The Best Bagel in Chatham Township

By Taylor Smith 

Chatham Bagels at 260 Main Street in charming Chatham, N.J., has many things going for it. 

In terms of quality, area residents state that the bagel shop rivals the best bagels in New York City. The shop is known for its huge bagels and chewy, satisfying texture. All bagels are made fresh in-house daily, so there is never a question of whether or not you will be able to purchase a hot bagel early in the morning. The gluten-free bagels have also won over fans, with many people stopping at the shop from neighboring towns to get their favorite wheat-free bagel fix.  more

Industry Salon in the Heart of Red Bank

By Taylor Smith 

Industry Salon, located at 20 Broad Street in Red Bank, NJ, is making a name for itself in the fashion and beauty worlds. 

Owner and master colorist Giana Martino grew up in Monmouth County’s Marlboro, NJ and dreamed of entering into the family business of one day owning her own salon. Specializing in bridal looks, Martino’s work has been featured in Vogue Magazine, London Sunday Times, looks by Yves St Laurent, and the talent and modeling agency, Wilhelmina Models.  more

Destination: Middletown, NJ

By Taylor Smith 

Many neighborhoods, one Middletown!

The sprawling township of Middletown borders the Monmouth County communities of Atlantic Highlands, Colts Neck Township, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Red Bank, Rumson, Sea Bright and Tinton Falls. The Sandy Hook peninsula is also within Middletown Township, though it is not connected to the township by land, but can be accessed along Raritan Bay by boat.  more

The Met Cloisters in NYC’s Fort Tryon Park

By Taylor Smith 

Step back in time to Medieval Europe while remaining in Manhattan? Yes, it’s possible. Just plan a trip to The Met Cloisters in Washington Heights’ Fort Tryon Park. North of the Bronx, The Cloisters is perched on a very high overlooking the neighborhood of Inwood and offering sweeping views of New Jersey’s Palisades, specifically the cliffs of Fort Lee and Englewood.  more

NJIT’s B.A. in Digital Design Spans Disciplines

By Taylor Smith 

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is frequently recognized as one of the nation’s top public colleges for animation, as noted in the 2019 Animation School Ranking published by Animation Career Review. 

Central to this distinction is NJIT’s B.A. in digital design with two tracks: entertainment and interactive media/production. Both programs offer undergraduate students experience in character design, color and composition, game modification, acting for animators, character development, and technology.  more

NutriDrips: IV Supplement Therapies

By Taylor Smith 

Intravenous (IV) nutrient infusions have long been available at hospitals and holistic wellness centers as a means of replenishing the body’s essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and electrolytes. Now, IV therapy is being used as a general wellness therapy in urban centers around the country, including New York City’s own NutriDrip (www.nutridrip.com). With locations in the East Village, Flatiron District, and Midtown East, NutriDrip’s DripLounges provide visitors with a liquid boost that can help to restore physical well-being and boost brain function.  more

Downtown Dental Opens on North Avenue in Westfield

By Taylor Smith 

Downtown Dental has opened a brand-new facility at 219 North Avenue West in Westfield, N.J. Under the direction of Dr. Paul Zhivago, Downtown Dental offers regular check-ups, cleanings, cosmetic evaluations, extensive restoration, and surgical work.  more

Can Technology Be Used to Improve Mental Health?

By Taylor Smith 

Most people use some form of technology throughout the day. Whether it’s listening to music, ordering an Uber, booking a dinner reservation, or responding to emails. Have you ever thought that those apps on your phone could be used to improve mental health? Below are some specific apps that can be used for potentially improving thoughts, feelings, sleep, and general happiness levels.  more

“Art & Healing” at Monmouth Museum

Artwork from “Art & Healing: Expressions of Trauma and Gratitude”

The eight artists in the exhibition “Art & Healing: Expressions of Trauma and Gratitude,” have each experienced a life-altering cancer diagnosis. Thanks to the vehicles of art and storytelling, these patients have found a new way to communicate their personal struggles and experiences of living with cancer.  more

Summer Opening Set for Asbury Ocean Club Hotel

By Taylor Smith 

The official opening of the Jersey Shore’s new luxury boutique hotel, Asbury Ocean Club, is slated for summer 2019. Set in fun-loving Asbury Park, the 54-key oceanfront property will offer impressive amenities including an ocean-view pool and deck; 24-hour concierge and a beach bellperson for each guest; floor-to-ceiling windows in the guest rooms, which also feature expansive terraces with views of the Atlantic Ocean; a pampering spa; and state-of-the-art Technogym-equipped fitness center.  more

Six Things to Do Around North Jersey This Spring

Photo Credit: @smorgasburg

By Taylor Smith 

Spring is upon us, which means more sunshine, longer days, flowers blooming, and the desire to get out and explore! The North Jersey area offers a roster full of spring happenings, from foodie adventures to shopping opportunities and the celebration of nature. Here are a few to check out. Time to mark your calendar! more

Urban History: Maidenform Inc.

Ida Rosenthal

By Taylor Smith 

The story of the modern-day bra actually begins in the early 1920s in New York and New Jersey. 

On Manhattan’s West 57th Street, dress shop owners Enid Bisset and Ida Rosenthal were critical of the flapper physique, which celebrated a narrow look and prompted many women to wear vests under their garments to give them a flat-chested look. Bisset and Rosenthal felt the “boyish” look was unnatural for women, and wanted to create an undergarment that emphasized a woman’s natural curves rather than diminished them.  more

Get Ready for the New Jersey State Triathlon

July 20 & 21 in West Windsor Township 

By Taylor Smith 

The largest triathlon in New Jersey (and the region), the New Jersey State Triathlon will be held at Mercer County Park in West Windsor on Saturday July 20 and Sunday, July 21. The race is in the top 25 largest triathlons in the United States, and sells out every year. The average competitor pool is 3,500.  more

Sail Ahead with Summer 2019 Course Offerings at Seton Hall University

By Taylor Smith 

A host of summer classes at Seton Hall University in South Orange can help high school, college, and graduate students meet their academic and future graduation goals. The Department of Continuing Education and Professional Studies’ Summer Sessions will begin on May 21 and run through August 8. more

Running Camps for Adults

By Taylor Smith 

Camps are not just for kids. For runners, a host of options are available across the country. Here are a few to check out…

Craftsbury Running Camps, Vermont 

https://www.craftsbury.com/running/running-camps/running-camps-home/

Based out of a cross-country ski center where Olympians train, Craftsbury Running Camps offers one workout few other camps do: biathlon practice. Daily running workouts are complemented by guided strength training, swimming, and mountain biking. 

Did all that running work up an appetite? The campus dining hall is committed to making sure 50 percent of its ingredients are local.  more

Le French Dad Boulangerie & Cafe Now Open in Montclair

By Taylor Smith 

Situated on Church Street, the latest bakery to hit downtown Montclair is decidedly French in scope and personality. 

Owner and head baker Arben Gasi makes special effort to use New Jersey-sourced ingredients for the regional French menu. The majority of food products are from an urban farm in East Orange, and all of the cheese is made in the Garden State. “We use organic, stoneground flour so we minimize the loss of nutrients,” says Gasi.  more

Springtime Rambles

Green spaces to wander and roam during the warmer months

By Taylor Smith 

D&R Canal

Frenchtown along the Delaware River

The Delaware & Raritan Canal stretches more than 77 miles along the Delaware and Raritan Rivers.The park crosses Middlesex, Mercer, Burlington, Somerset, and Hunterdon counties within New Jersey. It is one of the state’s most popular avenues for kayaking, canoeing, running, walking, bicycling, and fishing. It is also a valuable wildlife corridor with recent bird surveys revealing more than 160 species of birds, almost 90 of which nest within its borders. The upper portion of the canal includes stops in charming Frenchtown, Stockton, and Lambertville, which are great weekend destinations for the arts, dining, and shopping.  more

The Science Behind Weighted Blankets

By Taylor Smith 

Weighted blankets have been used in niche medical communities for many years, but only recently have the suggested health benefits taken off as a newfound trend. Without a prescription or dramatic changes in one’s routine, weighted blankets have allowed some people to fall asleep faster and to feel less general anxiety. 

These specific blankets are engineered to be 7-12 percent of your body weight to relax the nervous system and mimic the sensation of being held or hugged. Also known as “deep touch pressure stimulation,” many weighted blankets are designed to apply gentle weight to pressure points on the body. Similar to what is experienced during massage or yogic exercises, these pressure points can correspond to improved mood, feelings of safety, and relaxation.  more

The 2019 Architecture Digest Design Show

Design by Calligaris

March 21-24 at Piers 92 & 94

By Taylor Smith 

The Architecture Digest Design Show, to be held March 21-24 at Piers 92 & 94 in New York City, is a four-day design destination peppered with special events and curated finds from over 400 brands in the luxury residential and hospitality worlds. Organized by sections (including Furnish, Refresh, Made, and Shops), special features are the AD Apartment and DIFFA’s Dining by Design.  more

Luxury Boutique Hotels of New Jersey

A memorable getaway could be less than an hour away

By Taylor Smith

Looking for a spring getaway, or the perfect place to host a special event? Now’s the time to visit one of these stunning inns, all located within the Garden State.

Courtesy of the Nassau Inn

The Nassau Inn
10 Palmer Square, Princeton
609.921.7500; www.nassauinn.com

A full-service hotel in downtown Princeton’s Palmer Square (www.palmersquare.com), The Nassau Inn is the ideal place for an escape or romantic getaway any time of the year. Offering historic charm with modern amenities, The Nassau Inn features the Yankee Doodle Tap Room, a beloved local gastropub with significant Princetontonian charm and history. During the winter, guests will enjoy the oversized stone fireplace and snug atmosphere. A favorite of Princeton students and alumni, visitors will notice the colorful mural painted by Norman Rockwell behind the bar. Past guests have left their mark in the surface of the dining room’s tables, and a famous photo gallery of noteworthy Princeton University graduates lines one wall. Live music is a staple, and the American grill menu is also served al fresco on the restaurant’s outdoor patio during the warmer months.

In walking distance to Princeton University, The Nassau Inn has always had a storied connection to the Ivy League institution. Originally opened in 1769 at 52 Nassau Street, The Nassau Inn was demolished and rebuilt in 1938 at 10 Palmer Square to make way for road adjustments and construction of today’s Palmer Square, the site of much of downtown Princeton’s shopping, dining, and even housing.

The hotel has 188 guest rooms and four banquet rooms with over 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space. A popular site for weddings any time of year, The Nassau Inn’s Prince William Ballroom is perfect for a joyful reception or a timeless candlelit dinner.

The Bernards Inn
27 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville
908.766.0002; www.bernardsinn.com

World-class dining and accommodations come together at The Bernards Inn in Bernardsville. Called “the grand dame of the Somerset Hills,” The Bernards Inn offers four-star, farm-to-table gourmet cuisine. In addition, the executive pastry chef goes above and beyond to create spectacular desserts and wedding cakes. Managed by a team of wine directors, The Bernards Inn’s wine collection has been awarded the Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine for the past eight years. Each of the specially appointed guest rooms includes pastoral-themed oil paintings, architectural detailing, and antiques that capture the traditional settings of the great estate homes of the Somerset Hills. more

Destination: Asbury Park

By Taylor Smith

During decades of economic decline, Asbury Park was mostly known as the place where musical icon Bruce Springsteen got his start at The Stone Pony nightclub in the mid-1970s. However, since 2000, Asbury has seen a dramatic revitalization and influx of new residents from urban centers like New York City. In fact, modern-day Asbury has been affectionately dubbed “Brooklyn on the Beach” for its large population of artists, musicians, foodies, and creatives. Real estate projects, like the new Asbury Ocean Club, and new restaurants dominate the historic boardwalk, and day trippers flock to the seaside town year-round.

Over 39 bars, several blocks of art galleries, antique shops, restaurants (from traditional Italian to vegan), and an art house cinema lure visitors from the nearby NJ Transit depot. The tradition of live musical acts is still alive and well at venues like The Stone Pony, Wonder Bar, and the vintage bowling alley-music hall Asbury Lanes. Food trucks serving ceviche, empanadas, and Johnny’s Pork Roll gather north of the Convention Center at North Eats. The seasonal Market at Fifth Avenue features independent artisans and designers selling everything from woven leather jewelry to locally-made sunglasses.  more

An Uncredited Career

Fashion Designer Ann Lowe

By Anne Levin

In the annals of the accomplished whose work has gone largely unrecognized because of their race, Ann Lowe occupies a prominent spot. Lowe was an African American fashion designer whose lavish creations were coveted by the rich and socially prominent. While she earned such distinctions as Couturier of the Year and made the Who’s Who in American Women list, she rarely received the attention she deserved.

In 1953, Lowe designed the ivory silk taffeta gown that Jacqueline Bouvier wore for her wedding to John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The dress featured trapunto, a layering of fabrics to create a dimensional effect — a technique for which Lowe was known in fashion circles. But the future first lady is said to have credited “a colored woman” with creating the famous gown, neglecting to identify her by name.

Lowe’s designs made the pages of Vogue, Town & Country, and other popular fashion magazines. Her skill and artistry impressed French designer Christian Dior. At one point in her career, she had her own label and a store on New York’s Fifth Avenue. Her dresses were sold at Neiman Marcus, Henri Bendel, and Saks Fifth Avenue, where she was the head designer of a special boutique with a privileged clientele. Yet her genius was rarely recognized. more

All That Glitters

Photo courtesy of  Simms Jewelers.

Engagement and Wedding Ring Design Trends

By Taylor Smith

Engagement and wedding ring influencers like Gurki Basra, senior buyer of jewelry and watches at Barneys New York, say that the top 2019 trends in engagement ring styles include colored stones, multiple bands, and a mix of metals. Gray diamonds in particular have begun to emerge as a style statement as younger brides become more adventurous in their choices.

If you’re drawn to an edgier look, but worry about your tastes changing down the road, jewelers advise that you can always reset your ring. Raw diamonds or uncut diamonds are another option for unique engagement rings. Raw diamond styles range from ultra-contemporary to minimal and organic in shape. They also tend to be slightly more affordable since they’re unpolished. In addition, no two raw diamonds are alike, fulfilling another engagement trend of one-of-a-kind pieces. The brilliance of a raw diamond is also something to behold, as they are warm in hue and contain a vast color spectrum, making the diamond look as though it is lit from within.

Photo courtesy of Aires Jewelers

The challenge of finding the right combination of metals, diamonds, gemstones, and setting is challenging for any bride or groom. Many jewelers recommend that buyers keep the metal and stone in the same color family. For example, yellow gold dramatically captures the luminescence of a yellow diamond. Similarly, a chocolate-colored diamond in a yellow gold setting generates a warm, luxurious feel. Complementary colors can also create an unexpected effect, such as a rose gold setting matched with a green gemstone. more

A Different Approach to Wedding Wear

Designer Danielle Frankel Focuses on Classic Tailoring and Fit

By Taylor Smith

Danielle Frankel launched her eponymous wedding dress fashion label in New York City in 2017 after having worked at both Marchesa and Vera Wang. It was Frankel’s own nuptials that spurred her to create her wedding dress designs, which are produced exclusively in the United States, along with veils, bras, jackets, belts, and jewelry. She began by taking her own private clients on a hunch that modern women were looking for something that was less Cinderella-inspired and more modern and aesthetically unusual.

For example, Frankel’s own wedding dress included a silk-faille coat dress with an off-the-shoulder collar. The look was inspired by her husband’s white button-down shirts. For the reception, Frankel chose a 90s-era silk-duchesse coat that she purchased at the Brooklyn Flea Market. A similar wedding dress design is available in her current collection (the Lou for $10,995). This aesthetic of clean lines and menswear-inspired tailoring soon caught the attention of buyers at Bergdorf Goodman, and her wedding dress designs are now available at Bergdorf’s in New York City as well as Mark Ingram and Moda Operandi Madison. The designer also has a presence at exclusive retailers in Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Her looks are sold online at Net-A-Porter.com and ModaOperandi.com. Both online retailers are committed to bringing the most cutting-edge fashion to people around the world. As stated on its website, Moda Operandi in particular aims to “connect you directly to the world’s best designers.”  more

Fun in the Summertime

Photo courtesy of Camp Invention.

From Nature to STEM, Area Camps Offer an Abundance of Options

By Laurie Pellichero

While it’s just the beginning of spring, summer will be here before we know it. Now’s the time to start thinking about where to send the kids to camp – and make those reservations before they fill up. Here is just a sampling of the many options right here in the area, each unique in its own way.

Camp Invention
Camps held in Bridgewater, Chester, Cranford, Hillsborough, Madison, Somerset, and Vauxhall
800.968.4332; invent.org/camp

Camp Invention is a nationally-acclaimed summer program where STEM concepts come to life. Led by local teachers at area schools, the five-day program has tapped into kids’ natural curiosity since 1990, giving them the opportunity to become innovators through teamwork and immersive, hands-on creative problem-solving. Each year, the Camp Invention education team collaborates with National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees to develop a new, action-packed Camp Invention experience for children ages kindergarten through sixth grade.

With the 2019 program, Supercharged, campers will take on four exciting challenges. In Innovation Force, the children will collaborate with inventor superheroes and take on the role of engineers, fabricators, and innovators to conquer villains. Creative problem solving is the focus of Deep Sea Mystery, where campers team up to rebuild ships and design underwater equipment. In DIY Orbot, participants explore circuit boards, motors, and gears as they design a remote-control bot to take on obstacles from sports to dance. And kids will gain confidence in Farm Tech as they code bots to turn a polluted wasteland into a money-making machine and create devices to save animals. more

Top-Ranked MFA Programs

By Taylor Smith 

Want to develop your creative craft or pen that novel that’s been living inside you? Do you have a passion for painting, drawing, sculpture, or film? Are you considering a teaching career in the arts? We’ve rounded up some top Master of Fine Arts programs in the Northeast that can add an extra spark to your resume and potentially help you to make that career change or land the job you’ve been dreaming about.

Columbia University
Location: New York City
Program: Applicants apply to either painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, or “new genres.”
Length: 2 years
Famous Faculty: Nicola Lopez, Sanford Biggers, Gregory Amenoff, and Kara Walker.
Selling Points: If location is a determining factor, it doesn’t hurt to spend two formative years training and studying in Manhattan, arguably one of the largest art capitals in the world. Being an Ivy, Columbia also ranks high for exclusivity, accepting only two percent of applicants to Columbia’s MFA in visual arts. As of 2013, the program also offers a concentration in sound art, so if experimenting with audio is your forte, this is the place for you. more

Urban Books: Black History Lives Between Covers, From Douglass to Obama

By Stuart Mitchner

My only problem with a ceremonial institution like last month’s celebrating black history is in the way “history” implicitly detracts from the ongoing immediacy of the African American experience. “Lives” in my title can be read both as a reference to the lives of people and to the force that lives in the present, which happens when we listen to Charlie Parker or Billie Holiday, read James Baldwin or Frederick Douglass, admire a painting by Jacob Lawrence or a photograph by Gordon Parks, or go online to watch First Lady Michelle Obama’s stirring speech at the 2016 Democratic Convention.

The good news is that millions of people have been reading Obama’s memoir, Becoming (Crown $32.50), and David W. Blight’s Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom (Simon and Schuster $37.50).

Blight’s landmark biography begins with President Barack Obama’s September 24, 2016 dedication speech at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, in which he delivered “a clear-eyed view” of the “tragic and triumphant” experience of “black Americans in the United States.” After referring to “the infinite depths of Shakespeare and scripture” in black history, Obama paid tribute to “the fight for our freedom … a lifetime of struggle and progress and enlightenment … etched in Frederick Douglass’s mighty leonine gaze.” more

Tammy Murphy’s “All In”

New Jersey’s Activist First Lady is also a Big Fan of Drumthwacket

By Wendy Greenberg | Photography by Tom Grimes

Tammy Snyder Murphy became aware of climate action some 24 years ago while living in Frankfurt, Germany, where her husband worked in financial services. “I was stunned,” she recalls. “People took cloth bags to grocery stores. They recycled trash, just as a matter of course. It opened my eyes.”

The personal commitment to sustainability was a lesson that is still with her today, as first lady of New Jersey. In fact, Tammy Murphy is a passionate advocate for several key issues,
the environment among them.

Since her husband, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, took office just over a year ago, Murphy has channeled a “can do” attitude, which she attributes to her parents, to support the agenda of her husband and Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver. She sees herself as a “convener,” and says, “There are four people in this office,” referring to three staff members and herself. “Tell us what you need. We’ll help get it done.”  more

Well-Designed Life: Spring 2019