08/21/11 New Language And Culture Meetup In Stamford

New Meetup Group!

Learn a language in a social setting Organized by: Hazel Lum Hi language enthusiasts, Have you ever want to learn a language and find it hard to start or keep up? I would like to start a weekly group class in the lower fairfield county area (Stamford, Norwalk, Greenwich etc.) to teach Mandarin to adults, teenagers and kids in a social setting. I came to United States 21 years ago from Singapore. I obtained my masters degree in CT, English is my first language... [read more] Check it out! →

08/21/11 The Greenwich Topix Message Board: Tax-Free Shopping Week Begins in Greenwich

Greenwich - News August 21, 2011 See Greenwich Weather Tax-Free Shopping Week Begins in Greenwich (The Daily Greenwich) You'll have to fight for parking and weave through crowded Greenwich Avenue sidewalks all week as shoppers take advantage of sales tax-free week in Connecticut, starting Sunday, Aug. Ozone hits Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Across the East (U.S. Air Quality) From Tulsa, to Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, to New York City and Greenwich Connecticut, ozone has reached unhealthy for sensitive group levels this afternoon . Zing goes the strings in music shops (Darien News-Review) The ancient and exquisite art of restoring the violin family of stringed instruments is passionately preserved in a Westport studio on Davenport Avenue near the Metro North Railway Station -- and another studio in Greenwich with a music school next door. Please send your comments, news tips and press releases to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com The New England Culinary Group gears up for week-long celebration of dining (Darien News-Review) The New England Culinary Group is gearing up for a week-long celebration of dining in the neighboring towns of Greenwich and Port Chester, N.Y. Eating Greenwich & Port Chester is a lead-in to Serendipity Magazine's Greenwich Food & Wine Festival and will offer consumers specially discounted prices on prix fixe menus and special offers throughout ... (more) Joshua Apfelroth, Stephanie Benedetto are married (SILive) The Capitale in Manhattan was the setting Aug. 13 for the marriage and reception of Manhattan residents Stephanie Joy Benedetto and Joshua Alan Apfelroth.

08/21/11 It's Time To Get Your School Supplies and more from Greenwich Patch

Today 84° 66° Tomorrow 82° 58° August 21, 2011 Your News It's Time To Get Your School Supplies Caroline Sadowska | Aug 21, 2011 | 0 Comments There's nothing like new notebooks and pencils to start the school year off right. Attention Shoppers: It's a Tax-Free week in Connecticut Sheryl Shaker | Aug 21, 2011 | 0 Comments Greenwich shoppers, take note there isn't any sales tax on clothing items Aug. 21 - 27, 2011. Watching Greenwich Barbara Heins | Aug 21, 2011 | 0 Comments BET, Selectmen, RTM, Planning & Zoning Commission meetings featured this week. Coming This Week Barbara Heins | Aug 21, 2011 | 0 Comments Community Development Block Grant public hearing set for Monday. Our Favorite Patch Photos of the Week Patch Staff | Aug 20, 2011 | 0 Comments Your Patch local editor and those from surrounding communities choose their favorite photos from the past week. See more News »

08/21/11 Tax-Free Shopping Week Begins In Greenwich And More In The Daily Greenwich

What's Up in

The Daily Greenwich

Tax-Free Shopping Week Begins in Greenwich
by Anna Helhoski | 08/21/11
	GREENWICH, Conn. — You'll have to fight for parking and weave through crowded Greenwich Avenue sidewalks all week as shoppers take ... READ MORE

08/21/11 Zachery Shafran Reports That They Had A Gay Old Time At Jeffery Lawrence's House In Greenwich

08/20/11 Scott Elwell's Greenwich, CT Real Estate Market Report - July 2011 - GreenwichCT.com

July and August are always interesting months in the Greenwich real estate market. As I look at the market today, I find myself focusing on three different components. The first component we are witnessing includes the spring sales that close in July/August. The second component includes those families that are on vacation and pulling back a little on their real estate search or sale. The last component, and possibly the most significant, that we are witnessing right now, includes the families that need to get into a new home by the start of the school year. When looking at the first component (spring sales) I like to focus on the annualized numbers through July. I'm a big believer that in order to get a solid grasp of the spring market you really need to look at the first half of the year. The term "spring market" really refers to those buyers looking at a new year. Some might act quickly and buy in March, while others will search through spring, go into contract in June and close in August. These buyers are acting with the same intentions and time frame, though the timing of their closings are completely different. For this reason I like to take a look at the whole half (or 7/12ths) of the year. As you can see in the chart above, we are having a great year relative to 2010. The sales prices are extremely close to 2010, though the number of houses sold is up significantly. Sometimes I will point out that a 20% bump is not that serious, though when looking at unit sales that have jumped from 293 to 351 this is a significant movement. Now looking at just the month of July we are actually down near 20% when compared to 2010. I don't see this percentage drop as serious, mainly because we have a much smaller sample size. Last month I predicted that this number was going to be higher and was wrong. It happens. I think the reason that this July sales number is lower than 2010 is because we had a large number of spring sales close July 2010 and because we are now seeing the tailing end of the 2011 spring market. Once we get the final August numbers we will have the full picture of the 2011 spring market. While families tend to take vacations in August (component two) and the amount of house hunters drops significantly every year (regardless of the market), we do see the final rush for those that need to be in by the school year (component three). Many of these families have been looking at houses since the beginning of the year with full intentions on buying when they found something. For one reason or another this purchase was delayed (couldn't find the right house, financing, work, etc...), but now they have a set date they need to be in by so their kids can go to school. I'm going to make the same prediction I did last month and say that the August numbers will be higher due to this final push in demand. One factor that could easily swing my prediction off is the rental market. I have never seen this market hotter/moving faster. A well priced rental that is listed today can easily be gone by tomorrow. Some say this is due to the general issues people are having with buying. I aree, but also believe the school-year push is a large factor in demand. We'll see when the September numbers come out. I wrote two posts on my thoughts on the rental & condo market here and here if you are interested. For those of you who are interested, here are some of my other writings from this month: Interesting SALES in Greenwich, CT Greenwich Condo Sales Greenwich and National Rental Market July Real Estate Snapshot Yun's Real Estate Outlook Greenwich Rental Market I hope everyone is having a great August and enjoying periods of nice weather. As usual, if you or anyone else you know want to talk in more detail (or just have listings sent to you) about Greenwich real estate I'm always excited to talk and work with new clients. Sincerely, Scott Scott P. Elwell - MBA Founder/Real Estate Agent - GreenwichCT.com William Raveis Real Estate - Al Filippone Associates 45 Field Point Road, Greenwich, CT 06830 Mobile: 203.940.0444 : Email: scott@elwell.com My 2011 Activity - Bio follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend Copyright © 2011 Greenwich365.com, All rights reserved. Scott Elwell - 203.940.0444

08/20/11 The Topix News Message Board: Retroweek: A look back on Greenwich news

Greenwich - News August 20, 2011 See Greenwich Weather Retroweek: A look back on Greenwich news (NewsTimesLive) "It's such a bummer. You can get lunch, you can go home and you don't really need to rely on your parents. Greenwich Charity Gives Back Despite Economy (The Daily Greenwich) Despite economic uncertainty and widespread purse tightening, Oprah's Big Give Winner and Greenwich resident Stephen Paletta 's charity GiveBack enabled members to donate to 754 charities worldwide. Cos Cob Man Charged After Fight in Front of Child (The Daily Greenwich) GREENWICH, Conn.-A Cos Cob man was arrested Wednesday night after telling his girlfriend to stab him during heated argument in front of their infant child, police said. Please send your comments, news tips and press releases to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com Greenwich May Lose Its AAA Credit Rating (The Daily Greenwich) On Aug. 4, Moody's put many towns and counties across the country on notice that their top borrowing status could be at risk. Greenwich Home Sells For $4.9 Million (The Daily Greenwich) GREENWICH, Conn.- Here is a list of recent property transfers as reported by the office of the Greenwich tax assessor. Severe Thunderstorms Heading to Greenwich (The Daily Greenwich) A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for Greenwich and surrounding areas until 9 p.m. Friday. Caryna Nina Honored by Cambridge Who's Who for Excellence in Fashion Design (Press Release News From 24-7 Press Re...) GREENWICH, CT, August 19, 2011 /Cambridge Who's Who/ -- Caryna Nina, Fashion Designer and Chief Executive Officer of Caryna Nina, has been recognized by Cambridge Who's Who for showing dedication, leadership and excellence in fashion design. Another stop on the mountain lion's journey: Lake George (Connecticut Post) More details are emerging on the now-famous mountain lion's incredible journey from the Upper Plains to southern Connecticut, where it was ultimately killed by a sport utility vehicle on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford in June. Miles of Memories on 9/11 Motorcycle Ride [PHOTOS] (Patch) For more on Sept. 11 events in the state, visit the Connecticut Remembers 9/11 Facebook page .

08/20/11 From the unbelevable to the the truth: and more from Greenwich Patch

Today 88° 68° Tomorrow 84° 64° August 20, 2011 Your News From the unbelevable to the the truth: Cathryn J. Prince | Aug 20, 2011 | 0 Comments OMG PS: from the ridculous to the bazarar in the region's tops new.s Metro-North Riders Vent About July 22 Disabled Train Incident Patrick Barnard | Aug 19, 2011 | 0 Comments Metro-North officials lambasted for failing to adequately communicate with passengers who were trapped on a New Haven-bound train without air conditioning in the 100+ degree heat for nearly an hour. Funeral for a Hero, 900 Miles for 9/11, Man's Best Friend Fights Crime Sheryl Shaker | Aug 19, 2011 | 0 Comments Headlines from around the region. Hundreds Attend Mass For Brian Bill Jamal Powell | Aug 19, 2011 | 0 Comments The family of Navy SEAL Brian Bill, who was killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, issues statement. Bradford's Grill & Tavern: Guy Heaven Opens in SoNo Nancy Burton | Aug 19, 2011 | 0 Comments Norwalk's newest sports bar has hearty fare, live music and a politically correct kids' menu. See more News »

08/20/11 Greenwich Charity Gives Back Despite Economy And Other News In The Daily Greenwich

What's Up in

The Daily Greenwich

Greenwich Charity Gives Back Despite Economy
by Anna Helhoski | 08/20/11
	GREENWICH, Conn. — Despite economic uncertainty and widespread purse tightening, Oprah's Big Give Winner and Greenwich resident ... READ MORE

Greenwich May Lose Its AAA Credit Rating by Anna Helhoski | 08/19/11

GREENWICH, Conn. — Greenwich may lose its AAA bond rating from the credit rating agency Moody's, according to Greenwich Time. ... READ MORE

Greenwich Home Sells For $4.9 Million
by Anna Helhoski | 08/19/11
	GREENWICH, Conn.—Here is a list of recent property transfers as reported by the office of the Greenwich tax assessor. ... READ MORE

Cos Cob Man Charged After Fight in Front of Child by Anna Helhoski | 08/19/11

GREENWICH, Conn.—A Cos Cob man was arrested Wednesday night after telling his girlfriend to stab him during heated argument in front ... READ MORE

Metro-North Takes Heat From Commuters
by Vanessa Inzitari | 08/19/11
	WESTPORT, Conn. – Delays on Metro-North's New Haven Line on Thursday evening made railroad President Howard Permut at least 20 ... READ MORE

08/19/11 Another stop on the mountain lion's journey: Lake George

More details are emerging on the now-famous mountain lion's incredible journey from the Upper Plains to southern Connecticut, where it was ultimately killed by a sport utility vehicle on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford in June.

New York state's Department of Environmental Conservation confirms the wild cougar that trekked 1,500 miles from South Dakota to Connecticut -- having been spotted numerous times in Greenwich earlier this summer -- passed through the upstate New York town of Lake George in 2010, according to the Adirondack Explorer magazine.

The magazine's editor, Phil Brown, reports on the Explorer's blog, Outtakes, and the Albany Times Union's Adirondack Dispatches blog that the mountain lion left hair and prints in the snow.

The blog reports:

"Cindy Eggleston spotted a cougar in her backyard in the town of Lake George on December 16. The next day, her husband, David Eggleston, who is a retired DEC colonel, and Environmental Conservation Officer Louis Gerrain followed the animal's tracks and collected hair samples from what appeared to be a bedding site.

"DNA analysis of the hairs indicated that they came from the same cougar that was killed by a car on a highway in Milford, Connecticut, on June 11. Previously, DNA tests of the Connecticut cougar showed that it was the same cougar that had been tracked in Minnesota and Wisconsin and that it came from a breeding population in the Black Hills of South Dakota."

The mountain lion sighting may be the first in New York state since the late 1800s, according to the state DEC.

According to conservation officials in Connecticut and New York, there were recorded sightings of the same mountain lion in northern Wisconsin in December 2009, Minnesota in May 2010 and, this year, in late May and early June in Greenwich.

The 140-pound mountain lion was nicknamed the St. Croix cougar for the county in Wisconsin where it was first seen. The 1,500-mile journey is more than double the distance of the next longest recorded mountain lion trek in U.S. history, which was 640 miles.

Reports of mountain lion sightings in Greenwich have persisted despite the June death of the cougar, which officials say is the same one spotted here months ago.

Most recently, in early August, reported sightings at The Chieftains gated community in the backcountry prompted the property managers to warn residents to take precautions.

A letter sent to residents of the community that abuts wildlife conservation areas urged them to take care, especially with young children and dogs. The managers also warned residents about walking during dawn or dusk when mountain lions would be particularly active.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said it was aware of the latest sighting, but there was no evidence supporting the existence of another mountain lion.

The department doesn't believe the state has a native population of mountain lions, but some wildlife experts say there's a chance a small group of mountain lions lives in the state.

08/19/11 Greenwich Home Sells For $4.9 Million

Woot !!! Woot!!! Woot!!!

What Recession?

Charles and Meredith Von Arentschildt sold their property at 531 Riversville Road to SPR LLC for $4,950,000

08/19/11 PRESS RELEASE: Caryna Nina Honored by Cambridge Who's Who for Excellence in Fashion Design

Caryna Nina, Fashion Designer and Chief Executive Officer of Caryna Nina, has been recognized by Cambridge Who's Who for showing dedication, leadership and excellence in fashion design.

Caryna Nina has maintained a long-standing interest in fashion. Her keen awareness of the fashion world and her ability to openly embrace the rich, beautiful and vivid colors surrounding her has allowed her to experience continued growth as a fashion designer. As the owner of a women's fashion line, she provides high-end women's clothing that is sold through retail and online store locations. She features graceful dresses, kimonos, caftans, cover-ups, coats, and day and evening wear. As a designer, she regularly creates elegant, one-of-a-kind pieces, gets customer orders made in New York, and picks out extraordinary fabrics. She particularly loves working with silk chiffon.

Raised in Greenwich, Conn. and Paris, Caryna Nina returns frequently to Europe to find inspiration for her designs. She has been designing women's one-of-a-kind clothing under her own label, Caryna Nina, for almost 12 years. She has two retail stores, one in Palm Beach and the other in Martha's Vineyard. She also has a showroom, which is by appointment only, in Greenwich. Caryna Nina worked as an assistant designer for Catherine Puget, an haute couture bridal atelier in Paris, before returning to Connecticut to launch her own line and showroom in 2000.

Caryna Nina earned a diploma in Renaissance Art History from Pepperdine, an associate degree from Parsons, The New School for Design, and studied at Studio Art Center International Florence (SACI). She looks forward to opening a store in Capri, as well as small boutiques in places that she thinks will work for what she does.

For more information about Caryna Nina, visit http://www.carynanina.com.

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Please send your comments, news tips and press releases to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com

08/19/11 Greenwich Democratic First Selectman Candidate John Blankley's Website

Greenwich Website Listing

Elect John Blankley for Greenwich, CT First Selectman www.blankleyforfirstselectman.com/issues.php

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Please send your comments, news tips and press releases to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com

08/18/11 Rabbi's Weekly Teaching

Weekly Teaching By Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz rabbimitch@templesholom.com
Rabbi's Weekly Teaching Parashat Eikev Friday, August 19th, 2011 I had the joy of teaching at a recent gathering of the UJA-Federation of Westchester Women's Philanthropy Leadership group, the theme of which was "Family Values." Throughout the past decade, the notion of family values has shaped our national conversation about politics, education, and the system of ethical and moral behaviors that we hope, as parents, to transmit to our children. We readily accept the idea that morally grounded children, who understand the difference between right and wrong, and who fully comprehend the expectations of the society in which they live, are happy children. And thus, I made the point that in secular society if you ask a parent what they most want for their children, the most common answer received is that they would like their children to be happy. But if you ask a Jewish parent what they want most for their child, the answer is somewhat different. It is not that Jewish parents don't want happiness for their children, but what they do want most is for their child to become a mensch -- a Jewish individual who, with every act, value, and ethical behavior, embraces and embodies our full humanity. We believe that with menschlikeit comes happiness, but it begs the question: can one be happy even without being a mensch? Parents who proudly display the school bumper sticker that "My child is an Honor Student at [name of school]" should undoubtedly be proud of their child's academic achievement. But when we consider success in Jewish terms, when a person succeeds, but does so without a solid grounding in ethics or morals, any and all success -- whether academic, economic, or measured in any other terms that we would label as "fame and fortune" -- is meaningless. Of course, like every group, and every individual, Jews hope to succeed within the material world so as to enable us to take care of ourselves, our loved ones, our Jewish family, and our human family. We also understand that taking care of others is not defined just in economic terms, but framed by our attitudes of love and kindness as pervasive in everything we are, and everything we do. What we think, and how we live, can be defined in terms as essential as our body posture, language, and actions. These make it easy to see how certain people can move through the world, blind to the needs of others, involved only satisfying their own desires and drives. In other words: selfishness shows. The core value of how we live a life of menschlikeit is by cultivated the practice of Derech Eretz. This term literally means "the way of the land," but we understand this way as how we define our respectful, thoughtful, and loving behavior to all with whom we have contact. Like God, who "created order from chaos," we are responsible for bringing ethical and loving order to any circumstance of potential disorder. The mitzvah of Derech Eretz includes, but is not limited to, our respectful treatment of the elderly, showing honor to our teachers, and being loving children to our parents. Derech Eretz is also about demonstrating kindness to all living things, seeking opportunities at all times to do good, modeling good behavior for others, and integrating charity into our daily lives. Living Derech Eretz elevates us from the mundane to the menschlik. It enables us to be better people, and do what God expects of us. The golden rule of Judaism, like the golden rule of all the great religions of the world, is to love others as you wish to be loved. This fundamental teaching is understood as a core value of humanity, because all human beings are created equally in God's image. Children are not born with an implicit understanding of this core value, and so parents need to work on creating an environment that nurtures the need to possess constant compassion and concern for others. There are many steps we can take, but as with all demands on our time and attention, we have to schedule our opportunities for implementation. As you look to the days and weeks ahead, with all of the busy tasks that mark the beginning of the school year, consider making time for menschlikeit. Take a moment to schedule time in your calendar for acts of loving kindness: dropping the coins in our tzedakah boxes before going to sleep at night, setting aside food for the hungry and delivering it to a food pantry, visiting a home for the elderly to bring cheer to those who need it, or volunteering to serve food - and compassionate communication - at a soup kitchen. The best of intentions often fall to the wayside, simply because we don't concretize our intentions into a defined time and space. Family values can take shape in many different ways, but one thing unites them all: parents and grandparents are the best teachers, and the most crucial transmitters of what is important to a family. As those who teach the next generation, we can be the most effective role models when we remember that our children are always watching, always looking to us to learn how to be a mensch. Children notice how we speak to others, when we smile at someone who has done something for us, how we express gratitude to others - and they also notice when we do not make these important human contacts. If we want our children to be menschlik, we have to work as hard on this as we do to make our kids successful in school, on the athletic fields, on stage and in their daily lives. Just as importantly, we have to remember that we are their role models, and when we see our children acting in a way that we may not like, we should perhaps look to ourselves to see where they are getting their values. When push comes to shove, what do we really want for our children? If we are teaching them to aspire to greatness, then it is up to us to teach them what greatness truly is. Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Mitch
Temple Sholom 300 E. Putnam Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 203-869-7191