Bon-Odori Fest Recalls Ancestors and Drums Up Family Fun

Bon-Odori Fest Recalls Ancestors and Drums Up Family Fun

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Westport News)

7/23/11

Westport, CT – For over 500 years, “Bon”, a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the departed spirits of one’s ancestors, has been celebrated in Japan. The summer event traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori, which took center stage in a modified form as part of the Bon-Odori Festival conducted by the Japan Society of Fairfield County on Jesup Green Saturday afternoon. This year, the Festival was also dedicated to the survivors of the earthquakes and resulting tsunami in Japan this past March.

Besides the traditional folk dance, the event included thunderous performances by the Taiko Drum Group from the University of Connecticut, yo-yo fishing in which children have to fish for balloons bobbing in a wading pool using small hooks, and the selling of decorative handheld fans called uchiwa.

The Festival attracted curious onlookers who wandered over from nearby shops, attendees that dressed for fun in summer kimonos called yukatas and others of Japanese or related ancestry that came to remember loved ones that have passed or just show their support for the cause. When not participating in an activity, they huddled in the shade of trees, seeking relief from an unforgiving sun and dense hot air that had dug itself in over the last few days in a record-shattering heatwave.

Yumi McDonald, Vice President of the Japan Society of Fairfield County, led the activities, announcing each performer or segment of the event. She was dressed in a colorful yukata herself as was her daughter, Alice, 15, a Staples High School student, and her classmate Rachel Paul, 14, who came to lend their support.

Despite wearing her yukata, Alice said she was still feeling hot. “We’re using our uchiwas and our wagasas (traditional Japanese umbrellas) to try to stay cool.”

Looking on with her three-year-old daughter Mia, Joy DeJaeger, of Norwalk, was one of the many that came to honor ancestors. “My heritage is Japanese-American,” she explained. “My parents emigrated here from Hiroshima in 1952. My dad was a missionary, who just passed. He came to California as a young man and met my mom, an American. He came to help Japanese-Americans who were being oppressed in the United States after World War II.”

Dressed in yukatas, Mayumi Kleinman and her husband George said they were long-time members of the Japan Society and attend most of the group’s events. With regard to the Bon-Odori, Mayumi said, “I like the dancing and drum performances.”

Motoko Ishizuka of Cos Cob brought her two daughters Jenny, 3, and Catie, 5, to the event. “I wanted to show them the culture,” she said. “This is fun for the whole family.” On a more serious note, though, Motoko added, “Many of my friends’ friends were affected by the tsunami. It was terrible. We want to do anything we can to help.”

Souksakhone “Suki” Sithiphon came up from Norwalk to attend the Fest, meeting family that came down from Hartford. Of Laotian/Thai heritage, she was no less enthusiastic about the Japanese celebration. In fact, her family was special guests of the Japan Society. Her father, Boungai, is president of the Connecticut Laotian Society and held an event in New Britain back in late June that raised $3,700 for relief of Japanese quake survivors. He was introduced to the gathering and recognized for his efforts by Yumi McDonald.

In addition to enjoying the festivities, Suki and Boungai hoped to do some networking with Asian community members that had gathered.

First Selectman Gordon Joseloff, inconspicuous on the sidelines in a ballcap and sunglasses, had a special connection to the event. “I lived in Tokyo for eight years as a CBS News correspondent,” he said. “I have great affection for the Japanese people and their culture. Even the weather today reminds me of a Japanese summer – hot and humid. Even during the hot summer, Japanese would dress very elegantly. I have very good memories of my stay.”

With regard to the devastating quakes in Japan earlier this year, Joseloff said, “Japan is a very resilient country that has suffered disasters for centuries. They’ll get through this. Meanwhile, we will continue to support the private organizations here that are helping Japan. The Asian community is one of the largest minority populations in Westport.”

Hot Time at Pequot’s Summer Book Sale

Hot Time at Pequot’s 
Summer Book Sale:

High temps limit traffic on opening day of 5-day event

By Mike Lauterborn

(posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 7/22)

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

7/22/11

Southport, CT – The only thing hotter in Southport than the day’s temperatures was the much-anticipated opening of Pequot Library’s 51st Annual Summer Book Sale. At least, it started out that way when the event opened at 9 a.m. and a crowd rushed the gate. But thermometer readings that climbed above 100 trimmed afternoon crowds to a couple dozen hearty souls.

In large white tents on the browned-out grounds of the Pequot Avenue institution, as well as in the facility’s air-conditioned auditorium, sale goers combed row after row of book titles, CD labels, VHS jackets and more to find palatable choices to curl up and review, resell as dealers or even repurpose as Virginia Marr and Sarah Whiteley, both of Norwalk, were planning.

“We’re looking for antique hard cover books, out of which we will attempt to make purses,” said Whiteley. “I don’t know what we’re going to do with the pages. So, Shakespeare’s Othello will be the new designer clutch purse.”

With regard to the heat, Marr said, “I went to school in Louisiana, so I’m used to the heat. It’s like this every day.”

Whiteley had a completely opposite take. “I’m sweating,” she said. “Every step I take is painful. There are pockets of the tents here that are just too hot to enter, and the only breeze is sticky and hot.”

Kimberly Wasko, an Ansonia resident who works in Westport, had taken a half day to attend the sale. “I look for mostly oversized paperback fiction and mysteries,” she said, mopping sweat from her brow. About the hot temps she said, “The heat is good and bad at the same time. Good in terms of there being fewer people here than previous years. Bad because it’s stifling and I’m dripping. I should have brought a towel!”

Ted Murena, co-chair of the sale, seemed apologetic about the heat. “We always seem to pick the hottest weekend of the year,” he said. “It feels like a sauna today. We had more people than expected first thing this morning, though numbers are down from previous years due to the heat.”

Murena said the library had taken special measures to ensure the safety of its patrons in the unusually hot environment. “We have put out four large dispensers of water, with cups, to keep people hydrated.”

Murena added that there are 150,000 items on sale, including books, CDs, records, DVDs, VHS tapes and more. Over 30 categories are represented, from Atlases and Dictionaries to Young Adult titles. On Sunday, there will be a “reading for children” tent, where additional children’s book titles will be made available. In addition to the merchandise, Café Lulu is onsite with gourmet sandwiches and cold refreshing drinks and radio station WPKN will be around on the weekend broadcasting live.

It was all a great draw for Devon Dopfel, who came all the way down with her dad from Framingham, Massachusetts. “As a hobby, my dad and I sell books,” she said. “This is one of the biggest sales, so it’s worth the trip. I’m a personal trainer, so I look for health and fitness titles. My dad likes business books.”

As a trainer, she had experience dealing with heat. “I’ve been doing a good job of hydrating,” she said. “I’m used to being outside working, so I’m not too bothered.”

Library staffer Robin Jerrild related a hot temps anecdote, while walking through the large tent straightening books. “We shoot a cannon off to start the sale,” she said. “The Pequot Yacht Club loaned it to us this year. The staff member that brought it over said that, at the Club, people were getting dizzy from the heat. He suggested we post OSHA signs saying what to do in a heat emergency.”

Indeed, the library printed out and posted several of these distinctive signs all around the venue.

The temps wouldn’t interrupt Jackie Ryan. A Monroe resident who teaches at the Bridgeport Juvenile Detention Center, she was on a mission to secure materials for her classes. “They are in desperate need of books, for a variety of ages.”

Ryan said it was “sweltering but worth coming” and was taking her time and pacing herself.

She wasn’t the only teacher on hand. Shannon Palumbo, of Waterbury, and Giovanna Baker, are instructors at Black Rock School in Bridgeport and were given a $100 grant to buys books for their classes. At checkout, their purchases totaled up to that amount – mission completed.

Pequot Library Summer Book Sale Days/Hours/Pricing:

Friday: 9am – 8pm (Items are twice the cost of the marked price)

Saturday and Sunday: 9am – 5:30pm (Items priced as marked)

Monday: 9am – 6pm (Items half price)

Tuesday: 9am – 2pm (Items are $5 for a bag)

For more information, call 203-259-0346 or visit www.pequotlibrary.org

Meeting of the Minds at Westport Arts Center

Meeting of the Minds at 
Westport Arts Center

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Westport News)

7/15/11

Fairfield, CT – Ding! Ding! “Ok, let’s go people! Up! Up!” barked Peter Van Heerden, Westport Arts Center’s new executive director, clanging a pair of small gongs and herding groups of people from one table station to another Thursday evening.

It was all part of the fun in a program dubbed “Expert Minds”, sponsored by the Riverside Avenue-based Center in partnership with non-profit Green Village Initiative (GVI). The evening offered participants the opportunity to have intimate sit-downs with nine experts from diverse environmental fields and engage the experts in constructive conversation for 15 minutes at a time – speed-dating style. Seated four or five to a table, participants and experts exchanged questions, comments and information with the objective of expanding visionary thoughts and ideas.

Featured experts included John Fifield, an innovator in architectural design solutions; Julie Belaga, a legendary environmental policy reformer; Deepika Saksena, a zero waste manager; David Brown, public health toxicologist; Maxine Bleiweis, librarian; Watts Wacker, futurist; Bill Taibe, sustainable culinary master; Eden Werring, arts and education advocate; and John Solder, world champion robotics technician.

“We met with GVI, run by Dan Levinson, and they were interested in doing something community based,” said Heerden. “The program we came up with connects the general public with community leaders, so many pockets of information can be mutually exchanged. I suggested the speed-dating format after seeing it used successfully by organizations in my native South Africa. This is really speed dating for the mind.”

Each participant was issued a card listing four stations they would be visiting. Two fifteen minute rounds began the evening, followed by a short break, then two more fifteen minute rounds. Heerden told the group that their discussions should be collaborative, engaging and stimulating, with full participation from everyone.

As the first sessions commenced, ran their course and the groups broke for wine and finger foods, participant and Westporter Stacie Curran, who had just met with expert Saksena, said, “I learned tips like taking my own plate and cup to fast food places and deli’s to make less garbage, and how to compost. At the same time, I discovered that single stream recycling and anti-bacterial products may do more environmental harm than good. It was a tremendous 15 minutes. I learned a ton.”

Westporter Annie Harnick, 19, met with expert Werring. “She was very focused on philanthropy and getting the younger generation more involved,” Harnick said. “She wanted to know how to peak our interest. Our generation is really motivated to help, perhaps more than any other generation before us. It feels good to give.”

Robotics expert Solder, a mere 17, liked the premise of the evening. “It’s meant to stimulate minds,” he said. “It stimulates me just to present my ideas. There’s nothing better than this type of interaction.”

Jossie Fifield, expert John Fifield’s daughter, sat with Bill Taibe. “He explained that in order to make what he makes is costly. It made me wonder how that could be made more accessible for people of lesser means.”

GVI’s Levinson said he was impressed with this program and the new director’s energy. “Peter is barely 30 and has done a good job of getting up to speed,” he said. “He’s really going to take the Center in some exciting new directions.”

Beach Bash Good for Biz

Beach Bash Good for Biz

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Fairfield Citizen News)

7/15/11

Fairfield, CT – Bobbing sailboats, kids splashing in the water and a distant lighthouse on the horizon. That was the backdrop of a casual gathering that brought together businessmen and women from a three-town circuit for a spot of networking.

The Jacky Durrell Pavilion at Penfield Beach was the site early Thursday evening of a “Beach Bash” jointly coordinated and attended by members of the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, Westport/Weston Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Bridgeport Business Council (GBRBC). It was the first time the three groups had collaborated for an event. Response was very enthusiastic, with all 125 Bash tickets sold out.

“It’s extremely important to collaborate to give businesses the opportunity to network, especially in tough economic times,” said Heather Cavanagh, Special Projects Manager for the Westport Chamber. “Many businesses based out of Trumbull, Bridgeport and other affiliates are not usually given an opportunity to mingle and network with potential new clients, especially in a beautiful environment like this,” she added, referring to the picturesque Fairfield beach setting.

Enjoying the view on the pavilion’s sundeck, GBRBC President Paul Timpanelli commented, “We’ve been collaborating for a while with the Fairfield Chamber, providing our members with added opportunities to network. It’s really mutual added value for each chamber, without our members having to pay dual fees. Having members from all three chambers unite can only add even more value.”

Discussing finance with Fairfield CPA Grace Keniston, former Fairfield Chamber president Michael Gness, a financial advisor at Edward Jones Investments, said he was pleased with the direction current chamber leadership was pursuing.

“Each president brings their own priorities and goals,” Gness said. “And each new leader makes the chamber stronger. The chamber has evolved from serving the community to serving more small businesses. Now there are more opportunities for business leaders to network. The big event a decade ago was the town clambake. It was a nice event but a bear to coordinate. Now there are more smaller events and gatherings focused solely on business.”

Fairfielder Tom Brennan, huddling with a group that included an attorney, NFL agent and hospital representative, said about the event, “It’s a great opportunity to meet face-to-face with people you interact with on the phone all the time. Paul Timpanelli, an almost lifelong friend and former Trumbull First Selectman, is the right man in the right job. It’s a smart move for Bridgeport to align with the Fairfield and Westport/Weston chambers.”

Philip Kuchma, president of Kuchma Corporation, was happy for any opportunity to speak with fellow business leaders. The real estate mogul, who owns eight properties known as Bijou Square in Bridgeport, said, “It’s always great to network, and this atmosphere is conducive to conversation. This is nice and laid back. We have to think of business in a regional sense instead of as separate towns, to be competitive nationally. People that live and/or work in Fairfield can’t get all their needs met in Fairfield. There needs to be a reliance on neighboring areas.”

One of the more junior attendees, Sarah Bruhl, onsite representing Fairfield Fencing Academy, which will open up in Fairfield’s Sportsplex complex in early August, said, “We’re all really excited about the opening. We’re running a camp right now, using Fairfield Warde High School as our site. The new space is amazing and there are 3,500 kids visiting the complex daily. This is a good local business story.”

View Finder: Beach Yoga

View Finder: Beach Yoga

Limbering up as the waves lap the shore

By Mike Lauterborn

(posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 7/21)

7/18/11

Fairfield, CT – The setting couldn’t have been more perfect, with the sun creeping up in the sky, gulls overhead scanning for sea snacks, early-bird joggers and sandy shores. Perfect surroundings, that is, for a sunrise yoga session.

Held on the sundeck of the Jacky Durrell Pavilion at Penfield Beach, Yoga For Everybody’s morning yoga class on a recent Saturday morning attracted about 30 fitness enthusiasts. With support from volunteers Denise Fiori and Lea Cervone, Carolyn Fahey led the group in gravity-defying, pretzel-like ground acrobatics while dispensing prophetic teachings.

Water bottles were aplenty – and needed to be – given the already dense air that soon created beads of perspiration on the brows of participants. They stretched and reached and bended as guided, sprawled on pastel-colored mats of blue, orange, green and maroon. A wide palette of body shapes and even mix of gender was represented here.

“Pull the foot into your hip… gracefully release your foot into the lunge position… come to downward-facing dog,” cooed Fahey, prompting the pack.

The merciless sun crept higher into the sky as bodies glistened with sweat. All the while, gentle waves lapped at the shore, creating a tranquil mood that would soon be shattered by beachgoers and the shouts of children tearing across the sand.

“Yoga is an awakening of the heart,” Fahey said, offering some final thoughts. “The greatness comes from you.”

O Lulla Helps New Parents Feather Their Baby’s Nest

O Lulla Helps New Parents Feather Their Baby’s Nest:

Southport baby store offers nursery design, furniture, gifts and accessories

By Mike Lauterborn

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 7/20)

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

7/20/11

Southport, CT – Tucked into an unlikely old industrial factory space at the outskirts of Southport Village is a delightful little shop where quirky birds, cottony sheep and puffy clouds all call home.

O Lulla, at 354 Pequot Avenue, is a purveyor of furniture, gifts and accessories for babies and toddlers, and also offers nursery and toddler bedroom design guidance and implementation.

The happy little spot, with its soft pastels and fluffy blankets contrasting, yet somehow complementing, original plank floors, brick and exposed ductwork, is the offspring of Naz Kocturk, the petite, raven-haired, Turkish-born owner.

Launched in Sept. 2010, the store has enjoyed a following of soon-to-be moms, gift givers to new parents and baby shower shoppers. It has also been a godsend for parents expecting their first child, who are overwhelmed by impending responsibilities and require the help of a professional to design an ideal nursery space for their new arrivals.

The store was not a first venture in this area for Kocturk. Nearly two decades ago, in Istanbul, she operated a similar store she dubbed Renkarda, which combined the names of her two children, Renk and Arda, now 18 and 16 respectively.

In 1996, because of her then-husband’s work in foreign trade, Kocturk moved to the U.S., to Wilton. Wishing to stick with her area of business interest, she opened another baby store called Crib & Cradle, in Westport. That closed in 2001 and she busied herself with caring for her children. Unfortunately, her marriage also came to an end and soon she was a single parent seeking another foray into the baby business sector.

In the summer of 2010, she heard about her current space, which had been the shipping department of the Jelliff Corporation, a wire and mesh manufacturer. She signed a rental agreement with Jelliff and, after renovations to soften the retail environment, soon opened up. The shop incorporates a working Fairbanks scale, a holdover from the factory, around which baby blankets, quilts and a figurine called Lulla are arranged.

The shop name was actually derived from a lullaby and “really felt like a baby friendly brand name,” said Kocturk.

While the store is well-trafficked, an important offshoot is the nursery interior design consulting. “We’ll help with the floor plan, furniture choices and arrangement, decorative accents and lighting,” said Kocturk. “We begin by going to the expectant parents’ home, seeing their style and measuring. Then I give them homework – to look through magazines and pull out room accents that they like. Taking that as a starting point, we provide all the things they need.”

O Lulla also offers baby registry and can reserve for a shower occasion products at O Lulla as well as from associated suppliers.

Kocturk believes she’s a good resource for new parents. “I save them a lot of time, money and effort through my experience and connections,” she said.

O Lulla is at 354 Pequot Avenue, Southport. For further information, email info@olulla.com or call 203-292-8880.

Woodbridge Author’s Book Helps Smooth Divorce Transition

Woodbridge Author’s Book Helps 
Smooth Divorce Transition:

Laura Campbell’s “The Ultimate Divorce Organizer” debuts Aug. 2011

By Mike Lauterborn

(posted to Bethwood.Patch.com 7/20)

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

7/18/11

Woodbridge, CT – Divorce is a disruptive, often painful process involving huge life decisions, multiple legal transactions and emotional upheaval. While many professionals are there to speak to specific issues, there is little support offered with regard to organizing the many facets of the transition.

Helping bridge the gap between the legal aspects and the emotional journey involved in divorce is a new book titled “The Ultimate Divorce Organizer”, penned by first-time author and Woodbridge resident Laura Campbell. A divorcee herself and founder of a related website www.discoverthedspot.com, Campbell’s aim was to provide comprehensive resources, primarily to women going through much of what she had experienced – from contemplation of divorce up through moving forwards afterwards.

Campbell, 44, whose marriage ended in 2004 after 12 years, said, “At the time I was going through my own divorce, I found that there was a lack of resources that I needed. There were therapists, lawyers, CPAs and what not but not someone to support me in moving forward – emotionally, financially, socially, professionally – all the things to help me determine next steps.”

Campbell said the experience was traumatic. “The divorce was far bigger than just the end of my marriage,” she said. “It affected every area of my life. Every aspect of my world changed. The transition was the beginning of my journey and personal development and education about me. I began to reconnect with who I was, educate myself on what it would mean to live the life I really wanted. ‘Where divorce ends, your destiny begins,’ is my motto.”

The author added, “You really redefine all of the roles you play in life – parent, daughter, partner, professional, independent person, friend.”

In particular, Campbell wanted to connect to women sharing her same experience, so, in 2005, she formed a business called D Spot. “It’s virtual and live event based and offers women private coaching around the transition of divorce, group coaching and retreats.

“I became credentialed as the type of professional that I would have sought out myself,” she said.

With regard to the book, Campbell said it happened very quickly. “It was born out of a lack of comprehensive resources in this category,” she said. “The content was compiled from my own experience. I’m blessed to be part of a community of experts. This offers a step-by-step guide to moving through the transition of divorce.”

The book has been on Amazon.com and pre-releasing for some time. It will fully release in August 2011.

“I wish I would have had this resource when I was going through my own divorce,” she said. “You’re making huge decisions at a point when you’re most vulnerable and not at your best.”

For more information, visit www.discoverthedspot.com, which provides a link to purchase “The Ultimate Divorce Organizer”. Published by Peter Pauper Press, the 180-page book retails for $29.99. Lili Vasileff, a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, contributed financial content to the guide.