Relief Comes Through a Straw in Torrid New Canaan

NEW CANAAN,  Conn. – The only thing Celine Allende could say about Friday was “miserable.”

As temperatures soared above 100 in New Canaan, Allende was begging for a cool breeze to make the day somewhat bearable.

“It’s horrible,” said the 19-year-old from South Salem, N.Y., as she sipped a cold drink with her brother Michael, 15. “It’s hard to breathe. I’m usually good with the heat, but this is too much.”

The swelter was made even worse when her home lost power. So she and Michael made the short trip to New Canaan to get out of the house and visit their grandmother, Anna Recchia.

Many New Canaan residents made sure to stay out of the heat as much as they could Friday, whether in an air-conditioned car, air conditioned stores or under an umbrella sheltered from the sun’s rays.

Cab driver Jude Francois of Stamford tried to keep his cool by drinking plenty of water and hanging out in the air-conditioned waiting area at the Metro-North Railroad station. Still, much of his day was spent outside, driving people to and from their destinations.

“I’m doing all right,” Francois said, adding that if he wasn’t at work he’d be “at home and relaxing in my basement. That’s the right spot.”

Lauren Chanler of Huckleberry Hill Road found a perfect spot for herself: a table under a tree at the Starbucks on the corner of Elm and Park streets. She had her Kindle reader and a glass of iced tea, so the heat didn’t bother her much.

“It’s not so bad in the shade,” she said.

How did you cope with Friday’s triple-digit temperatures? Leave your survival tips below or on our Facebook page.

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