In the excitement of today’s “snowpocalypse” — aka “a pretty good snowfall” — I forgot to post this week’s Photo Challenge.
It’s the first screw-up since I started the Sunday feature, more than 10 years ago. My bad.
Last week’s showed dozens of bottles, behind what looked like a restaurant bar. (Click here to see.)
It’s a testament to Westport’s diverse dining scene that readers guessed 6 different spots.
But Seth Braunstein’s shot showed the one at the Bridge at Saugatuck.
Pam Kopack, Peggy O’Halloran, Elaine Marino, Dave Eason, Rachel Sara Halperin and Polly Sykes all knew the right answer.
On today’s snowy, stay-inside day: I’ll drink to that!
And I’ll also — belatedly — post this week’s challenge. Complete with (of course) snow.
If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/Diane Lowman)
(Every Sunday, “06880” hosts this Photo Challenge. We challenge you too to support your hyper-local blog. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
Bratwurst, sausages, pretzels, pizza, beer and other beverages — plus live music, and a fantastic view of the river — was on tap yesterday, at The Bridge at Saugatuck.
The riverside restaurant celebrated its first anniversary with an Oktoberfest celebration that drew hundreds of Westporters, of all ages.
Here’s to many more!
The Bridge at Saugatuck is the wurst. And the best!
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One more Oktoberfest scene — at another restaurant — from a typical fall Saturday afternoon in Westport:
(Photo/Ferdinand Jahnel)
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Today (Sunday) is the date for the Levitt Pavilion’s rescheduled Mihali festival.
The Twiddle co-founder returns to Westport with his “reggae, roots rock and riverside vibes” — and full band.
He’s joined by progressive funk powerhouse Night Zero. The event begins with local high octane jam rock band Residual Groove making their Levitt debut.
Just across the river from the Levitt, there’s always something interesting at Michael Chait’s studio.
Next up at the 11 Riverside Avenue 2nd floor space: Explore how graphic design shapes American culture, and learn how to incorporate creativity into your journaling (October 15, 6:30 p.m.). Click here for tickets, and more information.
Michael Chait
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Totney Benson spotted this guy supervising part of the Sherwood Mill Pond tidal gate renovation project.
(Photo/Totney Benson)
“I hope it’s not a harbinger of how long it will take to complete,” she says.
The recent “Shank it & Serve it For Shea fundraiser, at Birchwood Country Club. raised $80,00.
Combined with last year’s event — plus 3 “Shake it For Shea” galas — the total amount raised for research to find better treatments, and ultimately a cure, for Long QT Syndrome is over $1.4 million.
In Long QT, the heart’s electrical system takes longer than usual to recharge between beats. Patients like Shea Greenfield are at risk of fainting, seizures, cardiac arrest and sudden death.
Congratulations to Shea’s parents, Mark and Kira, for their unstinting efforts on behalf of Long QT Syndrome sufferers, and their families, everywhere.
Westport resident Marcia Marshall died peacefully on September 24. She was 86.
The Bridgeport native graduated from Southern Connecticut State College.
Marcia was a retired customer service representative from People’s Bank. She was a ballet dancer in her youth, and appreciated music, dance and theater throughout her life.
She was a voracious reader, and loved crossword puzzles and spending time with family and friends.
She was predeceased by her husband Thomas Marshall. She is survived by their daughters Marykate Marshall, Anne Eszlari (Edward) and Susan Marshall, and grandchildren Jessica and Thomas Gladu; Jeffrey, Shannon and Eric Eszlari; and Nicholas and Christopher Dostilio; great-grandchildren Isabella, Aidan and Liam, and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral is set for September 30 (10 a.m., Assumption Church) for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will follow in Assumption Cemetery on Greens Farms Road, The family will receive friends in the Harding Funeral Home on September 29 from 4-7 p.m. Condolences may be left online at http://www.hardingfuneral.com. Contribution in memory of Marcia in lieu flowers may be made to Westport Volunteer EMS.
Marcia Marshall
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Richard Fogel spotted — and captured — today’s “Westport … Naturally” image, in the Hillspoint area.
And finally … Robert “Rabbit” Jaramillo died last month in Colorado, of congestive heart failure. He was 78.
His band, Cannibal & the Headhunters, were one-hit wonders with “Land of 1,000 Dances.” They performed with the Temptations, Righteous Brothers, Marvin Gaye and the Rolling Stones. The Beatles asked them to be an opening act for their second US tour.
But they never had another hit. Jaramillo became a railroad signal maintainer, and sang gospel in his Pentecostal church. Click here for his fascinating obituary.
(“06880” is not a one-hit wonder. We’re here every day — 24/7/365 — and we have been, since 2009. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Meanwhile, tonight’s Long Lots School Building Committee meeting has been canceled.
Also canceled: The June 11 Representative Town Meeting Environment Committee session, regarding a possible ordinance banning new artificial turf athletic fields.
That meeting did not specifically involve Long Lots. However, the elementary school may become part of the discussion. The composition of the new field there — artificial turf or grass — has not yet been determined.
One sketch of the proposed Long Lots School, on the LLSBC page.
But the Westport Library is ready, with the return of their Kids’ Summer Reading Program and Adult Summer Reading Challenge.
From now through September 1, youngsters are encouraged to read anything, anytime, anywhere — while earning free books, and a chance to win a prize. “Every minute counts, and every reader wins,” the Library says.
When Ethan Walmark was in pre-K, his teacher advised the neurodiverse boy’s parents to take away his music.
“You want him to be in our world, not his,” she said.
Fortunately, they disregarded that advice.
The 2024 Staples High School graduate just finished his freshman year at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. He earned a 3.71 GPA, and was inducted into the Honor Society for first-year academic success.
This Thursday (June 5, 5 to 7 p.m.), he’ll bring his prodigious talent to Times Square.
Ethan will star on the Broadway and 46th Street Stage, as part of the ”2025 Neurodivergent Tour.” He’ll sing, and perform 6 songs on keyboards and guitar.
With a band and 2 solo artists besides Ethan, the free, groundbreaking show highlights exceptional artists from around the country.
It’s more than a concert. It’s a statement: The time is now to embrace the diverse talents of all neurodiverse people.
Ethan’s mom, Allison Ziering Walmark, says “For ages, the mantra for parents and caregivers has been, ‘Different, not less than.’ The Neurodiversity Tour will reinforce that to thousands of Times Square tourists, visitors and commuters.”
Ethan Walmark’s bio, from the Neurodiversity Tour.
Two of downtown’s most interesting people — WEST owner Kitt Shapiro and TAP Strength founder EJ Zebro — join forces tomorrow night (Wednesday, 6 to 7 p.m.).
The event at TAP Strength (180 Post Road East) is called “Effortless Effort: A Conversation on Community, Relationships, and the Power of Belonging.”
The wellness experts and business leaders will share tips for living longer and feeling better.
EJ will wrap up the talk with an “immersive experience”: practical tools to incorporate new habits of movement and mindfulness into daily life.
To RSVP and for more information, email info@tapstrength.com.
For 8 years, Kaia Levine and her family have worked with Jeanette Romanello, a kindergarten teacher at Bridgeport’s Read Elementary School.
Throughout the year, Kaia — an artistic and committed Staples High School students — creates seasons arts and crafts projects for the kids.
Now she’s doing even more. On June 8 (noon to 4 p.m.), she’ll host a pop-up thrift store in a corner of the Old Mill Beach parking lot.
“The Giving Rack” will include used (and some new) clothes from popular teen brands — all donated by close friends. Every dollar raised will go to the Read School.
Showing some love for Read Elementary School students.
The Bridge at Saugatuck’s outdoor dining area has opened.
Nestled along the river, the open-air seating and cabanas have drawn enthusiastic crowds.
And the weather isn’t even that great yet.
Between the enormous horseshoe bar, adjacent patio, upstairs indoor and outdoor tables, and now the riverside option, there’s a lot to choose from.
That’s before even opening the menu.
Outdoor dining at The Bridge.
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Speaking of (relatively) new Saugatuck restaurants: Zucca Gastrobar just celebrated their second anniversary. The Charles Street spot has been embraced by the community.
And their outdoor dining is also open for the season.
Zucca, on Charles Street.
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Always popular (and hometown) singer Melissa Newman headlines this week’s Jazz at the Post.
And, as always, it’s on Thursday (June 5), at VFW Post 399. Sets are 7:30 and 8:45 p.m. Dinner starts at 7. Music cover is $20; $15 for veterans and students.
Melissa will be joined by guitarist Tony Lombardozzi, bassist Phil Bowler and drummer Bobby Leonard.
Melissa Newman
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Steve Wheeler — a 1970 Staples High School graduate, who in 1974 became the first Connecticut runner to run a sub-4-minute mile — died suddenly in Oregon last Tuesday. He was 73.
Wheeler went on to earn a master’s degree in public administration. He had a long career in city management, including assistant city manaager in El Cajon, California, and cit manager of Hood River, Oregon.
Wheeler continued to run into his 60s. He is survived by his wife Nancy; children Jeff and Emily, and grandson Tyler, a budding track star.
Steve Wheeler (Duke) sets the pace in a Duke relay race. (Photo/Sir Walter Miler)
Lauri Weiser sends along today’s stunning “Westport … Naturally” photo, with a simple but heartfelt message: “I love coming home to my beautiful garden.”
And finally … in honor of the Westport Astronomical Society’s 50th anniversary:
(“06880” is where Westport meets the world. And the universe. Maybe event the multiverse. And you’ve got a chance now to support us. Please click right here. Karma will be mind-blowing.)
Many Westporters have weighed in on the Hamlet at Saugatuck — the retail/residential/hotel/marina complex proposed for the area near the railroad station and river.
We have not heard a lot from Saugatuck business owners and employees, however. “06880” intern Katherine Phelps reports:
The ROAN Ventures project could have a dramatic impact on our town’s original commercial center. Some restaurateurs and workers believe it will benefit them; others fear it will destroy all they have worked for.
Patrick Camaro, general manager of The Bridge at Saugatuck, is optimistic.
“It’s good for the area, it’s good for us, it’s good for business,” he says.
The Bridge at Saugatuck opened last fall.
Others fear the project could do more harm than good.
Paul Nessel, owner and butcher at Saugatuck Provisions, supports thoughtful development, but is skeptical about the project’s impact on local infrastructure.
“Traffic is already at a standstill coming through Saugatuck for several hours pretty much every day,” he says.
“If anything is wrong on 95 or the side roads, we’re really shut down. It hurts my business, and makes it hard for people to get through.”
Parking and congestion are longstanding challenges in Saugatuck — issues critics say The Hamlet may worsen. Nonetheless, proponents argue that the developer is equipped to address them.
“ROAN can help figure out the traffic situation because they can hire engineers,” Camaro said.
Charles Street traffic, at Railroad Place.
At the May 19 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting, Fiona Flynn of SLR — representing the traffic planning side — noted that the state approval for traffic volume had already been cleared.
Byron Alonso, an employee at Kneads, is passionate about the Hamlet development, specifically the long-term vision of the plan.
“I think it’s important to have better construction and the best future in Westport,” he says.
“So many people say it’s not good because we lose the natural elements and there will be traffic. But I agree with improving the future of Westport.”
Still, numerous concerns persist — particularly, for restaurant owners, about traffic.
Congestion along Charles Street and Riverside Avenue is a longstanding issue that could be worsened by new development.
Bill Rizzuto, founder and owner of the restaurant that bears his name, adds, “Saugatuck already suffers from a significant parking shortage, especially in the evenings.
“Despite this, we continue to add capacity without adequately addressing infrastructure — particularly parking.” This impacts residents as well as visitors.
Rizzuto’s’ parking lot is larger than most in the area.
When Rizzuto opened his restaurant in 2009 he struggled to secure a variance, because even his large lot did not meet required parking ratios.
In the 15 years since, Rizzuto says, while traffic is more dense, parking issues seem to have become less of an official priority.
Rizzuto notes that issues like those are crucial.
“If we want mixed-use developments in Saugatuck to thrive, we must put parking and access at the forefront of planning discussions,” the restaurant owner says.
“Ignoring these fundamentals risks undermining the long-term success of any project before it even begins.”
The debate over The Hamlet at Saugatuck — including its potential effects on parking, traffic and the impact on restaurants and businesses beyond its boundaries — continues next month.
The Flood & Erosion Control Board considers its wetlands application June 4 June 4 (7 p.m., Zoom; meeting ID 864 1571 7675; passcode 407757). The Planning & Zoning Commission is expected to again address the Hamlet at its June 9 meeting.
Westport’s holiday miracle — the less-than-a-week project that ensured the Cribari Bridge will be lit again this year — is nearly complete.
The start of the stringing process, last night. (Photo/Andrea Moore)
The Public Works and Fire Departments, plus AJ Penna & Sons Construction, Kevin Ancker of Riverside Mobil and a corps of volunteers, unboxed, strung and tested hundreds of bulbs last night, on the 135-year-old Saugatuck River span. The Police Department added logistical support.
(Photo/Andrew Colabella)
The new lights worked perfectly. And tonight, the town celebrates.
The test worked! (Photo/Andrea Moore)
The gala bridge lighting is set for 5 p.m. today (Monday). Everyone is invited.
Westport PAL — one of the lights’ sponsors — will have collection boxes for the toy drive they run, with the Westport Police Department. Unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the bridge, and the Bridge at Saugatuck restaurant.
The restaurant will also offer half-priced wine and beer from 5 to 8 p.m.
(Photo/Andrea Moore)
PS: Lead sponsors are The Bridge at Saugatuck, Saugatuck Financial and Neat Lending.
Other sponsors include LandTech, Westport PAL, the Colabella family, and our very own “06880” blog.
Wheels2U — Westport Transit District’s on-demand transit program offering $2 shared rides between any Westport address and the town’s 2 train stations — has announced new upgrades.
They include:
● More comfortable vehicles. The new fleet of minivans (many of them wheelchair-accessible) provides a smoother, quieter ride than previous vehicles.
● A “greener” ride. The new vehicles are significantly more fuel-efficient as well.
● Longer hours. Morning service has been expanded by half an hour, from 5:45 to 10:30 a.m. Evening service is 4 to 9:30 p.m. weekdays.
● Improved booking. Users can request rides starting at 5:30 a.m. for a pickup as early as 5:45, and as early as 3:45 p.m. for a 4:00 pickup. They can request rides as late as 10:30 a.m. or 9:30 p.m. too.
The new vehicles are already in operation. They replace the entire old fleet.
Ukraine Aid International — the boots-on-the-ground organization making a difference in that war-torn nation, founded by Westporters Brian and Marshall Mayer — is hosting a holiday celebration this Sunday (December 8, 1 to 5 p.m., Redline Restorations, 2475 Fairfield Avenue, Black Rock).
And it’s free!
The afternoon includes antique cars, plus footage from UAI’s latest missions in Ukraine.
It’s a chance to celebrate the perseverance of Ukraine, with food and drink, holiday activities, and creative kids’ crafts.
A reminder: Westport is raising $56,000, to ensure that 200 children in our sister city of Lyman can attend a therapeutic camp this winter, away from the horrors of their country’s 3-year war.
Just 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.”
Before Halloween, our Roundup included a photo of a Bayberry Lane stop sign, at Easton Road.
A very elaborate skeleton dangled beneath the red hexagon.
Bayberry Lane at Easton Road, before Halloween. (Photo/Sandy Rothenberg)
Another holiday is near. An “06880” reader writes:
“Someone has now twice cut down my holiday decorations outside my house. The neighbors and community love it. I get compliments and even ‘thank yous’ from passersby.
“I realize that I may not be allowed to hang stuff on the sign, but making my community happy surpasses that until I’m told by someone with authority that I cannot do it.”
Are private citizens allowed to hang decorations from a stop sign? If they are — or even if they’re not — are other private citizens allowed to take them down? Stay tuned …
Buffalo Rose — the hot folk/Americana band — returns to Voices Cafe this Saturday (December 7, 8 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport).
WFUV’s John Platt calls the sound of the 6-person group “intoxicating,” hailing “the combination of their tight string band rhythm and supple harmonies.”
Voices Cafe concerts offer a choice of coffee-house style seating, tables or individually. Bring your own beverages and snacks; coffee and sweet treats are available for purchase.
Voices Cafe concerts support social justice programs through the UU. Click here for tickets, and more information.
And finally … in honor of the controversial Easton Road sign, at Bayberry Lane (photo above):
(Stop what you’re doing! It takes just a few seconds to click here, and donate to “06880.” We appreciate it — and you get a tax deduction too. Thank you!)
Two days after they were ordered, the holiday lights to brighten the William F. Cribari Bridge arrived.
An energetic, efficient and very committed group of Westporters made sure that the beloved annual tradition — in danger when the lights were removed, and the long-time sponsor stepped back — continues.
The lights will be hung Sunday night, starting at 10 p.m. (the bridge will be closed during that time).
The gala bridge lighting is set for 5 p.m. Monday. The entire town is invited.
Westport PAL — one of the lights’ sponsors — will have collection boxes for the toy drive they run, with the Westport Police Department. Unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the bridge, and the Bridge at Saugatuck restaurant.
The restaurant will also offer half-priced wine and beer from 5 to 8 p.m.
Westport’s fundraising drive — to send children from our sister city of Lyman, Ukraine to a camp in the mountains, a respite from a third winter of war — has gotten off to a slow start.
Our goal of $56,000 would enable 200 boys and girls to enjoy time together, with teachers and therapists, at Karabin. The sports, crafts, games and movies — along with schoolwork — takes place in a setting far removed from their hometown, a few miles from the Russian front.
Right now, Lyman’s youngster have been evacuated. The therapeutic camp is a chance to enjoy normalcy, with friends and trusted adults.
It costs about $280 to send one child to Karabin, for 10 days.
How about it, Westport? Can we raise $56,000, to ensure that 200 kids in our sister city enjoy time away from the terrors of the past 3 years?
Just 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.”
Students from Weston’s sister city of Siversk, at the Karabin camp. Westport is raising funds for children from Lyman, our sister city.
Yesterday was Black Friday. Next week is Cyber Monday.
Today is Small Business Saturday.
There are plenty of local stores to choose from. They’re the heart and soul of our town. Think local!
Meanwhile, next Saturday — December 7 — is another opportunity to support small businesses.
The “06880” Westport Downtown Association Holiday Stroll features over 70 merchants, offering discounts, deals, gifts and freebies. Click here for details.
WEST Boutique on Post Road East is one of many locally owned businesses.
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Here is an update on the Thanksgiving Day house fire, near the Westport border.
At 3:42 p.m., Weston Fire was alerted to a fire at 40 Weston Road. The garage fire spread quickly into the 10,000-square-foot residence. Firefighters’ efforts were thwarted by dangerous fire conditions and structural collapse.
In addition, a vehicle drove over the water supply hose on Weston Road, damaging the line and stopping the flow of water for several minutes.
The 25 or so people inside the home escaped without injury. But the house is uninhabitable, and the heat from the fire melted the plastic on some cars in the driveway, CT Insider reports.
Personnel remained on the scene for over 16 hours, battling the blaze. Mutual aid assistance was provided by several fire departments including Westport, along with the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Weston Public Works Department, Weston Police Department, Westport Police Department and Weston EMS.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Weston Fire Marshal. Preliminary investigation shows it began in the garage, the result of frying a turkey. (Hat tip: Bill Dedman)
Thanksgiving Day house fire in Weston. (Photo and details courtesy of Weston Volunteer Firie Department)
And finally … today is the 100th birthday of satirist Alan Sherman. He had a brief heyday in the early 1960s — including the novelty smash hit below — before dying in 1973, 10 days before his 49th birthday. He had been undergoing treatment for emphysema, asthma, and obesity, and died of respiratory failure.
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Observant drivers* have noticed that lights have been removed from the Cribari Bridge.
For 25 years, they were lit the day after Thanksgiving. Then, every night through New Year’s, hundreds of colorful holiday bulbs brightened everyone’s passage across the 135-year-old span.
(Photo/Andrew Colabella)
A couple of weeks ago, they were removed. It’s unclear by whom — probably the state Department of Transportation — but recently several came loose, and hit at least one vehicle.
For a quarter century the lights were provided by Al’s Angels. Al DiGuido’s non-profit supports children and families battling cancer, rare blood diseases, natural disasters and severe financial hardship.
This year, Al’s Angels can no longer provide and maintain the lights.
(Photo/Joel Treisman)
Is this the end of a beloved 25-year tradition?
No!
Second Selectwoman Andrea Moore, Police Chief Foti Koskinas, Police Corporal Craig Bergamo, Representative Town Meeting members Kristin Mott Purcell and Andrew Colabella, and a few other Westporters began working on a solution.
It’s not as easy as buying new lights, finding volunteers to string and test them, and throwing a switch.
The bridge must be closed for several hours to do the work. Questions about power sources loomed.
(Photo/Patti Brill)
But within 2 days the community came together. Every problem was solved.
The Bridge at Saugatuck — the new, instantly popular restaurant a few yards from the Cribari Bridge — plus Saugatuck Financial and Neat Lending quickly became lead sponsors.
Other sponsors include LandTech, Westport PAL, the Colabella family, and our very own “06880” blog.
A source was located. The lights are being shipped overnight from Georgia.
Late Sunday night, they’ll be strung on the bridge. Saugatuck-based AJ Penna & Son Construction will help make it happen.
The final piece will be an official lighting ceremony. When it’s set, “06880” will let everyone know.
In the space of a few days, the sad prospect of a dark Cribari Bridge turned very, very bright.
Usually, “The Bridge at Saugatuck is open” means the swing mechanism is in use, so a boat can pass through. Traffic delays mount.
Yesterday, “The Bridge at Saugatuck is open” was welcome news.
Westport’s newest restaurant — replacing Parker Mansion, which replaced the Mansion Clam House — welcomed diners, to rave reviews.
The new space — built by The O’Dell Group for owner Doug Pardon — includes a large downstairs bar, patio, upstairs tables, outdoor deck, and cabanas by the Saugatuck River.
The menu is eclectic. The vibe is fun. It’s one more reason Westport has reclaimed its role as one of the best restaurant towns in the state.
Cutting the ribbon at The Bridge at Saugatuck (from left): Timothy Pardon, Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce director Matthew Mandell, 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, owner Doug Pardon, general manager Isaac “Patrick” Camaro, executive chef Stephen Lewandowski, William Pardon, Conor Pardon.
Speaking of food: Among the many favorites at The Porch @ Christie’s: colossal cookies.
They come in 8 big flavors: chocolate chip, cookie butter, cookies & cream, halfsies, M&M, snickerdoodle with dulce de leche, sweet & salty, and triple chocolate.
But what if you don’t live around here?
No problem!
Sweet P Bakery — The Porch’s baker, and like the popular deli, an avid employer of people with disabilities — now ships their colossal cookies nationwide. Just click here, and follow the prompts.
Of course, if you do live here, head to to The Porch to taste the flavors, see a sample box, and snag a discount card.
Sweet!
(Photo/Abby Cole Photography)
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Every year at this time, the Westport Library celebrates UN Day with a Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial Lecture. The namesake of our Post Road Bridge was also a founder and strong advocate of the United Nations Association-USA Southwest Connecticut Chapter (and a friend of former US Ambassador to the UN Eleanor Roosevelt).
This year’s event should be a great one. Jim Himes — Westport’s member of the US Congress, and the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence — will discuss international issues.
The event is on UN Day: Thursday, October 24 (7 p.m.).
A reminder: Tomorrow’s (Sunday) CT United motorcycle ride will impact travel on Riverside Avenue, Wilton Road — and cross streets — from Exit 17 to the Wilton line.
The event — paying tribute to the victims and first responders of 9/11 — is the largest motorcycle ride in the state.
It begins around 11:30 a.m. at Sherwood Island State Park. Hundreds of riders head south on I-95; take Exit 17, and then proceed to Wilton, and on through 7 towns before ending in Bridgeport.
The route is closed and continuous. With the assistance of a police escort, motorcyclists drive through traffic lights and do not stop at stop signs.
Drivers should expect extended traffic delays along the route — potentially 45 minutes or longer. Alternate routes are recommended.
The start of the CT United ride, at Sherwood Island State Park. (Photo/Penny Pearlman)
Now — just in time for nice fall walking weather — the Historic District Commission has updated its self-guided walking tour.
And made it available digitally.
The fascinating and important project — overseen by HDC member Bill Ryan — includes nearly 3 dozen homes and other structures (plus a cemetery) on Wright Street, Kings Highway North, Old Hill Road, Edge Hill Lane and Wilton Road.
Kings Highway walking tour. Detailed information about each home is available by clicking on the Historic District Commission link above.
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The other day, we previewed Diane Benke’s upcoming Swedish swimrun.
The Westport mom was preparing to swim — tethered to a partner — to an island in the Stockholm archipelago. Then they’d race across the rocky surface, plunge back in the water, and do it again.
Two dozen times.
The Ötillö Swimrun World Championship involves 46 transitions: water to land, and vice versa. She hoped to race across 24 islands in all.
The pair needed to make cutoff points along the way. If they did not get to a point within a certain time, they could not continue.
Diane Benke and her swimrun partner, Chrissy Halioris of Louisville, Kentucky.
Diane is back home. Unfortunately, she says, she and her partner missed the second time cut-off by just 6 minutes.
“It was a huge disappointment,” Diane says. “Our race ended after over 5 hours on the course.
“It was a beauty and a beast! The water temperature was in the 50s. Conditions were pretty rough at the start, but you deal with the hand you’re dealt.”
Despite her early finish, Diane says, “it was so cool to be there. And it was such an incredible experience!”
Look closely — that’s Diane Benke, in the high yellow socks.
She hopes to try again another year — perhaps partnering with her husband Blake, an endurance athlete himself. (Click here to read an “06880” story about his 2013 adventure: a 153-mile Spartathlon race in Greece, tracing the journey of Pheidippides from Athens to Sparta.)
Meanwhile, Diane says, “I would love to grow the pool of local swimrunners in our community.”
Congratulations, Diane — on training for the swimrun, then spending 5 hours at, in the water and on land.
You have my admiration and huge respect, delivered warmly right here from the comfort of my home.
The Japan Society Fall Festival — scheduled for today at Jesup Green — has been postponed to tomorrow (Sunday, September 8, 1 to 4 p.m.). Threatened rain — which could harm the traditional drums — forced the delay.
The Fall Festival includes Taiko drumming, Bon Odori dance, booths with Japanese crafts and other products, and — new this year — a demonstration of Radio Taiso, a gentle fitness routine set to music.
The 2019 Japan Festival on Jesup Green.
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Westport Fire Chief Nick Marsan spoke at yesterday’s Sunrise Rotary Club meeting.
He described the Community Connect program, and how it helps first responders during emergencies.
Sunrise Rotary has a special connection to the WFD: They provide the “river” that plastic animals course down during the annual Great Duck Race.
In conjunction with StoryFest 2024, the Westport Library will showcase 2 art mediums related to their own kinds of storytelling.
The history, present and future of cartooning, and an album cover art retrospective, headline 4 new exhibits. They run from today (Saturday) through December 10.
The history of cartooning in Fairfield County is on display at “Cartoon County: The Golden Age of Cartooning in Connecticut” in the Sheffer Gallery.
It will display works from the Westport Schools Permanent Art Collection, featuring more than 40 original cartoons by area greats including Dik Browne, Mel Casson, Stan Drake, John Cullen Murphy, Leonard Starr, Jack Tippit and Mort Walker.
Visitors can explore the medium’s current condition and vision for the future with “The State of Cartooning” in the South Gallery.
Works by members of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society include Greg, Brian, and Neal Walker, who carry the legacy of their father, Mort Walker, the creator of “Beetle Bailey.”
As it did in the spring, the Jesup Gallery exhibit will focus on country music this fall. Drawn once more from the collection of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame keyboardist and record producer Mark Naftalin (Paul Butterfield Blues Band) and his wife, Ellen Naftalin, “Art of the Album: Country” showcases tcovers from the 1920s through the ’70s.
Longtime Westport resident Marie Carpenter died Thursday, at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport. She was 96.
The Scarsdale, New York native served in the Civil Air Patrol after World War II.
She worked for many years as a real estate agent here, first for Mila Grieb Village Realty and then Coldwell Banker.
She was an avid scuba diver, tennis player and skier. and a member of the Norwalk Ski Club.
Survivors include her son Mark S. (Donna Marie) of Lakeway, Texas, and nephew Walter Greenwood of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She was predeceased by her husband Stanley, and sister Helen Thornton.
A graveside service will be held September 13 (11 a.m., Willowbrook Cemetery). In lieu of flowers, contributions in Marie’s name may be made to Potter League for Animals. Click here to leave online condolences.
And finally … Sergio Mendes, the Brazilian pianist, composer who came to fame with his Brasil ’66 combo, and was a popular performer for more than 60 years, died Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 83, and suffered from long COVID.
(If it’s happening this weekend — or any time else — you’ll read about it on “06880.” Please click here to help us continue covering everything going on in Westport. Thank you!)
For decades, Mansion Clam House was a storied Saugatuck destination.
It closed in the mid-2010s. Its replacement, Parker Mansion, shut down last year, after a largely forgettable 6-year run.
The vacant property — prime real estate, in one of our town’s most vibrant restaurant destinations — is ready for its next incarnation.
If Doug Pardon’s plans work out, “The Bridge at Saugatuck” will be as beloved as Mansion Clam House, and more a part of the riverfront neighborhood than Parker Mansion ever was.
Doug Pardon
This is the Staples High School Class of 1997 graduate’s first restaurant venture. But after a career on Wall Street, Pardon knows how to research an investment.
The former football, basketball and baseball player (and statewide Scholar-Athlete honoree) has gotten input and feedback from seasoned professionals.
And as someone who grew up in town, then moved back 8 years ago to raise his family, Pardon knows what and where Westporters like to eat.
Food has always been part of his life. His father Edward — a noted financial advisor — loved to cook. He took lessons from Pietro Scotti, and on Sundays prepared memorable meals.
Pardon inherited his father’s passion. (His parents live in the same Guyer Road home they built in 1972, and enjoy babysitting their grandchildren.)
Pardon tried to purchase the Black Duck a few years ago. Despite many conversations with the owner and landlord, the deal was not completed.
This past January, through his friend Chuck Haberstroh’s uncle-in-law, commercial real estate broker Skip Lane, Pardon heard that the Parker Mansion space on the Riverside Avenue/Bridge Street corner was available.
Before it was Parker Mansion …
He and his wife Elizabeth took a look.
“There seemed to be a lot that prior management hadn’t focused on,” Pardon says.
“There’s the main building, with an upstairs and downstairs; a side patio that they built but never developed, and the riverfront, which was also not utilized.”
… the building was, for many years, The Mansion Clam House.
Pardon researched area restaurant rents.
He enlisted his friend, NBC News and MSNBC anchor/journalist Craig Melvin, as a partner. The men met while coaching their sons’ basketball team.
Pardon brought several restaurateurs through the property. (One was Matt Storch, owner of nearby Match Burger Lobster, who just wanted to help.) They thought the kitchen was small, but good. “You could open up tomorrow,” one said.
Not quite. They took their time. After diligent work — on the property, and getting it right — The Bridge will open in late July.
A “Coming Soon” banner is coming soon — Memorial Day weekend — to spread the word to folks passing by.
Coming soon: A “Bridge at Saugatuck Coming Soon” sign.
Pardon is not quitting his day job. He needed the right chef and operating partner.
Stephen Lewandowski was a great find. The Culinary Institute of America graduate opened Townhouse Greenwich (the former Gabriele’s), and Harlan Publick in South Norwalk.
He also served as executive chef at New York’s Tribeca Grill and corporate chef for the Myriad Restaurant Group, working alongside Drew Nieporent.
Pardon convened focus groups with 80 Westporters. He asked what they liked and disliked in 20 local restaurants.
“I know a lot of restaurants fail,” Pardon says. “It’s important to listen to people. You can’t just open up what you want.”
He’s using local talent to create “a nice place the town can be proud of.” They include architect Frederick Hoag, contractor Chris O’Dell of the O’Dell Group, interior designer Elizabeth Murstein, and Dennis Grimaldi of Westport Glass.
The Bridge will feature “upscale tavern American cuisine,” Pardon says. Part of his vision for the interior is the Gramercy Tavern bar — the site of his first date with his future wife.
The downstairs area will include a barroom feel, with high-top tables. There will be more formal dining upstairs. The side patio and waterfront are important elements in the design, perhaps with cabana-type structures.
Pardon also hopes to use the 5 boat slips on the Saugatuck River.
Boat slips and unused waterfront, behind the former Parker Mansion.
Yet as exciting as The Bridge’s location is, what about that other bridge — the one named for William Cribari, whose uncertain future includes the possibility of a much larger span being built just a few yards away?
“People keep asking me that,” Pardon says. “The town cares about Saugatuck. I’m not losing sleep over it.”
Westporters have debated “the Saugatuck bridge” for years. Doug Pardon hopes they’ll soon all agree that “The Bridge at Saugatuck” is a welcome addition to town.
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