Wow. Whoa.

Sorry for the black-out there. Something got a little futzamajiggeemugooglappnightmarish. We're up and running!

RECORD-REVIEW "Talk of the Town"

By BONNI BRODNICK

Is your amaryllis beginning to wane? Are the fragrant rosemary plants that decorated your place at New Year’s starting to get white spots and look icky? Don’t even mention in public that your poinsettias from the holidays are still kicking around. The Pound Ridge Garden Club offers a few helpful and seasonal tips: toss the poinsettias now that they’re raggedy; but don’t throw them on the compost pile. The plants were likely sprayed with chemicals by the growers. As for the amaryllis: save the bulbs for new blooms next year. If you have a black thumb when it comes to this kind of stuff, listen up. #1. When the amaryllis blooms are spent and the foliage dies back, take the bulb out of the pot. #2. Wash the soil off of the bulb. #3. Place the bulb in a brown bag for storage in a cool dark place until next year. My own added #4: Is it spring yet? (That last snowstorm was a dozy. The snow on our driveway is over 5-feet high and driving the roads of Pound Ridge feels like we are forging new paths in Norway.)

Many thanks to Gligor Tashkovich for the news tip about Rollie Antiput, a former longtime East Woods Road resident, and her Carnegie Hall appearance with the Sno-King Community Chorale. Rollie will twill soprano in the United States premiere presentation of Karl Jenkins’ (a renowned Welsh composer and musician) “Gloria” and “Stabet Mater.” She is one of 50 members of the 117-member chorale to be traveling from Seattle to New York for the exciting event

“We have been rehearsing madly for this demanding program,” Rollie wrote from Seattle, where two of her four children live and she is busy serving on a Board, doing volunteer work and singing. For many years, Rollie also sang with her daughters in the Pound Ridge Community Church choir. “I look forward to being back east and to seeing some good friends and neighbors from Westchester who will be attending the Carnegie Hall performance. In the meantime, I send my Happy New Year wishes to Pound Ridge.”

The Town of Pound Ridge Recreation Department is pleased to announce a new program for our town’s seniors. Thanks to funding from the Pound Ridge Police Benevolent Association, the Rec Department is able to provide approximately 60 combination carbon monoxide/smoke detectors. Not only are wonderful volunteers available to install the units in seniors’ homes, but they will also inspect the units every six months. (Only one detector will be provided free of charge per seniors’ household.) To get with the program, please contact Louise Paolicelli, Neighbor-to-Neighbor program coordinator, at 764-8201 or prseniors@townofpoundridge.com. Requests for the CO2/smoke detectors should be submitted by March 15. Many thanks also go to Chubby’s Hardware for their generous assistance with the effort.

Hear ye, townsfolk! All are invited to attend the Pound Ridge Democratic Committee “Early Valentine’s Day Dinner” on Monday evening, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. at North Star. The famed restaurant’s Chef Franz Fruhmann — formerly of Bouley Bakers, Lespinasse, and Blue Hill at Stone Barn — will prepare a specially designed five-course winter tasting dinner menu with wine pairings. “Those who joined us last year at North Star will recall what a truly enjoyable evening it was for all who attended,” said Roslyn Stone, chairman of the Pound Ridge Dems. “Hope you will save the date and join us again this year for a delightful evening of fine food and wine, excellent music and good friends.” The fee for the pre-Valentine’s Day gathering is $150 per person in support of the Pound Ridge Democratic Committee and their 2011 efforts. Space is limited. Reserve your place at the table by emailing roslynstone22@me.com or give her a ring at 764-5557.

My January Mantra

Keep warm. Be cool.

Bedford Pound Ridge RECORD-REVIEW "Talk of the Town" - January 21, 2011

January 21, 2011

"Talk of the Town"
By Bonni Brodnick

Didja notice that several national advertisers are tryin’ to dumb us down by eliminating the “g” in gerunds in their commercial slogans? There’s McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it” and Dunkin Donuts “I’m drinkin’ Dunkin”. Well, I’m hatin’ it. Gee. What is becomin’ of the En_lish lan_ua_e?

Let your fingers on your keyboard do the walkin’. I mean walking.

Gail and Andi Wildman have designed, created and released www.WestchesterTowns.com, shortly followed by www.WestchesterRestaurantGuide.com under the umbrella of the Westchester Network of websites. And it gets even better: the Wildman’s have recently expanded beyond Westchester to cover the 10 counties of the Hudson Valley with www.Hudson-River-Valley.com and www.RestaurantsHudsonValley.com.

“Our goal for the Hudson Valley websites is to provide an accessible and easy-to-navigate guide that highlights the majestic beauty, historic significance, and exciting activities and attractions available throughout the region,” Gail said. There is information on scenic hiking, biking and apple-picking, wineries in Orange and Dutchess counties, listings of affordable get-aways and more. All of this, amidst the magnificent scenery of the Hudson River towns, and you’ve got a great day or weekend trip that’s an easy driving distance away. In RestaurantsHudsonValley.com you can even select a cuisine you might be hankering. In the mood for Caribbean, Peruvian, Pan Asian, Kosher, Portuguese, Greek, French or Irish? Consider Gail and Andi your cyber-travel agents to great finds in the Westchester and Hudson Valley regions.

One of the many terrific things about Albano Appliance is that they won’t try to sell you fancy-shmancy kitchen appliances and then leave you standing there wondering how to use them. A longtime Scotts Corner legacy for their excellence in service, Albano’s gives cooking and continuing education classes so that you can learn how to use your appliances before and after you purchase them. Jehan de Noüe, Albano’s resident chef with over 35 years in the restaurant industry, manages the Manufacturer’s Continuing Education Programs, as well as cooking classes and fundraising dinner events held in Albano’s five live kitchens. Chef Jehan has notified “Talk of the Town” that their winter/spring 2011 classes (open to all) are now featured on the website www.albanoappliance.com. Some of the offerings include Italian cooking with Chef Laura Bonechi on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. She is just back from an inspiring trip to Florence and looks forward to teaching the art of making perfect ravioli. Registration for all classes is required. For more info on the cooking series, speak with Patty at 764-4051. January is the great month to carve out some time to perfect your culinary skills.

For something sweet, Pound Ridge Library will host a chocolates and champagne benefit performance of “Love Letters,” the Pulitzer Prize nominated play by A.R. Gurney. The production, starring Cathy Schaeffer and Cyrus Newitt, is directed by Janis Powell and produced by Francine Myles. Mark your calendar for Saturday, Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. (Snow date is Saturday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m.) Tickets are $20 advance reservations and $25 at the door. You’ll also receive a 15% off coupon for dinner at North Star Restaurant (day of event only). For more information on what promises to be a delightful evening, contact the Library at 764-5085.

And that, dear readers, is the latest news from wintry Pound Ridge, where the snow is more than 2-feet high, the home fires are burning, high school juniors are panicking about their SATs, college students are finally back at school, grownups are in a frenzy to see the latest movies before the 83^rd Academy Awards, nervy bears straying from Ward Pound Ridge Reservation are traipsing on my front field, and ice skaters wearing colorful hats and scarves are twirling in circles on the frozen pond in the town park.

Snowed. In. AGAIN.

If you, too, are snowed in, and are looking for something/anything to read, Times of Brunswick, is online. I'm editor-in-chief of the magazine and the issues are chock full of interesting stuff. You can even hit the tab to get a "magazine view," which lines up the pages left and right. Or, as we say in the trade, verso-recto.

Go to http://www.brunswickschool.org/. Look right. Down a little. There you go.

Enjoy!

RECORD-REVIEW "Talk of the Town"

By BONNI BRODNICK

A handful of merchants from Pound Ridge to Katonah mentioned to "Talk of the Town" what a strong retail season they had during the holidays. Boo Girls in Katonah (ground zero for teen fashionistas) was busy, but not until Christmas did it really bust loose. “We had lots of regular customers and there was tons of gift wrapping going on,” said Gaynor Scott, proprietor and Pound Ridger. “One of the shopping trends this year was parents bringing in their daughters—mostly teenagers and college-age—to try on and pick out what they wanted. Some of the girls came in alone, made their selections and left with them all wrapped and ready to put under the tree because their moms were busy with other things. As time becomes more and more of a premium, customers didn’t want to buy gifts that weren’t the right size or style. They don’t want to deal with returns and credits.”

Back in Pound Ridge, the 18^th Annual January Sales Days are in progress, thanks to the efforts of the Pound Ridge Business Association. Chair of the Sales, Joan Silbersher, mentioned that discounts range from 10-50% on selected items storewide. Participants include Albano Appliance & Service, Antiques & Interiors, Antiques & Tools of Business & Kitchen, Eileen Godfrey Miniatures & Dollhouses, Juleigh’s Resale Couture, Pinocchio Pizza Restaurant, Poundridge Nurseries, Pound Ridge Wine & Spirits, and Silhouette. Sales Days continue through January 31. Have any Q’s? Call Joan at 764-0015 or -5122. BTW, shopping local is a great way to run into friends and neighbors during the long, lonely cold months of winter.

Ahavah Hadassah will host Joseph Wallace, author of “Diamond Ruby,” at a book talk at Pound Ridge Library on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. The novel is based on the true story of a lady pitcher who struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in exhibition play. Set in 1923, 18-year-old New Yorker Ruby Lee Thomas is forced to raise her two small nieces, after the 1918 Spanish influenza devastates her family. This belle of the ball field is blessed with elongated arms that make for blazing fastball. She’s got street smarts, boundless determination, and one great skill: the ability to throw a ball as hard as the greatest pitchers in baseball-crazed New York City. ”Diamond Ruby” chronicles the life of this young girl who rises from impoverishment to a headlining sports star. But fame comes with a price and she must protect her family from Prohibition, rumrunners, the Ku Klux Klan, and the gangster underworld. It’s a sweeping epic filled with memorable characters. “Come meet the author and get to meet some wonderful people at Ahavah Hadassah,” writes Theresa Fischer. For more information, please contact echofisch@aol.com. The author’s visit and book talk will surely be worth marking on the calendar.

Donna Monaco Olsen has set up a selection of delicious classes for Westchester Community College’s Continuing Adult Education series. “A Taste of Westchester” is a chance for some of the county’s most exciting restaurants to offer culinary adventures to tantalize the taste buds. Each chef offers private cooking demonstrations, followed by a tasting of the prepared foods. On the menu is AJ’s Burgers in New Rochelle on Tuesday, Jan. 18 from 4-6:00 p.m.; Chutney Masala Indian Bistro in Irvington on Wednesday, Jan. 19 from 12:30-2:30 p.m.; and Chiboust Bistro & Bakery in Tarrytown on Monday, Jan. 31 from 6-9:00 p.m. All classes are $15 to the college and a small cash fee to the restaurant for the food. Register online at www. sunywcc.edu/continuing_ed/courses/taste.htm or call 606-6830.

Many benchmark birthdays abound this month (including my Mom, who turned 80. HBMom!) At Mary Moat’s 100^th gathering at Conant Hall recently, another gloriously frosted cake with big pink roses was presented to Ruth Newell, who is celebrating her 90^th this January. Her spritely spirit is reinvigorated all year long as Ruth walks a couple of miles a day, and in summer, can be seen swimming at Pound Ridge Pool. Ruth, who grew up on West Lane, now lives in the A-Home and is thankful for being able to stay in the town she calls home. “A-Home is so convenient to everything,” she said. “I love my apartment because I have a great view to watch deer, birds, and squirrels.” Some of Ruth’s other tricks for longevity? She’s an avid reader and “reads at least three books every two weeks. I also love to play solitaire and any kind of puzzles to keep my mind active, including crosswords and Soduko, a Japanese number puzzle game with 9x9 boxes.” And how many 90-year olds do you know who are hip enough to be on the Internet and use email? Feel free to send your warmest birthday wishes to Ruth.Newell@yahoo.com.

We enjoy hearing about what’s happening to Pound Ridgers near and far, present and past. Please send your quips, blips and blurbs regarding town activities, nature notes, travels afar, scholastic accomplishments, sports achievements, engagements, weddings, new babies and grandchildren to bonnibrodnick@gmail.com. All topics are appropriate for inclusion in this column. Alternatively (but not preferred), you may mail info to The Record-Review, P.O. Box 455, Bedford Hills, NY 10507.

RECORD-REVIEW "Talk of the Town" - January 1, 2011

By BONNI BRODNICK

How’s everyone doing with the New Year? Are you settled into your new regime of exercising every day, eating more vegetables and at least three fruits a day, going to sleep earlier; trying to figure out the difference between Kindle and Nook; and why, in short haircuts, Natalie Portman and Winona Ryder look like twins separated at birth? By putting an end to saying how strange it is to say/write “2011,” you are on your way to a brilliant New Year.

You live. You learn. Pound Ridge Library’s Adult Learning Center is gearing up to offer an evening of winter mini-courses called “How to Read Fiction.” Robert DiYanni, an adjunct professor of humanities and a senior lecturer at New York University, teaches courses in writing, literature, critical thinking and interdisciplinary humanities. He has taught English and humanities for four decades at a number of universities— including Pace City University of New York and Harvard. Dr. DiYanni — a former Pound Ridger and now of Bedford — is also author/editor of a slew of books, primarily for college students, including “Arts and Culture: An Introduction to the Humanities” (Prentice Hall; “Modern American Poets” (McGraw), a text to accompany the PBS television series, “Voices and Visions.” The course at the Library will teach/inspire you to embrace reading fiction as one of life’s greatest pleasures. “It offers suspense and surprise, conflict and resolution, expectations aroused and satisfied, delayed or possible frustrated,” Dr. DiYanni wrote. “Fiction also offers pleasures of language and form, meaning and feeling, image and idea.” Bring your thinking caps. The meetings will be interactive and engaging, as perceptions and perspectives of provocative pieces of fiction are shared. Clear the calendar for Tuesday evenings: Jan. 11 and 18, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. There is no fee, but registration is required, as class size is limited. Call the Library at 764-5085 for more information.

While most of the trees in Pound Ridge are dormant at this time of year, artist and printmaker Sally Frank brings their images alive with “Tree Work,” her new one-woman exhibition of etchings, monoprints and monotypes of trees and woodland landscapes. “I attempt to convey the distinctive beauty, energy and sense of balance found in nature,” Sally said. “In today’s busy world, nature has become remote and is of little relevance. Few and few people have the opportunity to stand in the midst of an old forest; to hear the rustle of leaves in the wind, high in the canopy; to see sunlight filtered through the intricate patterns of leaves and branches; and to feel the stillness of an old forest.” The new work to be presented in “Tree Work” illustrates Sally’s exceptional talent with the solar plate and intaglio print process. Come meet the artist at the exhibit’s opening reception at Pound Ridge Library Gallery on Sunday, Jan. 9 from 3-6 p.m.

Mary Moat took the cake this week as townsfolk gathered at Conant Hall to celebrate her 100^th birthday. Regaled for decades for her elegance, generosity, graciousness, thoughtfulness and civic-mindedness, Mary was surrounded by friends as she welcomed in her new century. As one of the stars in the book, “Pound Ridge Past: Remembrances of our Townsfolk,” Mary talked about coming to Pound Ridge in 1949 as a young mother. “The town was small with only 800 people. Everyone knew everyone else and all of the kids played together.” It was a time when Lower Shad Road had not been paved, and “… Long Ridge Road was a joy. There was no traffic. It was before 684 and it was a beautiful easy road.” A founding member of the Pound Ridge Historical Society, Mary has been involved in practically every club and committee in town, from the Pound Ridge Landmarks Commission to the Pound Ridge Garden Club. Her stance on community service has long been clear: “If you come here and love Pound Ridge, you should be willing to give something of yourself to the town.” As we all start our New Year, we send Mary our most heartfelt Happy Birthday wishes.