November 20, 2010

RECORD-REVIEW "Talk of the Town"

BY BONNI BRODNICK

Thanksgiving 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 for the food drive on behalf of the Community Center of Northern Westchester. Blind Charlie’s will have multiple seatings on Thanksgiving Day. No charge, but space is limited so they need to know ASAP if you’d like to attend. Transportation can be arranged. If you know of someone who can’t come out and join the feast, a Thanksgiving meal can be delivered. Call 764-8000 or email poundridgethanksgiving@gmail.com for more information and to sign up.


“Talk of the Town” is delighted to hear from Jane Rainsford, who grew up in Pound Ridge in the 1960s and 70s and now lives in Steuben County, NY. (The inimitable Grace Rainsford, her mother, was the inspiration for my book, “Pound Ridge Past: Remembrances of Our Townsfolk.”) “At Thanksgiving time, my Mom used to put together holiday baskets for friends in town who may have needed a helping hand,” Jane wrote. “I would often go with her to deliver these ‘care baskets.’” Another fond memory for Jane is the turkey bulletin boards her Kindergarten teacher, Miss Costello, used to put up in the hallway at Pound Ridge Elementary School. “Every year, she asked her class if their dads had any old ties they could donate to her turkey project. She would arrange the ties into a beautiful fanned out tail. I loved looking at that turkey every Thanksgiving while attending PRES.”

On Saturday, Nov. 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Artistic Director Joe Cavise and his Off Center Dance Theatre (OCDT) Youth Ensemble will host their Seventh Annual “Giving Thanks & Giving Back” Dance-a-Thon for Charity. This year’s recipient is Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The event is open to the public and you don’t have to be a Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers to participate. Just register, get an official “Giving Thanks & Giving Back” pledge sheet and number, and boogey down to the dance studio in Mamaroneck. Participants will dance for the first two hours to tunes spun by DJ Eric Kizis of Double Image Sounds & Entertainment and then be treated (revived?) to pizza provided by several local pizzerias. Blind Charlie’s is in on the scoop and will provide ice cream. The annual dance-a-thon began following the December 2005 Tsunami when “We felt compelled as an organization to help in some way,” Joe said. That first year nearly $7,000 was raised for the UNICEF Tsunami Relief Fund. Subsequently, OCDT raised over $40,000 in support of such organizations as Habitat for Humanity, Katrina Relief Fund, Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, Friends of Karen and Blythedale Children’s Hospital. Walk-ins to the dance-a-thon are welcome but registration is preferred. To get in the swing, contact Lori Cavise at 764-0049 or fancyd@optonline.net.

This is the final weekend to catch the Pound Ridge Theater Company presentation of “Moon Over Buffalo.” The backstage Broadway farce by Ken Ludwig is directed by Maryann Arcoleo-Koltun and features a comedic and nimble cast that includes Robert J. D’Amato, Tina D'Amato, Amanda Brown, Laurel Lettieri, Dan Friedman, Gary McNerney, Rachel Halko and Sam Borrelli. Performances are Friday, Nov. 19 and Saturday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. at Conant Hall. Cabaret seating. Bring food and/or drink. Doors open one hour prior to curtain. We went last weekend and the show was hilarious. Don’t miss it. For tix, go to www.prtc01.org or call 764-1902.

And finally ... Pound Ridge Library will have their Holiday Book Sale on Saturday, Nov. 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Choose from a great selection of art and gardening books, children's books, current novels, non-fiction, coffee table books, cookbooks, audio books, CDs, DVDs and more. For more information, call the Library at 764-5085 or visit the website at www.poundridgelibrary.com.

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