Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart dines at Allentown eatery, Woody’s Towne Cafe.
By: Marisa Maldonado
ALLENTOWN Martha Stewart may be under house arrest for five months in her New York home, but she still found time to make it to one of Allentown’s hottest lunch spots Woody’s Towne Cafe, where she was spotted with an employee of Princeton Nurseries ordering lunch Tuesday afternoon.
The domestic mogul, who spent five months in prison for lying to authorities investigating her December 2001 sale of ImClone Systems stock, ordered a BLT sandwich and hot tea with lemon, and asked to be served quickly, said Jan Cote, a waitress at the restaurant. She left in a black car with New York license plates.
"I said ‘it’s nice to see a huge star in town,’" Ms. Cote said.
Before eating at Woody’s, Ms. Stewart spent about four hours at Princeton Nurseries looking at plants for her New York estates. She took many notes on the plants and planned to make a purchase later, said Ivan Olinsky, president of the nursery. Ms. Stewart last did business with the nursery about a year ago, he said.
"She was a very ordinary, nice person very knowledgeable about plant material," Mr. Olinsky said. "She was very cordial and friendly; it was just a nice day.
Ms. Stewart, who is under house arrest at her Bedford, N.Y., home, is allowed out of her house for 48 hours a week for business-related excursions and pre-approved errands. She must wear a electronic bracelet on her ankle, which can be covered, to track her movements.
Despite her fame, no one in the restaurant batted an eye when the mogul entered the room, said Ron Dunster, an Allentown resident who eats at the restaurant every day.
"We’re not all moved by (Ms. Stewart’s fame)," said Mr. Dunster. "It’s just people. She brings her money into town; she leaves without it."
Mr. Dunster said Ms. Stewart was wearing her bracelet, but Hamilton resident Rich Morango said he didn’t see a bracelet on her.
And while Mr. Morango wasn’t interested in talking to the star, his lunchtime companion, Dianne Abbott, who sat with her back to Ms. Stewart, said she wished she could have arranged a business transaction with Ms. Stewart.
"You should have told me!" Ms. Abbott said to Mr. Morango, pointing to the gray sweater he wore. "I knitted that sweater. I could have made millions.
But despite the stars in some residents’ eyes, others did not care that a multimillionaire was in their midst. Matt Bonocore, who ate his sandwich at the table in front of Ms. Stewart’s, said he didn’t even recognize the star.
"She just doesn’t do it for me," said Mr. Bonocore.