Bonni Brodnick Blog

By BONNI BRODNICK I t’s a blissful Thanksgiving morning in Pound Ridge. The sugar maples are glistening amidst fields kissed by winter’s frost. So what’s all the racket out there? Crows. No doubt about it, these feathery creatures are far from birdbrains. They are top of the ranking as the most intelligent species of birds and have 250 distinctive crow calls. Their sophisticated language skills range from a loud talk for the general community to a quieter twill for within the family. They are monogamous and mate for a lifetime (which could be as long as 20 years), mourn their deceased, and rear their young for as long as five years. Crows need to be close to each other, especially to their parents, and have complex cognitive behaviors. Their resourcefulness comes from their intelligence: some have memorized garbage truck routes, the better to feast on debris. Others drop nuts in the road and wait for passing cars to crack them open. And still others have demonstrated the ab...

BY BONNI BRODNICK T hanksgiving is a time to count your many blessings and share the bounty with others. Laura LaFreniere , manager of Blind Charlie’s , along with Dara Gruskin , a server at the Scotts Corners hot spot, have come up with an idea that truly exemplifies neighborliness and goodness by sending an open invitation to all townsfolk who might be alone on Thanksgiving Day. Blind Charlie’s will be serving turkey, stuffing, and pie to all who might be in need of company, great conversation and a great meal. They’ll even have the television fired up with the big Turkey Bowl football matchup. “It’s our privilege and honor to help our Pound Ridge neighbors in this way,” Laura said. If you’d like to help, too, here are a few needs: let Blind Charlie’s know the name of anyone who might like to attend so that they can send them an invitation; bake a dessert than can be shared at the dinner; volunteer to deliver meals to those who can’t join; and/or contribute non-perishable items...

By BONNI BRODNICK I f you’re looking for a way to chase the winter blues before they even set in, maybe it’s time to tweak your look. Lynn Cesaria , an image consultant and personal stylist, has an eye for fashion and color like it’s nobody’s business. Formerly a stylist and personal shopper at Sak’s Fifth Avenue in NYC, Lynn has been written up in “Town & Country” and can work her magic to help you determine your own style from hair to wardrobe. She is also available for personal shopping from casual to corporate to evening attire, and can alleviate the panic when you need that certain je ne sais quoi special event outfit. How does she do it? Let’s say you want to emulate the hottiness of Victoria Beckham, the classiness of Jackie O, the allure-ness of Gwyneth Paltrow, or the tony-ness of Deborah “Debo” the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire. “I start with going on-line and researching the celebrity my clients would like to emulate,” Lynn said. “I then print out the be...

November 4, 2010 "TALK OF THE TOWN" By BONNI BRODNICK E lection Day is over. Time to take down the election signs. And while you’re out there, remove the expired tag sale signs. There is also buzz about the permanent vendor signs that are strategically placed on major roadways like Routes 35, 172 and High Ridge Road. Some of the mini-billboards are as sturdy and fixed to the ground as any of the shop signs in Scotts Corners. Many townsfolk landed in Pound Ridge for the beauty of our landscape and the absence of advertising on our country roadways. Let’s get back to nature, folks. P ound Ridge Fire Department will hold a bi-annual blood drive on Saturday, Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the firehouse in Scotts Corners. “The blood supply in our area is always critically low at this time of year and can’t keep pace with the demand,” said Daniel Rainford , a PRFD volunteer fireman for more than 15 years and Blood Drive chair for the last 10 ye...