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Summer Sizzlers Cherre Schwartz Eric Schwartz

N. Marie Lundi

31 Girard Place, Maplewood Robyn Singer

279 Wyoming Avenue, Maplewood

376 Forest Road, South Orange Cherre Schwartz Eric Schwartz

227 Tillou Road, South Orange Cynthia Grieger

Lori Simone

45 Orange Heights Avenue, West Orange

1 West Lane, Maplewood

Cherre Schwartz Eric Schwartz

484 Harding Drive, South Orange

N. Marie Lundi

156 Oakland Road, Maplewood

Rena Spangler

363 Grove Road, South Orange Cynthia Grieger

30 Plymouth Street, Montclair Ken Krasner

26 Hilltop Avenue, Berkeley Heights Josephine Queen

5 Calvin Terrace, West Orange

Maplewood Office

973-762-3300

Serving Maplewood, South Orange and Surrounding Areas

LOCATED AT HISTORIC PIERSON’S MILL 697 VALLEY STREET, MAPLEWOOD

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contents Vol. 23 Issue 4

Heart of the Matter Promenade

Molly Matters The Prom

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20

Station House Settlers

28

Local Amusement

29

History and counterculture

20

Around the towns

Moving on and moving in

A Breath of Fresh Air10 Summer in the suburbs

from yesteryear

For the love of Julia 14

Buying from Friends 34

Humming a favorite tune Sean Hemingway

The Ultimate Game 14

Local Matters 7

A Life of Legend

Maplewood dad John Gigante built the ultimate treehouse for his three kids, but it has become a magnet for the entire neighborhood’s under-8 set. The elaborate treehouse has turrets, a working drawbridge and a dumbwaiter for raising and lowering all sorts of treasures. PHOTO BY KRISTEN RYAN

ON THE COVER

4

Creative corner

18

Summer Fun 36

Goings on all summer

29

Resource Guide

40

Final Matters

42

Local sources

Local summer reads

10

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

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They Grow Up Quickly... And change is the one thing we know for sure.

When you are ready for a change, look to me. The best testament to a realtor’s success is the repeat business she garners through referrals from satisfied clients. I’ve watched my clients’ children grow as they have watched my son, Will. Today, as it’s always been, my business is built on trust, knowledge and the ability to get the job done. Let me guide you through this monumental change.

Debbie Rybka-Howard CALL DEBBIE FOR THE RESULTS YOU DESERVE.

(908) 591- 4886 Circle of Excellence 2011 GOLD Level Award

973 376-4545 [email protected]

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Summer 2013

Matters

heart of the matter

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 Kathryn Wile GRAPHIC ARTISTS Lyman Dally Joy Markel COPY EDITORS Nick Humez Tia Swanson CONTRIBUTORS Marie DiPasquale, Patrice Kubik Frank Raso, Kristen Ryan

Please address all correspondence to:

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

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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 6 times a year to the residents of Maplewood and South Orange and distributed to businesses and surrounding communities totaling 20,000. 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

Promenade DEFINITION: a leisurely walk or stroll, usually in a public place, that is taken for pleasure or to be seen BY KAREN DUNCAN

It’s prom season once again! Astonishingly, it costs a family on average $1,139 per prom-goer, according to a study conducted by VISA. And that number was a $300 increase from two years ago. Prom-goers spend on a dress, shoes, tux rental, limousine rides and party buses, dinner at a nice restaurant, corsage for her, boutonniere for him, tickets to the actual event, manicures, hair design and spray tans. The list goes on and on. “Dresses are more elaborate,” Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at market research firm NPD Group wrote, “and more expensive. They are now buying two pairs of shoes, one to go to prom and one to dance in.” Forty-one years ago, when I attended my prom, I was on a budget. I made my dress, borrowed a purse, chose inexpensive “dyeable” sandals that I dyed again a midnight black, and then wore all through college. I did my own hair and nails. I bought my date a boutonniere. He rented a tux, like most boys then and now. Gone, even in my day, were proms spent twirling around the dance floor in the high school gymnasium or auditorium: when the teachers were all there as chaperones and the punch bowl was filled by the ladies auxiliary, and after a prom king and queen were crowned they were probably home well before midnight. Proms today are a big deal. An expensive big deal. Most parents seem unwilling to tell their kids no – and the pressure to have that designer dress is high. “You don’t want your kid to be the only kid who doesn’t have what the other kids have,” says Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist and professor in California.

Prom night should be remembered fondly for a lifetime; where a girl gets to be Cinderella (minus the pumpkin and the mice) and a boy might equally remember this time as being special. It was magical for me. Held in a downtown hotel, we arrived in a borrowed white Cadillac, after having posed for photos, driven to each other’s homes, and dined at a fancy restaurant our parents frequented. We struggled to stay awake till the last party in the wee hours of the morning. And while some things have changed tremendously, some stay eerily the same. My date’s accessories matched my dress – lavender. Corsages and boutonnieres are just as relevant today. Girls still like floral accoutrements and often opt for a bouquet in lieu of a corsage. “(At) Prom teens shouldn’t be trying to keep up with the Kardashians,” said Nat Sillin, Visa’s head of US Financial Education. “The prom is an opportunity to teach teens how to budget. If they want that sparkling dress, fancy dinner, and limo ride, this is the opportunity to set a budget and save.” While I can’t remember much more of the event, I do know my prom date was a sweet guy who was a very good ice hockey player. Heading different directions to college we never saw each other again. Sadly, I recently learned that he died a few years back. This time of year, when graduations are plentiful and the promise of so many possibilities hangs in the air, the prom remains a splendid celebration of youth. Congratulations to all our seniors. Now go have an amazing life.

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GAS Gallery and Studio, 411 Ridgewood Road, Maplewood is pleased to present an exhibition of artwork by two Maplewood residents and artists through July 6: painter Kathy Cantwell and multi-media artist Elizabeth Carol Winchester. Winchester specializes in jewelry design, encaustic, oil painting, photography and metal works. Cantwell is an oil painter focusing on urban and small town landscapes. For more information call 973-761-4142 or visit www. itisagas.com.

The South Orange Performing Arts Center, SOPAC at One SOPAC Way, South Orange, offers “Get the Led Out” the songs of Led Zeppelin June 21 at 8 p.m. Celebrating its 7 th consecutive season, SOPAC hosts its annual spring benefit with a one-night -only performance by Tony-winning Mandy Patinkin on June 22 at 8 p.m. Bring the family to see Dan Mandy Patinkin performs at the SOPAC Spring benefit on June 22.

Maplewood artist Elizabeth Carol Winchester (left) will have her artwork on display at GAS Gallery and Studio through July 6 along with Maplewood painter Kathy Cantwell through July 6.

Molly Matters

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British folk artist Beth Orton performs at SOPAC August 2.

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Greenwood Gardens, Old Short Hills Road

Zanes & Friends June 29 at 11 a.m. British folk artist Beth Orton performs August 2 at 8 p.m. For information and to order tickets, call 973-313-ARTS (2787) or visit www. SOPACnow.org. Greenwood Gardens, 274 Old Short Hills Road, Short Hills is open every Sunday, Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; reservations are required. Guided tours are offered weekly; experience seasonal blooms on a 45-minute walking tour. Content in hor ticulture, histor y and conservation will rotate weekly. Tours are available every Sunday at 1 p.m. Greenwood Gardens also offers an assortment of programs this summer, including a “Garden Photography” workshop on June 22 at 10 a.m., “Enticing Hummingbirds and Butterflies to Your Garden” on June 25 at 1 p.m. and a “Bugs ’n’ Butterflies” nature program on June 27 at 9 a.m. For more information and to register call 973-258-4026 or visit www.greenwoodgardens.org.

The Maplewood Library Summer Reading Clubs have something for everyone. Keep young children reading and learning over the summer with “Dig into Reading.” There will be prizes, story times, crafts, and science and history programs. The summer reading program is a fun reading incentive program for even the most unenthusiastic readers. The teen theme, for middle and high school students, is “Reading under the Radar.” Teens can earn prizes for reading, attending programs, volunteering and writing book reviews. Check out the events on the Teen Zone page of the website. “Groundbreaking Reads,” for adults, will offer programs, weekly raffle and a grand prize drawing for a Nook Color. Free for Maplewood adults over 18. Registration begins June 24. For registration and details call 973-762-1622, visit either library building or www.maplewoodlibrary. org.

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Maplewood Library will again offer adults in the summer reading program a chance to win a Nook, as Lanie Drake (left) did last summer.

Summer Concerts in the Park presented by the Baird, the Village of South Orange and SOPAC features free concerts at Flood’s Hill, located in Meadowlands Park, 70 North Ridgewood Road, South Orange. The concerts take place every Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. beginning July 10 with Stiletto/ The Songs of Billy Joel and Elton John. The concert series continues with Kiwi, a Portuguese-influenced band on July 17, Cheryl “Pepsii” Riley, performing classic R&B and

Matt Friedman of Stiletto will perform at the Free Summer Concerts in the Park series in South Orange on July 10.

soul on July 25, Michael Hill’s Blues Mob on July 31 and ends on August 7 with Rock the Hill featuring performances by a variety of local garage bands. Come, relax, dance, continued on page 37

Local residents enjoying the Free Summer Concerts in the Park series in South Orange.

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A Breath f Fresh Air Summer in the suburbs makes a big difference for a city girl

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BY PATRICE KUBIK

Gianna Bryant (center) jumps for joy on the family trampoline with Coco and Amelie McElroy.

Among pictures of the McElroy family and their friends, hanging on a black wall-size chalkboard in their Maplewood kitchen, is a photo of their beloved guest Gianna. In the picture she is 6 years old, grinning wide and flashing her missing teeth while leaning against the edge of the Maplewood Community Pool. Gianna, now 9, stays with Lucila and Kevin McElroy and their own children every summer, spending her days outside and having opportunities that she wouldn’t have otherwise in her Coney Island home. She ventures on a bus to Maplewood for two weeks, an adventure made possible because by the Fresh Air Fund, an organization that gets kids out of the city and into suburban homes to go outside and enjoy some summer fun and fresh air. “Here it’s more active and in New York it’s not as active,” Gianna says. “We usually stay inside a lot and here, we’re outside a lot. Here you do so many activities.” This is a far cry from her city life, in which she spends the majority of her time watching DVDs and playing inside. Although Gianna goes to the park for play dates and sometimes goes to the pool, she says it’s hard to do that because of the long distance to an outside pool. At the McElroy home, Gianna spends her day engaged in daily family activities, her favorite being swimming, which she does at least twice a day. (“Her favorite: water, water, water,” says Lucila.) Gianna’s mornings typically start with breakfast with the McElroys’ three daughters, Coco, Amelie and Anabella, and then she heads to the Maplewood pool for swimming lessons. The McElroys enrolled her into a day camp her first year, but soon discovered Gianna liked having a more unstructured day. “She seemed to want more tranquility, and that’s why we’re being more relaxed this year,” said Lucila. Adds Kevin, “She likes the rhythm of the family and doing things together. So we’re getting a sense of what’s working.”

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Anabella McElroy and Gianna practice with the hula hoop.

When they are not going to the pool, the girls are using their imaginations and playing outside. One day, they might decide to make a lemonade stand, another day go to the beach, pick fruit, take kickboxing lessons, or just enjoy being in the back yard on the trampoline, hula hooping or playing Rubik’s Race. Even the simplest indoor activities are brought outside so the girls can play and breathe fresh air. This day in particular, Gianna and Coco sit on the back steps making a bug’s home using Q-Tips, glue, grass, pins and a toy crab claw after going to private swimming lessons, while Amelie and Annabella play with their friend Bella. When Kevin gets home from work, he helps by barbecuing chicken, while Lucila prepares a dinner for the girls to enjoy. Meanwhile, the four girls jump on the trampoline playing a game of

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pretzel, laughing and squealing while they try to make the girl in the center uncross her legs. Together the family and Gianna sit outside on the back patio table for dinner, while Kevin asks the girls about their day, making Gianna a part of the family discussion. Going around the table, each girl tells her favorite part of the day and what good deed she did, or will do tomorrow. Gianna tells the family that she liked swimming that day and that she’s going to attempt to pass the diving test the next day, news that makes the McElroy girls buzz with excitement. Kevin and Lucila offer words of encouragement that she’ll be able to pass. The McElroys decided to participate in the Fresh Air Fund when they were thinking about adopting. “I understand this is minor compared to adopting, but we thought this could be a way of

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getting a different experience and help out,” says Lucila. Their daughters are delighted. Annabella says that having Gianna with them is “really fun ’cause it’s like having another little sister. It’s the third year and she’s like a part of the family even though it’s only been a month (total).” After dinner, the girls help clean up the table and immediately run back to the trampoline. Kevin runs after them and climbs onto the trampoline to play with them showing off his moves. As the sun sets, Lucila calls the girls and her husband inside, who bargain for “one more time” before they head inside and get ready for bed. While Annabelle and Amelie run upstairs to brush their teeth, Coco sits downstairs with Gianna

and helps her write in her diary. Gianna sits down every night before she goes to sleep and writes down everything she did that day, not failing to leave out even the most minute details. She says she started the diary “because I wanted to remember all the stuff I did at camp.” The family has come to look on Gianna as their “summer daughter” and “summer sister,” and has even invited her on the family vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. Says Lucila, “You see the progress and how she’s changed as a little girl. I feel like we’ve seen another child grow up.” Patrice Kubik used to write in her diary every night at camp. A recent journalism graduate from Seton Hall University, she wants to spend the rest of her life writing.

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Game Changer A local Fresh Fund kid comes full circle BY MARIA DIPASQUALE

W

hen the McElroy family asked Maplewood Karate owner Louis Toledo if they could bring Gianna from the Fresh Air Fund to class with them, Toledo’s “Yes!” contained more than just kindness and generosity. During his childhood, he was a Fresh Air Fund kid himself. Toledo grew up the oldest of six children in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He and his sister Diana had the privilege of spending summers away, financed by the Fresh Air Fund. For Toledo, who is asthmatic, this meant attending a camp for handicapped children. Toledo went to the camp each year between the ages of 7 and 11 spending three or four weeks at a time among children with ailments even more serious than his. “It was a really great experience for me because I got to see other people’s imperfections and handicaps,” he says. His sister Diana, on the other hand, was sent away to a family in Pocomoke City, Maryland. This had a surprisingly large impact on Toledo’s entire family, for they moved to Maryland as well. Diana eventually married one of the sons of the family with whom she’d spent her summers, and opened a karate studio. Toledo’s siblings were introduced to karate when a police officer in their Brooklyn neighborhood allowed them to take lessons for free in an attempt to keep them out of trouble. “To earn our keep, ” Toledo recalls, “we had to clean up the dojo” – the Japanese name for the space where karate training is carried on. Toledo brought his own passion and expertise to Maplewood. He taught karate for the town free of charge for two years “I felt I had to give back to the community that way,” he explains, citing the free karate lessons he was given as a child. After his two years of volunteer teaching, Toledo opened his business in early 2009. He says that he hopes to show his gratitude for the Fresh Air Fund by volunteering at his old camp one day. For now, he gives back by allowing any Fresh Air Fund kids staying in Maplewood to take karate lessons for free while they’re here. The Fresh Air Fund is an independent, not-for-profit agency that has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Each summer, over 4,000 children visit volunteer host families in rural, suburban and small town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. Says its CEO, Jenny Morgenthau, “It gives children the opportunity to be children and play in a safe place during the summer.” If you are interested in hosting a child, please visit the Fresh Air Fund’s website at www.freshair.org

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For the

Love of Julia It may be about the music but it takes one savvy gal to make it all hum BY KAREN DUNCAN

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Motown: The Musical, which opened in New York in April, has an exceptionally large cast – more than 40 – for a Broadway show. For production stage manager (PSM) Julia Jones, handling that is just part of her day, and night, as the show runs eight times a week. She manages a few dozen sound and stage engineers, stage hands, carpenters, lighting technicians, musicians, hair and make-up stylists and costumers, and oversees the logistics of the theater, and room after room where wardrobe, wigs and props are meticulously organized. The play is the adrenaline-charged story of Motown founder Berry Gordy’s astonishing journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and ever so many more.

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From her perch, high above the stage, Jones “calls” the show, cueing all for the scenes, lighting, sound, stage movement and sets. She is completely committed for the entire time the show is running. It sounds terrifying, but for a good PSM, like Jones, it’s exhilarating. “I don’t direct,” she explains. “I facilitate the director’s vision.” Actually the famed director of Motown, Charles Randolph-Wright, is not even around the production any more. Jones is. She is currently working with a 10-year-old actor who will soon step into the role of Michael Jackson. “I hear myself repeating what I watched Charles do, and the stories that Mr. Gordy told the actors during rehearsals.” That is what a really skilled PSM does – facilitating all the visions from choreography, wardrobe and cast, and bringing all these visions to light. The production has proven to  be a popular box-office draw, raking in more than $1 million in its first week. The ensemble cast channels some of Motown’s

most successful artists, performing nearly 60 songs in the course of the evening. It’s now sold out for months, though tickets are available through March, 2014. It’s quite a production to manage. Motown was conceived years ago. The leads have been on board for three years. Jones was hired in the summer of 2012, when the director and Gordy fell in love with her. She hails from St. Louis, one of seven children raised by a single mother, and her Midwestern charm and good nature work very well in her position; her personality is entirely genuine. Her mother was clever and found interesting local, and free, plays in which she exposed her children. Jones was instantly intrigued. She studied theater at Webster University and then spent a number of years in regional theater – technical stuff and really learning the production end of the business. “I think I always knew what I’d end up doing,” she says of her interest in stage production. Jones spent decades on the road, with regional and road

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Motown: The Musical now playing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York. Photo by Joan Marcus.

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Summer 2013

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Julia Jones outside the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (top). Berry Gordy, Jr. (above). Actors Brandon Victor Dixon as Gordy and Valisia LeKae as Diana Ross (right) and signed sheet music from Gordy to Jones that hangs in her stage office.

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Experience really does count... The market is rebounding, houses are selling, multi offers are common; Your realtor’s experience counts now more than ever.

Get Carol’s experience to work for you. Ruby, Julia (holding their foster daughter), Olivia, Doreen and Cooper (holding their foster son).

productions. But when she met her partner, local realtor Doreen Chila, who was at the time an actress performing in Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby, they made the move to the East Coast. They lived in Manhattan for a while, but this Midwest girl-atheart longed for small town living and Maplewood fit the bill perfectly. They moved to Maplewood in 2001 and today have three children, adopted with challenges and all thriving under their care. Now they have added two babies to the mix as foster parents. “I’m more comfortable talking about my kids than my career,” she admits with a smile, glancing at their photos, grinning back at her, on her desk. Her office perch looks out over 46th street from the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. “Maplewood is an idyllic and comfortable atmosphere for our family. But this is a nice view for an office.” Her resume includes Smokey Joe’s Café, Urinetown and Sound of Music with Richard Chamberlain. Working with Motown has been a thrill. “I try to keep the show as alive and as fresh as it was on opening night,” says Jones. “To make sure that Mr. Gordy’s ideas

are delivered eight shows a week. I get the show started on time, keep the intermission tight.” Her credo: “Serenity, Courage and Wisdom.” “This is a perfect show for me” she adds, with humility. Gordy has himself called cast members and changed up lines. “This would make some PSMs crazy,” she says. “I roll with it.” While the critics are not fond of Gordy’s book, the audiences love this show. “It’s like a rock concert,” says Jones. The audience are on their feet from the first song in which they know every word, often dreamily recalling where they were in their life when they first heard them. There are even three new songs written by the 83-year-old Gordy (whom Jones describes as “spry and awesome”) that are “as good if not better than any of his hits,” she says. And in light of such impressive grosses does it really matter what the critics think? It’s a dream job for this fresh-faced veteran who looks nothing close to her 47 years. She’s a master behind the curtain. She loves her family, her job, her life. She’s living her dream. Karen Duncan can pretty much sing every word of every song in Motown the Musical, albeit completely out of tune.

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Photo by Bruce Schwarz

A Life of Legend

Local curator has his own Hemingway novel now

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BY MARIA DIPASQUALE

Sean Hemingway’s life has been imbued with legend for as long as he can remember. His grandfather was the legendary Ernest Hemingway. He has built a career around studying legends, currently as a curator of ancient art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And now, he has written a legend of his own: an archaeological thriller entitled The Tomb of Alexander. Although he lived in Montana for much of his youth, his first 11 years were spent in New York City. Fascinated by classical antiquity from early childhood, Hemingway studied ancient Greek history and mythology at his school on the Upper East Side, and fondly recalls field trips to the nearby Met. Early travels to Greece also connected him to ancient art. “I find it amazing to see things preserved from so many centuries ago, and to see how people lived thousands of years ago,” he says. “You can see that in some ways, things haven’t changed that much, and in other ways, they have a lot.” Hemingway learned Latin and Greek in high school, and in college went on his first archaeological dig in Crete. He earned a doctorate in classical art and archaeology from Bryn Mawr and was hired in the ancient art department of Harvard’s art museums. In 1998, he returned to New York to become assistant curator in

the Greek and Roman galleries at the Met. He has since been promoted to full curator, and he thoroughly enjoys his work, not least because it is so varied, with no two days exactly the same. “I found working at the Met is very fulfilling,” he says, “and to be a curator there reaches a kind of plateau in my career that is exciting.” Having spent many years working with other curators on the enormous task of reinstalling the permanent collection of Greek and Roman art, Hemingway nowadays works on n o n permanent exhibitions, gives galler y tours, corresponds with scholars, and researches acquisitions. His job also involves a great deal of travel as a speaker at conferences, as a lecturer on Travel with the Met lecture tours and as a courier escorting art to exhibitions elsewhere. He also participates in the dig at Crete every summer to do research; this year, he’ll be there for the entire month of June. Many of these experiences have been poured into his first novel, The Tomb of Alexander, scheduled for publication in July. Its protagonist is a curator at the Met who participates in a dig at Crete (sound familiar?), but the novel soon reveals itself as a detective story centered on the larger-than-life figure of Alexander the Great. The book took three years to write, including researching a wealth of information on the life and legend of the Macedonian conqueror. “I also added to his mythology a bit, which is kind of a living thing, I think,” Hemingway admits. “There are some stories in my book that you won’t be able to find anywhere else.”   Another central motif in the novel is a sculpture in the Met’s collection called the “Baker Dancer,” dating from the Hellenistic period inaugurated by Alexander’s successors. Hemingway describes the

piece as “an incredible work of art that we don’t know the history of.” So he made up his own back-story for this mysterious statue. Hemingway admits that he found writing this book particularly pleasant because he normally does archaeological, fact-based writing at the museum. The Tomb of Alexander allowed him to combine archaeological fact with fiction.   Hemingway’s grandfather achieved a legendary status in his own right, of course, and not least within his own family. While Sean Hemingway has no personal memories of Ernest, who died before he was born, he had the chance to work closely with, and edit, some of his g r a n d f a t h e r’s writings. “I kind of feel like I’ve come to know him a bit that way, and also through my family members who knew him,” Hemingway says. While admitting it has been daunting for him and other relatives to pursue their own writing in Ernest’s long shadow, he nevertheless can name many family members who are also writers.   Hemingway has been a happy Maplewood resident with his wife and daughter since 2004. He waxes enthusiastic when asked about his current projects at the Met: He’s presently working with other curators on a big show on Hellenistic art slated for 2016; his most recent exhibition, opening at the Met this June, is a six-week event featuring a famous Hellenistic bronze sculpture called the “Quirinal Boxer.” And while Hemingway is not working on a second novel, he is open to the idea. “I’m in an exciting time of my life now,” he says. Maria DiPasquale became interested in art history for the first time when she took AP art history at CHS.

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Summer 2013

The Ultimate Game The history of a countercultural sport BY FRANK RASO

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When Columbia High School’s Joel Silver stood up at a 1968 student council meeting and jokingly suggested that “Ultimate Frisbee” be incorporated into the school curriculum, he could not possibly have known that the sport he singlehandedly brought to New Jersey would spread like wildfire. Forty-five years later, The Sports and Fitness Participation Report shows that nearly 1 million Americans play the game regularly, and opportunities exist for Maplewood and South Orange residents to play in organized leagues all year round. The rules are simple. A team of seven players hustles down a 70 x 40-yard field, strategically tossing a regulation-sized disc in an elaborate game of “keep-away” from its opponents. With each successful pass, the disc gradually approaches an end zone, which is an additional 25 yards deep.

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A completed pass within the end zone’s boundaries results in 1 point. If a pass is incomplete, out-of-bounds, or intercepted, the team sacrifices possession of the disc, reverses its direction on the field, and swaps roles with the opposing team; in other words, offense becomes defense and defense becomes offense. A typical game lasts approximately 90 minutes, and ends when a team has scored either 13 or 15 points, depending on the tournament’s rules. Ultimate Frisbee, called “Ultimate” for short, demands both athletic endurance and coordination. In this way it mirrors its ancestors: mainstream sports such as football, soccer, and basketball. What sets it apart from other competitive sports, however, is its lack of referees or official policing in any form. Players must settle disputes themselves. If they cannot compromise to the point of agreement, a play is decided with

a “do-over” or a flip of the Frisbee, much as one would flip a coin. This idealized form of sportsmanship is exactly what Silver had in mind when he and fellow CHS alumni collaboratively developed and published the official rules for Ultimate gameplay in 1976. “There wasn’t a referee around late at night in the parking lot at Columbia High School,” Silver said in an interview for Ultimate-The First Four Decades. “So we had to play a game that was on an honor system, and we had to play a game that was gentlemanly.” Silver – who had previously obser ved a more casual, less developed version of “Frisbee Football” during a summer program for educational enrichment in Amherst, Massachusetts – used his connections with the Columbia High School newspaper to promote publicity for the sport. He assembled a team and

Left page: Captain Maggie Woodruff catches the disc among the opposing team. Above: Maggie Hart reaches for the disc.

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called it the Columbia High School Varsity Frisbee Squad, despite its lack of affiliation with the school. “Buzzy” Hellring, the paper’s editor-in-chief, frequently published tongue-in-cheek stories about the CHSVFS. As more copies of the official rules were distributed, a group of younger students, who referred to themselves as the Richmond Avenue Gang, used their connections as Boy Scouts to further spread the word. Irv Kalb, who later founded an Ultimate team at Rutgers University, captained the Richmond Avenue Gang. Together, the RAG formed a league, and an exciting tradition was born: the annual Thanksgiving night game in the CHS parking lot. As Silver and Hellring brought the game to their college campuses, CHS began to compete with teams from Millburn, West Orange, Nutley, Dumont, Passaic Valley, and West Essex Regional High Schools. Today, local Ultimate remains strictly a club sport with no official connection to CHS, says Joyce Hart, mother of two players who have participated on the local girls’ team, founded in 2004. (Hart’s older daughter, Hannah, 18, was captain.) Volunteer coaches run the teams, the South Orange and Maplewood recreation centers secure practice fields, and players’ families pay the tournament travel expenses, she says. Silver’s idea of self-officiation as the epitome of sportsmanship has also remained one of the game’s signature staples, and continues to be a source of pride among Ultimate players and families. “It’s very different watching a game without referees,” says David Cincotta, father of several former and current players. “The spirit of the game is very important. It’s not just about winning. It’s about playing well.” Cincotta and his wife, Mary, have eight children, seven of whom have played Ultimate locally. Their oldest daughter, Laura, 32, and their son Josh, 24, have both

Joel Silver is an American film producer, known for action films like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard pictured here (left) with his wife and son. He is owner of Silver Pictures and cofounder of Dark Castle Entertainment. He grew up in South Orange and as a student at Columbia High in the late 1960s (above) is credited with having invented Ultimate Frisbee. Top: Columbia’s current team that has consistently competed at a high level.

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played for United States world championship teams. On the weekend of May 4th, the Columbia boys’ team competed in the Amherst Invitational, where they have the distinction of being the team that’s received the most invitations throughout the competition’s 20-year history. The team competed in the Northeastern Regional tournament outside of Boston and the New Jersey state championship tournament over Memorial Day weekend, says Ben Haim, full-time Ultimate coach, lawyer, and CHS alumnus. The girls’ team was even busier; their

schedule was nearly identical to that of the boys, but the girls attended one additional tournament in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Joel Silver no longer plays the sport that he and Buzzy Hellring are often credited with inventing. Silver, now 60, is a Hollywood film producer who has produced blockbuster hits such as The Matrix, the Lethal Weapon series, and Sherlock Holmes; sadly, Hellring died in an automobile accident while attending Princeton University. But this Thanksgiving night will prove once again that their legacy lives on, as spectators will gather to watch an Ultimate Frisbee game in the historical location where it all began: the Columbia High School parking lot. Frank Raso, a senior at Seton Hall University, is a casual Ultimate player.

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Downsizing to the ideal location BY MARIA DIPASQUALE

“Location, location, location” is the cardinal rule of real estate. It is also what sold Stanley and Francine Varon on their new home in the Station House apartment building. This apartment complex is a new fixture in a familiar place: the old Maplewood police station, which has been converted into one- and two-bedroom apartments. The close vicinity of the village, train station and library were all huge selling points. The Varons both grew up in the Bronx and often visit friends in New York City. The location is especially convenient for Francine, who works two days a week at the Maplewood library. With their son, Sam, moving out and the couple deciding to travel more frequently, it became clear that their current house was too large. When deciding where to move, there was no thought of leaving Maplewood, where they have lived for 31 years. The couple knew little about the town before they moved here, but had wanted a diverse community in which to raise a child. Friends living in South Orange brought them to Maplewood. At the time of the move, Stanley was practicing law in Newark and Francine was commuting by car to her job with the New York school system in the Bronx. The couple eventually grew out of their first home and moved to Roosevelt Road. Over the years, the couple’s connection to the town has grown. “I realize when I walk in town how many people I’ve come to know from various phases of my life,” Francine says. Sam went through the local schools, and both Stanley and Francine have been involved in local politics, Stanley once serving as the president of the Maplewood Democratic Club and managing Jerry Ryan’s first campaign for the Township Committee. Francine has volunteered on local campaigns. Now, both are deeply embedded in the Maplewood community. Stanley moved his office to South Orange in 1994, and he has been serving as municipal judge at the Maplewood police station for 16 years. Francine has been working at the library for 10 years since retiring from her job in New York. Their move to the Station House building shows that they won’t be leaving any time soon. “It’s a place that’s a real community,” Francine says. Although Maria DiPasquale grew up in Maplewood, she loves going into New York as much as the Bronx-raised Varons.

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Local Amusement of Yesteryear Remembering Maplewood’s long gone Olympic Park

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BY FRANK RASO

The abandoned lots between former gated entrances on 40th Street, 43rd Street, and Chancellor Avenue display few if any remnants of what was once New Jersey’s largest amusement park, straddling the border between Irvington and Maplewood. Gone is the large “SMILE!” sign that welcomed millions to Olympic Park’s 78-season reign. Pavement has replaced the sandy white beaches that surrounded the country’s largest outdoor freshwater pool, capable of holding 5,000 swimmers at a time. Captain Joe Basile’s band remains silent and invisible as thick weeds protrude from the grounds that once supported a 10,000 square foot dance pavilion, where according to a 1909 brochure “merry throngs of pretty girls” and “sturdy specimens of young American manhood” met nightly. Sadly, Olympic Park closed its gates for good on September 6, 1965, to be demolished four years later. But some locals still hold fond memories of Olympic: the Aborn Opera Company’s outdoor productions; the thrills of the Jack Rabbit and the Jet (two of the park’s renowned roller coasters); the smells of peanuts, pretzels and German pastries. Yet the rich history behind the park may elude even the oldest residents of our area. It began when John A. Becker, a goldsmith and German immigrant, purchased a small farm on Boyden Avenue in 1868. Fascinated with the beauty of the farm’s surrounding woods, Becker and his wife gradually acquired more and more land until their property extended north to Chancellor Avenue.

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The bandstand and promenade where visitors picniced or ate in on-site restaurant. Olympic Park founder John Becker.

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Similarly charmed with “Becker’s Grove” and its naturally picturesque atmosphere, visitors – primarily German Americans – began to picnic there regularly. Rather than taking legal action, Becker responded to the peaceful trespassers with an entrepreneurial mind: He cleared a few acres of the grove, constructing an outdoor bowling alley, rifle range, swing set, small dancing pavilion, and bar. He hired some live musical acts and opened for business in May of 1887. Becker died five years later, leaving his creation to his four grandchildren, and no major changes were made to Becker’s Grove until Herman H. A. Schmidt took over its management in 1901.

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Above and below: the entrances to Olympic Park which were on 40th Street, 43rd Street, and Chancellor Avenue

The swimming pool was enormous, with a sandy beach area. The map above shows how much property the park covered, now homes and buildings.

Schmidt made several changes to Becker’s Grove, now renamed Hilton Park, and eventually Olympic Park. One major addition was a halfmile racetrack. When Irvington’s Essex County Speedway later closed in 1911, the Essex County Road Horse Association moved its races here. Under the management of Schmidt and his partner, Christian Kurz, daily vaudeville shows and trained animal acts became staples of Olympic Park’s entertainment. Particularly memorable were renowned comedian William DeWolf Hopper and a pair of milk-white Arabian horses, named King and Queen, who were trained to dive 30 feet into water. Vaudeville shows typically featured 12 acts and lasted 60 minutes. Schmidt and Kurz made major renovations to the dancing pavilion, which was expanded to accommodate 2,500 people and 400 tables. The pavilion’s restaurant, specializing in seafood, housed 400 tables. According to Irvington attorney Alan Siegel, who chronicled the life and times of the park in his book Smile: A Picture History of Olympic Park, Schmidt was “an aggressive and occasionally very stubborn businessman who knew intuitively what his park’s predominantly German patrons wanted and spared no expense satisfying them.” His decision to bring opera to Olympic Park created a “mecca for summertime pleasure seekers,” writes Siegel, and set the venue apart from its competitors, who featured Wild West and vaudeville shows exclusively. In addition, world famous opera companies attracted higher-class citizens who stayed longer and spent more money. But Schmidt and Kurz’s leadership positions weren’t meant to last. On June 14, 1914, the same day the Olympic Park Opera Company was scheduled to open its season with a performance of Naughty Marietta,

a late-night fire burned down the opera house and severely damaged the nearby dance pavilion. Further financial problems burdened Schmidt and Kurz when poor weather conditions diminished the season’s attendance, and the county prosecutor shut down prize boxing matches. Schmidt was forced to sell the venue to the highest bidder, Home Brewers Company, for $55,000. This led to Olympic Park’s “Golden Age” under Home’s general manager, Henry Guenther, widely considered a local hero. Guenther had no intention of filling the Olympic Park management position, but he did so when Kurz committed suicide in 1916. Thirty-seven years old, with no experience in show business, Guenther used his love of children, innate optimism and considerable public relations skills to make profits soar and business flourish. Guenther’s tidy appearance, finely trimmed mustache, and polite demeanor established a character so familiar that it became synonymous with the park itself – at which he was said to spend 15 hours a day. Guenther spent thousands in an effort to convert Olympic Park into a non-alcoholic, family-oriented venue. As a result, attendance reached its peak of one million visitors in 1930. The 1923 grand opening of the swimming pool and the 1929 opening of “Miss Liberty,” the park’s carousel, helped augment the park’s fame and success. Reluctant to focus the park’s activities on any unifying theme, Guenther strived to keep his ideas fresh and innovative. He held a variety of competitions, including beauty contests, masquerade balls, and the annual “perfect baby” parade, as well as pie-eating contests and swimming races. Guenther also encouraged charitable organizations to make use

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fresh picks In August, Back to School rt Sma t Star When the park was demolished in 1969, “Miss Liberty” was taken to California and refurbished. Today, it is displayed at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, under a new moniker: “Prince Charming’s Regal Carrousel”

Fall, in September ... reunions

In November, FOOD MATTERS Chefs DISH Join in the reminiscing and discussion at www.facebook. com/OlympicParkMaplewood

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of his park. In 1921, Olympic Park held the “Hoover Dinner” to raise money for starving children in Europe. And every year, the Elks teamed up with the New Jersey Automobile Association to grant free admission to crippled children and orphans. Despite the growing number of attractions and increased land usage, Guenther maintained the naturally picturesque atmosphere loved by the German immigrants who flocked to Becker’s Grove decades earlier. More importantly, Guenther demonstrated a business acumen exceeding that of his predecessors, as the park survived both the Great Depression and World War II under his leadership. In fact, the park thrived well past Guenther’s death in 1953, buoyed by the construction of the Garden State Parkway, which brought more travelers from all over the tri-state area. But all good things must come to an end, and in 1964

Guenthers’ sons changed rumor to reality when they announced plans to sell the land to developers. The park officially closed in 1965. “Perhaps, for the first time, it was the old folks, not the youngsters who hung back and were reluctant to take those last few steps through the big, gaily painted iron gates at closing time,” read a 1965 publication. Aside from nostalgia, there may not be much left of Olympic Park, but one small piece of history (and very large piece of machinery) lives on. When the park was demolished in 1969, “Miss Liberty” was taken to California and refurbished. Today, it is displayed at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, under a new moniker: “Prince Charming’s Regal Carrousel” – proving that Henry Guenther’s “SMILE!” is still contagious, albeit in a different part of the country. Frank Raso just graduated from Seton Hall University in May and will be attending law school in the fall.

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Summer 2013

camp countdown

There is still time to get your children enrolled in some terrific summer CAMP programs. Take a look: Geralyn’s Art 103 Baker Street, Maplewood 973-275-1966 www.geralynsartstudio.com Ages 4 and up Geralyn’s daily Summer Art Camp, July 1 to August 30, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for ages 4 - 7 and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. for ages 8 and up. The Hudson School 601 Park Avenue, Hoboken 201-659-8335 www.thehudsonschool.com All Ages The Hudson School is host to several summer programs: Extravaganza! A summer stock theater camp, Mandarin Fun Together Camp and Summer Institute for the Gifted. Kinder Gan 120 Parker Avenue, Maplewood 973-763-7455 www.maplewoodjewishcenter.org Ages 2-5 Kinder Gan camp from June 24 to August 1, activities include music, art, science, water play and lots of action. Mini Camp at Far Brook School 52 Great Hills Road, Short Hills 973-992-2192 www.Minicamp.org Ages 3-9 The ultimate experience for 3 to 9-year-old children in a relaxed rural environment with experienced, nurturing teachers from June 24 to August 2. Montclair Cooperative School 65 Chestnut Street, Montclair 973-783-4955 www.montclaircoop.org Ages 3-14 A five-week camp for children ages 3 to 6 from June 24 to July 26 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Visit the website to see camp offerings for older children including chess, crafts and photography. South Mountain YMCA 13 Jefferson Avenue, Maplewood 973-762-4145 www.smountainymca.org Ages 3-15 The YMCA offers a wide variety of summer day camps perfect for children ages 3 -15. South Orange Country Day 461 Vose Avenue, South Orange 973-762-6451 www.socds.com Ages 2 ½ - 6 South Orange Country Day offers a weekly flexible schedule this summer from July 1 through August 23.

Buying from Friends

A creative corner devoted entirely to local, budding designers

S

BY KAREN DUNCAN

Sixth-grader Allie Lupton is getting a lesson in economics. The T-shirt she designed does not have enough margin in the price. “What’s a margin?” she asks Kimberly Minor, owner of South Orange’s shop JC’s Closet. “Good question,” Minor replies and then proceeds to explain exactly how Allie will need to arrive at her pricing, starting with selecting some less expensive materials for the shirt.

Allie was one of a dozen entrepreneurial youngsters who lined up at JC’s Closet to pitch their ideas at what will be a semi-annual casting call. “My goal is to open our doors to new and emerging talent from the area,” says Minor, whose store caters to boys and girls. The shop is brimming with hip and current-style clothing and accessories. A wall in the store will be devoted to those who are Above: Kimberly Minor, owner of JC’s Closet, with Sophie Lawrence, a local young designer.

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Above: Jordan Muhammad, a fifth grader at South Mountain School, has quite a few design ideas to share. Below: Minor helps her figure out pricing.

selected and follow Minor’s carefully outlined criteria. The Creative Corner will feature accessories such as belts, hats, handbags, hair accessories, T-shirts and novelty items, and is limited to designers who range in age from 7 to 14. The store will not produce the items. Instead the children chosen will be expected to produce the items themselves and design tags for each item. Minor patiently talked with each young designer and helped them, with the aid of their nearby parent, to figure out how all this would work. They each went away with a clear understanding of what they needed to do to get ready to display at the store. Some youngsters came prepared to pitch several items. Jordan Muhammad, a fifth grader at South Mountain School, was most excited about her pom-poms, which she explained could be tied onto shoes, attached to a belt, or fastened into

a pony tail. Her mother, standing nearby, noted her daughter has had a creative streak since early on. “She’s very focused and has big dreams.” Sophie Lawrence, who is 11, impressed Minor with her Little Locker Corkboards – a clever hanging bulletin board made of wine corks covered in colorful candy wrappers. She showed how she would package it with a handmade tag. Those that Minor selects will be given a scheduled trunk show/ preview event to spotlight the JC’s Closet Creative Corner products featured for sale in the store. Located at 21 Scotland Road in South Orange, the casting call netted many that Minor felt would do well. Working with children this young can be a challenge, but she seems right at home talking to each one and believing in their ideas. Her goal: to get a few kids thoroughly excited about the process. Mission accomplished.

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Maplewood’s Annual July 4th celebration organized by the July 4th Committee of the Maplewood Civic Association is a full-day hometown community experience, including a circus and fireworks. Made possible by the purchase of $10 tags and thanks to volunteers, these festivities continue as a community-wide endeavor in the best spirit of Maplewood. Please note new event locations in and around Memorial Park, especially the new fireworks launch site and the new concert and fireworks prime viewing area with two entrances. Tags are required for admission, especially to circus, music and fireworks. Thursday, July 4 schedule of events: •

7:30 a.m.– Annual 4th of July 5K Run starts in front of the Main Library, requires separate registration and fee, organized by the Columbia High School Cross-Country Team parents and faculty.

•

8 a.m.– Opening ceremonies at Ricalton Square.

• •

8:15 a.m.– The Bikes Etc. parade; everything pushed, pedaled or pulled, decorated red, white and blue, steps off from Ricalton Square. 9 a.m.– Dashes and races at the athletic field south of Oakview Avenue, organized by the South Mountain YMCA.

•

10 a.m.– Circles-to-Squares Art Project at the athletic field south of Oakview Avenue presented by John Kaufman and sponsored by Memorial Post 10120 VFW and 1978 Arts Center.

•

11a.m.– Ice cream eating contests in picnic area next to the playground, presented by Maplewood Rotary.

• • • • • •

11 a.m.– Tennis contests at Civic House tennis courts: fastest serve and most accurate serve; presented by Maplewood Recreation tennis program.

11 a.m.– Baking contest in Town Hall. All ages welcome, judging directed by Janet Crane. Baking contest entries must be at Town Hall between 9-9:30 a.m. 12 p.m.– Pet awards show at new location in front of Town Hall: all types, all sizes, presented by the New Jersey Animal Coalition.

12 p.m.– Kids’ Percussion by Jamie Ross and Karaoke by New Jersey DJ Services LLC; at the athletic field south of Oakview Avenue. 12 – 3 p.m.– Play or watch adult softball at the athletic field south of Oakview Avenue.

1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.– Zerbini Family Circus under the big top. Rain or shine. First come, first served. No reserved seats; seating is limited so line up early.

•

4 p.m.– Live music begins. Picnic at the athletic field south of Oakview Avenue and enjoy performances until fireworks begin. Ice cream vendors will be available, tasty offerings from Blue Plate Special and hotdogs, soda etc. at Maplewood’s Boy Scout Troop 5 concession.

•

9 p.m.– Fireworks – come early.

Times are approximate. Tags are available at Town Hall clerk’s office, Main and Hilton branch libraries, Recreation Department, Town Hall and DeHart Community Center. Participating vendors: Able Baker, Maplewood Stationers, No. 165, Scrivener’s, Strawberry Fields, Village Wine Shop, Words Bookstore, Edo’s Quality Cakes, HLS Juice Bar and Grill, Park Wood Diner and on July 4th in Memorial Park at both evening event entrance gates. To volunteer, call 973-339-7399. For more information visit, www.maplewoodonline.com/cg/july4 and friend them on Facebook – July 4th Committee of the Maplewood Civic Association.

continued from page 9

localmatters

eat and enjoy great music with family and friends. Residents are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. In case of rain, events will be relocated to SOPAC. For more information and updates call 973-313- 2787 or visit www.SOPACnow.org. Maplewood Library presents an author talk and book signing with Saturday Night Widows author Becky Aikman July 15 at 7 p.m. at the Main library. When Aikman had to remake her life, she gathered five other young widows like herself and took a forthright approach to finding happiness again. Aikman’s book reads like a novel but demonstrates important, little known principles about resilience in the face of tragedy. Important, insightful and often humorous, the book offers a distinctive take on a largely under-covered but universal topic:starting over after losing someone close to you. For details call 973-762-1622 or visit www.maplewoodlibrary.org.

Author Becky Aikman (front row, second from left), seen here with friends on the Katie Couric Show, will be at the Maplewood Library July 15.

SuMmErMuSiC Maplewoodstock, music and art festival in Memorial Park July 13 and 14.

Photo credit “Maplewoodstock”

Hilton Nawlin’s Funk Marching Band from Maplewoodstock, 2012

mattersmagazine.com

37

He’s Back! Where's Waldo? In Maplewood, of course!

The famous children’s book character in the striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting twenty plus different local businesses throughout Maplewood during the entire month of July. Those who spot him can win prizes, including stickers, book coupons and more. Waldo figures will be well hidden in local business establishments. Anyone who wishes to participate can pick up a “Find Waldo!” passport at [words] bookstore. The names of all the participating sites, are listed on the passport. Then the scavenger hunt begins! Visit participating businesses in order to get your passport stamped or signed for each Waldo you spot. The first 100 Waldo seekers to get their passports stamped or signed at ten or more sites can bring their passports back to [words] bookstore to receive a fantastic Waldo sticker! Collecting store stamps or signatures at twenty or more businesses will entitle diligent seekers entry into a grand prize drawing on July 31, with the top prize being a six-volume deluxe set of Waldo books. There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts for the entire month of July. For more information about hunting for Waldo in Maplewood call [words] bookstore at 973-763-9500.

Now in its 10th year, Maplewoodstock has grown from a lazy afternoon jam in the park to a free two-day music and arts festival “of and for the community” that is the highlight of the Essex County summer music scene. In addition to live music representing rock, reggae, R&B and more, there will be local art vendors, food stands, a large KidZone and a beer garden. This year Maplewoodstock will be held from noon to 10 p.m. on July 13 and from noon to 9 p.m. on July 14. Saturday’s lineup will headline the Americana sounds of the Iguanas and the righteous musical gumbo of Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution. On Sunday, Joan Osborne will bring the festival to an end with her classic blues, R&B and soul sounds. A total of 22 bands will perform over two days, most with local ties to the thriving Maplewood and South Orange musical communities. The free two-day festival is supported and promoted in part by sales of custom-designed t-shirts and lawn signs. For more information, visit www.maplewoodstock.com.

38

Holiday 2010

Local Farmers’ Markets Maplewood

Open: Mondays from June 10 to October 28 between 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. Location: parking lot at corner of Springfield Avenue and Indiana Street Contact: 973-762-8120 x 2003, www.maplewoodnj.org

South Orange

Open: Wednesdays from June 5 to October 30 between 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. Location: Sloan Street parking lot Contact: 973-763-6899, www.sovillagecenter.org

Millburn

Open: Fridays from June 7 to October 25 between 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Location: town hall at Essex Street Contact: 973-379-2341, www.downtownmillburn.org

West Orange

Open: Fridays from June 28 to October 25 between 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Location: 66 Main Street in parking lot behind town hall Contact: 973-325-6359, www.downtownwestorange.org

Montclair

Open: Saturdays from June 1 to November 16 between 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Location: Walnut Street train station lot Contact: 973-228-2466

Summit

Open: Sundays from May 12 to November 24 between 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Location: Maple Street and DeForest Avenue Contact: 908-277-6100, www.summitdowntown.org

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finalmatters

Summer 2013

Summer

Reading

These local authors might open you

up to new adventures.

BY MARIA DIPASQUALE

HITCHHIKE

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

THE WORLD

HITCHHIKE THE WORLD | BOOK 1

Just because you’re spending your summer at home doesn’t mean you can’t experience something new. These four books written by local authors will broaden your horizons, even if you read them from your favorite spot at the pool.

HITCHHIKE THE WORLD

Hitchhike the World: Book I – America, Europe, Africa

by William Stoever Didn’t have the time or money for the European adventure you wanted? You can live vicariously through William Stoever’s travel memoir instead. Stoever is a Maplewood resident and retired Seton Hall University professor. His memoir tells stories from the BOOK I 24 months he spent traveling to AMERICA 86 countries between college and EUROPE graduate school. The memoir is filled AFRICA with unbelievable stories, such as the WILLIAM A. STOEVER 48 hours Stoever spent in an East German prison or the time he stood in the back of a truck for six hours while traveling through the Congo. “If you have a sense of adventure and you really want to travel, do it while you’re young,” he advises. Stoever’s book is perfect for aspiring travelers daydreaming about future plans, or for veteran travelers reminiscing.

ISBN 978-1461173977

9 781461 173977

WILLIAM A. STOEVER

AMERICA, EUROPE, AFRICA by Brett Banjo Have you ever wished you could have a conversation with Bill Stoever hitchhiked some 50,000 miles in the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. your pet? With South Orange He recounts the triumphs and discomforts, resident Brett Banjo’s new picture the glorious adventures and lonely miseries, the dangers, diseases and detentions, the nice guys, weirdos and women that he book, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, you can experienced in 86 countries. get that much closer. According to studies, reading with a pet will improve language recognition and concentration skills, and lessen separation anxiety. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie is the first in a collection of books meant for pets and their owners to read together. “It’s a pretty little singsong good-night fable,” says Banjo, “with very nice art from locally found objects.” Pick up a copy this summer and start connecting with the entire family, pets included. Blazing Pencils by Meredith Sue Willis If you’ve decided to do some writing of your own this summer but are unsure where to start, consider Myriad by Anu Mahadev A n u M a h a d e v ’s p o e t r y picking up Meredith Sue Willis’s collection, Myriad, has something book Blazing Pencils. Willis is a South for everyone. It includes sections Orange resident, writing professor on nature, love, angst, home, and at NYU, and author of 18 published short poetry. Mahadev has found books. Blazing Pencils serves as a guide that children have enjoyed the lighter to jumpstart the writing process, poetry, while her South Orange girl including prompts and assignments friends have appreciated the section to get the creative juices flowing. on love. However, it is especially Readers can even make writing a group important to her that the “angst” activity with assignments that make section, which deals with Mahadev’s the revision process into a game. “As a own battle with depression, falls into Matters Magazine bonus I would happily the right hands. “I definitely want visit any group using the book and to reach out to the people who are offer a brand new writing assignment going through depression,” she says. prepared just for them!” says Willis. “There is a way out, and there is a way Whether alone or with a group, give to treat it, and writing is one of the writing a try this summer. ways I found myself getting out of it.” This summer, let Mahadev’s own Maria DiPasquale is an avid reader who is majoring in writing, literature, and publishing at Emerson College. experiences speak to you and brighten your day.

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