Bella's Picks: Week of July 1, 2011

The majority of Father’s Day weekend was spent at home. However, Bella took her father to the beach. She did this so that they could spend a few minutes alone, relaxing to the calm lapping of the waves, playing fetch, and reflecting upon the 10 plus years they have been together. (Note the photo of Bella and her Father.)

Bella and I constantly talk about the Southampton Animal Shelter. It is our, please forgive me, “pet” project. Through the years, we have shared many moments together. These moments include: walking in Central Park, kayaking in the Bahamas, and spending endless nights listening to each other snore. Today, as we spend more time together in Southampton, we use a lot of that time thinking about our friends. We discuss all the ways in which we can motivate our old friends, or even those friends we have yet to meet, to help the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF). [expand]

After making a Father’s Day gluten-free pesto pizza with caramelized onions, the family took a summer nap before dinner at Valerie Rooks. All of us were on the cat porch. Bella, as you know, loves a party recap. She especially loves it when it involves good news for the Shelter. Valerie hosted an evening for renowned wildlife artist Gustavo Novoa. This painter is not only celebrated for his wildlife paintings, he also prepared the dinner to my fantasy palate of wild mushroom ravioli with a turkey telanata starter. Delicious! If you haven’t seen his work, Gustavo has a show coming up in New York this autumn. Bella will keep you posted. She may even get a private studio visit so that she can share the experience with her friends, and maybe something special for the Shelter, too.

Bella spends a good portion of her time in the kitchen staring at me, so of course she started to salivate when I told her the menu. What really got Bella excited was when I told her that Valerie was coming to Unconditional Love. I also told Bella that she is bringing a group of her friends. Valerie made sure all the guests knew about the event hosted by the Scarboroughs on July 16. She told me she could not be more excited to learn further about SASF, and how to get involved.

The conversation moved on to everyone talking about the new Thrift Shop on Jobs Lane. Some of the people had been, others had not. Those who had not been were ready to come and buy gifts, or go find things they could donate. For those individuals who had been, they simply loved it, and were going to make it a weekend destination.

As a reminder, this is Cat Adoption Month. The Shelter would love everyone to come in and meet some of the older cats. These felines need friends to give them cozy places to live. Or maybe you could raise a kitten to be your cherished companion. Bella is a huge cat fan. She gives two paws up to all who come in and say hello. It’s worth a visit to change a life.

Off to the beach! As always, many thanks to all for your unconditional love for animals, and support of the Southampton Animal Shelter. We wish everyone a Happy 4th of July! Check in next week for long weekend updates. There is a lot happening on all of our East End FORKS.

Love, Bella

PS: Bella Reminder – This week Bella picks an assortment of jewelry. Accessories are critical. The right jewelry can make or break a look. Bella believes in originality and integrating the past and the present. Add a touch of vintage and thrift to any look, that’s Shelter Chic! [/expand]