Bonni Brodnick Blog

Spring is in the air. Or at least on the calendar. March is around the corner ... but turn cautiously because you can't always see what's coming with that huge snow mound blocking the view. Seeking inspiration beyond wearing all black, I found these vintage bobby pins with ivory roses: Cute, right?  The copy on the back of the packaging is what actually sold me (sic):                The Vintage Cosmetic Company love all things vintage and have created a range of vintage inspired cosmetic accessories which allow you to achieve a professional look in your own home. That is just want I want. To look "professional in [my] own home." Are you serious? The first thing I do when I get home is put on pajamas and slip into some comfy Uggs. Looking professional is exactly what I don't want to look when I'm padding around the manse. Nonetheless, these snappy bobby pins fit the bill for a finishing touch to perk up my barnet this March.

This morning it was zero degrees. Notta. Null. Nothing degrees. A decree of "No Degrees" was declared.

We have had eight snowstorms: from major blizzard to light dusting. If you take a snow shovel and sample a slice of the landscape, different layers from the various ice- and snowstorms can be seen. It looks like this: (Instructions: Read diagram from bottom to top.) This morning's snowshower:  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next snowstorm: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a dusting:  .. . .      ....       . . . . .    . . . .....       . . . . .   .          ...    .          .          . Light snow: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Major blizzard:  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Third sno...

Happy Valentine's Day, darlings! (Feel the love.)

Life is like riding on a subway. You grab the strap, hold on tightly, keep your feet planted, go with the flow of the ups and downs, and enjoy the ride.

Many thanks to Mary Legrand for the wonderful write-up on dear Betsy Boone:

New York, New York. (So great they named it twice.) 2nd floor perch at MoMA Looking across the way at MoMA I heard they had to fly the helicopter into the museum and then rig it to the ceiling  for this permanent exhibit.  The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guard in the American Wing  Man drawing  Lady decorating a cake at a bakery on Madison Avenue  Heading home up West End Avenue

   Photo by Fran Collin Graphic Design by Gina Federico I am saddened to hear of the recent passing of Libia Rosa and Betsy Boone, two of my favorite people in POUND RIDGE PAST: Remembrances of Our Townsfolk .  I was truly honored and humbled to have had the opportunity to interview both of them ... such gracious ladies of Pound Ridge. (Coincidentally, both of their interviews are back-to-back in my book: "Betsy Boone: A Honey Hollow Perspective" is on page 118. "Libia Rose: The Strength of 'The Miracle Tree'" is on page 124.) A few weeks after my initial interview with Betsy, I returned to her house to ask permission to use the magnificent portrait taken by Fran Collin (photographer extraordinaire) for the cover of the book (designed by the ever-amazing Gina Federico). For some reason, I was a bit nervous and waited for the exact right moment. As I sipped a glass of sherry, I finally asked the "big question." Betsy immediately respon...

Some people say the glass is half-full. Some say it is half-empty. My glass is so full that you have to put a napkin under it. Thank you all for your thoughtful birthday wishes and for making the day so special. ~Bonni

I remember working with Joe Franklin during a project for Spy magazine and J&B Scotch. We thought it would be kitsch to have him MC an event at Tunnel (a massive nightclub in Chelsea) where we buried a time capsule (which, of course, included a copy of Spy and a bottle of J&B).  Anyone remember Tunnel? (Anyone stop by that night for free and flowing J&B?)  The event, part of a "Spur of the Moment" series in which party-going, hip Manhattanites would call a phone number at a certain time that day, and we would announce where the place "to be" was that night in NYC. It was an irreverent adventure and tons of fun. One summer night we showed a movie on a cleared lot in the West 20s.  Before the Tunnel event, I remember going to Joe Franklin's office at WOR-TV. Newspapers were stacked to the ceiling on his desk and floor. (It was hoarder's dream.) He was a clippy New Yorker wearing a big check jacket. There was an impish perkiness to his smile (an...