Month: August 2016

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Westporter Chronicles Rise and Fall of Post 154

The September issue of Connecticut magazine includes a nine-page feature on the history of Westport’s Post 154 restaurant, which opened to great fanfare in August 2013, then closed last January.

The magazine tells the inside story of the restaurant’s much anticipated opening to its quiet sudden end. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Writer Michael Catarevas, a 20-year town resident, worked at the restaurant during its first five months, and tells the tale from his point of view and those of many others he interviewed.

“It was a fascinating place,” he said. “I was between full-time editorial positions at the time and took a waiter job for a few months.

“I saw how and why a multimillion-dollar investment, with a lot of very smart people involved, could still go downhill fast.”

Phyllis M. McCoy, 93

Phyllis Maisel McCoy of Charleston, S.C., a former Westport resident, died Aug. 15. She was 93.

Phyllis McCoy: former Westport teacher. Contributed photo

She was born on June 1, 1923 in Philadelphia, and was one of four children of Ernest and Elsie Weinman Maisel. She graduated from Beaver College (now known as Arcadia University) in Glenside, Pa. in 1945 and obtained a master’s degree in education from Fairfield University in 1960.

She met her husband Bob (Penn State ‘43) on a blind date at a prom at Beaver. They were married in August 1945, and raised four children, moving from New Jersey to Westport in 1956.

She moved from Westport to a retirement home in Charleston in 2011.

9th Annual Blues, BBQ Festival This Weekend

Grill masters, blues artists and jammers will be smoking, bringing sultry sounds, scents and flavors to Westport as the ninth annual Blues, Views and BBQ Festival fires up this Labor Day weekend at the Levitt Pavilion and in the Westport Library lot.

Ronnie Baker Brooks greeted fans in the crowd after his performance last year. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) J.C. Martin for WestportNow.com

The Saturday and Sunday event is being sponsored by the Westport Downtown Merchants Association (DMA), which promises a “foot stomping, mouthwatering weekend on the beautiful banks of the Saugatuck River” and the Westport Library.

Saturday’s musical lineup on the Levitt stage from noon through 9:30 p.m. includes: Popa Chubby, Anders Osborne, Manny and the Mojomatics, Jay Stollman with Matt Schofield, Funky Meters and Mark Broussard.

But those won’t be the only smoky tunes filling the banks of the Saugatuck River on Saturday, event planners say.

Green’s Farms Lot Closing Friday Night

To allow for the replacement of light poles and fixtures, no overnight parking will be allowed at lot No. 1 at the Metro-North Green’s Farms station from Friday midnight until 5 p.m. on Saturday,

The Railroad Parkng Division of the Westport Police Department made the announcement today and asked users to enusre vehicles are removed prior to midnight on Friday.

Vehicles that are not removed prior to the commencement of work will be towed at the owners expense, an annoucement said.

The lot will reopen for use on Saturday at 5 p.m

P&R Online Registration Starts Sept. 7

Westport Parks and Recreation Director Jen Fava announced today that online fall and winter program registration will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Walk in, fax and mailed registration, and continuing online registration, will begin on Monday, Sept. 12 at the Parks and Recreation Sales Office at Longshore (260 Compo Road South) during regular business hours (Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.).

A login and password are necessary to access your account.

Residents needing to edit their account should log in and make the necessary changes or contact Parks and Recreation by email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) prior to Sept. 7.

Commuter Lot Reopening Now Set for Sept. 12

Commuter parking lot No. 1 at the Westport Metro-North station in Saugatuck will reopen Monday, Sept. 12, missing a post-Labor Day opening target date of Sept. 6, the Railroad Parking Division of the Westport Police Department announced today. Paving is set to begin Thursday but that and other work won’t be completed until Sept. 12, it said. In the meantime, it said additional temporary permit parking has been secured beginning Tuesday at 60 Charles St., which is across from lot No. 1. Additionally, permit parking has been extended on Railroad Place and Riverside Avenue. Officials encouraged use of the existing shuttle service that runs from the Imperial Avenue parking lot to the Saugatuck station. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Tanker Truck Fire Shuts Down I-95 in Norwalk

A tanker truck fire shut down the southbound lanes of I-95 near Exit 13 in Norwalk today. at about 12:55 p.m.. The fire was concentrated in the cab of the truck and did not extend to the tanker portion, which was separated, according to reports from the scene. State Police reopened the southbound lanes at about 1:45 p.m. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Norwalk Fire Department photo

Comings & Goings: Amis Trattoria to Bedford Square

Amis Trattoria, a Philadelphia-based restaurant group owned by Urban Outfitters, will open in 2017 at 59 Post Road East in the Bedford Building and Firehouse in the Bedford Square Development.

Amis Trattoria is owned by Urban Outfitters, whose Anthropologie brand will occupy 40,000 square feet of the Bedford Square development. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Amis, created by Marc Vetri who owns three Amis restaurants in Philadelphia, is part of the Vetri family of restaurants that includes restaurants under the names of Osteria, Pizzeria Vetri, Alla Spina and Lospiedo.

Urban Outfitters, a $3.3 billion company, made its first move to casual dining with the December 2015 acquisition of Vetri.

Anthropologie, also owned by Urban Outfitters, will relocate from 1365 Post Road East to Bedford Square where it will occupy 40,000 square feet.

Dolores E. DeMattio, 87

Dolores E. DeMattio, a longtime Westport resident, died Aug. 24. She was 87.

Dolores DeMattio: artistic talent. Contributed photo

The wife of the late Salvatore DeMattio was born May 18, 1929 in Bridgeport and was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary (Hegi) Carbone.

She loved nature, shopping and traveling. She was extremely talented artistically. She enjoyed painting and numerous craft projects. Her family and role as a mother and grandmother was the most important thing to her.

She spent countless hours with her grandchildren reading or telling them stories, going on nature walks, attending school or sporting events. She cared deeply for those people in her life. Her warm smile and sweet disposition will be greatly missed

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Westport Historical Society – “the beautiful POND”
1 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Sherwood Island State Park – Westport Library & Friends of Sherwood Island: Experience a Revolutionary Way to Study Whales
2 p.m. and 8 p.m. – Westport Country Playhouse – “What the Butler Saw”
6:30 p.m. – Westport Library – Chess Club for Adults
7 p.m. – Westport Library – Refresh Your Home