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New CT Eatery Weeks Away From Opening New CT Eatery Weeks Away From Opening
New CT Eatery Weeks Away From Opening A restaurant that has been set to debut in Fairfield County for over a year promises to be more than just a place to eat and drink, but a place to make connections.  The eatery called Esh Modern Mediterranean is preparing to open to diners looking for chef-curated meals, announcing on Friday, May 19 that the opening date is only weeks away. Located at 1401 Kings Highway in the town of Fairfield, Esh has curated an inviting atmosphere for diners filled with plants, warm colors, and a dining option that is a bit unusual. The restaurant offers a "community table" dining option, where guests …

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by Morgan Gonzales
Lifestyle
Westport's Fine Arts Festival To Draw Thousands, Close Streets Westport's Fine Arts Festival To Draw Thousands, Close Streets
Westport's Fine Arts Festival To Draw Thousands, Close Streets This story has been updated. A large fine arts festival that is a huge favorite with Fairfield County residents will close down a major roadway over the holiday weekend. The Westport Downtown Association Fine Arts Festival -- which runs Saturday, May 27 through Sunday, May 28 -- will close Main Street between Post Road East and Avery Place and Elm Street between Main Street and Bedford Square, said Westport Police Lt. Sereniti Dobson. The road closure will run from 6 a.m. on Friday (for artists to set up booths) through 8 p.m. on Sunday. "These road closures will resul…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Casting Call: Youngsters Needed For Netflix Movie Filming In Tristate Area Casting Call: Youngsters Needed For Netflix Movie Filming In Tristate Area
Casting Call: Youngsters Needed For Netflix Movie Filming In Tristate Area Netflix is looking for two young boys to star in their next feature film, which is shooting right here in the tristate area, according to a casting notice at Backstage. The first role is for Mookie, an 11-year-old. Mookie is described as being white, very overweight and on a strict diet who gets bullied, according to the casting notice.  "Privately his sense of humor can make you laugh, but his vulnerability will make you cry," the notice reads. Mookie is not athletic, but loves sports, and being a fan of baseball is a "plus," according to the notice.  The second role is fo…

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by Sam Barron
Lifestyle
New CT Eatery Praised As 'Five-Star Michelin Quality Restaurant' New CT Eatery Praised As 'Five-Star Michelin Quality Restaurant'
New CT Eatery Praised As 'Five-Star Michelin Quality Restaurant' A new American fusion restaurant in Northern Fairfield County has delighted diners in the months since its launching. Dragonfly, located in Bethel at 55 Stony Hill Road, opened its doors to the public in November of 2022.  Already, the cozy cottage-style eatery has gotten rave reviews for its selection of dishes and intimate atmosphere. Posted by Dragonfly on Thursday, December 8, 2022 "Fantastic dinner," wrote Joann A. of Danbury on the restaurant's Yelp page. "Great vibe & can't wait to dine outside." She noted that she enjoyed her crab cake appetizer and scallop with risotto en…

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by Sophie Grieser
Lifestyle
Community Rallies Around CT Family After Newborn Son's Cancer Diagnosis Community Rallies Around CT Family After Newborn Son's Cancer Diagnosis
Community Rallies Around CT Family After Newborn Son's Cancer Diagnosis Days after Brendan and Karen Filburn gave birth to their second son Brody, they received the news no parents ever deserve: their seemingly happy newborn has an aggressive form of cancer. Sixteen days after Brody was born, he began his first round of chemotherapy.  But the Filburns aren't facing this alone. Friends and family of the Hartford County couple, who live in the town of Simsbury, have created a GoFundMe to help provide for them while they give Brody their full attention.  Related: GoFundMe For The Filburns So far, the campaign has raised more than $5,200 of its $7,000 go…

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by Josh Lanier
Lifestyle
Cover Girl: Ex-CT Resident Martha Stewart Makes Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue History Cover Girl: Ex-CT Resident Martha Stewart Makes Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue History
Cover Girl: Ex-CT Resident Martha Stewart Makes Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue History Despite already becoming a household name through her cookbooks, magazines, and television shows, Northern Westchester resident Martha Stewart is making history yet again by becoming the oldest model to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue.  The 81-year-old globally-known businesswoman, television personality, and now model was revealed to be on the issues' cover on Monday, May 15 by the iconic magazine.  She is the oldest-ever Swimsuit Issue cover model, according to the magazine.  Martha Stewart is the oldest woman to grace the cover in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit …

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by Ben Crnic
Lifestyle
Vernon Homeless Shelter Deputy Director Killed In Crash Remembered As 'Selfless' Vernon Homeless Shelter Deputy Director Killed In Crash Remembered As 'Selfless'
Vernon Homeless Shelter Deputy Director Killed In Crash Remembered As 'Selfless' A popular, fun-loving, and what many called "selfless" person was one of two people killed in a crash on a Connecticut highway. Tolland County resident, Bryan Flint Sr., age 64, of Ellington, was deputy director of the Cornerstone Foundation in the Rockville section of Vernon, died in the crash on I-95 on Sunday, May 7, which also injured his two grandchildren.  Related story: Head-On Crash: 2 Adults Killed, Pair Of Children Survive In Tolland County The foundation said on its website that their "hearts are broken," over the loss of Flint. "Bryan had a huge heart that was always…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
'80s Teen Heartthrob Andrew McCarthy To Visit CT '80s Teen Heartthrob Andrew McCarthy To Visit CT
'80s Teen Heartthrob Andrew McCarthy To Visit CT The ‘80s teen heartthrob and author Andrew McCarthy from such hits as "Pretty In Pink," will discuss his latest memoir "Walking with Sam: A Father, Son, and Five Hundred Miles Walking Across Spain," at the Ferguson Library in Stamford. The event will take place in Stamford on Thursday, May 25 at 6:30 p.m., at the library located at One Public Library Plaza. In his new book, McCarthy reflects on his decision to take his son Sam on a five-week, 500-mile trek across Spain’s unforgiving Camino de Santiago as his oldest child was preparing to leave the family nest.  Best known for an actin…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Winning $100K CT Lottery Ticket Sold At Stop & Shop In South Windsor Winning $100K CT Lottery Ticket Sold At Stop & Shop In South Windsor
Winning $100K CT Lottery Ticket Sold At Stop & Shop In South Windsor Three lucky Connecticut residents have found themselves with a lot more spending money after winning big prizes from lottery tickets.  One of the lucky tickets, a prize-winning Fast Play $5 Lightning Fast Cash Progressive ticket worth $171,981, was purchased in Fairfield County on Monday, May 1 by Norwalk resident Rupal S., according to Connecticut Lottery.  The ticket was purchased at Warehouse Wine and Spirits located in Norwalk at 390 Westport Ave.  A second lucky lottery player also won big on Monday, as a CASH5 ticket worth $100,000 was purchased in Hartford County by a…

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by Ben Crnic
Lifestyle
Pie In The Sky: This Eatery Serves Up CT's Best Pizza, Brand-New Rankings Say Pie In The Sky: This Eatery Serves Up CT's Best Pizza, Brand-New Rankings Say
Pie In The Sky: This Eatery Serves Up CT's Best Pizza, Brand-New Rankings Say Clam and pizza fans will be in heaven when they bite into a white clam pizza from the No. 1 pie spot in Connecticut, according to "Reader's Digest." The magazine ranked Connecticut staple Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana as the spot to head for when you have a hankering for both.  The eatery has seven locations in Connecticut, with the flagship store at 157 Wooster St., in New Haven -- the pizzeria which has been voted No. 1 in the country by the "Daily Meal," for several years --  is also known for its tomato pie. But clams are what draws many to the Connecticut hot spot that is k…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Restaurant Chain Opens New Location In CT Restaurant Chain Opens New Location In CT
Restaurant Chain Opens New Location In CT The newest location of a Connecticut restaurant chain that prides itself on making from-scratch dishes using family recipes has arrived in Fairfield County.  Puerto Vallarta opened its Stamford location on Monday, April 24, according to the restaurant's social media, bringing its total number of establishments to eight. The new restaurant, located in Stamford Town Center's restaurant plaza at 230 Tresser Boulevard, is filled with lively art, an impressive electric fireplace, and ceilings dripping with plants.  View this post on Instagram A p…

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by Morgan Gonzales
Lifestyle
New Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Scoop Shop Coming To CT New Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Scoop Shop Coming To CT
New Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Scoop Shop Coming To CT Just in time for spring, a favorite ice cream brand is opening its second Connecticut scoop shop in Fairfield County. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, the nationally beloved brand known for its made-from-scratch dairy and vegan ice creams, will open a scoop shop in Darien on Thursday, April 27.  The Darien store is the brand’s second location in Connecticut, and follows on the heels of its Greenwich opening in October 2022 - its first suburban scoop shop.  The launch also marks a return to its roots for co-founders Ben and Pete Van Leeuwen who are Fairfield County natives and whose ice cre…

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by Kathy Reakes