Mountain Lakes March 2026 by Wainscot Media

Mountain Lakes

& BOONTON TOWNSHIP

Photograph by Antonietta Henry

FORWARD MARCH

C

CUE UP DAYLIGHT savings; we’re coming in for a landing. This winter has been one for the books, but we’re almost done. With a renewed spring in our step, we canvassed the area and stumbled upon what shaped up to be an accidental arts and entertainment issue.

So, readers? Start your engines. You’re about to meet Mountain Lakes’ very own rising race car driver, Ismaeel Ellahi, who has been tearing up the track in pursuit of global domination, and he’s not stopping anytime soon—though he did put the car in park to talk with us.

In other entertainment news, we sat down with comedian, TV writer, and Boonton Township native Gina Ippolito. We also strolled through Hunter Gallery, where owner and sculptor Stanley Yaeger schooled us in matters of the arts. Next door in Boonton, long-time architect Lawrence Korinda shares how his hometown played a role in his successful career—and there is proof in pictures. Let the March winds carry you through this issue and into the awakening world outside.

Ellen S. Wilkowe Editor

Mountain Lakes & BOONTON TOWNSHIP MAGAZINE

Publisher Mary Lima mary.lima@wainscotmedia.com 917-969-0924

Editor Ellen S. Wilkowe

Photographer Antonietta Henry

WAINSCOT MEDIA

Chairman Carroll V. Dowden

President and CEO Mark Dowden

SVP, Regional Magazines Thomas Flannery thomas.flannery@wainscotmedia.com 201-571-2252

Regional Publisher Jodi Bruker

VP, Content Strategy Maria Regan

Creative Director Kijoo Kim

Art Director Rosemary O’Connell

Executive Editor Elaine Paoloni Quilici

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

Mountain Lakes + Boonton Township magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Mountain Lakes and Boonton Township, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2026 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS SHARKEY

HOME HAS A WAY OF CALLING YOU BACK

Lately, I’ve been witnessing something special. Families who grew up here are returning to raise their own children. Buyers prioritize walkability to schools, lake paths, and neighborhoods where friendships last for generations. People choose a community — not just a house.

In December, I had the privilege of representing buyers at 71 Ball Road in Mountain Lakes and 3 Maple Road in Boonton Township. Two families. Two new beginnings. Right here at home.

My approach is thoughtful, hands-on, and highly personal. I intentionally work with a select number of clients so each one receives the attention, strategy, and advocacy they deserve.

Because in communities like Mountain Lakes and Boonton Township, this isn’t just business. It’s personal.

Bridgid Walsh

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Providing guidance and knowledge at no cost to you.

Overwhelmed: That's the word used by every family that contacts me for help.

Finding the right senior living option for you or a loved one can certainly feel overwhelming. There are so many options and choices depending on needs, wants, budget, and location. Whether you are looking for independent or assisted living or need memory care, don't navigate it alone.

Jennifer Lizza Owner/Lead Senior Care Advisor

Scenery AND Greenery

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

MARCH IS CHOCK full of milestones, from the end of daylight savings to Saint Patrick’s Day and the official arrival of Spring. Even Easter clocks in early, rounding out a season of reasons to get out and explore.

TECH TIME

Computer acting up again? When it comes to talking tech, The Mountain Lakes Public Library’s got your back every Monday from 11 a.m. to noon. All that is required is registration and a conundrum.

GET JAZZED FOR SPRING

There’s now more than one way to get your steps in, even if it means tapping your toes.

This is due in part to a partnership between the Lakeland Hills Family YMCA, the Mountain Lakes High School Jazz Band, and Sunrise Senior Living.

Come March 26, the YMCA will transform into a concert hall of sorts as the high school jazz band sets up shop to deliver a timely themed performance of “Chase the Winter Blues Away.” The concert is jam-packed with jazz favorites designed to boost spirits and celebrate the approaching Spring season. Showtime is 2 p.m. Register at www.lakelandhillsymca.com.

COME SEE THE STARS

Grab a blanket, a coat, and a pair of binoculars, and get ready to cast your eye on the sky courtesy of the Morris Museum Astronomical Society. It all goes down on March 28 from 8:15 to 10 p.m. at Halsey Fields behind the tennis courts, where promising telescopic views of the waxing gibbous moon and Jupiter await. The adventure continues at 8:30 p.m. when the International Space Station passes through. And, later on, steal a glimpse of Orion Nebula, the Pleiades, Hyades, Perseus Star Clusters, and maybe even Uranus.

Open to Mountain Lakes residents and their guests.

RAISE A GLASS

Say “cheers” to the Boonton Township PBA during their annual wine and spirit tasting fundraiser scheduled for March 28 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Mountain Lakes Mansion.

Sip in style and pair your pours with tasty tidbits. Cost is $75 per person with proceeds benefitting the Local PBA 392. For more information, contact Mike at 973-800-0932 or visit www.mountainlakesmansion.com.

READY, SET, HUNT

It’s time to get an egg up on Easter and Mountain Lakes is ready to roll. Come March 28, Midvale Fields will transform into a treasure trove of eggs to kickstart the Easter holiday.

The easter egg hunt is open to children ages 0 to 8 and takes place from 1 to 2 p.m. All that is required is a basket and a smile.

SHAMROCK STOPS

It’s time to summon your inner leprechaun and load up on corned beef and cabbage. Green bagels and baked goods work well, too. (Pot of gold and Guinness optional).

Check out these spots to get your green on:

Mountain Lakes Bagels and Deli: www.mountainlakesbagel.com

Bagels and Crumbs: www.bagelsncrumbs.com

Hapgood’s Restaurant: www.hapgoodsrestaurant.com

Paul’s Family Diner: www.paulsfamilydiner.com

A STRONG Foundation

This Boonton native brings buildings to life.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

LAWRENCE KORINDA lives a life by design, blueprint-to-blueprint, building-by-building.

A Boonton native, he credits his parents for helping shape his career, his character, and his overall worldly view through a historical lens.

“Our whole family was heavily into history,” says Korinda. “My parents taught me respect for history and travel.”

As the founder of his namesake architecture firm, Korinda boasts a four decades-long career that can be seen and felt all around town, not

to mention a good portion of the state and beyond. He’s traversed the country bringing structures to life in New York State, Wyoming, and even Ireland.

In Mountain Lakes alone, 235 projects were designed by him, encompassing businesses, schools and residences, and even houses of worship.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Korinda is the principal architect behind landmarks such as the New Jersey Firemen’s Home in Boonton, an undertaking he tackled early in his career as a two-part overhaul to the retirement community that serves volunteer firefighters. He also had his hand in the redevelopment of the Green Hill Shopping Center, and phase one of The Mountain Lakes Club (since closed).

“I like to call myself a solver of spatial dysfunction,” he jokes. “And when I’m working with families, I’m sometimes a marriage counselor.

My parents’ teaching background comes in handy for this.”

While he basked in the business redevelopment front, Korinda indulged his gravitational pull toward the residential realm, particularly concerning all matters mansions and lakefront estates.

He interchanges mansion with “monster house,” and his most recent project entailed a 12,000 square-foot waterfront property complete with four-car garage, a copula, and a tunnel in Franklin Lakes.

His website speaks to his philosophies—”quality is never an accident.” And his firm’s logo offers a glimpse into his mindset: A simple “K” superimposed inside a square, punctuated by a subtle red dot indicates—in his words— “thinking outside the box.”

Yet, all roads circle back to Boonton and his collective life experiences that laid the foundations for his success.

BEGINNINGS

Korinda’s mother was known as “Mrs. Mountain Lakes,” and his father cemented his career as a history teacher at Boonton High School.

“My father was a renaissance man,” he says. “He worked summers in odd jobs like selling vacuum cleaners and world book encyclopedias and such, just so he could pay for our education.”

Architecture manifested in his childhood. Korinda remembers assembling toys from assorted household items otherwise destined for the trash, and his entrepreneurial side emerged when he hosted a neighborhood puppet show charging a nickel a pop. “My father made me return the money,” he says, laughing. “But the show did go on.”

His career choice unfolded during a cross-country family trip in a used trailer repurposed by his father.

“I was standing in Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, and the space and atmosphere just grabbed me,” he says. “It was right then and there that I decided to become an architect.”

His senior thesis at Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture in Pittsburgh paid homage to Boonton in the form of a book on the town’s history and architecture. Korinda says that a copy of the book resides in the New York Public Library and the Library of Congress.

“Six years later, Governor Tom Keane appointed me to the state commission that reviews nominations to the state national register,” he says. “I was all of 27 and being vetted by the historical commission.”

Korinda advanced his degree at Princeton University, immersing

Boonton native and long-time architect Lawrence Korinda has made a name for himself designing, building, and expanding residential properties around Mountain Lakes, Boonton, and beyond.

in a competitive program with a class of seven from all corners of the globe. While pursuing two masters degrees, he gained experience by moonlighting with an architectural firm in Philadelphia for his apprenticeship. “I got that tough working-class ethic from my parents,” he says.

FULL CIRCLE

After Princeton, he returned to Boonton to raise a family and establish his own firm serving his beloved hometown, its surrounding areas, and beyond. He met his wife Karen during a youth group fellowship event at Boonton United Methodist Church where the couple remain active members.

His daughter Corey, 40, lives in Mountain Lakes and is as successful as her father only in the legal realm as a public defender. Korinda also can’t say enough about his young granddaughter whom he dotes on regularly.

In addition to a portfolio complete with before-and-after testaments, Korinda has also amassed a series of “remember when” moments.

This includes the former location of the United Methodist Church. “It used to be a Colonial revival where the

post office is now located,” he says. The church sold the property to the post office and relocated to Lathrop Avenue, near the New Jersey Firemen’s Home. The Lathrop name references William Lathrop who managed the Boonton Ironworks from 1850 to 1882.

In further cementing Boonton’s history, Lathrop’s mansion became the first home for firefighters in 1898. A plaque stands in his honor in front of the current firemen’s home.

Korinda uses his background in historical preservation to provide an assist to properties that have fallen under disrepair or require renovations minus the sacrifice of their significance. He also keeps the environment in mind, especially when it comes to maintaining older and storied trees and exotic plants on properties.

To the tune of “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” architecture is not exempt. Industry trends come and go. As principal architect, Korinda speaks of the delicate balance between designers, builders, and occupants, not to mention the municipal clearances for permits and such.

In abiding by a quality over quantity tenet, Korinda keeps his staff to a minimum of six including a Computer Assisted Design (CAD) associate, an administrative assistant, photographer, and a web designer.

To date, he is involved in a number of pro bono projects including the restoration of a house in Paterson that succumbed to a fatal Halloween blaze which claimed all the occupants.

In his downtime, Korinda pours his heart into his family and the Boonton community at large. He is always one design away from his next master plan.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

A ALL Revved up

AS A YOUNG BOY, Ismaeel Ellahi of Mountain Lakes watched “Cars” countless times. As a rising racer, he’s living the dream of the protagonist “Lightning McQueen.”

“Life is a highway. That’s my life,” he says, referencing the Rascal Flatts’ reboot of the hit song.

The 19-year-old Mountain Lakes High School alum spent most of his year motoring around Europe making a name for himself behind the wheel of a Porsche GT4.

He was in just as much of a race to finish school as he was in a mindover-matter race to the finish line— one that eventually landed him a top-three finish. That was last year in Barcelona, where he raced for W&S Motorsport in the the GT4 European series. He raced again this year in Daytona, making his International Motorsport Association debut.

“26 flights and six races,” Ellahi says.

He finished his senior year in 2025, receiving kudos from the principal and valedictorian from overseas. Graduation year aside, 25 also happens to be Ellahi’s racing number.

START YOUR ENGINE

So, how did this second-generation Pakistani—who speaks to the immigrant experience of his parents and grandparents—go from zero to 100 over the course of two years without ever setting foot in a go-kart or even a bumper car?

What he lacked in real-world behind-the-wheel experience he discovered by way of simulation racing—from the comfort of his basement. An honors student and baseball player, his grades never suffered, and neither did his game.

“I was just a regular Mountain Lakes kid hanging out at Hapgood’s with my friends,” he says.

In the sim universe, he was gaining momentum. Soon, he was racing with and even besting the pros. A shift in priorities meant something had to give. “I had to tell my coach that I’m stopping baseball to play videogames,” he says.

He also had to contend with family members, who may have had other career aspirations for him. Mostly, he jokes, in the realm of medicine.

“My grandparents came here from a rural village in Pakistan with $10 in their pockets,” he says. “They were not on board with this.”

But it was too late. He was all in, and at the risk of disappointing family, he had to put himself into the running.

“I had no reason to believe that I could, but I had to find out,” he says.

In late summer of 2024, he tested the track in real time through F4 racing school, and a meteoric rise

Ismaeel Ellahi, Mountain Lakes native, is taking the racetrack and the world by storm.

Ismaeel Ellahi holds his Daytona International Speedway Trophy at Paul Miller Porsche, one of his sponsors.

followed. In 2025, he signed a contract for the Porsche Sprint challenge. Then the big leagues came calling—the GT4 in Europe— where he podiumed second, all in his first year of racing.

He had arrived, and people started talking. A media courtship followed.

On the track front, races are divided into 15-minute sessions, and the lineup is determined by the racer’s fastest lap time against everyone else’s.

“This year I’m doing 45-minute races. but I’m hoping to get into a few four-hour ones,” Ellahi says. “The end goal is 24-hour races.”

With elevated status comes sacrifice, as well as the elements of surprise. “It’s not what I expected,” he says. He spoke of 12-hour latenight drives and a rigid schedule that keeps him awake from 6 a.m. to midnight. “It’s a commitment, but it’s rewarding.”

LIFE ON THE TRACK

There’s also just as much action behind the scenes as there is on the track. “Racing is a business before a sport,” Ellahi says. There’s money required for travel, lodging, and equipment, not to mention the self-promotion aspect of recruiting sponsors like Paul Miller Porsche in Parsippany. The Porsche sponsorship was a natural fit, given the Paul Miller racing legacy, not to mention a showroom packed with the GT4 model.

Landing the sponsorship served as a full-circle moment for Ellahi, who remembered the dealership while growing up.

“It’s a bit serendipitous,” says service director Bryan Barger, who sim races with Ellahi. He seems at home here. He breezes through the door to welcoming nods and highfives from employees.

Ellahi is currently sponsored by six businesses, including MJ Barber and Salon in the town of Boonton, ValPak ads, and of course his parents’ business, Tire Tech and Auto Repair in Oakland, to name a few.

His helmet is also sprinkled with pink hearts, shoutouts to his Mountain Lake supporters— mostly moms of his friends and teachers—that he lists in an Oscar-awards style fashion: Mr. White, Mrs. Nunez, Mrs. Signore, Mrs. Urriola, and Mrs. Higgins, to name a few. “I grew up around professional parents,” he says. “They were my role models and a huge part of my life, especially the women in Mountain Lakes.”

Kathy Higgins, his best friend’s mom, is one of them. She’s known Ellahi since he was in fifth grade and attests to the determination and character that drives him.

“I recently took my son down to Daytona for the Rolex 24 and we got to see Ismaeel behind the scenes,” she says. “His work ethic truly floored me. This is a kid who personally hand-filled hundreds of $4 rebates to save for his first simulator, and now he’s on the racetrack.”

She also can attest to his off-track hustles: Waking at 6 a.m., cold calling sponsors, and even analyzing track conditions. “Ellahi is running a business so he can keep his car on the track for another year,” she says.

Left and bottom: Ellahi with the same model car he drove at Daytona. Photographed on the showroom floor of Paul Miller Porsche. Above: Ellahi holds his Daytona International Speedway Trophy.

RETURNING TO HIS ROOTS

With the community and family cheering him on from afar, he always finds his way back to the ones he loves and the sacrifices they made to give him this opportunity. He reflects on his late grandparents, who immigrated from a rural village in Pakistan, and their hardships. Even his brother, Esa, transferred colleges for a less expensive option. This leaves his parents, Azmi and Zaheer, who have come around in full support of their son, often at their own expense.

“This is a lot of stress on my parents,” he says. “They’re spending more than they have, and I’ll never forget that. They’re the reason I get up in the morning.”

Ellahi recalls having his family in attendance in Barcelona and the overwhelming rush of emotion he experienced upon glimpsing them in the crowd. “And I’m not an emotional guy.”

Instead, he pours his heart into his posts on his high-traffic Instagram account, including: “Need to bring home a trophy for grandma.”

His reels also pay testament to the pedal-to-the-metal lifestyle of a globe-trotting jetsetter, and he’s just getting started. His favorite destination? Austria. “The people are amazing and the scenery….” he says. “In Vienna, I raced in the Alps.”

The collective experiences from solo travel alone have instilled in him a survivalist sense of independence and a fast-track to adulting. “You have to be ready to move on a moment’s notice and be very resourceful,” he says.

With ChatGPT at hand, he has been able to navigate through the occasional language barrier and cut costs by admittedly hitch-hiking and sleeping in workshops.

He is very much living the dream, or as he puts it: “I feel like I’m living someone else’s dream,” he says.

A lonely at the top moment, Ellahi attests to an overwhelming sense of isolation from what is normal for a kid his age. His friends from high school are living their best college lives. Dating is pretty much out of the picture as well, at least for now.

Ellahi is well aware of his anomaly status; he’s done his homework. “There’s only three other Pakistani racers in the world,” he says.

He is also a standout in an otherwise crowded field of seasoned pros with well-lined pockets.

“Racing is a rich man’s sport. Many of them may have been driving since they were four years old. And here I am, getting my start as a 17-yearold kid in my Mountain Lakes basement.”

That alone makes his ground floor entry more meaningful. It’s both family and faith that lift and ground him at the same time.

“I pray five times a day,” he says. In quoting the Quran, his Instagram is a testament to his beliefs: “Indeed with hardship comes ease.” Ellahi actually likens the seconds before a race to somewhat of a spiritual

experience, if not a dissociative one. “It is the closest you’ll get to God on Earth,” he says. “It’s just you, like an astronaut in space.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Well, there is college, and much like his senior year in high school, he’s attending online at County College of Morris. While there’s no formal off-season, Ellahi is pretty much terra firma for the remaining winter months.

He is ever in pursuit of sponsors and keeping his fans updated through his Instagram account, and even that had a breakout moment. “I started with 300 or so followers and now I’m up to 35,000 and 24 million views per month,” he says.

All other hours, he will remain in retreat, in his basement, staying on point through sim racing.

Ellahi handles his rising stardom with grace and gratitude, hoping to be an inspiration to others. “The world is changed by passion.”

Stay tuned. This kid is just getting started. Follow him at @ismaeelellahi_racing.

Ellahi’s first trophy for 2026 for CSM, an Indianapolis motorsport organization that he represents.

Matters of the Arts (and the heart)

Stanley Yeager, a dentist and sculptor, delivers a creative mixed media experience at Hunter Gallery.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

AAS A DENTIST, Stanley Yeager is accustomed to using his hands to maneuver fine-precision instruments to custom-build smiles. As a sculptor, he uses the same set of skills to shape what moves him into works of art.

“From the Ashes,” a cast bronze sculpture of a crouching fireman, head in hands, does just that.

The moving tribute to the faces of 9/11 is part of his signature collection of fine art on display at Hunter Gallery in Mountain Lakes.

piece is a nearly finished formation of a couple. “It’s about the dynamic,” he says. “You see one individual very happy and the other one almost indifferent to it all.”

But that’s just his perspective, as art is always open to interpretation.

“The goal of the artist is to present a tableau that causes a reaction,” he says.

page:

A step inside shows both work in progress and finished products. He also boasts a self-selected curated collection that runs the gamut across periods and mixed media. His latest

His 9/11 collection is a result of his own reaction to the fragility of the human condition. Yeager was so moved that he submitted his design to the 9/11 Memorial, joining a pool of 5,200 proposals. While his work was eventually passed over, his sculpture found a temporary home on display at the Mayo Performing Arts Center

Opposite

Stanley Yeager, sculptor and owner of Hunter Gallery in Mountain Lakes.

Below: Hunter Gallery in Mountain Lakes.

in Morristown.

In another example of funneling emotion into art, he sculpted a trio of soldiers, incorporating story-telling features depicting brothers-in-arms, a cross on a chain, and a man leaning on a cane. Sculpting provides him an outlet of sorts in which to process difficult emotions

A STEP INSIDE THE GALLERY

A career dentist by day who calls Montville Township home, Yeager opened the gallery in September 2025. The two-room space with its built-in natural lighting resonated with him, as did the location next to Hapgood’s for its foot traffic.

In addition to his own art on display, the gallery contains mixed media that he’s acquired from auctions, artists, and shows.

“The whole point is to feature

different periods,” he says.

It is an artistic time travel experience where paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries coexist with modern glassworks and sculptures. With Yeager as creator and curator, the gallery also serves as a universal portal into the world of art. For the seasoned collector, burgeoning artist, or simply the art curious, Yeager is happy to talk shop with visitors and impart a bit of his acquired wisdom.

As master crafter, Yeager is self-taught by craft and education, having pursued a degree in art history. Ever the collector, he rounds out his fine-arts resume with extensive travel and even a bit of music studies.

In a case of what came first, the art or the dental arts, Yeager found his creative calling in childhood,

Above: A tribute to 9/11, sculpted by Stanley Yeager.

where he built model airplanes, drew, and, yes, even sculpted.

Yeager holds an undergraduate degree from Rutgers University and a doctorate in dental medicine from Fairleigh Dickinson University. While he followed his degree to the dental chair, he also followed his heart to the studio. He took up sculpting in 1995 and never looked back.

His collection of art even extends into the communal halls of the office building. He hopes that the foot traffic generated by Hapgood’s and other adjacent businesses prompts passersby to

explore. In the near future, Yeager hopes to showcase local artists and even involve young artists at Mountain Lakes High School.

When he is not tending to teeth or chasing his next muse, he can be found spending time with family. His daughter, Lara Yeager-Crasselt, followed his lead and is the curator of early modern art at the Clark Museum in Massachusetts. She holds a Ph.D in art history.

Hunter Gallery is located at 60 Midvale Rd. in Mountain Lakes. www.huntergallerynj.com.

A Life of Laughter

LOL is a lifestyle for this comic from Boonton Township.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

AAS

EDITOR OF The Mountaineer, Gina Ippolito commanded the Mountain Lakes High School newspaper’s dedicated humor section and side hustled in school stage productions taking on roles of comic relief.

Three plus decades later, the Boonton Township native is working from behind the scenes putting her sense of humor to work for TV, improv, and podcast productions.

“I just like to make people laugh,” she says.

BEGINNINGS

Ippolito attended Rutgers University for two years, where she majored in communications and theater before transferring to Penn State University, graduating with a degree in TV and film and a minor in theater.

With her heart set on Hollywood—and much to her parents’ chagrin—she packed up a U-Haul and headed West.

“They’re old-school Italians and were like, ‘you can act here in New York,’” she says. “But I had it in my head that L.A. was the place to be.”

Equipped with nothing but a pipe dream, raw talent and a few keepsakes from home, she hit the road in pursuit of elevating her burgeoning acting career. “I had no job lined up or housing,” she adds. “But I found out that acting in Los Angeles wasn’t as much fun.”

So, she reversed course and returned to comedy, working the improv and sketch comedy circuit, performing and directing as part of the Upright Citizens Brigade, a comedy and theater school that served as career launching pads for the likes of Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and other big names.

“I was on a sketch team there and directed a show called “Sketch Cram” for over a decade,” she says. Ippolito had found her people—

on the stage performing random acts of comedy—and she also found her second home: in the writing room among other creatives in an all-hands-on-deck situation that requires focus, flexibility, and even a bit of fun.

“Maybe you’ll be in a room with 10 to 13 people, and you’ll be there all day as there are deadlines,” she says. “Then there’s smaller steps like reviewing an episode.”

CONTINUING A DREAM

Having a soft spot for old cartoons, Ippolito launched a podcast, “Knowing is Half the Podcast,” which dished on animated favorites such as “G.I. Joe.” In continuing her online presence, she also wrote for the YouTube channel New Rockstars, which explores TV favorites from the likes of Marvel, DC, and Stranger Things, to name a few.

With cartoons close to heart and as her career took root, Ippolito made inroads, landing writing gigs on “The Regular Show,” a short-form animated eight-season sitcom that dominated The Cartoon Network from 2010 to 2017. She worked on season eight.

She also her hand in the 2016 reboot of “The Powerpuff Girls.”

In continuing to build her writing

portfolio, she was instrumental in the development of CBS sitcom “The Unicorn,” which starred Walter Goggins (also of “White Lotus” season four fame), as a widower and father who is dipping back into the dating pool. The show ran for two seasons from 2019 to 2021. Ippolito also went all in for the revival of “Murphy Brown” and Disney Channel’s “Bunk’d.”

She also managed to write a book. A tag-team effort with sister Powerpuff Girl alum Haley Mancini, “B.A.B.E. Squad” follows four models who are navigating a supernatural existence.

In other entertainment realms, Ippolito is a voting member of The Emmys, an esteemed spot that requires a lot of proving grounds— plus having to keep up with the latest in shows.

In her three plus decades in the Los Angeles area, she has lived through her fair share of writers’ strikes and deadly wildfires, not to mention the pandemic.

Yet she remains committed to her craft, if not downright grateful for the opportunities that continue to round out her career.

“People always talk about the fact that it’s incredibly hard to break into the industry, and it has an extremely high rate of failure. But what people don’t talk about it is how hard it is to stay in and make a living once you’re in,” she says. “I’ve been very lucky that I’ve been able to scrounge together a living doing this thing.”

In terms of live performances, Ippolito occasionally performs improv from time to time and also acts for her friends, dabbling in lowbudget content. She’s also worked on a number of commercials.

Lately, she is weathering through rapidly advancing industry changes and bracing for impact. With the transition from legacy media to streaming services and AI lurking at every corner, she remains on high alert.

“Hollywood hates AI,” she says. “There’s a lot of push back.”

That is where the negotiating power of unions and guilds comes in. She is a member of three: the Writers Guild of America, The Animation Guild and Screen Actors Guild.

On a more personal note, she calls North Hollywood home and shrugs off celebrity-sightings as no big deal. “I just leave them alone,” she says.

She has, however, met the acquaintance of Boonton actor

THE LOWDOWN

Even wonder what’s on the watchlist for an industry insider?

Watchlist: “The Pitt”

Why: It’s one of the best shows out there as it’s more traditional in format with weekly episodes. Plus, some of it’s filmed in Los Angeles.

Must meet: Seth Rogan

Why: He is brilliant and funny and made so many shows. I’d love to just sit down and have lunch with him.

Influences: SNL alums Amy Poehler. Tina Fey. Will Farrell. Wanda Sykes, Allie Wong, Jon Stewart and Jon Oliver.

Why: Wanda Sykes, totally. She speaks her mind.

The dream: To run my own show.

Last flick: “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”

Why: I went to see it at the Egyptian Theater to see a Q&A with (writer and director) Rian Johnson.

Peter Onorati. “It was all my mom’s doing,” she says, laughing. “She ran into him at Walmart in Boonton, and she introduced herself and told him that her daughter was a TV writer—I was working for “Murphy Brown” at the time. He gave her his email and told her to have me reach out. I was hesitant as I didn’t want to bug him, but I emailed him and he couldn’t have been nicer.”

He and his wife are now a regular part of Ippolito’s social scene. “We meet up for drinks, birthdays, holidays—more drinks,” she says.

“And he has such a love for Boonton and New Jersey. I love meeting people from here.”

In paying it forward, and as part of the Writers Guild Foundation (through the WGA), she has taken to mentoring military veterans who have their sights set on writing.

“I’m happy that people and organizations feel that I have this whole thing figured out enough

that they ask me to pass down the knowledge I’ve attained,” she says. “Even though I feel like I myself still have so much to learn.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Ippolito may have left her physical home in Boonton Township in 2003, but her heart still very much beats to the drum back home. Her mother and brother still live in the township, and she has a slew of nieces to spoil. She also makes it a point to pop into her favorite hometown haunts: The Reservoir Tavern, Roma Pizza, and Olde Town Deli among them. Ever the North Jersey girl, she is partial to Taylor ham, and when it comes to pizza and bagels, there’s no place like home.

So, what’s next? That information is classified. “I’m working on an animated show for Amazon, but I can’t say which one just yet.”

Stay tuned and keep the pizza ovens warm for her next visit.

Current Listings by The Menard Group

Current Listings by The Menard Group Compass Real Estate

UNDER CONTRACT IN 5 DAYS!

IN 5 DAYS!

Set on a picturesque .45-acre lot, this enchanting Hapgood colonial blends timeless charm with modern updates.

Set on a picturesque .45-acre lot, this enchanting Hapgood colonial blends timeless charm with modern updates. 63CraneRd.com

63CraneRd.com

3 BD 2 BA 2 GRG $989,000

2. Low Inventory Levels - Mountain Lakes has 3 active listings and Boonton Township has 8

3. Market Conditions - Interest rates, while fluctuating, remain attractive

7 BD 8 BA 3 GRG $3,600,000

Mtn Lakes 3 BD 2.5 BA 2 GRG $5,900/mo Lovely lakefront property in Mountain Lakes! Over 10,000 square feet of living space. Ideal for multigenerational needs! Built in 2021! 34WShoreRd.com 7 BD 8 BA 3 GRG $3,600,000 UNDER CONTRACT IN 5 DAYS! Set

2.5 BA 2 GRG $5,900/mo Lovely lakefront property in Mountain Lakes! Over 10,000 square feet of living space. Ideal for multigenerational needs! Built in 2021! 34WShoreRd.com

Mary Menard

Real Estate Specialist

Mary Menard

M: 973.879.2860

Real Estate Specialist

O: 973.315.8180

M: 973.879.2860 O: 973.315.8180 mary.menard@compass.com themenardgroup.com

mary.menard@compass.com themenardgroup.com

M: 973.879.2860 O: 973.315.8180 mary.menard@compass.com themenardgroup.com

themenardgroup.com

973.315.8180 mary.menard@compass.com themenardgroup.com

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The Year of the Horse

Inside the Lunar New Year celebration in Mountain Lakes.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

INTERVIEW WITH HELEN HAN

SADDLE UP! The year of the horse is in full-gallop mode. The Lunar New Year holiday kicked off Feb. 17 in concert with the new moon and ushered in a 16-day celebration embraced by cultures across East and Southeast Asia. In adhering to tradition, the Lunar New Year culminated in a Lantern Festival on the evening of the next Full Moon, which was March 3.

And in keeping with tradition here, Mountain Lakes was on schedule to pull out all the steps with a festival of its own, until it wasn’t.

The eighth annual celebration was supposed to have trotted into town and take up shop at the Mountain Lakes High School.

A coordinated effort between the library and a group of Chinese community volunteers who roll up their sleeves to bring their customs to life, the afternoon gala was to have included a variety of homemade food tastings, music, a lion dance performed by a professional dance troupe, and games.

Mountain Lakes High School senior Helen Han, who was instrumental in helping organize and emcee prior festivals, gave us an insider’s POV on all matters Lunar New Year.

Mountain Lakes High School senior Helen Han contributes regularly to the Lunar New Year festival.

How exactly does the horse factor into the Lunar New Year?

The horse symbolizes motion, stamina, and restless honesty. The seventh animal of the 12-year zodiac cycle includes people born in 2014, 2002, 1990, 1970, and so on. The horse further represents independence, charisma, and people who favor instinct over permission.

Why are we seeing two references to this year’s animal? The year of the horse vs. the year of the fire horse?

The horse is traditionally associated with the fire element in some cycles, but we prefer to call it the year of the horse.

What other traditions or customs are affiliated with the Lunar New Year?

We all wear red—a color associated with luck and protection—and gather for a warm, celebratory dinner that marks the closing of the old year. Even though my relatives live far away, we FaceTime them, preserving the spirit of reunion in the days leading up to the holiday.

Do you decorate your home and if so, in what fashion?

We hang red banners and festive ornaments that transform our space into one of anticipation and hope. Before going to sleep, we leave a few lights on throughout the house. It’s a quiet gesture meant to welcome the new year in and offer a sense of protection as it begins.

Children perform during a previous Lunar New Year Festival which has been held annually for the last 8 years at the high school.

Let’s turn our attention to food. Is there any traditional fare?

At dinner, the family gathers to make homemade dumplings, an activity where the entire family helps out to make a delicious dish. Everyone has their own job: I’m my family’s secondfastest wrapper of the dumplings. Sometimes, for fun, we even add clean coins in the filling of the dumpling, so it becomes like a lottery:

seeing who gets the coin inside their dumpling.

So, the Lunar New Year definitely sounds like a family affair?

The celebration is about connection. We check in with friends and family, exchanging greetings and well-wishes for health, success, and longevity in the year ahead. One of my favorite

traditions is receiving hongbao, the red envelopes exchanged between loved ones. Though they may contain money or other gifts, their meaning extends far beyond material value; they carry blessings, care, and the passing of good fortune between generations.

How did you become involved in organizing the Mountain Lakes festival?

Through my involvement in community organizations and other activities, I eventually became involved in coordinating this celebration because of my participation in the Flying Strings Youth Ensemble. It’s an ensemble with primarily Chinese traditional instruments. Plus, my own culture and traditions, and my enjoyment of celebrating with friends and family within the community.

Of course, the support from the Mountain Lakes Public Library and all of the volunteer coordinators brings me joy for this celebration every year as well. It’s always nice to see familiar faces in the crowd playing games, getting face paint, taking photos, and watching the performances.

The Lunar New Year is a time of celebration, connection, and customs. The festival is chock full of lively entertainment, music, and traditional food.

Spring Into Reading

This winter was one for the books, but at the Mountain Lakes Public Library, reading is always in season.

RECOMMENDATIONS COURTESY OF THE MOUNTAIN LAKES PUBLIC LIBRARY

THE KEEPER

by Tana French

Just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day, the third installment in the bestselling Cal Hooper trilogy is out. This Irish thriller involves a murder of a beloved local girl. It is enough to catch the attention of retired Chicago detective Cal Hooper, who straddles a line between loyalty to his friends and his fiancée’s desire to be left out of town politics. When a scheme casts a new angle on the murder, Cal finds himself in the front lines of a bitter local feud.

PYTHON’S KISS

by Louise Erdrich

A melting pot of short stories written over the span of two decades delivers a pool of characters including immigrant farmers, a tribal newsletter editor, and a woman in a corporate-owned afterlife, to name a few. The book is fleshed out by illustrations from the author’s daughter, Aza Erdich Abe.

DAUGHTER OF EGYPT

by Marie Benedict

There’s more to the story surrounding the two archeologists who discovered the treasure-filled tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun in 1920, and a young woman ahead of her time is at the heart of it all. “Daughter of Egypt” explores how Lady Evelyn Herbert—daughter of one of the archaeologists—played a behind-the-scenes but essential part in the unearthing of this tomb. New York Times best-selling author Marie Benedict introduces the reader to Evelyn and how her fascination with Hatshepsut, a woman who had to assume the guise of a man in order to rule Egypt, paved the way for the discovery.

SON OF NOBODY

by Yann Martel

The author of bestselling sensation “Life of Pi” reimagines the story of the Trojan War as told through the lens of two commoners: Psoas of Midea, a long-forgotten warrior who abandoned his family to fight with the Greeks at Troy, and a Canadian academic, who discovered its relics 30 centuries later.

CROWNING GLORY

THE MOUNTAIN LAKES-BOONTON ice hockey team ended the high school season on a high note, bringing home the Haas Cup trophy in a 2-1 defeat over Parsippany Regional High School in overtime. This is the third Haas Cup for Mountain Lakes-Boonton in six years.