In Sight

Kathleen O’Rourke/The Advocate

Chris Molina, a kindergarten student, runs into his classroom in his dinosaur costume after the Halloween Parade at Springdale Elementary School.

I counted 12 Spider-Men, 10 Batmen and dozens of Power Rangers.  It’s nice to see that kids today still believe in superheroes.  I can thank my colleague CP for correcting my original commentary.  I had used “Spider-Mans” and “Batmans” but his comment on this entry clarified my confusion.  Can you tell his mother was a teacher?

Kathleen O’Rourke/The Advocate

Two men sit in the lobby of the Government Center in downtown Stamford.

I was on my way to the Stamford Senior Center on the second floor of the Government Center when I noticed the man in the tan hat sitting, reading the paper.  I didn’t even notice the other man in the lobby but as I composed the image and prepared to shoot he “wheeled” through my frame.  Voila!

Kathleen O’Rourke/The Advocate

A group of men gather under the State Street bridge as they attend a health fair organized by the Lower Fairfield County Regional Action Council.  Medical staff and volunteers from Stamford Hospital, Greenwich Health Department and Optimus provided flu shots and blood pressure screenings at the fair.

Once again the early morning light theory was proved true as day laborers gathered at their designated pick-up location under the bridge.  I was there to cover the health fair but couldn’t help but gravitate towards this beam of light spilling under I-95.  It was the popular spot given this mornings cool temperatures.

Chris Preovolos/The Advocate

Shawn Thomson, 17, of Norwalk, fires up the crowd during the 2008 Middle School Unified Sports Soccer Tournament and Elementary Unified Sports Day at New Canaan Country School on Wednesday.

Shawn was a crowd pleaser, particularly popular was his Hulk Hogan “I can’t hear you” impression. Ain’t nothing like kicking off an event like this with some good-old-fashioned school spirit.

–CP

Chris Preovolos/The Advocate

Brianne Hiltz, the outgoing Miss Connecticut Teen USA, congratulates this year’s winner, Tiffany Teixeira, left, after the 2009 Miss Connecticut USA/Miss Connecticut Teen USA Pageant at the Hilton in Stamford on Sunday.

So yeah, OK, this pageant has nothing to do with Miss America, but I couldn’t come up with another headline.

–CP

Ashley Bickford, Miss Rhode Island 2007, in the 2009 Miss Connecticut USA pageant’s swimwear competition.

Brianne Hiltz, the outgoing Miss Connecticut Teen USA, wipes away a tear during the pageant this year in Stamford.

Kathleen O’Rourke/The Advocate

ABOVE: William Lindstrum replaces the flag at Sterling Farms Golf Course during the St. Luke’s LifeWorks and Literacy Volunteers “Links to Learning” golf tournament.

BELOW: A groundskeeper blows leaves at Sterling Farms Golf Course.

Chris Preovolos/The Advocate

ABOVE: Giovanna Molinaro, left, and  Luigi Molinaro, right, of Harrison, N.Y., pose with their 1957 Fiat 500 “Jolly” after the annual Columbus Day Parade in Stamford.

10/12/2008

No matter how hard I try, I could never, ever be as cool as the Molinaros as they ride in their beautifully restored beach-mobile. One, they say, that was formerly owned by Princess Grace of Monaco. I kept thinking I’d see Marcello Mastroianni round a corner and greet them, except that – you know – he’s dead.

I don’t look forward to covering parades; “déjà vu all over again” does not begin to describe the feeling as I watch marching bands head down Summer St. However, I will admit the Columbus Day parade is an absolute pleasure to shoot. In part because it is smaller and less organized (in a good way) than some of the bigger parades. Also because everybody seems genuinely glad to see you. This year I tried to go undercover today with a small camera and a decidedly dressed-down look, but I was still spotted and stopped by several people I know from covering assignments for the newspaper.

The fact that there is an Illy espresso cart waiting at the end of the route serving coffee can’t hurt…though I can pull much better shots with my home roasted blend on my Rancilio than you will ever get from Illy pod coffee, but like they say: a caval donato non si guarda in bocca. Capisce?

–CP

POST SCRIPT: Oh yeah, there is an audio slideshow here.

ABOVE: Novembre Siciliano. I photograph him every year. Maybe twice if you count the harvest festival parade. I’m still pretty sure we don’t understand what we are saying to each other though.

BELOW: Who can forget the dancers from the Minturnese club? Since the Advocate moved to Hope St. we are neighbors now. I eyed the bocce courts all summer but never got around to asking if I could roll a couple games with them.

Kathleen O’Rourke/The Advocate

Members of the Wilton High School marching band entertain the crowd as Wilton takes on Westhill in FCIAC football in Stamford.