Westport Arts Center Visual Arts Manager Jill Sarver (l) and Victoria Munroe today install Westport artist Enid Munroe’s “bling boxes,” visually rich collections of found objects placed into typography boxes, in advance of Friday’s opening reception for “Enid Munroe: Artist & Alchemist” at the center. The exhibition, showcasing Munroe’s works beyond her traditional domain of painting, many of which have never before been framed or seen by the public, runs through Feb. 27. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The Westport Historical Society (WHS) today honored Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a program for children aged 6 to 11 entitled “Peace, Love and Understanding.”  Elizabeth De Voll, WHS education director, assists children in creation of MLK Jr. remembrance crafts, including peace wreaths and protest posters. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Atlantic Records recording artist Dillon Hodges, aka firekid, tonight headlined the show at Westport’s Toquet Hall teen center, which also featured performances by Staples High School’s own Pizza Dust and local Connecticut students, The Foresters. A large crowd of students came out and danced to a mix of rock, indie, electronic, and bluegrass music.  firekid’s current single “Magic Mountain” is in regular rotation on Sirius XM Alt Nation. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The Westport Arts Center Wednesday night hosted a one night only provocative and alternative view of childhood cancer photo exhibit by Circle of Care, a local nonprofit which gives emotional and financial support to families with children with cancer, in partnership with New Canaan photographer Jeanna Shepard. The photos featured faces and stories behind pediatric cancer from communities across Connecticut. Catherine Alter (l) and mother Barbara posed before a photo taken when Catherine was undergoing chemotherapy two years ago. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The newest recipients of an historic plaque from the Westport Historical Society (WHS) are the owners of the circa 1918-built house, now known as the Della Reichert house, at 19 Washington Ave.  Bob Weingarten, WHS House historian and plaque coordinator,  presented Sheila Gallo and son Nick with a plaque.  In 2011, Sheila was looking for a house in Westport and after entering this house she saw sunlight from various windows and said she realized that someone was telling her to purchase this house. Her son believes that the yellow door to the house identifies the house as “the house of the inviting door.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com

By Susan Granger

Known for his penchant for approaching racism in America with profanity-laced, gratuitous hyper-violence, Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” is a “molasses-like” saga about a bounty hunter trying to transport a killer to justice.

Set several years after the U.S. Civil War, it begins with a stagecoach hurtling through wintry Wyoming - until it’s stopped by Maj. Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), a former Union officer-turned-bounty hunter who’s hauling three dead bodies to Red Rock to collect the reward.

Inside the stagecoach is bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) with a feisty, feral fugitive (Jennifer Jason Leigh), also headed for Red Rock. Joining them later is Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), a former Confederate renegade who introduces himself as Red Rock’s new Sheriff.

As a ferocious blizzard approaches, the passengers seek shelter in a log cabin called Minnie’s Haberdashery, joining the Mexican (Damian Bichir) who’s temporarily minding Minnie’s stopover, a British hangman (Tim Roth), a Confederate General (Bruce Dern), and cowboy (Michael Madsen).

The 14th season of the Play With Your Food noontime play reading series at Westport’s Toquet Hall debuted today with four one-act plays. They included actors (l-r) James Feuer, Jeremy Funke, Katie Spare and Kim Squires. The Westport productions continue Wednesday and Thursday with productions in Fairfield on Jan. 19 and Greenwich on Jan. 20.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com