The Giving Room Hosts Open House To Celebrate Juice Bar

It's time for a celebration at The Giving Room in Southold.

An Open House will be held on Saturday to celebrate the opening of the new juice bar.

The event features a free concert with Brady Rymer from 2 to 4 p.m., followed by a Gallery Show featuring local artists, including Annie Wildey, Randee Dadonna, Connie Gilles, Lori Guyer, Andrea Pickerell and Paula DiDonato, owner of The Giving Room.

The North Fork Table Food Truck will be on site, as well.  

The Giving Room, founded in 2010 and located at 56215 Main Road in Southold, was created by partners Paula DiDonato and Judy Teeven, both former VPs of marketing at American Express. Teeven is currently the senior consultant to the Super Bowl Host Committee 2014.

"We established the Giving Room in 2010 as a center of art, yoga and community involvement," DiDonato said. 
 
In September, the Giving Room expanded and the Giving Room Juice Bar & Health Food Shop was born.

"This expansion has been a great success," DiDonato said. "Our yogis love the convenience of ordering a juice before class, and enjoying the juices right after class. We have also developed an entirely new client base of people that are new to the Giving Room. The are excited to find an all organic juice bar. So now we have a very successful yoga studio, juice bar and health food store. It is all part of a mission to promote wellness and a healthy life style."

The juice bar offers a menu of juices designed to be flavorful while providing health benefits. The most popular choice, DiDonato said, is the Great Green, made with KK Haspel's spinach from The Farm in Southold, kale, and parsley, as well as ginger, celery, dandelion and lemon. 

"It is a powerhouse of nutrition and it has the anti-inflammatory benefits of ginger," she said. 

Another fruity juice that's a popular is the Sweet Heart, made with pineapple, cucumber, ginger, beet and apple.

"We try to deliver diversity in our juices to please all palates," DiDonato said. 

Also on the menu are Vitamix Smoothies, with or without protein powder, for those who prefer the benefit of meal replacement options. 

The most popular smoothie, she said, is the Yummy Smoothie with vanilla protein, made with fresh-squeezed almond milk, bananas, strawberries and blueberries along with a vegetable-based protein powder and spinach. 

Also available are some light food options including hummus wraps, avocado toast, almond butter and jam sandwiches. In addition to the juice bar a complete selection of health foods and drinks is also offered.

The juice bar is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. Everything served can be taken home, including prepared juice cleanses for people looking to detoxify their systems or lose weight. The Juice Cleanse consists of a daily menu of six juices or five juices and a salad.  Some clients, DiDonato said, cleans for three to five and up to ten days. 

The juice bar helps to promote a healthier body and mind, DiDonato said.

"Organic juicing, yoga and meditation deliver a powerful combination to optimize brain and body health," she said. "The practice of yoga leads to reduced weight, spiritual well-being and increased flexibility and spiritual well-being. Meditation helps calm the mind and reduce stress. Juicing provides important nutritional benefit for a strong body and a healthy brain."

She added, "I would like to live a full life, which includes being healthy physically, mentally, intellectually and spiritually. I'd also like to see others have this blessing. I believe the combination of being part of a giving community, with yoga, meditation and healthy eating is the recipe for this healthy lifestyle."