Urban Health | Urban Agenda Magazine

Leading the Way

The Seeing Eye, headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey, is changing people’s view of the world.

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

Photographs courtesy of The Seeing Eye

Meet Teddy, a five-year-old chocolate golden Labrador. Like most dogs, he loves to run around, greet people, play with fellow pooches, and chew on his bones, but Teddy is far from ordinary; he is a Seeing Eye dog. Teddy has been guiding his owner Jonathan Goodman since December 3, 2014, and in that role, he is more than man’s best friend, he’s his teammate. Each day, Goodman harnesses up Teddy and the handsome duo embarks on the world. While at work, Teddy displays his impressive skillset such as detecting potholes, finding elevators, and avoiding a car that’s run a stop sign. Simply put by Goodman, “Teddy is a rock star.” Indeed, Teddy is an extraordinary dog, but his rock star status didn’t happen overnight. His abilities are the result of round-the-clock training, dedication, and love that started the day he was born at The Seeing Eye breeding facility. Teddy and Goodman are one of over 16,000 partnerships between individuals and dogs formed since The Seeing Eye’s incorporation in 1929. more

Q&A Bruce Grundlock, Royce Brook Golf Club

Royce Brook Golf Club in Hillsborough features two celebrated golf courses in the heart of Somerset County. An Audubon Sanctuary Course, the vistas range from wetlands to thick forests. Private lesson programs are available with The Royce Brook Academy. Lessons are suited to the individual needs of each player and are taught by PGA golf instructors. Membership at Royce Brook Golf Club includes seven-days-a-week access to the member-only West Course and semi-private East Course, use of a 24-acre practice facility, extensive member tournaments, special events, and much more. more

In the Pinelands National Reserve

By Doug Wallack

I turned off Route 206 and wound my way southeast toward Chatsworth, in the heart of cranberry country. Within a few miles, the farmland—acre upon acre of wheat and corn—was swallowed up by thick forest. A few miles further, the maples, oaks, and sassafras trees that form so much of the state’s deciduous canopy yielded almost entirely to pitch pines and shortleaf pines. The road became an evergreen-lined alley stretching out into the flat distance, where heat waves shimmered above the asphalt — looking for all the world as though the Atlantic had crept some twenty miles inland of its usual home along the Jersey Shore. The drive continued this way for some time, punctuated by the the occasional bog, until I arrived — almost without warning — in the middle of Chatsworth. more

New Jersey’s National Parks: No More Reason Not To Go

Liberty State Park

By Wendy Plump

On a recent train ride home from Boston, surrounded by people tapping at computers and staring into cell phones, as well as my own pile of devices, the meaning of serenity asserted itself. It wasn’t gained by answering emails or texts or squinting through news feeds, but by looking out the window at miles and miles of wild coastline and coves, a great gray ocean, and a marbled sky. Every seabird scratching in the sand or stand of evergreens leaning out of the wind served to remind me that this is what saves. more

Tips For Getting Summer Fit

Photo Credit: @adidasrunning

The pros weigh in on how to best prepare your body for bathing suit season.

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

Want to hear a fact that’s equally horrifying as it is delightful? Bathing suit season is just around the corner. Summer is the time to let loose and relax, but when it comes to our bodies, most of us would like to tighten up. Ready or not, now is the time to get in shape for sundresses, shorts, and bikinis, but where to begin? Embarking on a pre-summer fitness routine can be a daunting task, so we called in the professionals for guidance. Here, some of the area’s leading names in health and fitness share their tips on how to best prepare your body for summertime. more

Walk on Water with Aqua Vida’s Stand Up Paddle Classes

Jana Mars is Making Some Waves with Her Stand Up Paddle Company, Aqua Vida

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

At the end of her emails, Jana Mars signs off with “make some waves.” It’s a fitting valediction for a woman whose career – and name are centered on water. more

Destination Montclair

Photo Credit: Audrey Blake Breheney

“The Parkslope of New Jersey”

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

On the east side of the Watchung Mountains sits Montclair, New Jersey, an unhurried, charming town in Essex County that’s lined with thousand-year-old trees and architecturally significant homes. It boasts six historic districts and 43 locations on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Charles Shultz House, known as the Evergreens. A three-story Victorian mansion built by a respected New York architect in 1896, the home provides unobstructed views of the city skyline, marking the close connection between the suburb and New York City. Many Montclair residents commute to and from Penn Station for work, and with them come metropolitan influences. The small town is home to 39,000 people, seven train stations, two cinemas, a theatre, an art museum, and an endless array of cultural experiences. more

Urban Insider: At-Home Spa Day

Photo Credit: Pratima Skincare

Elevate your self-care routine with these lovingly made soaps.

What started as a centuries old tea in Japan is becoming America’s latest food trend

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

“Matcha, matcha man…” So maybe that’s not how the song goes, but with seemingly the entire food industry “going green,” the new lyrics seem appropriate. A tea that has been integral to Japanese culture for hundreds of years is having a major moment in the United States. Why? In short, because it’s colorful and healthy, and in the age of rainbow bagels and diet fads, what more could Americans ask for? more

Urban Insider: Summer Sneakers

Photo Credit: @sperry

Fresh and athletic, the slip-on sneaker is the must-have shoe for summer.

Meet NJ-Based Cheese Sommelier, Nadine Ryan of Common Lot Restaurant

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

When it comes to selecting cheese, I have two options: extra cheese or extra, extra cheese. As sophisticated as my process sounds, it’s evident that my affinity for cheese clouds my decision-making skills. Fortunately, there are individuals whose job is to guide people like me through the over 650 varieties of cheese, and Nadine Ryan is one of them. more

Mother’s Day Weekend 2017

Photo Credit: @crystalspringsresort

From cruises to 5Ks, Urban Agenda outlines a myriad of events in New Jersey to celebrate Mom.

Photo Credit © Kent Mason

By Taylor Smith

Established just last year, Bobcat Alley in northwest New Jersey is seeking to provide a stable home for the state’s last remaining wild cats. Once nearly extinct in the state, they are still endangered due to fragmentation and habitat loss. Today, the majority of New Jersey’s bobcat population relies on habitats in Warren and Sussex counties. more

Profiles in Healthcare: Summit Medical Group

Jeffrey Le Benger, MD, FACS

Chairman and CEO, Summit Medical Group

summitmedicalgroup.com

Tell us about the history of Summit Medical Group:

After serving in World War I, group founders William H. Lawrence, MD, and Maynard G. Bensley, MD, returned home to the United States to practice medicine during an era of significant technological and medical advances. It was against this backdrop that Lawrence and Bensley founded the Diagnostic Group of Summit in October 1929. more

Peter Singer on Ethical Politics

By Wendy Plump

It turns out that surfers and philosophers have a lot in common. To be any good at what they do, they have to be hard-core realists. Good surf or bad, decent people or vile, the approach is the same: if you don’t want to be mullered, then deal effectively with conditions as you find them. As both a surfer and a philosopher, this is practically Peter Singer’s calling card. more

N.J. In The Minors

It all began in Hoboken

By Doug Wallack

In October of 1845—though historians will disagree on precisely when—the first game of baseball under the modern rules took place on the Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey. The New York Base Ball Club (later known as the Knickerbockers) faced off against the Brooklyn Club, and beat them handily. It was there that the 90-foot distance between bases was established—a rule that was to be practically as fundamental to the sport as gravity itself. Today, those particular bases are long gone, as are the Elysian Fields themselves—swallowed up by the urban landscape, with only a bronze plaque to mark where they once were. more

Girls’ Night Out Returns to Downtown Somerville May 11

Get your glam on at this evening of pampering, food, and entertainment

Calling all ladies! Downtown Somerville is rolling out the red carpet for an evening of entertainment, pampering, shopping and dining at its second annual “Girls’ Night Out” event on Thursday, May 11 from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. more

Urban Insider: Earth Day

Photo Credit: @CristinaMittermeier | @natgeo

In honor of Earth Day on April 22, shop these green gifts, which are globally-minded in perspective.

If you can customize everything from sneakers to candies, why wouldn’t you be able to customize cosmetics?

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

It’s no secret that the millennial generation is obsessed with individualism, and brands have taken notice. With NikeiD, you can customize your kicks, with My M&M’S, you can customize your candy, and with certain beauty brands, you can customize your cosmetics. The cosmetic industry has officially jumped onto the customization bandwagon and we’re not complaining about it. Almost every woman has spent time and money swatching her hand for the foundation or lipstick that matches her complexion. More importantly, almost every woman loves to look and feel unique. Below, Urban Agenda Magazine outlines companies that offer beauty products that are distinctively you. more

This Weekend in Bergen: March 31 – April 2

Photo Credit: @laurasykora in K-DEER leggings.

Friday, March 31

10:30 to 11 a.m.: Wee Ones Laptime at Westwood Library in Westwood, NJ. Perfect for babies – age 2. Free to attend.

11 a.m.: Yoga class at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, NJ.

7 p.m.: Book signing with Andrew McCarthy at Books & Greetings in Northvale, NJ. McCarthy is an actor, director, and travel writer. more

This Week in Bergen: March 20-26

Photo Credit: @eatdrinkerie in Rutherford, NJ

Monday, March 20

3:30 p.m.: Open Bounce at Bounce U in Paramus, NJ. www.bounceu.com/paramus-nj/

Tuesday, March 21

7 p.m.: NHL Hockey: NJ Devils vs. NY Rangers at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. www.prucenter.com
more

Urban Insider: Greenhouse

Photo Credit: @shopterrain

Incorporate these trendy plants into your home decor for spring.

Fresh lavender is just around the corner.

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

You don’t have to travel far to inhale the intoxicating scent of Provence, France. Hidden Spring Lavender Farm and Gift Shop is Skillman’s South of France. For over six years, Steve and Marie Voorhees have grown and harvested two-acres of lavender to sell in their barn turned retail store. more

5 Game Changing Health Trends in The Workplace

The scoop on standing desks, active sitting, and more.

By Sarah Emily Gilbert more

The Vampire Facelift Comes to Jersey

Would you inject your face with blood?

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

As its name suggests, the Vampire Facelift involves blood extraction, but don’t worry, it also includes blood infusions. Let us explain. more

The Spoken Word With Audible Founder & CEO Donald Katz

By Taylor Smith

Thanks to Audible’s Donald Katz, the general population now has more time than ever to consume and enjoy books by creating a digital library on their mobile devices. A membership allows users access to more than 325,000 downloadable audiobooks, audio editions of periodicals and other programs. New members are also given complimentary subscriptions to the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, making the inevitable commute or time spent at the gym, not only easier, but that much more enlightening. Below, Mr. Katz discusses his pre-Audible career as a journalist, love for Newark, and the company’s growing a-list collection of inspiring celebrity performances. more

Amped for Camp

Photo courtesy of Cape Cod Sea Camps

Find rollercoasters, horses, and s’more fun at summer camp this year.

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

In Allan Sherman’s famous song, “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter from Camp Granada),” he parodies a boys’ classic reaction to summer camp: initial anxiousness and homesickness followed by excitement and enthusiasm. To Sherman’s credit, summer camp can lead to some poison ivy, but it’s more likely to bring self-discovery, lifelong friendships, and even a first kiss. While away from their “Muddah and Fadduh” at summer camp, kids often undergo a transformative experience. They develop new personalities, challenge themselves mentally and physically, and beat the summer doldrums with a band of likeminded individuals. Luckily, Camp Granada doesn’t exist, but roller coaster camp, ice hockey camp, and film camp certainly do. Here, Urban Agenda Magazine outlines a myriad of places that promise an unforgettable summer—without the alligators, bears, or malaria. more

Barred Zones

The Immigration Act of 1917 | One Hundred Years Laters

By Katie Duggan

Immigration is a foundation of the American experience, and an integral part of American life today. It has been frequent topic of discussion for politicians and social activists alike, especially in last year’s presidential election, leading to many divisive conversations on what the future holds for immigrants. But questions of who should be allowed entry into the United States are not unique to today’s political climate nor to the nation’s past. February 2017 marks the one hundredth anniversary of the passage of the Immigration Act of 1917, which was at the time the country’s most sweeping piece of immigration legislation. It was passed under President Woodrow Wilson, and required that immigrants entering the country first pass a literacy test. more