Photo Credit: Asbury Park Distilling Co.
Craft Distilleries are Booming in New Jersey
By Laurie Pellichero
The eastbound main span will soon connect to the Westchester approach. (Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of the Governor)
By Ilene Dube
The Brooklyn Bridge, an engineering marvel of its era, is considered a work of art, one that has inspired other artists from Georgia O’Keeffe to Red Grooms. As the replacement for New York’s Tappan Zee Bridge nears completion,
observers can see that it, too, is soaring with beauty and grace. more
All About Downtown Street Fair, Jersey City
The leaves will soon be falling, the air is crisp…it’s time for fall festivals!
By Laurie Pellichero
Mark your calendar for these upcoming New Jersey events:
Museum of Early Trades & Crafts
By William Uhl
Since the founding of the American colonies, Chatham and Madison have been key historic locations from the Revolutionary War. Chatham was even named after a member of British Parliament who advocated for colonist rights, while the later-formed Madison was named after founding father, Constitution writer, and fourth president James Madison. Since then, Madison and Chatham have stayed connected to their roots both in the arts and soul. more
Be transported to another era.
By Erika Moritz
The Olde Mill Inn, located in Basking Ridge, N.J., is a preferred choice among other Central New Jersey hotels. Although the Inn is now known for its unique spaces for weddings and events, its beautifully landscaped gardens, and modern guest amenities, it also played a role in New Jersey history. more
Photo Credit: @bestfieldnj
Friday, August 4
9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Art Exhibit Hidden Under the Sea by Poramit Thantapalit at the Bergen County Administration Building in Hackensack, NJ.
8 p.m.: West Side Story presented by The Performing Arts School at bergenPAC in Englewood, NJ.
8:30 to 11 p.m.: Summer Movies in the Park presents the Lego Batman Movie at the Van Saun Country Park in Paramus, NJ. more
The Vegetable Garden: The 1,000-foot-long garden terrace served as both a source of food and an experimental laboratory at Monticello.
The Founding Fathers Paved The Way For A Green America
By Ilene Dube
Gardening, it has been said, is one thing we can discuss while setting aside partisan politics—even when it involves the gardening practices of our nation’s political leaders. As garden historian Marta McDowell puts it, “Whether gardeners lean right or left, blue or red, we are united by a love of green-growing things and the land in which they grow.” more
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
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
Discover the “world in your backyard” at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, which offers a look at more than 120 different species of native and exotic animals from five continents.
Photos courtesy of Essex County
Located in West Orange, N.J., Turtle Back Zoo is committed to providing an enriching recreational experience that fosters excellence in wildlife education and wildlife conservation, so that present and future generations are inspired to understand, appreciate, and protect the fragile interdependence of all living things.
The zoo features a wide variety of themed areas including African Adventure, Sea Turtle Recovery, Sea Lion Sound, Touch Tank, Amazing Asia, Penguin Coast, Big Cat Country, Wolf Woods, Reptile House and Wild New Jersey. more
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
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
In the early 1800s, the southern banks of the Navesink River bustled with steamboats, sailboats, and commercial fishermen transporting shellfish and local crops to New York City. In 1908, the area was incorporated into the town of Red Bank, whose name is attributed to the clay found along its coast. Come 2017, you’ll still find sailors and fisherman along these red banks, but you’ll also find young professionals on their way to stand-up paddle yoga. Indeed, some of Red Bank’s 12,200 residents start their day floating on the Navesink River with Flow Paddle Yoga. Others grab a Rook Coffee before walking their dogs past the shops on Broad Street. more
Simon the Illusionist dazzles the audience with his magic tricks.
By Doug Wallack
On Saturday, June 10, the Chatham Borough Department of Community Services will hold the annual Fishawack Festival in downtown Chatham. Inaugurated in 1971, the festival — which takes its name from the Lenni-Lenape term for the Passaic River — is a day-long celebration of the region’s culture and history. The festivities will include local art exhibits, live music and dance performances, a car and truck show, a petting zoo, a climbing wall, an exhibition on Lenni-Lenape history, and more. more
A modern locale steeped in history.
Known as one of the most prestigious towns in the country, Summit, New Jersey was first settled around 1710 as a region of small farms. With the 1837 addition of the Morris and Essex railroad line, the town became increasingly commercialized and by the late 1800s, it was considered the premiere weekend resort area for wealthy city-dwellers. Summit, aptly named for its location atop the Second Watching Mountain, quickly became known for its rural charm. Due to its close proximity to New York City, many families built summer estates in the town to enjoy the fresh air and natural landscape. more
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
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
Photo Credit: @crystalspringsresort
From cruises to 5Ks, Urban Agenda outlines a myriad of events in New Jersey to celebrate Mom.
Alnwick Hall - The Abbey 355 Madison Avenue, Morristown NJ
Be A Part Of New Jersey's Gilded Society At Mansion In May 2017
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
This spring, Alnwick Hall in Morristown, New Jersey will come alive for The Women’s Association for Morristown Medical Center’s (WAMMC) 18th Mansion in May Designer Showhouse and Gardens. more
1943 portrait of Beatrix Farrand. Courtesy of the Beatrix Farrand Society. Portrait by The Gledhills Portraits, Santa Barbara, CA.
By Wendy Plump
It is possible to be cowed by Beatrix Farrand even now, over 100 years since her first landscape commission at Princeton University and half a century since her death. There is much to be thankful for in the sylvan, living landscape she put in place to give an austere campus a greener aspect. more
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
First Place Winner: Kim Palumbo of Princeton, NJ. The photo is titled, "Sailor Sky" and was shot in Asbury Park.
Urban Agenda reveals the second, third, and fourth place winners for our latest photo contest.
Photographers around our area captured the Garden State for our photo contest themed, “My New Jersey in Spring.” To all those who submitted photos, thank you for supporting Urban Agenda, and more importantly, thank you for getting us psyched for spring! more
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
Liberty State Park by @b_brophy
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
There’s no questioning New Jersey’s commitment to environmental preservation and conservation. In 2016, we were ranked the tenth greenest state based on factors such as eco-friendly behavior and climate change contributions.[1] We are currently fifth in the nation in solar power installations, and we’re home to over 50 state parks.[2] Forests cover 45% of our 2.1 million acres of land, of which 790,000 acres are farmland, and we’re the second biggest producers of blueberries in the country.[3] I guess it’s no wonder why we’re dubbed the Garden State. more
Photo Credit: @asburparkboardwalk
Get ready for a sun-fueled summer at the Jersey Shore with these fun and stylish products.
The cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. have reached their peak around the Tidal Basin, so why not plan a weekend getaway?
Photo Credit: @leclubavenue
Hop over to a stress-free Easter brunch or dinner at these NJ eateries
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
For some reason, everything tastes better when you’re not the one cooking. This Easter, free yourself from the homemade honey-baked ham and head to one of these local eateries for fresh and creative menu offerings. more
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
Wines from Bordeaux come to Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit.
"A wine without a soul is just a beverage." Why not take a wine taster's virtual tour of France, with a special stop in Bordeaux, at Reeves-Reed Arboretum's Put the 'Pub' in Public Garden Wine Tasting? more
The Library Book (Aperture, 2017)
By Sarah Emily Gilbert