Mellow Stamford Skateboarding Video

I'm mentally wiped right now, so I'll just link you to an upbeat skateboarding video by Scott Frosch that put a smile on my face. "I feel like Jonah in the belly of the whale..." or whatever the song in the video said. The video was filmed at our very own Stamford skatepark, and it shows off just how spectacular that big bowl is. Scott's a pro, so this a good quality video, not a crappy youtube one! Go all the way to the end of Scott's video to see some wipeouts.

Scalzi is smack in the middle of Stamford, right near the Bed Bath Beyond shopping complex on Summer, so swing by one evening while the weather's still warm and check out the skating. Read all about local skateboarding under the Skateboarding tab. You won't regret it.

In the photo above (taken by Scott, or was it PDA?), you see of my favorite skaters to watch at Scalzi. I like watching other people things do I'm too scared/lazy/apathetic/rickety to do. Click here to read more.

Cricket Report: St. John's vs. Bridgeport

I had fun at the cricket match. Just like last time, a nice cricket player came over to ask if I knew the game, then patiently explained the happenings on the field and answered all of my dumb questions, both cricket and non-cricket related.

I got lots of new info, such as the fact that St. John's of Stamford is the newest team in the Southern CT Cricket Association (SCCA)- 4 years. I found out that a guy on the Bridgeport team plays for the US National team, and that the Greenwich does have a team, but they play in the NY. I saw the wickets get knocked down for the first time- what a ruckus! I also took some passable photos. Click on the two photos in this post to enlarge them, or see all 14 at my flickr site.

I really want St. John's to get more fans. I was disappointed there wasn't a big crowd today; I know, I set my hopes high, but I want to cheer my city in a sport. What other teams do we have that play inter-city matches? And I do not mean high school sports. Nothing would be creepier than an adult who has no association with Stamford Public Schools watching teens play sports. Yuck. I want to cheer for adult males, thanks.

My newest idea, besides cricket needing to be an Olympic sport, is to get a cricket club at Stamford or Westhill High. A high school-aged player at the match told me that would never happen because too few kids would be interested, but if it's like, a once a week, hour and half game, I bet you could round up a good co-ed team. That club team could provide a pool of players so St. John's could start to dominate. Right now, they are not one of the stronger teams in the league, and I think one reason is that they need more younger players. The UBS team, also based in Stamford, probably has a plethora of fresh knees every year; they tend to do pretty well, I hear.

Next Sunday (Labor Day Weekend), UBS plays Bridgport in Stamford, and St. John's plays at New Milford. The SCCA tourney starts Sept 13- see website for schedule under "fixtures"- and the final is Sept. 21 in West Haven. Ideally, St. John's or UBS will advance in the semifinals and get to play at home before the 21st. I'll be happy to have another excuse to sit outside on a nice day, observe fellow Stamfordians, and pretend that I understand the nuances of cricket. Click here to read more.

Psych! Cricket is Tomorrow, Sunday

Dur. I have been mixing up so many dates this summer! See you at the cricket match tomorrow.

Although I did not specify a day in the previous post, I hope I did not confuse anyone. Tomorrow's weather looks great, too: 84 and sunny. Click here to read more.

Cricket, Anyone?

Note: match is Sunday, tomorrow! I just looked at the Brigeport Cricket Club's website, and their game against St. John's of Stamford is at 12:30 at Lione Park on Stillwater. Wear sunscreen and bring a chair. This is going to be serious cricket with fancy uniforms and hard core players. I predict a big crowd, and I'm not joking.

Click here to read my previous post about this upcoming match and Stamford cricket in general. Click here to read more.

Great Day: Tacos, Shopping, Morton's

Wednesday was a spectacular Stamford Talk day. The weather was beautiful, and no one acted psychotic while driving. I went to the gym, then to El Charrito taco truck for lunch. It was delicious and really fun to see who was lining up for tacos and other Mexican food. The owners, a married couple, are so friendly and dedicated to their business, as you know if you read the recent Advocate article about them. El Charrito is located right outside Beamer's Cafe. That location might seem odd--Beamer's is a strip club--, but local restos complain when the truck parks anywhere near them. Parking is easy, so drive on up East Main to Jackie Robinson Park and check it out. Only problem: there's just one bench in the park to sit on, so consider takeout.

After that, I went to the Stamford Mall to shop for the husband's birthday. I shopped so efficiently that I had time to try on clothes for myself. A stranger asked me for advice in the dressing room at Macy's. It was thrilling to be spoken to by a stranger- that's rare in Stamford but it makes life in the 'burbs so much more interesting. I also popped into the (insanely busy) Apple store and bought a new orange case for my iPhone.

I got a pretty but way too rich "Opera" cake at Beldotti Bakery on Newfield. I assumed it was chocolate, but it's more like a dry Tira Misu. I said "no" to a young, healthy-looking adult male in the parking lot who asked me for an "extra dollar for the bus." All I had were $20s, plus, stop walking around the parking lot asking for money, and start using your perfectly capable legs to hike to your destination!

We had dinner at Morton's for the husband's birthday. Food was the usual- good, but not exciting- steak and mashed potatoes and crab meat. I do think Morton's chopped salad is one of the best salads in Stamford. At 11 bucks, it's not a bad deal for a pricey place, and it has lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, blue cheese, hearts of palm, eggs, and a tangy Dijon vinaigrette. I absolutely inhaled it.

Something else remarkable about Wednesday was that I saw, in my rearview mirror, a truck with a Confederate flag for its front license plate. What??? A Confederate flag in Stamford CT? I almost pulled over so I could motion for the driver to pull up beside me and ask what in God's name he was thinking what the connection was. However, I thought there was a good chance the person would be crazy, and my husband always warns me not to do reckless things like talk to strangers.

Whereas Wednesday was great for Stamford Talk, Thursday was a drag. I woke up way too early (3:30), and the nap I took later on in the day was one of those terrible ones you can't recover from. I had to skip two fun events I had planned that night, and my husband had to suffer with my grumpy, post-nap self. I went to bed at 10, and woke up at 3:58 am today. I usually only need 7 hours of sleep, but this is getting ridiculous. Click here to read more.

I'm Mad at Advocate Headlines, Trump Meeting

I'm fighting off a temper tantrum. The Advocate’s article about last night’s Trump meeting provides no answers and leaves gaping, obvious questions. Either the article is incomplete, or the Board did not get any important questions answered. Unacceptable!!!

Maybe I should have gone to this meeting and asked questions, but other people were there who were supposed to do that. I didn't finish dinner until after 8, so I thought it would be silly to park in that creepy Gov't Center lot at night to catch, what, 20 minutes of the meeting? Rrrr! More on this later because I need to go to the gym, big time.

I'm also mad at the Advocate right now because of a couple of extremely inaccurate headlines.

1. "City cites Trump lessons"
No, it doesn't! There was no info in that article about that. Can someone please point out one lesson that got mentioned except maybe this: Trump Parc has proven hazardous because it is being built on a small parcel with little barrier between it and the streets, Barnes said. The type of work being done there tends to generate a lot of debris, he said.
That's what we figured out? Basic construction concepts? Change that headline to "City offers same obvious info we've been hearing for the past 3 months."

2. "Students' test scores become part of teachers' evaluations"
Well then why does the article only talk about observations? There is nothing in the article that says teachers will be judged on their students' test scores. I read the article three times to triple check. I'm a teacher, so this topic affects me directly.
The same article was published the next day in the Greenwich Time with the headline "Teachers judged on students' test scores." Don't title the article that if it's not what it is about! That would be a completely different, more controversial article. However, if teachers are going to be evaluated on their students' test scores, do let me know about it with some actual info.

OK I have to go to the gym and relax. Click here to read more.

New Stamford Bloggers!

Let's give some new Stamford blogs a blog-warming. I've got four of 'em for you. JR, Mr. Stamford's other blogger, has broken off to form his own site called Streets of Stamford. Today's post is about the high rents of one of the new developments on the East Side.

Another new Stamford blogger has been posting regularly at On Stamford. Mark's site has resto reviews and humorous sightings, such as, surprise, a lady on a cell phone speeding diagonally across a parking lot.

I should also link to Greg at GreBurg, who has also been posting since March about the woes of being young in Stamford. He starts grad school this fall but I hope he'll keep posting!

A long-time reader has also started a blog. A lot of WingDangDoo is about her life, but Stamford gets liberal mention. Patty has posted about Trump and the useful walk-in clinic at the Tully Center. She's a funny, lively writer.

Hm, I better go add these peeps to my blogroll! Click here to read more.

Aug19-24 Music, Art, and Food

All week and next week:
Stamford Downtown Summer Restaurant Weeks. The special prix-fixe menus are a great chance to try restos at reasonable prices. Some places have better deals than others. I really liked Duo last time. Check out participating places here.
Thursday:
--Photography exhibit reception at Sundance Café on Broad Street, 5-6pm. That’s right by the mall. Photographer Vincent Rodriguez will display his photos of Stamford. Another local photographer, Shamik Ganguly, also has photos up.
--Fairfield County Happy Hour Club at Monster B’s, 7pm. Coincidentally, Fairfield County Bloggers will also be there for a happy hour. Should be fun.

Friday:
My real life and facebook friend Damon Grant is playing Jazz in the park in Darien. The concert is free, at Tilley Park, right across from the Darien train station. Bring a blanket or lawn chair.

Saturday:
Pet Adoption Day at Stamford Animal Care & Control from 10 to 4. Food, vendors, pet care experts, free. It’s at 201 Magee Ave. Google the address if you’ve never been down there, because it can be confusing.

Sunday:
Cricket! Biiiiiiig cricket match!

Next week:
Saturday Aug 30: Gospel, Arts & Crafts Festival at the Yerwood Center, free, 12-5pm. Click here to read more.

Trump Parc Debris Meeting Tonight

I really wish they'd put these city meetings on TV. Whereas I might be interested in school closings and parking meter changes, I also like to hang at home with my husband and dog on weeknights. I admire the citizens who drag themselves out to a government meeting after a full day of work. Now, TV, on the other hand, everyone likes to watch TV... just a suggestion, City of Stamford.

I am going to try to make it to the Trump meeting. I've been following the debris drama at the construction site since May, when a 10 pound piece of metal flew from its 27th floor right into an intersection I always (used to) drive through. The Board of Reps meets tonight at the Gov't Center at 7 to grill various people about what the Hades is going on with the disturbing pattern of falling debris. FYI, the crane at Trump Parc is finally down. I feel maybe 1/2% safer. Check out the reader-submitted photo of crane-free TP.

Panel to discuss Trump Parc debris: The Board of Representatives Operations Committee is scheduled to hold a meeting to discuss problems with debris falling from the Trump Parc construction site at Washington Boulevard and Broad Street.
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday on the fourth floor of the Government Center. Director of Operations Ben Barnes and Robert DeMarco, of the building department, are scheduled to attend to answer questions. (Advocate, 8/19)

I'm afraid the meeting will be boring. Enh, I'll bring a book just in case. I wonder who else will be there. I'm reading A Beautiful Mind: The Life of Mathematical Genius and Nobel Laureate John Nash. Reading about smart people is making me feel smarter. Click here to read more.

Any Questions About Cricket in Stamford?

Because I totally got the scoop. As of yesterday, I know how the game is scored, and I know how to find info on matches in Fairfield County. I have achieved my dream of getting into the Stamford cricket scene. Next Sunday, Aug 24, there’s going to be a big match in Stamford. It sounds like a great party, and I’m going to be there.

Yesterday's match is a tournament organized annually by Asha to raise money for schools in India. It's the match I was unable to find online last year, which whipped me into a frenzy and caused me to start Stamford Talk. The tourney wraps up today in Lione Park on Stillwater. The Advocate has an article about it, but I'll provide much juicier info, because I, a blogger and columnist, am allowed to speculate, embellish, and opine.

Yesterday's cricket experience started off with intrigue. When I walked up to the match, here is what I saw: Indian people gathered under one tree, quietly watching cricket, and African-Americans under another tree, laughing, eating, drinking, and talking. Oh my god, how awkward! I thought. The cricket match is competing against a family BBQ for shade. I had a feeling this could really add drama to my blog post. I opened my lawn chair, sat between the two groups, watched cricket and spectators, and snapped some photos.

Over the next 20 minutes, while trying not to stare, I began to notice that more than one person in the group to my left were wearing baseball caps that said "Barbados." Then I noticed that a few from the group were watching the cricket match rather avidly. After more casual spying, I noticed one man wearing a very nice shirt that said "Cricket USA" and windbreaker pants that said "Cambridge Athletic Club" or something like that. Ohhhhh, I thought to myself. Maybe some of these guys are going to play in the tourney, and these are all their fans and family!

However, only a couple guys looked dressed for the possibility of cricket, and most people were socializing and not paying a lick of attention to the match being played on the field. It was a real Stamford Talk mystery.

Then, a couple of men came over to the Indian group. I, of course, strenuously eavesdropped. "I play for St. John's here in Stamford," one of them said. "St. John's" I scribbled in my notebook. I was lying low, feeling a little shy, not wanting to approach anyone yet. I knew I’d figure out the mystery eventually, and I was enjoying observing. Sometimes I get tired of hearing my own voice, and I just want to be quiet.

Finally, someone from the cricket match came over and asked if I was enjoying the cricket. I proceeded to talk his ear off/interview him and got the scoop on all the local cricket teams and leagues and generally how things work.

Turns out the group from Barbados thought they were supposed to practice at the Lione cricket pitch, but City of Stamford had promised it to the ASHA tourney. I guess they stuck around to watch. Some of the guys were from St. John’s, which is one of Stamford’s teams in the Southern Connecticut Cricket Association (SCCA). That league has 11 teams, including teams from Bridgeport, New Haven, and New Milford. The other team from Stamford is a UBS team. (See match schedules under “fixtures” button at SCCA's website.)

Next Sunday, Aug 24, St. John’s plays Bridgeport at Lione Park in Stamford. I hear that the match attracts an enthusiastic crowd of revelers. The players will be wearing all that crazy equipment you see in photos. This is going to be serious cricket, people. (The Asha tourney was more casual, with shortened matches, a softer ball, and hence no pads.) Don’t let it scare you that Lione is located across from Vidal Court, the housing project often named in articles about crime. I love sports, and I love people watching. I think it’s going to rock.

Cricket is totally easy to understand, by the way. It has a couple more variables than baseball, but it’s the same basic idea.

Related Stamford Talk posts:
--December 20, 2007-- Guns: Busy on Stamford's West Side (post about a spate of shootings on or near Stillwater Ave. last fall)
--July 29, 2008-- Meet the Catalyst for Stamford Talk!

Past Stamford Talk mysteries:
--February 11, 2008-- Stamford's Very Own Authentic Voodoo Doll (I absolutely am not kidding about that.)
--February 26, 2008-- Stamford's Napa and Co: Information Blackout?!?
Click here to read more.

Norwalk Oyster Fest Sept 5: Oak Ridge Boys!!!! And, Treatise on Country Music

Oak Ridge Boys!!! OMG I am inordinately excited! Oak Ridge Boys, Sister Sledge, and Los Lonely Boys will be playing at Oyster Fest in Norwalk. I saw the Oak Ridge Boys play at the Boy Scout Jamboree in Va when I was like, 10. It was so much fun. I like country music. In fact, I'm going to go spend some of my iTunes gift certificate on the song "Bye Bye" by Jo Dee Messina.

The Oyster Fest starts Friday Sept 5. See Norwalk Seaport's website for more info. Prepare to park far away and walk to the Fest, and for goodness' sake, wear closed-toe shoes. After a weekend of oysters and beer, you don't want your feet to touch that ground.

Here's Jo Dee:


Funny- the video looks old. The song doesn't sound dated, though, which shows what an amaaaaaazing song it is. If you don't like country, and you're not from the South, I don't wanna hear it, because you just don't have the life experience to understand it. I'm not saying you can only understand country if you are from the South. I'm just saying, part of country's appeal comes from driving along a two-lane road with nothing to look at and nothing really to do. To someone from the NY Metro area, that might sound terrible, but driving along like that is a great feeling. I know people who aren't from rural areas can appreciate country, but they've got to have the right, chilled-out mindset. Click here to read more.

Boom, Kapow, Fireworks: Cricket!!!

Not real fireworks- they were in my head when I just confirmed the time and location of the cricket tourney this weekend! An anonymous reader kindly posted the flier in comments, but here's the essential info: Lione Park on Stillwater Ave, 8am-5pm, this Sat-Sun Aug 16-17.

Now I can finally live out my dream of lounging in the grass watching cricket and maybe picnicking if there's some shade. The weather looks great- 80 and sunny on Sat., and 84 and mostly sunny on Sunday. I'm going to have to read up on cricket because I have no idea what the sport is about. I know the ball gets hit with a paddle. Click here to read more.

Monitoring Stamford from the Beach in NH

What? I haven't posted since Monday? That's a slackage record for Stamford Talk! I've been at the beach in NH with my immediate family, and we have loads of aunts and uncles and cousins and cousins' kids in the area, so we've had lots of company. I still check my RSS feeds every day so I'm up on Stamford news and blogs. The Advocate is rocking my world today with a couple of opinion-provoking pieces:

Editor's suggestion to decrease alcohol sales at Alive @ Five to control crowd problems.

Article titled "Was primary a waste of money?" about how some towns spent up to $50,000 for primaries between Lee Whitnum and Jim Himes... and Whitnum got less votes total than the amount of signatures she got to even get on the ballot.

A reminder that the Stamford train station will be torn down in 2010, leading to two years of parking hell for commuters.

I'll be back in Stamford tomorrow. I'll post ASAP when I know exactly when and where the big cricket tournament is. I do know it's this Saturday at Scalzi, but I'm waiting on details. This cricket match was the entire reason I started Stamford Talk last year, so this is a very important event.

Also, Trump Crane is coming down this weekend, so expect road closures this Sat. from 5am to 5pm, this Sunday from 5am to 7pm, and next Sat Aug. 24 from 5am to noon. Click here to read more.