A Reporter’s Notebook: Why Westport Rocks When It’s Quiet

By JEN CHEN

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After I retired from writing the Night Ranger column last fall, I needed some decompressing, and I’ve been rediscovering the joys of having my weekends free again. But I’ve been venturing out again more lately. And I find that I’m drawn to Westport. I have a newfound appreciation of the area. I used to avoid it on weekends; I hated dealing with the traffic that often blocked the intersection of Broadway and Westport Roads, as well as the unpleasantly packed bars.

Now, though, things are much different. As one of my interviewees pointed out for this week’s cover story, there’s more of a laid-back vibe to the place. I love the variety of locally-owned restaurants and bars (mmm … Au Poivre burger at Blanc. Westport feels like a neighborhood again, rather than a weekend destination that attracts the popped-collar, d-bag set.