Bonni Brodnick Blog

By BONNI BRODNICK W hen we first moved to Pound Ridge 18 years ago, the slightest zephyr caused a black-out. NOT funny on a certain July day when the refrigerator was packed with food for that evening’s dinner party. I called Albano Appliance & Service and within hours, a repairman was here to remedy the prob. Since 1952, when current owner Fred Albano ‘s grandparents founded this Scotts Corners retail mainstay, it has been offering AA+ service. They are also one of the only appliance stores on the east coast to have their own resident chef, Jehan deNoue , who gives monthly cooking classes and demonstrations. “Albano’s doesn’t just sell appliances, we show customers how to get the most from their purchases,” said Chef deNoue. “Cooking classes demonstrate how to prepare meals that diversify your cooking repertoire with recipes that are easily duplicated at home. Our goal is to inspire participants to go beyond their epicurean comfort zone and experiment with new foods and cultures....

February 20, 2009 "TALK OF THE TOWN" By Bonni Brodnick B ig news for little things in Scotts Corners. Eileen Godfrey Dollhouses & Miniatures has moved to 74 Westchester Avenue, in the courtyard behind Blind Charlie’s and next to Salon Perri. “ Billy Fortin was kind enough to store some things for us and then generously offered this space,” said Eileen, the renowned maestra of miniatures. The new showroom, which is co-managed by her son, Craig Scolaro , is fully-equipped with everything you will ever need to build/furnish/update your dollhouse. Eileen’s specialty is collections of one-of-a-kind pieces from all over the world. Along with miniature inlaid French desks, English highboys, gold framed oil paintings and oriental rugs, the shop is completely child-friendly and a great little beginning for starting a first dollhouse. For more info, go to eileengodfreyminiatures.com. T ime to UnWINEd at the Symphony Space, at 95 Street and Broadway on the Upper Wes...

By BONNI BRODNICK T he bays in my attic are organized by holiday, starting with Oct./Halloween (which includes crazy costumes, my witch hat, and other ghostly things); Nov./Thanksgiving (my longtime collection of turkeys and pilgrims); Dec./Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year’s Eve (ranging from boughs to antique tree ornaments, stars and poppers); Feb./Valentine’s Day (hand-made cards going back to when the children were at Pound Ridge Community Church Pre-School; red construction-paper hearts glued on doilies with corny “Roses are Red” poems written by my mom; and pen and ink Valentines from my sister/former Pound Ridger and artist Pamela Morandi; to March/St. Patrick’s Day (green four-leaf clover cut-outs galore), April/April Fool’s Day (Victorian postcards from the 1920s); and May/Mother’s Day (sentimental cards from the husband and kids). After a lull in June, we walk over to the July/Independence Day bay, and pull out flags of all sizes to festoon the house and front planters with Amer...

"TALK OF THE TOWN" By Bonni Brodnick P eace. Love. Flower Power. This Valentine’s Day offer your amoré a peace symbol made of tie-dyed roses by florist Joy Serata . On the more traditional side, she can also do long-stem red or pink roses in an old-school white box with red satin ribbon. Pre-orders a must for Valentine’s Day. Call Joy at 764-3395 or shoot her an email at joyserata@gmail.com . Long-stems are always nice, but the tie-dyed roses are a real trip. S peaking of love-ly things . . . The Pound Ridge Theatre Company will host a Sunday afternoon reading of “Engagement Rules (mostly a comedy),” an original play by Rich Orloff. The reading features Phil Gardiner, Kim Lowden, Phil Cook  and Louise Kaminer , and is directed by the talented Sherry Asch . The story is about two couples—one grappling with obstacles in their young relationship and the other seeking ways to renew the spice in their long-running marriage. All good friends, they advise and learn from ...

By BONNI BRODNICK P ete Malinverni , Pound Ridge jazz pianist/composer, has been called “audacious and exquisite” by the Village Voice; “one of New York’s great pianists” by Boston Herald; and “a wild cat the way he digs into the piano and emerges with exotic treasure” by The Philadelphia Inquirer. As if that’s not impressive enough, Pete has also earned an entry in the Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Are we surprised that he is making a debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall? Pete will perform his harmonic magic on solo piano and his arrangements for gospel choir members of the Devoe Street Baptist Church Choir of Brooklyn (where he has been Minister of Music for the past 15 years) and members of the Purchase College Soul Voices (which he founded and where he serves on the jazz studies faculty at the Conservatory of Music). It’s a be there/be square happening on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at 8 p.m. at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. The concert is under the auspice...