New Canaan saw plenty of police activity in the week just passed—including from our Animal Control unit, whose calls have picked up considerably with the warmer weather.
The Farmer’s Table has reopened on Forest Street in a larger space with an open kitchen. Credit: Terry Dinan
We also saw the nation’s youngest senator roll into town, and a SUV roll from Starbucks across Park Street, on a thankfully slow morning where nobody was hurt.
The nice weather held on Saturday for the Food Revolution and Farmers Market downtown—and many of those attendees will know that The Farmer’s Table has reopened on Forest—and finished with a bang at the inaugural fundraiser for the Carriage Barn Arts Center. Here’s the week in review:
An old postcard view of the stone arch when the property was open to the public.
Town Talker: 0684-Old
In the most recent installment of our feature spotlighting local New Canaan history, we look behind what surely are familiar landmarks to motorists and residents in the area of Brushy Ridge.
The stone arch and separate, Stonehenge-like structure are remnants of “The Rockery,” a once well-traversed, 19th Century estate on Brushy Ridge (52 acres) that was dubbed “Mount Lebanon” by locals for the influence brought by its Beirut-born creator.
Here’s the story of Dr. William H. Thomson and his Brushy Ridge property.
Real Estate
Speaking of property, New Canaan had a big week in real estate.
In one of the biggest downtown commercial property purchases in memory, the Elm Street building that houses both Ralph Lauren and Nails Hollywood on its street level was sold for $7.6 million.
Etta Kantor stands in the Great Room of her one-of-a-kind sustainable house in New Canaan. Credit: Michael Dinan
An award-winning, sustainable home (94 percent powered by solar) in northern New Canaan today (Sunday, May 18) is holding its grand opening after listing for $4.5 million.
And while a plan from local affordable housing advocates hit a speed bump in the finance board, it isn’t clear when we’ll see the site plans for Syd Greenberg’s old Parade Hill Road property take shape.
Coming Up
- Red Geranium Boutique: On Tuesday the Outback is holding its May 20 fundraiser—two related events, the Red Geranium Boutique (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Ladies Night Out (6 to 8:30 p.m.) More information is available here in a Q&A with board President Sangeeta Appel.
- Youth Sports Concussion Seminar: Also on Tuesday, at 7:30 p.m., the ONS Foundation and the NFL Alumni CT Chapter are presenting a Youth Sports Concussion awareness and prevention seminar. Lou Marinelli, head coach of our varsity football Rams, will host the even tat New Canaan High School’s gym. It’s open to parents across all sports.
- New Canaan Library’s “Distinguished Authors” Series: At 8 a.m. on Wednesday, New Canaan resident, Yale University senior fellow and former Morgan Stanly Asia chairman Stephen Roach is speaking as part of the library’s “Distinguished Authors Series on Economics,” presented in partnership with the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce,Alliance of Business Professionals and Elm Street Books. Here’s a Q&A with Roach where we talk about his new book, among other timely topics.
- NCHS Ram Council: From 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday in the high school’s Wagner Room, the NCHS Ram Council will present “Launching Student Leaders: A New Canaan Commitment,” This is a student-moderated, community dialogue about substance-free living and independent thinking. It’s free for students and the suggested donation for adults is $10—RSVP to Joyce Sixsmith, joyce.sixsmith@gmail.com or Matthew Maddox, matthew@mmaddoxlaw.com.
- Art Stroll: From 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, New Canaan downtown will see its first-ever Art Stroll to kick off Art in the Windows—organized by the Carriage Barn Arts Center and New Canaan Chamber of Commerce. The stroll will see stores stay open extra late, offer up food and wine and will include a map and information about displayed works of art and their creators.
- Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast: Also, here’s some advance notice that from 7 to 11 a.m. on Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day)—in other words, on both ends of the New Canaan Memorial Day Parade, which starts at 9:30 up at St. Mark’s—the Annual Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast will be held at Harmony Lodge #67, 231 Main St. It’s a benefit for Getabout of New Canaan, and the Schoolhouse Elderly Care Center.
Senior captain Ali Reilly.
Sports
While town officials addressed (and possibly allayed) concerns that our sports fields should have been playable earlier, the girls on New Canaan High School’s varsity softball team sent shockwaves through the FCIAC and beyond with a stunning upset of No. 1 ranked Darien (something, perhaps, that our rival towns may discuss further at Waveny Pool this summer).
Public Safety
Police were kept very busy this week, with an undercover officer helping in a crack cocaine bust, a “be on the lookout” issued after three men tried to burglarize an elderly resident’s home, and an open investigation into a $40,000 diamond reported stolen from an engagement ring.
Our local police also arrested the grown daughter of a babysitter who stole and used credit cards (and an iPad) from a New Canaan home where her mother was working.
Phoebe Feiner of New Canaan and Manhattan. Here she is on Main Street. Credit: Michael Dinan
Our Animals
While one motorist got an earful for leaving her spaniel in a car on Monday morning with the windows just barely cracked and temps hitting 92 degrees inside, we also heard from a New Canaanite who describes her relationship with her German shepherd this way: “There’s a string from my heart to her heart.”