"POUND RIDGE PAST" on Amazon

                                                                                                 Graphic Design: Gina Federico

                                                                                                 Photograph: Fran Collin

On Saturday, I met a cherished friend for breakfast at Kitchen Table, a small farm-to-table café in Pound Ridge, N.Y. I felt like the Queen of Maharashtra with so many friends coming up to the table to say hello. Between chats and catch-up, I took bites of one of my favorite (and most renowned) items on the menu, Avocado Toast.  What is it?  Avocado mixed with lemon, EVOO, crushed red pepper on multigrain toast topped with micro-greens and a farm-fresh egg, over easy. Ordering that, and a cup of English Breakfast tea (with milk on the side), along with sitting across from a great friend and ... running into old friends from my beloved Pound Ridge ... and I call that a perfect morning.

Someone asked where to find my book, Pound Ridge Past, so here's the skinny: 

brand new, second edition, signed copies of the book are available directly from me on Amazon. Click here to land directly on the page. 

And while you are there, notice that beautiful cover?  I am ever-grateful to Gina Federico (graphic designer) and Fran Collin (photographer) for their out-of-the-ballpark talent and collaboration. 

Passover Downunder

Jo Hay Paints with Real Rabbitude

So I was driving through Scotts Corners after a yoga class and, suddenly, I felt like someone was checking whether my hands were on the wheel at 2 and 10 o'clock. I looked in my left mirror and saw nothing but trees whizzing by. Then, when I looked right, I saw three big rabbits staring at me ... rather beckoning me ... to come hither and check out those crazy lapins in the new exhibit at The Lionheart Gallery.

Though it was seven o'clock on a beautiful early-spring evening and the gallery was closed, I had no choice but to stop. And knock ... hoping my friend and gallery director Susan Grissom would be there to let me in and see, up close, these rabbits with serious 'tude.

Susan let me into the studio to sniff around. There they were ... the rabbits. May I introduce Aladdin Sane, China Girl, Blackstar, Blue Jean, Major Tom, Ziggy, Rocket Man, The Thin White Duke, Hercules, Nelson, and Zephyr. 

Their portraits are edgy, sensational and seductive. Their huge heads and prodigious ears portray snarky boldness and haughty panache. I'm in love.

"As a figurative painter, I initially imagined the rabbit paintings would be purely experimental," says artist Jo Hay, who was born in Newcastle Upon-Tyne England in 1964. "I very quickly realized that they are equally relevant portraits in themselves."

Hay goes on to explain how her work is dependent on a variety of paint marks made with different sized brushes and tools.

"Along with color, the scale and position of these marks is responsible for the vigorous visual activity that I want in all of my work," she continues. "The rabbits are a place for me to find new ways of constructing a living figure without being concerned with likeness or gender. Instead, it forces me to closely examine each rabbit's personality differences to make each portrait unique. This focused study also helps me to achieve strong anatomical structure and give me time to contemplate my unequivocal belief in animal consciousness."

And karma. 

These creatures that hog up a canvas with high-flying ears beckon the viewer to come closer. Anyone have a carrot?  Don't bother. These rabbits are way too cool to take a gnaw.

A Tribute to the Magnificent Mary Moat (1912-2016)

                                                                                                                                                                          Photo: Fran Collin

Mary Moat, longtime grande dame of Pound Ridge, passed away at the age of 105. She was a gentle woman who graced the town with her dignified manner, patience, sincerity, humility and strong sense-of-self.

I remain humbled to have had the opportunity to spend time with Mary and interview her for my book, POUND RIDGE PAST. She spoke about moving to town as a young mother from Manhattan in 1949, the great parties, and the awkwardness of wearing a beau martin to her first PTA meeting at Pound Ridge Elementary School.

Please enjoy her story, "Beaded Bags and Country Living" ...

To receive a personalized copy of POUND RIDGE PAST (second edition), 

please contact bonnibrodnick@gmail.com

Bad Font

While walking past a soft ice cream joint on Columbus Avenue in NYC, the poster above caught my eye.

Does anyone else see anything fundamentally wrong with the script font? The open curve on the top right loop of the "w" looks like an "e." "Be Bowel'd?"

No. Thank you.

ADDENDUM: Being an Empty Nester: It's All About Me! Me! Me!

Many of my friends' kids have received their letters of acceptance to college. Thus begins new chapters for all.  The early days of being an empty nester can be emotional as one tries to embrace, "Where did the time go?" Give it some time though. I promise you'll eventually get into the swing of it. 

Here was my Monday night:

Go to the gym. Come home, grab a quick bite, go to an incredible yoga meditation class given by my good pal, Ollie. Come home at about 9:30 p.m, make some scrambled eggs and toast, pour a glass of white, and watch "Billions." (This is generally NOT a Monday evening I could have done with the children home.) It's all about me now. Me! Me! Me! (Just kidding, Andrew ... Oh, hi. When did you get home??)

ADDENDUM:

Here was my Tuesday night:

6:00 p.m. - Leave the office and go shopping at The Container Store. Get stuff to change my closets from winter to spring/summer. (And BTW, the Ziploc storage bags that you stuff and then suck out the air with a vacuum cleaner? Thumbs up.)

7:00 p.m. - Gather cashmeres, put in bags, and suck out the air for the next two hours. Make pile of my winter clothes now in airtight bags ready to go up to the attic.

7:15 p.m. - Talk on the phone for an hour.

8:15 p.m. - Throw a load of white towels into the washing machine.

8:30 p.m. - Receive Face-Time call from my daughter who is studying in Grenada. Talk for another 45 minutes on the phone. 

9:15 p.m. - Make a salad. 

9:20 p.m. - Pop a Lean Cuisine into the micro.

9:21 p.m. - Pour a glass of white wine.

9:24 p.m. - Take dinner out of the micro. 

9:25 p.m. - Turn on CNN to catch the Donald Trump and family interview with Anderson Cooper. 

9:25:10 p.m. - Take a sip of wine and reflect on how this is generally NOT how I would spend a Tuesday evening if the children were home.

9:40 p.m. Hear some noise in the front of the house. Must be my husband. ("Andrew, is that you?" I call, not looking away from the flat screen. "Hope you've eaten dinner! I just want to finish this interview on '360.' I'll be right there.")

What a Hack Job

If you are one of the many who received a weird email from me, don't open it. Apparently I got hacked from someone in Illinois.

Wrote one friend in Mexico: "I was wondering why in sam-hell you were sending me an advertisement for a barcalounger. Then, I put it together. You were hacked."

View from the Treadmill #2

At the gym today I saw a woman working out on the elliptical wearing a black North Face down-parka. (Am I missing something?) 

Her athletic wear brings a whole new meaning to "looking hot at the gym."


#workingout #gymrat #gettinghot #let'ssweatALOT #isithotinhereorisitme #theimportanceofhydration #stunningathleticfeats

Among Some Age Groups, Tutus Reign

Only in Westchester ...

A 3-year-old wearing a pink tutu bathing suit was walking with her mother out of the locker room at my gym. 

"C'mon, Peanut," says the mom as she reaches out her hand.

"I'm not a peanut," responds the little girl adamantly. "I'm a princess."

HURRICANE FORECASTED IN WESTCHESTER

On an early walk this morning, I noticed an unusual lighting. There was a yellow cast and I know from the past that this is an indication of a forthcoming hurricane. It appeared that birds, too, sensed a storm approaching because the forest was silent. The change in air pressure alerts creatures of the impending weather. Many think because birds have hollow bones that they have this sixth sense. Rather, they use their ears, which are acutely, pressure-sensitive organs.

You are probably wondering, "What is more dangerous? A hurricane or a tornado?" They are both powerful forces of nature, but hurricanes are bigger and can do more damage. With that in your mind, if you come back and look at the photo above -- and fast-forward post-hurricane -- you will likely notice that the fallen log (on the bottom right of the photo) has been blown onto the top left ledge of the rock. The leaves, too, may have cleared from the high velocity of the wind.

According to Prof. Jonah McPhooey at the Weather Institute of Advanced Studies in Jeestring, Nevada, "Yellow light is a strong indicator that a major storm is looming. We advise citizens to dodge for cover under the nearest rock or, best, stay at home or in their cars."

What is now being coined as "The April Fool's Day Hurricane" is expected to roar through the state by midnight tonight. Coastal communities are advised to prepare for flooding, strong winds and power failures. Those citizens residing in more in-land locations are being warned to brace for heavy rain and erosion.

In what for many will be a great relief, all presidential campaign appearances and media coverage for both the Republican and Democratic parties have been cancelled in the State of New York. This absence of election news will clear the airwaves for important updates on the impending hurricane that is expected to rock the area.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to stay tuned to your radio and CNN for further updates.