Police Holiday Toy Drive Draws Generous Westporters

Police Holiday Toy Drive Draws Generous Westporters

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Westport News)

12/17/11

Westport, CT – Rudolph was looking like a hit-and-run victim Saturday morning as Westport police officers stood curbside with him in front of Border Grill at 1560 Post Road East. It was the department’s annual holiday toy drive and the combination of a cross wind and faulty blower left the inflatable venison sitting down on the job.

No matter, though, as Westporters know the drill and exactly where to pull up to hand off their donations to the cause.

The drive began December 10 and will run through Sunday, December 17, with officers volunteering onsite in two-hour shifts 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, ready to collect new unwrapped toys for children age 12 and under, as well as cash donations.

“This year was a little slow in the start but has picked up,” said Officer Michael Gudziki. “A lady this morning said she got a good bonus and gave us $40.” Cash donations are used to purchase additional toys.

Officer Albert Nowinski added, “We are also accepting toy drop-offs at police headquarters, 50 Jesup Road, during the drive. One gentleman last week dropped off a carload of Toys ‘R Us toys.”

Some toys go to Norwalk Community Center for distribution to needy families. Others go to the Town of Westport’s Human Services and Housing Department. The balance is loaded into a box truck provided by A&J’s Farm Stand and taken to St. Charles Church in Bridgeport. The haul includes toys collected at certain area stores, like Crate & Barrel and Athletic Shoe Factory, that are offering shoppers a purchase discount in return.

Westporter Jilda Manikas, who stopped to donate games, said she supports the effort every year. “This is awesome and convenient and nice for kids,” she said. “It’s almost a selfish act as it makes us feel so good.”

Historical Society Rings in the Holidays with Family Concert

Historical Society Rings in the Holidays with Family Concert

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Westport News)

12/11/11

Westport, CT – Sounding a bit like folk rock trio Peter, Paul & Mary, Mary Ann Hall and her Music for Children staff and students spurred children to jump to their feet and their parents to clap in time to a host of holiday tunes Sunday afternoon at Westport Historical Society.

It was the eighth consecutive year Hall had performed at the 25 Avery Place facility, and the event drew a full house of families. After enjoying and interacting with 15 holiday music classics, attendees snacked on hot chocolate and holiday cookies.

“This is so inviting in this informal setting,” said Hall of the space. “Performers and the audience are voice to voice, and eye to eye.”

Hall spoke about her center, which targets children from babies through age 14. “We offer comprehensive music education in a theoretical but playful environment,” she said. “Voice, dance, movement, eurythmics. Everything taught at a conservatory level is served to children and youth through dramatic musical play.”   

Wilton’s Cactus Rose Cantina Opening a Fiesta of Sensations

Wilton’s Cactus Rose Cantina Opening a Fiesta of Sensations

By Mike Lauterborn

(for HamletHub.com/Fairfield)

12/9/11

Wilton, CT – Wilton area residents were glad to see a hot new restaurant open up Thursday night right in their area. Fairfield residents should be glad, too, as Cactus Rose Cantina is a must-go destination with a wonderful Southwestern flair.

Located at 5 River Road in Wilton, the new restaurant is owned by Katrina Pertesis and her daughter Maria. The pair, in collaboration with leading representatives from cb5 restaurant group, which helped develop the Cactus Rose concept, held a preview cocktail reception at the venue from 7 to 9pm. The event was designed to introduce locals and media to the space, drink selections and food. More than one hundred people attended included Channel 12 television newsman David Smith and Easton’s First Selectman Tom Hermann.

The space is immediately inviting, with accents that include hanging terrariums, candle sconces, timbers in the ceiling in the center of the main dining area in the shape of a wagon wheel and an Old West style iron chandelier. Making the room cozy on a chilly night was a wood-burning fireplace of an adobe construction.

Red sangria, Mexican beers, margaritas and vanilla bourbon milkshakes were the favorite libations, which all paired well with an abundance of passed hors d’oeuvres including lamp chops, tostones with cilantro pesto, beef empanadas, tuna tostada, cactus tempura and pecan tarts. These servings can all be found on the menu as appetizers, ranging in price from $8 to $14, but hovering around $10.

Entrees, which were not sampled, include ancho glazed free range chicken, southwestern pork loin and barbecued wild salmon. Dishes in this column run $19 to $29, the latter tagged to a cowboy rib eye steak.

Fajitas, served sizzling on a black iron skillet, are also available, priced between $15 and $24.

Sides include fresh guacamole, tres salsa and several other options to delight the palate, prepared by Executive Chef Lisa Varnberg and her kitchen staff.

Cactus Rose Cantina, 5 River Road, Wilton, CT.

203-762-8484

cactusrosecantina.com

D’Valda & Sirico Dance & Music Centre Marks 25 Years

D’Valda & Sirico Dance & Music Centre Marks 25 Years:

Facility built on experience, passion and quality staff

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Fairfield.Patch.com)

12/6/11

Fairfield, CT – Tucked in a corner of the business and retail complex at 1580 Post Road in downtown Fairfield is a magical place full of life and learning. Now through June 2012, its proprietors are marking 25 years in business.

D’Valda & Sirico Dance & Music Centre is the fruit of a personal and professional partnership between owners Angela D’Valda and Steve Sirico. Their passion for dance and performing led them to each other in the late 1970s and to the founding of the centre that now serves close to 700 students from Norwalk, Wilton, Easton, Westport, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Southport and Rowayton. Programs accommodate everyone from children 18 months of age to senior citizens, who come for voice lessons, instrumental instruction and dance guidance in ballet, jazz, rap, hip hop, modern, musical theater, preschool, contemporary and afro-jazz.

Patch met with Norwalk residents D’Valda and Sirico at the Centre recently and had a chance to view several classes and speak with both students and instructors.

Providing some background about herself, D’Valda, a petite blonde with a British accent, shared that her father was in the Royal Air Force, stationed in Jordan as a bodyguard to the king. D’Valda herself was born in Israel, spent toddler time in Jordan, lived in England until age 7, relocated to Hong Kong for the next five years, then returned to England for boarding school.

She was always engaged in classical dance and, when she graduated at 16, she got scholarships to Martha Graham School and the Matt Mattox School in New York City, two of the most prominent dance schools at the time. She went on to work professionally for such enterprises as Disney (On Parade) and NBC (television dance specials). She also worked in other countries – Argentina, Spain, France, Hong Kong, England – as a lead dancer in shows.

Sirico was born in Norwalk and went to Central Catholic High School.  He took a combination of dance classes and football and got a football scholarship to the University of Tennessee. However, more and more, he found himself wanting to dance, took dance classes with Mikki Williams of A Dance Class in Westport during the summer after his freshman year and decided to drop out of school. He continued to study with Mikki, went on auditions and started getting work.

Fate led them to each other in 1979. As D’Valda tells it, “I was choreographing a TV special in Florida and Steve was the lead dancer. It was love at first sight, I went home to London, packed my bags and three days later came back. Together we formed our own dance act.”

Over the next eight years, the pair worked extensively all over the world and made many notable appearances: guest artists in Wayne Sleep’s show “Dash” in London’s West End, The David Letterman Show, Ed McMahon’s “Star Search”, Scala Barcelona dinner theatre, a gala performance for Princess Diana.

“Whenever we came back home, to Norwalk, we’d gather with friends,” D’Valda said. “On one occasion, in the late summer of 1987, we had dinner with Mikki Williams, who said she was selling her studio and wasn’t happy with the buyers. Steve and I decided to buy it, backed out of a three-month Monte Carlo gig and, within three weeks, became proud owners of the studio, then located at the Fairfield Racquetball Spa (now the site of Fitness Edge).”

The duo sublet the space from 1987 to 1992 and had about 200 students. When they learned the building was being demolished, they looked for a new space of their own and found their current location. They did extensive construction and, today, they have four music studios, three dance studios, changing rooms, an eating/homework area and offices.

“What makes us different is our extensive show business background and faculty that is so diverse and quality, and on the same wavelength as us,” said Sirico. “The curriculum is also unique to ourselves. And not only do we teach students to dance but we also teach dance teachers how to teach and dance studio owners how to run their businesses.”

The latter work, in fact, led to the creation of a parallel business called DanceTeacherWeb, which is both an online resource and an annual live event.

“We both have a tremendous passion for dance,” said Sirico. “Teaching for us is not only teaching dance but life lessons, through building confidence, coping with failure, and teamwork. ‘Making it work’, in fact, is our motto. We get a lot of feedback from former students saying how much our program impacted their lives.”

On Saturday, March 3, the Centre will hold a “Bring on the Groove” fundraising gala, an annual affair, at the Regina A. Quick Center at Fairfield University. Proceeds will go toward dance scholarships. There will be several performances, an auction and refreshments.

D’Valda & Sirico Dance & Music Centre is located at 1580 Post Road, Fairfield. Phone: 203-255-9440. Website: www.dsdance.com  Dance instructors can visit: www.danceteacherweb.com

Town Farm Holiday Open House Marks Aitkenheads’ Return

Town Farm Holiday Open House Marks Aitkenheads’ Return

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Westport News)

12/11/11

Westport, CT – The event was as much a family homecoming celebration as it was a quaint seasonal happening when board members overseeing Wakeman Town Farm welcomed the Aitkenhead family back to their home at a Holiday Open House midday Sunday.

The two-and-a-half acre facility at 134 Cross Highway offered many fun activities for visitors including the opportunity to construct wreaths, make gingerbread houses, play dreidel games, decorate cookies and enjoy hot mulled cider and baked goods. T-shirts and hats with a smirk-inducing WTF acronym were also available for purchase.

An event highlight was the unveiling by Board Chairperson Elizabeth Beller of the Farm’s new logo design, which was the result of a collaborative effort between Westport Artist Miggs Burroughs, Architect Peter Wormser and Betsy P. Kahm, each of whom gave their time voluntarily.

As she worked alongside fellow board members making a large bowl of royal icing and helping prepare gingerbread structures for decorating, Christy Colasurdo explained some of the background around the Aitkenhead family’s departure and, now, their return. “The family had begun living on the farm in August 2010, working with the organization Green Village Initiative to bring the farm back to life. Unfortunately, GVI decided a couple of months ago to step out and give the farm back to the town. As the farm was in transition, the family had to move out.”

A new committee was formed, led by Beller, which raised $20,000 through fundraisers to cover costs for maintenance and upkeep of the property. Then, just last week, the Board of Finance approved the Aitkenhead family to return to the facility, deciding they would be its best caretakers and could stimulate the creation of Farm-based educational programs to benefit the community. This includes a Junior Farmers Camp and workshops related to sustainable farming, composting and planting organic gardens.

“Today really marks the culmination of the efforts of various town entities and we now have the support of the town’s Parks and Recreation Department, too, which is key with regard to promoting our events,” Colasurdo said.

Mike Aitkenhead, who teaches AP Environmental Science and Horticulture at Staples High School, hoped that the family would be able to move back in before Christmas. He elaborated about the background of the property, noting, “The history of the real Wakeman Farm goes back to the turn of the century, when the property was farmed all the way to Staples. It was started by Ike and Pearl Wakeman, who ultimately sold most of the land to the town in the 1970s and stayed on the current 2 ½ acres. Ike passed a decade ago, then Pearl passed in 2009. That’s when it changed hands to the town and, for a while, its fate was uncertain. Then GVI stepped in. I’d worked with GVI through school and town initiatives, and they were looking for an educator to service and teach on the property.”

Aitkenhead said the new farm committee is just the ticket for the job ahead. “They have been amazing in supporting the efforts and unlocking the potential of the property,” he said.

Santa and Elves Entertain a House Full of Families

Santa and Elves Entertain a 
House Full of Families

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Fairfield Citizen News)

12/10/11

Fairfield, CT – Santa just loves to entertain and, with a little help from a few dozen elves, he invited several hundred families into his home Saturday morning for an annual visit and a full complement of activities.

“Home” was actually the Burr Homestead, at 739 Old Post Road, which for 26 years has been the host site of “A Visit to Santa’s House”, presented by Newman’s Own and the Junior Women’s Club of Fairfield. The two-day event, held Saturday, December 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday December 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is a favorite destination for fans of St. Nick and all the interactive trimmings offered. Besides a visit with the jolly fellow, this includes Mrs. Claus baking cookies, arts and crafts areas, live seasonal entertainment, raffle items, a model train set-up, bake sale, gift shop, silhouette artist and guest appearances by costumed characters like Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Proceeds of the event benefit The Thomas Merton House, a Bridgeport-based facility that provides families with food, clothing, and parental and educational support.

This year’s chairperson, Cheryl Eustace, of the Junior Women’s Club, said she and her fellow members are all involved in planning, which began in May. From sponsor support, $10,000 had already been raised. “We usually take in another $10,000 or so in sales and, after expenses, the proceeds will go to Merton House,” she said.

“The organization was very involved in the event,” said Mark Grasso, VP of Catholic Charities, whose role includes directing Merton House. “The moms that visit the center baked dozens of cookies and cupcakes.” Those were among the hundreds of baked items – all homemade – that were offered by JWC member Marlene Battista, with help from Mary and Brenda Pioli.

In the raffle room, on the main level adjacent to the baked goods area, everything from restaurant certificates to kids bikes and children’s portrait photography services was offered.

In the back kitchen, Mrs. Claus sat in a rocker with a huge plate of various cookies, delighting kids like Ryan and Jack McClane of Fairfield, who tromped through to collect a snack.

In the next room, kids lined up to try their hand at breaking a board held by Thomas Wulffleff of Kempo Academy of Martial Arts, who was leading a karate demonstration. Ten-year-old Abbey Kellerman, of Fairfield, was one of the participants. Her family had won tickets to the event and other special treats in a raffle sponsored by the JWC earlier in the year. The family had a special parking place, early entry and the first photo with Santa.

In another room, kids busily made elf hats out of construction paper. Elsewhere, children created Christmas collages. Deborah O’Connor worked with paper in her own way, crafting silhouettes of family members.

In yet another spot in the Homestead, kids wiggled and laughed while Jillian D’Onofrio of Giant Steps Toy Store read “Nutquacker”, a silly holiday tale, to them.

Of course, the biggest draw was Santa himself, and a line of families led from a second floor landing, through a hallway and into the room where he sat receiving children. The joy on their faces was a clear sign that all the months of event planning and arrangements was well worth the effort.

Southport Village Ushers in the Christmas Season

Southport Village Ushers in the Christmas Season

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Westport News)

12/8/11

Southport, CT – He may not have been riding in a miniature sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer, but when Santa came to Southport Village early Thursday evening, he still made quite a clatter.

In town center, gathered in and about Spic and Span Market, local residents massed, sipped hot chocolate, sang Christmas carols led by Southport Congregational Church’s Reverend Paul Whitmore and welcomed St. Nick. He arrived standing atop a Southport firetruck, which crept up Pequot Avenue with its sirens wailing and lights flashing. Santa tossed popcorn balls to onlookers and clambered down to wade among everyone as the truck pulled to a halt.

Kids then had a chance to sit with Santa as he set himself up at the Russell Agency, which offered libations and snack treats to adults and children both. Others that had gathered strolled over to the Robinson Cottage at 33 Main Street, where owners Jamie and Karen Shugrue gave tours and provided cookies and cider.

An exclamation point was added to the night with the lighting of the Hospice Tree of Light outside the Chase bank.