Tag Archives: WEST store

Roundup: Vote WEST, Downtown Survey, Lego Collection …

Posted on November 5, 2024 | 8 comments

Voting is a privilege, and a right.

It can also help you shop.

Check below, for this great (today only) offer from WEST (117 Post Road East):

(Hat tip: Dave Briggs)

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Want another chance to weigh in on Jesup Green, the Imperial Avenue parking lot and “structured parking”?

The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee’s new survey is now live.

It’s open through Monday, November 11. Click here, then follow the prompts.

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Veterans Day is an important — and often overlooked — holiday.

Westport’s ceremony is always meaningful, and well worth attending.

The Town of Westport and VFW Post 399 will host Veterans Day services next Monday, November 11 (Town Hall auditorium).

At 10:30 a.m., the Westport Community Band will perform marches and patriotic tunes.

The services begin at 11 a.m. The time and date are significant. The armistice ending World War I — “the war to end all wars” — began at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918.

After the ceremony, all veterans and other community members are invited to VFW Post 399 for food and drinks.

Donations will help pay for refreshments (click here; then click “Donate”). Extra funds will help pay for permanent flag stands on graves throughout town.

The VFW has already decorated 500, at Assumption Cemetery. There are 700 more to go in Westport.

The Doughboy statue honors Westporters who served and sacrificed in World War I. It’s at Veterans Green, across from Town Hall where Veterans Day ceremonies are held. (Photo/Topsy Siderowf)

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Sustainable Westport keeps our town on its environmental toes.

Energy, transportation, yard waste, composting — it’s all part of the non-profit’s mission and work.

They’re always looking at new ways to reuse and recycle.

For their latest effort, they did not look far. Just in every corner and closet of every playroom in town.

Introducing: Sustainable Westport’s first-ever Lego donation drive.

Donate your “pre-loved Lego, Duplo, Technic, mini-figure and/or baseplate pieces.” Sustainable Westport volunteers will package and send them to Lego Replay — and arm of the Danish company — to ensure they find their way out of landfill, and into the hands of kids who need them most.

Full collections, partial sets, random pieces — nearly all are welcome. For  information about accepted pieces and how to prepare your bricks for donation, click here.

Donations can be dropped off at:

MoCA Holiday Artisan Marketplace (November 15 and 16, noon to 4 p.m.).

Wakeman Town Farm (November 22 through December 8, when open)

Earthplace (December 9 through 15, when open)

Westport Moms Holiday Event at Birchwood Country Club (December 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

Westport Weston Family YMCA (December 13 through 22, when open).

Questions? Email ghoffmann@sustainablewestport.org.

PS: Wondering why LEGO can’t be recycled? Click here.

Clean-up time!

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The 84th annual Candlelight Concert is set for Staples High School Friday, December 13 (8 p.m.), and Saturday, December 14 (3 and 8 p.m.). Tickets will be available soon (keep reading “06880” for details!).

Meanwhile, the Staples High School — which offers the beloved event as a gift to the town — welcomes businesses and individuals to purchase ads in the program, to help offset costs (and fund the Music Department’s programs for over 300 students).

Ads will be seen by over 3,000 people. For more information, email staples.music.parents.assn+ads@gmail.com.

Coming soon … Candlelight 2024!

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The National Charity League fosters mother-daughter relationships through a 6-year program of community service, leadership development and cultural experiences.

The Westport chapter has more than 275 members — women and their daughters in grades 7-12 — and provides volunteer support to over 30 non-profits.

Mothers of 6th grade girls are welcome to apply. Click here for more information, or email nclwmembership@gmail.com.

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Rising saxophone star Sarah Hanahan brings her talent to this Thursday’s “Jazz at the Post” (November 7, 7:30 and 8:45, VFW Post 399; dinner service at 6:45 p.m.; $20 music cover, $15 veterans and students; click here for show tickets).

Hanahan — named one of NPR Jazz Night in America’s “30 under 30 Youngbloods” — will be joined by bassist Mikey Migliore, guitarist Tony Davis and drummer Mike Camacho.

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After touring the 4 homes on Sunday’s “Historic Homes of 06880” tour, Nicholas Eisenberger thought he’d seen it all.

But passing Nyala Farm, he saw something else fascinating:

“What a beautiful sight, place, and day!” Nico says, of the bobcat (and tour) — and today’s captivating “Westport … Naturally” image.

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And finally …

(It’s Election Day! Vote with your pocketbook! Please click here to elect “06880” as your go-to, hyper-local blog, and support our work. We promise: We’ll never send an unsolicited text or email!)

8 Comments

Posted in Children, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Local business, Staples HS

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Roundup: Bridgewater Home, Volunteer Fair, Motorcycle Fire …

Posted on September 7, 2023 | 10 comments

The former home of the world’s largest hedge fund may become home to 14 residential homes. Four would be deemed “affordable,” according to state guidelines.

As first reported by Westport Journal, the houses — built by an LLC that includes David Waldman, the developer of projects like Bedford Square and the Bankside condos — would be constructed on 3.7 acres in the northwest part of the 16-acre property, off Weston Road.

The proposed homes are shown at the top of the Glendinning property.

The homes at “Cottage Village at Glendinning Place” would be 3 bedrooms. The “affordable” homes (for buyers who make 80 percent of state median income) would be half the size of the market-rate houses.

The land — named for Ralph Glendinning, who built a 48,000-square foot modern office park there for his marketing firm in the 1960s — includes a pond and pathways. It is at the confluence of the Saugatuck and Aspetuck Rivers, and abuts Aspetuck Land Trust’s Leonard Schine Preserve and Children’s Natural Playground.

Bridgewater Associates moved out earlier this year. They consolidated their hedge fund operations at the Nyala Farm office complex, off I-95 exit 18.

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New to town? Newly retired? New empty nester? Inspired by the new year (school and/or Jewish) to do something new?

If you are interested in volunteering — but don’t know where to start — the Westport Library, Town of Westport and League of Women Voters of Westport can help.

On Saturday, September 23 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), the 3 organizations are teaming up to host an adult volunteer fair in the Library’s Trefz Forum.

Over 2 dozen community organizations will be represented. Each will have a staff member to provide information and answer questions.

The Library will also host a volunteer expo for teens on Wednesday, October 4 (4:30 to 6 p.m.), featuring local youth organizations with volunteer opportunities.

Organizations participating in the September 23 adult volunteer fair include: A Better Chance of Westport; AWARE; Center for Senior Activities; Club 203; Earthplace; FCJazz; Food Rescue; Friends of Sherwood Island; Guiding Eyes for the Blind; Levitt Pavilion; Staples Tuition Grants; Sunrise Rotary Club; TEAM Westport; Town of Westport; Verso Studios; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Wakeman Town Farm; Westport Book Shop; Westport Community Theatre; Westport Country Playhouse; Westport Emergency Medical Services; Westport League of Women Voters; Westport Library; Westport Permanent Art Collections; Westport Sunrise Rotary; Westport Woman’s Club; Westport Young Woman’s League; Westport-Weston CERT; Westport Weston Family YMCA.

There are countless ways to volunteer here. Food Rescue — picking up excess food, and delivering it where it’s needed — is just one.

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The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport has a new transitional minister.

Rev. Alan Taylor will serve the congregation both from Westport and Oak Park, Illinois, where he and his family live permanently. He will preach 3 Sundays out of 4 — 2 in person, and 1 via virtual broadcast.

Rev. Alan will carry out his duties both in person in Westport, and virtually via email, Zoom and phone from his home office in Oak Park. He is serving in partnered ministry with UU Westport’s longtime minister of music, Rev. Ed Thompson.

Rev. Alan will first preach from the pulpit in Westport at this Sunday’s service (September 10, 10 a.m.). All are welcome to join in person or via livestream.

UU Westport’s previous senior minister, Rev. Dr. John Morehouse, has moved to a developmental minister role in a church outside of Philadelphia.

Rev. Alan Taylor

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The Westport Rotary Club hosted a board member of another outstanding group, at Tuesday’s meeting.

Ed Spilka of Wheel It Forward described their “lending library.” People who need durable medical equipment like wheelchairs, and related products can borrow them at no cost.

People with “lightly used” equipment can donate them too — helping others, and keeping what’s no longer needed out of landfills.

Ed Spilka of Wheel It Forward.

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Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between August 30 and September 6.

One man was arrested after a resident reported that several checks worth $30,000 were returned due to insufficient funds, or account closed. The checks had been stolen, and attempted to be used to pay rent.

A man was arrested and charged with illegal possession of personal identity information, identity theft, and illegal trafficking in personal identity information. The incident began after a May 31 arrest at BevMax. A warrant was then obtained for a cell phone search. Evidence implicated the man in a larger, more complex fraud involving the purchase and sale of “high-end” liquor, using fraudulent credit cards. The scheme took place in many East Coast states.

Police also issued these citations:

  • Traveling unreasonably fast: 11 citations
  • Failure to obey traffic control signals: 3
  • Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 2
  • Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 2
  • Failure to carry registration or insurance card: 2
  • Speeding: 1
  • Failure to obey a stop sign: 1
  • Operating a motor vehicle while under suspension: 1
  • Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 1
  • Failure to carry a license: 1
  • Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1

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The Westport Country Playhouse “script in hand” season continues Monday, September (18, 7 p.m.). with “100 Saints You Should Know.”

Theresa (played by Tony Award winner Celia Keenan-Bolger) is a single mother with a rebellious teenage daughter. Working as a cleaner in a church rectory, she rekindles her religious beliefs and searches for validation from the priest.

But the troubled pastor, questioning his own faith, suddenly leaves the church and returns home to his protective mother. Theresa tracks him down, ultimately changing both of their lives.

All tickets are $25. Click here to purchase, and for more information.

Celia Keenan-Bolger

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A recent “06880” Roundup photo featured a series of holes dug next to the pedestrian path, leading from Old Mill to Compo Cove.

Property owner Jeff Northrop Sr. reports they’re for a new fence, identical to the one on the other side of the walkway.

A sign will say “Children and fishermen welcome.”

Northrop learned to fish there, as a child. “I want to keep it open access,” he says.

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Henry Wynne is one of 20 elite runners participating in Sunday’s 42nd annual Fifth Avenue Mile race.

The 2013 Staples High School and 2017 University of Virginia graduate — one of the greatest runners in Connecticut history — will cover the 20-block stretch of New York City far quicker than nearly anyone else can.

Of course, it helps that all the traffic lights will be green. (Hat tip: John Nathan)

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A motorcycle blaze sent the Westport Fire Department to the Westport Weston Family YMCA parking lot Tuesday afternoon.

Yesterday morning, this was all that remained:

(Photo/Dan Woog)

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Rock music, photography, art and fashion combine soon at WEST.

The Post Road East boutique hosts Michael Friedman for a discussion and signing of his very cool book “Exposed: The Lost Negatives and Untold Stories” (September 21, 6 p.m.).

The book is a treasure trove of up-close, personal — and excellent — photos of the musical icons the 1961 Staples High School graduate worked and hung out with, more than half a century ago.

You know: Janis Joplin, The Band, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, Todd Rundgren, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, James Cotton, the Rolling Stones ….

Many were part of a 2019 exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

A portion of the proceeds from the “Sound Exposed” WEST event, including 20% of limited edition print sales, will benefit Neighborhood Studio. The non-profit provides after-school arts education for Bridgeport youngsters.

WEST will also offer 20% off all clothing and merchandise at the event, plus giveaways like signed copies of Friedman’s book, and tickets to the Bridgeport “Sound on Sound” music festival.

“Sound Exposed” is free, but registration is required — click here.

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Kerri Rosenthal hosts an “Art of Beauty” event next Wednesday (September 13, 5 to 7 p..).

The Art of Beauty event on Wednesday September 13th 5pm-7pm.

Her favorite esthetic, Erin Meyers-Albaridi from New Beauty & Wellness, will discuss art, fashion and (of course) beauty. There’s a raffle and swag bag too.

It’s free, but RSVPs are requested here.

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The New York Times reports the August 17 death of Sarah Wunsch, at her Massachusetts home. She was 75, and suffered a stroke 3 years ago.

The 1965 Staples High School graduate “championed citizen protections on issues of race, gender and free speech and helped persuade New York’s highest court to declare that men could be prosecuted for raping their wives,” the Times says.

“As deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts for almost three decades, Ms. Wunsch brought innovative challenges before the courts, aimed at safeguarding a wide range of public behavior, including panhandling for small amounts of change, tattooing, wearing certain hairstyles in school and videotaping on-duty police activity.”

Click here for a full obituary.

Sarah Wunsch (Photo/Kathleen Dooher)

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Our “Westport … Naturally” feature celebrates all kinds of living things. We’ve run photos of deer (plenty), eagles (handsome), lanternflies (ugh) … you name it.

Today we feature a first: an orb-weaver spider, from Elisabeth Levery’s patio near Longshore.

It may not be particularly good-looking when you see it around your home. But Elizabeth sure makes it look interesting here.

(Photo/Elisabeth Levey)

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And finally … Gary Wright, the singer-songwriter with a couple of synthesizer-infused hits, died Monday in California. He was 80, and suffered from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.

Another day, another Roundup, another “06880” post filled with all kinds of Westport (and Westport-ish) news. Please support our work. Click here to contribute. Thank you!

 

10 Comments

Posted in Local business, Obituaries, Police, Real estate, religion

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Roundup: Twilight Zone, Parks & Rec Registration, Cell Tower …

Posted on March 2, 2022 | 2 comments

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Submitted for your approval: “Westport in the Twilight Zone.”

Rod Serling used that “submitted” phrase only 3 times, as writer and host of one of television’s most acclaimed series ever. But it’s come to be associated with him.

Did you know that? And did you know that — beyond the famed ““Willoughby” episode, featuring a train ride to Saugatuck, Westport influenced other “Twilight Zone”s?

And why not? He lived here in the 1950s.

Find out more about Rod Serling and Westport tonight (Wednesday, March 2, 6 p.m., Zoom) at a free webinar: “Westport in the Twilight Zone.” The host and guide is Westport author/artist Arlen Schumer.

You can journey into that other world by clicking here. The meeting ID is: 884 7739 9778. The passcode is 653762. No advance sign-up is necessary.

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Registration for many Westport Parks & Recreation’s spring and summer programs began online at 9 a.m. this morning. Registration for Camp Compo, RECing and pickleball begins later: 9 a.m. on Monday, March 28.

Spots go quickly. Click here to see all the choices.

Problems? Email recreation@westportct.gov or call 203-341-5152.

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Kitt Shapiro hosted an overflow crowd last night at WEST, the great downtown women’s store she owns.

But the focus was not on shopping. She was there as an author. Her book “Eartha & Me: A Daughter’s Love Story in Black and White” — published in November — is already in its second printing.

It’s a memoir of growing up with her mother, Eartha Kitt. Nearly everyone there had already read it. They asked pointed, poignant and provocative questions. Kitt described her mother’s influence and legacy — on her, and on the world.

The event was sponsored by AWARE (Assisting Women with Actions, Resources and Education), the non-profit that — like Eartha Kitt and Kitt Shapiro — empowers women every day.

Kitt Shapiro, and the WEST crowd. (Photo/John Videler Photography)

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A “balloon test” scheduled for Presidents Day — to show exactly how high a proposed 124-foot cell tower would rise, on private property at 92 Greens Farms Road — was canceled the night before. It was hastily rescheduled for 7 a.m. today.

Westporter Don Bergmann wrote several local officials, expressing anger at the late notice provided to the town and its residents.

At 8 a.m., Jaime Bairaktaris — publisher of Westport Local Press — drove by. He reports not seeing any balloon.

Neither did RTM member Andrew Colabella.

Westporter Steve Goldstein headed to the site an hour later, and saw nothing — except, that is, 2 police officers who had been there since 7.

A cell tower been proposed for the property on the left: 92 Greens Farms Road. (Photo courtesy of Google Maps)

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Jesse and Sefra Levin grew up in the comfort of Westport. Life here is almost always safe.

But for nearly 20 years, the Staples High School Class of 2003 twins have been on a mission: helping prepare people around the globe to survive any kind of disaster, natural or manmade. They’ve taught “readiness skills” to veterans, disaster response teams and entrepreneurs. The Levins call themselves “bespoke readiness outfitters.”

A couple of years ago, they had a pop-up shop in Bedford Square. They outfitted customers with gear, and offered advice and training, for every conceivable emergency.

Now they’re in Poland, at the Ukrainian border. In less than 2 days they gathered medical supplies, and made their first delivery.

Their goal is to ramp up a medical supply chain, and help coordinate between international military veteran first response efforts and in-country operational elements.

A growing network of Polish and Ukrainian contacts helps identify and relay real-time needs from conflict areas, and ensure effective distribution of supplies and equipment to where they are needed most.

(Hat tip: Lynn Untermeyer Miller)

Jesse and Sefra Levin

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There’s less than a month to go before dogs are banned from Compo Beach. Which means we won’t be able to run “Westport … Naturally” photos like this, from April 1 through the end of September.

Tessie on the Compo jetty (Photo/Gwen Tutun)

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And finally … on this day in 1498, Vasco da Gama’s fleet visited the island of Mozambique.

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Posted in Local business, Looking back, Media, Politics, Staples HS, technology

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“Santa Baby” Sequel: Weston’s Eartha Kitt Lives On

Posted on December 7, 2020 | 3 comments

Once upon a time, Christmas music was — well, Christmas music.

“Silent Night.” “Adeste Fidelis.” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”  You know — songs about Jesus, the Magi and the manger.

In 1953, Eartha Kitt released “Santa Baby.” It was — well, earthy.

Eartha Kitt

The 26-year-old entertainer sang seductively about gifts from a sugar daddy Santa — you know, a yacht, sable and ’54 convertible.

Despite being banned in parts of the South, it was the best-selling Christmas song of the year.

In the nearly 70 years since, it’s been covered by dozens of artists, including Madonna, Kylie Mingoue, Taylor Swift, Trisha Yearwood, Michael Bublé, RuPaul and Homer & Jethro.

It’s been found on lists of the best — and worst — Christmas songs of all time.

And it opened the door for an entire new category of offbeat holiday tunes. Had it not been for “Santa Baby,” we might never have known the singing chipmunks, the Kinks’ violent “Father Christmas,” or the song that truly is the worst of all time — in any category — “The Christmas Shoes.”

Eartha Kitt died in 2008 — fittingly, on Christmas Day — in her Weston home. Her daughter Kitt Shapiro has lived in Westport for 20 years. She owns WEST, the great boutique on Post Road East.

“Santa Baby” sure has legs. Last Friday, Sony Music released a new, animated video version of the song.

It’s quite a story. Directed by Kelly Jones (founder of a Black-owned visual media and design house) and produced by Cousins (a queer-owned production studio), it’s an homage to Eartha Kitt’s life and career. Smooth, sexy animation draws viewers right into the singer’s dreamy wish list.

In this COVID-stricken year of 2020, Santa may be paring down his gift list. He might be careful about how many homes he visits.

But if Eartha Kitt has her way — wherever she is now — Santa will hurry down her chimney that night.

3 Comments

Posted in Entertainment, Local business, Media, People

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Laura Maged’s WEST Comes East

Posted on August 20, 2016 | 3 comments

When new shops open here, they often ask for an “06880” shout-out.

I’m happy to oblige, I say — provided they give me a strong Westport hook. It can’t be just “new store in town,” I tell them. Give me something local to sink my teeth into.

I seldom hear back.

Bags on display at WEST.

Bags on display at WEST.

That’s why I’m glad to talk about WEST. The new fashion/art/jewelry/ accessories place on 117 Post Road East (across from Bank of America) cleverly incorporates a Westport sensibility with influences from the “WEST Coast” (and even further west, Australia).

But it also carries the line of a very local designer — Emerson Kobak — who is still just a Staples High School junior. (One more reason to like WEST: The owners discovered Emerson through this “06880” blog.)

The new store is the brainchild of Westporter Laura Maged. A Long Island native who spent many “magical” years in her 20s and 30s in Southern California, she heard about our town after she and her husband moved to New York.

Laura Maged

Laura Maged

The folks she met here seemed to always do intriguing things. The “rich arts heritage and easy style” attracted her. She loved Compo Beach (and the playground), while downtown reminded her of Brentwood.

Laura thought she could “recreate a little of my special LA life here.” Starting in 2002, she did just that.

Now WEST, she says, will be a place where Westport and the West Coast’s “casual, easy lifestyles” mix. Her vision is for “a cool, easy place to shop.”

Emerson Kobak

Emerson Kobak

But while she’s all about bringing the coast vibe east, she’s also excited to team up with Kobak. The teenager studies every Saturday at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. She spent this summer in Cornell’s fashion design program, and now adds her line — Emerson Isa Designs — to WEST.

It’s always good news when a new mom-and-pop — or, in this case, “mom” shop — comes to town.

It’s even better news when the owner truly gets the local vibe.

And gets what “06880” looks for in a story. After all, this blog’s tagline is “where WESTport meets the world.”

3 Comments

Posted in Downtown, Local business, People, Staples HS

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