Millburn & Short Hills August 2024 by Wainscot Media

Millburn & Short Hills

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Publisher’s Note

We hope you are having a banner summer just like the East Coast hydrangeas are reportedly enjoying. Hard not to notice how especially beautiful they have been this season. As nightfall comes a little earlier, whispers of the school year start to creep into our August thoughts.

Shopping local is always our battle cry at Millburn & Short Hills magazine, but I wouldn’t want to be in a world without “the mall”—especially the best one in the state, in my opinion. Hence, as the back-to-school buzz is upon us, we share a glimpse into the new leadership of The Mall at Short Hills. We hope you will enjoy meeting general manager Breana Grosz, who is overseeing a bevy of new additions to the center, including Eataly. I have already started following the Italian marketplace’s Instagram and hope they host a DJ-accompanied Aperol Spritz demo like the one they recently held at their Mercer Street location in New York.

Speaking of DJs, I am always amazed at how kids today shine years earlier at hobbies and sports than previous generations. We could not be more thrilled to feature on our cover Lucas Brocklehurst, a 9-year-old disc-spinning prodigy living in Short Hills. You may have encountered him already at Girls’ Night Out, where his on-point playlist helped pump up the crowd waiting to register. I was personally super impressed and even featured a video clip of him on our magazine’s Instagram.

We hope you find our August issue a fun and pleasurable read. As always, keep your local story ideas coming. Send directly to me at marylima@milllburnandshorthills.com. Every issue is a tapestry of local love!

Mary Lima Publisher

Millburn & Short Hills

MAGAZINE

Publisher

Mary Lima

Editor and Lead Writer

Elaine Paoloni Quilici

Art Director

Sue Park

Writers

Sophia Colitti

Isabella Setaro

Photographer

Melissa Spector

WAINSCOT MEDIA

Chairman

Carroll V. Dowden

President and CEO

Mark Dowden

VP, Group Publisher, Regional

Thomas Flannery

VP, Content Strategy

Maria Regan

Creative Director

Kijoo Kim

Associate Editor

Sophia Carlisle

Advertising Services Director

Jacquelynn Fischer

Operations Director

Catherine Rosario

Production Designer

Chris Ferrante

Print Production Manager

Fern Meshulam

Advertising Production Associate

Griff Dowden

Millburn & Short Hills magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Millburn and Short Hills, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MELISSA SPECTOR

Around Town

BY STEVE GRILLO, Executive Director, Explore Millburn-Short Hills

THIS MONTH AT TOWN HALL PLAZA

Head to Town Hall Plaza for some summer fun. In addition to music and food, Explore Millburn-Short Hills has teamed up with a number of local businesses for an exciting lineup of special events. Here’s what’s on tap this month:

Trivia for Seniors

August 6 and 20 at 10 a.m.

Organized by the Millburn Department of Senior Citizens

Kids Glow Crazy Dance Party

August 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Sponsored by The Atlantic Federal Credit Union

Beer Garden with Bull N Bear Brewery

August 8, 9 and 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Family Movie Night

August 14 at 8 p.m.

Smiles All Day Long

Veteran Trader Joe’s employee makes it a point to brighten everyone’s day.

BY ELAINE PAOLONI QUILICI

INTERVIEW WITH LORRAINE DURODOLA

If you don’t know Lorraine “Lola” Durodola by name, there’s a good chance you know her by sight. She’s the extroverted employee who works hard to brighten customers’ days at Trader Joe’s (187 Millburn Ave., Millburn).

Though her everyday style is eclectic, Durodola pulls out all the stops on holidays, often donning over-the-top accessories to create a festive mood. Maybe that’s because this firecracker was born on a holiday—July 4.

Whether she’s stocking shelves, checking out customers at the register or cleaning, Durodola does it with glee and loves building lasting relationships with customers.

How did you come to work at Trader Joe’s?

I’ve worked at Trader Joe’s for the past 17 years. I wanted to work there because I heard the employees seemed happy, had fun and got to ring bells all day, which is right up my alley.

I most enjoy the variety of customers I get to interact with daily. Since I’ve been there for so many years, I’ve had the privilege of watching babies and toddlers grow up to be young adults. I know many customers by name and most by sight.

My former job as a preschool teacher has greatly influenced me. As a teacher, I worked with all personalities. Shy, angry, funny, moody, hurt and happy kids were a part of my day-to-day life for many years. Adults are just grown-up versions of those children. I can tell who wants to be approached and who doesn’t. I can tell who might need a little bouquet of flowers to make their day better.

How do you see the grocery shopping experience at Trader Joe’s?

The Trader Joe’s shopping experience is like no other. The crew is so nice, helpful and caring. I’ve had customers come in and say that they were having a bad day and wanted an energy boost, so they stopped into Trader Joe’s not to buy anything but just to talk to fun people to help them feel better. I love that.

How do you decide what to wear each day?

It depends on the calendar and the weather mostly. For example, in February I’ll wear a lot of reds, pinks and hearts. On rainy or overcast days, I try to wear my brightest colors.

I also wear a crown or a tiara every Monday, because I noticed that this was the day of the week customers needed their mood lifted up the most.

On Wednesdays, I wear pink. Pink Wednesdays was created by a coworker of mine taken from the movie “Mean Girls.” It’s just fun to do. Other crew members and managers wear pink on this day, too.

To what do you attribute your outgoing personality?

I wasn’t always like this. I used to worry and complain. I didn’t like myself much and decided to change. Little by little, I became happier every day by focusing on the things that made me feel good. I hope that by shining my light as brightly as I can in a sometimes troubling world, others will feel the love and joy of this light and be uplifted in some way because of it.

What do your co-workers think about your approach to dealing with customers?

Years ago, when I first started this outrageous behavior, some of my co-workers thought I was nuts. But after all this time, they’re used to it and actually cheer me on.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the fabric of the Millburn-Short Hills community?

I never thought of myself like that before. I feel honored that people feel this way about me, and I’m so happy that they enjoy my energy as much as I love putting it out there.

Elaine Paoloni Quilici is a freelance lifestyle writer and editor based in Verona. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, amNewYork, New Jersey Monthly and Mommy Poppins.

After working as a merchant at Trader Joe’s for the past 17 years, Lorraine “Lola” Durodola has gotten to know many of her customers and looks forward to seeing them.

The Sw e e t Life

Splurge Bakery is Millburn’s sweet spot for small treats, personalized desserts and more.

BY ISABELLA SETARO

Finding a bakery that can do it all may seem elusive at times—a rarity in few and far between places. That’s where Splurge Bakery (105 Main Street, Millburn) steps in. It’s a one-stop shop for those sudden sweet-tooth cravings or major life-moment celebrations. The Millburn mainstay boasts a bold pink facade—a small sensory prelude to the vibrant and freshly baked desserts that gleam from their glass display cases within the Main Street space.

Personal Touch

Splurge Bakery was born from a shared love and vision. Julie Winer and her husband, Stephen, started the brand in 2006. After discovering the concept of logo cookies in Houston, Texas—where they first met—the couple saw the value in a commodity that was hard to come by at that time. With Winer’s background in marketing and sales, she recognized the potential for personalized baked goods, which is how Splurge Bakery began.

“I appreciated having something customized like that, which you could bring to a meeting or to an event,” Winer says.

After a few successful orders, including one from Millburn Township for its 175th anniversary, it became clear a storefront was in order. So after four years, the Winers anchored their business with a location in the heart of town, just across from Taylor Park.

Growing the Brand

Upon opening almost 14 years ago, the owners had a clear vision: personalized desserts, graband-go treats baked from scratch and curated birthday parties—all of which remain Splurge Bakery staples.

A large part of Splurge Bakery’s appeal continues to be its custom cakes for parties and events.

“We have really great talent at the shop,” Winer says. “We make fondant figurines and

Splurge Bakery offers a tantalizing selection of grab-and-go treats. Owners Julie and Stephen Winer saw an opportunity to create personalized baked goods and started Splurge Bakery to make events more special.

other fondant cakes, and they taste delicious, too. It’s all baked with high-quality ingredients.”

Using top-of-the-line ingredients is a must for Winer. She notes that Valrhona cocoa powder and Belgian chocolate are essential in the shop’s baking process and are something that keep her customers coming back for more.

“We have really great relationships with a lot of our customers,” Winer says. “Many have been working with me for 10 years or more, so we do all of their special events, from their engagement up to their wedding, and then they have kids we make treats for. It’s really nice.”

Splurge Bakery’s birthday parties are another big hit. They are designed for anyone from children to full-grown adults and include activities such as

DIY pizza with freshly made dough and cake decorating. All of the necessary baking tools, including an apron, are provided.

Being on the pulse of what’s trending and in season is a key factor in Splurge Bakery’s current offerings. New this summer, they’re serving up pie slabs—oversized squares of sheet-pan pies oozing with either fresh peaches or cultclassic apple. In addition to her 12 fan-favorite cupcake flavors, Winer also introduced a rotating cupcake of the month that uses the best of what’s in season.

“We announce it usually a couple days in advance, and if you’re in the store on the very last day of the month, you’re able to sample the next month’s cupcake, which customers are really liking,” Winer says. We’ll be lining up.

Isabella Setaro is a Montclair-based writer. She has a degree in advertising and marketing communications and a passion for the power of storytelling.

Splurge Bakery has built long-term relationships with many of its customers who order celebratory cakes for all different types of occasions.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF @LIZEIDELMAN

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JUDITH

Spin Doctor

Local 9-year-old DJ treats crowds to a good time with his infectious beats.

BY ELAINE PAOLONI QUILICI

DJ LuBROCK practices his mixing at home.

Lucas Brocklehurst might just be learning long division at Wyoming Elementary School, but this Millburn resident is mastering his DJ skills on the side. Born from his love of music and dancing at an early age, he has turned his passion into a serious side project.

“I saw what DJs do, and I was like, ‘I want to do this,’ so I started trying, and I loved it,” says Lucas, who goes by DJ LuBROCK on stage. “My friends think it’s really cool to be a DJ, and that I’m going into fourth grade and I’m doing events already.”

On August 8, he is scheduled to take over Town Hall Plaza with his music as part of Explore Millburn-Short Hills’ Kids Glow Crazy Dance Party. Before you head over to the show, here are some insights into what it takes to be a kid DJ.

Honing His Skills

Lucas’ father, Alex Brocklehurst, was a former DJ in college. When Lucas was younger, Alex would often share new

music with his son. Alex bought a DJ set to play around with himself, and then Lucas started to get into it, too.

“We’re such a musical family,” says Lucas’ mother, Claire Brocklehurst, who loves to dance and sing, “but until we bought the DJ set, Lucas had never had any exposure to turntables. He’d never done anything like that, so we had no idea that he had this natural talent for mixing music.”

Alex now says Lucas is better than he was in college.

“We are so thrilled we found where Lucas’ passion is with his love of music and performing,” he says.

In order to improve his skills, Lucas listens to a variety of music and has a turntable and other equipment set up at home where he practices.

“He falls asleep to the radio every night,” Claire says.

A fan of pop and rap, some of his favorite artists are Eminem, The Chainsmokers and Loud Luxury. He appreciates how Loud Luxury and The

Chainsmokers create their own music and bring in other voices. Lucas spends time exploring the streaming site SoundCloud to discover new dance and pop music and creates his own playlists. He also asks his friends what they like. When he hears a song he likes and doesn’t know the name or artist, he often uses the music identification app Shazam. Every couple days, Lucas tries out new songs and works on his transitions.

To produce his own music, he asked his parents to buy him the software program Logic Pro.

“We were happy to do it, if he spent the time learning,” Claire says. “Now he creates a lot of beats and practices mixing with it. It’s been really good for his creativity.”

The Brocklehursts, who also have an older son, encourage both boys to follow their passions.

“When music starts playing, Lucas just goes into another world, and he absolutely loves it,” Claire says. “As long as he puts in the time and makes the effort, we will always support that.”

Lucas’ father, who DJed in college, bought some DJ equipment for fun, but his son has turned it into a passion.

Getting the Party Started

Last fall, after seeing Claire’s stories on Instagram featuring Lucas, Short Hills resident Marissa Pick asked if he could entertain at a neighborhood block party she was organizing. Even though he had never performed in front of an audience before, he stole the show.

“Lucas brought the party to our neighborhood block party with

his infectious energy and carefully curated music selection,” Pick says. “Watching the crowd’s responses, he skillfully adjusted the tracks to keep the excitement high and the mood just right.”

Bitten by the performance bug, Lucas went on to DJ his own birthday celebration a few weeks later, and then was invited to play some town events through word of mouth. He says he enjoys taking on community events because he gets to meet new people and they get to know him, which can lead to more jobs.

“Lucas spent a lot of time putting together a specific playlist for Millburn’s Girls’ Night Out in June,” Claire says. “And the feedback was just wonderful. It really felt like the town appreciated what he was doing— especially as a 9-year-old.”

Despite feeling shy before a performance, Lucas’ love of music transports him into his happy place. From there, it’s all about getting the audience to join him.

“The hardest part of DJing is getting in front of a crowd and doing what you’ve learned,” he says. “But I like to see the crowd having a good time because that means they like my music. Making the mixes and the happiness that you get by doing that is the greatest feeling.”

“It’s really his happy place when he stands behind that turntable,” Claire adds.

Lucas’ mom, Claire (right), supports his work as a DJ and is happy he is doing something he loves to do.

A Career in the Making

Beyond his Town Hall Plaza event and a return to Pick’s fall block party, Lucas looks forward to booking more gigs. Because his rise to popularity happened so quickly and child labor laws prohibit him from starting an official business, he currently only plays for donations. Lucas hopes to work bar and bat mitzvahs when he’s closer to 15 or 16 years old. And, like his father, he will likely DJ while in college. In the future, he hopes to continue his love of music through either DJing or a career in music production.

“We look forward to welcoming Lucas back to our block party again this year,” Pick says. “A bright future awaits him.”

LUCAS’ SUMMER PLAY LIST

Here are some of the songs Lucas currently loves to play, enjoy or mix:

• “If Only I,” by Loud Luxury

• “Young & Foolish,” by Loud Luxury

• “Texas Hold ’Em,” by Beyoncé

• “Something Just Like This,” by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay

• “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” by Shaboozey

• “Cruel Summer,” by Taylor Swift

• “The Sound of Silence (CYRIL Remix),” by Disturbed/CYRIL

Elaine Paoloni Quilici is a freelance lifestyle writer and editor based in Verona. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, amNewYork, New Jersey Monthly and Mommy Poppins.

Lucas performs for the Millburn and Short Hills community at Girls’ Night Out in June.

Credit: Claire Brocklehurst

The Staying Power of The Mall at Short Hills

General Manager Breana Grosz shares what it takes to keep this local shopping mecca alive and well.

BY ELAINE PAOLONI QUILICI

Built in 1956 as an open-air shopping center, The Mall at Short Hills has become one of the state’s most coveted shopping complexes. Combining a blend of popular stores and eateries with a solid offering of luxury brands, shoppers flock to the mall for its high-end products and vibe.

“This mall is one of the top malls in the country,” says general manager Breana Grosz, who started mid-May. “There’s such a sense of pride here. The community feels that, and our management team feels that, and I think that helps in its success.”

A Community of Customers

Grosz began managing malls with The Taubman Company eight years ago in Hawaii, then Missouri. She now oversees

everything from operations to marketing to community partnerships at The Mall at Short Hills. As soon as she moved to the area, she realized how strong ties were to the mall. She enjoys seeing kids throw coins into the ball fountain, knowing that their parents did the same when they were young.

“I love seeing that multigenerational connection with memories to the mall,” she says. “The mall is so much more than amazing retail and dining. There’s a sense of community here, too.”

Because customers have such a strong bond with the mall, Grosz enjoys reciprocating and giving back. Her team recently volunteered at Community FoodBank of New Jersey, and she is working with some local partners to try to

launch a community cleanup.

Interacting with local shoppers who she says can be “very vocal” has also led her to many open conversations that provide her with valuable feedback. While she and her team like to offer customers products and experiences based on that feedback, they also like to surprise them.

“Whether they come weekly, monthly or quarterly, we love when people walk into our shopping center and there’s something new for them to experience,” she says. “Oftentimes, it is a new store. We’re working on new furniture for next year. Just something to have that aha moment, like when the kids see the ball fountain. We want the adult customer to also have that feeling when they’re shopping or dining here.”

Breana Grosz, who took over as general manager of The Mall at Short Hills in May, has exciting things planned for the shopping center.

Opposite page: Burberry, which sells luxury apparel and accessories, is one of the mall’s premier shops.

Top: Burberry, which sells luxury apparel and accessories, is one of the mall’s premier shops.

Bottom left: The fall opening of Eataly at The Mall at Short Hills will mark the Italian food emporium’s first New Jersey location. Bottom right: Generations of visitors have been throwing coins into the ball fountain for years.

Retail Done Right

While many malls have turned to diversification to stay afloat over the past decade—often adding entertainment venues or sporting facilities to their mix—Taubman decided to double down and reinvest in its properties. It turned to technology, including back-end analytics and customer-facing digital screens and signage and updated furniture to keep its mall visits enjoyable.

“You need to stay fresh and relevant for the customer,” Grosz says. “We always want to elevate our overall shopping experience.”

The Mall at Short Hills boasts 42 stores that are unique to New Jersey, including macaron maker Ladurée; jewelers David Yurman, Van Cleef & Arpels and Mejuri; designer Christian Louboutin; Vilebrequin swimwear; designer Anine Bing (currently under construction); and Italian food purveyor Eataly (scheduled to open this fall). The bookstore Indigo is the only one in the United States.

“We are a dynamic luxury shopping experience that our customer can only find here,” she says. “While we love Madison and Fifth avenues, you can get all of that under one roof here, which makes shopping for your luxury and other brands that much more convenient. No matter the weather, you can get it all.”

Not only is the mall a leading shopping center in the Taubman portfolio, but it’s also a premier storefront for many of its tenants. Many brands use their Short Hills location to try new concepts, whether it’s a first-to-market store or to test new products and concepts in merchandising.

“They’ll test it here because they know our customer is highly educated and fashion forward,” Grosz says. “If it works well in this market, they’ll roll it out nationwide, which I think is really neat, personally and professionally. Our customer appreciates the fact that we get to touch, feel and play with different products and clothing first at The Mall at Short Hills.”

The center saw 10 new openings last year and plans to open 12 more next year. Grosz wants to add more dining throughout, especially global fusion options. Other new openings include clothing brand Vuori, a new J. Crew store and a Madewell remodel featuring Madewell Men.

“I like the mix of high-end and mainstream stores,” says Verona resident Carrie Nawrocki. “Sometimes I go there to get work staples, and sometimes I just like to splurge and feel fancy. It’s also a great place to pick up a special gift.”

For companies interested in moving into the mall, Taubman offers a program called Emerge With Taubman. This pilot program allows brands to test their proof of concept before committing to a decision.

“I would love to see more local stores come into the mall, in addition to all the great stores and brands that we have,” Grosz says. “It’s a nice way to build out a unique merchandising mix.”

Beyond Shopping

The mall isn’t just for shopping. It’s a community space for people to gather. Seniors often use it for walking, and young

parents appreciate a place to push a stroller on a rainy day.

Kids have sat in Santa’s lap and cuddled up to the Easter Bunny at The Mall at Short Hills for years. Now, Grosz would like to expand those collective experiences. It has held curated events, such as Spring Fling and Summer Stems, and will kick off fall fashion with an event this autumn. From October 12 to 27, Styled @ Short Hills will offer complimentary styling sessions.

“Offering these experiences is really exciting,” Grosz says. “I love what we’re doing, and I look forward to continuing to do what we do best.”

Elaine Paoloni Quilici is a freelance lifestyle writer and editor based in Verona. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, amNewYork, New Jersey Monthly and Mommy Poppins.

Homegrown History

Accounts of Millburn and Short Hills residents live on through literature.

With the recently renovated Millburn Free Public Library (200 Glen Ave., Millburn) comes a newly developed local authors section, abundant with stories from past and present writers in the area. The brainchild of Jon Michaud, collection development librarian and local author, the section has been in the works for around two-and-a-half years, and there are no signs of it slowing down.

Calling All Local Authors

“The idea was not just to showcase authors from town, but Essex County and the larger community,” says Sarah Pardi, head of public services at the library. “We certainly take donations, because a lot of people have books that are self-published and maybe not available through traditional channels.”

Having spent plenty of time in the Millburn Public Library herself, former Millburn resident Karen Bigos took great initiative to help grow the section to what it is today. Upon the opening of the new space in the library, Bigos took to town Facebook groups to get a pulse on the local author scene. She received more than 50 replies,

and through the powers of social media, the project has taken off.

“The collection is now 250 books,” Bigos says. “What’s really cool is that a lot of the books are out of print, have limited printings or I can’t reach the authors. There are people who taught here who moved away; people who had businesses here who closed up and left; people who went to school around here; and people who just lived here. A lot of people in the collection don’t even know they’re in the collection because they’ve passed or they now live far away.”

Michaud and the library are grateful for Bigos’ contributions, as she sourced Millburn-based authors from around the country and through families and friends of authors who may have been difficult to reach otherwise, making the process more seamless and expedited.

“She did the legwork of procuring sometimes signed copies of books from those authors and delivering them to us,” Michaud says. “The section was greatly enhanced by her efforts and contributions, and we’re really grateful for that.”

Opposite page left: Author Loren Spiotta-DiMare, a 1974 Millburn High School graduate, often features animals in her work. Opposite page right: The library’s local authors section now includes 250 books. Above: A special book label identifies authors from Millburn and Short Hills

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NEW TO READ?

Check out some of Millburn Library’s most popular local author books:

• People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn

• How Can I Help You by Laura Sims

• When She Married Dr. Patekar and Other Stories by Nidhi Thakur

Left: Karen Bigos (right), who has helped build the library’s local authors collection, sorts through books with former intern and Short Hills resident Nikolas Skalkotos, a 2023 Millburn High School graduate. Below: Author Bill Goss, who graduated Millburn High School in the early 1970s, displays his books about overcoming adversity. Opposite page: Stop into Millburn Free Public Library to pick up a new summer read by a local author. Credit: M. Banick

A Story for All Ages

The collection boasts around 50 children’s books, which are located in the children’s library, as well as Millburn history books, located in the history section. What makes the collection so special is its ability to spark joy in members of all ages and from all walks of life.

“The collection draws attention to many incredible topics, famous people and brilliant minds who lived and worked in the MillburnShort Hills area,” Bigos says.

Beyond the physical collection, the library hosts special events centering around these authors. This allows the public to connect with them in an intimate setting, where thoughtful conversation is encouraged and bodies of work can be celebrated.

“In May, we had Kate Storey, an editor at Rolling Stone who published a book about the Kennedys and Cape Cod,” Michaud says. “Then we had Corey Mead, a nonfiction writer who lives in South Orange. Eliza Minot recently celebrated the paperback publication of her novel ‘In the Orchard.’ We try to do one event a month.”

Every April, the library also hosts a local poets showcase where they highlight the work of three or four area poets. All of these events promote

enthusiasm surrounding the local section through word of mouth and social platforms. New authors are even inspired to come forth with their work.

“People see the events or section, and then they tell their writer friends,” Michaud says. “We’ve had some people come in and donate books. They say ‘Hey, I live in town, and I just wrote this novel.’”

Although the surrounding areas—including Maplewood and South Orange, which currently are undergoing their own library renovations— are included in the local authors section, there is a special sticker that identifies writers from Millburn and Short Hills.

With a full range of authors, including but not limited to poets, nonfiction writers, memoirists and humorists, the continually growing section knows no bounds when it comes to wisdom and rich history. The library’s local authors section is one to not only explore but to add onto through community connections.

Sophia Colitti is a Roseland-based writer with a journalism and media studies degree from Rutgers University. She is a former contributor to The Progress newspaper and a believer in the power of the pen.

When Wealth Doesn’t Matter, and the Golden Years Suck

Don’t wait to get the best years of your life started.

BY LYLE WEINTRAUB

Let me tell you a story. Perhaps it’s similar to one you’ve heard before.

I had a client. A great guy. A family man. He was well-educated, worked hard and made partner at a big accounting firm. He always put off vacations or worked right through them, never present in life, because there was always business to attend to. This client knew he was making sacrifices, but he thought he was simply deferring his happiness until he had time to enjoy it down the road. Then, one day at home, he suddenly collapsed and died on the spot of a widow-maker heart attack. He was 52 years old and never got to reap the rewards of his hard work.

I’ve seen how unexpected situations can quickly alter life plans in my own world.

My parents moved to Florida when my father was 55 years old. As a recovering garmento, he decided to sell homes until my mother became ill at age 62. I remember a conversation where he said sarcastically, “These are the golden years, and THEY SUCK!” I couldn’t help but laugh, even though he wasn’t kidding. My father passed about seven years ago at age 76, and this quote has stuck with me— even after all these years.

I have been a financial advisor for more than 30 years, and what I’ve come to learn is that the image of the Golden Years (you know the one—handholding on a park bench with grey hair and matching sweaters at sunset) will be a fallacy for the vast majority of us. What I suggest instead is that THE GOLDEN YEARS ARE TODAY.

When clients come to me from another advisor, I ask them a series of questions:

“If you went to the doctor today and found out you had a year to live but would feel healthy for that year, what would you change? What would you do? What would you regret?” These are important questions to contemplate, because time is short. If we are fortunate, we’ll have good health until our mid-70s. But from there, for most, everything gets more difficult.

If you don’t currently have enough financial peace of mind to enjoy life, or don’t feel comfortable spending your wealth in ways that bring you and your loved ones joy, find an advisor who can provide both strong financial strategies AND perspective. As I’ve seen firsthand, wealth is worthless if you don’t live wealthfully (as I like to call it). But with a great team and a little thoughtfulness, the Golden Years—which start today— won’t suck.

Lyle Weintraub, CFP®, is a managing director for Bleakley Financial in Fairfield, New Jersey. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at Lyle.Weintraub@Bleakley.com.

Beauty in the Everyday

A resident of Millburn for 24 years, artist Orna Greenberg paints the unseen corners that populate our everyday life—idiosyncratic stories of daily existence that emerge from the detritus of common household objects. While her setups initially provide visual support for her painting, they also are temporary art installations in their own right, incorporating items and found objects sourced locally that speak of her interest in relationships, death and the passage of time; utility and otherness through a nostalgic lens. Her work explores the mundane, the ordinary and the unseen things that inhabit our day-to-day life.

The painting pictured here, “Unexpected Guests,” portrays the beauty of an everyday tabletop scene.

Recent residencies at Vermont Studio Center and The Horned Dorset Colony have allowed Greenberg to delve further into this mode of artmaking. Her work has appeared in national and international fine art shows, including the AD Art Show at the Oculus, the World Trade Center and the Mall Galleries in London, England earlier this summer. To view more of Greenberg’s recent work, visit her website at www.ornagreenberg. com or Instagram @orangegreenbird.

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