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Matters

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Spring 2015

The Magazine of Maplewood and South Orange since 1990

Weichert

SoutH oRanGe

60 Glenview Road

Maplewood

teRRy oRR 201-709-5975 (cell)

SoutH oRanGe

®

Maplewood

natalie faRRell 917-514-7541 (cell)

12 fieldinG couRt

Maplewood

naiMie MaRie lundi 201-362-7168 (cell)

SoutH oRanGe

47 dunnell Road

Real Estate Mortgages Closing Services Insurance

8 elSMan teRRace

Bonita GilliaRd 973-769-2579 (cell)

704 lonGview Road

SoutH oRanGe

natalie faRRell 917-514-7541 (cell)

106 Roland avenue

3 HaRvaRd teRRace

Rena SpanGleR 973-876-7913 (cell)

Maplewood

457 Baldwin Road

eRnSt St.cyR & Rena SpanGleR 973-517-6306 (eRnSt cell) 973-876-7913 (Rena cell)

Maplewood

ken kRaSneR 201-600-8141 (cell)

92 oakview avenue

paul GRant 917-757-0797 (cell)

Spring is here! Why not explore a new career? If you’re interested in exploring real estate sales I’d love to speak to you. Patricia Bannan, Manager 973-865-6776 (cell) [email protected]

Serving Maplewood, South Orange and the Surrounding Area.

Maplewood office 973-762-3300 • 697 Valley St Located at historic Pierson’s Mill

Love Where You Live

Debbie is in a league of her own. She has an exceptional work ethic, knowledge of multiple areas, and excellent relationships with agents across multiple regions.” “I would trust her as a buyer’s or seller’s agent over and over -- she is the best we’ve ever encountered in the 14 years we’ve owned homes.”

Debbie Rybka-Howard

“She became a friend who defended our interests more eagerly than we would have done ourselves.”

Sales Associate

“Debbie is a terrific negotiator and her knowledge goes beyond the sale of the home.”

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(908) 591- 4886 FOUR

Circle of Excellence 2014 Platinum Level Award

office: 973-376-4545 [email protected]

Call Debbie for the reSUltS yoU DeServe.

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Strength (Progressive Weight Training) n Boxing Cardio n Core Conditioning n Kickboxing n Power Pilates n Taylor Park, Millburn BOOT CAMP n Resistance (Bands & Manual) n Dynamic Cardio n Customized Music n Customized Nutritional Programs u Sports Performace Sessions will contain some of the above training I turned 50 feeling over weight, lacking energy, and just not being on top of my game. My # 1 goal was to be there for my family, but to do so I needed to be there for myself. What a wonderful feeling to know that you can achieve something that you thought was out of reach. The hardest part for me was just getting started. Mr. Personal Training was there for me then and is there for me now. -Nash Breen, Maplewood

Jim Papeika, Owner Master Certified Fitness Trainer Sports Conditioning Specialist Nutrition & Wellness Consultant “Trust me, you are in good hands”

Joanne Vigorita N.A.S.M Senior Fitness Specialist CPR- AED

I began personal training with Jim this May. I am a mother of three who finally decided to get fit. I couldn’t have picked a better trainer. He is professional, knowledgeable and personable. My arms and legs have well defined muscles and I have more energy than I have had in years. I highly recommend him. -Susan Cowan, South Orange

After my third child I wanted to get my body back and reintroduce a regular fitness routine after a hiatus for the Over the past 10 years I have been past 10 years. Jim has been a perstruggling with my weight. After my fect match for my needs. After about first child, I starved myself to get 7 weeks, people are commenting on down to my pre-pregnancy weight. how good I look. Aside from the obviAfter the second, I just kept gaining ous tone and physical change, I feel weight bit by bit. In the 5 months stronger both physically and mentally. I have been working out with Jim, Three kids and forty years old I’m in I have dropped 24 pounds and 7 better shape now than I have been in inches off my waist! I am so excited years. I look forward to my sessions I have stuck with it and I feel terrific and I never would have come close to and much lighter on my feet! My newfound passion for fitness is Jim’s the results I’ve realized without Jim’s approach, style and professionalism. expertise. Thank you and I’ll continue this program indefinitely! I highly recommend Jim. In fact, my -Geenie Murphy, Maplewood husband is now a client of his. -Gia James, Westfield

M R p e r s o n a l t r a i n i n g. c o m

Real Estate is soaring to new heights Whether you are buying or selling, let Victoria Carter help you get there.

cell: 973.220.3050 [email protected] www.victoriacarter.com 505 Millburn Ave • Short Hills, NJ • 07078 • 973.376.6748

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contents April 2015

A bug’s life

Local Matters 9

Spring shopping

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Urban Farming

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Love Writing

Paying It Forward CHS class of 1954

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Green Party

Around the towns Behind the wheel

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Locally produced, pesticide free, and sustainable

Farm To Your Table

Fresh from the garden to the plate, this is a food revolution that is not entrenched in the status quo.

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Heart of the Matter

Molly Matters

Vol. 25 Issue 3

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Romance in South Orange

Sweet Serendipity Right at home

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No Place Like Home35 Meet the experts

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Options for great fresh eating

Resources

Local sources

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Final Matters Pokie Maisie

46 33 16

The Magazine of Maplewood and South Orange since 1990

30

Featuring Local People, Places and Things that Matter to Maplewood and South Orange Since 1990

Fan us on Twitter at Facebook! mattersnj

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heart of the matter

Spring 2015

Matters

Featuring Local People, Places and Things that Matter Since 1990

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Karen Duncan MANAGING DIRECTOR Rene Conlon SUPERVISING EDITOR Joanne DiPasquale ADVERTISING SALES Ellen Donker H. Leslie Gilman Eileen Collins Neri Erin Rogers Pickering GRAPHIC ARTISTS Lyman Dally Joy Markel COPY EDITORS Nick Humez Tia Swanson CONTRIBUTORS Adrianna Donat, Amie Herman, Sara Markel-Gonzalex, Elissa Caterfino Mandel, Tia Swanson, Marcia Worth-Baker

Please address all correspondence to:

Visual Impact Advertising, Inc.© 9 Highland Place Maplewood, NJ 07040

973-763-4900

mattersmagazine.com Matters Magazine© is owned and published by Visual Impact Advertising, Inc., 9 Highland Place, Maplewood, NJ 07040. Published monthly, Matters Magazine is free, with editions directly mailed 7 times a year to the residents of Maplewood and South Orange and distributed to businesses and surrounding communities totaling 17,000. Subscriptions are available to non-residents for $30 (U.S.) $40 (Foreign) annually. No part of the publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from Visual Impact Advertising, Inc. CIRCULATION VERIFIED BY U.S. POSTAL RECEIPTS. READ & RECYLE

A Bug’s Life

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Creepy, crawly things don’t usually go hand in hand with great accessorizing opportunities. BY KAREN DUNCAN

My father was never known for his fashion sense. He was equally lacking in the gift-giving department. Generous beyond measure on a host of levels, he could never quite figure out what someone might really like as a gift. By the time my brothers and I were teenagers, we’d just get money. Fine by us. And yet for years, he’d try to find the right gift for my mother. His attempts were usually met with disappointment on her part, yet he’d try again. There was the time he gave her a vacuum cleaner. Bad choice. She was so mad that this was the year she hired a cleaning company. Then there was the year he bought a hairdryer containing some new technology and she tossed the box in the basement never opening it. Another year, he gave her a subscription to People Magazine, which wasn’t such a bad gift, yet was ruined when he told her it was a lot cheaper than her buying them each week from the grocery check-out aisle. Ouch. And once, he bought her earrings for pierced ears. She did not have pierced ears. It was as if he never noticed what she wore. He’d buy her perfume that was not even in the realm of her brand, her trademark JOY scent. Soon he was enlisting my assistance and that went well for a number of years. I knew what she wanted and could disguise my hand in the purchase well enough. But she caught on to that and told him she did not want anything unless he took the time and effort to pick it out. Be careful what you wish for. It was Mother’s Day sometime in the 1980s, and my father was pretty pleased with himself, handing my mother a small but

beautifully wrapped box. She was giddy as she carefully untied the satin ribbon. And there it was. An insect-inspired pin. The center was Davite, a brown tourmaline; the wings were delicately etched sterling silver. The antennae were bent silver threads. If it hadn’t been so scarily real, it might have been pretty. At first she looked horrified, even scared that it might fly out and bite her. Then she laughed. Hard and loud. She didn’t love it, but thought it was clever enough so that she’d wear it on April Fools’ Day or on Halloween. Once she wore it on a black cocktail dress, which looked interestingly stunning. He was pleased even when she told him it was odd and silly. And she did wear it. As they aged, gift-giving dwindled for them both. There was nothing they wanted or needed and a nice dinner out was a treat for holidays and celebrations. We lost them both last year and it’s been a Herculean task, as many have experienced, going through their home, their things, their life – and dismantling, sorting, tossing, gifting, donating. I’ve come across many things that are just plain sentimental, that I want. This pin is all of that. There is many a jewelry box with a bumblebee, a ladybug, a beetle, flower and butterfly jewelry. Whimsical pieces with garden-variety things in mind, that make for excellent cocktail party chatter. I believe the key to wearing these decorative crawlers is not to shy away from their playful mood. And in many ways that is who my parents were: a funny, sweet, silly, adventurous, passionate couple with a marvelous sense of humor. The pain of losing them is tremendous and raw. This little pin brings me joy. And it will always remind me of them both.

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Nasha Thomas Schmitt and Renee Robinson will visit Maplewood Memorial Library, 51 Baker Street on April 29 at 6 p.m., representing the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The two will discuss the powerful storytelling and soul-stirring movement and music of Revelations, the modern dance masterpiece inspired by blues, spirituals and gospel. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is known for a vibrant fusion of modern dance, ballet and more. For more information call 973-7621622 or visit maplewoodlibrary.org. The South Orange Maplewood Adult School presents a New Jersey Climate Change lecture by Dr. Dave Robinson, as part of the Eva Samo lecture series on April 29, 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre at Columbia High School, 17 Parker

Avenue, Maplewood. New Jersey has recently experienced extreme weather events, including Hurricanes Sandy and Irene as well as an October snowstorm, suggesting that something is happening to New Jersey’s climate. Human influences on climate are significant, prompting discussion of how society might develop g reater resilience to increasing climate change. Dr. Robinson will explore the physical dimensions of climate change and

Representatives from the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater will discuss the classic Revelations at Maplewood Memorial Library April 29.

Molly Matters

© Dally/Duncan 2015

Is your home ready for its closeup? Interiors, exteriors, it all needs to look good. So give me a call today. Time to put on a great show!

Natalie Farrell Office: 973 762-3300 Cel Ph: 917 514-7541 sold @ nataliefarrell.com www.nataliefarrell.com

YOUR CITY TO THE SUBURBS CONNECTION!

NJAR Circle of Excellence, Platinum Level 2014

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Spring 2015

Dr. Dave Robinson will give a lecture on New Jersey climate change at Columbia’s Black Box Theatre, April 29.

Register now for the South Orange Maplewood Adult School summer children’s program, to be held from June 29 through July 24.

Mickey Fried Nursery School of Oheb Shalom Congregation

LEARN. CREATE. PLAY.

EXTENDED HOURS UNT IL 6PM ALL YEA R!

2-5 year olds • Early drop-off • Outdoor playground Enrichment programs • Extended day until 6 pm! Find out why our parents love Mickey Fried! Schedule a tour today. Iris Ehrlich, Director • (973) 762-7069

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FINE JEWELRY TRUNK SHOW FEATURING

MAY 2nd thru 10th

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designs have been featured in these and many other magazines

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touch on societal implications. See below for registration information. The Adult School also offers the children’s summer program, with more than one hundred classes in creative arts, music, science and sports from June 29 through July 24 at South Orange Middle School, 70 North Ridgewood Road, South Orange. Students choose their own classes, up to five a day. The summer Orchestra Academy, Band Academy and the popular Suzuki violin program are offered. Special science workshops include robotics, and sports include fencing, track and field, soccer and gymnastics, boys’ basketball and boys’ and girls’ lacrosse. The catalog was mailed to each home in South Orange and Maplewood and is available online at somadultschool.org or call 973-3787620. Registrations are processed in the order they are received, and early enrollment is suggested. The South Orange Maplewood Coalition on Race hosts a number of upcoming events. The community is invited to read two short stories that are sure to stimulate great discussions about race and interracial understanding The South Orange Maplewood Coalition on Race presents the 2nd Annual Cultural Heritage Festival at Maplewood Memorial Park on June 6.

and connections. A group discussion will be held on April 30 at 7 p.m. at the South Orange Public Library, 65 Scotland Road, South Orange. Activities for children will also be held. Please check the website below for details. On May 13 at 7:30 p.m., Professor Michael Jeffries, a teacher of American Studies at Wellesley College and a CHS graduate, will present “Conversations on Race: Facing Everyday Racism” at Congregation Beth El, 222 Irvington Avenue, South Orange. He will engage the community in conversations about the unconscious ways racism creeps into our daily exchanges and responses. The second Annual Cultural Heritage Festival will be held on June 6 from

localmatters

mattersmagazine.com

The Strollers will present the musical Hairspray at the Burgdorff Center in Maplewood May 1-16.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Maplewood Memorial Park. There will be something for everybody, including stage performances such as Japanese taiko drumming and Israeli folk dancing, as well as vendors offering a variety of foods representing the many cultures of our community. For more, information call 973-7616116 or visit twotowns.org. The Strollers, the community theater in residence at the Burgdorff Center for the Perfor ming Ar ts, 10 Durand Road, Maplewood, will present the musical Hairspray. The musical is a commentary on the injustices of parts of American society in the 1960s. The production will run every weekend from May 1 through May 16 at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Locals in the cast

include Maplewoodians Brianna Newman as Amber Von Tussle, Carol Cornicelli as Prudy, Lucy Freeman as Lillie Inez, Addunnu Rae Charles as Grace/Dynamite and Kayla Freeman and Laura BenAsher in the ensemble; and from South Orange: Holly Lehren as Penny Pingleton, Josh Ewing as IQ, Anique Evans as Cindy/Dynamite and Matthew Lintern as Sketch. For tickets please call 973-761-8453 or visit thestrollers.org. The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC), One SOPAC Way, South Orange offers wonderful entertainment this spring. The season includes these shows: Gary Puckett & The Union Gap May 1 at 8 p.m., Judy Collins May 2 at 8 p.m., The Jungle Book May 3 at 2 p.m., Leo Kottke May 7 at 7:30 p.m., May 9, Listen to Your Mother at 2 and 5

GIRLS NIGHT OUT Sponsored by Allison Ziefert & Collette Andrews Keller Williams Midtown Direct Realty

Shop and Stroll in Maplewood Village Thursday, June 11th, 2015 @ 6pm

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localmatters

Spring 2015

Ken Siegel

973-275-1268 Prism Painting & Home Repair

www.prismpaintingandhomerepair.com [email protected]

Fully Insured NJHIC #13VH05093000 EPA Certified Lead-Safe Renovator

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6 weeks of fun! June 22 to July 31, 2015 For ages 3–8 years old

Under the direction of Paula Levin • Donna Deltz • Bill Deltz

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Rufus Wainwright takes the SOPAC stage May 9. SOPAC presents a musical version of Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale The Jungle Book on May 3. Award-winning singer-songwriter Judy Collins comes to SOPAC on May 2.

p.m. The Best of Rufus Wainwright is at 7:30 p.m., The Second City May 15 at 8 p.m., The Machine Performs Pink Floyd Acoustic May 16 at 8 p.m., Bruce Cockburn May 17 at 7:30 p.m., Regina Belle May 29 at 8 p.m., Brian Stokes Mitchell May 30 and Josh Ritter May 31 at 7:30 p.m. The Herb & Milly Iris gallery at SOPAC is featuring Giants of Jazz 17, photographic portraits by Micha Hamilton on exhibit through May 15. For information and tickets, please call 973-313-2787 or visit sopacnow.org. T he Columbia High School Cougar Boosters are

hosting their 17th annual golf outing at the Maplewood Country Club on May 4. Thanks to strong support from the community these last 17 years, these outings have raised over $280,000 for the benefit of the athletic teams and extracurricular activities at Columbia High School. Over the years, the Cougar Booster Club has given financial support to teams or clubs that apply for funds and meet the criteria. In just the last few years the Boosters have made donations to baseball, softball, continued on page 41

sunday, may 24, 2014 11am to 5pm An Old-Fashioned Street Fair • Kids’ Rides & Activities • Performances & Live Music • Great Food & Vendors

Visit www.SpringfieldAvenue.com for details A Springfield Avenue Partnership Event

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Robert Northfield is SOMA #1 Agent Why work with anyone else?*

Paying it Forward Robert Northfield & team are committed to providing the best service. Call TODAY if you are selling and/or buying.

Spring 2015 Home Collection

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Columbia High ‘54 alums reach a big goal. BY ADRIANNA DONAT

Alan Salisbury knew the 1954 class at Columbia High School was up for a challenge. So when he learned the school’s scholarship fund offered an endowed scholarship at the $20,000 level to help CHS students pay for college, he took it to his classmates. He offered to give $10,000 toward the fund if the class of 1954 would match it. And with some organizational help from “campaign manager” Dotty Kyle, they did. The CHS Scholarship Fund was established in 1923 for Columbia High students who needed help funding college or any other post high program. CHSSF is now the largest need-based scholarship fund in the Maplewood/South Orange area. Many of the recipients are the first in their families to attend college. Says Salisbury, “Columbia offered me the foundation I built everything else on. We [the class of 1954] were very fortunate. You can see the need to help kids get to college now, and I wanted to help.” Kyle agrees, adding that “CHS is instrumental in getting these kids into a good college. We want to help them financially as they build on this foundation for success.” Salisbury and Kyle make a formidable pair. “This scholarship is 1 percent my inspiration and 99 percent Dotty’s perspiration,” says Salisbury with a laugh. This was not Salisbury’s first experience with the CHS Scholarship Fund: He had previously established a scholarship to be granted to a CHS student who was concerned with animal welfare, naming it in honor of his “second family,” Iris and Wyman Richardson, the original owners of the Maplewood Pet Shop, a couple who had mentored him.

Robert Northfield Broker/Sales Associate

973-544-8001

[email protected] www.RobertNorthfield.com www.NewJerseyUniqueHomes.com *according to reported sales on GSMLS for 2014. May not reflect all sales. An Equal Opportunity, Equal Housing Opportunity, Independently Owned & Operated * Garden State MLS, 2014 181 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, NJ 07040. Office: 973-762-5400

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Spring 2015

We have the most amazing selection of everything you need to make a magical Fairy Garden. Come take a look and we’l show you how.

Bee & Thistle

Maplewood’s First and Last Choice for Gifts Established 1973

Hostess • Housewarming • Bridal • Home Décor Accents •Gift Certificates

Free Gift Wrap • Open Tues. – Sat. 10 am – 5:30 pm or by appointment Eileen and John Dilley • 89 Baker Street, Maplewood, NJ 973-763-3166 www.beeandthistlegifts.com

Haniel Rosemond, DDS, MAGD Davia Strachan, DDS Pediatric Dentist-Spec. Permit 4041 • • • • • • • •

Emergencies Welcome & Seen Same Day Most Insurance Accepted/Flexible Financing Early Morning and Evening Appointments Available Fresh Breath Treatment Sealants/Fluoride Powerful Teeth Whitening Options Breakthrough Laser Gum Disease Treatment Accelerated Orthodontics – 6 Month Braces

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Join us in Celebration of

Mother’s Day & Graduations “May your thirst for life never run dry”

Kneeling in front, Eleanor vom Eigen Winslow, Dottie Kyle, Gail  Henston Jaffe, Herb Rosenberg. Standing, left to right, Alan Salisbury, Eric Brattsom, Stew and Shirley Stainecker, Pat Grant Porter, Margie Halprin Davis, Lennie Harlan.

A reception for the class of 1954 Scholarship Fund was held on March 26th in the newly refurbished CHS auditorium. Entertainment was supplied by a string quartet of CHS students. Refreshments were served. And the room was alive with the buzz of classmates catching up on each other’s lives. Fellow 1954 alumna and celebrated watercolor artist Pat Grant Porter donated a portrait of CHS at the reception. Classmate Eric Brattsom, who took art class with Porter at Tuscan Elementary, laughs and points out, “You can tell it’s one of Pat’s landscapes because there’s always a bird or two in the background. She’s done that since fourth grade.” Joan Lee, president of the CHSSF, addressed the 12 returning classmates from 1954, thanking them and saying, “It will amaze you what this can do for our students.” Principal Elizabeth Aaron caught the group up on recent happenings and statistics for CHS, and took questions from an attentive audience. As she pointed out, “Life is expensive. Our students often can’t afford what’s in their hearts. This money you give can put them over the hump.” And nobody is happier than Salisbury with the results of the campaign. As he puts it, “It’s our job to take this good fortune we had at Columbia and pay it forward.” Adrianna Donat is a freelance writer and children’s book author.

LOBSTER ROLLS ARE BACK! Experience the best of Ireland’s Pub traditions Family Friendly • Good Cheer Raw Bar on Fridays 4–7 p.m.

LIVE, TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC

Authentic Irish Cuisine, Irish Coffee, Fine Wines and Irish Whiskey worthy of Celtic Kings

Check out our new Spring Menu!

Join us fireside for lunch and dinner 167 Maplewood Avenue Maplewood Village 973-378-2222 ST. JAMES’S GATE APPAREL AND GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE www.stjamesgatepublickhouse.com

1954 alumna and noted watercolor artist Pat Grant Porter donated a portrait of Columbia High during the Scholarship presentation.

We’re growing only because our clients have.

We’re expanding our Maplewood Village offices to meet the increasing needs of our growing client base and for that we are very grateful. Thank you! Whether you are searching for a way to invest for college tuition or your retirement, we will help you pursue those goals. We’d welcome an opportunity to meet you. The GenWealth team (front row): Michael Leanza, CFP® Certified Financial Planner, Founder and President; Cherie Leanza,Vice President Marketing; (back row) Aamir Mir, Registered Sales Assistant; Braden Schipke, CFP ® Certified Financial Planner; Kimberly DiBlasi, Chief Compliance Officer

Based in Maplewood, The GenWealth Group is a Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm dedicated to growing and preserving the wealth you’ve worked hard to accumulate. As an RIA, we have the legal and fiduciary responsibility to always put your interests first when providing advisory services. Together, we’ll work through life’s events and develop progressive financial strategies for what lies ahead.

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Spring 2015

Urban FARMING

LOCALLY PRODUCED, PESTICIDE FREE, AND SUSTAINABLY GROWN BY TIA SWANSON

Trays of growing greens. In hydroponics, greens are grown on tables and the water is pumped through; some systems use an ebb and flow, or flood, system that periodically raises and lowers the water level on the table; others are grown in a system that constantly circulates very low levels of water and nutrients. The water returns to a tank and is recycled, so the system uses much less water than traditional agriculture.

mattersmagazine.com

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SOLUTELY AB

PURE

extra strong

TEAM WE SELL OUR HOMES FOR 1% MORE THAN THE AVERAGE AGENT AND IN LESS THAN HALF THE AVERAGE TIME.*

I

Lorraine Gibbons, Michael Easterly and Zachary Buck among the hydroponic tables in the greenhouses at Branch Brook Park. Gibbons and Easterly do community outreach through the greenhouse gardens; Buck has his new business there.

It was a blue but chilly day in late March, spring still distant. The branches of the trees in Newark’s Branch Brook Park scraped the sky, sharp and barren. At the greenhouses tucked into the north end of the park, however, winter had been vanquished – or perhaps it is truer to say that it had never arrived at all. Here the air was warm, fragrant with the smell of life, of agriculture; and across its glassedin expanse, mounds of lettuce, spinach, arugula and other greens marched like little soldiers in varying stages of growth. Workers moved among the greens, flooding here, harvesting there. This is the newest project of Lorraine Gibbons, a longtime Maplewood/South Orange resident who has always been a mover and shaker. Years ago, when her children were young, she established the gardens at Seth Boyden and Tuscan schools. Now that they are mostly grown (although her step-children are still in school in the district), she has moved on to a new dream: putting gardens in one of the poorest cities in America as a way of providing good food and serving the community all at the same time.

Mark Slade Homes Team o 973.762.5400 | c 917.797.5059 [email protected] lovetoliveinmaplewood.com

each office independently owned and operated *as calculated using stats pulled from the GSMLS

South Mountain YMCA

BANISH THE BOREDOM Friendship, Accomplishment, Belonging

CAMP OPEN HOUSE AND HEALTHY KIDS DAY Saturday, May 2

12:00-3:00pm

at the Civic House in Memorial Park

amp Drama C s rn retu to SOPAC mer! this sum

Camp begins June 29, 2015.

14 different camps for ages 2½ - grade 10

For more information, visit SMountainYMCA.org or call 973 762 4145.

18

Spring 2015

Below: A tray of micro-spinach ready for harvesting. It takes three to five weeks for plants to go from seeds to harvest. This is one of the greens Arturo’s uses in its salads. Right: An employee carries a long tray of spinach out of the greenhouse and into the packing area. This particular hydroponic system grows its plants in tubes that look like gutters. Greens are harvested twice a week and sent to restaurants and grocery stores across the region.

soPac Gala May 30

BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL Broadway legend headlines annual gala festivities! PoP, oldies

Gary Puckett & the union GaP FRI, MAY 1 AT 8PM sinGer-sonGwriter, Folk

Judy collins SAT, MAY 2 AT 8PM Folk, acoustic, Guitar

leo kottke THU, MAY 7 AT 7:30PM

theatre, staGed readinG

listen to your Mother: north Jersey SAT, MAY 9 AT 2PM & 5PM sinGer-sonGwriter

ruFus wainwriGht

a sPecial Mother’s day show

SUN, MAY 10 AT 7:30PM

coMedy

the second city: 50 years oF Funny FRI, MAY 15 AT 8PM classic rock, acoustic, tribute

the Machine PerForMs Pink Floyd SAT, MAY 16 AT 8PM sinGer-sonGwriter

bruce cockburn SUN, MAY 17 AT 7:30PM

blues in the loFt

brad Vickers & al Gold with sPecial Guest bobby radcliFF SUN, APRIL 12 AT 7PM Mike Griot & Friends SUN, JUNE 7 AT 7PM

PoP, r&b

reGina belle SUN, MAY 29 AT 8PM sinGer-sonGwriter

Josh ritter SUN, MAY 31 AT 7:30PM rock

the bacon brothers THU, JUNE 25 AT 7:30PM

Jazz in the loFt

charlie aPicella & iron city SUN, APRIL 19 AT 7PM soPac in association with the Gateway Presents

sarah PartridGe FRI, MAY 22 AT 8PM kids ‘n FaMily

the JunGle book SUN, MAY 3 AT 2PM

buy tickets today! Visit soPacnow.org or call (973) 313-arts (2787) south oranGe PerForMinG arts center one soPac way, south oranGe nJ 07079 SOPAC programs are made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Juilliard @ SOPAC is supported in part by Samuel Convissor.

mattersmagazine.com

19

We Open Doors to Your Future

Gibbons founded her business just seven years ago, and moved into these greenhouses only in 2011. When she first saw them in 2009, the then-abandoned greenhouses were stuffed with all manner of junk, everything from pianos to plastic plants, but nary a living thing. Now, employees harvest twice a week, sending greens to some of the toniest restaurants around, including Gramercy Tavern in New York City, a slew of eateries in Jersey City as well as Arturo’s, right here in Maplewood. The company also sells greens to Whole Foods and Fresh Direct. The business end of the venture has become so large and so profitable, in fact, that several months ago Gibbons spun off the for-profit side of the venture; it now goes by the name the Radicle Farm Company and is in the hands of her son, Tony. (Their online presence is at radfarm. co) The word “radicle” in the company name is the botanist’s term for the first root to appear from a seed. But to mishear it as “radical” does not widely miss the mark, for the company’s mission is to push the boundaries on green farming practices. Thus its newest entry in the marketplace is an award-winning, totally living salad that is shipped from the greenhouses still growing in the mix of what counts as “soil” in hydroponics, a totally compostable and nutrient rich mix of peat and coconut shells or something similar; the salad can be kept on a windowsill for up to two weeks to be harvested only when it is to be eaten, and retains all its nutrients, unlike West Coast greens that lose most of their nutritional value on the cross-country truck trip. And apart from being better for eaters, the salad is better for the earth, since it is grown here without pesticides, and production uses just a tenth of the space and water needed for traditionally grown lettuces. Gibbons, meanwhile, has turned her attention to the not-forprofit side of the enterprise, her first love. For her, gardening has always been the means to the end, a way to promote education, community development, healthy lifestyles and economic opportunity. So, together with Michael Easterly, a South Orange resident with the same passion, Gibbons uses the business and its profits as a way to reach into the community. The not-for-profit side of the venture, re-named the Center for Sustainable Food Systems, has partnerships across the county. At Newark Beth Israel and St. Barnabas Hospitals, conventional gardens – they call

Susan Blodgett

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Virginia "Ginny" Spiegel Sales Associate Cell: 973-219-8865 [email protected]

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145 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood

Office: 973-378-8300

©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned and Operated by NRT LLC.

31

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20

Spring 2015

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Right: The Radicle Salad, totally living and in completely compostable packaging, won the 2014 Editor’s Choice NEXTY award for Natural Products Expo East in New York in December. What most excites farm founder Lorraine Gibbons about the product, however, is the prospect that it will one day be sold in small corner stores in urban areas that don’t sell greens because they can’t refrigerate them. This salad can live at room temperature for up to two weeks – and thereby could improve eating habits all over the metropolitan area.

BASS FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC

Left: Hydroponic systems are expensive – one reason greens grown in them can be higherpriced than others. There are complicated systems of growing tables, pumps, hoses and tanks. The savings comes in resources; the greenhouses’ yield is ten times that of dirt fields, and there are no pesticides. They also use only a tenth of the water.

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Right: The spinach gets taken out of the trays and inspected before being placed carefully in a box headed for Arturo’s. The greens are taken to the restaurant still growing; at Arturo’s they are snipped off just before being put on the plate and served, a system that allows the greens to be eaten absolutely fresh, with their nutrients still intact.

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them “Earth Box Farms” – serve as community outreach, projects for day patients and promotion for wellness programs; there are similar setups in Jersey City and Garfield, where there are community gardens at the library, the YMCA, the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs and the high school; there is a garden at Orange High School, and plans for other schools, programs that will tie in with special education, particularly for autistic children. The center has an internship program for students at Essex County College that provides opportunity and training to an average of 50 students a year. A number of students have gotten jobs with the farm; others have gone

on to successful careers elsewhere. Students from throughout the county come on field trips to the greenhouses, providing education about the economics and politics of the country’s food system – why a hamburger, for example, costs less than a salad. Most recently, the center has put its economic development philosophy into concrete practice by making room in the greenhouses for fledgling agri-businesses. In early April, South Orange resident Zachary Buck brought his venture to a portion of the greenhouses. Buck, who has nurtured a lifelong fascination with controlled horticulture – he has moved from bonsai to hydroponics to fish keeping

mattersmagazine.com

21

BEACON JEWELERS “GRAND” RE-OPENING!! Years may pass, fashions fade, but our family business remains the same. Our commitment to bringing you the best quality and excellence in fine jewelry has not wavered in the 48 years we have been in business.

– intends to establish an aquaponic system on site. Aquaponics creates a closed and completely renewable environment that runs off the symbiotic relationship between fish and greens; fish waste becomes the nutrients in the water that hydrates the plants. The plants, in turn, cleanse the water before it is returned to the fish tank. Hydroponic systems grow both greens and fish, and the fish are sometimes harvested. Buck is looking into the possibility of growing crustaceans in his tanks, perhaps the large fresh water crayfish popular in Cajun cooking. For now, Buck is offering two products: Customers can buy subscription shares of micro greens that will deliver fresh salad fixings to them twice a month; he also is

doing vegetable starts for wouldbe gardeners who never get their seeds planted until too late. Buck has an MBA and a background in finance and investment, skills he hopes to put to use in this new, more personal, venture. “We all want better food systems,” Buck says. “The challenge is to make them stand on their own two feet.” If his business follows in the footsteps of the ones it now shares space with, the business will not just stand. It will roar, which is all the better for all of us. Tia Swanson lives in South Orange and will definitely be ordering some of Buck’s vegetable starts. Bird’s Eye Peppers and Japanese Onions sound particularly intriguing. See for yourself at urbanagreens.com.

The satisfaction of our customers has always been and will continue to be our number 1 priority. Tony, Johanna, and the Giasullo Family have entirely renovated our store and invite you to our “Grand” Re-Opening!

Friday, May 15th 10:30am - 8:00pm Saturday, May 16th 10:30am - 5:00pm ALL existing inventory will be on sale: • Sterling silver and gold filled fashion jewelry – 30% - 50% Off • Cultured and Fresh Water Pearl Jewelry – 30% - 40% Off • Watches – 30% - 40% Off • Gold and Diamond Jewelry – 40% - 60% Off

You will be amazed at the variety, quality and value of exceptional designs.

Beacon Jewelers Since 1968 Maplewood’s most trusted family jewelers

185 Maplewood Avenue

Maplewood Village

973-762-8497

r u o Y Farm to Table Fresh and local food comes of age BY MARCIA WORTH-BAKER

A

Ask Melissa Goldberg why buying locally-sourced food matters, and she answers with passion. “The more people know about where their food comes from, the more it helps the farmers stay in business, and the more they help themselves eat healthfully,” she declares. “It’s important to me and to my family to know what’s in our food and where it comes from.” Goldberg is the founding member of the Farm and Fork Society, a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) co-op. “Farm and Fork,” as members call it, has grown since its 2008 inception, one of several local cooperative food options dotting our suburban landscape. CSAs date to the 1980s – or at least the “CSA” term does. The idea of groups of people coming together to increase their buying power and to support particular food purveyors is hardly new. What’s exciting, says Goldberg, is the surge in local interest. How do CSAs work? A CSA is in essence a community of individuals who pledge support to local farming operations by becoming “shareholders” in a selected farm. The “shareholder pledge” allows the farmer to cover anticipated farm costs and also pays the farmer’s salary. In return, CSA members receive shares of the farm’s produce throughout the growing season. For many CSAs in this area, the growing season begins in late spring and continues into the fall. The produce is delivered locally, divided and then distributed, usually by volunteers. CSA members pick up their shares at a central location. In South Orange, Jaime Rugh was so eager to become part of a CSA that she volunteered her home as the location, becoming a coordinator for Farmigo, another CSA option. “The most important thing to me is that the food is locally-sourced and picked or produced just a day prior to delivery; when I receive my order, and go through my bags,” says Rugh, “I feel like I have just come home from the best farmer’s market ever.”  CSA food typically varies by delivery, explains Goldberg, according to what’s in season.

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23

Weichert Welcomes Nancy Gould "A successful agent for over 14 years, Nancy’s business savvy, work ethic and community service bring a wealth of benefits to her clients. We are thrilled to have her join us!" - Patricia Bannan, Manager

NaNcy Gould FINDING WHAT MOVES YOU 697 Valley Street, Maplewood, NJ Office: 973 762 3300 Cell: 917 626 2176 email: [email protected]

24

Spring 2015

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The options vary, too, as the “farmto-table” movement has grown in our area. Each local option has its own particular offerings, including the opportunity to pick your own produce. What ties them together, says Goldberg, is “a commitment to live well, and to support local farms and farmers. When we support organic, sustainable farming, we not only feed ourselves well, but care for the farmland around us. That benefits the whole community.” Rugh agrees. “It’s also exciting to know that the site is year-round and changes with the seasons,” she says. “While the produce section is smaller right now, I know it will be overflowing soon with amazing fruits and veggies as we head into the summer months.” Rugh notes that Farmigo isn’t only farm products: “There are also many other things available throughout the year that my community

members rely on buying each week from Farmigo – milk, eggs, breads, cheeses, pantry items and more.” Local CSA options include the Purple Dragon Co-op, which traces its roots back to 1987. Janit London, veteran of many food coops, designed Purple Dragon’s selfdescribed “low-labor co-op model.” Every other week, co-op members receive a “mixed basket” of locally grown and produced foods. In return, members pay for a share and are asked to provide one threehour shift of volunteer time per household every month in return, helping to divide the produce. Purple Dragon members pride themselves on their commitment to organic growing and sustainable practices such as recycling all office paper, using only recycled paper and returning crates to farmers. The CSA also supports environmental and organic

mattersmagazine.com

farming associations, including the NJ Organic Farming Association. Honey Brook Organic Farm, based in Pennington, is likewise an old-timer on the CSA scene. Jim Kinsel has been growing and marketing organic produce since 1991, making his farm (as he proudly points out) “the oldest and largest certified organic fruit, herb, vegetable and flower Community Supported Agriculture farm in the Garden State.” Honey Brook offers two main options for local consumers. Kinsel and his staff encourage locals to visit and even to pick their own produce in season. In addition, the “Boxed Share” delivery program serves our immediate area and much of the state. Montclair Community Food Co-Op (MCFC) and CSA is farther afield, with pickup at the Montclair Historical Society, but offers a unique specialty. In addition to fruits and vegetables, the MCFC CSA has shares available in Community Supported Medicine (CSM). Shares are monthly and include organic herbal medicine, including tonics, salves, freshly therapeutic skin oils, and tinctures. Farmigo is a newer arrival on the local CSA scene, offering “farmto-neighborhood” food. Based in Brooklyn, Farmigo also supports

Check out our chart on the next (26) page for information on all these firms.

new communities, each connected to local farms. Locals who launch a new community can designate a pickup area and, according to Farmigo, have considerable leeway about what pickup can involve. Likewise, shoppers can order once, once-a-week, or whatever works best for them. Far mig o offers locals ever ything from peaches to Beenut butter, and all orders are completed online. The Seth Boyden “community” receives ten percent of its sales as a donation to the school. Rugh explains that in addition to the quality of the food, and knowing its source, she takes additional satisfaction from the CSA experience. “As an artist, I am delighted knowing that I may not be receiving the shiniest most perfect looking supermarket apple,” she says, “because instead, I am receiving something that looks real, like it was grown with love and tastes like it came straight from the tree.” Goldberg agrees, saying, “The great thing about the food is that it’s real, roots, stems and all.” In other words, the antithesis of the “factory farm.” It’s food for thought. Marcia Worth-Baker is a South Orange writer and an enthusiastic consumer of the Garden State’s locally-grown produce.

25

Exceptional Dentistry for Long Term Success Goes by a New Name…

Offering Services for the entire family including Preventive, Esthetics and Restorative Treatments. Specializing in TMJ/TMD and Implant Therapies.

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Preschool (Starting at 2 ½ years old), Pre-K, and Kindergarten Programs Full and Half day sessions Extended day hours are available School year program, as well as a summer camp Largest and most accessible outdoor play space Register NOW for Summer Camp Please email: [email protected] for more information.

461 Vose Avenue, South Orange 973-762-6451 www.socds.com

26

Spring 2015

fresh picks



Farm and Fork Society

farmandforksociety.com

June 12 through November 20, 2015

Millburn

Members volunteer 1-2 shifts per season.

Farm and Fork now offers organic poultry and pasta. Cooking classes have been offered at Kings and at Williams-Sonoma.

Farmigo

farmigo.com

Year-round

Seth Boyden in Maplewood, in addition to another location in Maplewood, South Orange and Livingston

Only the community coordinator is required to work.

The Seth Boyden Farmigo community benefits the Seth Boyden Demonstration School.

Purple Dragon Co-Op

purpledragon.com

Year-round

Locations in Maplewood, Millburn and South Orange

Volunteers commit one hour every three months.

Purple Dragon supports environmental and organic farming associations. Members can give or sell a weekly share to friends.

Honey Brook Organic Farm

honeybrookorganicfarm. com

May through November 2015

Locations in Maplewood, Millburn and South Orange

No mandatory work requirement.

Members can visit the farm to pick their own food in season.

Montclair Food Co-Op & CSA

montclaircsa.wordpress. com

June 12 through Nov. 13, 2015.

Montclair

Volunteers sort food for distribution.

Offers certified organic herbal medicine from Lancaster Farmacy.

Eric Schwartz The HouseSOLD Name! Weichert’s #1 Agent & Team in South Orange

Eric Schwartz Broker / Sales Associate

Cell: 201-953-9994

See every home for sale at:

www.TheSchwartzTeam.com www.SouthOrangeHomeFinder.com • www.MaplewoodHomeFinder. com • www.ShortHillsHomeFinder.com

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Broker Sales Associate

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Invite Us In, We’ ll Bring Results.

28

Spring 2015

Party

GREEN Teal eyeglass frames, $159, Dawn Opticians, 63 Second Street, South Orange, 973-7629100, dawnopticians.com

Hand crafted ceramic serving set, $65, Kokoro, 172 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, 978-378-7988

Botanical hand cream, $20, No. 165, 165 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, 973-275-1658, no165.com

Celebrate spring with a fruity white wine, $9.99, Maplewood Wine & Liquor, 3 Highland Place, Maplewood, 973-763-6377, maplewoodwineliquor.com

Potted mixed succulents, $95, Perch Home, 9 Highland Place, Maplewood, 973- 821-4852, perchhome.com

This lightweight, versatile Flutter Shawl metamorphoses from a dramatic flowing shawl to a functional scarf, one size, great for travel!, $34, Bee & Thistle, 89 Baker Street, Maplewood, 973-763-3166, beeandthistlegifts.com

Gold emerald and diamond tennis bracelet, $2695, grand reopening price, $1615, Beacon Jewelers, 185 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, 973-762-8497

A great selection of greeting cards for all occasions, Maplewood Stationers, 171 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, 973-762-0888, maplewoodstationers.net

29 Making Dreams Come True mattersmagazine.com

White gold ring with a Tsavorite garnet and diamonds, $2,250 Tenth Muse Gallery, 170 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, 973-313-2722, thetenthmusegallery.com

52 Sagamore Road, Maplewood $875,000

Renovated Tuscan Gem!

Handcrafted Raffia basket tote bag, $60, No. 165, 165 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, 973-2751658, no165.com

Sue “Suki” Marsh-Shikiar Heather Gilheany 973-820-5751 [email protected]

6 Lenox Terrace, South Orange Charming Tudor and Great Location!

Sarah Z. Macyshyn 973-960-9513 [email protected]

87 Elm Street, Millburn SOLD!

Christine Lassiter Cell: 973-953-4616

17 Fairview Terrace, Maplewood List price: $699,000 UNDER CONTRACT!

Wooden bunny push toy, $32, Perch Home, 9 Highland Place, Maplewood, 973- 821-4852, perchhome.com

Jill Yeskel Cell: 201-650-7319

109 Rynda Road, South Orange, $640,000

Eilene Shauger Cell: 973-202-6844

Sue “Suki” Marsh-Shikiar Heather Gilheany 973-820-5751 [email protected]

Joanne Tedesco Kloud, CRB Manager [email protected]

Ice cream maker, $26.95, Kitchen a la Mode, 19 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, 973-821-5145, kitchenalamode.net

Weichert Short Hills 973-376-4545 505 Millburn Avenue Short Hills, NJ 07078 Weichert.com

30

Love Writing

Spring 2015

B

Historical romance in South Orange BY ADRIANNA DONAT

By day, Jodi Rotondo is a mild-mannered South Orange mom. But by night (and sometimes during the day when she’s not working at Oheb Shalom), Rotondo turns into Joanna Shupe. Shupe is a rare creature not often seen in these parts: an historical romance writer. Her first three books are being published this year, beginning with The Courtesan Duchess, which can be found in bookstores and online this spring. Rotondo is also unusual because she uses her writing skills to put the flavor of our towns into her books. They are not set here, but the heroines are empowered, thoughtful women. And unlike some other more modern romance stories to become popular lately (we’re looking at you, Fifty Shades of Grey), any bodice-ripping that happens in her books is because the heroine wants it that way. “I want my work to show women that we can stand up for ourselves”, Rotondo declares. “We deserve more. We shouldn’t settle.” Certainly her own path as a writer points to empowerment. She wrote the draft of her first manuscript while waiting tables as a graduate with a journalism degree. “My sister knew I could do it, and helped me come up with my first plot.”

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Spring 2015

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After that, Rotondo says, “I sat up writing after I came home from work until one in the morning.” But the manuscript sat untouched for years while she got married and had two kids. It was only when her “Type A” husband suggested she should get a hobby that she considered dusting it off. “Well, Mr. Smartypants, it just so happens I have a romance novel manuscript written,” she remembers telling him. And like the appreciative spouse all romance heroines dream of, he was supportive of her intellectual effort. “He wanted to edit it and help me get it published,” Rotondo says. After that, Rotondo found the New Jersey Romance Writers Association (NJRWA). “They were amazingly helpful,” she says. “They taught me the business of writing, and I couldn’t have gotten published without them.” NJRWA helped in other ways, too. “Historical romance readers are a very savvy group. They want realism and expect a level of care from their authors,” says Rotondo. In an effort to write for them, Rotondo found herself in NJRWA workshops to help her understand the particulars of historical romance, such as how aristocracy works, and what level of deference the gentry were afforded. But she also found herself in more practical learning situations, too. One workshop allowed writers

to try on some undergarments from different time periods. Rotondo donned a whalebone corset from the time period she was writing about. “I knew right away I was going to need to change some passages from my book,” she says. “I realized any heroine dressed like this couldn’t bend or sit on anything but the edge of her seat, and I had to change my writing.” Apparently, this attention to detail works. She’s had a lot of recognition, including winning Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart Award in 2013 for the best historical manuscript. And the question all romance writers fear: Does her mom read her work? “My mom is an avid romance reader and my biggest fan,” Rotondo says. “She wants to read a book as soon as I finish the manuscript. So far, her only complaint is, ‘There isn’t enough sex!’” adds Rotondo with a laugh. This might sound weird coming from a parent, but Rotondo takes it seriously. Her mother has 60 years of experience reading the genre, and Rotondo says, “I’ve gotten past it.” But her mom also provides her with the best compliment a romance writer’s mother can give. She says, “When I read her stories, I forget my daughter wrote them. They’re just good stories.” Adrianna Donat is a freelance writer and author of the children’s book Medicine for Monster (also available at Words).

Soups & Scoops 1846 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood 973-763-7400

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Sweet Serendipity

A

Blending jazz, Latin and classical styles, Leo Grinhauz is right at home BY AMIE HERMAN

A few months ago, a quartet was at JFK airport ready to depart for a month-long tour of Sweden. Orlando Wells, the violist of the quartet, sent a panicked text message to cellist Leo Grinhauz, whom he knew through Maplewood and orchestral music circles. “He was frantic,” Grinhauz recalls. The group hadn’t heard from their cellist in days and with just hours before the flight, he had failed to show up at the airport. The quartet was in jeopardy. Grinhauz was in the city performing, with his phone turned off. “But they managed to reach my wife,” he said, and she told them yes, he’d go to Sweden. “As soon as I turned on my phone, I saw the messages,” Grinhauz says. And he was booked on a flight to Sweden the following day – arriving just three hours before the first performance with just enough time to sight-read the music. “I have performed in so many different settings and situations,” he confesses, “but this was the most nerve-wracking and thrilling experience.” An Argentinian-born freelance cellist with an interesting 30-year professional career, Grinhauz is a good example of the rich musical talent that is attracted to our area. He and his wife, Nancy, lived in Highland Park, NJ for years. But in 2002, when their daughter, Lily, was 11 months old, they felt the magnetic pull of Maplewood. “It was the ideal community for us – the people, the schools and the beauty of the town,” he says. He considers his family to be second generation Maplewoodians. “I think we understood it before it was hip. My wife grew up in Maplewood and her mother still lives in their original home on South Crescent.” Lily, now 12, attends Maplewood Middle School. And Sweet Plantain, the group with whom he performed in Sweden, Grinhauz now sees as his life’s work. The quartet is made up of members from New Jersey, New York and Venezuela, and fuses hip-hop, jazz improv and Latin traditions into a distinctive repertoire. Sweet Plantain’s arrangements and original compositions incorporate percussive techniques to create

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Spring 2015

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Pictured left to right: Eddie Venegas (violin and trombone), Leo Grinhauz (cello), Orlando Wells (viola), Joe Deninzon (violin, mandolin, vocals). Photo by Stephan Hansson.

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an unusual and eclectic ‘voice’ and stretch the potential of chamber music. “How it came to pass was all about serendipity,” he says. It was a combination of the right moment, local connections and some of his wife’s vision to say yes. “Being classically trained made for an interesting challenge to move to improvisation and be required to carry the bass line for the group,” Grinhauz explains. It was trial by fire, with 20 back–toback concerts in Sweden. But he is now a permanent member of Sweet Plantain. “We like to think we take quartet playing to a different level,” says Grinhauz, who sees in this professional adventure an interesting

parallel to living in Maplewood: “Both of my ‘communities’, the one in which I live, and the one where I work, have a vibrant energy and a sense of potential,” he says, adding that he couldn’t have ended up in two more perfect places. Catch Grinhauz performing with Sweet Plantain in Montclair on June 14 at Trumpets Jazz Club (trumpetsjazz.com/calendar) Grinhauz also offers private cello instruction for all ages and levels at his Maplewood home. An avid music aficionado, Amie Herman’s favorite orchestral string instrument is the cello, and her favorite cello piece is Bach’s Suite No. 1 in G major. She may have to drop by Grinhauz’s place to ask him to play it.

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NO PLACE

LIKE HOME Refresh

Remodel Redecorate Replant Spring 2015

meet the experts

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Spring 2015

THERE’SNO PLACELIKEHOME

CertaPro Painters of Livingston

Giovine Landscaping, Inc. MICHAEL GIOVINE

JUAN PABLO CHAMORRO

West Orange 973-325-1758 [email protected] giovinelandscaping.com

973-762-7059 [email protected] certapro.com/livingston

Giovine Landscaping, established in 1986, has been providing landscaping services at all levels, from the design phase to installation and routine maintenance, for nearly thirty years. As long-time West Orange residents, the Giovine family takes pride in providing service to the community in which they live. Michael Giovine, with a background in design from Rutgers University, leads a trustworthy crew that’s been working closely together for over a decade, and are fully licensed, insured, state certified, and ICPI-certified for building patios, as well as holding NCMA certification for building retaining walls. Giovine Landscaping happily takes on all types of jobs, be they residential garden design or maintaining 16 acres of commercial land for management companies, always keeping the designs appropriate for each distinct space. They welcome their patrons to be a part of the design process, invite collaboration, and take the time to really listen to the particular needs of every client.

CertaPro Painters of Livingston’s motto: Because painting is personal, general manager and owner Juan Pablo Chamorro believes strongly in the personal touch for every job. CertaPro is the largest painting company in North America, but each franchise is locally owned, and Juan Pablo, a local resident with a professional background in marketing and sales, has deep roots in the community. Whether coaching soccer teams in the local schools or as president of The Maplewood Club, Juan Pablo’s involvement in the community translates into his professional life as well. Going the extra mile, CertaPro Painters provides daily updates on the progress of every job, a certainty pledge, no-cost color consultations (when using Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore paints), and a limited two-year warranty for every paint job. They stake their reputation on each job, which is why CertaPro hires professional painters who take pride in their work, and crews who work as a team, with foremen on every crew whose communication skills are highly valued. Offering competitive pricing, Juan Pablo prides himself on listening to the needs of each customer, keeping up with the latest innovations in the world of painting, and using his business and communication skills from the corporate world to approach the painting industry. Making sure that every customer is satisfied, whether residential or commercial, is crucial, and the customer doesn’t pay for the job until the work is completed.

THERE’SNO PLACELIKEHOME

mattersmagazine.com

Kensinger Garden Design

NEAT Storage Designs

HELEN KENSINGER, Landscape Designer

DEBRA STONE

Maplewood 862-216-2022 [email protected] kensingergardendesign.com

908-377-3325 [email protected] neatstoragedesigns.com

37

Are you looking to get organized and free up some valuable space in your garage or basement? You’re not alone: Many local homes are tight on storage space. But NEAT Storage Designs, owned by local resident Debra Stone, provides site-specific, in-home storage solutions to Central and Northern New Jersey. Exclusive dealers of Monkey Bar Storage Systems, NEAT specializes in home and garage organization. All too often, our garages are packed full of stuff, while cars are parked permanently in driveways. Finding a place for the inevitable clutter that accumulates can be an overwhelming task, which is why Debra and her team want to make it easy for homeowners. NEAT also partners with woodworkers to create built-in cabinets, as well as providing custom flooring and garage floor treatment. From entry-line storage systems for the budget-conscious to higher-end packages for people who want a complete makeover, the goal is no more clutter and greater peace of mind. Optimize and regain your space with NEAT!

KATHRYN HUANG PHOTOGRAPHY

Helen Kensinger of Kensinger Garden Design is a landscape designer passionate about plants, gardens, and the community in which she lives. Offering a wide range of services for varying budgets, Helen believes that homeowners should have input into and ownership of their own gardens, and works closely with each client to help bring their ideas to life, using CAD software to create a birds-eye-view garden plan that’s easily shareable. For those who are interested in gardening but don’t have the budget for a full plan, Kensinger also offers a garden coaching service, where she answers questions and gives suggestions to clients on how to start their own gardens. For another hands-on option, she also teaches a do-it-yourself landscape design class at the SOMA Adult School. Helen is dedicated both to the outdoors and to the local community, volunteering and heading beautification committees, exemplifying her belief that beautiful gardens should be easily accessible to all.

Custom storage and flooring add value to your home and can be matched to your home’s current color scheme.

A layered racking design maximizes your storage capacity by letting you store more items in the same vertical space.

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THERE’SNO PLACELIKEHOME

Spring 2015

Prism Painting & Home Repairs KEN SIEGEL

Maplewood 973-275-1268 [email protected] prismpaintingandhomerepair.com

Prism Painting & Home Repair is a customer-focused boutique contracting operation, owned and operated by longtime Maplewood resident Ken Siegel. Ken, a former human resources manager with an MBA, started his company six years ago, and the business has grown greatly thanks to word of mouth, repeat customers and Maplewood Online. Prism sets itself apart from other contractors because Ken does all of the work himself. From the initial contact to estimates and then the job itself, using his business and human resources backgrounds, Ken communicates and responds quickly to all calls, and works with each client’s schedule. Maintaining turn-of-the-century homes in the area is Prism’s specialty. Aside from interior painting and wall and ceiling repair, Ken repairs water damage, tub and shower caulking, tiles, and windows and locks, as well as doing small outdoor jobs such as power washing and deck staining. Another service provided by Prism is property management, particularly for absentee owners and rental houses. Prism is a local and community-minded repair service with a personal touch.

Studiovert Architecture

CAMILLA ZELEVANSKY, Architect 411 Ridgewood Road, Maplewood 917-647-1667 [email protected] studiovertarch.com Studiovert, architecture by Maplewood resident Camilla Zelavansky, is a local firm dedicated to green design. With more than twenty years of experience in distinguished firms around the country, Camilla specializes in residential designs, as well as interiors and remodels for local businesses. Having worked on hundreds of projects in the area, Camilla has received awards and accolades for historic preservation. Studiovert also collaborates with the Maplewood Township to design park improvements for the community. In an area where so many residents believe in creating green living spaces, Camilla provides a solution: she’s a Certified Passive House Consultant for low energy/zero energy building design. Studiovert works closely with each client according to their individual lifestyle and budget, with a goal of creating soothing, functional spaces, improving circulation, and maximizing views – all while remaining sensitive to the unique context of the project, combined with a clear focus on preservation and sustainability.

THERE’SNO PLACELIKEHOME

mattersmagazine.com

39

Sweet Life by Design

Wilber’s Painting

LEAH GOMBERG

Maplewood 973-762-6333 wilberspainting.com

973-762-3100 [email protected] sweetlifebydesign.com

Dining room before (Left) and after of a Maplewood home (Below). The asking price was $899,000. The selling price was $967,000. Days on the market: 13, July 2014

Sweet Life by Design offers home staging services in the Maplewood/ South Orange and surrounding areas. Leah Gomberg, a proud Maplewood resident and involved community member, founded the home staging business in 2006. Leah is an accredited stager with a background in communications, social work, and design – all important skills for the delicate task of transforming a lived-in or vacant house into a market-ready home that appeals to prospective buyers. Staged homes typically sell for 17 percent above asking price, which is why local realtors continuously choose to partner with Sweet Life by Design, a staging business that offers a large and constantly updated inventory to make each house feel fresh and modern. In addition, Leah offers interior design services and paint color consultations, and many satisfied staging clients choose her to make the design decisions in their new homes. Whether it’s for home staging or design, Sweet Life’s goal is to make your home look its absolute best.

WILBER VARGAS 

Wilber’s Painting & Carpentry of Maplewood has more than 20 years of experience in the South Orange/Maplewood and surrounding areas, providing interior and exterior painting services and general carpentry projects and repairs. They pride themselves on competitive pricing, continuous work on each project, high quality and craftsmanship, and even offer a three-to-four-year warranty when using Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore products. Aside from interior painting, Wilber’s crew repairs drywall and does plaster work, wallpaper removal and installation, staining and refinishing. Their exterior specialties include power washing, siding repair, window replacement, sanding and deck staining. As for carpentry, Wilber’s specializes in molding work, decks, stairs, and general wood repairs. Wilber’s is also happy to take on jobs of any size, from small touch-ups to complete updates and renovations. Fully insured, lead-safe certified, and winner of the Angie’s List Super Service Award for six consecutive years, Wilber’s is a familiar, recognizable name in the community.

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Spring 2015

THERE’SNO PLACELIKEHOME

Woolley Fuel NORM WOOLLEY, JR. 12 Burnett Avenue, Maplewood 973-762-7400 visitwoolley.com You may already know and trust Woolley Fuel Company as the local fuel service that started out delivering coal in 1924, but what you may not have known is that today Woolley Fuel also carries oil, natural gas, and biodiesel, and fills propane tanks, as well as recently partnering with Coleman to offer air conditioning installation, service and maintenance. Another option in full home service from Woolley is plumbing, since joining with C.T. Williams & Son Plumbing five years ago. A family business, now in its fourth generation, whose building has been a Maplewood landmark for 90 years, Woolley Fuel Co. represents longevity, supporting local businesses, and supporting the community. Heating, cooling and plumbing make Woolley your local one-stop shop for home comfort.

ANYWHERE Matters ©

On your laptop, Android, iPhone or iPad. On Facebook and Twitter. All issues, online, all the time.

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localmatters

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continued from page 12

Principal Elizabeth Aaron with members of the robotics club who will challenge golfers during a putting contest with their “robot golfer” at the Cougar Boosters golf outing on May 4 that will be held at the Maplewood Country Club.

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football, cheerleading, fencing, field hockey, Ultimate Frisbee, the all school musical, robotics team, marching band, jazz band, lacrosse, track, programming, quiz bowl, midnight madness, boys’ and girls’ soccer and the Shakespeare Festival. The funds they provide help pay for equipment and to improve the club/ team experience of the students. The robotics club will challenge the golfers during a putting contest with their “robot golfer”. During the cocktail hour the CHS Jazz Band will entertain guests and to kick off the dinner the CHS a cappella club will sing a couple of songs. For information call Larry Buscio, CHS Athletic Director; at 973-762-5800 ext: 1024, email Al Farah, Golf Chair man at [email protected] or visit the website chscougarboosters.org.

One of New Jersey’s largest and most popular plant sales, the Maplewood Garden Club Plant Sale returns for its 78th season. The sale features thousands of plants, including a great selection of colorful annuals and high-quality perennials. Gardeners can also find herbs and vegetables of every variety, including heirloom tomatoes, in addition to shrubs, trees, houseplants and beautiful decorative and hanging baskets for Mother’s Day gifts. The sale is held rain or shine at the Maplewood Pool parking lot at 187 Boyden Avenue, off Springfield Avenue, beginning May 7 from noon to 8 p.m. and continuing May 8 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and May 9 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Garden Club members will be on hand to give help and advice. All proceeds go back to the community for beautification and education projects.

The Maplewood Garden Club Plant Sale will take place from May 7 through May 9 at the Maplewood Pool parking lot rain or shine.

Unique Handcrafted Gifts for All Occasions Wed – Sat 10-5:30 • Sun 11-4

Supporting the individual & creative growth of each child within a Jewish setting RegistRation now open foR camp & pReschool. call for a tour. Toddler Time • Preschool • Extended Day • Transitional Pre-K • Camp Please contact Carol Paster, Director, at the Preschool Office 973-763-4600 • [email protected] www.tsti.org • 432 Scotland Road, South Orange

At Studio 509 we provide health and wellness through mindful movement. We foster sound biomechanics for all ages, different fitness needs and various health goals. Through mindful body stimulation and thoughtful awareness, you will discover true freedom of movement and the many benefits it provides. 5 0 9 Va l l e y S t r e e t M a p l e w o o d, N J tel 9 7 3. 2 7 5.0 5 0 9 S t ud i o 5 0 9 f i t N eS S.c o M

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Spring 2015

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973-763-0113 [email protected] bethelnj.org 222 irvington avenue south orange, nJ

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Conductor Susan Haig and the South Orange Symphony will hold a spring concert at South Orange Middle School on May 9. Call Geralyn at 973-275-1966 or 862-205-9744 to register for classes

103 Baker Street Maplewood Village

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The South Orange Symphony concludes its 66 th season with conductor Susan Haig presenting music by Debussy, Franck, Glazunov and Walton on May 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Sterling Hall at South Orange Middle School, 70 North Ridgewood Road, South Orange. This free concert is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts administered through Essex County. For more information, call 973-376-6349 or visit sosymphony.org. Arts Unbound will hold a 24-hour Art Marathon May 16 and May 17. This local nonprofit org anization provides visual

Donate Your Unwanted Items to SAGE Resale Shop Today! • Bric-a-brac • Books • China • Clothing • Collectibles • Furniture • Housewares • Jewelry • Linens

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Donations of gently used items are tax deductible and support SAGE Eldercare’s programs for older adults and their families in the region. 31B Chatham Road, Summit 908.273.5564 www.sageeldercare.org

The new members of the board of directors of Arts Unbound are Susan Young, Patricia A. Bell, Joanne Douds and Leonard Bornstein of South Orange and Mari D’Alessandro of Maplewood.

arts education and professional development to help artists with disabilities and senior artists compete in the retail art market. Five local residents have joined the board of directors of Arts Unbound. The new members are Susan Young, Patricia A. Bell, Joanne Douds and Leonard Bornstein of South Orange and Mari D’Alessandro of Maplewood. The Arts Unbound retail gallery and studio are located in the Valley Arts District section of Orange. For more information call 973-675-2787 or visit artsunbound.org. Youth Orchestras of Essex County will perform a spring concert May 17 at 2 p.m. at South Orange Performing Arts Center, One SOPAC Way, South Orange. The concert, featuring 95 musicians from 18 towns, will include four distinct instr umental g roups. Providing a diverse and musically talented group of young people with the opportunity to participate in an affordable, high-level orchestra experience and cultivate a lifelong love of music has been the YOEC’s mission since 1956. Admission to YOEC is through auditions, which are currently being scheduled for the 2015-2016 season for June 1 and 8. For tickets and details, please call 404-500-9632 or visit yoec.org. interACT Theatre Productions will present Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical at the Baird Theatre, 5 Mead Street, South Orange over three weekends

mattersmagazine.com localmatters

localmatters

Artists Studio Tour

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Summer camp June-29-July 30

Monday-Friday 9AM-2PM. Flexible 2,3 & 5 day programs Hot nutritious lunches For more information or to schedule a tour Call: 973-763-7455 Or visit our website: www.maplewoodjewishcenter.org Frumie Bogomilsky– director MS Early Childhood– Sp.Ed

Above: Studio Tour artists gather at Gallery 1978 Below: Artist Florence Weisz in her studio,

photographed by Laura Giannini If it’s the first Sunday in June it must be the longest running, largest artist’s studio tour in the region. June 7 marks the 12 year of this grand tour of artist’s studios, art exhibitions and outdoor art with more than 50 participating artists in studios and venues throughout South Orange and Maplewood. The South Orange Maplewood Artists Studio tour was initiated by volunteers to celebrate the artists among us and to help make affordable, local art available to all. Both artists and art collectors alike look forward to this one special day each year when the local art scene throws its doors wide open. This year the Tour will be held on Sunday, June 7 from 11-5 pm. Visit studiotoursoma.org to preview participating artists and plan your tour.

Creative Speech Solutions, LLC Pediatric Therapy Center

Helping children to achieve their maximum potential, one step at a time. Speech Therapy Occupational Therapy Feeding Therapy

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2015 Mini Camp PAL (Play & Learn) groups include: Youth Orchestras of Essex County will hold their spring concert at SOPAC on May 17.

from May 29 through June 14. This hit musical retrospective celebrating the life and times of Ellie Greenwich, whose doo wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of

the ‘60s charts, will feature a talented cast directed by Nicholas J. Clarey with musical direction provided by Holland Jancaitis. The story of Greenwich’s rise to fame and fortune

• Chat and Play w Friends • Happy Handwriting • Social Superstars • Fun with Food • From Jumping to Drawing • Loving Literacy

*Visit our website for more information*

FREE SCREENINGS Cynthia Marrapodi, Director 151 Summit Avenue Summit, NJ 07091

(908) 598-0228

www.creativespeechsolutions.com

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localmatters

Summer Matters!

Spring 2015

The Society of Musical Arts Orchestra will hold a concert at Maplewood Middle School on June 7.

Matters

M

A

G

A

Z

I

N

Published June 15 973-763-4900

E

is punctuated with the virtual hit parade of her music: Chapel of Love, Da Do Ron Ron, Be My Baby, Hanky Panky, Do Wah Diddy, And Then He Kissed Me. For show times and ticket information, call 973-544-8489 or visit interactproductions.org. The Society of Musical Arts Orchestra concludes its concert season on June 7 at 4 p.m. at Maplewood Middle School, 7 Burnet Street, Maplewood. Remembrance and Celebration will feature the music of Beethoven, Hindemith, Paulus and Shapiro. Two of these pieces will highlight an extensive range of percussion instruments. For more than 30 years, the SOMA orchestra has brought together friends, neighbors and musicians both professional and amateur. This free concert is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts administered through Essex County. For more information call 973-763- 4939 or visit soma.ar88.net. Now in its fifth year, the North Jersey Pride Festival, a “Built for Grown-Ups, Safe for Kids” celebration of diversity and equality for LGBTQ and supportive

ally community members will be held on June 14 in Maplewood Memorial Park from 12-6 p.m. The festival, which features familyfriendly entertainment, includes an all-day live show, more than 150 vender/exhibitors, a food court showcasing the best of local eateries, and a kids’ zone, caps off a week of Pride activities. The week starts with the North Jersey Pride 5K Run June 7 in South Orange and continues with Family Night at the Roller Rink June 9; Movie Night in Montclair June 11 and Dance for Equality June 13 in South Orange. For more details please visit northjerseypride.org. The biennial Gems of South Orange House Tour is scheduled for October 17. The committee is looking for volunteers to display their homes. The criteria to become a Tour home are one or more of the following: architectural beauty, distinctiveness, historical significance, interiors, landscaping or collections. To have a home considered for inclusion, homeowners can contact house selection committee chair, Laura Auer at 908-577-7821 or email her at [email protected].

The North Jersey Pride Festival, featuring national and local talent, will be held in Maplewood Memorial Park on June 14.

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46

finalmatters

Spring 2015

Pokey Maisie

How the spring in my step has been thwarted by a four-legged slowpoke.

W

BY ELISSA CATERFINO MANDEL

ARTWORK BY ERIN ROGERS PICKERING

When my children were small, the unknown scared me, and I believed I could control the behavior of what lived in my house if I fed it the right diet and forced it to get exercise. Back then the idea of genetic uncertainty, even in a canine, stopped me cold. That’s why as a young mother, I wanted a purebred dog, something whose behavior was predictable, preferably calm, and that wouldn’t aggravate my youngest son’s asthma. I should have purchased a pillow, but I ended up with a poodle. As a 53-year-old with an empty nest, I had radically different needs. While I didn’t want a creature that would grow up to be 165 pounds and have a mind of its own – I’d already experienced that with two of my sons and the aforementioned poodle – I missed having a dog. Any dog. I wanted a purpose on a beautiful spring morning, a reason to get up and take a brisk walk outside. “Brisk walk” are the key words here. I adopted Pokey – now Maisie – a shelter mutt that no young family wanted because she moved so slowly that she seemed only half awake. Perfect, I thought, a dog that had the potential to be the least hyperactive member of the family, a creature that would actually cuddle up next to me on the couch without channel surfing. Pokey ended up to be an apt name for her. Frequently, when she’s asked to sit, she lies on the ground like a throw rug. Yes, somehow in my infinite wisdom, I adopted a dog that doesn’t always like to walk. Certainly, in eight inches of snow, Maisie’s disinclination to move forward quickly made some kind of sense. I never got pulled or knocked over as I had by previous dogs. But now that the sun is shining and it is clear she’s not living in the Arctic tundra, I do not understand why she persists (at odd times) in imitating a statue

of a dog. While I haven’t quite captured serenity, Maisie has perfected the art of being still, particularly when I least want her to be that way. She’s not a Zen dog. Hardly. She fetches toys and runs the length of the house like she’s an Indianapolis racetrack driver without the car. She hides under my youngest son’s bed and chews at the cardboard-wrapped posters that he never bothered to unpack when we moved to South Orange two years ago. In her very early puppyhood, she jumped and nipped the edges of coats and gnawed on my kitchen table. Too often, she mistook my husband’s hand for a chew toy. But when it comes to negotiating the terms of a walk, even on a gorgeous spring day, she’s definitive. She’s a non-mover. It’s mortifying to be standing with a leashed dog that needs to be coaxed to move forward. I feel cruel pulling her, ridiculous screaming “let’s go,” when she rears her head back and stares at me like a recalcitrant mini-horse with her soulful eyes. All I am proving to the neighbors with my histrionics is that I have as little influence over a 16-pound dog as I do over the flowers on my lawn. Someone once told me that a dog is the best kind of exercise equipment around. There should be a caveat to that – to be effective at stimulating its owner’s endorphins, the dog in question has to want to walk more than half a block at a time. Sometimes I wonder whether Maisie has been sent on purpose to teach me a lesson about the pace of life. Don’t rush around. Pick up a stick now and then. Sniff the air to test out what’s in the yard next door. And by all means, hide under a bush when the garbage truck comes – especially if you haven’t separated the recycling from the trash. Elissa Caterfino Mandel and Maisie live in South Orange.

SOLD

SOLD

973-762-5400

973-762-5400

973-762-5400

We are Painting the Town Red!

SOLD

973-762-5400

Keller Williams is the

# 1 AGENCY

973-762-5400

in the SOMA Community.

SOLD 973-762-5400

• We sell more homes in SOMA than any other agency!* • Our listings sell faster! Our listings have the shortest time on market.*

Call one of our Agents today!

Robert Northfield

BROKER SALES PERSON

Maggie Calister SALES PERSON

Ismenia Mendes SALES PERSON

Jean Kelly Rowe SALES PERSON

Daria Knarvik SALES PERSON

Mark Slade SALES PERSON

Valarie Tart-Williams SALES PERSON

Donna Brown SALES PERSON

Vanessa Pollock SALES PERSON

Jonathan Citron SALES PERSON

Kristen Hill Smith SALES PERSON

Caroline Farnsworth SALES PERSON

Anita Samet SALES PERSON

Tom McCauley SALES PERSON

Randy Rabney SALES PERSON

Susie Adamson SALES PERSON

Jennifer Greenberg SALES PERSON

Mark Mattheiss SALES PERSON

Francine Lichtman BROKER/SALES ASSOCIATE

Octavio Mendes Tom Peters BROKER OF RECORD TEAM LEADER/AGENT

Allison Ziefert SALES PERSON

Barbara Lawrence SALES PERSON

Reed Kean OP/SALES PERSON

Randy Goldstein SALES PERSON

Lisa Danbrot SALES PERSON

Sonia Quintero SALES PERSON

Serving South Orange, Maplewood & Beyond

o 973-762-5400 f 973-762-5401 | 181 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, NJ each office independently owned and operated

* YTD numbers for the stats are supplied by Broker Metrics and GSMLS

Abundance. Start with big dreams and make life better. We net sellers more money in a faster amount of time. Our listings sold for an average of 101% of their listing price within 28 days on the market. Better than all of our competitors. Invite us in. You’ll be glad you did. 145 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood

Office: 973-378-8300 ©2015 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned and Operated by NRT LLC.