By Sarah Emily Gilbert
These animals are more than just a pretty face. They are former shelter animals at the Montclair Township Animal Shelter. “Former” is the critical word. All the animals in the portraits have forever homes, showing the effectiveness of Eric Delmar’s volunteer photography work at his town’s shelter. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
Have a cough or achy joints from the cold? As the prime time for harsh weather and even harsher sicknesses, winter can wreak havoc on the body. Our aches and pains usually take us to the drugstore to buy medicines, creams, and the like, but there are natural ways to promote wellness during the winter months. In her newest book, Herbarium, Caz Hildebrand provides a directory of 100 herbs along with a colorful illustration of each that includes facts like its botanical name and place of origin. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
You might have photographed your favorite Jersey diner. Perhaps you’ve snapped a picture of a secret trail in the Garden State. Maybe, you’ve taken an image of a historical location in NJ, or better yet, a historic moment in your life. If you’ve shot a picture of New Jersey that represents your personal vision of the state, we want to see it! more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
New Year’s resolutions might be cliché, but after three months of nonstop cookies, booze, and candies galore, we’re ready to jump onto the bandwagon. Stat.
Luckily, area gyms and studios are easing us into our “new year, new you” status with promotional offers and events for the start of 2017. Armed with these deals, you’ll be achieving all your fitness and financial goals in no time. Take that 2016! more
… So maybe we’re rushing things, but we still can appreciate the frozen wonderland that winter brings. To kick-off winter 2016, we compiled “chillingly” beautiful Instagrams of North Jersey.
By Ellen Gilbert
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) seeks to bring attention to forgotten or neglected crises, and to pressure governments and international organizations to take action to help and protect refugees, displaced people, and other victims of conflict. It began in 1933 at the suggestion of Albert Einstein, who foresaw a New York City-based committee, with counterparts in cities on the periphery of Nazi-occupied states. more
By Lynn Adams Smith
lan S. Blinder is the Gordon S. Rentschler Memorial Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University, now on leave as a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He served as the vice chairman of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors from 1994 to 1996, was a member of President Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisors, and is an informal policy adviser to the Hillary Clinton campaign. Dr. Blinder is a regular columnist for the Wall Street Journal and appears on PBS, CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg, and elsewhere. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
Morristown, New Jersey has the conveniences of a city and the charm of suburbia. Along with access to mass transit and a walkable downtown, the Morris County town boasts Victorian-era homes, respected public schools, and historic sites. Among its estimated 18,594 residents are young professionals happy to find a culturally vibrant area where they can raise their families and arrive at Penn Station in an hour’s time. more
By Taylor Smith
Photographs courtesy of Woodstock Farm Sanctuary
The heart of Woodstock Farm Sanctuary’s mission is to rescue farm animals and to allow those animals to become ambassadors for compassionate living. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
Nothing can replicate the scent of a freshly cut Christmas tree. Perhaps that’s because it is more a memory than a smell. With that sweet-piney aroma comes Dad’s slushy boots walking through the living room with the tree in tow, dust billowing off ornaments as they’re unwrapped for the season, and decorative lights waiting to guide Santa Claus. Our local tree farms help preserve these old-fashioned family traditions by providing the quintessential choose and cut Christmas tree experience. If you’re pining for the holidays, plan a trip to one of the North Jersey tree farms outlined in our directory. more
You might not think that the dead of winter is the perfect time to find a summer camp for your child, but indeed it is. NJ Camp Fairs will be hosting a series of events this January 2017 where parents will have the opportunity to meet camp directors from exceptional day and sleepaway camps from around the country. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
The holiday season brings social gatherings, gift giving, and a myriad of questions regarding proper etiquette. Should the hairdresser get a tip? How many glasses of wine are appropriate at the office party? Can I regift? With all the stresses of the holiday season, it’s difficult to remember your Secret Santa gift, let alone mind your P’s and Q’s. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
Many of us treat our pets like people, especially when it comes to their health. As integrative medicine becomes a routine practice, it’s beginning to infiltrate veterinary care. This is the case at Crown Veterinary Specialists & Associates, where Dr. Aleda Cheng offers human-grade acupuncture to animals. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
Whenever I’m feeling rushed in the morning, my house is left in shambles. Clothes are strewn across the bedroom floor, dishes remain on the counter, and the bed stays unmade. Our living space is often a direct reflection of how we’re feeling, and similarly, our surroundings can effect how we feel. This is one of the principles of Feng Shui, a Chinese system of laws for positioning objects in a way that attracts fluidity and harmony in a home. While it is not a quick fix for a chaotic day, a Feng Shui home sets the stage for a calmer and happier you. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
It’s that time of year where people are switching out their summer clothes for their fall and winter essentials. That means clean-out time. Deciding what stays and what goes can be an overwhelming task, so we enlisted the help of Erica Ball, a personal stylist working in New Jersey and New York. If anyone knows the importance of a well-equipped closet, it’s Erica. Before transplanting to Westfield, New Jersey, she worked in Los Angeles styling actors for Pepsi, Nike, and Victoria Secret commercials, along with feature films. Erica has also styled celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Tim Burton, and Michelle Monaghan. more
On nine acres of wooded property sits the Far Brook School in Short Hills, NJ. For close to thirty years, this small, child-centered community has been providing students with a quality, arts-infused education from preschool through the eighth grade. Fostering intelligence and creativity in its diverse student body, the Far Brook School has prepared its recent graduates for some of the most esteemed private high schools and universities in the nation. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October brought swarms of pink and female unity, but now that it’s November, things are about to get hairy. This week starts a month-long campaign for both cancer awareness and men’s health by encouraging people to put down the razor. more
By Anne Levin
“I want grease, and, like, salt,” says corps de ballet member Gretchen Smith, who munches on a chip. “I’ve gotta go with fried chicken, mac and cheese, and curry,” enthuses principal dancer Amar Ramasar. “Cookies, sugar, chocolate,” announces petite principal dancer Megan Fairchild. Retired dancer Jenifer Ringer, who documented her struggles with weight in her autobiography Dancing Through It: My Journey in the Ballet, confesses in the video to her passion for ice cream with peanut butter. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
Spa days shouldn’t be a female-only experience. Treatments like facials and pedicures often fall into the “female sphere,” but men deserve to be primped and primed just as much as women. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make men feel more comfortable about entering a spa that’s likely to be full of women and decidedly feminine in its décor and amenities. There are, however, spas that are taking the industry into a unisex arena with male-focused services. Below, we highlight salons and spas that are making massages macho and are putting the “man” in manicure. more
By Taylor Smith
Many people forgo regular dental checkups due to fear and anxiety. However, Dr. Jerry Strauss of Aesthetic Dental Care in Totowa, NJ specializes in caring for and treating patients with extreme dental anxiety using oral conscious and IV sedation. Aesthetic Dental Care also welcomes patients with special needs, including Alzheimer’s. Whatever the case, the staff at Aesthetic Dental Care is always willing to listen in order to live up to their claim of pain-free dentistry. more
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
Many pet owners dress their canine companions in sweaters, tutus, and jackets on a regular basis, but Halloween is the time to take it to the next level. Trick-or-treaters shouldn’t be the only ones appreciating your Chihuahua Princess Leia or your Great Dane Harry Potter. This year, show your pet’s costumes off to the masses at one of New Jersey’s Halloween pet parades and other spooky events. more
10:30 a.m.: “Fly Guy and Other Stories” at the Shea Center for Performing Arts at William Patterson University in Wayne. This sensory-friendly, new musical revue is a compilation of popular children’s books and open only to classes and families with children with autism.
6:30 p.m.: Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music at NJPAC in Newark. Monsters make music? Yes, they do, and in wonderful ways, too. Children learn that everyone can make and enjoy beautiful music together! more
