Wooster Square Blossom Blog: August 2012

Monday, August 27, 2012

Wooster Square Blossom Blogs to the New Haven Open!

The tennis world took a break from competition at the Olympics, to make a stop right here in New Haven Connecticut. The Connecticut Tennis center at Yale is the site of the second New Haven Open (previously the Pilot Pen). This is also the second year that the tournament is a Women's only event. According to the New Haven Register's Chip Malafronte and tournament officials, the New Haven Open remains one of the top drawing events in THE WORLD. And you thought we just had Cherry Blossoms and Pizza! This year nearly 53,000 came out to see the weeklong event.

If you have not come to New Haven for the New Haven Open, put it on your radar for next summer. If you like tennis but have never seen a live match, you will love the action. Even if you like sports but don't follow tennis, you will be amazed at these athletic women professionals. Even, if you don't like sports, you will enjoy the sights and sounds of the Connecticut Tennis center and all the interesting events like the New Haven Wine and food festival's Grand Tasting. Hosted by New Haven's (county, he lives in a nearby suburb) own Jacques Pepin!

Jacques Pepin and Cheryl Szczarba remeniscing about Julia Child and the 100th anniversary of her birth in August.

There was food from over 16 local restaurants like nationally known and Wooster Square native and neighbor Jason Sobocinski owner of Caseus Restaurant and Cheese Shop and star of his show on the Cooking Channel, The Big Cheese. But even if you just like people and eating and having fun, it is a great night out with friends. If you don't like fun? Then you probably don't read this blog!

Cheryl's family has had a box in the Tennis Center since the old Volvo Tennis Tournament came to New Haven in the 1990's and Cheryl and I are now the caretakers of great spot in which to watch (and photograph!!) World Class Tennis. We Szczarba's are HUGE supporters of anything and everything New Haven!

Back to tennis. We saw world number one ranked doubles team with Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond win a great doubles final. And Cheryl and I adopted Petra Kvitova as our new favorite as 4 time New Haven Open Champ Caroline Wozniacki (with pro golfer boyfriend & two time major champion Rory Mcilroy in New Haven also) pulled out with a knee injury.

See Rory hitting tennis balls with his driver in the Yale Bowl on YouTube:

***click here****

Kvitova rallied in the second set of the final to beat Maria Kirilenko even though she brought her tough looking NHL boyfriend, Alex Ovechkin, a two time NHL Most Valuable Player. The Russian Hockey Star gladly signed autographs and posed for pictures during changeovers.

Tournament Director Anne Worcester telling NHL Superstar and 2 time MVP, Alex Ovechkin, that no one ever came to a Women's Tennis event and a Hockey game broke out......

Thanks Alex Ovechkin & Rory Mcilroy for coming to our city for the New Haven Open!

And you cannot think of the New Haven Open, with talking about Anne Wooster! When I occasionally bump into Anne on the Elevator going to New Haven Fitness, I tell her we love the tennis and the job she is doing for New Haven! This year is Anne's 15th year running the event and I read that all indications are that tennis will be in New Haven through 2020! Anne's ability to get the top players, treat them with all the VIP treatment they can get, bring them to all the food restaurants and shops, keeps them and us the fans coming back every year!

Thanks Anne Worcester for a great 2012 New Haven Open!!

Did I mention I took pictures? Check out the action!

Last years Darling Melanie Oudin is having a smashing time at

the New Haven Open

Marion Bartoli puts Xtra effort in but falls short...

Bethanie Mattek Sands has a colorful serve!

(are those Cherry Blossoms?)

This years America's Sweetheart on the courts,

Sloane Stephens shows powerful elegance...

There is a lot of crouching in doubles..

..lots of hand slaps too.

Some fans had a hawk eye view

Andrea Petkovic hardly had a chance to jig..

Lucie Safarova taking a leap of faith

Competitive fishing near the CT Tennis Center

Sofia Arvisdsson has her eye on the ball

Dominika Cibulkova's whips her serve!

Victory number 5 would have been so sweet, Caroline!

But your run came to an end....

Good Luck in the US OPEN Caroline!

Thanks for the memories...

Fellow Michigander, Megan Lee-Waters provided excitement in the doubles! (Our Aunt Rosemarie Riley of Livonia Michigan was a vocal supporter of Megan!)

As did Doubles legend Lisa Raymond

Maria Kirilenko shows form that got her to the finals.

Taste of victory for Peta Kvitova

2012 New Haven Open Winner

Queen Anne and her Court

2012 New Haven Open Champion

Petra Kvitova

Congratulations and Good Luck at the US Open to all who came to New Haven!!

Bart and Cheryl Szczarba
bartandcheryls@gmail.com

Friday, August 17, 2012

Blossom Math: 2012 Wooster Square Blossom Report

2012 Wooster Square Cherry Blossom Analysis

Peak April 6, 2012

When it comes to Blossom Math, the only way you can remember is to take an actual photo every day. It is a (bl)awesome responsibility that we take very seriously here on the Wooster Square Blossom Blog! This year I started taking photos everyday on March 18, 2012.

March 18, 2012

Wooster Square had one of the best Blooming seasons that many around here could remember. We reached peak poppadge here on Hughes Place on April 6, 2012 (see top photo). And with tears in each Wooster Squarians eyes we declared the Blossoms gone on April 11, 2012.

April 11, 2012

We reached peak greenadge on April 29, 2012

April 29, 2012

Wooster Square Blossoms as the Whole World Watched

What an exciting year for Cherry Blossoms in Wooster Square. Their duration, color, and aroma were at an absolute high. The Cherry Blossom Festival had the biggest crowds in memory. Oh, and did I mention the weather? How can you not mention the weather when it comes to Spring. 2011 you may recall had many interesting points, here are a few:

Snowmeggedon: We had more snow than I have seen my entire life wherever I lived and I grew up in Michigan
A Spring that never Sprung: Let's face it, after that winter any spring would have been good... except for this one.. cold rainy, windy. Global warming New England style.
Hurricane Irene: I can tell you that it blows to be in a hurricane (actually, Irene was a tropical storm by the time she came through).
An Earthquake: You can't make this stuff up.

Mother Nature Irene doing pruning!

However, 2011 was a good year for blossoms. Here is how they have stacked up since 2009 (since Cheryl and I have kept track):

2009 Blossoms popped April 17, over April 28 (11 days)

2010 Blossoms popped April 4, over April 9 (6 days)

2011 Blossoms popped April 20, over April 30 (11 days)

2012 Blossoms popped, over April 11 (13 days)

From the dates above you can see that the Blossoms were on the hurry up offense this year. They were over before they even popped in 2009 and the weather was warmer?!? Certainly our neighbor Gil Simmons has the answer, if there was a clear question.

Your best bet to find out all things Wooster Square Blossommy and beyond is right here! Slideshows are also a coming attraction!

Wooster Square Wrap-Up

Let's just relax and enjoy some shots on the Square!

It was a dark and stormy night....

(7-26-12)

...food for our neighbor Susan

Columbus with his iEarth

Wooster Wonders Wow...

Even the smallest of neighbors...

and those overachievers!!

Up Next!

Wooster Square Blossom Blogs to

The New Haven Open Tennis!

Reports and photos courtside

August 17 thru August 25

Save the Date!

The First Columbus Day Festival

Wooster Square

October 7, 2012

Have a great Weekend and visit one of the 10 Best Farmer's Markets in the USA Saturday Mornings, 9-1:00

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Wooster Square Blossom Blogs to Pittsburgh PA, USA

It has been a hot dry summer nearly everywhere, including here in Wooster Square. So Cheryl and I did what most Wooster Squarians do, take a road trip! This time time the Wooster Square Blossom blogs all the way to Pittsburgh PA USA! Pittsburgh? Well Pittsburgh just happens to be about half way between relatives in Michigan, Connecticut and Delaware. And if you have not been to Pittsburgh, there is a lot to do. First off, the city is like a miniature Manhattan. We literally parked our car (after a leisurely 9 hour drive) and never had to get back in it until we left. And the City is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance with more people moving back to the City and renovating amazing old buildings.

Another thing you can't help but like is that Pittsburgh is basically a mid-western City. I, being from Michigan, found Pittsburghers to be friendly, warm hosts. People who go out of their way to point out the sights to wayward travelers. And there are tons of interesting things about Pittsburgh to see and do. When you go, you have to walk to the Duquesne (doo -cane) incline and take the trolley line car to the top which is Washington Heights. The historic ride brings you to one of the best views of Pittsburgh, really amazing with all the bridges, sports stadiums & major companies Alcoa, Delmonte, Heinz to name a few. Pittsburgh Plate Glass Plaza is almost magical, looking as if you traveled to the Emerald City.

Steep and you need exact change

Best way to get to the top!

The two rivers meet to form the Ohio River- Great views!

Pro football was born in the hills and towns around Pittsburgh by the coal miners looking for sport between companies. You can learn a lot about Pennsylvania sport by going to the Sports museum, which was conveniently located accross the street from our hotel. Housed in the Heinz company museum, you can find out much about the area. Luckily for us, after the first day of a lot of walking, the drought broke and Pittsburgh had 4 inches of rain in 2 days. And when it rains it has really no place to go and flooding in the hills surrounding Pittsburgh becomes headache

Click here for info on Heinz History Center and the Sports Museum.

Rain could not spoil one of the main attractions to our 4 day get away. Pirates Baseball! Cheryl & I try to go to one ballpark a year as we are both baseball fans. Cheryl is a Red Sox fan, and I am Detroit Tiger fan. But we love the Pittsburgh Pirates who were surprisingly tied for first and have a shot at the playoffs for the first time since the “We are Fam- i - ly” days.... Let's Go Bucs! great fun in arguably one of the best places to see a game period. Check out the photos.

Stroke!

Take me out to the Ballgame

Play "Misty" for me!

Let's Go Bucs!

When in Pittsburgh on Saturday you have to venture to the "Strip". It is block after block of stores, finger foods, restaurants, quirky shops and the like. Oh and if you are looking for anything that say "Steelers" on it, you are in luck. There are lots of stores with this football towns shirts, hats & accessories! I read the other day in the Pittsburgh Gazette that more people came out for the first Steelers practice than a Red Sox game (just kidding Cheryl.)!

We even found a New Haven connection one day walking a river. If any of you remember the Louis Kahn designed Symphony Ship/ Barge that was parked in New Haven recently you would have been just as suprised to see this ship as we were! Apparently, Pittsburgh is Home Port for the Point Counterpoint. We caught the tail end of a concert there just before we saw these fireworks I shot just holding my Samsung Galaxy phone. We were so close it was awesome!