Holy traffic jam. Downtown Bridgeport was smoking hot with activities Friday night.
Who says suburbanites won’t come downtown? They did Friday night.
Mo and I started out at Café Roma on Fairfield Avenue to meet up with OIB friends Barb Delmonico and her hubby Marc, the Republican town chair. It’s incumbent upon me as a political junkie to pick big Marc’s brain about all the skinny in Republican politics. Gin and political janglings go together nicely.
We ran into a bunch of OIB friends including Pete Finch, son of Mayor Bill, who was meeting with a committee of friends to promote various cultural and musical activities downtown. And as we were heading out the door we bumped into the incomparable Sly Salcedo and his lovely wife.
Mo and I walked several blocks toward the ball park at Harbor Yard to take in several innings of the Bluefish game. Along the way we walked through a convergence of high-cheeked pretty people–looked like they were from Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan–advancing to the arena for a concert by romantic violinist Andre Rieu. Place was jammed. Shoot, I was ready to park cars. Hey, lady with the neck mink, how about a tip!
We left the fish game sixth inning or so to catch the new art exhibit at genial host Eileen Walsh’s Gallery at Black Rock on Fairfield Avenue. Click ad link top left for more details.
We finished the night back downtown at Épernay, that hip, hot and heavenly bistro on Fairfield Avenue where the cast of the Wiz jammed the joint following the first (sold out) gig for its three-week run at Playhouse on the Green.
We chatted with two of the nicest folks on the planet visiting Épernay for the first time OIB friends Tom and Michelle Lyons. Michelle represents the North End on the City Council.
And then, oh baby, I could not believe my eyes. Together enjoying Épernay none other than City Tax Collector Ann Kelly-Lenz and Tax Assessor Elaine Carvalho fresh off a Friday night budget session with the City Council’s Budgets and Appropriations committee. I wonder if budget co-chair Bob Curwen set the session Friday night just to torture two departments already understaffed.
Usually, it seems the tax collector and tax assessor for a municipality never get along. Too many turf issues. But Ann and Elaine are like sisters in arms, and that’s a good thing for the city to maximize city revenues.
Toto from the Wiz was also running around at Épernay. “Come on over here my little pretty,” I urged. “How about a taste of cabernet?”
Son of a gun preferred my index finger.
*** Boring, but hope you & yours had a good time nevertheless! *** Just a quick mention on the B & A’s departmental meetings this year; they’re quick & to the point with basically just the dept. heads. No fanfare from employees or anyone else, since there’s no “$” to be had by anyone except maybe a few depts. that don’t do what they’re supposed to do period, for whatever reasons? ***
Lennie: ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ.
What you’re saying is I’ll never cut it as a social reporter (grin). There’s always tomorrow. Big week coming up for the city budget. I get the feeling Wondering, Up On Bridgeport, Bridgeport’s Finest, Town Committee, Yahooy, Smoker and company will be sharpening their teeth.
By the way, everyone wants to know who the hell is Smoker. I’ll never tell (even if I did know) because I don’t know!
New post at the stroke of midnight.
Glad you wouldn’t out me, Lennie. I would definitely lose my job. I just blog what everyone else is saying and thinking. It is a big week for the budget albeit somewhat predictable. The positions that should be cut will not be touched because of pressure by Mario. He raised a lot of money for Finch so he can continue to exert his influence. I hope CitiStat survives because there’s always hope that someday someone will listen to Gomes’ recommendations. One can only hope.
*** Pork Chops anyone? This swine flu is hurting the pork industry already due to people’s perceptions & not knowing more information on the actual virus! *** New men’s & women’s bathrooms @ Wentfield Park in the west side of Bpt. should be up and ready by Memorial Day, let’s hope! Long time coming, no doubt but well needed as the park is always buzzing during warm weather & once “School’s out for Summer”! ***
Here we go again; how come if all the dept. heads had to speak with the council little miss Mario’s redhead just gets to leave her papers and run? They questioned Dr. Evans about the DOA and she explains that Hoyt does not report to her. Who does Mario’s girlfriend Rose report to? We know that the case with the elderly man that was thrown to the ground and arrested goes to court this week. Thank GOD the man has a son who is a police officer in another town and the lying that went on in that dept. will come to some truth. Rose has lost SWCAA grants and does not have to be accountable to anyone; instead Central grants takes over all her reports. Then you have the Recreation dept. planning all the large senior events and giving her public recognition and she does nothing except put a list together like every other senior organization (recreation breakfast this week) 20 years of lack of direction; incompetence and unprofessionalism. It is enough why should Mario control the outcome of what the City still does have to offer, especially in such difficult times? These 20,000 seniors deserve much much more.
The case does come to court this week. It will expose Rosemarie Hoyt’s pattern of racial discrimination. It will expose her Police Sgt. son’s inappropriate conduct. It will show Mario’s interference with a major city dept. It will make Mayor Finch look like an asshole for allowing all this to go on under his nose.
I forgot to add more facts to little miss Mario’s red head. For example, every City dept. has been hit w/ budget cuts &/or personnel layoffs Except for DOA. Yeah, we all know “THE TOP NOTCH” ceramics teacher was saved, but according to Ms. Sr. citizen, Rose Hoyt, she is short staff. Supposedly ever since Linda Cervero left the department Rose complains she is overwhelmed with work. I thought that Linda’s job was replaced by another city worker. If Rose is sooo busy then why is the morning coffee break still going on??? Can someone explain why a retired City employee, Anne Ehnot, is still working in the Eisenhower Ctr. with Little Miss Red Head? Anne was in the building just last week. If any of you council members want to witness these facts all you have to do is walk into the ctr. and see for yourself who is really overwhelmed with work.
I am in disbelief. About time the truth is finally coming out. I have had first-hand experience @ the Eisenhower Ctr. I had to go into the bldg. for tax appeal, and if Rose is a red head she was having coffee and toast with no care to the front desk. I was greeted by a friendly young lady that was directing traffic while translating and still caring for the seniors. I made the mistake of returning into the bldg. in the afternoon and I was barked at not greeted like earlier that morning. Don’t dare to go to the bldg. in the afternoon, yikes! I can’t help to wonder if this is the same employee that had a senior arrested. Does anyone know? The City needs to investigate the functions of this dept. I wonder if the Mayor is aware that he has an employee that has so much time on her hands she can sit for coffee and toast while complaining she is overwhelmed. I wish I had her job!
Speakingthetruth, I have had an unfortunate first-hand experience too. This lady treats her employees like they are scum, whenever they are the ones that are running the place from what it seems. All she does is drink coffee and read the CT Post all day. All the seniors know she is up to this.