Bergen Magazine May 2021 by Wainscot Media

VOLUME 21 ISSUE 5 | $3.95 | BERGENMAG.COM

VOLUME 21 ISSUE 5 | MAY 2021

HEALTH & LIFE | FOOD & FASHION | HOME & HAPPENINGS

THE CELEBRATIONS ISSUE

LET’S CELEBRATE WORK OF ART A BACKYARD BAT MITZVAH SPECIAL REPORT 5 LOCALS THRIVE DURING TOUGH TIMES DOC APPROVED 6 HEALTHY PARTY PROTOCOLS

GARDEN PARTY in Wyckoff

+ FAMILY FUN WITH FOX NEWS’ HARRIS FAULKNER BERG.0521.cover.indd 2

4/26/21 10:15 AM

C4-M

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YOU WANT

FOR YOUR CHILDBIRTH EXPERIENCE THEY GET IT.

Valley’s Certified Nurse Midwives collaborate with patients to create a holistic maternity care plan. By embracing supportive tools – such as music, soft lighting, a labor tub, and partnering with doulas – they promote a personalized, natural birthing experience. The Midwifery Program is part of the full scope of women’s services at Valley.

OUR MIDWIFERY TEAM OFFERS: n

Prenatal, delivery and postnatal care

Family planning

Preventive services, including annual exams

Contraception care

Birth planning assistance n

Gynecological procedures

For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call 201-746-9385. ValleyHealth.com/Midwives

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LUX

C4-Midwifery Bergen_Gate Cover 8_75 x 10_875.qxp 4/20/21 8:52 AM Page 1

Cristina Giambalvo, DNP, CNM

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Jaclyn Smith, CNM

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MIDWIFERY SERVICES

YOU WANT

FOR YOUR CHILDBIRTH EXPERIENCE

OPEN TO LEARN MORE

Treat Yourself

to New Jerseyʼs Award Winning Caterer and Gourmet Market

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Join us for a cup of coffee... and a second opinion

When the markets turn as volatile and confusing as they have over the last several years, even the most patient investors may come to question the wisdom of the investment plan they’ve been following.

We’d like to help – starting with a cup of coffee and a second opinion. By appointment, you’re welcome to come in and sit with us for a while. We’ll have a conversation and talk about your financial goals — what you’d like your investment portfolio to do for you. Then, we’ll review the portfolio and discuss our thoughts with you. If we think your investments are well-suited to your long-term goals, we’ll gladly tell you so. If, on the other hand, we believe some of your investments may no longer fit with your goals, we’ll explain why, using plain English. We will also recommend some alternative strategies for your consideration.

Either way, the coffee is on us! For a free consultation, please contact my office at 201-505-0472 and let us know if you like milk or cream. Or, if you prefer, we will bring the coffee to you. ERIC L. KOHLMEIER Senior Financial Advisor Managing Director – Investments 100 Park Avenue, Park Ridge, NJ 07656 Phone: 201-505-0472 Toll-Free: 888-213-1460 Fax: 908-598-3956 www.erickohlmeier.wfadv.com

Investment and Insurance Products:

u NOT FDIC Insured

u NO Bank Guarantee

u MAY Lose Value

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We are pleased to congratulate

Eric Kohlmeier Senior Financial Advisor

for being named to the 2021 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors ranking. At Wells Fargo Advisors, we recognize the importance of excellent service and trusted investment advice. Contact us to learn more about our focus on helping clients achieve their financial goals.

Eric Kohlmeier

Senior Financial Advisor Managing Director - Investments 100 Park Ave. Park Ridge, NJ 07656 Office: 201-505-0472 Toll Free: 888-213-1460 eric.kohlmeier@wellsfargo.com www.erickohlmeier.wfadv.com

The Forbes 2021 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors ranking algorithm is based on industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management, revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC, which does not receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking. Investment performance is not a criterion.

Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured / NO Bank Guarantee / MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2020 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC CAR-0620-02310 IHA-6759107_5a

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CONTENTS

{ MAY 2021 }

AT HOME WITH...HARRIS FAULKNER

The “Army brat” turned Fox News host talks about decorating, dealing with loss, working from home, raising biracial kids and what she considers her “superpower.”

Features

Party Healthy! | 36

Social gatherings are coming back, but that needn’t mean pigging out. A doctor offers 6 tips.

Bat Mitzvah Party 2.0 | 38

Rylee Fox’s planned bat mitzvah bash was going to be great. When the pandemic changed the rules, it got even greater.

Surprise! 29 +1 = Fun | 44

A bash thrown for a high school math teacher’s 30th birthday is proof of the theorem that people can party and still be COVID-safe.

When Life Hands You Lemons... | 48

During the pandemic, some Bergen residents used their time to make their dreams come true. BERGENMAG.COM

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That Spa Feeling | 60

In a historic Englewood home, a designer transforms the master bathroom to meet the homeowners’ needs, giving it a spirit of calming luxury.

IN EVERY ISSUE 8 Editor’s Note 32 Health News 86 Where to Eat

A Backyard Goes From Good to Great | 62

Thanks to a deft redesign, a Ridgewood family now has the immersive outdoor experience they craved. MAY 2021

4/20/21 2:37 PM

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As an alternative to traditional surgical face and neck lifts, Genlyft can be performed without general anesthesia and offers a faster recuperation period. Better still, the techniques that Dr. Boss utilizes in Genlyft facial procedures have also been found to be effective in recontouring the body and tightening the skin. This multi-modality approach, known as Genlyft Body, is used to treat fatty deposits, tighten loose skin, and diminish cellulite found in legs, arms and the torso. Like Genlyft Face, Genlyft Body is routinely done without general anesthesia, with minimal down time.

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305 ROUTE 17 SOUTH, 3-100A, PARAMUS, NJ 07652 | 201.345.3764 | DRBOSSMD.COM/GENLYFT BOSS_FP_0521_V3.indd 1

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CONTENTS

Departments Bergen Buzz | 17 Our guide to new ideas, tips, trends and things we love in the county.

For Men Only | 24

You’ll want to see and be seen in the season’s most stylish shades.

Style Watch | 26

Make an exciting impression with beautiful blooms as part of your wardrobe.

Jewelry Box | 28

Be the center of your universe with one—or more—of these celestial accessories.

Home Front | 30

It’s easy to get roped into adding these attractive, nautical-inspired accents to your home.

Tastes | 66

As we dine outdoors and host again, let’s keep it simple. These three pasta dishes are satisfying and pretty—and perfect for any size crowd.

Power Food | 83

The tangy, nutrition-packed anchovy is more than just the pizza topping of the brave.

Spirits | 85

This iconic cocktail is so simple to make. And there are a few tricks that will make your mint julep a guaranteed winner.

Just Married | 92

After making it official at a backyard ceremony, Jennifer and Billy Farrell found a safe way to celebrate at the black-tie reception they envisioned.

Gatherings | 94

Bergenites always show up to support their friends and neighbors—especially when help is needed most.

A Bergen Moment | 96

A Ho-Ho-Kus photographer goes in front of the lens for a change in this sweet at-home moment with her son.

ON THE COVER: Rylee Fox enjoyed a memorable bat mitzvah bash—in her Wyckoff backyard. Photo by James Clark, iNsync Photography. BERGENMAG.COM

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MAY 2021

4/21/21 10:45 AM

Left to Right: EVAN BAIRD, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai Medical Center; RAFAEL LEVIN, M.D., M.S.C., Chief of Spine, HackensackUMC at Pascack Valley; JONATHAN LESTER, M.D., Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; NOMAAN ASHRAF, M.D., M.B.A., Assistant Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai Medical Center

WHERE OUR TEAM BELIEVES IN CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT FIRST. BOARD CERTIFIED SPINE SURGEONS AND PHYSIATRY SERVICES

WESTWOOD | CLIFTON | BRIDGEWATER EAST BRUNSWICK 201.634.1811 | COMPSPINECARE.COM

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NJ TOP DOCS 2014-2020

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{ EDITOR’S NOTE }

Let’s Celebrate! Last year’s May edition was BERGEN’s first “pandemic” issue, in which we lauded the men and women on the front lines helping us. This replaced our usual theme: celebrating important life occasions. Since that time, we’ve grieved for loved ones lost, economic ruin and missed milestone events. We watched in alarm at the unrest around us, the shuttered businesses. Still, through it all, there were reasons to hope, and we persevered. Now, this May, we’re counting our blessings, grateful to have reasons to celebrate. We’ve watched as our friends and neighbors have tackled unprecedented challenges to overcome and reinvent themselves and to find new ways to adapt their lives amid the chaos. We’ve experienced a shared spirit of cooperation and witnessed creativity at its best. I’m often left in awe of the can-do attitude of fellow Bergenites. In this issue’s articles, you’ll read about how your neighbors persevered, advocated for change and moved forward when times were tough. And when they did, some even enjoyed laughter, fist bumps, conversation, and yes, even food and drink—in COVID-safe environments. No one threw a party for the five residents featured in this month’s special report, but their accomplishments during quarantine are each worth a round of applause. Natalie Maniscalco, Justyna Malota, Linda Perillo Zazzali, Charu Agarwal and Prany Jain showed their mettle, creating the best situation when the going got tough: a mentoring program for girls, a new jewelry business, foster care for puppies and a new home for a young family. Read their stories in “When Life Hands You Lemons…” on page 48. When the pandemic halted Rylee Fox’s bat mitzvah festivities last spring, her family could have rescheduled the party for late last fall. But that was too long of a wait, her parents decided, so they teamed up with their event planner to organize a summertime COVID-free backyard bash that didn’t miss a beat. Flip to “Bat Mitzvah Party 2.0” on page 38 to see how it went. A modified celebration also awaited an unsuspecting math teacher, Latoya Watt. A year after her 29th birthday party was postponed, she lived it up with family and friends for her 30th. Read all about the safe soirée in “Surprise! 29 + 1 = Fun” on page 44. In addition to commemorating milestones and accomplishments, we take time this month to celebrate our moms. We asked you, our readers, to share with us words of wisdom that your mother passed down—advice that still rings true today. See what a dozen of you said in Bergen Buzz on page 17. And as we do in every issue, we also spotlight beautiful home renovation projects, heart-warming recipes and a curated collection of on-trend décor and style products. With the governor’s recent directive that all residents 16 years of age or older can get vaccinated against COVID, there’s another reason to celebrate. The hope is that the state can vaccinate 4.7 million people by the end of June, giving us reason to feel safer. No doubt it’s been a rough road, but we’ve learned and innovated and now find joy in the simple pleasures of just being together. For me, that’s reason enough to cheer.

Rita Guarna Editor in Chief editor@wainscotmedia.com

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Our Reputation is Set in Stone

Call today for a free On-Site survey or Virtual consultation! 201.944.5425 • www.balitano.com NJ LIC# 13VH03890800

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Editor in Chief RITA GUARNA Creative Director STEPHEN M. VITARBO Senior Associate Editor DARIUS AMOS Lifestyle Editor HALEY LONGMAN Contributing Editors TIMOTHY KELLEY, LESLIE GARISTO PFAFF, DONNA ROLANDO, NAYDA RONDON ART

Art Director MICHAEL FORTE Contributing Photographers KYLE CALDWELL, JAMES CLARK, AMANDA DOMENECH, ADAM PASS PRODUCTION

Graphic Designer, Advertising Services VIOLETA MULAJ Production Artist CHRIS FERRANTE CIRCULATION

Circulation Manager KATHLEEN WENZLER

BE SOCIAL Join our online community! LIKE us on Facebook: BergenMag FOLLOW us on Twitter: @BergenMag SEE our photos on Instagram: @BergenMagNJ VIEW our boards on Pinterest: HealthandLife SEND YOUR FEEDBACK AND IDEAS TO: Editor, BERGEN, 1 Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656; fax 201.746.8650; email editor@wainscotmedia.com. BERGEN assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or art materials. BERGEN (ISSN 25738151) is published monthly by Wainscot Media, 1 Maynard Drive, Suite 2104, Park Ridge, NJ 07656. © 2021 by Wainscot Media LLC. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Mahwah, NJ, and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions in U.S. outside of Bergen County: $14 for one year. Single copies: $3.95. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BERGEN, 1 Maynard Drive, Suite 2104, Park Ridge, NJ, 07656. Material contained herein is intended for informational purposes only. If you have medical concerns, seek the guidance of a healthcare professional.

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All of us for all of you. *All photos taken prior to masking requirements.

Whether you need a routine visit with a primary care doctor or want to have something checked out by a specialist, the Englewood Health Physician Network has you covered. Our team of more than 500 providers welcomes patients at more than 100 office locations throughout northern New Jersey and Rockland County, New York. SERVICE AREAS: Bariatric Surgery

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Orthopedics

Emergency Medicine (adult & pediatric)

Infectious Disease

Palliative Care

Surgical Oncology

Endocrinology (adult & pediatric)

Integrative Medicine

Pain Management

Interventional Cardiology

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Podiatry

Men’s Health

Pulmonology

Breast Surgery Cancer Cardiac Electrophysiology Cardiology Cardiothoracic Surgery Colon and Rectal Surgery

Functional Medicine Gastroenterology (adult & pediatric) Geriatric Medicine

Neonatology

Primary Care Radiology

Surgery Thoracic Surgery Urgent Care Urology Vascular Surgery Vein Disease Women’s Health Wound Healing

Find a physician: Call 833-234-2234 or visit ehpn.org

It’s time for the pool you’ve always wanted With a custom backyard from Arapahoe, you’re on vacation every time you step into your yard

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Director of Digital Media NIGEL EDELSHAIN Director of Advertising Services JACQUELYNN FISCHER Chief Finance Officer STEVEN RESNICK

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Give Mom the Gift of Cozy Clothing

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Bergen Magazine

PUBLISHED BY WAINSCOT MEDIA

Chairman CARROLL V. DOWDEN President & CEO MARK DOWDEN

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Please contact Thomas Flannery at 201.571.2252 or thomas.flannery@wainscotmedia.com.

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SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To inquire about a subscription, to change an address or to purchase a back issue or a reprint of an article, please write to BERGEN, Circulation Department, 1 Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656; telephone 201.573.5541; email kathy.wenzler@wainscotmedia.com.

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AWARD-WINNING FULL SERVICE SALON AND DAY SPA Justine, the Owner, was voted Best Hair Colorist in 2020 Bergen Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards. She’s a certified Wella Master Hair Colorist and Wella Master Stylist who provides outstanding hair color and hair extensions, including sew-in hair extensions. Her award-winning staff offer expert balayage, highlights, color corrections, color melts and Kérastase hair treatments. Justine’s Day Spa was voted Best Facials and Best Eyebrow Shaping in 2020 Bergen Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards. Her award-winning staff offer anti-aging and customized facials and expert waxing services.

WHAT YOU CAN FIND ON BERGENMAG.COM RIGHT NOW GROW YOUR HOBBY Whether you’re starting a gardening hobby this season or continuing to cultivate your plants from previous years, a trip to one of Bergen County’s top nurseries is a must. Visit bergenmag.com/5-localnurseries to see a handful of our favorite Bergen County garden centers.

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TREAT YOURSELF The next best thing to visiting a French bakery is making those delicious pastries yourself. In Petite Patisserie: 180 Easy Recipes for Elegant French Treats, author Christophe Felder presents an easy-to-follow guide to recreating the small indulgences at home. For a chance to win a copy of the book, visit bergenmag.com/house-to-home.

PROTECT YOUR PETS We love our pets’ adventurous nature, but sometimes their curiosity could lead to danger around the house—especially if they get into hazardous materials. Visit bergenmag.com/5-householditems to see a list of the top five most seen pet toxicities of 2020.

Open 24Hours

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N I A S R R OW A E Y

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For more information visit atlantichealth.org/chilton *Source: Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. 2021 Hospital in NJ with less than 350 beds

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{ BERGEN BUZZ } OUR GUIDE TO NEW IDEAS, TIPS, TRENDS AND THINGS WE LOVE IN OUR COUNTY.

LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER Mom was always there when the going got rough, whether we were kids dealing with sore throats and tummy aches or teenagers struggling in class and experiencing dating woes. “This, too, shall pass,” she said, reminding us that brighter days were ahead. And she was right. That phrase still rings true today, as do many other of Mom’s words of wisdom. In that spirit and to honor all the wonderful mothers, BERGEN asked its readers, “What’s the best advice your mom ever gave you?” Here is what you said: Ikhlas Saleh, Paramus: “What’s right is right, even if only one person is doing it; and what’s wrong is wrong, even if a hundred people are doing it.”

Gordon McAlister, Ridgewood: “‘Never do for your children what they can do for themselves.’ This was drummed into me every time I asked Mom to do something as a kid, and that’s why today I know how to cook, sew, clean and be creative. Of course, she was also good at teaching me how to do things the first time I asked.”

Lois Berry Kohles, Bogota: “My mom’s favorite saying to me growing up when I complained about not having something was, ‘I pitied myself because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.’ That made me realize there were so many people out there so much worse off than I was. Now I preach that to my grandchildren.”

Cindy Luttrell, Bergenfield: “There’s a reason you have two ears and one mouth: Listen twice as much as you speak.”

Lisa Danzo Schaper, Dumont: “My mom told me to always treat everyone the same no matter what and to respect everyone. My former mother-in-law told me that your house will always be here, but your children will not. Spend more time with them than you do cleaning the house, and make memories.”

Gretchen Harnig Piela, Glen Rock: “‘Bloom where you are planted.’ My mom would say that to me whenever I expressed that it seemed like someone else had things so much better than me or had it easier.”

Karen Nova Day, Allendale: “Mom gave great advice in my teen years. ‘Nothing good happens after midnight’ and ‘A moment of fun/ carelessness can cost you a lifetime,’ meaning doing something stupid while in the moment (i.e. drunken driving) can change your life for the worse.”

Jackie Migliaro, Ridgefield Park: “Be proud of your scars and wrinkles; they’re proof that you fought battles and survived. Brag about your age, don’t lie about it; age is a gift not afforded to everyone.”

Lisa Anne Nicole Pasechnick, Hillsdale: “My mom always said, ‘Hang out with people better than you.’ It’s not the most eloquent way to put it, but she meant, ‘Be around people who are going to lift you up, not drag you down.’”

Christopher Cardaci, Hasbrouck Heights: “‘Behind every rolling ball is a running child.’ My mom told this to me as I was going for my driver’s license. I still say it every time I drive through a residential area.”

Rupak Bhattacharya, Westwood: “‘The first answer you get to your question is your conscience, and it’s usually right because it’s your best friend.’ In other words, always listen to your inner voice.”

Renee Aubert, Rutherford: “‘If you are traveling and have a chance to use the restroom, do it, even if you don’t have to.’ I still follow this advice. My mom would say this to anyone who was traveling—meaning you’ll never know when the next one will be available.”

DID YOU KNOW? More than 141 million cards are sent for Mother’s Day in the U.S., according to the folks at Hallmark. But the holiday only ranks third on the list of top greeting card holidays. Christmas tops the list with 1.6 billion cards, followed by Valentine’s Day (151 million). BERGENMAG.COM

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MAY 2021

4/20/21 2:44 PM

{ BERGEN BUZZ }

NOW OUT IS ‘IN’

CULINARY CORNER: PIEROGIS PLUS Polish mom-of-four Marta Wasilewski has opened the Pierogi Café, a cozy coffee shop that has fresh-roasted caffeinated beverages along with Polish delicacies. Pierogis come stuffed with meat, veggies, cheese or sweet dessert fillings such as strawberry and apple cinnamon. Other traditional menu items include kielbasa, gołabki (stuffed cabbage) and zapiekanka (toasted bread with mushrooms and cheese). And the vibe is family-friendly; drawings from Waldwick kids decorate the interior.

After a year-plus spent more or less in quarantine, you’re probably pretty familiar with the inside of your home. But here’s a concept: outside! When you venture out, whether it’s into your own neglected yard or to a more distant nature destination, you’ll need things Bergen County businesses are only too happy to provide. For example, If you’re looking for outdoor furniture: Backyard Living, Ridgewood. This specialty furniture shop sells all the big-name brands of patio tables and chairs, chaise longues, firepits, umbrellas and lighting décor. It is also an authorized retailer of Big Green Egg, a swanky ceramic smoker/grill/ oven device you didn’t know you needed. • 245 Franklin Ave., Ridgewood, 201.689.9111; bylnj.com

If you want to grow an outdoor garden: PlantShed, Englewood. Our county has a plethora of nurseries and garden centers with horticulturists who seriously know their stuff. But the NYC-based PlantShed, with a location in downtown Englewood, is a local favorite for this purpose. It offers plant consultations in which experts will set you and your garden up

for blossoming success, as well as a subscription service to keep both the interior and exterior of your home in full bloom at all times. • 47 E. Palisades Ave., Englewood, 212.662.4400; plantshed.com

If you want to build an outdoor kitchen: Outdoor Living of New Jersey, Teterboro. Two kitchens are better than one, so let the staffers here help you build a dream kitchen in your backyard to fit your style. They also install pergolas, outdoor televisions and firepits to take your space to the next level. • 375 North St., Unit J., Teterboro, 201.880.8088; outdoorlivingofnj.com

If you’re looking for outdoor gear and gadgets: Ramsey Outdoor, Ramsey. Before you leave your backyard and venture into the great outdoors, trek to Ramsey Outdoor. It has you covered whether you’re planning to hike, fish, camp or paddle. • 835 Rte. 17 N., Ramsey, 201.327.8141; ramseyoutdoor.com

• Pierogi Café, 18 E. Prospect St., Waldwick, 201.290.4166; pierogicafenj.com

THE WORLD IS FLAT There now exist acai bowl shops and ramen restaurants—why not make an eatery just for flatbreads? Enter worldFlats, a fast-casual spot in Paramus that sells a variety of flatbreads, each on a 10-inch lavash either served open like a pizza or folded like a wrap. Each flatbread is inspired by a different part of the world—the Roma is a standard margherita pizza, while the Masala has Indian-inspired flavors—and there are soups and salads too. • worldFlats, 193 Rte. 17 S., Paramus, 201.654.4488; flatsfood.com

A TIME TO GROW? The pandemic has reduced or closed some eateries; Barrel & Brew is going in the opposite direction, expanding from a speakeasy and bar into a full-blown restaurant. The father/son-owned spot in New Milford features Latin-inspired menu items that complement its brews, cocktails and wines, such as burgers, sandwiches, salads and tapas including coconut shrimp, deepfried pork belly and empanadas. • Barrel & Brew, 872 River Rd., New Milford, 201.483.3329, barrelandbrews.com

PUPPY LOVE Dog: Pancake, 11-year-old shih tzu

CANS ALONE WON’T DO In a new partnership with the Bergen County Food Security Task Force, Greens Do Good, a “vertical farm” in Hackensack that employs autistic adults, has since March been providing monthly healthy food donations to the 80+ food pantries in Bergen County. The task force wants to ensure that recipients are given healthy and fresh produce and perishable items rather than just canned foods that are high in sugar and sodium, and this collaboration is one step to ensure that that happens. To learn more about Greens Do Good and how you can help, go to greensdogood.com. BERGENMAG.COM

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Owner: Robbie Caploe, Fort Lee A Christmas puppy surrendered to a New York City ASPCA some 11 years ago was a blessing for Robbie Caploe, who recalls falling in love when she first saw 3-month-old Pancake. “They said she was likely a holiday present that hadn’t been thought through,” says Caploe. “We saw her on her back playing with a toy, and we were smitten. She was vulnerable, yet had such a joie de vivre.” Though she’s an older dog today, Pancake is still soaking up life—trips to the Ramapo Valley Reservation in Mahwah and strolls along the Abbott Boulevard median in Fort Lee are musts. Pancake is also a regular face at Fort Lee’s Three Star Bagels, where the pooch has many admirers. In fact, Pancake has learned over the years that her owner isn’t the only human to fall for her—and it comes out in her personality. “She enjoys being admired,” Caploe reports. “We used to have neighbors who called her either ‘Miss Thing’ or ‘Hollywood.’” If you’d like to see your puppy or kitten in a future issue, email rita.guarna@wainscotmedia.com.

MAY 2021

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THE GREAT TASTE OF GLUTEN-FREE Celiac disease (CD) is more than just the occasional stomachache. It’s an auto-immune disease in which the digestive system has trouble breaking down gluten, which means sufferers need to eliminate it from their diet. Luckily, many restaurants in Bergen County have separate gluten-free menus or numerous gluten-free items, which make it easier for those with CD to enjoy foods they love. Note the five below—but keep in mind that unless a restaurant has a separate gluten-free kitchen, cross-contamination with gluten-filled food products can still occur. Bazzarelli is proof that you can enjoy Italian favorites such as chicken parmigiana, fettuccine alfredo and risotto without the suffering that comes with it. The dozens of gluten-free items available are marked with a “GF” on the menu so there’s no confusion. • 117 Moonachie Rd., Moonachie, 201.641.4010; bazzarellirestaurant.com

Bibi’z Lounge also has “GF” specified items on its main dinner menu, including oysters, chipotle penne and braised lamb shank. Customers can also ask for gluten-free crust on any pizza, as well as gluten-free tortilla wraps and bread.

Railyard Tavern has an entire menu of gluten-free items, from pizzas and flatbreads to wraps and salads. Also on the menu are pasta, fish, steak and poultry entrees. And a pro tip: RT’s gluten-free Reese’s Pieces peanut-butter cake is worth all the calories. • 14–26 N. Plaza Rd., Fair Lawn, 201.773.3372; therailyardtavern.com

River Edge Pizza Kitchen has dedicated equipment and a separate spot in its La Riviera Trattoria is not in Bergen but is kitchen for gluten-free items. worth the trek for its expansive gluten-free Customers rave that they selection. The chef’s daughter, Maria, has can’t even tell the difference celiac disease, so the staff is well trained in GF cooking and uses separate pots, strainers between the gluten-free breads and the gluten-filled ones. and utensils for these items. Enjoy glutenfree pasta or gnocchi with sauce, chicken or Fan favorite items here include eggplant rollatini, rice balls, veal piccata or your choice of meat served garlic bread and, of course, pizza. Milanese style with a side salad. And don’t forget a gluten-free dessert! • 830 Kinderkamack Rd., River Edge, • 285 Center Ave., Westwood, 201.722.8600; bibizlounge.com

• 421 Piaget Ave., Clifton, 973.478.4181; larivieratrattoria.us

201.265.4900; facebook.com/riveredge pizzakitchen

KUDOS FORT LEE AT THE FOREFRONT “The Best Korean BBQ in NYC May Actually Be in New Jersey,” reads a headline on foodie website Thrillist, which touts Fort Lee as having the bestof-the-best Korean food in the tri-state area. The article gives a brief description of the borough, but it’s the restaurants that really get love in this piece. “I was thrilled to learn that food enthusiasts have discovered what our residents have known for a long time—Fort Lee has the best Korean food,” says Mayor Mark Sokolich. “Our Korean American population is part of the fabric of our community, and we are incredibly proud of our diverse community and of the variety of cuisines that are available to diners.” Gajma Tang Tang, Prime & Beyond, BCD Tofu House, Parisienne Bakery and even hot dog stand Hiram’s each receive shoutouts for their delish dishes. Not sure what to order and from where? Just Google the headline to read this informative article. BERGENMAG.COM

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SHE’S GOT THE JUICE Kids have learned how to do just about everything on the computer since the pandemic began, but there’s nothing like taking colored pens to paper. The juice brand Juicy Juice asked youngsters to do just that as part of its Happy Artist Contest. Parents were asked to submit their little ones’ drawings of what makes them happy. The winner of the national competition is Helena Zou, a 5-year-old from Ridgewood, whose representation of the beach (at left) won her family a $500 gift card and the honor of having a rendering of her drawing appear on Juicy Juice boxes. “I love the beach!” Helena said, explaining her inspiration. “I want to play on the sand and have ice cream, juice and play with Sis and Daddy.” Look for this young talent’s picture on Juicy Juice cartons beginning in 2022.

MAY 2021

4/19/21 12:40 PM

No one likes needles. That’s why Holy Name uses PIVO.

Amy Gordon, RN

Whatever you come in for, however long you stay, our aim is for most patients to only see one needle. That’s because Holy Name is the first hospital in New Jersey to revolutionize the patient experience with a breakthrough device that pretty much eliminates the need for more needlesticks when it’s time to draw blood. This is modern medicine. Only at Holy Name.

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KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ We love a good outdoor meal on the patio, but there’s nothing more laid-back than grub on the go. We’re talking about food trucks, which have grown in popularity over the years. The Garden State Plaza hosts a food truck festival in May, but don’t fret if you miss it: Many of the trucks park themselves in Bergen County throughout the year or are available for private events. If you see the following in the area, stop and try them. Bro-Ritos. Though they now serve from a storefront in Hackensack (137½ Main St.), the guys at this burrito specialist continue their booming mobile operation. Their updated website includes their truck’s upcoming schedule. • 201.403.9440, broritosfoodtruck.com

Carlitos Barbecue Taqueria. Get your hands on the birria tacos, Mexican street corn and other treats at Carlitos’ food truck, which sets up at both special and private events. (Check its website for the upcoming calendar.) It also has restaurants in Lyndhurst (119 Valley Brook Ave.) and at the Garden State Plaza in Paramus. • 908.502.7192, carlitostacos.com

Empanada Mania. Move over, hot dogs and cotton candy: Empanadas are quickly becoming a carnival classic, and Empanada Mania is a big reason why. You can get these Latin American turnovers at their Bergenfield storefront (62 S. Washington Ave.) or follow or book the food truck to enjoy the easy-to-eat treats. • 201.374.2150, empanadamania.com

Mel’s Butcher Box. Former Pat LaFrieda bigwig Mel Landano opened her first food truck during the pandemic, gaining a loyal following thanks to a menu of fresh comfort classics, from burgers and cheesesteaks to mozzarella sticks and milkshakes. • 917.855.4890, facebook.com/melsbutcherbox

PRIME TIME FOR PRIME CUTS

LET THE DANCING RESUME The pandemic isn’t over, but at least some things are getting back to normal. Case in point? Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest held the first in-person dance competition of the 2020–21 season at its first-ever dance invitational. The competition featured more than 100 female dancers from around New Jersey at levels from elementary school to college. “In a year filled with uncertainties, we were grateful for the opportunity to give these fabulous dancers a sense of normalcy,” Jenny Sweet, AHA varsity dance coach, tells BERGEN. “The Angels were proud to represent the Academy at the season’s only in-person event, and went on to an impressive sweep in the all-virtual state event.” To keep everything COVID-safe, each team had its own designated practice area in the building. Face masks were required, and AHA sanitized all surfaces before each team’s arrival. Meanwhile, parents and spectators watched the livestreamed event via Zoom— and some even cheered on their girls from the AHA parking lot! Wow, 2021 is weird.

FUN IS NOT EXTINCT In true Jurassic Park-spirit, dinosaurs are coming back to life! The famed T-rex, triceratops, brontosaurus and more return to Bergen County when “Field Station: Dinosaurs in Leonia” reopens May 29. The theme park, which is dedicated to educating the public on the prehistoric reptiles, was shuttered for all of last year because of the pandemic and massive damage sustained during storms. In addition to the socially distant walking trails, visitors can enjoy the park’s new features such as live musical performances, “The Great Dinosaur Whodunit” mystery show and the Field Station museum’s first exhibit, “Movie Dinosaurs: From Gertie to Indominus Rex.” • Field Station: Dinosaurs, Overpeck County Park, Leonia, 855.999.9010; jerseydinos.com

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Your oven’s been working hard all year; now, with Memorial Day upon us, it’s time for the backyard grill to do its bit. But don’t just throw frozen burger patties or a low-cost eight-pack of hot dogs onto those grates— you and your cookout guests deserve meat that’s a cut above. So take a trip to your local butcher’s for the best beef, pork, poultry and other meats. Visit, for example: Anthony’s Oradell Prime Meat Market. Locals line up early to get prime beef, pork and lamb at this family-owned shop. It also features chicken and turkey from Goffle Farms Poultry in Wyckoff. • 8302 Kinderkamack Rd., Oradell, 201.261.3196; oradellprimemeatmarket.com

B&M Meat Market. Known for assorted prepared foods and catering, this shop also prides itself on procuring the finest steaks, lamb, roasts and more (Bell & Evans chicken and Jaindl Farms turkey). • 192 Kinderkamack Rd., Park Ridge, 201.391.4373; bmfoodlovers.com

Karl Ehmer Quality Meats. Carnivores travel far and wide for the brats, wieners, bacon and ham available at this German meat specialist. Want a sample? Grab a hot dog or sausage from the cart outside before or after shopping. • 120 Broadway, Hillsdale, 201.664.1477; karlehmer.com

Kocher’s Market. Besides hot foods and deli meats, this neighborhood favorite sells prime beef custom cut to order and gourmet German meats, sausages, wursts and hot dogs. • 634 Bergen Blvd., Ridgefield, 201.944.7086; kochersmarketfortlee.com

Luigi Meats. This old-fashioned Italian butcher shop excels in summer staples such as steaks, Italian sausages and chicken cutlets, but you can also order specialties like stuffed chicken breasts, spiced leg of lamb and spiced pork roast. • 261 Valley Blvd., Wood-Ridge, 201.933.0105; luigismeats.com

Westwood Prime Meats. One of Bergen’s most popular butcher shops, this one has an extensive list of prime cuts, ribs, burgers and chicken. If you’re wondering how they taste, scoot over to the burger restaurant next door for a fresh bite. • 190 Westwood Ave., Westwood, 201.664.0069; westwoodprimemeats.com

4/20/21 2:44 PM

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RAY BAN SHOOTER AVIATORS Sunglass Hut, Paramus, 201.843.3481

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MAY 2021

4/21/21 10:32 AM

WHO BETTER THAN NEW JERSEY’S PREMIER CANCER PROGRAM RANKED BEST CANCER CENTER IN NEW JERSEY BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT PART OF THE NCI-DESIGNATED GEORGETOWN LOMBARDI COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER ACCESS TO NOVEL THERAPIES WITH OVER 450 CLINICAL TRIALS INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED EXPERTISE ONE OF THE NATION’S LARGEST BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT PROGRAMS PIONEERS IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF IMMUNOTHERAPY FIRST TO BRING CAR T-CELL THERAPY TO NEW JERSEY ONE OF THE LARGEST ROBOTIC SURGERY PROGRAMS IN THE NATION When it comes to your cancer, there’s no question. New Jersey’s premier cancer program is Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center. See or speak to an expert within 48 hours. Call 833-CANCER-MD.

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NATURALIZER VERA FLORAL BLOCK HEEL PUMPS shoebacca.com

Make an exciting impression with beautiful blooms as part of your wardrobe.

FARM RIO AMORINA WRAP MAXI DRESS Anthropologie, Woodcliff Lake, 201.391.4321

DOROTHYDESIGNS AQUA AND WHITE LEAFY PRINT FLOWER PIN etsy.com

FLOWER PATTERN BACKLESS JUMPSUIT naniashop .com

JOURNEE COLLECTION MIST RAIN BOOT DSW, Ramsey, 201.669.3053

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO TEXTURED LEATHER HANDBAG Salvatore Ferragamo, Hackensack, 201.342.0681 BERGENMAG.COM

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MAY 2021

4/21/21 10:38 AM

PATIENT SUCCESS RUNS THROUGH OUR VEINS

SPIDER VEIN TREATMENT

VARICOSE VEIN TREATMENT

“Caring, professional and empathetic staff. They go out of their way to make the patient feel comfortable and at ease. The results are well worth the commitment.”-- C. R.

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“Dr. Chuback is a miracle worker! No longer am I in pain or shameful to show my legs. They are now pain free and attractive. I thank Dr. Chuback and his entire staff for their support, time and diligence they extended to me. I couldn’t be happier!” -- M. P.

At Chuback Vein Center, your success is our success, so we strive to provide you with the care that has earned us our 5-Star reputation. Come experience our friendly atmosphere, professional staff, and state-of-the-art facility. Your health. Your beauty. Our passion. 4/19/21 9:06 AM

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MAY 2021

4/16/21 9:45 AM

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{ HOME FRONT } ELK LIGHTING WEAVERTON TWOLIGHT CEILING FIXTURE elklightinglight.com

MIX WOVEN ROPE TEAK EASY CHAIR chairish.com

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CURREY & COMPANY SIMO END TABLE Lighting Expo, Wayne, 973.696.2185 BERGENMAG.COM

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MAY 2021

4/16/21 9:46 AM

INFLAMMATION FIGHTER

{ HEALTH NEWS }

Curcumin, the chemical that gives turmeric its orange tint, is said to possess anti-inflammatory properties. A recent study found that folks who took 1,000 mg of curcumin daily reported less arthritis pain than those people who didn’t. —Journal of Medicinal Food

HEART HEALTHY DIET

Eating a diet high in red and processed meats and refined foods increases the risk of heart disease by 46 percent and stroke risk by 28 percent compared to eating a diet rich in whole grains and vegetables. —European Journal of Preventive Cardiology

CHANGE IT UP! Feeling happier could be as simple as making little changes to your daily routine. A study suggests that novelty causes the release of dopamine, which makes you feel good.

—Nature Neuroscience

EGG BEATER

Better stick to egg whites. A recent study found that each extra half egg daily could boost the risk of cardiovascular disease by 6 percent. It’s also associated with an 8 percent increased risk of premature death. —JAMA

NIGHT SHIFT

The percentage increase in the amount of pollen in North America now due to climate change compared with 1990.

People who work nights are four times more likely to develop high blood pressure than their 9-to-5 counterparts, according to a recent study. —Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health

—National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

THE EXERCISE/ COGNITION CONNECTION

COMPETITIVE WALKING

A recent study shows that the link between exercise and cognition is mainly the result of the neurotransmitter dopamine. It’s released during exercise and plays a starring role in brain function. Choose aerobics or yoga—just get physical for better mental health.

Do you compare the number of steps walked with your friends? Good. People who competed with each other walked about 100 miles more in nine months than people who recorded their steps on their own.

—JAMA Internal Medicine

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—Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise

BERGENMAG.COM

MAY 2021

—Compiled by Paul Rance Jr.

4/26/21 10:18 AM

GIVING HOPE, SAVING LIVES. Donald A. McCain, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

Dipliomate of the American Board of Surgery • American Cancer Society 39th Annual Diamond Ball, Medical Honoree, 2018 • Jersey Choice Top Doctor 2020, New Jersey Monthly Magazine • Castle Connolly Top Doctors Award 2020 New York Metro Area • Inside NJ Top Doctors Award 2020 • 2016 Nobility in Science Award from National Pancreas Foundation • Vice Chairman of the John Theurer Cancer Center • Chief, Division of Surgical Oncology and Executive Vice Chair, Dept of Surgery, Hackensack Meridian Health University Medical Center • Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery, Seton Hall Medical School We provide comprehensive surgical care for: Gastrointestinal Tract Tumors Colorectal Cancer Liver Tumors Pancreatic Cancer

Breast Tumors Sarcomas Skin Cancers Esophageal Cancer

Dr. McCain currently holds an academic appointment at Seton Hall NJ Medical School. Dr. McCain is extensively trained in the latest most effective resection techniques, including robotic resections for gastric and colorectal cancer, and minimally invasive resections for pancreatic and liver cancer. Dr. McCain works alongside speciﬁcally certiﬁed APNs and nursing staff, and works collaboratively with medical and radiation oncologists at the John Theurer Cancer center to develop a treatment plan for each patient.

Donald A. McCain, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

20 Prospect Avenue, Suite 603, Hackensack, NJ 07601 • 201-342-1010 • DrDonaldMcCain.com Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

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MAY 2021

4/16/21 9:47 AM

{ HEALTHY LIVING }

PARTY HEALTHY! Social gatherings are coming back, but that needn’t mean pigging out. A doctor offers 6 tips. By Darius Amos

“Look for anything steamed and poached as the best options,” Deal: Don’t ask for our at-home pandemic menus or midnight says Dr. Scheller. “Choose more vegetables, and stay away snack choices, and we won’t inquire about yours. But now from bread and rice.” the social world is stirring back to life, and that alluring hors Be sweet-smart. It’s tough to turn down the double d’oeuvres tray may soon be headed your way. If you’re like chocolate cake at a wedding reception or the build-yourmany of us, you could use a few reminders about how to handle own sundae options, but there are tasty ways to celebrate it and still like yourself in the morning. with natural sugars. Fresh fruit and berries are the easiest Enter Tracy Scheller, M.D., medical director of the Graf Center alternatives, or you can fill a cup with Greek yogurt topped for Integrative Medicine in the health system Englewood with honey, fruit and nuts for an equally fun and delicious Health, who has an M.S. from Columbia University’s Institute treat. “Or you can skip dessert altogether and go with simple of Human Nutrition. She knows that from Mother’s Day and coffee or tea with honey,” Dr. Scheller says. Memorial Day in May to graduations and weddings Raise a glass—just one. The pandemic pushed most in the coming months, temptation will stage of last year’s parties to 2021, so many of us are eager a comeback as we revel with friends and to toast our restored sociability with that longfamily, food and drink in hand. We’ll need to awaited drink. Just know your limits: Guidelines remember not to overdo it when we return from the American Cancer Society recommend no to restaurants, catered events and cookouts. more than one glass of wine or beer or one shot The doc suggests: of liquor per day for females, and no more than Munch pre-emptively. Gorging yourself two for males. “Drinking slowly and mindfully on party snacks and appetizers can leave you and having a glass of water between alcoholic feeling sluggish for the rest of the day. So try beverages can reduce your alcohol intake,” Dr. consuming something healthy like vegetables Scheller advises. For those counting calories, a or a protein shake before leaving your home. five-ounce glass of wine has between 100 and 130 “This will help you skip some of the high-calorie calories, while a 16-ounce beer has roughly 230. appetizers because you won’t be so hungry,” A lower-calorie option is hard seltzer, which has says Dr. Scheller. “Choose your options and eat Tracy Scheller, M.D. roughly 100. If you can toast without alcohol, try mindfully. Before you take more, ask yourself: water flavored with fresh fruit or grated ginger. ‘Do I really need this? Am I really hungry?’” If Host health-consciously. Are you throwing the party? you’re at a sit-down dinner and your dining companions are Nowadays there are many things to consider—amply amenable, ask to have the bread brought to the table along distanced seating, readily available hand sanitizers and a with your appetizers and eat it without butter. menu with healthful options, for instance. A spread with Save the salads. Green, leafy salads should be nothing but veggies, fruit, green leaf salads and quinoa or farro salads nutritious, refreshing and healthy. To preserve their integrity, is perfect for warm-weather get-togethers, while grilled avoid creamy dressings—even if they’re included on the menu. lean meats such as chicken and fish are heart-friendlier than Instead, substitute rich Caesar or ranch with either oil and those standard cookout items, burgers and hot dogs. But vinegar or lemon with olive oil. “Skip croutons or any fried use caution when grilling, Dr. Scheller says. “Grilled meats topping,” Dr. Scheller suggests, “and add crunch and texture when cooked at very high temperatures until they char can with nuts and seeds.” If you’re watching your carb intake, avoid form heterocyclic amines, or HCAs,” she warns, “and there pasta and potato salads at backyard barbecues. is evidence indicating that HCAs are carcinogenic.” To avoid Watch the words. Some restaurant and catering menus are HCAs, Dr. Scheller advises precooking meats and finishing so full of enticing adjectives that they can induce brain whirl. them on a grill or marinating meats using garlic, ginger and To avoid ordering pitfalls—for instance, a creamy sauce served turmeric. And remember: marinated and grilled vegetables over an otherwise nourishing salmon steak—scan the choices do not form HCAs. for key words. Pass on plates that are fried or breaded.

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{ MAZEL TOV }

BAT MITZVAH PARTY 2.0 Rylee Fox’s planned bat mitzvah bash was going to be great. When the pandemic changed the rules, it got even greater. By Donna Rolando

Photography by James Clark, iNsYnc Photography

Invitations had already been printed when a Wyckoff family’s bat mitzvah festivities faced a COVID curveball, and the special day they’d dreamed of for years was suddenly off track. It was an unsettling situation for 13-year-old Rylee and her parents, Amy and Jason Fox, but they didn’t let it mean defeat. After all, sometimes a detour can be the best part of a trip. Rylee’s detour swept the celebration away from the event venue, the Art Factory in Paterson, where the pandemic pulled the plug on their original June 13, 2020 date. But it opened the door to an “equally exciting ceremony and colorful celebration” in the Fox’s backyard two months later, on Aug. 8, says their party planner, Amy Shey Jacobs of Chandelier Events. With the planner’s help, the family went a little crazy—crazy like a Fox. Their yard became Street Art Central in harmony with their originally planned theme, well suited for New York-born Rylee. (Her family calls her Smiley Rylee.) “Within weeks, we put together an incredible event with COVID-safe solutions,” says Jacobs.

As a sign of the times, guests received masks with a pink lightning bolt and hand sanitizer. Amy Fox agrees the event didn’t suffer for a lack of time, and she appreciates Jacobs’ efforts. In fact, they had an opportunity to proceed with a November 2020 date at the Art Factory, but decided it was too much of a wait, with no end to the quarantine in sight. The alternative, a home celebration, was exactly what it needed to be. “The people there were family and friends,” says Fox. “We had masks; we were seated accordingly,” she says—basically COVID-safe. As they began to plan this new venue— home—the pandemic that had originally worked against them opened an unexpected opportunity. Rylee’s mom had been following world-famous street artist Jason Naylor on Instagram for some time and thought his graffiti art would be a cool vibe for the bat mitzvah. “He was available,” she says. “Maybe it was the timing of COVID; he was just available.” (The disc jockey from Untouchable Events was also top-notch, she says—and available, perhaps also due to the coronavirus.)

Everyone got into the street-art act as part of the bat mitzvah for Rylee Fox, pictured here outside her Wyckoff home, where her dad, Jason Fox, created his own graffiti with chalk on the bricks, helping to set the tone for his daughter’s big day. Hot pink high-tops with the delicate bat mitzvah dress highlight the event’s fun side.

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MAY 2021

4/26/21 10:29 AM

{ MAZEL TOV }

This page, from top: The Fox family, Jason and Amy, with Rylee, center, and siblings Tessa, Hudson and Ryder, all decked out for the big day; floral centerpieces in cheerful colors by Yena Designs sit pretty in a base crafted from the original invitations; a pink seating chart on an easel is a no-contact alternative to seating cards; hand sanitizer with Rylee’s logo and face masks are among the souvenirs. Opposite page: Rylee reads special poems and dedications for family and friends during a candle-lighting ceremony. Alongside the colorful candles is the custom artwork created for the Fox family by street artist Jason Naylor.

Not only did Naylor create custom art for Rylee’s big day, but his designs inspired the event’s creative works, says Jacobs. She happens to be friends with the street artist; still it was a surprise when he could make the event. To transform the yard, Jacobs used branding and bright colors, including supersized versions of Naylor’s graphics, such as his signature open heart and a special Smiley Rylee logo. “I wanted to bring to the yard some of the street elements we would have brought to the Art Factory,” she explains. “I had the graffiti art blown up to make it life-size, so we almost created freestanding walls around the perimeter of the yard.” As a bonus, the Fox family now has hanging in their kitchen the custom art Naylor created for them, with six of his open hearts for Jason, Amy and each of their four children, ages 4–13. Another welcome COVID twist was the socially distanced brunch with individual brunch boxes from Brownstone Pancake Factory in Edgewater and Englewood Cliffs. Naturally, these boxes would get cold if left unattended. The remedy? Personal Touch Catering Experience of Hackensack was on hand to build the boxes and keep them fresh and warm. “It’s almost like we created a kitchen in their garage,” says Jacobs. “There were lots of fun BERGENMAG.COM

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{ MAZEL TOV }

This page, from top: Even the surprise ice cream truck was hot pink, in keeping with the spirit of this cheerful gathering; Brownstone Pancake Factory supplied the fare for individual brunch boxes; ooey-gooey—and that can only mean scrumptious— cookies were available by the drawer-full. Opposite page: Rylee takes a break from the day’s action against a backdrop of vibrant floral centerpieces.

details to deliver food in a safe way,” she says, including a cookie bar stocked with goodies. An ice-cream truck in hot pink was a surprise treat. As another solution to keep guests safe, the bar for adults featured individual canned margaritas, Bellinis and mimosas, while the kids could enjoy mocktails at their own bar in custom graffiti logo cups. High-top tables, lounge furniture with black-and-white pillows, picnic benches and additional linen-topped tables all helped keep party-goers at a COVID-free distance. As if this bat mitzvah didn’t face enough drama, a storm cut power and Wi-Fi in the area, a problem because the ceremony was to be on Zoom. A hotspot saved the day, allowing Rylee to perform her remote bat mitzvah with Rabbi Beni Wajnberg of Wyckoff’s Temple Beth Rishon. It was held in the home’s outdoor pavilion, where a montage aired highlights from Rylee’s life. On a day that proved picture-perfect, Rylee performed the traditional candle lighting. In keeping with the street-art theme, guests worked with an airbrush artist from Untouchable Events to design sweatshirts they received as a gift. And those invitations that never went out? They were converted into boxes around the table centerpieces by Yena Designs. “I love a zero-waste detail, and this was one of my favorite things we did for Rylee,” Jacobs says. Who knew there could be so much fun during COVID? BERGENMAG.COM

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MAY 2021

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{ PANDEMIC PARTY }

SURPRISE!

29 +1= FUN

A bash thrown for a high school math teacher’s 30th birthday is proof of the theorem that people can party and still be COVID-safe. By Haley Longman

Photography by Amanda Domenech

Each of us has grown in some way during the past year, but not all of us have a party to show for it. Luckily, Latoya Watt does, thanks to her best friend, Chloe Sosa-Jarrett of Hackensack, who surprised her with a 30th-birthday soirée that honored the “blooming” she had done over the past year and decade—and was intimate enough not to run afoul of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines during these bizarre times. But Sosa-Jarrett didn’t do it alone. She reached out to event planner Yosely Maldonado of Garfield-based F&M Events to help her execute her Pinterest board vision, what she described as a “moody yet bright” dinner party that would represent this transformative birthday. “When I was brainstorming the party vibe, I knew we had to have florals everywhere but didn’t want it to be reminiscent of a wedding,” Sosa-Jarrett tells BERGEN. “The darker jewel tones and unique blooms made for the perfect aesthetic.” The intimate gathering took place at the F&M Events venue on March 13, about a year to the day from the time when just about everything shut down in New Jersey. At this same

point in 2021, businesses were beginning to open and parties to be held again, so for Watt’s benefit, Sosa-Jarrett devised a believable plan that they would be attending a gala together. She told her pal to dress glam and party-ready. “Toya was literally stuck at the door for a solid minute,” says her best friend of the well-executed reveal. “She joked that she felt betrayed that we had all been covering up the party plans for a month while she tried to plan something fun and COVID-safe for her birthday to no avail!” The dark and elegant floral arrangements by Lemon Lab Events, comprising calla lilies, ranunculus, roses, tulips and alstroemeria in Watt’s favorite colors, signified the “blooming” she had experienced over the past twelve months, says Maldonado. Other well-thought-out details, such as the custom “29 + 1 = Even More Fun” cake topper, paid homage to the guest of honor’s job as a ninthgrade algebra teacher. Of course, as with any event in 2021, COVID precautions had to be considered as well. The planners ensured that the birthday gal’s most important family members and

Ninth-grade math teacher Latoya Watt is a numbers girl, which is why this neon “Thirty” sign from SeViLu Rentals made for the perfect photo backdrop at her 30th birthday bash, planned by Yosely Maldonado of F&M Events in Garfield. “My 30s are going to be all about reaping the harvest as I bloom into a new woman,” says the birthday gal.

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MAY 2021

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MAY 2021

4/26/21 10:32 AM

{ PANDEMIC PARTY }

Twenty-five guests enjoyed a banquet-style, Jamaican dinner that the family prepared. A moody and sexy jewel-toned palette marked the décor, from the table spaces to the floral arrangements to the custom cake.

friends were on the exclusive guest list of 25. Temperature checks and masks were required at the door—masks were removed only for photos and for eating—and dancing was more limited than it would’ve been pre-pandemic. To make this one big (well, figuratively big) family affair, some of Watt’s relatives catered the shindig themselves—with Caribbean food as a bow to their Jamaican heritage. Jerk chicken wings, mac and cheese, baked ziti, spicy shrimp, rice and beans, baked chicken and pernil (pulled pork) were served at the banquet-style sit-down meal before the cake by Perfectly Styled & Sweet in Hasbrouck Heights was cut and devoured. “My favorite part was seeing everyone sit around a big table sharing in a meal,” says Sosa-Jarrett. “I come from a big family, and it’s probably the thing I’ve missed most during lockdown: gathering and celebrating each other.” The birthday lady’s parents, brother, uncle and close friends made speeches, and guests enjoyed posing for pics together at the photo booth supplied by Boujee Booth. “I felt so loved and appreciated by my loved ones’ heartwarming words,” Watt says. Ultimately, the celebration was proof that pandemic parties can be smaller-scale yet still stunning. “The intimacy of these events is really nice,” says Maldonado. “Guests get to enjoy time with one another in a setting where they can actually speak and have fun in a safe environment.” BERGENMAG.COM

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MAY 2021

4/26/21 10:32 AM

{ SPECIAL REPORT }

WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS… During the pandemic, some Bergen residents used their time to make their dreams come true. By Leslie Garisto Pfaff

For many of us, the pandemic has been a time of contraction, of hunkering down at home as everything—our activities, our plans, our social orbit—grew smaller. Still, others managed to expand their lives even in the face of COVID, offering the rest of us the hopeful message that, in the most uncertain of times, with some families touched by tragedy, there can nevertheless be rewards to reap. Here we celebrate four Bergen County residents who were able to make lemonade out of the sourest of lemons.

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MAY 2021

4/26/21 10:36 AM

TURNING GIRLS INTO SUPERHEROES As a former high school teacher and girls’ soccer coach, Mahwah resident Natalie Maniscalco knew well the challenges to selfconfidence that adolescent girls face. With her close friend Irene Zervoudis, she mapped out a way to help high school girls build that confidence, along with leadership ability, business skills and a sense of community. They called the after-school program they devised Wonder Girls. It would offer workshops and mentors to teach girls about public speaking, problem solving and team building, as well as information on a variety of potential careers, from science to fashion. They planned to launch it in the spring of 2020. And then the pandemic hit. “We figured we’d start whenever the kids were allowed to go back to school,” says Maniscalco. When that didn’t happen, they sat down and had a serious talk about their plans. They could have shelved them, but instead, they decided to “throw caution to the wind and see what happens,” Maniscalco recalls. Unlike many others, Maniscalco, a publicist who specializes in bilingual marketing and public relations, didn’t have extra time on BERGENMAG.COM

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her hands during the pandemic. What she did have, though, was a desire to make a difference. She and Zervoudis spent the early days of the pandemic fundraising, marketing their program and building their website. Schools in Bergen and Rockland counties have already signed on, and while the after-school element won’t launch until September, Volunteer Days—in which girls partner with such nonprofits as Meals on Wheels and the Women’s Rights Information Center in Englewood—have been in effect since February 2021. Launching Wonder Girls, in fact, has been a wonder to its founders. “I definitely feel more passionate and uplifted because of it,” says Maniscalco. The girls who’ve signed on seem to feel the same way. In a survey designed to gauge the impact of the nascent program, they were asked what it meant to be a Wonder Girl. The answers were extraordinary: “It means being a strong, independent woman.” “It means being generous.” “It means being a leader of my own life.” “It was exactly what we wanted to instill in the next generation,” says Maniscalco. “Reading those responses was powerful, exciting and just wonderful.” MAY 2021

4/19/21 12:54 PM

TAPPING INTO HER CREATIVE SIDE

Unlike many during the pandemic, Justyna Malota, a project coordinator for an artificial intelligence company in lower Manhattan, didn’t lose her job. In fact, because she was suddenly working from her Hackensack home, she actually gained something: time. “I was no longer commuting, which gave me an extra 20 hours a week,” she says. She’d always wanted to do something creative. In high school, she’d gotten into theater and costuming, and she’d developed a passion for interior design. But five years ago, she got married, “and I knew,” she says, “I had to get a job and make money.” She enjoys what she does for a living, she adds, “but there’s this whole other part of me.” So, faced with those extra hours—time in which many of us were binge-watching Netflix or doomscrolling on our phones—she decided to launch a jewelry business. “I told myself, if I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it now.” The pandemic may have offered her ample time, but it threw up a number of roadblocks: She couldn’t market her brand at trade shows and fairs. Because of the lockdown, she couldn’t hire a photographer or someone to model her jewelry. (She bought a professional-quality $2,000 camera and taught herself to use it, employing her sister as a model.) Even so, in March 2020, she was ready to launch her brand, Isle Wilde. The jewelry, she says, reflects her aesthetic: It’s airy and ethereal, some of it inspired by Greek mythology, which she loves. Her chokers made from vintage trim, for instance, evoke the necklaces of classical Greece. Her Capella necklaces, featuring crystals sewn onto mesh, look like jewels floating on the wearer’s skin. Eventually, she’d like to add clothing to the line, but for now she’s thrilled with what she’s been able to create. “It’s been a wonderful way to visit that other part of myself,” she says.

EMBRACING A DREAM

The house in Rutherford was small and old, and its owners, Charu Agarwal and Pranay Jain, decided that the time had come to find something newer and roomier for themselves and their two school-age sons. So, in January 2020 they started looking at houses in Ridgewood and Glen Rock, and by early March a sale of their house was in attorney review. Then came the pandemic. “We were reading about what was happening all over the world and were worried about the economy and the job market,” says Agarwal, who’d previously lost a job in the financial industry when her employer, Lehman Brothers, filed for bankruptcy in the recession of 2008. They pulled out of the sale and decided they’d reassess the idea of moving when they had a better sense of what the ultimate effects of the coronavirus on the market might be. By September, one thing was clear: The pandemic wasn’t ending any time soon. So, while they were anxious about inviting buyers into their home—and venturing themselves, into the homes of strangers—they shook off their concerns and made the decision, Agarwal says, “to take a risk and go ahead with our life and not put it on hold.” Buying during the time of COVID turned out to be less harrowing than they’d anticipated: There were N95 masks at every house they viewed, and only one family was allowed in at a time. Selling, however, was something else entirely. When their real estate agent, Michael Shetler, scheduled two back-to-back open houses in January, the couple was particularly anxious. After each one, Jain recalls, “we opened all the windows and turned on all the fans—it was super cold. And then we disinfected every knob and light switch in the house.” They made their sons wait outside for 20 minutes before allowing them back inside. Thankfully, he adds, the open houses yielded a buyer—particularly important because they’d already closed on a new build in Glen Rock in October. The house was completed in early March, and the move has proved every bit as satisfying as they’d hoped. They signed the mortgage papers in December and were able to take advantage of historically low interest rates. The boys have made friends and settled easily into their new school. And, says Agarwal, the community has been great—“everybody’s been very helpful and welcoming.” Sometimes, she acknowledges, you just have to reach for your dream, even if it entails anxiety and calculated risk-taking—and airing out your house, twice, in the dead of winter. BERGENMAG.COM

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MAY 2021

4/20/21 2:51 PM

{ SPECIAL REPORT }

FOSTERING LOVE In March 2020, when the world shut down, Linda Perillo Zazzali surveyed her newly acquired downtime and wondered, “What is God asking us to do?” As a passionate cook, says the Saddle River resident, she felt a calling to feed “the people experiencing real hardship like teachers and frontline workers.” She founded a nonprofit, The Benevolent Caterer, offering free home-cooked meals that could be ordered through her website. But God appeared to have something more in mind as well for her and her family. When she learned, at the beginning of the pandemic, that the county’s animal shelters were overflowing, she did something that, in fact, she and her eldest daughter, 23-year-old Brynn, had considered for several years—they signed on with a pet rescue called Heaven Can Wait to foster puppies until they were old enough to be adopted. And while she and her family were helping the dogs, they benefited too. “Fostering,” Perillo Zazzali says, “is joyous—it’s puppy nirvana.” Over the past year, they’ve fostered five litters, all mixed breeds

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rescued from Puerto Rico and North and South Carolina. Sometimes, when the puppies were especially young, they’d also foster their nursing mothers. It wasn’t all joy: Some of the puppies were ill and needed special attention, “which was heartbreaking,” Perillo Zazzali says. But all were eventually adopted, including the mothers. Fostering was a learning experience for her. She was astonished to discover that each puppy had its own distinct personality from birth, along with a powerful drive to bond with human beings. “They don’t know you, but they want you and they want to be held and loved,” she says. She was also floored by the sheer number of homeless dogs. “I have a Lab and a German shepherd,” she notes, “but I’ll never buy another dog—I’ll adopt.” Her takeaway from fostering—which she intends to continue after the pandemic—is that “all God’s creatures are important.” “Some people look at an animal and say, ‘It’s just an animal.’” “No,” she says emphatically. “It’s a life.”

MAY 2021

4/20/21 2:51 PM

COURTESY OF TATIANA KISELEVA PHOTOGRAPHY

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MAY 2021

4/20/21 2:55 PM

{ NEWS MAKER }

At Home With…

HARRIS FAULKNER The “Army brat” turned Fox News host talks about decorating, dealing with loss, working from home, raising biracial kids and what she considers her “superpower.” By Rita Guarna

Let’s face it: We often jump to conclusions about people based on labels. If someone is an African American female in the news business, for example, we may make certain assumptions about her views. Then, if we learn that she’s a TV anchor for the Fox News Channel, there’s a different set of things we think we know. But Harris Faulkner will tell you to get past the assumptions to understand the individual. She wears other labels too—Bergen homeowner, “Army brat,” mom of biracial kids. But when BERGEN recently spoke with Faulkner, 55, host of the Fox shows Outnumbered and The Faulkner Focus, we learned that no label sums her up. She’s just as complex and unpredictable as the people we all know personally, but with one key difference: She needs more shelf space for Emmy awards, having won six. Why did you choose to live in Bergen County? Living in Edgewater is about three things. We want to be near a large body of water. My husband and I love looking out over the Hudson River and seeing New York City. Another issue is commuting. When we first moved here, we were both commuting in and out of the city (since the pandemic, that’s changed somewhat) but it’s very convenient. We live right above a boat marina, where the New York Waterway has a beautiful little terminal, and we’re just south of the bridge and 5 miles north of the Lincoln Tunnel. The other thing was walkability. When we moved here, we had little 18-monthold Bella and we lived in a different house. Now Bella is 14 and she has a sister, Danika, who’s 12, and we walk all over the neighborhood. Bella is in junior high now, but in elementary school they both started at Apple Montessori, which is two-and-a-half blocks from our home. Before we moved it was two-and-a-half blocks from that house too, just in the other direction. Who inspires you? My daughters. They are brilliant and brave. What do you most hope for for your daughters? I want Bella and Danika to reach for their dreams and to remember, as women, to be gracious, to allow themselves to constantly be “under construction.” I want them to remember that today we’re all allowed to be different than we were 15 minutes ago. And by different, I’m

hoping that we mean better, the best versions of ourselves. We’re allowed to grow and change our minds. True strength comes in the knowledge that we are forever progressing. And we must open up ourselves to experiences that usher in opportunity and joy in our lives. So I want them just to reach and to rise. Finish this sentence: It’s never OK to ________. Hate. What’s your favorite room in your house? It changes with my mood, but mostly I love the master bedroom. There are floor-to-ceiling windows and the water views are a little bit in the distance, but not too much. Maybe three or four football-field lengths away from my windows is the Hudson. I can see the George Washington Bridge if I look north out of my windows. And in the mornings the sun comes up in that direction. It’s really spectacular, and I put some touches in here that are family touches, but also very contemporary. The floors are this grayish ash beach-washed wood, and there are oversized, really tall doors because the ceilings are a little bit higher. I feel like sometimes I’m at a spa on the beach. Maybe Santa Barbara or Montauk. You once said your mom hinted that decorating might not be your forte. Early in my TV career she came to visit me in my very first market, Greenville, North Carolina. I was making $9,900 a year as a reporter, so my parents had to help me get that first apartBERGENMAG.COM

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ment and find a second job. I worked in retail part-time on the weekends, so I was working at two places for a little while, something a lot of people do when they’re starting out on their dream journey. And my mom visited and said, “I understand that you’re working a lot of hours, but nothing in here matches. What’s up with that? We even gave you furniture!” She said, “You put stuff not where I would put it, which is fine. But, you know, it doesn’t hurt to have a coordinated style.” She was so sweet, God love her. Well, through the years I have pulled it together. And before Mom passed away four years ago, she did get to see some of my grownup decorating, and the things I had collected through the years as a journalist. She knew those pieces were important to me. And she liked the way I had worked them in with my now more established style of functionality, beauty, refuge, beach house—like, she “got it.” My mother had impeccable, incredible taste when it came to home style. She was a florist when she was in college in Texas; that was her side hustle. And to this day, there are fresh flowers pulling my spaces together in my home. I have pieces I’ve collected through the years that add a pop of history. But also now—because my father made sure I had a couple of her favorite pieces in my home that I would want—I have some of her touchstones from history and life, from my parents’ travels as a military couple around the world. Those are very special to me; pieces of art they might have picked up at a flea market in Germany when dad was stationed at Stuttgart, that sort of thing. Do you like to cook? I love to cook. In my family, growing up, cooking was its own language. If you were celebrating something, you made a dish that had spice, and you might follow that up with an amazing dessert. My mother had so many cookbooks.

MAY 2021

4/20/21 2:55 PM

COURTESY OF TATIANA KISELEVA PHOTOGRAPHY

COURTESY OF HARRIS FAULKNER

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We grew up military, my dad was serving, so we were in army housing on base. But my dad would always figure out a way, in a garage or a carport space, to give my mom a cookbook library that protected the cookbooks. She had learned to make every cuisine, and they’d lived in a lot of different places. She would read cookbooks like novels, cover to cover. I have her collection of cookbooks, and her handwriting is beautiful. I’d see the notes and she would say, “If one of the girls”—my sister Anissa is younger than I am—“if one of the girls gets straight As, I’m making this banana pudding.” I read it now and it gives me mixed emotions. I miss her, but I feel connected to her. When my girls have big days, I make that recipe for them. They’re both honor students, so I tease them, like, “I need something other than that banana pudding recipe. You guys are so successful, my goodness, what do I make next?” I now have my own collection of cookbooks. Cooking is the language of love. You can communicate a lot of different things. You can say, “Congratulations.” You can say, “You had a tough day today,” and I’ll make my spicy taco meat and maybe stuff that in some flour tortillas and put vegetables with that and roll it up. I’ve got a big burrito recipe I love to make and then put some homemade jalapeño salsa over that with some garlic sour cream. Bella just got accepted to a culinary academy at her high school, Leonia High School, and my niece is a competitive chef now. She’s 16 and they’re down in Dallas, and just in the last couple of weeks we learned that she won a competition. I’m not the only one who inherited that love of cooking. Tell us about your family. Well, we’re not a quiet bunch, so wherever we are, there is a lot of laughter, a lot of talking and a lot of dreaming and planning. We just see humor in everything. Danika loves the zoo. Van Saun Park is kind of fun; they’ve got a little train she has been riding since she was little, but she also likes the petting zoo. Bella is trying out for the tennis team next year, so she’s playing a lot of tennis right now, and they’ve got gorgeous courts at Van Saun Park too and that beautiful carousel. The four of us will make a picnic lunch and head down to the river and the marina just across the street, basically, in our little borough of Edgewater and pop out a couple of beach towels and sit down there and eat. It’s one of the silver linings of the pandemic. And we have needed some. Our family was touched by COVID-19. I had elderly relatives who were in the hospital for 60 and 90 days. There are permanent health issues with them, and life-scarring. They survived. Not everybody did. My father was living in a beautiful senior complex, had his own little apartment in Dallas. I have 11 cousins—he had a lot of support around him. But on Christmas Eve, he told me, “I’m tired, and I’m tired of being lonesome. I miss your mom.” She had passed four

MAY 2021

4/21/21 10:32 AM

COURTESY OF HARRIS FAULKNER

COURTESY OF TATIANA KISELEVA PHOTOGRAPHY

This page: Between broadcasts on the Fox News Channel, TV anchor Harris Faulkner spends time gardening with daughters, from left, Danika, 12, and Bella, 14. Opposite page: A cooking enthusiast, Faulkner gets plenty of help in the kitchen from Bella, in back, and Danika.

years ago. But he said, “Now I really miss her more than ever because I’m facing a situation where people can’t hug each other. You’re in Jersey; I’m in Texas. Even if we get together, we’re distanced.” Having a conversation like that lets us all know how important it is to stay connected. And we found some ways to do that with my dad. We bought him an iPad-type tablet and loaded it with all of our lives, and once a week [we load it] with pictures and videos and everything and show how to use it. And it was pretty funny. My dad said, “You turn it on and you guys immediately start talking— it’s amazing.” Once a week, the girls would spend over an hour FaceTiming with him. We sent him a tablet rather than him doing this on a cell phone because he was suffering with diabetes and glaucoma. So, I have what I call my crew, my inner circle, my squad, my mom-tourage with my husband and two daughters. We’re tight. It doesn’t take a lot for us to have fun and to end up in giggles. The four of us, we hang and we do all sorts of things. We’re into hiking; we have Veterans Field in our area. So we’ll hike down by the water. We’ll do the marina. We’ve got a Whole Foods in our neighborhood, a Trader Joe’s. We’ll walk to Target. You can walk along the water. We do a lot together and we’re supportive of

each other. Danika is a competitive gymnast. And when she is competing again, post-pandemic, we’re right there with her and we’re cheering her on. She takes us all over the state and regionals, and we’ve even been to the worlds twice through her competition, USAIGC (United States Association of Independent Gymnastics Clubs). When you entertain, what kind of events do you host? It’s always around food and good conversa-

blankets and towels and walk down to Veterans Field and spread out over that, face the water, and Edgewater would put on fireworks for an hour as soon as the sun set. Like many of us, you’ve been working from home. Any advice about that? It’s something I do rock a little bit of guilt about, if I’m completely honest. I have a job we didn’t even know in the beginning was going to work. Having two No. 1 cable TV shows shot out of the “man cave” in Edgewater, New Jersey. That might be something you do short-term. I don’t know if you do it for as long as it’s been—a year at this point. But it has worked, and it has worked to the point where some people can’t even tell where I am [home studio or New York studio]. That’s thanks to the technological tweaks our fabulous team at Fox News Media has made in a relatively small space in my home, with a big, 85-inch monitor behind me, so they can bring in that set background digitally. What that team has done has the audience and even people that I know in the business wondering, “Are you going back?” Because it might not be necessary. I do miss being in a studio with people, but it’s a blessing to be able to work from home. And it is something millions of Americans who are considered essential workers can’t do. I know really that God has blessed me in the

“We’re not a quiet bunch, so wherever we are, there is a lot of laughter, a lot of talking and a lot of dreaming and planning. We just see humor in everything.” tion—and children. My rule of thumb is that my home is ready for spills and thrills, otherwise we ought to move. I can’t remember the last time we had an entertainment-type situation where there were no kids around. Everybody always brings their family. And I love that. My favorite holiday for getting together—because I love to barbecue and I love the sides, the potato salad and all that stuff—is the Fourth of July. We’ll have everybody over. Pre-pandemic we were averaging maybe 20 people in the backyard. Then we would take our beach BERGENMAG.COM

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MAY 2021

4/21/21 11:26 AM

{ NEWS MAKER } sense that I get to do what I do, communicate about a lot of the things that are going on in the pandemic and cover presidential elections and all that. I get to do those things in an environment that has been fashioned for my success. What a blessing. And if I had any advice to anybody, it would be this: You’ve got to figure out—even though it’s shared space in most instances—how to separate your home life from your work life. I feel like the faucet never turns off for work, so I have to close the door on that space and go someplace else. Again, that was the man cave, the sports suite. So it’s got a fabulous TV, reclining chairs and all of that on one end of the room, and then it’s got my little studio on the other. But I close that door. I don’t go down there on the weekends because if I sit anywhere near that TV setup, I’m working. I immediately want to do something. We recently did a primetime special, America Together with Harris Faulkner: The Shot, and it was shot here. When you’re doing something like that—it was the day Johnson & Johnson had just gotten their emergency authorization—the temptation to keep going downstairs is overwhelming. And so I close the door, I don’t go down there unless I’m specifically meaning to go to work at that time. And I suggest that other people find a way to fold away their workspaces. My husband puts a box next to where his workspace is now, the dining room table. He

takes everything off the dining room table, neatly, puts it in this box, covers it up, takes it out of the room so that when we’re doing dinner, we’re not in his workspace anymore. He has the type of job where it doesn’t take a lot more than a laptop setup—he runs his own PR company. For my daughters with virtual learning, we try to have spaces throughout the house outside of their bedrooms where they can go for different classes and get a break from their bedrooms, because otherwise those rooms are no longer a refuge for them. Even if that other space, no kidding, is outside the guest bathroom in the hallway on a comfy pillow. You can get an education in a closet, as my dad used to say. Do you believe you face greater challenges as a parent of biracial kids? I’m going to be really simple on this one. Not greater, just different. I’m black; my husband’s white. We’re also ecumenical. I’m Christian; he’s Jewish by faith. A lot of things make us a melting pot in our household. And so the conversations I have with my girls, I don’t think they are any greater challenge than what other parents have, especially during a pandemic, when kids have been cut off because we haven’t figured out a way to keep them all in school full-time in person. So we’re all facing challenges, and I never like to think that I’m so special that my challenges are also special. Where some families are dealing with the depression and the isolation that teenagers are feeling. I don’t know if, in fact,

that’s a greater challenge to me than me being a parent of biracial kids right now. I mean, yeah, there’s a lot of talk about race and culture in the country right now. And there are a lot of hard feelings around those issues. But if you can talk about them, you’re surviving. Depression and isolation and the precipitous rise in self-harm that we’ve seen in children between the ages of 13 and 17 during the pandemic—to me, those are the greatest issues to focus on. One study shows a rise in self-harm among teenagers at 334 percent in the last year. And we’re talking about things like them cutting themselves or taking a lighter and burning their skin and doing even worse, tipping them close to permanent harm and suicide. Those are the greatest issues of this generation, I think, as parents, and the other racial issues and challenges we can talk about. We can talk about how Grandpa Bobby served in the military at a time when signs were up that said “Coloreds Only” here, “No Coloreds” here—when civil rights were marched out in the streets of America. It was a time of great struggle in the ’60s and early ’70s, and he still chose to serve this nation as a combat pilot in Vietnam—two tours. He would say, “I would rather serve America, the country I love, because it has the greatest potential, no matter what the country’s going through.” Those years were hard. And I share that with my daughters. My husband [media relations professional Tony Berlin] and I both have a history, his family

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COURTESY OF TATIANA KISELEVA PHOTOGRAPHY

COURTESY OF HARRIS FAULKNER

“There’s a lot to talk about culturally and racially in this country. But the optimistic point of all of it is that we get to have those discussions. We live in a free society.”

MAY 2021

4/20/21 2:56 PM

COURTESY OF TATIANA KISELEVA PHOTOGRAPHY

This page and opposite: When she’s not busy working indoors, Faulkner joins her family, from left, Bella, Danika and husband Tony Berlin for outdoor activities: Walks and hikes along the Hudson River are often on the agenda, as are Danika’s gymnastics meets and leisurely horseback riding sessions.

members who survived—and didn’t survive— the Holocaust. So there’s a lot to talk about culturally and racially in this country. But the optimistic point of all of it is that we get to have those discussions. We live in a free society. What did you learn from living all over, including in Germany, while your father was in the military? Military life has its own customs and life lessons, and they all have to do with resilience. The military teaches us through all of the moving around the military families do, the different situations where a parent has gone for protracted periods as they serve our great nation abroad or on assignment, even in other parts of the country. They’re gone from home. Those are the realities of a child who was a “BRAT”—“Born, raised and transferred.” I loved growing up as a military brat. I consider myself a carrier of those great customs and life lessons that have to do with never giving up, always being prepared, always being on time, regarding your inner circle as if your life depended on it, because it does. Your professional life, your personal life, the people closest to you are either building you up or tearing you down. There’s no middle ground. And in the military, we know that if you’re going into battle, you want the best people around you for that mission. Every general knows this. Every colonel—like my dad. That’s the greatest lesson I learned growing up brat. And that’s how I live my life. I’m not looking to have followers in my life. If somebody is with me, we’re mutually together. This is not

social media. Life is real. So the people around you are not faceless bots on a platform. They have to have meaning in your life and you have to have meaning in their lives such that when you have missions in life together—maybe your friend has cancer and you’re supporting her by getting her to her medical appointments. She’s got to be able to count on you. She needs somebody who’s clutch and you deserve that too. I think that’s the greatest lesson and custom that I learned growing up in the military. What special moments have you shared with your mom and dad that you hope to recreate with your daughters? Cooking and travel. Travel is really important. Even now, we will get in the car and drive a couple of hours away just to see something different. We’ll mask up, do what we have to do. We’ve got gloves in case we have to pop into a restroom or something. We’ll pack the car’s cooler and just go. And soon we can really begin to hit the skies again, because the evidence is showing that millions of people are flying and the spread’s not coming from there. We have our list that we didn’t get to live out in 2020. We will go back to Disney World before the girls are out of that zone where they want to. One of my kids may not outgrow it, and I love that about her. We have some beaches we want to hit. We want to go to Texas and see the relatives, and on an occasion that is not around the sadness of losing my dad during 2020. So there’s a lot to do. We’ve taken our girls out of the country more than once. It’s important to see people and how they live differently and how BERGENMAG.COM

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much we are the same no matter where you are on the planet. If you weren’t a journalist, what would you be? A film producer. I spend so much of my time in the realities of life. While I love to read nonfiction and extend that reality of life that I’m in at all times as a journalist, I also love the entertainment film industry. It has the ability to tell very compelling stories, and that’s what I’m drawn to. I would never trade journalism for filmmaking, but I could see a next chapter for myself. Journalism prepares you for the platform of storytelling, and I love the idea of short-term series, entertainment with value and values. And I may yet do that. The recent political climate has certainly divided us. How do you navigate discussions with friends? I simply don’t have them. People know what I do for a living. I spend an inordinate amount of time talking about politics. It makes up a lot of the news and I love covering it. I love knowing so many power players in politics, too, and interviewing them and connecting their points of view and dissecting their points of view. That’s my profession right now. That’s part of what I do as a news anchor. A big part of it. But there are so many people who cannot contain their emotions and their outrage and maintain their tolerance for one another, for one another’s differences of opinion, that I don’t spend a lot of time talking about those issues with people who are not able to listen and then

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4/20/21 2:56 PM

{ NEWS MAKER } watching us from Heaven.” The big joke was that my dad would watch Outnumbered. He never got to see The Faulkner Focus (11 a.m./ET, launched Jan. 18) but he got to see Outnumbered Overtime (previously at 1 p.m./ET). He would watch and give me a rundown. If he couldn’t get me, he’d call my husband Tony and say, “Let me tell you something: that interview she did was great stuff.” So Tony and I joke now that Grandpa Bobby is still watching

You’re going to try to open that box early!” I think if I could do something that I didn’t do before, it would be to try to go home more during the pandemic. And I don’t know how that would have worked out. You know, I went to interview the President in Dallas, and so it was fortuitous that I would be around my family. We couldn’t sit around a dinner table, but it was really kind of cool because President Trump was at this mega-church in Dallas and it was not far from my uncle’s house. But I wish I had had more time with family and Dad last year. I think I’m like millions of Americans. We all have that wish. And if my job hadn’t taken me there, I wouldn’t have gotten there. We were locked down. Tell us about your favorite Bergen hangouts. I love to shop. I like to hit the Ridgewood shops and walk along that main drag through town. I love the Riverside Square Mall, the Bergen Town Center, the outlets. I could literally be at those outlets all day long. My kids’ favorite mall now is brand new—American Dream Mall. We just visited for like a heartbeat. We wanted to go real early one morning and wear our masks and there wouldn’t be many there. So that’s going to be our post-pandemic splurge. Everybody gets to pick a store and just have 30 minutes of complete splurge after the pandemic. We’re going to hit the big mall, a very Jersey thing to do. We’re very athletic as a family, and the Fort Lee Tennis Center is a great indoor structure and my older daughter plays there. We actually can walk from Edgewater up to the George Washington Bridge. We do that at least a couple of times during the summer, and on the way from our house to the bridge, which is about a mile and a half, you pass the opening to Palisades Interstate Park and, of course, that spans way north of here. But the Jersey portion of it in Bergen County is absolutely breathtaking to hike. I also like to hit Sojo Spa Club. It looks like a spaceship from outside. It sits on River Road, and I have a favorite massage therapist there. He really is an artist. I mean, the guy is incredible. He can take your stress, turn it into a little ball and toss it so far away, it’s like you never even had it. What can’t you live without? Obviously, we all can’t live without food, oxygen and each other. But on a lighter note, I need COURTESY OF FOX NEWS MEDIA

speak—listen, and then ask questions. They don’t really want to discuss things; they just want to prove that they’re right. And I have no time and no patience for that. So, I just don’t embark on those conversations. Now, that isn’t to say I don’t believe we can reach common ground, but I also don’t believe that we all have to agree. I’m very comfortable being around people with whom I don’t agree. But not everybody is, apparently, when people are trying to cancel each other. I don’t cancel anybody. I want to hear somebody’s opposing views on things. And if I have some, I want to share mine. But I’m not proselytizing anything, I’m not trying to call people out on believing one way or the other. I’m just very exacting when it comes to respecting each other when we have these discussions and bringing out the facts. And you’ll often hear me say on TV when someone’s debate becomes pure emotion, I’ll say, “I believe you believe that. I just can’t figure out the why of your debate anymore, because it’s now just you shouting what you feel.” I think there’s enough of that. So I’d rather talk about things that bring us together. And in this day and age, that could be a whole host of things. It could be our kids. It can be getting them in school, it can be cooking, it can be a lot of things that make us come together and have common ground. When was the last time you cried? Well, right now, since losing my father on Christmas Day and my mother four Thanksgivings ago, I cry every day—every morning, actually. That won’t always be. And it subsided after we lost my mom. After, you know, a couple of months, you lean on your faith. You remember more good times than you ever thought any one lifetime could have with that person you’ve lost, and you begin to move on. I’m not there yet with Dad. And so when I say my prayers in the morning, I shed tears. Because I so miss him. But I know that he won’t want me to do that for too long because that guy had an incredible sense of humor and purpose and an understanding that we are here but for a season and we can’t be greedy about being blessed. So I won’t cry every day for too long, and I will remember that in my heart he’s still with me. And, you know, my husband and I joke because his father passed away in April, a year before last. So in the last four years we’ve lost three parents between us. And we’ll say, “Well, they’re all

“What people don’t know about me is that I have a gear that I tend to think of as my superpower: the ability to really listen to another person’s point of view.” and really liking The Faulkner Focus. And I can almost hear him saying, “I love watching it now and I don’t have to pay for cable anymore. I can see everything.” Have you ever wanted to go back and alter something in your life? When the holidays hit in 2020 he said, “Our love will always be enough, but I really want to see you.” Well, we lost Dad. And on Christmas Day 2020, he just went to sleep. Our presents were arriving early, and he would FaceTime and say, “No, don’t open that box! I know how you are, Harris Kimberley. BERGENMAG.COM

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MAY 2021

4/20/21 2:56 PM

COURTESY OF TATIANA KISELEVA PHOTOGRAPHY

This page, from left: Though Berlin, Bella, Danika and Faulkner maintain active lifestyles, they know to seek a little R&R as well. Some of Faulkner’s favorite leisurely hangouts in Bergen County include Edgewater’s Sojo Spa Club, the Shops at Riverside in Hackensack and Bergen Town Center in Paramus.

beautiful shoes in my life. And it’s one of the reasons why in Englewood, along the shops, there are a couple of shoe places that you could really hit a splurge zone. And it’s one of the things I love about Bergen County. I also cannot live without having a few guinea-pig snacks tucked away in my pocket because we have two guinea pigs, London and Paris, based on a trip we took the girls on a few summers ago. They are just the cutest little things, and they make this “weeking” noise. When you go by there it’s really loud, and I’m a fan favorite because they know I’m carrying snacks and I’ll just sneak a little something to them. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Have something to look forward to. Always be moving forward, even if things don’t turn out exactly the way that you had anticipated or want. Stay in motion. Never allow yourself to go aimlessly through life. I believe with all my faith, passion and heart that each of us is here for a season and for a purpose. And if you aren’t moving forward and progressing and making plans and having something to work toward, you won’t do the one thing that is the best advice my parents ever taught me. Go find your purpose. And do it.

Tell us something that people would be surprised to learn about you. And what’s the biggest thing people get wrong when they make assumptions about you? I want to start with what they think they know. I try to treat people like I’m going to know them for the rest of my life because in some cases I may. I always try to lead with evenness and, when I can, extra kindness. I don’t like things to get nasty in human relationships. I love people, and I want my daughters to see someone who can handle difficult people, interesting people, and those who really are in the moment with their hearts and kindness coming first. What people don’t know about me, though, is that I have a gear that I tend to think of as my superpower: the ability to really listen to another person’s point of view. I want to really, honestly know what it is, but it isn’t so that I can think of the next thing to say, which is how most of us operate in a debate situation or when we’ve met someone who may not agree with us. It’s especially important right now as we come up against the cancel culture, the woke culture or whatever it is that people want to label themselves as and try to fit you in a box. It’s very important we listen to each other so we can figure out the spaces BERGENMAG.COM

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that exist for us to come together and those that exist for us to let each other have their point of view and not feel like we constantly have to correct each other. That gear that I have, that superpower that I’ve been told it is, is just to listen silently. “Listen” and “silent” have the same letters for a reason. I think people misread my friendly nature. They don’t realize it’s about them. What it is about is making sure I have heard everything they are about before I say the words that matter and that are true and necessary. I approach my show and life like that. And I find a way to say the difficult things to people that are true and necessary in times of breaking news. People may think that my sunny disposition, most of the time—when they see me, anyway—is because “Oh my gosh, she’s just a friendly lady.” Well, that’s a compliment. But I’m also thinking about them in that situation, and a greater picture is everybody being heard. I hope people know that what they’re bringing to the table is allowing me to lead with grace. And even if we disagree, I’m listening to their every word. Those words have power. And when people cuss at me during a debate on social media or in person, I know that’s a debate they cannot win because they’ve fallen down. They’ve let their grace go. I retain mine.

MAY 2021

4/20/21 2:57 PM

{ PERSONAL SPACE }

THAT SPA FEELING

In a historic Englewood home, a designer transforms the master bathroom to meet the homeowners’ needs, giving it a spirit of calming luxury. By Haley Longman Design by Jennifer Vreeland Photography by Kyle Caldwell

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An older couple from Englewood felt it was time to revamp their outdated, tiled 1970s-style bathroom. So they asked designer Jennifer Vreeland of JV Design in Englewood Cliffs to create a spa-like oasis that also maximized storage in a small space. “There was a big tub, but they needed a walk-in shower with a seat, and there was no place for storage except for a tiny crevice in the corner,” says Vreeland. “They wanted a beautiful space that was brighter and had way more storage.” The designer and her construction partner, Stephen Abrahamson of Clockwork Construction, got to work by gutting the entire space and pulling out the tub. This allowed them to install a double-bowl sink, a walk-in shower with a seat and a glass door, as well as a custom built-in shelving and storage area. Vreeland maximized the floor space too, using the same limestone tile from The Tile Shop in both the oversized shower and the floor itself. “This leads the eye all the way to the wall, creating one big open area,” she says. As for the color palette? “Spa-like to me means natural colors, so I used light stone, lots of creams and lemon hues and pops of accessories,” says Vreeland of the Farrow & Ball paint choices. She decided against white because the clients craved “texture and warmth,” but she also wanted to ensure the space was gender-neutral for the husband and wife. The finished product is the perfect complement to the rest of this traditional home—warm and pretty, yet with practical, modern touches. “The clients love this bathroom but especially the shower,” the designer notes. “They love how open and how generously sized it is.”

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Wainscoting creates texture on the wall and maintains the traditional architecture of this Englewood home, built in 1869. Designer Jennifer Vreeland chose a neutral palette and a wooden vanity with Carrara marble from Restoration Hardware—rather than stark white everything—to create a serene ambience.

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MAY 2021

4/16/21 10:06 AM

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MAY 2021

4/16/21 10:06 AM

{ OUTDOOR SPACES }

A BACKYARD GOES FROM GOOD TO GREAT Thanks to a deft redesign, a Ridgewood family now has the immersive outdoor experience they craved. By Nayda Rondon Design by Thomas Flint Landscape Design & Development Photography by Adam Pass Photography

Why don’t we spend more time outdoors? That was the question the homeowners of a 1-acre property in Ridgewood with a spacious backyard kept asking themselves. Busy professionals with four active young children, they’d lived in the home for several years. When they’d bought the property, the backyard already featured a pool, play areas for the kids and even a vine-covered trellis for relaxing and entertaining. But those attractions were failing to keep pace with the family’s evolving lifestyle needs and wants. “Don’t get me wrong; it was a lovely backyard before,” the lady of the house explains. “But, more and more, we started to realize it just wasn’t providing the comfort and convenience we needed.” For instance, the thenexisting layout made for segregated and isolated gathering areas, which was less than ideal for socializing or, more important, for safely supervising the kids. Too sunny and hot in certain spots and too shady or exposed in others, the backyard also didn’t provide adequate protection from the elements. And there wasn’t enough outdoor cover and storage space. “I was tired of constantly having to take out, then bring in, wet and dirty seat coverings,” the homeowner says. Realizing that the task was going to involve more than replacing the outdated, leaky trellis with a stylish, more weather-protecting new structure, the homeowners turned to Tom Flint of Thomas Flint Landscape Design & Development in Waldwick. Flint had come recommended by Ken Appel of Appel Woodworking in Ringwood. “Ken had done great work for us before, and we trusted him now with the trellis,” the homeowner says. “So when he BERGENMAG.COM

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“The existing landscape was outdated and poorly designed, and not very inviting to spend time in,” says Tom Flint of Waldwick-based Thomas Flint Landscape Design & Development. To give it the outdoor living quality the homeowners were seeking, Flint and his team managed the project from concept to construction with an eye for cohesiveness, function and aesthetics. “We focused on the big picture and how every element and detail fits, flows and works together,” Flint notes.

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{ OUTDOOR SPACES }

referred us to Tom and his design team for the rest of the backyard, we felt we were in good hands. All of us together pieced out what we needed to create the space we envisioned.” “Essentially, they wanted to be able to live outdoors,” says Flint. “They hired us to transform the backyard into a truly livable environment where family could do everything they did indoors—watch TV, play games, eat and drink, or just de-stress surrounded by nature.” Before the redesign renovation, the patio had one huge wall and overgrown trees. To make the space feel more open and expansive, Flint and his team removed the them to instantly lighten the mood and look. “The wall was so ominous and obtrusive,” he says. “By eliminating it, we opened the space up to create two sets of living spaces on the main level.” He’s referring to the pavilion and outdoor grilling/bar areas. To further bolster the yard’s appeal, Flint’s team reconfigured its layout to carve out inviting pockets of leisure and comfort. Adding retaining walls, pavers, stone stairs, lighting, built-in structures and plantings, they created different levels in the topography. The space is now set up to make optimal livable use of the hilly terrain. On an upper level, they installed a putting green for tee-time fun; the middle level’s covered pavilion lounging section offers a shady place to shelter in style. A few steps down, the main level features a cooking/bar center, as well as a larger dining patio area steps from the main house. Everything—from creative boulder placement and plant selection to lighting and step construction—was designed for maximum visual effect, flow and harmonious integration. Color and textures were brought in by the richness of the stones and boulders. Constructed of hand-stacked Pennsylvania Fieldstone, the retaining walls are as pretty as they BERGENMAG.COM

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are practical, while the three-piece Cambridge Ledgestone XL pavers cover the main area in pleasing, bluestone-looking tones. The large-scale boulders add bold accents to the landscape. Strategic lighting placement within the landscape highlights specific plants and architectural features, imbuing the scenery with extra security as well as lighting the way for evening enjoyment. “Our fixtures are made to blend subtly into the landscape,” says Flint. “Our philosophy is to not see the source of light but to see the effect the light creates.” To prolong the homeowners’ enjoyment well into cooler fall months and milder winter nights, the design team included a gas-starting, wood-burning fireplace in the pavilion “living room.” This extension of a living space enhances the social experience of any gathering and provides a warm, welcoming place for the family to enjoy the seasons and one another, according to Flint. Plantings were picked with privacy, easy maintenance and visual interest in mind. Flowering shrubs such as hydrangeas provide seasonal pops of color, while year-round evergreens offer bright spots during the stark winter months. Although the design and planning process started in late 2019, the actual construction took place between June and early September 2020, amid prime pandemic shelter-at-home concerns. “It turned out to be perfect timing,” the homeowner says. “We were so lucky that it was completed when it was; we still had time to safely enjoy the space. “We used our backyard before, but now we use it all the time,” the homeowner continues. “Tom and his whole team really did an awesome job. Thanks to their professionalism, amazing craftsmanship and easy-to-work-with style, they totally reinvented our backyard, and my family and I couldn’t be happier.” BERGENMAG.COM

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This page, top: The mini putting green is situated within easy eye range of the main patio area, the pond-facing seating nook and the pavilion lounging room. “I love that I can now see what the kids are up to from several vantage points,” says the mother of four. This page, bottom: The walls are hand-cut and hand-chiseled; the steps are large, irregular slabs of fieldstone surrounded on both sides with mulched ground cover to help soften the edges and stabilize the slope. Opposite page, top: With posts and beams made of rough-sawed hemlocks and a copper roof, the custom-built pavilion boasts a large flat-screen TV, lots of comfortable seating and a fireplace. Opposite page, bottom: A small, greenery-enclosed pond with a trickling waterfall offers a soothing spot to chill and contemplate nature from the comfort of an Adirondack chair.

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4/21/21 11:24 AM

{ TASTES }

PASTA PERFECT

As we dine outdoors and host again, let’s keep it simple. These three dishes are satisfying and pretty—and perfect for any size crowd.

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MAY 2021

4/21/21 10:42 AM

SPAGHETTI AGLIO, OLIO AND PEPERONCINO Yields 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

n 2 heads pink garlic n 2 small fresh red chili peppers (or 1 pinch Cayenne pepper) n 10 quarts water n scant cup kosher salt n 3 large, firm tomatoes (or 9 Roma tomatoes) n 25 basil leaves n 2 lbs. spaghetti n 1⅔cup extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Separate and peel the garlic cloves, cut them in half lengthwise, remove the germs and slice thinly. Wash the chili peppers, cut them in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and slice thinly. Pour the water into one or two large pots, add the salt and bring to a boil. Peel and cut the tomatoes into small dice. Rinse, dry and chop the basil. Reserve the tomatoes and basil in separate serving bowls. As soon as the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, divide the olive oil between two large skillets and set over low heat. Add the garlic and chili pepper, cover and cook very gently to infuse the oil with flavor without letting the garlic color—it should soften but not brown. Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Divide the pasta and reserved water between the skillets and toss to blend. Increase the heat to high, cook for 2 minutes and toss frequently, alternating between the pans. Your skillets are ready to go to the table. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls with the tomatoes and basil in separate bowls alongside for guests to spoon over their pasta.

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Basil leaf is an underrated and overlooked nutrient that has many health benefits, including maintaining strong bones due to the high vitamin K content, keeping our eyes healthy thanks to copious vitamin A, maintaining a healthy pH level, reducing inflammation and improving digestion. Basil is a healthy and flavorful addition to any dish!” —Stephanie Greenspan, RDN, Stephanie Greenspan Nutrition, Teaneck

MAY 2021

4/19/21 1:01 PM

{ TASTES }

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MAY 2021

4/16/21 10:08 AM

MAFALDINE WITH CHICKEN, ARUGULA AND LEMON Yields 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

n 2 lbs. cherry tomatoes (different colors, if possible) n 1 lb. arugula (or 1 green lettuce, finely shredded) n 6 pink garlic cloves n juice of 4 lemons n 4 Tbs. Dijon mustard n 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts n scant ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided n 2 Tbs. soy sauce n 8 quarts water n scant ½ cup kosher salt n 1¾ lb. mafaldine pasta, broken into thirds n 2 Tbs. softened butter n salt and freshly ground pepper To garnish: n 1 generous cup toasted hazelnuts

DIRECTIONS:

Wash, dry and halve the cherry tomatoes. Wash and dry the arugula (or lettuce). Peel the garlic, remove the germs and crush. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the chicken into thin strips. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the soy sauce in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and sauté for about 4 minutes until cooked through and golden brown, tossing with two spatulas so it cooks evenly. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Wash and dry the skillet. Pour the water into a large pot, add the kosher salt and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain, return to the pot and dry out over very low heat for 1 minute. Stir in 5 tablespoons of the olive oil and the butter, add the chicken strips and toss until coated. Remove from the heat. Set two large skillets over very high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in each. Divide the cherry tomatoes between them and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the crushed garlic, season with salt and pepper and add to the pasta. Toss in the arugula (or shredded lettuce), lemon-mustard mixture and the remaining olive oil if the pasta seems dry. Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed.

The additions of chicken breast, olive oil, tomatoes and arugula to this pasta dish create a nice balance of lean protein, healthy fat and carbohydrates. This meal is also filled with healthy micronutrients, including potassium from the tomatoes and vitamin K from the arugula. ” —Carrie Kipnis, RD, Riverfront Nutrition Associates, Oradell

Divide between two serving dishes, roughly chop the hazelnuts or leave them whole and scatter them over. Serve immediately.

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{ TASTES }

BERGENMAG.COM

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CURRIED SUMMER SQUASH FARFALLE Yields 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

n 6 small, firm zucchini (preferably light green) n 6 small, firm yellow summer squash n extra-virgin olive oil n 8 qts. water n 3 Tbs. kosher salt n scant 2 lbs. farfalle n ¼ tsp. saffron threads n 2 Tbs. hot water n 1 Tbs. hot Madras curry powder, optional n 1⅔cup heavy cream n salt and freshly ground pepper To garnish: n cilantro, roughly chopped To serve: n Parmesan, freshly grated n salad of well-flavored greens like purslane

DIRECTIONS:

Wash the zucchini and yellow squash and cut into thin slices. In one large or two medium skillets, heat a little olive oil over low heat. Add both squashes, season with salt and pepper, increase the heat and cook for 3 minutes until lightly golden, gently turning them over with two spatulas. Set aside. In a large pot, heat the 8 quarts water with the kosher salt, and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Using the back of a teaspoon, crush the saffron to a powder against the sides of a large microwave-safe bowl, and stir in the 2 tablespoons of hot water to dissolve it. Add the curry powder and cream and season with salt and pepper. Microwave for 1 minute on full power, stir, and set aside.

To significantly reduce the calories and fat in this dish while boosting the protein content, substitute the heavy cream. Combine one cup of plain Greek yogurt with two-thirds cup of 2 percent milk and stir together until smooth.” —Stephanie Greenspan, RDN, Stephanie Greenspan Nutrition, Teaneck

As soon as the pasta is cooked, call your guests to the table because, like a soufflé, pasta will not wait. Drain the pasta, leaving a little water clinging to it, and tip into a large serving dish. Pour over the sauce and stir until the pasta is coated. Reheat the squash for 1 minute over high heat and spoon over the pasta. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve immediately with a bowl of grated Parmesan.

BERGENMAG.COM

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CELEBRATIONS SHOWCASE

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CELEBRATIONS SHOWCASE

CATERED EVENTS & EVENT PLANNING THE MARKET BASKET IS AN AWARD-WINNING, FULL-SERVICE CATERER, capable of providing complete party planning services for a few or a few thousand. Their knowledgeable staff is experienced in all aspects of event management and ready to put their ideas to work for you. Whether you are planning a Wedding, Rehearsal Dinner, Family Gathering or Corporate Event, your function will be catered with unique style and professionalism. The culinary selections range from the simple to the sublime. The Market Basket’s extensive menu provides endless ideas for Elegant Dinner Parties, Festive Cocktail Parties, Backyard Barbecues, Theme Parties and Simple Buffets.

including custom-sized tents, dance floors, tables and chairs, china and flatware, glassware, fine silver, and portable cooking equipment, will be arranged for you. Exceptional linens in all fabrics, styles and prints are available to help create the unique atmosphere that you envision. Not quite sure where to have your event? The Market Basket can provide a list of locations and make recommendations based on your individual party needs.

Experienced catering consultants will be happy to create a custom menu based on your individual needs. All arrangements for your party rentals

Your Next Unforgettable Event Is Just A Phone Call Away - 201.891.2000

The Safety of clients and staff is the most important. Strict CDC guidelines are followed at all catered events.

813 Franklin Lake Rd., Franklin Lakes, New Jersey 07417 | 201.891.2000 marketbasket.com

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We pursue a single goal: to create settings for garden weddings warmed by timeless elegance and matched by a wedding reception with flawless service. From superb cuisine to lovely natural gardens and unparalleled staff, The Park Savoy is a wonderfully unique wedding facility. In keeping with our commitment to service, we cater to one wedding at a time so that we may focus our attention solely on you and your guests.

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www.naninasinthepark.com 973.751.1230

540 Mill Street, Belleville, New Jersey 07109 info@naninasinthepark.com

9:01 AM

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CELEBRATIONS SHOWCASE

MOUNTAIN CREEK FALL IN LOVE WITH THE OUTDOORS. Host your event at New Jersey’s only four-season mountain resort. Nestled in the scenic northwest corner of New Jersey, the beautiful Red Tail Lodge at Mountain Creek welcomes guests in rustic style with vaulted ceilings, exposed beams and elegant lodge-style decor. Mountain Creek is the perfect location for your big day or next corporate or family banquet event. The Mountain Creek team will provide a seamless day from start to finish, enhancing memories that will last a lifetime.

scenic mountaintop amphitheater. Each ceremony is paired with an expertly catered reception inside the magnificent Red Tail Lodge served by Mountain Creek’s friendly and professional staff. We know how important your event day is to you and our wedding and event specialists will help craft a magical experience that caters to your every need. To request more information or to speak with an event specialist please call 973-827-2000 or visit www.mountaincreek.com/weddings

For those looking to say, “I do” Mountain Creek offers wedding packages from 25 people and up with several indoor and outdoor wedding venue options available, including a beautiful outdoor garden and truly unique,

200 NJ-94, Vernon Township, NJ 07462 | 973.827.2000 www.mountaincreek.com/weddings

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Mountain Memories Celebrate your big day or next event in the beauty of the outdoors and rustic elegance of Mountain Creek’s Red Tail Lodge. For information and appointments call us at 973-827-2000

VERNON, NEW JERSEY

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Take the Party Outside... Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment is home to several indoor and outdoor party spaces. Our knowledgeable events team will help you celebrate the perfectly safe socially-distanced gathering now or for a future date.

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Book a private tour today! Contact Andrea Lokshin (201) 842-5013 • alokshin@playmeadowlands.com ONE RACETRACK DRIVE, EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ 07073 | PLAYMEADOWLANDS.EVENTS

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Mother's DAY

PACKAGES

• • •

CALL YOUR LOCAL MARKETPLACE OR VISIT UNCLEG.COM/CATERING TO PLACE YOUR ORDER TODAY!

• •

10 Triangle Plaza, Ramsey, NJ 07446 - Tel: 201.995.6800

• •

PLEASE PLACE YOUR ORDER BY FRIDAY MAY 7TH! *Before placing your order, please inform our staff if a person in your party has a food allergy.*

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Make at Home Omelette & Mimosa Kit Show your appreciation to mom by cooking her favorite omelette. A family fun activity where everyone can make mom the meal she deserves! Package includes choice of quiche, fresh eggs, choice of cheese, diced ham, bacon & sausage, onions, peppers mushrooms & broccoli.

Surf & Turf Kit Fire up the grill and show mom some love by cooking her a delicious meal she is sure to enjoy! Package includes New York Strip Steak (uncooked) marinated shrimp skewers (uncooked), fresh corn (husk removed), grilled vegetables, potato salad, macaroni salad & garden salad.

Choice of fresh baked bagels or croissants and Mimosa kit (just add the Champagne).

59.99

(Serves 4-6 People)

109.99

Choice of dessert: Cannoli Cake, Carrot Cake or Tiramisu Cake. *Marinade contains: Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, and Garlic.

139.99

(Serves 8-10 People)

(Serves 4-6 People)

All Day Appreciation Package Includes both the Omelette & Mother’s Day Surf & Turf Kit

À La Carte: • • • • • • •

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Shrimp Cocktail – (25pc) $29.99 Nova Lox Tray – (1lb) $39.99 Large Quiche – Lorraine, Potato, Meat, Broccoli or Zucchini & Mushrooms - $12.99 Mini Quiche – (30 pc) $39.99, (60 pc) $74.99 Yogurt Parfait with Seasonal Berries Small (serves 5-10) $22.99, Large (serves 10-15) $29.99 Fresh Mozzarella & Tomato Platter – Small (serves 8-10) $29.99 Mini Lobster Rolls – (12 ct) $89.99, (24ct) $169.99

189.99

(Serves 4-6 People)

269.99

(Serves 8-10 People)

369.99

(Serves 8-10 People)

Dessert: • • • • • • • • • •

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries – (8ct) $19.99 Chocolate Truffles – (4ct) $14.99, (9ct) $29.99 Fresh Strawberry Topped Cheesecake - $18.99 American Cheesecake - $16.99 Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake - $16.99 Fresh Fruit Tart – (6”) $14.99, (9”) $24.99 Heart Shaped Strawberry Shortcake - $24.99 Chocolate Mouse Heart shaped cake - $24.99 Cannoli Cake, Tiramisu Cake or Carrot Cake - (5”) $9.99, (7”) 19.99 Large Mother’s Day Themed Cupcakes - $3.99 ea

4/20/21 8:07 AM

CELEBRATIONS SHOWCASE

A PRIVATE COUNTRY CLUB SUITED FOR TODAY’S LIVING AND EVENTS THE RECENTLY RENOVATED EDGEWOOD COUNTRY CLUB has been able to blend the essence of a private Country Club, while being a premier venue for weddings, social, corporate, and charity events in Bergen County. The modern elegance of the venue makes it the perfect fit for both members and various types of events. Edgewood Country Club offers a wide variety of memberships to fit the needs of all families. Whether you’re a golf member enjoying a round of golf on their meticulously manicured course or a resort member basking in the sun at the heated pool, there is something for everyone. Members can burn some calories in the fitness center or on the tennis courts, all while your children are spending time at the summer camp. Executive Chef Anthony Villanueva’s exceptional cuisine stays on the cutting edge of today’s food trends. He has incorporated these trends into everything he does from a family night dinner, to an intimate à la carte

dinner for couples. Specialty nights are also on the menu, including holiday celebrations, live entertainment and summer clambakes. In addition to Chef Tony’s vast repertoire of offerings for the members, he also incorporates his creative mindset into each private event. Candice Timmerman, Event Coordinator emphasizes the fact Edgewood is anything but “cookie cutter,” in their food and beverage offerings. The club is happy to customize menus to the client’s delights. With only one wedding per day Edgewood Country Club offers Brides their dream wedding with complete and sole access to the venue. Edgewood prides themselves on offering a personalized experience. Whether you are a member or a guest, you will always receive the very best service… with an EDGE.

449 Rivervale Rd., River Vale, NJ 07675 | 201.666.1200 edgewoodnj.com

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{ POWER FOOD }

Tiny Fish With Attitude

The tangy, nutrition-packed anchovy is more than just the pizza topping of the brave.

Hardly anyone, it’s safe to say, gobbles anchovies by the forkful. They’re too intense—joltingly salty little strips of wake-up flavor on pizzas and in salads and pasta dishes. They’re an acquired taste that, frankly, many people don’t choose to acquire. No wonder food columnists write of them under plaintive, defensive-sounding headlines like “Give the Anchovy Another Chance”—as if the poor little fish had been convicted without a fair trial. True, this is a misunderstood creature. Some people don’t know, for instance, that the anchovy’s sharp, salty taste isn’t inherent—it’s brought out in the curing process, when the fish is gutted, salted in brine and after a maturation period packed in oil or salt. (In Italy, fresh anchovies, called alici, are a milder delicacy.) Known to science by the family name Engraulidae, anchovies comprise 144 species of small, bluish-green-and-silver fish (usually 1 to 4 inches, but occasionally as long as 15 inches) that slither through temperate waters (not too cold, not too warm) in the world’s seas. They’re forage fish, which means that bigger sea creatures aren’t fussy like people; they chomp down anchovies without hesitation. Actually, anchovies have human enthusiasts too—the world over. They’re the principal ingredient in Vietnam’s favorite fish sauce; in Spain, as boquerónes, the fresh, filleted fish are marinated in vinegar and presented as an appetizer. Sun-dried anchovies are used in a popular soup in Korea and Japan, and the dried fish—alias pla katak haeng—

is also a deep-fried snack in Thailand. In Turkey, fish from the Black Sea are fried and served as hamsi. And if you check the ingredients on your bottle of Worcestershire sauce, you’ll find anchovies there too. POWER UP Anchovies are potent in nutritional benefits as well as in flavor. Like other oily fish, they’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which protect the heart by reducing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and discouraging it from binding to artery walls. Niacin (vitamin B3) has a similar LDL-lowering effect and also helps lift HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels and aids brain function— and, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a drained 2-ounce can of anchovies contains 8.96 milligrams of niacin, more than half of the recommended daily allowances of 16 milligrams for men and 14 for women. (Take care if you need to restrict your sodium intake, though; while the FDA recommends consuming no more than 2,300 milligrams daily, that 2-ounce can of anchovies alone, at 1,650 milligrams, gets you most of the way there.) The anchovy is also an efficient protein source (those 2 ounces provide 13 grams of protein for just 94½ calories) that is rich in iron, selenium and vitamin A and a potential boon

for eyes, bones and skin. It is fished mostly in a sustainable way too, so it’s healthy for the planet. BUY/STORE/SERVE At the grocery store, anchovies are commonly found in small, rectangular cans: fillets packed in oil. They’re imported—often from Chile, Peru or Morocco—and are either flat or rolled, sometimes around capers. These are good for cooking (pizza or pastas, anyone?) or salads, and while they’re considered less prized than the salt-packed variety, the difference may not matter in using them to prepare dishes. Salt-packed anchovies, usually from Spain or Italy, can serve as a food topping, a sandwich ingredient or a classy bread-cheese-and-fruit accessory. They’re sold whole, so you need to fillet them, throw away the spines and scrape off the salt. Once the can’s been opened they won’t last, so use them all or share them with friends. So-called “white” anchovies— those Spanish boquerónes—are marinated in vinegar and often come in a jar rather than a can. Less salty than the other varieties, they’re sometimes used as a condiment or a party snack. Finally, you can buy a squeezable tube of anchovy paste. (One brand in England is called Gentleman’s Relish.) Once you contract the habit, you may be rubbing this paste’s extra dollop of flavor into steaks or roast chicken, or using it along with olive oil and herbs to enliven vegetables, stews, soups, pasta sauces and salad dressings. —Timothy Kelley

DID YOU KNOW? The ancient Romans ate anchovies raw as an aphrodisiac and used them as the basis for a ubiquitous condiment called garum.

BERGENMAG.COM

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Don’t just optimize your website. Optimize your entire online presence with BigFish.

bigfish DIGITAL MARKETING FOR LOCAL PONDS

BigFish is an integrated, digital local marketing system involving more than 300 steps. We create videos for your business. We write and publish articles about you online. We do reputation marketing of your business. And we optimize everything for Google—all for a price that’s less than many businesses pay for traditional SEO. If you need more traffic to your website and more calls and visits to your store or office, contact Bridget Juliano about BigFish, (201) 573-5559, bridget.juliano@wainscotmedia.com

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{ SPIRITS }

Front Runner

This iconic cocktail is so simple to make. And there are a few tricks that will make your julep a guaranteed winner.

MINT JULEP Yields: 1 serving

INGREDIENTS

n 2 oz. bourbon n ½ oz. rich simple syrup (2:1 ratio of sugar to water) n 20 mint leaves n crushed ice n sprig of mint, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

n Remove the mint leaves from their stems and place in the bottom of the julep cup. Add simple syrup and muddle very lightly. If you don’t have a muddler, you can use the back of a spoon. The goal is to release the oils from the mint and infuse them with the simple syrup, not to break apart the leaves. n Add the bourbon and fill half of the julep cup with crushed ice. Stir using a bar spoon or swizzle stick so that the mint, syrup, bourbon and ice are thoroughly mixed. n Add even more ice. You’ll want to fill with crushed ice over the rim of the julep cup. At this point your drink will be ice-cold, and your cup frosty with condensation. n Garnish with a large sprig of mint. Place your straw next to the garnish so you can smell the fresh mint while you sip.

For a fun twist on the classic recipe, muddle fresh blueberries before adding the mint, syrup and bourbon. Then finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. We call this a Mint ‘Bluelep.’” —Frank Temocin and Nicole Bertani, bartenders, Steel Wheel Tavern, Ridgewood

Recipe courtesy of honestlyyum.com

BERGENMAG.COM

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{ ON THE TOWN }

Where To Eat

Getting three squares a day has never been easier—Bergen County is home to a selection of restaurants diverse enough to satisfy all of your cravings. SAMDAN 178 Piermont Rd. 201.816.7343 samdanrestaurant.com

DEMAREST YASOU MYKONOS 134 Hardenburgh Ave. 201.768.8500 yasoumykonos.com

DUMONT

DE NOVO EUROPEAN PUB 1257 River Rd. 201.496.6161 denovoeuropeanpub.com

FINK’S BBQ 26 W. Madison Ave. 201.384.3210 finksbbq smokehouse.com

EMMA BISTRO 2 Hilliard Ave. 201.402.7719 emmabistronj.com

FOSCHINI’S 21 E. Madison Ave. 201.387.9998 foschinis.com GRANT STREET CAFÉ 25 Grant Ave. 201.385.1705 thegrantstreetcafe.com Restaurant L in Allendale *Editor’s note—Patrons are encouraged to confirm individual restaurant policies regarding seating capacity, social distancing and curbside service.

ALLENDALE ALLENDALE BAR & GRILL 67 W. Allendale Ave. 201.327.3197 allendalebarandgrill.com ALLENDALE STEAKHOUSE 95 W. Allendale Ave. 201.962.9797 allendalesteakhousenj.com NIRVANA INDIAN KITCHEN 29 W. Allendale Ave. 201.818.2300 nirvanaindiankitchen.com RESTAURANT L 9 Franklin Tpke. 201.785.1112 restaurantlnj.net

SAVINI 168 W. Crescent Ave. 201.760.3700 savinirestaurant.com

ALPINE KIKU 385 Rte. 9 W. 201.767.6322

BERGENFIELD CHAPALA GRILL 52 S. Washington Ave. 201.387.2107 chapalamexican grill.com NIHON KAI 41 S. Washington Ave. 201.384.3000 nihonkaijapanese.com TOMMY FOX’S PUBLIC HOUSE 32 S. Washington Ave. 201.384.0900 tommyfoxs.com

BOGOTA LUKA’S ITALIAN CUISINE 10 River Rd. 201.440.2996 lukasitaliancuisine.com

CARLSTADT

CLOSTER

BIGGIE’S 430 Rte. 17 S. 201.933.4000 biggies.com

THE HILL 252 Schraalenburgh Rd. 201.899.4700 thehillcloster.com

IL VILLAGGIO 651 Rte. 17 N. 201.935.7733 ilvillaggio.com

LOCALE CAFÉ AND BAR 208 Piermont Rd. 201.750.3233 locale208closter.com

CLIFFSIDE PARK

SEAR HOUSE 411 Piermont Rd. 201.292.4612 searhouse.com

354 STEAKHOUSE 354 Lawton Ave. 201.941.0499 AVO’S GRILL 720 Anderson Ave. 201.945.9038 orderavos.com RUDY’S RESTAURANT 591 Anderson Ave. 201.943.9252 SEDONA TAPHOUSE 679 Anderson Ave. 201.943.2300 sedonataphouse.com VILLA AMALFI 793 Palisade Ave. 201.886.8626 villaamalfi.com BERGENMAG.COM

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STERN AND BOW 171 Schraalenburgh Rd. 201.750.3350 sternandbowrestaurant .com

CRESSKILL DELVINA RESTAURANT 172 Piermont Rd. 201.816.0239 delvinarestaurant.com FARMHOUSE CAFÉ 15 E. Madison Ave. 201.266.8931 farmhousecafenj.com

BROWNSTONE PANCAKE FACTORY 860 River Rd. 201.945.4800 brownstonepancake factory.com

IL MULINO 132 Veterans Plz. 201.384.7767 ilmulinodumont.com NAZCA CEVICHERIA 20 E. Madison Ave. 201.385.2689 nazcanj.com

EAST RUTHERFORD AL DI LA 1 Hoboken Rd. 201.939.1128 aldilaitalianbistro.com

FLEMING’S STEAKHOUSE 90 The Promenade 201.313.9463 flemingssteakhouse.com GREEK TAVERNA 55 The Promenade 201.945.8998 greektavernausa.com HAVEN 2 Main St. 201.943.1900 havenedgewater.com THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE 15 The Promenade 201.366.4065 ophedgewater.com PIER 115 115 River Rd. 201.313.2155 pier115barandgrill.com

ANNABELLA’S HOUSE OF MOZZARELLA 900 Paterson Plank Rd. 201.804.0303 annabellasmozz.com

REBECCA’S 236 Old River Rd. 201.943.8808 rebeccasedgewater.com

BLARNEY STATION PUB 258 Park Ave. 201.531.0001 blarneystation.com

RIVER PALM TERRACE 1416 River Rd. 201.224.2013 riverpalm.com

CAFFÉ CAPRI 119 Park Ave. 201.460.1039 caffecaprirestaurant.com

ROBERTO’S II 936 River Rd. 201.224.2524 robertosii.com

EDGEWATER

SEAK 725 River Rd., #30 201.402.3400 seaknj.com

BAUMGART’S CAFÉ 59 The Promenade 201.313.3889 baumgartscafe.com

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ELMWOOD PARK ROYAL WARSAW 871 River Dr. 201.794.9277 royalwarsaw.com TAVERNA MYKONOS 238 Broadway 201.703.9200 tavernamykonos.com

EMERSON PIMAAN THAI 79 Kinderkamack Rd. 201.967.0440 pimaanthai.com

ENGLEWOOD AKAI LOUNGE 11 N. Dean St. 201.541.0086 akailounge.com BAUMGART’S CAFÉ 45 E. Palisade Ave. 201.569.6267 baumgartscafe.com BENNIE’S 54 E. Palisade Ave. 201.894.5700 benniesofenglewood.com BLUE MOON CAFÉ 23 E. Palisade Ave. 201.541.0600 bluemoonmexican café.com CASSIE’S 18 S. Dean St. 201.541.6760 cassiespizzeria.com CHAT KAEW THAI CUISINE 4 E. Palisade Ave. 201.894.0343 HUMMUS ELITE 39 E. Palisade Ave. 201.569.5600 hummuselite.com LA FONDA PAISA 95 W. Palisade Ave. 201.871.3544 afondapaisausa.com

Photos courtesy of Restaurant L, La Cambusa

LA’MEZZA 63 Nathaniel Pl. 201.569.2662 lamezzarestaurant.com LAS MARAVILLAS DE TULCINGO 84 W. Palisade Ave. 201.568.1980

ROSE’S OF ENGLEWOOD 126 Engle St. 201.541.0020 rosesplacenj.com

SAGE RESTAURANT 17-15 Broadway 201.797.0500 sagefairlawn.com

VENTANA’S 200 Park Ave. 201.583.4777 ventanasatthemodern.com

SOFIA 36 Engle St. 201.541.8530 sofiaenglewood.com

FAIRVIEW

FRANKLIN LAKES

NOCHES DE COLOMBIA 172 Broad Ave. 201.840.8428 nochesdecolombia.com

THE CHEF’S TABLE 754 Franklin Ave. 201.891.6644 tctnj.com

PATSY’S 344 Old Bergen Blvd. 201.943.0627 patsysbistro.com

SUSHI COCORO 856 Franklin Ave. 201.560.1333 sushicocoro.com

FORT LEE

GARFIELD

AQUARIUS 230-234 Main St. 201.592.8338 aquariusrestaurant nj.com

THE FIREHOUSE 42 Plauderville Ave. 973.478.2226 firehouse-restaurant.com

TANI SUSHI & ASIAN GRILL 44 E. Palisade Ave. 201.567.7888 taniofenglewood.com

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS BROWNSTONE PANCAKE FACTORY 717 E. Palisade Ave. 201.945.4800 brownstonepancake factory.com CAFÉ ITALIANO 14 Sylvan Ave. 201.461.5041 cafeitaliano.net CLIFFS STEAKHOUSE 18 Sylvan Ave. 201.944.0233 cliffssteakhouse.com GRISSINI 484 Sylvan Ave. 201.568.3535 grissinirestaurant.com LEFKES ESTIATORIO 495 Sylvan Ave. 201.408.4444 lefkesnj.com

FAIR LAWN ANTHONY’S COAL FIRED PIZZA 2101 Promenade Blvd. 201.796.2625 acfp.com EMPRESS DINER 13-48 River Rd. 201.791.2895 empressdinernj.com KIMCHI MAMA 7-09 Fair Lawn Ave. 201.703.2905 kimchimamafairlawn.com OCEANOS OYSTER BAR & SEA GRILL 2-27 Saddle River Rd. 201.796.0546 oceanosrestaurant.com

NOCHES DE COLOMBIA 90 W. Palisade Ave. 201.567.4950 nochesdecolombia.com

RIVER PALM TERRACE 41-11 Rte. 4 W. 201.703.3500 riverpalm.com

PINTXO Y TAPAS 47 N. Dean St. 201.569.9999 englewoodtapas.com

ROSE’S PLACE 32-01 Broadway 201.475.8800 rosesplacenj.com

BAGGIOS 212 Main St. 201.585.7979 baggiospizzarestaurant. com BIG RED TOMATO 1205 Anderson Ave. 201.224.6500 brtnj.com CAP’T LOUI 210 Main St. 201.461.7080 captloui.com

LA CAMBUSA 517 River Dr. 973.272.8739 cambusanj.com LA FORTALEZA 361 Midland Ave. 973.928.4470 lafortalezamexrestaurant .com

GLEN ROCK

CHILLERS GRILL 2191 Fletcher Ave. 201.461.0075 chillersgrill.com

GLEN ROCK INN 222 Rock Rd. 201.445.2362 glenrockinn.com

IN NAPOLI 116 Main St. 201.947.2500 inapoli.com

TANI SUSHI & ASIAN GRILL 206 Rock Rd. 201.612.1188 taniofglenrock.com

KUBA RESTAURANT 2139 Hudson Ter. 201.585.1601 kubarestaurant.com PHOBU 1645 Lemoine Ave. 201.363.8900 phobu.com PHO TODAY 2151 Lemoine Ave. 201.585.8818 POMODORO 795 Abbott Blvd. 201.224.0800 pomodoro1.com PRIME & BEYOND 501 Main St. 201.461.0033 primeandbeyond.com

HACKENSACK CASUAL HABANA CAFÉ 125 Main St. 201.880.9844 casualhabanacafe.com CHEERS BAR & RESTAURANT 774 Main St. 201.487.0660 cheersnewjersey.com THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY 390 Hackensack Ave. 201.488.0330 thecheesecakefactory.com THE CROW’S NEST 309 Vincent Ave. 201.342.5445 crowsnest.com

PUNTA CANA 2151 Lemoine Ave. 201.849.5556 puntacanarestaurante .com BERGENMAG.COM

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GOODFELLAS 661 Midland Ave. 973.478.4000 goodfellasristorante.com

La Cambusa in Garfield

HOT FISH 450 Hackensack Ave. 201.881.0180 hotfishhackensack.com HOUSTON’S 1 Riverside Sq. 201.488.5667 houstons.com MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY 70 Riverside Sq. 201.221.2030 maggianos.com MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE 1 Riverside Sq. 201.487.1303 mortons.com THE OCEANAIRE 175 Riverside Sq. 201.343.8862 theoceanaire.com P.F. CHANG’S 390 Hackensack Ave. 201.646.1565 pfchangs.com THE PICCO TAVERN 160 Prospect Ave. 201.880.8750 piccotavern.com ROSA MEXICANO 60 Riverside Sq. 201.489.9100 rosamexicano.com STONY HILL INN 231 Polifly Rd. 201.342.4085 stonyhillinn.com

HARRINGTON PARK DONATELLA RISTORANTE 12 Tappan Rd. 201.767.4245

HASBROUCK HEIGHTS BENSI 459 Rte. 17 S. 201.727.9525 bensihh.com IVY INN 268 Terrace Ave. 201.393.7699 ivyinn.com SOFIA’S 220 Boulevard 201.462.0123 sofiasmediterranean grill.com TOM YUM KOONG 305 Boulevard 201.288.3840 tomyumkoong.net

HAWORTH ALESSANDRO’S 157 Terrace St. 201.385.8544 alessandrosnj.com ANDIAMO 23 Hardenburgh Ave. 201.384.1551 andiamorestaurant.net TERRACE STREET CAFÉ 149 Terrace St. 201.338.4720 terracestreetcafe.com

HILLSDALE THE CORNERSTONE 84 Broadway 201.666.8688 thecornerstonenj.com DELLA CUCINA 100 Park Ave. 201.722.8880 dellacucinanj.com DOMANI 387 Washington Ave. 201.722.8881 domanirestaurants.com

MAY 2021

4/19/21 1:05 PM

{ ON THE TOWN }

HEARTH & TAP CO. 125 N. Kinderkamack Rd. 201.307.6300 hearthandtap.com YUKI 2 S. Kinderkamack Rd. 201.391.9877 yukimontvale.com

MOONACHIE BAZZARELLI 117 Moonachie Rd. 201.641.4010 bazzarellirestaurant.com

Sangria in Mahwah

MATSU SUSHI & GRILL 140 Broadway 201.722.9388 OSSO BUCO 343 Broadway 201.664.1600 ossobucogrill.com

HO-HO-KUS ALT EATS 622 N. Maple Ave. 201.444.1300 alteatscafe.com CATCHY CAFÉ 614 N. Maple Ave. 201.445.6400 thecatchycaterer.com HO-HO-KUS INN 1 E. Franklin Tpke. 201.445.4115 hohokusinn.com HO-HO-KUS SUSHI CAFÉ 29 Sheridan Ave. 201.670.7677 hohokussushicafe.com ST. EVE’S 611 N. Maple Ave. 201.857.4717 stevesnj.com

LEONIA CAFÉ MIGNON 332 Broad Ave. 201.292.1992 DANTE’S PLACE 373 Broad Ave. 201.592.9071 dantesplace.com FONTANA TRITONE 248 Fort Lee Rd. 201.242.9040

LITTLE FERRY THE CAKE LOUNGE 389 Liberty St. 201.336.9819 thecakelounge.com SEGOVIA STEAKHOUSE 217 Main St. 201.814.1100 segoviasteakhouse.com

LODI KAYA 334 N. Main St. 973.779.1128 kayalodi.com REBAR & KITCHEN 132 Essex St. 201.368.8181 rebarkitchen.com SERGIO’S MISSIONE 2 Mercer St. 973.778.4545 sergiosmissione.com

LYNDHURST ANGELO’S 263 Ridge Rd. 201.939.1922

MAHWAH BAR & GRILL 2 Island Rd. 201.529.8056 allendalebarandgrill.com

THE SEAFOOD GOURMET 103 W. Pleasant Ave. 201.843.8558 seafood-gourmet.com

NAGOYA 1007 MacArthur Blvd. 201.818.9933 nagoyacuisine.com

MIDLAND PARK ARTURO’S 41 Central Ave. 201.444.2466 arturos.co

NONNA’S 11 Franklin Tpke. 201.529.1151 nonnasmahwah.com

FIONA’S RISTORANTE 118 Godwin Ave. 201.857.5800 fionasristorante.com

ROXANNE’S 150 Franklin Tpke. 201.529.0007 roxannes restaurant.com

ROSARIO’S TRATTORIA 29 Central Ave. 201.445.3335 rosariostrattoriamenu.com

SANGRIA 1033 MacArthur Blvd. 201.962.3310 sangriamahwah.com

MONTVALE BELLISSIMO 12 S. Kinderkamack Rd. 201.746.6669 bellissimonj.com

FOSCHINI’S BRICK OVEN PIZZA 298 Ridge Rd. 201.460.7600 foschinis.com

STATE LINE DINER 375 Rte. 17 N. 201.529.3353 statelinediner.com

MICHAEL’S RIVERSIDE 528 Riverside Ave. 201.939.6333 michaelsriverside.com

ANGELO’S GREEK TAVERNA 245 Maywood Ave. 201.845.4278 angelosgreektavernanj.com

MAHWAH BON APPETIT 180 Franklin Tpke. 201.512.1144 bonappetitmahwah.com

MAYWOOD

DELPINO RESTAURANT 108 Chestnut Ridge Rd. 201.391.6866 delpinorestaurant.com FIRE & OAK 100 Chestnut Ridge Rd. 201.307.1100 fireandoak.com

MAYWOOD INN’S TWIN DOOR TAVERN 122 W. Pleasant Ave. 201.843.8022 twindoortavern.com BERGENMAG.COM

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MAYWOOD PANCAKE HOUSE 92 W. Pleasant Ave. 201.880.7842 maywoodpancake house.com

JUN LUNG 180 Franklin Tpke. 201.529.9898 junlungnj.com

BISTRO 107 107 Moonachie Rd. 201.440.3339 bistro107nj.com SEGOVIA 150 Moonachie Rd. 201.641.4266 segoviarestaurant.com

NEW MILFORD CASUAL HABANA CAFÉ 200 Main St. 201.576.0400 casualhabanacafe.com SANZARI’S NEW BRIDGE INN 105 Old New Bridge Rd. 201.692.7700 sanzaris.com TOROS 690 River Rd. 201.265.0004 torosrestaurant.com

NORTHVALE BIDDY O’MALLEY’S 191 Paris Ave. 201.564.7893 biddyomalleys.com THE GREEK VILLAGE 254 Livingston St. 201.750.8570 greekvillagenj.com MADELEINE’S PETIT PARIS 416 Tappan Rd. 201.767.0063 madeleinespetit paris.com TASTE OF SPAIN 493 Tappan Rd. 201.767.8904 tasteofspainrestaurant.com

NORWOOD RAGAZZI 530 Livingston St. 201.660.7950 ragazzirestaurantlounge.com

OAKLAND CENZINO 589 Ramapo Valley Rd. 201.337.6693 cenzinos.com TROVATO’S DUE 4 Barbara Ln. 201.337.0813 trovatosduenj.com YUKI 350 Ramapo Valley Rd. 201.337.8889 yuki-oakland.com

OLD TAPPAN PATRIZIA’S 183 Old Tappan Rd. 201.515.2900 patrizias.com VICOLO RISTORANTE 216 Old Tappan Rd. 201.497.8777 vicoloristorante.com

PALISADES PARK SO MOON NAN JIP 238 Broad Ave. 201.944.3998 so-moon-nan-jip.com

PARAMUS BIAGIO’S RISTORANTE 299 Paramus Rd. 201.652.0201 biagios.com THE CAPITAL GRILLE 1 Garden State Plz. 201.845.7040 thecapitalgrille.com GRAND LUX CAFE 1 Garden State Plz. 201.909.0399 grandluxcafe.com KIKU 365 Rte. 17 S. 201.265.7200 MANTRA 275 Rte. 4 W. 201.342.8868 mantranj.com SUBURBAN DINER 172 Rte. 17 N. 201.261.2605 suburbandiner17.com

PARK RIDGE 103 PRIME AT VALENTINO’S 103 Spring Valley Rd. 201.391.2220 103prime.com ESTY STREET 86 Spring Valley Rd. 201.307.1515 estystreet.com

Photos courtesy of Sangria, Pearl

GEN SUSHI & HIBACHI 14B Chestnut Ridge Rd. 201.930.9188 gensushimontvale.com

MAY 2021

4/19/21 1:05 PM

{ ON THE TOWN } THE PARK STEAKHOUSE 151 Kinderkamack Rd. 201.930.1300 theparksteakhouse.com

VARKA ESTIATORIO 30 N. Spruce St. 201.995.9333 varkarestaurant.com

GREEN FUSION 22 Oak St. 201.670.7502 greenfusionnj.com

PEPPERCORNS 176 Colony Ave. 201.391.2818 peppercorns176.com

RIDGEFIELD

IT’S GREEK TO ME 21 E. Ridgewood Ave. 201.612.2600 itsgreektome.com

RIDGE DINER 125 Kinderkamack Rd. 201.391.4242 ridgediner.com

RAMSEY ANTHONY FRANCO’S 128 E. Main St. 201.236.8000 afpizza.com BRADY’S AT THE STATION 5-7 W. Main St. 201.327.9748 bradysatthestation.net

RIDGEFIELD PARK MK VALENCIA 228 Main St. 201.373.0228 mkvalenciarestaurant.com THAI PALACE 218 E. Main St. 201.441.9119 thaipalacenj.com

CAFE 37 37 S. Broad Ave. 201.857.0437 cafe-37.com

KINCHLEY’S TAVERN 586 N. Franklin Tpke. 201.934.7777 kinchleyspizza.com THE SHANNON ROSE 1200 Rte. 17 201.962.7602 theshannonrose.com

TAWARA 53 W. Main St. 201.825.8712

88 RICE SHOP 88 Rte. 46 W. 201.840.8688 88riceshop.com

RIDGEWOOD

CAFÉ PANACHE 130 E. Main St. 201.934.0030 cafepanachenj.com

SMYRNA 21 E. Main St. 201.934.7990

CAFÉ TIVOLI 533 Shaler Blvd. 201.941.5561 cafetivoli.com

CRAVINGS TAPAS BISTRO 8 Wilsey Sq. 201.857.8533 cravingstapas.com DELHI ACCENT 37 Chestnut St. 201.444.4910 delhiaccentnj.com FELINA 54 E. Ridgewood Ave. 551.276.5454 felinarestaurant.com FINCA 20 E. Ridgewood Ave. 201.444.1199 fincanj.com

LA LANTERNA 29 W. Ridgewood Ave. 201.444.5520 lalanternaof ridgewood.com

SADDLE RIVER

MADO RESTAURANT 570 Kinderkamack Rd. 201.265.3629 madorestaurant.business .site

THE SADDLE RIVER INN 2 Barnstable Ct. 201.825.4016 saddleriverinn.com

SANDUCCI’S 620 Kinderkamack Rd. 201.599.0600 sanduccis.com

AMARONE 63 Cedar Ln. 201.833.1897 amaroneristorante.net

BACARI GRILL 800 Ridgewood Rd. 201.358.6330 bacarigrill.com

RIVER VALE

B V TUSCANY 368 Cedar Ln. 201.287.0404 bvtuscany.com

WESTWOOD

AMMATA THAI KITCHEN 184 Rivervale Rd. 201.664.2299 ammata.com

LATOUR 6 E. Ridgewood Ave. 201.445.5056 latourridgewood.com

ARMANDO’S GRILL 688 Westwood Ave. 201.722.5820 armandostuscan grill.com

LISA’S MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE 28 Oak St. 201.251.8686 lisasmediterranean cuisine.net

LET’S MEAT STEAKHOUSE 625 Rivervale Rd. 201.660.7960 letsmeatsteakhouse.com

PARK WEST TAVERN 30 Oak St. 201.445.5400 parkwesttavern.com

ROCHELLE PARK NANNI 53 W. Passaic St. 201.843.1250 nanni.com

PEARL 17 S. Broad St. 201.857.5100 pearlridgewood.com

RUTHERFORD CAFÉ MATISSE 167 Park Ave. 201.935.2995 cafematisse.com

RAYMOND’S 101 E. Ridgewood Ave. 201.445.5125 raymondsnj.com

FINCH’S 801 Rutherford Ave. 201.231.3141 finchsdining.com

ROOTS 17 Chestnut St. 201.444.1922 rootssteakhouse.com

PAISANO’S 132 Park Ave. 201.935.5755 paisanos.com

S. EGIDIO 17 N. Broad St. 201.389.3525 segidiopizza.com

THE RISOTTO HOUSE 88 Park Ave. 201.438.5344 therisottohouse.com

STEEL WHEEL TAVERN 51 N. Broad St. 201.882.1800 steelwheeltavern.com

VOLARE’S 7 Station Sq. 201.935.6606 volaresrestaurant.com

VILLAGE GREEN 36 Prospect St. 201.445.2914 villagegreen restaurant.com

SADDLE BROOK MIDLAND BREW HOUSE 374 N. Midland Ave. 201.797.0070 midlandbrewhouse.com

WHITE MAPLE CAFÉ 47 E. Ridgewood Ave. 201.447.1953 whitemaplecafe.com

Photos courtesy of Sangria, Pearl

RIVER EDGE

QUE PASTA 326 Market St. 201.712.1900 qpitalian.com

ETC. STEAKHOUSE 1409 Palisade Ave. 201.357.5677 etcsteakhouse.com NOAH’S ARK 493 Cedar Ln. 201.692.1200 noahsark.net NOBO WINE & GRILL 1400 Palisade Ave. 201.837.1000 nobowineandgrill.com

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP

BIBI’Z 284 Center Ave. 201.722.8600 bibizlounge.com CAFFÉ ANELLO 11 Madison Ave. 201.786.8137 caffeanello.com DOWNTOWN DHABA 266 Center Ave. 201.664.0123 dhabadowntown.com THE IRON HORSE 20 Washington Ave. 201.666.9682 theironhorse.com

REGINA’S 827 Teaneck Rd. 201.862.1996 reginassteakhouse andgrill.com

THAI WEST 22 Jefferson Ave. 201.497.6981 thaiwestrestaurant.com

TENAFLY

WOODCLIFF LAKE

AXIA TAVERNA 18 Piermont Rd. 201.569.5999 axiataverna.com BRASSERIE 4 Washington St. 201.266.6400 tenaflybrasserie.com PALMER’S CROSSING 145 Dean Dr. 201.567.4800 palmerscrossing restaurant.com SAYOLA 50 Prospect Ter. 201.871.2182 sayolarestaurantnj.com TPR RESTAURANT 38 W. Railroad Ave. 201.871.0444 tprrest.com

WALDWICK ANDREA’S RISTORANTE 20 E. Prospect St. 201.670.0275 andreasrestaurant nj.com

SOL 42 Kinderkamack Rd. 201.746.9363 solrestaurantnj.com

WOOD-RIDGE MARTINI GRILL 187 Hackensack St. 201.939.2000 martinigrillmenu.com

WYCKOFF ALDO’S 640 Wyckoff Ave. 201.891.2618 aldosofwyckoff.com BENARES 327 Franklin Ave. 201.904.2222 benaresnj.com BLUE MOON CAFÉ 327 Franklin Ave. 201.891.1331 bluemoonmexicancafé.com TS MA CHINESE CUISINE 637 Wyckoff Ave. 201.891.8878 tsmachinesecuisine.com

CIRCOLO 53 Franklin Tpke. 201.882.1818 circolo.info

Pearl in Ridgewood BERGENMAG.COM

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TEANECK

LIMONCELLO 32 Franklin Tpke. 201.652.5577 limoncellonj.com

MAY 2021

4/19/21 1:05 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

103 PRIME AT VALENTINO’S Our elegant dining rooms, private rooms and outdoor dining area are perfect for every event. Available for events as few as 10 and as large as 90; allow our catering and events manager to see to every detail for your event.

MOMS, DADS AND GRADS GIFT GUIDE

THE GEM MINE There’s something for everyone, in every price range… Creative Artist-design gemstone, silver, gold, and quality-craft jewelry— gemstones, minerals, fossils, shells— crystals, carvings, bookends—vintage jewelry and decoratives…And much, much more. The Gem Mine is truly unique. Visit us and see for yourself! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @thegemminenj

103 Spring Valley Rd., Park Ridge, NJ 201.391.2220 | 103prime.com

THUMB UNITED

FM CAFE

THUMB United is a mission-based athleisure-wear company that sells premium “fashion” sweatshirts. Our products are designed with inside pockets to accommodate smart phones enabling you to UNPLUG and be present. We have created a new trend for hoodies with our unique Casey style. Our mission is to live a less distracted life!

FM Cafe is an artisanal gelato shop in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey that combines the charm of an Italian gelateria with an old-time American candy shop. To-Go containers allow you to to pick up your gelato and travel up to 1 hour without melting. Gift cards available.

Hours: Monday-Friday 10AM-6PM Saturday 10AM-5PM

65 Westwood Ave., Westwood, NJ 201.722.8676 | thegemminenj.com

thumbunited.com

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We specialize in board meetings, luncheons, holiday dinners, client entertainment, seminars/corporate events, birthday/anniversary celebrations, rehearsal dinners, bridal/ baby showers, christenings, and bar/bat mitzvahs. Restaurant buyouts, customized menus, AV equipment, and floral arrangements also available.

255 Valley Blvd., Wood-Ridge, NJ 201.728.4889 | fmcafe.net

4/20/21 12:27 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FLYNN’S BARBERSHOP THE EXERCISE COACH GET IN SHAPE & BUILD STRENGTH IN JUST 20 MINUTES 2X/WEEK. Unlike any other personal training facility, The Exercise Coach is based on science! Safely maximize your fitness results in just two, 20-minute workouts per week. The equipment is adapted with biosensitive technology that increases strength and produces maximum metabolic results for men and women of all ages and fitness levels. Thousands of people have seen results and shared their stories; hear Dolly’s testimonial on bergenmag.com/ exercisecoach.

We’re a family-owned and operated business that specialize in haircutting, beard trimming and shaves. Very accessible from all major highways. Present this ad during the month of May and receive 10% off; expires June 1st.

Visit www.exercisecoach.com/MidlandPark to claim your two free sessions at our sparkling Midland Park Location.

666 Godwin Ave., #130, Midland Park, NJ 551.223.1103 | exercisecoach.com

19-03 Fair Lawn Ave., Fair Lawn, NJ 201.773.6533 | Flynnsbarbershop.com

A weekly e-newsletter from the editors of BERGEN magazine! An exclusive weekly peek into the people who are helping to shape the county, the places that are generating the most excitement (including restaurants, shops and hangouts) and the things that people from Allendale to Alpine are talking about.

Sign up now for your free weekly subscription at bergenmag.com. For sponsorship information, contact Tom Flannery at 201.571.2252 or thomas.flannery@wainscotmedia.com.

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4/20/21 12:06 PM

{ JUST MARRIED }

Jennifer & Billy Farrell

After making it official at a backyard ceremony on their original wedding date, these Pascack Valley high school sweethearts ultimately found a safe way to celebrate at the blacktie reception they envisioned.

VENDORS:

BACKYARD WEDDING DATE: June 6, 2020 POSTPONED WEDDING DATE: January 9, 2021 RECEPTION: The Estate at Florentine Gardens, River Vale, florentinegardens.com FLOWERS: Creations by Fran Flowers & More, Midland Park, creationsbyfran.com

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Amy Rizzuto Photography, Morris Plains, amyrizzutophotography.com CAKE: Palermo Bakery, Ridgefield Park & Little Ferry, palermobakery.com HAIR: Alyssa Carrara at Perlei Salon, Wayne, perleisalon.com MAKEUP: Jean Marie Caruso, @freshfaceceo

ENTERTAINMENT: Sal Travis, Florentine Gardens house band/DJ, @sal.travis.entertainment BRIDE’S GOWN: Pnina Tornai from Kleinfeld Bridal, New York City, kleinfeldbridal.com BRIDESMAID DRESSES: Bari Jay, barijay.com GROOM’S TUX: Biltmore Tuxedos, Ridgewood, biltmoretuxedos.com

MAY 2021

4/20/21 3:09 PM

BERGEN

BERGEN COUNTY ELITE-LEVEL REAL ESTATE AGENT

TOP REAL ESTATE AGENTS

2021

Howard Hanna | Rand Realty—Plawker Group Barri Plawker, Realtor Associate

601 E. Palisade Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 C: 201.615.6759 | barri.plawker@randrealty.com | barriplawker.com BARRI PLAWKER COMBINES EXPERT-LEVEL INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE WITH HONESTY AND ACCESSIBILITY. “It’s not about me, it’s about you, your needs and your goals.” If you ask her clients, she is succeeding; “Barri is by far the best! She is highly professional, always responsive and has a great network to get the job done,” praises a seller on Google. “She is resourceful, knowledgeable, and attentive without being too pushy,” says a recent buyer. While Barri shies away from measuring her success in anything other than her clients’ experiences, there’s no denying she is a force in Northern New Jersey real estate. For the past 8 years, she has been ranked the #1 agent in Englewood Cliffs by NJMLS in both dollar volume and number of transactions. Additionally, New Jersey Monthly has named her a Five Star Professional for 9 consecutive years. Barri developed her work ethic and passion for sales working on Wall Street. She joined her family’s business, Plawker Real Estate, 27 years ago and has never looked back. “I learned from the best, Terry Plawker, a real

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estate icon and my mother-in-law. She taught me the business, strong ethics and how to navigate the demanding world of real estate.” On the company’s recent merger with Howard Hanna | Rand Realty she states, “This merger adds a layer of innovative technology and digital marketing to our boutique expertise and top-notch personal service. We are now affiliated with Luxury Portfolio International and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and can provide our clients with the best available global luxury marketing.” In the face of unprecedented change resulting from the pandemic, Barri buckled down and adapted to make sure she could provide her clients with the best possible experience that included Zoom meetings, virtual showings, and enhanced digital marketing. As people fled the more congested areas, Bergen County real estate thrived. “Realtors who could adapt to the changing and demanding needs of their clients were able to succeed,” she says. “I feel truly fortunate to be among them. 2020 was my best year in real estate.” Barri Plawker is “Your Local Market Expert with a Global Market Reach.”

4/9/21 12:09 PM

{ ON THE TOWN }

Gatherings

Bergenites always show up to support their friends and neighbors—especially when help is needed most. 1

HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

BLANKETS OF HOPE Columbia Bank Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs and Blankets of Hope teamed up to make a difference in the lives of the homeless. Together, the organizations, including 1 at the Boys & Girls Clubs in Garfield, wrapped and delivered 1,440 blankets and kids messages of hope to residents at the Center of Hope and Safety in Rochelle Park and other locations in New Jersey. 1 Aileen McDonald, Michael LaPorte, Cynthia Boseski

2 BOROUGH OF BERGENFIELD

Every Wednesday, officials and volunteers from the borough of Bergenfield deliver more than 100 cooked meals to the residents at the town’s senior center. 2 Hernando Rivera, Buddy Deauna, Rafael Marte

Dumont-based Food Brigade distributes 800 prepackaged dinners to local residents in need. Recently, My Recipe Italian Restaurant and Lula’s Latin Cuisine in Bergenfield and Cassie’s Restaurant and Red White and Pasta in Englewood donated food for the meals. 5 Volunteers prepare dinners to hand out to residents in need.

DUMONT POLICE The Dumont Police Department observed Autism Acceptance Month throughout April. Officers wore autism pins on their uniforms all month long and visited residents with autism spectrum disorder. 3 Dante Rufo, Paul Reilly, Thomas McKeary, Vincent Tamburro, Shane Donegan

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FOOD BRIGADE

FAMILY PROMISE The TD Charitable Foundation awarded $150,000 to Family Promise of Bergen County to help the organization provide shelter, rental assistance and support to working families that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. 6 Jane He, Kate Duggan

MAY 2021

Columbia Bank Foundation (1), Borough of Bergenfield (2), Dumont Police Department (3), Hackensack University Medical Center (4), The Food Brigade (5), Family Promise of Bergen County (6)

Longtime supporters and local developers Sharon and Joseph L. Muscarelle Jr. have committed $2.5 million to benefit the Heart and Vascular Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center. The funding will help establish a database of patient information to research the best methods to treat cardiovascular patients based on real-time and real-world clinical data. 4 Mark D. Sparta, Robert C. Garrett, Joseph L. Muscarelle Jr., Ihor S. Sawczuk, M.D., FACS, Joseph E. Parrillo, M.D.

4/19/21 1:06 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

OUTDOOR LIVING GUIDE GUIDE FOR BERGEN RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO MAKE THEIR BACKYARDS MORE BEAUTIFUL.

AJ MADISON

B&B POOL AND SPA CENTER

SCENIC LANDSCAPING

Since its founding in 2001, AjMadison has become the go-to resource in the tri-state area for home appliances, both online and in its Brooklyn showroom, easily accessible from the Verrazano Bridge or the Holland Tunnel. Boasting over 20,000 SKUs and more than 150 premium brands, AjMadison offers an unrivaled selection of top-rated appliances. Homeowners, contractors, builders, and designers depend on our team of experts to recommend, deliver, and service the best appliances for every project.

The team at B&B has been satisfying customers for 47 years. The pools they build—including all those from their early days—continue to be beautiful and inviting. Virtually every year since B&B started building pools, they’ve won awards. With their attention focused on providing ease, convenience and efficiency, B&B created the IntelliPool® and IntelliSpa® bringing the best of technology together with the simple pleasure of crystal-clear water.

Scenic Landscaping is the premiere landscape design-build firm with over 45 years of award winning projects. In collaboration with our sister companies, Tapestry Landscape Architecture and Tranquility Pools, we provide superior craftsmanship and creativity. Our services include everything from intimate gardens, to custom pools, outdoor living spaces, and entire property transformations. We pride ourselves on our ability to exceed all expectations while bringing our clients vision to life.

NEW YORK CITY SHOWROOM 3605 13TH AVE., BROOKLYN, NY 718.732.4900 | AJMADISON.COM

ARAPAHOE LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS

Arapahoe Landscape Contractors has been designing and building unique outdoor living spaces for over 30 years with one mission: “To create outstanding landscape design through creativity, communication and a commitment to excellence”…making each project “Far From Ordinary.” ALLENDALE, NJ 201.327.0971 ARAPAHOELANDSCAPING.COM

787 CHESTNUT RIDGE RD. CHESTNUT RIDGE, NY | 845.356.0778

THOMAS FLINT LANDSCAPE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

Thomas Flint Landscape Design & Development is an award-winning full service landscape design and construction firm specializing in state-of-theart, custom gunite swimming pools, masonry and complete outdoor living spaces. We are focused on the big picture and how every element and detail fits, flows and works together. Our completed projects represent the essence of our clients’ characters, style and passions synthesized into a final creation that embodies timeless comfort and style. 36 INDUSTRIAL PARK, WALDWICK, NJ 201.327.5162 | THOMASFLINT.COM

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7 ARGYLE RD., HASKELL NJ 973.616.9600 WWW.SCENICLANDSCAPING.COM

OUTDOOR LIVING GUIDE 4/19/21 2:56 PM

“As a photographer, I take so many pictures of my family and other families, but I’m rarely in the photos, so I try to get in a shot from time to time. My husband took this photo at our home on Easter of me and our youngest son, 3-year-old Penn, who loves looking at the forsythia outside our window. This snapshot will always remind me of simple holidays at home and how you don’t need much to make a day feel special. Sometimes even pants are optional!” —Linda Pordon, Ho-Ho-Kus

BERGEN Magazine Volume 21, Issue 5 (ISSN# 2573-8151 and USPS 025-351) is published 12 times a year by Wainscot Media, One Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656. Postmaster: Send address changes to Subscription Department, Wainscot Media, One Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656. Periodicals postage paid at Mahwah, N.J., and additional mailing offices.

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Photo courtesy of Linda Pordon Photography. Instagram: @lindapordonphotography

{ A BERGEN MOMENT }

MAY 2021

4/16/21 10:17 AM

Better Together

HERE, YOUR DAY IS ALL ABOUT YOU. AT EDGEWOOD COUNTRY CLUB we only accommodate a single event per day, so you'll feel at ease knowing our staff is committed to every detail of your special occasion. Delivering one-to-one service is our personal touch, and we do it all in our stunning, newly redesigned clubhouse. This unique experience is what turns a single moment into a lifelong memory. FOR YOUR PRIVATE TOUR, CONTACT CANDICE Candice@EdgewoodNJ.com | (201) 666-1200 Ext. 218 .

449 RIVERVALE ROAD, RIVER VALE, NJ 07675 E D G E W OO D N J . C O M

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4/19/21 1:59 PM

Everything medicine can do.

A few things medicine can’t.

The best cancer care takes many things. A few might surprise you. As cancer’s finest minds seek to heal the body, the spirit can be left wondering, “What about me?”

At Valley, both get the attention they need. Combining specialized expertise and new treatments with a compassionate, human approach to care.

Call 201-634-5339 to make an appointment or visit ValleyHealth.com/Cancer

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4/19/21 11:05 AM

Bergen Magazine May 2021

Articles inside

That Spa Feeling

Party Healthy

Bat Mitzvah Party 2.0