The Y’s Women, based in Westport, Connecticut, is an organization of active and involved working and retired women. Membership provides opportunities for personal growth through diverse learning and recreational experiences, travel and volunteer options and a social network.
Local Happenings
A brand new satellite group, initially being called Local Happenings, will provide an opportunity for members to meet each other for a variety of local activities. Did you ever read about a local event and wish there were others to share the activity with you? If so, consider joining this group and participating together in activities of this type.
This will be an informal group that will supplement – not replace – other satellite groups such as Book Clubs, the Movie Group, Solos, and Carpool & Go, which identify a scheduled activity each month. The group already had its first adventure at the Westport Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) on February 23 – a private tour of the exhibition “Paul Camacho: El Ritmo y La Unidad.” Camacho was active in Westport’s art life in the 1960s and 1970s.
You can join this group by sending your email address to Barbara Alfinito at barbsgetaway@aol.com. Information on future activities will be emailed to you. And feel free to send suggestions concerning local activities and events that might be of interest. We also are looking for someone to share the work involved in coordinating this group. Please email Barbara if you are interested.
Interest Groups
NOTE: Please remember that all Y’s Women who participate in meetings held at the Westport Center for Senior Activities must be registered with the Center and check in before each meeting
NOTE: Please remember that all Y’s Women who participate in meetings held at the Westport Center for Senior Activities must be registered with the Center and check in before each meeting
Book Group 2 will meet at the Westport Center for Senior Activities on Thursday, May 8 from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. We will be discussing Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb. Beverly Silverman will lead the discussion. Please email Nancy Bloom at nancyerb@aol.com if you have any questions.
Book Group 3 will meet at the Westport Center for Senior Activities on Friday, May 9 at 10:30 am to discuss Kantika by Elizabeth Graver. Andrea Harman will lead the discussion. New members are welcome to our group. If you are interested or have any questions, contact Doris Levinson at 227-3371 or drjlevinson@gmail.com.
The Movie Club will meet on Wednesday, May 21 at the Westport Center for Senior Activities. We meet informally at 2:00 pm to give members a chance to socialize, and our discussion begins at 2:30. Our room often changes, so be sure to ask the front desk about our location. We ask all attendees to have been vaccinated. We are limited to 25 attendees, so please confirm your attendance with Margaret Mitchell by May 17.
We plan to discuss the movies Enchanted April and Pride & Prejudice. Enchanted April was broadcast at 9:00 pm on Saturday, April 19 as part of PBS Reel 13 Classics. Pride & Prejudice is available on Netflix. Videos for both movies are also listed in the catalogs of the Westport and Fairfield Libraries.
Enchanted April is a 1991 British historical drama directed by Mike Newell. The screenplay by Peter Barnes was adapted from Elizabeth von Arnim’s 1922 novel The Enchanted April. It stars Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Polly Walker, and Joan Plowright, with Alfred
Molina, Michael Kitchen, and Jim Broadbent in supporting roles.
Pride & Prejudice is a 2005 historical romantic drama directed by Joe Wright and based on Jane Austen’s 1813 novel. The film features five sisters from an English family of landed gentry as they deal with issues of marriage, morality, and misconceptions. Keira Knightley stars as Elizabeth Bennet, while Matthew Macfadyen plays Mr. Darcy, who falls in love with her.
If you wish to be added to the email list for future events, please contact Margaret Mitchell at 255-9094 or margaret06824@yahoo.com.
NewsTalk: Interested in national and world affairs? Join other Y’s Women for lively discussions at NewsTalk. Our next meeting is on Thursday, May 22 from 10 - 11:30 am at the Westport Library, Room 214. For information, contact Sheila Weiss at 227-2786 or srweiss@gmail.com.
Solos will be going to Luigi’s Restaurant (170 Post Road, Fairfield) for lunch at 12:30 pm on Thursday, May 22. We will have a special three-course luncheon for $16.95 plus tax and tip, with separate checks. There is a choice of soup or salad, several entrees, and a special dessert that day. For reservations, contact Terry Queirolo at tmq44@icloud.com or 858-1470 by Monday, May 19.
TUESDAYS AT THE BEACH
Hosted by Solos for All Y’s Women
We will once again meet at Compo Beach starting May 13 and every Tuesday through September, weather permitting. No pass is required for Tuesdays; just tell them at the gate you are with Y’s Women. We will meet at 4:00 to 4:30 pm to the right of the cannons. Bring your beach chair and your dinner, and join us for many pleasant evenings of socializing.
We will also have our popular Pot Luck Dinners on the second Tuesday of the month, starting June 10 and also July 8 and August 12. We ask everyone to bring something to share. All paper products along with water and iced tea will be provided by Solos.
The Lunch & Trivia group will meet at noon on May 15 at the VFW Hall. The cost is $25 (cash only). If you wish to attend, please contact Annette Kirban at lakirban@optonline.net or 505-1187.
The Mah Jong Group meets every Thursday at 1:00 pm at the Westport Center for Senior Activities. Experienced players are welcome. For information, contact the group’s new administrator, Mona Unser, at mona.unser@gmail.com.
Sadly, the Wisest Investment Group is disbanding after a long and successful run.
The New Yorker Discussion Group meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 10:30 am until noon in the Westport Library, Room 213. Each participant chooses an article from one of the previous month’s issues and leads a short discussion about the article. Participants who are not able to meet personally can participate on Zoom. If you’re interested, please contact Ellen Cahill at 856-6561 or ellenjcahill@hotmail.com or for details.
Tai Ji: Instructor Ruby Shih is an experienced long-time Tai Ji / Qi Gong and Meditation teacher and a founder of a Tai Ji School in Manhattan (Nanlaoshu.org). She offers a Tai Ji class that meets weekly on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 10:30 am at the Saugatuck Congregational Church, 245 Post Road East, Westport, Room 109. The class focuses on breath and slow movement for relaxation, grounding, and balance to enhance our physical and mental well-being. A fee of $10 per session is used to offset rental and insurance costs. If you’re interested, please contact Ruby at Rubypalace88@gmail.com or 917-816-6661.
Scrabble: On the first and third Monday of each month, Pennie More hosts a Scrabble game at 1630 Post Road East, Unit 214 (Lansdowne) from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Please contact Pennie at pcmore2@gmail.com or 216-2862 to reserve a seat at the table.
Let’s Meet for Lunch …
…on Thursday, May 8 at 12:30 pm at Mexica to celebrate Cinco de Mayo – as we did last year. The menu features an array of Mexican dishes including lunch specials at $15. We will receive separate checks. Mexica is located in Westport at 221 Post Road West, at the Sylvan Road South intersection. All Y’s Women are welcome. For reservations, contact Judy Mappa at judypala@hotmail.com by May 7.
CARPOOL & GO!
On Thursday, May 29, Carpool & Go will visit the popular Seven Bridges Foundation in Greenwich for an 11:00 am tour. Seven Bridges was founded in 1993 as a nonprofit enterprise by Richard McKenzie to support well-known and emerging artists. Located on 80 acres in back-country Greenwich, the beautifully cultivated property is comprised of two galleries and scattered outdoor sculptures. The 1,200-piece collection includes modern and figurative paintings, fabulous glass art created by international artisans, sculptures, and photographs. “I hope visitors leave Seven Bridges with a different mindset than when they entered,” notes McKenzie.
We’ll meet behind the Wells Fargo bank at Trader Joe’s parking lot at 9:30 am for a 9:45 departure. Our 11:00 guided tour will cost $20 per person. Please contact Jill Meyer at jill@awayfortheday.net or 226-4310 to reserve your place, and then mail a check for $20 payable to Jill at 40 Owenoke Park, Westport CT 06880. The gas reimbursement for your driver will be $5 in cash. Please indicate whether or not you can drive, as drivers are always needed and appreciated.
After our tour, lunch will be at Capulis, 143 Post Road East (Sconset Square is in back), Westport, 557-9340.
Directions:
Drive south on the Merritt Parkway to exit 29. At the end of the ramp, turn left onto Old Mill Road North. Turn right onto North Porchuck and follow it to our destination at 114 John Street, Greenwich.
Jill Meyer cell phone: 216-7666
Lydia Menendez cell phone: 543-7484
In Memoriam
We are sad to report that Rosalie Kaye, an active Y’s Woman for many years before facing recent health challenges, passed away on March 24.
Donations to Mercy Learning Center
Donations to Mercy Learning Center
Thank you for your generous support of the Mercy Learning Center. Donations for the season will conclude at our May 12 meeting and will resume in September.