Photos: Tilda Swinton on "Kevin" Movie Set

Thank you to reader Tim, who sent some great photos of the Springdale movie set of "We Need to Talk about Kevin." I can't believe we may see our very own Dairy Inn (which I've never been to) in a movie! And I am dying to know what they used Vinny's for. Tilda's hair looks long in one of the photos, as opposed to the short cut I saw in some movie stills online.



Click read more to see three more photos.




Click here to read more.

More Movie News: JCR on Vinny's Roof

My friend reports via text that her husband reports that John C. Reilly was filming on the roof of Vinny's. He's not sure if JCR is still there, but they are still filming. Sigh. I'm stuck here trying to get a toddler to sleep who's climbing all over the furniture while eating Goldfish.

I cannot believe they chose that humble shopping center for this movie shoot. Pretty cool. Click here to read more.

Stamford Movie News: We Need to Talk About Kevin

I got emails from readers and friends yesterday letting me know that there was "We Need to Talk About Kevin" movie action in Springdale, but I was way too busy with work and baby to post. (OK, I also squeezed a jog in since I'm doing the C25K program with the iPhone app, then friends came over to watch the Bigger Loser finale on TiVo, then baby was of course a raging lunatic until 10pm because he's working on another ear infection and having friends over had him totally wired. In any case, I never sat down at a computer, and Lord knows Blogger makes it IMPOSSIBLE to blog from your iPhone.)

Anyway, here's the scoop, plus timeline:

Tues 730 pm: Kevin of Always Home and Uncool let me know that Tilda Swinton was filming a scene in front of Dairy Inn in the Springdale shopping center about 6:30 p.m. Evidently they had been there all day. Here's a really terrible pic he sent me. Hey, it's better than nothing!

(My phone was actually screwing up that night. I'm bummed I missed his message because I might have headed over there.)

Wed 8am: My friend emailed me this pic of a fake travel store front RIGHT beside Vinny's, the go-to burger place for people with young kids.


Wed 10:30am: a friend posted on facebook that they were filming INSIDE Vinny's! I'll have to ask them about it next time I go there.

Wed 1:25 pm: Kevin let me know that they were still filming out by the Dairy Inn as of 1 p.m. He didn't see Tilde or JCR. They were setting up a shot with a guy in a wheelchair.

Wed 9pm: a reader posted a link yesterday afternoon on my previous post about my botched attempt to stalk the movie set at it's location at Wright Tech, letting me know they were filming inside CVS Springdale.

It really stinks that I have a JOB, or else I could properly stalk this movie and report back to you! You know, like when I first started this blog. That was an idyllic time. Now I have a JOB, which I love, but it keep me really busy. I'm doing a major (and really cool) writing project with my students, so I'm busy at work keeping track of them, and I need to get myself into bathing suit shape for a friend's wedding in late summer- oh and plus there's my BABY, who can now CLIMB ONTO ALMOST ANYTHING, and he's really fast, so virtually nowhere is safe. I'd be OK with that, but I'm afraid he's going to break his arm like one of our baby friends did. I didn't know that babies could like, break their arms.

Looking forward to this summer, when I'll have a little more brain space for blogging, and the baby and I are going to be out and about a lot, so we should be able to have some adventures.

Just 5 more weeks of school left! It's been a great half-year with my students, actually. They've done some excellent writing, and that always makes me very, very happy. Click here to read more.

Whole Foods Darien: Good Stuff, Traffic

I can cheerfully predict that Whole Foods Darien will continue the traffic tradition of Whole Foods Greenwich. At the sneak peek I attended tonight at 5:20 pm, traffic was backed all the way up onto Route 1. Whatever. Whole Foods just means traffic, and we need to accept it. (I was at Whole Foods Columbus Circle in NYC in Saturday, and that was a wreck too. We got Brownie Bites, though, so it was all good.)

Anyway, the baby and I, along with a boatload of other mothers with kids aged 8 and under, perused the Whole Foods Darien, which opens officially on Wednesday. I was most interested in the baby items, since that's my latest obsession. I was happy to see that WFD carries two of my favorite Skip Hop items: the Pronto and the Wipes Case, which is the best wipes case you will EVER lay your hands on. I bought another one today, so now I own two. This way, I don't have to keep switching it from my fancy diaper bag to my Skip Hop backpack when I need a different diaper bag for my different outing purpose (look cute or be hands free). I cannot risk forgetting wipes, because while I CAN wipe snot and food off the kid with my sweater, I certainly do not want to try and change a poopy diaper like that.

If you go check out WFD, so be sure to leave lots of time, so you are not grumpy when you encounter crowds. The parking lot was completely full when I left just before 6pm this evening. All I can say is, they should have built a slightly bigger lot. It is gonna be a mess. I mean that in the nicest way possible.

The event tonight was fun but crowded. I got some freebies on the way out the door, but I'm too tired to post about them. I also ran into two fellow bloggers, which is always awesome.

See more photos after the jump.


One side of deli area.


Check out area.



Wide open area in back of store.



The "Whole Body" aisle.
Click here to read more.

John C. Reilly Really Sang Karaoke at Black Bear Stamford!!!

Oh my goooooood if I didn't have a really bad cough, I'd laugh out loud.

I am so thankful to the reader who took time out of his day to send me this.

I mean, really, what else is there to say. This picture is fantastic!

I am SO BUMMED I was not there. I think the karaoke might be even cooler than watching DeNiro. I'd trade my DeNiro scene watching for John C. Reilly karaoke singing watching. Click here to read more.

I Am Watching You, Stamford.

My world is getting small.

I seem to see someone I know everywhere I go, and I blame the baby. In a good way. I feel like, especially in the mall/Target/Cove/Bull's Head/SMNC cicuit- you know, where the parents hang- I had better be on my best behavior, because chances are, I'm gonna see someone I know.

This feeling actually makes me DRIVE better, because I'm afraid that if I drive like a punk, that person is gonna pull into daycare RIGHT BEHIND ME, and I'm going to be revealed as a jerk to this other parent- a parent who I'll see regularly for the next several years. I see my good behavior as an investment in future karma- and a good reputation.

I've got a good memory for faces, and I like talking to people, and I'm always looking at people, so obviously this makes me more likely to spot people. It's sort of a hobby of mine, actually.

But having the baby in daycare, and taking baby yoga and other classes, really has caused me to be connected with many, many more adults who live in the same area I do.

I just ran into a woman I recognized at a playground, and we puzzled for several minutes over where we knew each other from. Stamford Hospital Mom's Group? Attachment Parenting Group of Fairfield County? Baby Yoga? La Leche League? No... I realized later that night that I knew her from the one toddler yoga class I tried out at Elements Yoga in Darien.

Don't have kids? Well, maybe you go to my GYM, so I might know your face any way.

So hey, even if you don't recognize me... I might recognize you, so YOU better be on good behavior!

That's right, Stamford, keep on your TOES, 'cause I am out there... watching you.

List of just some of my random sightings:

• A Stamford Hospital Moms Group friend at Capriccio.
• A baby yoga friend at Stamford Museum and Nature Center.
• A coworker and her kids at Target.
• A Stamford Hospital Mom at Cove.
• A Stamford Hospital Mom at the grocery store.
• A mom I know from our walks at the grocery store.
• Another Stamford Hospital Mom at the grocery store (who I avoided).
• A lady I recognized but couldn't place at a playground.
• A coworker's friend (who I'd met at a playdate) at Target.
• Also, lots and lots of other people I see but avoid.

You see what I am talking about?

I should really make an effort to DRESS better since I seem to see people I know a lot, but a lady can't do it all... especially when she is STILL not quite back into her pre-pregnancy wardrobe. Click here to read more.

Sarah Littman, Local Writer, on GMA- and Link to a Cute Animated Short

I just have to share Sarah Littman's blog post about her appearance on Good Morning America. Sara is a local writer and blogger. She and her son were on GMA because their Story Corps (that booth, you know, where you go in and interview someone you know?) interview was chosen out of tens of thousands to be a) included in a book about Moms and b) animated as part of a series of shorts to be shown on the PBS show POV.

Sarah's Story Corps interview is great because her motherly love, and the directness of her endearing son, are things we rarely have time to see in the busy-ness of everyday life.

Her blog post contains the GMA clip (after an annoying ad, sorry) and the inside scoop on appearing on the show. Or, just watch the GMA clip below. The clip features Sarah and her son Josh, shows part of their animated short, and also has the guy who runs Story Corps talking about the project.

If you want to see Sarah and Josh's entire 3.5 minute animated short, go to the Story Corps page. (Oh geez I just watched the whole short- totally worth the 3.5 minutes! I laughed out loud at the Claudia part.)




Sorry the grammar in this post- or is it the syntax?- is a bit off, but I don't really have the time or inclination to worry about it! Click here to read more.

John C. Reilly All Over Stamford/Old Greenwich...

... which I think is pretty cool!

My friend saw JCR in Binney Park last Friday (4 days ago). Her son toddled up to him and nearly stole his sandwich.

Cook and Craft, a cookware store in Old Greenwich, tweeted that same day that JCR and Tilda Swinton strolled by their store.

I also hear reports that JCR was at Tigin in Stamford over the past few days, so keep your eyes peeled, people!

Send me your sightings at stamfordtalk (at) gmail (dot) com.
I don't know if I'd get spammed if I wrote out my whole email, but that's how I see the internet folk doin' it. Click here to read more.

SMNC: Antique Car Show and Baby Sheep

Last weekend the baby and I went to Stamford Museum and Nature Center so the husband could put the final touches on his iPhone app, Brix Builder. There was an antique car show going on (Model Ts to Mustangs Antique and Classic Car Show), so I tried to get there early since parking at Easter was a total mess.

I was not excited about the car show... UNTIL I GOT THERE AND SAW A REALLY COOL CORVETTE AND REMEMBERED THAT I LOVE CARS!!! I don't love cars like I love horses, or football, or babies, but I do like cars. Parking was fine, fortunately.

The baby and I didn't spend too much time with the cars, because he does not like cars as much as he likes dogs, plus the cars were in the hot sun. It was hot even at 11 am.

Instead, baby/toddler and I headed over to the playground, which was unsuccessful because
1) he's too little for the equipment
2) he kept trying to eat sticks and bark off the ground
3) he's really fast, so I had to chase him around so he wouldn't fall down the hill or bonk his head on one of many large rocks (see photo)
4) he's a good walker, but there were tree roots and rocks that made the terrain an unstable surface for a new walker and
5) it was hot and there were bugs.



So we headed over to the barn to see if we could spot some baby animals! There were over 15 baby sheep and boy were they cute! A volunteer brought one over to we could pet it, and of course some ADULTS crowded around, so my baby/toddler couldn't get close. Oh well.

We really like SMNC for quick outings. We paid 100 bucks for a family membership, which is totally worth it when you have an active kid who needs to get out of the house. Or should I say, when you are a parent who needs to get out of the house because you have a very active kid. Click here to read more.

Stalking "We Need to Talk About Kevin" Movie

I'm not sure how much movie stalking I'm going to be doing now that I have a baby and job, but I gave it the ole college try yesterday on the way home from work. (I was actually on the way home to NAP before picking up the kid, because my allergies are exhausting me.)

My 15 minutes of stalking didn't yield anything, but I made the first steps into infiltrating the cast and crew. I can't reveal my methods, obviously, but they rely heavily on my natural charm, which was hampered by my inability to talk because of an insanely sore throat. I need to get better, fast, if I hope to watch any filming or spot any stars.

Here's what I DID learn:
1. The base camp is NOT where the filming is happening. In fact, I couldn't seem to locate the set.
2. You need to dress properly to stalk a movie. You are NOT going to fit in in a patterned shirt or skirt. You need to wear JEANS and a dark shirt, and have your cell phone out a lot, or hooked to your belt.
3. Start with the older guys. They'll be the most helpful to you. Wait- am I revealing too much?

I better go before I ruin my cover.

Also, to facilitate my recon, I learned that this kid Ezra Miller, in photo above, is one of the stars. It's very important to know faces if you expect to follow the clues that eventually lead you to get to watch, oh, say, DeNiro film a scene in Stamford.

Read about the movie here.

The base camp is at Wright Tech- what an ugly building!- and the set is- well, I have no idea.

Last night I dreamt I saw Tilda Swinton driving back to the set in the same little blue car I saw her and John C. Reilly in on Tuesday. Although this time, it was a bright blue Mini rather than a steel blue Subaru Outback. Click here to read more.

Stupid Tree Allergies!!!

Is anyone else DYING here?
I literally have no voice as of last night.
I cannot talk.
THIS IS NOT CONVENIENT ON SO MANY LEVELS!!!

I am allergic to everything (trees, grasses, dust, mold, cats, pollen) except dogs- and I'm even slightly allergic to dogs!

Weather.com told me that tree allergies were "VERY HIGH" the past couple days, like in the RED ZONE, at the top of the chart, so I think I can confidently blame the STUPID TREES for my feeling absolutely awful since Wednesday. Today and tomorrow they are "HIGH," then back up to very high Monday and Tuesday. Fantastic.

I got shots several years ago that helped- I did not have problems like this that I recall for the past two years- but maybe I need to get shots again. Claritin, Nasacort and echinacea tea not helping much. Calling allergist today.

I just need some people to tell me how awful they are feeling right now so I can feel like I can have company in this misery I'm in. Just tell me your allergies are REALLY BAD right now too.

Also, tell me who your allergist is and if you LOVE THEM.

Oh. The baby has also had a yucky cough and runny nose since Thursday, so I bet the poor kid is cursed with allergies too. Fortunately he seems to be feeling a bit better after starting antibiotics Monday- AGAIN- for his ears. I think his runny nose is from allergies, but I think it gunked up his ears. Either that, or the antibiotics for the ear infection he had two weeks ago didn't work. Click here to read more.

Actual Star Sighting in Stamford: John C. Reilly!

As my husband and I were driving back from a wedding anniversary dinner at Market (very good!) I saw a guy in a teeny Subaru with his wife and kid in the Bull's Head shopping center.
Me: "I think that's a famous person." I gave him a good stare to be sure (because the other day I thought I saw Montel Williams at Donut Delite on High Ridge and turned out I was wrong) and added excitedly, "That's definitely a famous person! You know, the guy with the curly hair, and big nose? Renee Zellweger killed him in Chicago?"

My husband peered to look and said, "Oh yeah, I know that person. Why is he driving that crappy car?"

Me: "Maybe he's in town filming that Kevin movie?"

I immediately logged on facebook via my iPhone and some helpful people confirmed that the name of the actor is John C. Reilly, and he's filming "We Need to Talk about Kevin" in Stamford. You'll spot some "Base Camp: Kevin" signs around town- I saw one today on W. Broad St. near the hospital. Or somewhere. My life is sort of a blur as I'm constantly exhausted. It was somewhere, that sign, today.

Gotta run take care of the tired, ear-infected, coughing, fussing kid. He's a dear, really, just not when he's reached the end of the night and is fighting sleep. Click here to read more.

Sorta Family-Friendly Kosciusko Park

I'm not gonna check my spelling of the park, I am THAT confident in my innate spelling ability.

Baby Q and I visited Kosciusko Park for the first time in my 8 ish years in Stamford. We went to a baby friend's first birthday party, which was held under the pavilion, which they reserved. Good for us, because the sun was hot- BAD for all of the other people who didn't have much access to shade. That's one of the negatives of Kosciusko- not too much shade. The other families and groups of friends- and the park was starting to fill up with revelers at 3:30 as we left- had to sit at picnic tables in the sun.

On the positive side, the park has a nice trail for walking along the water and a nice playground. The park is ridiculously close to downtown Stamford, a good 5 minutes closer to me than Cove (which is pretty much the best park in Stamford if you ask me). The park is just a few minutes' drive from the train station- go south on Wash Blvd and keep going, and you'll hit the park- I had no idea it was that easy.

On the negative side, the park is pretty small, and your kid could pretty easily tumble into the water (I think- I did not dare let my kamikaze kid go anywhere near the shore). There is a big baseball field, and I'm not sure what else, as I stuck to our party area. The park is not great for a young but fast walker like mine, as there are glass shards and bottle tops lying around the edges of the pavilion. I pretty much could not take my eyes off him for a second, but what else is new.

Our one little incident was a rowdy dude trying to take a picnic table out of the pavilion, one that had some of our stuff on it, which was sort of odd. I figure he had to have been drinking. His friends reigned him in- much appreciated!

I declare Kosciusko sorta family-friendly, mostly because it's just nowhere near as good as Cove. Click here to read more.