From age 17 to 37, the longest I lived in any one location was four years. Then we moved to Westport. Westport is the perfect for me to be whatever I want to be, whenever I want to be it.
I love that in this town I can be my true self, a hardworking blue-collar, sports fanatic. If I want to go watch a great high-school football game, I head to Staples on a Friday evening. If I want to go watch a championship lacrosse game, I’ll find out where Coach K and his crew are.
See, my core sports are the only thing I have loved outside my family. I can drive around town with my family and catch a Little League baseball game on the fields at Compo as the spring weather starts to turn. There’s a lacrosse game at PJ Romano on a Saturday morning with my sons, or a soccer game at windy Wakeman for my daughter. And in this small community, sports are one of the town’s main fabrics. And that suits me perfectly.
The weather starts to warm. The birds start making more noise. The grass gets a little greener. And sports become more prevalent for my family. Springtime means that time at, or on, the water is closer. Before I moved to Westport I knew nothing about the water or Compo Beach, or boats. Living here allows me than to become a “water” person. We can hop on a boat and go out on the sound and tube, fish or just hang with friends. We can go to Old Mill and set up shop, kids can skim-board while we can relax watching the sailboats cruise by.
Spring is great, because downtown and its restaurants come to life. Meals out on the deck at Nômade make me feel like I’m on vacation. Swinging by The Granola Bar on my way to a meeting, or grabbing a bowl from GG and Joe while sitting outside when it’s 60 and sunny — I feel like a New Yorker even though I’m not. If I want a laid-back evening, I can head to Little Barn or Riko’s while watching a game and be casual.
If I want to go out with my family and get a little more dressed up, we can go to Spotted Horse, and while the street is shut down, kids can run around, and we can enjoy a meal as we see so many friends walking by. And if I want to feel really fancy, we can make our way to Gabriele’s and live it up.
This town has everything you want and anything you need. And as spring comes around, it only reinforces the fact that big city life with the small town feel is what Westport is.
You can be what you want, when you want, with the people you want to be that with. As my wife likes to say, “The only way Westport could be better is if it had a Target.” Lol.
And while I adore Target, my American Express is happy that one’s still a “drive away.” We’ve loved the last five years in Westport, are so grateful for the life and friends we’ve built here, and don’t plan on leaving any time soon.