‘A Great Journey’: Salon Anastassia Opens on Main Street

It has been a lifelong dream of Anastassia Aida to own a salon. The Estonia native has spent her entire career working in the beauty industry—from obtaining her license in Europe to working at Greg and Tony Salon in Westport, Aida never stopped working toward her ultimate goal. Two months ago, those dreams became reality. Aida opened Salon Anastassia at 80 Main St. in April. 

Now, she said she’s learning how to be a business owner. 

“I love what I’m doing,” Aida told NewCanaanite.com Tuesday during an interview in the sleek, modern second-floor salon.

‘It’s Going To Hurt Merchants’: Parking Commission Pushes Back on Elimination of 15-Minute Spots on Elm Street

Members of the appointed body that oversees New Canaan’s parking department this month pushed back on part of a larger plan that will see the one-way stretch of Elm Street converted to paid spots. Specifically, members of the Parking Commission during their May 7 meeting objected to plans to eliminate—rather than increase—the number of free 15-minute parking spaces on Elm Street while the town converts those free spots to paid. “If we are not interested in revenue, what is the argument against short-term parking?” Commissioner Katie O’Neill said during the regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “Because as I see it, we are adding a surcharge on coffee shops, on sandwich shops. All the sudden now if you are picking up a $15 sandwich it’s going to be $15.50 or whatever.

‘An Exciting Time of Year’: New Canaan’s Outdoor Dining Season Opens Thursday

The sidewalks of downtown New Canaan will be remade by midday Thursday as the outdoor dining launches on what is forecast to be a sunny afternoon in the upper-60s. Pushed back one month this year to May 1, the launch of the outdoor dining season is a widely anticipated amenity for restaurateurs and visitors to New Canaan’s lively village center. Adam Zakka, principal of Z Hospitality Group—owners of Solé and Blackbird and new food-and-beverage providers for The Playhouse Pub next door—said he was “super-optimistic” about the upcoming season. 

“It was a little bit of a colder winter than usual, so we’re pretty happy to see the warmer weather coming,” Zakka told NewCanaanite.com. “And I think the town embraces local businesses so it’s an exciting time of the year.”

This year’s outdoor dining will be bolstered by the addition of more sidewalk “bumpouts” on Elm Street, including in front of Dunkin, The Playhouse and Dolce. (Because they’ll exempt the town from a state law that forbids parking within 25 feet of a crosswalk, the bumpouts will allow New Canaan to gain back a handful of parking spaces on the south side of Elm Street’s one-way stretch.)

Asked about the new menu at Playhouse Pub, Zakka said “there will be some unique options for The Playhouse, exclusively, that will fit their concept as far as pub food.” Those include “five or seven revolving items that will be more ‘pubbish’ than Italian,” he added.

‘Holiday Stroll’ Coming Friday and Saturday [Q&A]

This year’s Holiday Stroll kicks off at about 5 p.m. Friday and rolls into Saturday, all day. (Note that The Glass House Design Store will be open with a 10% off sale from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, with Prosecco served during a special presentation at 4 p.m. by store manager and buyer Dominica P. Baharian.)

We put some questions to Laura Budd, executive director of the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the popular event. 

Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: The 2024 Holiday Stroll is set for this Friday and Saturday. Before we get into the details, please give our readers an overview. What is the Stroll and what makes it so popular?

Attention Local Businesses: Registration Open for NCHS ‘Senior Internship Program’

Registration is open through Nov. 1 for local businesses and organizations seeking to participate in one of New Canaan’s most popular programs for high school seniors. Some 98% of New Canaan High School’s 324 seniors are expected to participate in the internship program that runs for the last three-and-a-half weeks of the academic year. The unpaid Senior Internship Program will see participating NCHS seniors earn .25 school credits for working 25 hours per week—typically between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.—from May 20 to June 13, 2025, organizers say. “This brings a wonderful opportunity not only for our students but also the hosts,” Senior Internship Coordinator Kelly Delmazio told NewCanaanite.com.