Where better to sit on a beautiful day in Pound Ridge than outside, under an umbrella, at Panella’s, Arthur Avenue Deli and Catering, in Scotts Corners? Proprietors Josephine and Vito DiPaola offer Italian specialties, fresh pasta and homemade mozzarella, fresh-baked bread from Arthur Avenue, amazing sandwiches (wedges, paninis, you name it), salads, dinners-to-go and so much more. They can cater any kind of party, from graduation, pre-prom or post-prom, to New England clambakes, pig roasts, BBQs, pool and summer cocktail parties. Informal or formal wait staff (all spiffed up in black and white) can also be arranged. “We take care of everything so that you can relax and feel like you are a guest at your own party,” said Josephine.
One of my faves on the menu is #17, “Josephine’s Delight,” with thinly sliced prosciutto, hot capicola, imported provolone, and sweet pepper. They also have delicious Italian fare for vegetarians (roasted vegetables, eggplant parm, etc.) and can accommodate any special diets (e.g. gluten-free). The DiPaola’s both grew up with great food. Her parents opened the first traditional Italian deli in Monroe, N.Y. that started small and is now a 4,800 square foot eatery. Vito (who truly cooks from the heart) started in editorial graphics at The Associated Press in Rockefeller Plaza. If you’re not talking about food, he can always swing into fonts.
“Vito and I wanted to share what we’ve learned about food over the years,” said Josephine. “It really is our great pleasure to have our new home in Pound Ridge and we hope to serve the community for a very long time.” Keep this handy: Panella’s, 764-3446. Open Mon.–Sat. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sun. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. I promise, once you step inside, you’ll feel like you’re home. Or at Vito’s and Josephine’s home. It’s that good.
Many are making beelines to Poundridge Nurseries to fluff up their gardens with flowers and shrubs. The Pound Ridge Garden Club offers a few helpful words on the care of your new treasures: water the shrubs daily for the first few weeks until their roots settle in. Good deep watering is essential for survival and growth. Diligent care now will mean that you will have beautiful shrubs for years to come.
Seedlings also need care. Place them outdoors in a sheltered spot that receives morning sun and dappled afternoon sunlight for a few days before planting them in the ground. Then water every day until they are established. If you purchase the plants in peat pots, be sure to stand them in a tray of water overnight to keep them and the soil around the plants moist. Otherwise, the dried-out peat pots will suck the moisture from the soil, depriving the plant. An even better method is to cut off the base of the pot before planting so the roots can grow unobstructed into the soil of the planting bed.
We were thrilled to hear from longtime former Pound Ridger Suzi April, who was in New York from Florida on a business trip. As a trained life coach since 1998, Suzi helps clients see their way with clarity and purpose. Through masterful coaching, she uses highly effective and reliable tools, techniques and practices to help clients learn to shift their attention from thoughts, ideas and judgments about experiences to actually experiencing the moment. (Sort of like putting down the video camera and actually experiencing the moment, say your child’s graduation?) “This frees you from old patterns and limitations, and you live your life with clarity, purpose and integrity.” Her website is IAmThePresent.com. Email suzi@IAmThePresent.com; telephone 386-402-4683. Coaching is easily done by phone and, in some cases, Suzi will travel to work one-on-one with clients. While in Pound Ridge, Suzi was purely in the moment. “It was lovely to be here in the spring and to see the beautiful blossoming trees. Lilacs always remind me of my mom (Laura April). They were one of our favorite springtime flowers, so being in Pound Ridge while they were in full bloom was quite a gift.”
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