RECORD-REVIEW "Talk of the Town"

By BONNI BRODNICK

It’s all good. Winter is waning. The days are getting longer. Crocii are popping under fields where the snow has cleared, and dreams that really did come true were celebrated with a golden statue named Oscar at last Sunday night’s 83^rd Academy Awards ceremony. Keeping the good vibes alive is Dana McCorvie, founder of www.nobluesnews.org , a non-profit website designed simply to make you smile and offer a mini-mental vacance to focus on something beautiful in the world—be it loving acts of kindness, great art, silly jokes, or inspiring people and places. The site is all about the yin and yang of life, seeing the sunny-side-up, and keeping on the rose-colored glasses through all that is cast our way. Dana (who is married to North Star entrepreneur/restaurateur Phil Maniatty) was in marketing for 25 years and created new products for some of the largest companies in the world. With this experience, she clearly knows how to give things a positive spin.

“We believe people are yearning for a destination whose promise is to remind them that there is, indeed, heart-warming good and love,” Dana said. “We can all offer this to people we encounter in our own lives everyday. That is our hope at NoBluesNews.com: to start a positive epidemic.” You’ll get goose bumps reading one of this week’s stories: “Schwinge (of Duke’s Auction House) says Ming = Cha-Ching!” The clip is about a 79-year old man in Dorchester, England who discovers that ‘that thing on the shelf’ is actually a 600-year old Ming moon flask worth $1.6 million US dollars. And “The Little Black Bag Returns From Paris With Love” … about a Parisian taxi driver with a heart of gold. Go to NoBluesNews. The website will pull at your heartstrings. You’ll believe in righteousness and exuberance. You’ll laugh. You’ll smile. You’ll feel enlightened and giddy. You’ll rediscover that happiness is contagious. Pass it on.

Pound Ridge seniors, get out your datebooks. Neighbor-to-Neighbor (N2N) has a slew of upcoming events you’ll want to partake in. March 10: trip to Bruce Museum and lunch in Greenwich (Fun/interesting!); March 17: Annual St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon at Conant Hall sponsored by N2N and the Pound Ridge Lions Club (Delish! Don’t miss it!) March 23: Bus trip to the American Museum of Natural History in NYC (The Butterfly Conservatory awaits you!) and on March 27: Seniors Breakfast sponsored by the Pound Ridge Business Association (Lots of flipping johnnycakes by people in high places. More details to follow, but save your appetite for this special flapjack fest in the Hamlet.) To get the skinny on N2N events, call Louise Paolicelli at the Recreation Department (764-8201) or dash an email to prseniors@townofpoundridge.com. Registration forms for the events are available on the town web site at www.Townofpoundridge.com under the “Neighbor to Neighbor and Senior Programs” tab on the left side of the screen.

Wrigley Watch: Dog owner Sue Benjamin reports that it is now 10 weeks since her beautiful 9-year-old medium-size Welsh Springer Spaniel ran away from his home in Bedford. “It’s been more than 68 days, and instead of giving up, more people than ever are on the team. Friends and neighbors from Bedford, Pound Ridge and Stamford are offering to help at all hours of the day and night in the search to find Wrigley. My family and I are truly grateful for everyone’s help.” Along with sightings in the Chestnut Hill Road area of North Stamford, there are possible signs (dead birds, food that has been left out has been eaten at night) that Wrigley is still out there. He is friendly but shy, easily spooked and responds to food and kindness. Sue emphasizes not to attempt to catch or chase him. If you see Wrigley, please immediately call her at 914-234-9534 (home) or 914-261-1164 (cell). “We rely on the community to continue helping us locate Wrigley and get him home.” Keep Sue’s telephone numbers on a post-it on your dashboard. Send prayers and wishes for Wrigley’s safe return.

Pound Ridge Elementary School teacher and prolific artist, David Llanos, will have nearly 100 of his drawings, paintings and sculptures shown at a solo exhibit, entitled “Visions Everyday” at Pound Ridge Library. “‘Visions Everyday’ is my mantra,” David said. “It is a reminder to me that in every object, every person, every cloud, and every experience there is beauty to be found.” This talented teacher has been inspiring our children in PRES art rooms since 1997. The exhibit at the library will run through April 2, but you won’t want to miss the reception on Saturday, March 5 from 3-5 p.m. The inimitable Al Hirschhorn, former PRES music teacher, will accompany the gathering with a selection of jazz and classical music. We are grateful to Pound Ridge Elementary School for their excellence of education, and to all of their teachers—past and present—who bring so much to our community and our children.