children, Entertainment, Staples HS, YMCA

Tagged , , , , , ,

Roundup: Sister Cities’ Goal, Saturday’s Stroll, Wreckers Roll …

Posted on December 4, 2024 | 1 comment

Nearly 80 years ago, Westport’s sister city relationship with Marigny, France began with Christmas gifts.

Westporters donated, then shipped dozens of presents, for youngsters in the Normandy town that was just beginning to recover from World War II.

The tradition continued for years. The boys and girls who received those gifts — now in their 80s — have never forgotten Westport’s generosity.

Now Marigny is paying it forward. For the second year in a row, they have collected, and shipped, Christmas gifts for children in Lyman, Ukraine. That’s the sister city that Marigny and Westport now share.

They’ll add others — a total of 500 — for other youngsters in Kharkiv and surrounding towns, which like Lyman have been devastated by Russia’s invasion.

Gifts galore, in Marigny.

This Saturday, Marigny residents are invited to a “symbolic send-off ceremony” of the presents.

Donors, partners and friends of the Westport-Marigny-Le-Lozon-Lyman Association, and the Rotary Clubs of the Manche region, will be there. They’ve been working on this project all year long.

The ceremony takes place in one of the central squares in the village: “Place Westport.”

Meanwhile, don’t forget: Westport is helping Lyman this holiday season too.

We’re raising $56,000, to ensure that 200 kids in our sister city enjoy time away from the terrors of the past 3 years. That will pay for them — scattered now, as they have been evacuated from their homes — to get together, with friends, teachers and counselors, at a therapeutic camp in the Carpathian Mountains.

To help, please click here. Under “Designation,” choose “Westport-Lyman sister city” from the dropdown menu. You can also choose a monthly or one-time donation. If you use the mail or Venmo option, please make a note: “For Westport-Lyman.”

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

Ho ho ho!

Look who’s promoting this Saturday’s “06880”/Westport Downtown Association Holiday Stroll.

Click below to see. Then click here for full details on the festive, family-friendly event.

See you on Main Street, from 5 to 7 p.m.!

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

The Staples High School football team rolled to a 42-6 victory over Manchester  last night, in the quarterfinals of the state Class “LL” (extra large schools) tournament.

There #2-ranked Wreckers move on to the semifinals on Sunday. They’ll face #3 Greenwich at 12:30 p.m. That contest, like yesterday’s, will be played at home.

The Cardinals are familiar with Paul Lane Field. Just lat week, on Thanksgiving Day, the Westporters trounced them, 27-0.

The No. 2 Staples football team put together a dominant effort in the state Class LL quarterfinals Tuesday, clobbering No. 7 Manchester 42-6.

Quarterback Neil Weil (9 of 18 completions for 155 yards; 3 touchdowns), Shane Sandrew (2 touchdowns), Anthony Armentano (2 TDs) and Nathan Smith (1 TD) keyed the decisive win.

Nathan Smith, in action against Greenwich last week. (Photo/Douglas Healey)

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

Last night, Westport’s Town Representative Meeting celebrated its 75th anniversary with speeches, cake, and a commemorative booklet.

But the legislative body is also looking forward.

Their page on the town website has been updated. Gone is the dull, bureaucratic look. It’s now livelier — at least, in the confines of what a municipal website should look like. (Click here to see.)

A header shows members marching proudly (and non-partisanly) in the Memorial Day. Photos liven up the links, to pages like FAQs, Members, District Map and Minutes.

There’s even a link to that new 75th anniversary brochure.

Screenshot of the new town website RTM page.

PS: Planning way ahead: The RTM invites all Westporters to a “Community Conversation,” with members.

Mark the date: Sunday, March 23, 2025, 2 p.m. at the Westport Library.

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

Also last night: A large crowd celebrated the release of Alison Milwe Grace’s new book, “Savor: Recipes to Celebrate,” last night at Wakeman Town Farm.

The energetic, talented owner of AMG Catering & Events greeted her fans and friends. She answered questions from her aunt, longtime Westporter Liz Milwe.

And, of course, she made sure her guests were well fed.

Alison Milwe Grace, her book and her chacuterie. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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

Easton Road was closed in both directions between Bayberry Lane and Sturges Highway this morning.

A large tree fell on a pickup truck, blocking both lanes. The driver was hospitalized.

A state crew was on the scene, cleaning debris.

(Hat tip and photo/Jonathan Alloy)

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

Saugatuck Rowing Club’s Holiday Festival this Sunday (December 8, 1 to 4 p.m.) will benefit the Survive-Oars, the great program that helps breast cancer survivors heal and find community on and off the water.

The afternoon features live music, mulled wine, spiked warm cider, fire pits, s’mores, a raw bar, charcuterie, hot cocoa, dunkable grilled cheese and tomato soup, and a cash bar.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there (1 to 2:30 p.m.).

Guests are asked to bring an unwrapped toy for Al’s Angels.

Tickets are $50 (tax-deductible) — and kids are free. Click here for tickets.

Saugatuck Survive-Oars

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

Also this Sunday: The Saugatuck Congregational Church’s Winter Choral Concert (December 8, 7 p.m.)

Two favorite groups — the Staples Orphenians and Dartmouth Brovertones — perform classic pop tunes, and Christmas favorites. Admission is free.

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

“Broadway’s Bad Boys” invade the Westport Country Playhouse next month, for 5 performances (January 23-26).

They’ll showcase many of the good songs that villains sing. There’s “Phantom of the Opera,” “Beauty and the Beast,” even a little Harold Hill.

Click here for dates, tickets and more information.

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

The plantings up and down Soundview Drive — courtesy of the Compo Beach Improvement Association — delight beachgoers every spring and summer.

But they have a special beauty now, as winter nears. Celia Campbell-Mohn captured their late-fall look, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Celia Campbell-Mohn)

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

And finally … on this day in 1956, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash recorded together at the Sun Record Studios in Memphis. It was the only time the “Million Dollar Quartet” played together, and was entirely unplanned.

(We’re not asking for a million dollars [though we wouldn’t turn it down.] But we hope you appreciate “06880” enough to toss a few coins, or whatever feels right, our way. Just click here — thanks!)

1 Comment

Posted in Downtown, Local politics, Sports, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Roundup: Original Pancakes, Orphenians …

Posted on January 13, 2023 | 3 comments

Tuesday night’s Staples High School boys basketball game was filled with drama.

The Wreckers won a 68-67 overtime nail-biter over New Canaan.

But that wasn’t the half of it.

Halftime included a chance for a young player named Trey got a chance to hit a 3-point shot. The prize: a free session at the new Academy basketball camp.

How did the aptly named Trey do? Click here!
=============================================

News 12 Connecticut is working on a story about the 1989 Joan Wertkin cold case murder.

They want to speak with anyone who knew Joan, the family, or has information on the case. Even a small piece of information might help produce a clearer understanding of the events leading up to the killing.

Contact Emmy-winning investigative reporter Shosh Bedrosian: shoshana.bedrosian@news12.com; 475-283-5188.

Joan Wertkin

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

The Original Pancake House has — finally — opened in the Main Street space where Acqua used to be.

Nina Sankovitch reports: “The first restaurant I ever went to was one of these.  The German apple pancake is as good as ever!”

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

In preparation for their June trip to Hawaii, Staples’ Orphenians are hosting an “Aloha Cabaret.” The January 22 event (6:30 p.m., Westport Library) features Tony Award winner (and Westporter) Kelli O’Hara; the Orphenians (of course),, and as emcee, the incomparable David Pogue.

There are also Hawaiian-themed light bites, and an exciting silent auction. Fundraising will ensure that all 42 members can make the trip.

Orphenians — the elite singing group — have traveled across the US, and internationally, since shortly after their founding in 1958. This will be the third trip for conductor Luke Rosenberg.

Georgia Wrighth traveled with Orphenians to Australia in July 2018.

“It was one of the best experiences, with some of my best friends,” she recalls. “Some others I didn’t know too well. But we became so close on that trip.

“We were making music, and meeting people from all over the world who shared our passion. We sang for 8 hours a day, and learned so much working with a master composer.”

Georgia went on to earn a BFA in musical theater from the Boston Conservatory.

Three years earlier, Jack Baylis joined Orphenians on a trip to San Francisco. They worked with the famed Chanticleer choral group,

“It was one of my first exposures to high-level professionals,” Jack recalls. “They were so intense, but they showed us attainable goals.”

Jack appreciates the opportunities Orphenians had — and have now, again — to experience such a trip.

“Whether you pursue the arts as a career or not, this is a chance to impact your life,” Jack says. “In hindsight, I realize how important that is.”

Jack will perform with Kelli O’Hara at the Aloha Cabaret.

Tickets are $150 per person for general admission and $225 per person for VIP. For tickets and more information, click here.

Staples Orphenians

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

Last night, MoCA Westport’s opening reception introduced their winter exhibition. “Paul Camacho: Rhythm and Unity” features selected works primarily drawn from the Westport Public Art Collections. The exhibition is on view through February 26.

Simultaneously, the annual high school exhibition — Who Are You When You Are Dreaming — includes nearly 200 student works from across the region.
Docented gallery tours are available on Thursdays at 1 p.m. An associated Cocktails and Conversation series will be held on Thursday evenings, including a talk about Camacho, a curator talk, and a panel featuring local designers and entrepreneurs on fashion, art and design.
Click here for more information.

MoCA executive director Ruth Mannes and Westport Public Schools pre-K-12 music and visual arts coordinator Steve Zimmerman. (Photo/Leslie MaSala)

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

It doesn’t get more “Westport … Naturally” than this: Compo Beach, with Cockenoe Island in the distance.

(Photo/Richard Stein)

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

And finally … Happy Friday the 13th!

(It’s good luck to donate to “06880” on Friday the 13th — or any other day. Please click here to help. Thank you!)

3 Comments

Posted in Arts, Media, Police, Restaurants, Sports, Staples HS

Tagged , , , , ,

Roundup: Holiday Movies, Holiday Animals …

Posted on December 18, 2022 | 5 comments

Two of the Top 10 most streamed movies last weekend were holiday films.

And both have strong Westport connections.

“Spirited” (Apple TV+) ranked 7th overall for the weekend. The musical comedy retelling of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds (also shown in theaters) was written in part by 2003 Staples High School graduate Justin Paul, and his songwriting partner Benj Pasek (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “La La Land,” “The Greatest Showman”). Justin also served as an executive producer.

Right behind “Spirited,” in 8th place, was “Something From Tiffany’s” (Amazon Prime Video). The rom-com is directed by 2002 Staples grad Daryl Wein (and produced by Reese Witherspoon).

Justin and Daryl were good friends at Staples. They were in Orphenians and Staples Players together — and 20 years ago this weekend, shared the stage for the annual Candlelight Concert. (Hat tip: Kerry Long)

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

The Greens Farms train station COVID testing site — run since last January by Progressive Diagnostics — closed on Thursday. The move was made to accommodate normal station operations and concessions.

Progressive’s same-day COVID, flu and RSV tests remain available at their Norwalk and Wilton sites. Clients can schedule appointments online, or walk in.

Progressive Diagnostics’ Covid PCR tests detect the presence of viruses even before symptoms begin. Results are delivered the same day. The company also offers  telehealth, connecting patients with professionals who can discuss symptoms and provide orders for flu and/or RSV tests.

PS: As Bob Weingarten notes, free COVID tests are available online from the US government. Click here for details.

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

The ever-changing Winslow Park Animal Hospital front lawn has gone whole hog for the holidays.

Their decorations are a welcome treat for anyone — and by that, I mean “everyone” who waits at the Post Road light between the Westport Country Playhouse and Playhouse Square.

(Photo/Molly Alger)

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

Meanwhile, Jolantha — Weston’s favorite pig — is ready for Christmas too.

She enjoys everything about the holiday.

Except the traditional ham dinner.

(Photo/Hans Wilhelm)

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

Speaking of animals … Mary Hoffman writes from the Compo Beach neighborhood:

This morning we woke up to a very clean, meatless deer leg …

 

… and a very large wolf looking at us. It is bigger than a typical German shepherd.  Dog owners beware!”

The wolf, with deer bone in its mouth. (Photo and screenshot/Mary Hoffman)

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

Longtime Westporter Dick Rauh is 97 years old.

But you’re never too old to have a Westport Library exhibit.

His botanical paintings are featured in the Sheffer Gallery, from now through February 28. An artist talk and reception, with Rauh and Miggs Burroughs, is set for January 29 (2 p.m.).

“06880” reader Larry Bartimer urges everyone to see the exhibit.

“What an amazing man!” Larry says. “He is the most alert and intelligent 97-year-0ld man I have ever met. He should be celebrated. He kept us captivated at his Library show.”

Dick Rauh (Photo/Larry Bartimer)

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

Hundreds of singers, and orchestra and band members, were the stars of this weekend’s Candlelight Concert at Staples High School.

In a supporting — but very important — role: dozens of red and white poinsettias.

The holiday plants enriched an already wonderful show. Lynn Untermeyer Miller captured a small part of the array, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)

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

And finally … Dino Danelli — one of the greatest drummers in rock history — died Thursday in New York. He was 78, and had been in ill health for several years.

Inspired by Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa, he helped make the Rascals one of the first American bands to capitalize on the success of the British Invasion.

The New York Times says Danelli “merged percussive virtuosity with a rock sensibility. Like Ringo Starr of the Beatles, he set the template for the rock drummer archetype: disciplined and precise, but with a flair that drew the crowd’s eye.”

When the Rascals were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, Steven Van Zandt — who played with Danelli — called him  “the greatest rock drummer of all time.” Click here for a full obituary.

(“People everywhere just got to be free.” But “06880” isn’t free to produce. Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

5 Comments

Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Environment, Library, Local business, Staples HS

Tagged , , , , , , ,