July 20, 2021, by Natalie Kainz-Some came for the tunes, some came for the pies, and others just came for the vibes.That was the scene Monday evening as nearly 100 people gathered in Beecher Park behind Westville’s Mitchell branch library. They set up picnic mats and charcuterie spreads. at the second day of the Hi-Fi Pie Fest, which began last week with a berry pie baking competition.
Friday | July 23, 2021
July 21, 2021, by Brian Slattery- "Jason Ramos of Baila Con Gusto moved fluidly between English and Spanish as he stood before a group of about 20 students Tuesday evening on the newly closed-to-traffic Central Avenue Patio between Whalley Avenue and Fountain Street. “This class is para todos,” he said. The group was gathered there to learn the basic steps to salsa, and Ramos was there to teach and kick off a night of dancing in the street that turned the heart of Westville into a s
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Wednesday | July 14, 2021
July 13, 2021, by Lucy Gellman- "It's a refuge from the moment Alisha Crutchfield-McLean opens the door. The smells of lavender, peppermint, bergamot and musk mingle in the air. A huge chalk orchid explodes in oranges and yellows across one wall; bird and butterfly houses chat happily amongst each other on another. Small bouquets of fresh flowers and sprigs of eucalyptus wait for their new owners in the window, soaking up the sun. Welcome to BLOOM, Crutchfield-McLean's self-described "urban oasis meets community center" just blocks from her Westville home.
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July 13, 2021, by Natalie Kainz- "Any way you slice it, the competition was fierce Monday at Westville’s annual “Hi-Fi” pie-baking contest outside Mitchell Library. The youngest competitor, 12-year-old Vivian Balazs faced up against a returning champion’s mixed-berry pie, her brother’s ombre berry delight, and six other delectable creations. In the end, Balazs’ “Blackberry Pie with a Lattice top” took the winning prize - a $50 gift card to the Devil’s Diet dessert bar.
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July 13, 2021, by Karen Ponzio- "Where does one find Snoopy keeping company with NSYNC and the Sweathogs? In Westville, and more specifically, at Lower Forms, the new vintage and resale clothing store located on 16 Fountain St. The store celebrated its grand opening this past Saturday with an onslaught of happy shoppers combing through the racks for T-shirts, jeans, and more.
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Friday | July 9, 2021
July 8, 2021, by Natalie Kainz- "Sending the aroma of essential oils, flowers, and bath products out into the surrounded Westville neighborhood, Alisha Crutchfield-McLean officially opened the doors to her new store BLOOM on Thursday. The lifestyle boutique, marketplace and community center at 794 Edgewood Ave. celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by 50 city and state officials, staff, and Westville residents.
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Tuesday | July 6, 2021
July 5, By Brian Slattery- "Kate Henderson’s Mitochondrial Eve stands in Kehler Liddell Gallery like an altar, a place to make an offering to art, science, and perhaps a higher power all at the same time. The figure in the middle, holding aloft a shape that evokes an egg, partakes of past representations of religious figures and fertility goddesses. The plants growing up around her suggest fecundity.
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July 2, by Natalie Kainz- "A “community oasis” is blossoming on the corner of Edgewood and Central Avenue — where handmade birdhouses hang from the ceiling, flowers spring from shelves, and a garden sprouts lavender. The self-described lifestyle boutique is called BLOOM. It is located at 794 Edgewood Ave.
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Thursday | April 22, 2021
April 15, 2021, by Lucy Gellman- "The figures turn their faces to the sky, eyes wide and wondering. Their cheeks are full, their heads round with dainty ears. In the front of the pack, one head rotates in place, thick, knotty fingers spanning its chin. Another smiles a long, tired sort of smile, completely unperturbed by the small bird on his brow.
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Monday | March 8, 2021
March 3, 2021. Words and Photos By Lucy Gellman- "Rasheem Dixon grew up with the Mitchell Library as his safe haven. He sees its potential closure in Mayor Justin Elicker’s proposed “Crisis Budget” as a crisis point itself. Dixon is one of thousands of New Haveners who have come to know the Mitchell Branch of the New Haven Free Public Library as a second home, after school refuge, zero-cost coworking space, storytime mecca, community connector, and life preserver.
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