BROSS CHINGAS BROSS FINAL UPDATED AD BANNER.png

James Bairaktaris 7/31/21 James Bairaktaris 7/31/21

Summer Days Continue on Old Mill

Beach chairs and towels make for a classic beach scene at Old Mill Beach this afternoon. WestportLocal.com photo

James Bairaktaris 7/31/21 James Bairaktaris 7/31/21

Top Down with Nowhere to Go

A vintage Mercedes-Benz convertible sits idly by as Saturday afternoon traffic on Bridge Street stalls any plans of getting anywhere quickly. WestportLocal.com photo

James Bairaktaris 7/31/21 James Bairaktaris 7/31/21

Lunchtime in Bedford Square

The lunch rush in the Bedford Square area restaurants brought guests into the warm summer air to enjoy their meals. WestportLocal.com photo

James Bairaktaris 7/31/21 James Bairaktaris 7/31/21

Good Humour hits Soundview Drive

The local Good Humor truck stopped to chat with beachgoers this afternoon as sunshine and seasonal temperatures made for a picture perfect day at Compo Beach. WestportLocal.com photo

James Bairaktaris 7/31/21 James Bairaktaris 7/31/21

Saturday Skate

Westporter Brian Greenspan, UConn Freshman, takes flight at the Compo Beach Skate Park this afternoon. WestportLocal.com photo

James Bairaktaris 7/31/21 James Bairaktaris 7/31/21

WAAC Culture Corner: Bringing the Heat for August

Prepared by Diane Lowman, Westport Poet Laureate and WAAC Member

`Lauren Gelgor Kaplan. Photo by Jerri Graham Photography`

Welcome back to the Westport Local Press’s Westport Arts Advisory Committee’s “Culture Corner.” Each month, the WAAC scours our 33.45 square miles and highlight one of the many artists – visual, written, performance, and other – who call Westport home. These artists create a spectrum of color that shines over town like the rainbows often seen over the Saugatuck, so we have made “color” our theme.

In August we honor orange, for the heat of summer, and the heat of featured artist’s Lauren Gelgor Kaplan’s kiln. Lauren and her family, natives of South Africa, moved here after living in Switzerland over 20 ago. I have known and admired her and her work for nearly all that time. Her life’s guiding principal, “life is not about give and take, but give and give,” resonates deeply and reflects in everything she does.

Her family arrived in the States a month prior to 9/11, and the event naturally shook her. To relieve that stress and meet new people, she looked for a creative outlet that would tap into her love of architecture and art (both grandfathers were artists). Having pursued ceramics as a hobby for the prior 30 years, she began classes at Silvermine to learn how to “throw on the wheel,” and spent several years there honing her craft.

Click here to expand the full article

James Bairaktaris 7/31/21 James Bairaktaris 7/31/21

New Neighbors: “Local to Market” brings Local Groceries Back to Main Street; Open until 2 Today

`Rita and Chris Marcocci in front of their new store, Local to Market, during today’s Farm Stand.`

Anna Aron, of Little Bits Pottery, displays her work during today’s farm stand. A Staples Class of 2013 graduate, Aron attributes her passion and skill to the SHS pottery and sculpture teacher Jaclyn Jeselnik - who helped give her a “home” in the po… — `Anna Aron, of Little Bits Pottery, displays her work during today’s farm stand. A Staples Class of 2013 graduate, Aron attributes her passion and skill to the SHS pottery and sculpture teacher Jaclyn Jeselnik - who helped give her a “home” in the pottery room while a student.`

With Connecticut farmers and artisans standing with them, Westporters Chris and Rita Marcocci are bringing local love back to 177 Main Street with their new shop: Local to Market. The shop will focus on items made, grown, or produced in Connecticut - with a portion of their profits going towards local charities. Open until 2:00 today as a farm stand, they expect to be fully open within the next three weeks - bringing Groceries back to Downtown.

Located in the historic Remarkable Book Shop storefront, the Marcoccis - with local artisans and farmers - are celebrating their arrival to the community with a weekend Farm Stand, planned for every weekend at the corner of lower Main Street. The farm stand includes locally grown produce and fruits, locally sourced milk, and products created by Westport artists.

Envisioned as place where downtown neighbors and merchants can stop for groceries on their way home, or for downtown shoppers to enjoy some of the local artwork and wares, “We’re bringing groceries and locally made items back to downtown” Chris described.

`Peter Stack and Jen Cozak, both of Fairfield, displayed Easton’s Silverman’s Farms produce and fresh donuts along with other locally sourced items, such as milk and local corn.`

“Everything needs to come from Connecticut” Chris continued as he spoke about the items they’ll be displaying. Chris and his wife Rita live in Westport, with Chris owning another locally owned business, StreetMarc marketing. The pair saw the need to continue this past year’s push to support local - turning it into their mission.

That mission: Eat Well, Live Well, Do Well. They’ll support it by carrying it throughout the shop as they feature local foods, arts, and even music seven days per week. When describing the “Do Well” mission, Chris continued: “A portion of all profits will go towards local charities, back into the community.”

Local to Market is located at 177 Main Street and is planning to open fully within the next three weeks. For now, the Marcoccis plan to have farm stands, like today’s, on the weekends from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM.

Longtime Westporter Dick Stein and his handmade wood carvings

All created from locally fallen trees

James Bairaktaris 7/31/21 James Bairaktaris 7/31/21

Morning Weather Report

Today

Sunny, with a high near 76. West wind around 7 mph.

High Tides: 5:33 AM/5:52 PM
Low Tides: 11:41 AM

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 61. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Tomorrow

A chance of showers between noon and 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.