MORRISTOWN, DEVELOPED REIMAGINING VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY TABLE OF HOPE’S TERESA WILLIAMS
Following Her Heart MARISA SWEENEY
12 Following Her Heart Registered dietitian, yoga teacher, politician, and business owner Marisa Sweeney has a lot on her plate, and she’s passionate about all of it.
16 Morristown, Developed
A new exhibit at the Morristown & Morris Township Library revisits vintage photography techniques and equipment.
20 On Hope and Healing
Teresa Williams, executive director of Table of Hope, talks resiliency and the true power of community. IN EVERY
4 EDITOR’S NOTE Spring Is Here!
6 MO-TOWN LOWDOWN Bite-Sized Local Updates 10 LOCAL TASTES
Kirshenbaum Baking Co. 24 Q&A
Interior designer and home stager Laura Credico 28 BETTER HEALTH
Morris Spine & Sport: A holistic approach to wellness 30 BOOK NOOK Fresh Reads for Spring 32 LAST LOOK A Tale of Two Seasons
Marisa Sweeney, Morristown business owner and New Jersey
iSPRING IS HERE!
IT WAS A LONG, incredibly snow-stuffed winter, but we made it! And this year, especially, we have fully earned the promise of April’s warming temperatures and longer days.
April can be slow to reach its full potential, though. It tends to start with gray skies, chilly temps, and those infamous showers, but before you know it, the days are brighter, the daffodils have sprinkled bursts of color all
around town, and it just might be nice enough to at least consider eating on the patio.
In this issue, you’ll find stories that reflect that same sense of progress. We talk with Marisa Sweeney, owner of Be Well Integrative Health Services—a wellness company that grew from one small Morristown office to reach across multiple states— and learn about her recent successful run for public office. We explore how Table of Hope overcame both flood and fire to become a cornerstone of the community that helped almost 90,000 people last year.
We also look at how Morristown itself has changed over the last century by sharing the story behind the amazing photographs taken by friends and town residents Christian Fiedler and Marshall Roshto.
Thank you for reading our April issue. Enjoy the warming temps, and reach out anytime with photos or stories to share—I look forward to hearing from you!
Christine Bockelman Editor, My Mo-Town christine.bockelman@wainscotmedia.com @mymotownmag
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My Mo-Town magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Morristown and Morris Township, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Copyright 2026 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.
SWEET TREATS FOR SPRING
Mindy’s Munchies offers a variety of baskets, platters, and gift boxes, as well as individual treats.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MINDY’S MUNCHIES
DINER’S DELIGHT
Morristown’s chocolate shops really bring out the sweet treats in April. Mindy’s Munchies (22 Schuyler Place; mindysmunchies. com) offers everything from individual pieces to Easter baskets and boxes full of hand-dipped, chocolate-covered pretzels, Oreos, and graham crackers with festive designs. Customers can order online or stop by the store to make selections in person.
The Candy Store of Harding (1007 Mount Kemble Rd.; hardingcandy. com) has everything from jelly beans to chocolate bunnies in multiple sizes to chocolate-dipped marshmallow Peeps. Much of the chocolate is made by hand, and the honey is all local—some is even from the shop’s own backyard hives.
Head to Enjou Chocolat (8 DeHart St.; enjouchocolat.com) for prepacked Easter baskets, chocolate bunny lollipops, foil-wrapped chocolate eggs, decorated Oreos, dipped pretzels, and even edible chocolate baskets. Chocolate bunnies come holding music notes or golf balls, sitting in a white chocolate cracked egg, and even wearing custom hockey jerseys.
The Morristown Partnership is bringing back its beloved Morristown Restaurant Week April 20 to 24. There will be special menus and dining deals. Past iterations have also included winepairing events and entertainment. Look for the Morristown Restaurant Week window decals at participating eateries, and visit morristown-nj.org/restaurantweek for more information.
It’s Showtime!
MPAC has a full lineup in April, including shows from big names like humorist David Sedaris (April 4), cook Alton Brown (April 10), Patti LaBelle (April 17), and Tony Danza (April 18).
If you’re looking for something a little different, don’t miss The String Queens (April 24). This trio, which features Kendall Isadore on violin, Élise Shar on cello, and Dawn Johnson on viola, has a dazzling repertoire spanning Baroque era to Billboard Hot 100 hits, like Harry Styles’ hit song “Golden.”
On April 20, the Drew Forum brings bestselling author and journalist Doulgas Murray to MPAC. Murray will speak about everything from recent U.S. college campus protests to what’s at stake in upcoming elections.
The String Queens bring their soulful, orchestral sound to MPAC this month.
Television personality, author, and famed foodist Alton Brown brings “An Evening of Alton Brown” to MPAC this month.
PHOTOGRAPH BY SHAYAN ASGHARNIA
FRESH TAKES ON WELLNESS
Strong Pilates classes use RowFormers and BikeFormers to blend Pilates and cardio.
Two new approaches to wellness are coming to Morristown. Strong Pilates (70 Speedwell Ave., Unit C; strongpilates.co) is a cardio-infused take on traditional Pilates. You won’t find any typical reformers here. Instead, there are 14 patented RowFormers—a rower/ reformer combo—and BikeFormers—a bike/reformer combo—that are used in each class along with weights and resistance bands.
Next door, SWTHZ Morristown (70 Speedwell Ave., Suite D; sweathouz.com) offers one-hour sessions in private suites where you move from an infrared sauna, which can be heated as high as 175 degrees Fahrenheit, into a refreshing Vitamin C shower, then end in a cold plunge chilled to between 48 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
FLOWER POWER
Fairview Farm and Flowers hosts an Indoor Bulb Garden Workshop (April 9 at 6:45 p.m.) where you’ll design a spring bulb garden. Keep the plants indoors throughout the spring, and later plant the bulbs outside to see what sprouts in next year’s garden. Tickets are $85 and can be purchased online at fairviewfarmandflowers.com.
A private suite at SWTHZ.
STEP BACK IN TIME
Head to Jockey Hollow (586 Tempe Wick Rd.) for a bigger-than-ever Spring Encampment, held April 18 and 19. “This year’s encampment, where we will be celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the United States, will highlight the ‘Spirit of Perseverance’ that made Jockey Hollow so pivotal to our country,” says Leslie Bensley, Friends of Jockey Hollow executive director. Festivities will include military exercises, firing demonstrations, children’s musters, and more. You’ll also find demonstrations on everything from carpentry to 18th-century medicine that will illustrate daily life in a Continental Army encampment. “This year will be especially appealing because our schedule has been broadened and we have invited two very important patriots—General Washington and his wife, Martha,” says Bensley. “We’ll also have food trucks on site so people can linger and enjoy a full day of Revolutionary history.” Bensley notes that larger than usual crowds are expected this year and suggests carpooling, if possible. Admission is free. For more information, including a schedule of events, visit fojh.org or nps.gov/ morr/index.htm.
Above: Second New Jersey Regiment, Helms’ Company is a group of volunteers who portray the men and women of the 2nd New Jersey Regiment during the War for American Independence.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SECOND NEW JERSEY REGIMENT, HELMS’ COMPANY
Right: Volunteers help recreate everyday life in the Jockey Hollow encampment.
THE STORY OF Kirshenbaum Baking Co. starts with cookies. During the pandemic, Uyen Kirshenbaum, a French-trained pastry chef, and her husband, Jeff Kirshenbaum, who worked in restaurant operations, found themselves furloughed from their jobs. “I was home and had time on my hands, so I started shipping cookies to friends and family,” Uyen says. “Suddenly we were shipping hundreds of cookies nationwide each week and had this little business.”
When it came time to return to their restaurant jobs, Uyen and Jeff decided to make some changes. Prepandemic, they barely saw each other—she worked days and he worked nights—and it seemed like a good time to build on the success of their cookie business.
When, in 2022, the opportunity came to buy a brickand-mortar shop in Westfield, New Jersey, they went all in. Then they opened their Morristown location
Above: Uyen and Jeff Kirshenbaum, owners of Kirshenbaum Baking Co., in front of their first bakery in Westfield.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF KIRSHENBAUM BAKING CO.
Left: Croissants made with European butter.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ERICA LILLIE PHOTOGRAPHY
WHERE TO PARK
It’s no secret that the construction of the new courthouse has made parking a bit of a situation for many Morristown businesses, KBC included. “It was just thrown at us,” says Uyen, “but we’ve been able to talk with the town, and the community has been awesome. We have really felt support from the people of Morristown.” As of publication, here are the easiest ways to get your KBC fix:
• 5-minute parking curbside for pick up
• 30-minute free parking in any unreserved spot at Ann-Bank Garage (41 Bank St.)
• 1-hour parking (validated by KBC) at Ann-Bank Garage for customers who want to linger a bit longer
in 2024. “I’m the baker and Jeff is the brains,” Uyes jokes. “He does everything that’s needed so the shop can actually run. He organizes and makes the Excel spreadsheets needed to keep everything going.”
Today, Kirshenbaum Baking Co., or KBC for short, offers much more than cookies, although those remain a mainstay. One kind in particular, dubbed “Jeff’s Cookie,” is a customer favorite. Uyen concocted the recipe back when she and Jeff, who can’t have dairy, were first dating. “They’re a really delicious, chewy dark chocolate flourless brownielike cookie,” Uyen says. “Everyone is always amazed that they don’t have gluten or dairy.”
BEYOND COOKIES
In addition to cookies, Uyen draws on her French culinary training to make fluffy, artisanal croissants that will make you think you’re in Paris. “They’re so beautiful and you can see all the layers of dough,” she says. There are also pies and cakes sold by the slice, or available whole if you order ahead, and lots and lots of house-made savory options. This being New Jersey, Taylor Ham makes the menu, although at KBC it’s paired with bechamel cheese
and sandwiched between layers of flaky pie dough. One of Uyen’s other favorites is the Shakshuka Focaccia, made with a red bell pepper sauce, a poached egg, and homemade focaccia.
Another hugely popular item, Uyen shares, is the breakfast burrito, made with scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, cheddar cheese and avocado. “We heat it up and it’s all warm and gooey. It’s a great quick, go-to
breakfast with coffee,” she says.
Speaking of coffee, “We take it very seriously—just as seriously as we take our pastries,” Uyen says. “Coffee here is not a secondary thought.” KBC uses fresh-ground beans from New Jersey-based roaster Offshore Coffee Co. in everything from flat whites and cappuccinos to rotating specials like toasted coconut lattes, made using homemade syrup.
Everything at KBC is handmade, using premium ingredients like European-style butter with 82 percent butter fat. The sourdough is hand rolled by KBC’s bread expert and all the cakes are decorated to customer specifications. But more than being handmade, says Uyen, “We keep everything very clean. There are no preservatives, no additives, no dough conditioners. Our pastries are made to eat the same day they are made.”
The choice to use higher-end ingredients is at least partially informed by Uyen’s French pastry training. “I’ve evolved as a chef and have my own kind of style now, but foundationally it’s all very French based,” she says.
Christine Bockelman is the editor of My Mo-Town.
PHOTOGRAPHS
FOLLOWING Her Heart
Doctor of clinical nutrition, yoga teacher, politician, and business owner Marisa Sweeney has a lot on her plate, and she’s passionate about all of it.
BY CHRISTINE BOCKELMAN
mMARISA SWEENEY is a true multi-hyphenate. She owns two businesses—Be Well Integrative Health Services and New Jersey VegFest—recently earned a doctoral degree in nutrition, is a certified yoga instructor, and was recently elected to the New Jersey State Assembly.
She accomplished it all by following her heart. She listened when it nudged her to leave her job to open her first nutrition
counseling practice. And she followed it again a few years later, when she heard a statistic from the U.S. National Institutes of Health that shocked her: Only 9.7% of its budget was allocated to women’s health issues.
“Less than 10% just isn’t enough,” she says. “There are so many female-specific diagnoses that are completely under-researched, so we don’t have the knowledge to effectively and adequately
PHOTOGRAPH
BY STEVE HOCKSTEIN/HARVARDSTUDIO.COM
Marisa Sweeney at Be Well Integrative Health Services, one of two businesses she owns in Morristown.
NUTRITION: KEEP IT SIMPLE
Nutrition isn’t that complicated, says Marisa Sweeney, doctor of clinical nutrition and a registered dietitian. “There’s a lot of pseudoscience around nutrition, much of it based on the food industry trying to make money,” she says, pointing to how many products were once low fat and now contain extra protein. “Nutrition shouldn’t be about what’s trendy. There’s no magic. There’s no lemongrass shot that’s going to help you lose 25 pounds in three weeks.”
One example of simple nutrition in action is Sweeney’s typical breakfast: a banana with peanut butter sprinkled with chia seeds, or sometimes a shake made with soy milk, fruit, flaxseed, and chia seeds. “These are complete meals that are quick, easy, and have lots of nutrition,” she says.
The key to healthy eating is pretty boring, she says, although she’s quick to clarify that she understands that it’s easier said than done for many people. “There are a ton of variables that influence why people eat what they eat, but basic, nutrient-dense food is best,” she says. “It’s just hard to sell that and put a marketing spin on it, so it doesn’t get the same attention.”
treat them,” she says, citing menopause, perimenopause, and endometriosis as examples. Another example is heart disease, which behaves differently and is more complex in women than in men.
LADIES, FIRST
She decided Be Well would focus on holistic, female-centered health. “I pulled together a team of licensed clinical health care providers that make women feel heard when they are talking about their health,” she says. “I’m not a mental health professional or a physical therapist, so I brought in experts in these and other fields and we work collectively as a team to serve women and to really help them make effective lifestyle changes.”
Today, Be Well has expanded beyond Morristown, reaching across multiple states and
welcoming people of all genders and ages—although about 80 percent of its clients are women. It offers everything from corporate wellness to yoga classes, many of which are taught by Sweeney, who has completed 500 hours of yoga training and is also certified to train other yoga teachers.
“Yoga is a therapeutic extension of all our services,” she says. “I think we’ve done a really good job creating a safe space where everyone feels welcome.”
A FULL PLATE (OF VEGGIES)
A long-time vegan, Sweeney followed that passion by founding New Jersey VegFest 10 years ago. “I’ve been a small business owner for a long time and know it’s not the easiest thing to do,” she says, adding that the festival is an “incubator for any kind of plant-based
Above: The second Morristown-based business Sweeney owns, New Jersey VegFest, is held in Asbury Park (above) each spring and Montclair each fall.
Below: Newly elected Assemblywoman Sweeney at the New Jersey statehouse in Trenton
business looking to grow.” The biannual festival—held in Asbury Park each spring and in Montclair each fall— attracts thousands of people. It features a few hundred local chefs, food trucks, and product developers, along with a mix of other offerings, like cruelty-free fashion, cooking demonstrations, live podcasts, and speakers.
Sweeney says that while there is “undeniable research that eating plantbased is incredibly healthy,” she doesn’t want people to get turned off by labels or absolutes. “Plant-based eating doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can make small, meaningful changes without completely giving up meat,” she says. She encourages Meatless Mondays or simply eating smaller portions of meat at each meal. “Even small steps toward a plant-based diet can improve your health,” she says.
NEXT STOP: TRENTON
Dedicated to community service, Sweeney serves on the boards of Grow It Green Morristown, the United Way,
and other organizations.
“I own a business that’s thriving in Morristown,” she says. “This is the town where I work and play and live. It’s really important to me that I give back to the community that has given me so much.”
Her focus widened beyond Morristown when she became president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and began testifying before the state assembly on topics like food insecurity. “I was bringing research- and evidence-based plans to change things for the better and then waiting around for other people to make the changes,” she says.
She quickly tired of waiting. “I
realized I wanted to be the one changing the world. I wanted to be the one doing things,” she says.
So last year, Sweeney ran for state assembly in District 25, which includes Morristown, and won. Even though she’s spending more time thinking about sinkholes and public schools than before, not much else has changed. She is still out there building community, helping people, and, most of all, following her heart.
Find out more about Be Well Integrative Services at bewellihs.com. Buy tickets to New Jersey VegFest in Asbury Park, held May 16 and 17, at njvegfest.com.
PHOTOGRAPH
BY STEVE HOCKSTEIN/HARVARDSTUDIO.COM
Morristown, Developed
To faithfully replicate a 1912 Parker Studio photo of the Green, Christian Fiedler and Marshall Roshto cobbled together parts from the few Kodak Cirkut cameras they could find on eBay to build a working camera. They set up the camera in November 2025, when the Green looked most like it did in the 1912 shot. “There weren’t many leaves on the trees in the original, and there was no snow,” Fiedler says.
They had limited time to get the shot, and not much of the camera’s special film. For each shot, the camera needs about 20 second to span the Green. “If you look at the original photo, there are horses, pedestrians, and a car or two. It’s nothing like the hundreds of cars that go around the Green today,” Fiedler says. They titled their image “Revolution on the Green.”
A new exhibit at the Morristown & Morris Township Library revisits vintage photography techniques and equipment.
BY CHRISTINE BOCKELMAN
i
INSPIRATION CAN STRIKE in the unlikeliest of places. For Morristown residents and longtime friends Christian Fiedler and Marshall Roshto, that place was Jersey Boy Bagels. “There was an image on the wall that we couldn’t stop thinking about it,” Fiedler says. That image was a roughly 8-inch by 6-foot photograph of Morristown Green taken in 1912 by the Parker Studio using a now-antique Kodak Cirkut camera. The camera rotates while taking a photo, producing panoramic images like the one of the Green.
Fiedler and Roshto decided to try to recreate the image but wanted to do it exactly as it was done in 1912. The first big challenge was finding the camera. “We ordered one on eBay,” Roshto says. “A lot of the internal mechanisms were not functioning well.” So, they ordered a few more, and Roshto deconstructed them, cleaned the parts, and put it all back together until they finally had a camera that worked.
Surprisingly, Fiedler and Roshto are not professional photographers. Their backgrounds are in technology and engineering, which hugely influenced the project. “About 20 percent of this was the creative art piece,” Roshto says. “The other 80 percent was: How do we even approach this? How do we process the film? How do we fix the camera?”
The final image, called “Revolution on the Green,” is the cornerstone of their exhibit “Morristown in Focus,” which runs through the spring at Morristown & Morris Township Library. About 20 other works taken by Fiedler and Roshto, all made using alternative or vintage photography techniques and tools, are also on display.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTIAN FIEDLER AND MARSHALL ROSHTO
Roshto investigates the inner workings of a Kodak Cirkut camera.
(wearing a
and Christian
stand on scaffolding while preparing to photograph the Green using their rebuilt
Roshto built it using parts from multiple cameras they ordered on eBay.
Marshall Roshto
hat)
Fiedler
Kodak Cirkut camera.
PHOTOGRAPHS (HERE AND ABOVE)
BY CHRISTIAN FIEDLER AND MARSHALL ROSHTO
Photos like this one of the Wick Farm House are sometimes called “sprocket shots” because the final image also captures the gear sprockets. “These shots have the analog and mechanicals as part of the art piece, which I love,” Roshto says. “It’s a whimsical way to collapse the process and equipment used in photography into the photograph itself,” Fiedler says. The exhibit at Morristown & Morris Township Library will include about 10 other sprocket shots, as well as artifacts that show how these photographs are produced.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTIAN FIEDLER AND MARSHALL ROSHTO
Christine Bockelman is the editor of My Mo-Town.
This solargraph image was taken with a small analog pinhole camera that was set up from July to November 2025. “There’s no glass lens in a pinhole camera,” Fiedler says. “Instead, there’s a very small hole in a sheet of metal, and an optical effect creates an image.” The camera shutter can remain open for months, creating “magic,” he says, like the sky full of lines created by the sun rising and setting each day. Look closer, though, and you’ll also see cloudy spots that hint at foliage growth and the suggestion of hundreds of cars that parked in the same spot while the camera operated.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTIAN FIEDLER
On Hope AND Healing
Teresa Williams, executive director of Table of Hope, talks resiliency and the true power of community.
BY CHRISTINE BOCKELMAN
Teresa Williams, center, poses with Table of Hope volunteers.
tTERESA WILLIAMS is very familiar with the power of resilience. Fresh off a family missionary experience in South Africa, and only months after arriving in town with her four young children for her husband’s new position as pastor at Bethel Church of Morristown, Hurricane Irene hit. The storm flooded the church fellowship hall and kitchen, destroying both. “It was an overwhelming time,” says Williams. But it wasn’t only the flood damage that overwhelmed her. The community support also made her emotional. “The resiliency of this community was so amazing,” she says. Other local churches helped them clean up the flood, and people donated supplies to help them get back on their feet. “It was an incredibly challenging time for
us, but it was also so rewarding. It was overwhelmingly joyful to see the community coming together no matter their beliefs or their backgrounds. It gave us tremendous hope and literally put tears in our eyes.”
The flood brought more good things. Around this time, an anonymous donor stepped forward, not only offering to help the church rebuild, but also offering to fund the construction of a commercial kitchen. “It was never our plan,” Williams says. “But when we started talking to the donor, we realized the potential this had to really help the community.” Table of Hope was born.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY
Table of Hope, Williams says, isn’t just about passing out meals cooked
in that commercial kitchen. “Our volunteers are extremely passionate and want people to feel safe, to feel seen and heard,” she says. “It is the community coming together to help others in the same way they came together to help us.”
These days, Table of Hope serves dinner at its soup kitchen five nights a week, runs a food pantry where people can select their own groceries, and operates a mobile food pantry that serves Morristown and Parsippany. The impact is noticeable: Table of Hope and its volunteers serve hot meals to about 350 people each week and about 1,000 people visit the food pantry. The organization touches other corners of the community, too. Before it started serving food, the church was running SOAR (Student Outreach and Academic
Volunteers serve food in Morristown.
matter the weather.
It was overwhelmingly joyful to see the community coming together no matter their beliefs or their backgrounds. It gave us tremendous hope and literally put tears in our eyes.
—Teresa Williams
Reinforcement). The program, which has academically supported more than 400 kids over the years, offers tutoring, mentoring and summer programs. Each year, a small group of students is selected by teachers and school administrators to participate in what Williams calls “meaningful, intimate help.”
“We help a lot of students who are Latino or first-generation,” she says. Through a partnership with Valley Bank, SOAR brings kids to meet executives at the bank “who look like them and who can speak to them in their language,” Williams says. “It introduces the kids to people who have achieved a great deal of success and shows them what’s possible for their own lives.”
HOPE FROM THE ASHES
In 2022, a fire destroyed the Bethel Church parsonage, where the Williams family lived. “We lost almost everything,” Williams says.
Once again, people rallied around them, cementing for
Volunteers help serve food, no
In 2025, Table of Hope served almost 16,000 community meals, supported more than 4,000 senior citizens, assisted almost 50,000 adults, and served about 22,000 children. Overall, Table of Hope touched the lives of more than 87,000 people in the community.
Williams the power of community.
“It was amazing to see the people we work with in the community— the sheriff’s office, the firefighters, all these organizations—come together to help us. The love we felt was unbelievable.”
Then, about a year ago, Table of Hope had to shut food service operations while it dealt with a mechanical issue. “We were serving food outside, in the snow, and the town brought over an outdoor heater for our volunteers,” she says. “This is the community resiliency I’m talking about. We didn’t ask for that. It was brought to support us out of pure kindness.”
Table of Hope’s latest work for the community is a house for 10 mothers in recovery and their
children, called The Delaney House. “We will be supporting these women and their children,” Williams says. “We will offer job training and workforce opportunities.”
Williams says she never dreamed that Table of Hope would end up touching so many parts of the community. “When we arrived in Morristown, I thought I’d be working with kids. But then we had the flood and started running the soup kitchen and partnering with other local organizations. We just kept seeing more ways to help people. So, it’s not at all what I imagined, but it’s so rewarding.”
Christine Bockelman is the editor of My Mo-Town.
A volunteer helps to load food into the back of a car.
Styled to Sell
My Mo-Town sat down with interior designer and home stager Laura Credico of Interiors by Laura to discuss how smart furniture placement, updated lamps and throw pillows, or a fresh coat of paint can bring out the best in your home and bring in more offers.
BY MY MO-TOWN STAFF
THESE DAYS, SELLING your home involves more than getting people in the front door to look around. You also need to convince prospective buyers searching for homes online to stop their scrolling and add your property to their “must-see” list. This is where Laura Credico, owner of Interiors by Laura, can help. With almost 500 home-staging and interior design projects under her belt, Credico works to showcase your home’s strong points and help potential buyers envision their new lives there.
What are some benefits of staging a
home?
Staging your home protects one of your largest investments. A professional can bring a fresh eye and offer proven feedback on how your home presents itself. Furniture placement, ensuring all bedrooms have a bed, freshening paint—these are all ways to stand out from the competition online. Typically, prospective buyers decide whether a home is right for them within the first 10 seconds of walking in the door. Home staging gives buyers that feeling of “I can see our family living here” or “This is our new home.” Staged homes also sell for nine to 13% above asking price.
INTERVIEW WITH LAURA CREDICO
Laura Credico says it can be hard for people to visualize spaces that aren’t staged. In this primary bedroom, she wanted to show potential buyers that a king-sized bed and side tables could easily fit in the space.
How do you decide what each home needs in terms of staging?
We always work closely with real estate agents to determine who the prospective buyer is likely to be for each home we stage. Is it a family or a single young professional? The furniture we bring in highlights each home’s unique features without taking away from them. We want prospective buyers to look at what the home has to offer and what is special about it, and not just the nice couch we selected.
What are the rooms you stage most often?
We always stage the heart of the home— the living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, and primary bedroom. These are the rooms people spend the most time in, and we want them to look as warm and welcoming as possible. We stage secondary bedrooms on occasion, especially if they are small and we need to show that beds can fit in them comfortably. And we never forget bathrooms! We want them to photograph nicely, so we bring in fluffy white towels and a few small decorative items to highlight functionality and style.
Are you able to use the homeowner’s furniture and belongings when you stage their home to sell?
If we can work them into the design plan, yes. If homeowners are living in the home, we try to use their sofas and area rugs and will provide accessories, artwork, and some smaller pieces of furniture if needed. We want to create a cohesive space that feels put together and functional.
How do you assess a home’s strengths or weaknesses when staging?
When we stage, we strategically bring in pieces of furniture that show where buyers can put their own pieces. It is critical that we show how traffic should flow in and out of the room, but we don’t want to block entrances or put too many pieces of furniture in, which can make the room feel smaller. We also want to show potential buyers how smaller rooms could be used and set up. Stagers should not be disguising any issues in the home, since these will ultimately come up on inspection. Staging is only meant to detract from issues, not hide them.
In this sitting area, furniture gives the space a sense of scale and purpose, as well as warmth and personality.
Why is staging important?
When buyers tour a vacant home, they tend to walk through it faster than when it’s staged. When furniture is brought into vacant homes, people will spend more time in the home. They might pause to sit on the sofa or on a dining chair so they can decide if this is the home for them.
Do you talk with homeowners about things they could improve in spaces you aren’t fully staging?
I always recommend that real estate agents bring us in for just a “walk and talk” consultation.
This is when we go room by room with the homeowner and make specific suggestions for things they can do themselves, whether it be to remove or edit down some pieces of furniture or decor, add neutral bedding, paint certain rooms to make them feel brighter, or remove dated window treatments. Again, it is about getting a fresh eye to look at their home through the eyes of a prospective buyer.
Have you received any specific training to be a home stager?
For many years, I have been a member of the Real Estate Staging Association, which provides training, industry experts, and region-specific information for stagers throughout the country, along with regular housing market updates so we can continue to stay informed on how to best serve our clients and realtors.
You also provide interior design services. How does interior design differ from home staging?
The main difference between home staging and interior design is that the inventory and style in a staged home should appeal to a broad range of buyers. The style should not follow a particular taste and tends to be more neutral in color palettes. Interior design is much more taste specific, and we can involve personal items, personal photos, and colors the homeowner
would like to see throughout the home. Many people who purchased homes we staged ask us to come back and help them with the design of their new home. Moving can be overwhelming, and decorating can be overwhelming, and people appreciate having our guidance when it comes to selecting paint colors, planning furniture placement, and bringing their overall look together. We’re always happy to help! You can learn more on our website, iblstaginganddesign.com.
Credico and her team wanted potential buyers to imagine eating dinner with their family in this warm, inviting kitchen.
THE SECRET TO Timeless Facial Rejuvenation
Dr. Scott Spiro and his team combine surgical and nonsurgical rejuvenation to help patients achieve a look that is natural and refreshed.
DR. SCOTT SPIRO and his team combine surgical and nonsurgical rejuvenation to help patients achieve a look that is natural and refreshed.
For many men and women seeking facial rejuvenation, the goal is not to look different, but to look natural and refreshed. Serving patients throughout New Jersey for the past 30 years, Dr. Scott Spiro is known for his expertise in the Deep Plane High SMAS facelift, a technique designed to reposition deeper facial structures rather than simply tighten the skin.
Dr. Sprio’s approach focuses on restoring natural contours of the midface, jawline, and neck while preserving facial expression and individuality. By lifting the underlying SMAS layer
and releasing key retaining ligaments, he is able to elevate the cheeks, soften nasolabial folds, and redefine the jawline in a way that appears balanced and longlasting. Unlike traditional deep plane facelift techniques that have limitations in the vectors of tissue elevation, the Deep Plane High SMAS method allows
for more comprehensive rejuvenation. The higher release permits vertical elevation of the midface, improving heaviness around the lower face, while the neck deep plane portion also supports a smoother neck contour when combined with precise neck sculpting.
Dr. Spiro’s surgical philosophy centers on individualized planning. Each patient is evaluated based on facial anatomy, skin quality, and long-term aging patterns. His goal is not to change how someone looks but to restore structure that has shifted over time. Attention to detail during dissection, tissue repositioning, and closure contributes to refined results and natural movement.
Surgical and Nonsurgical Rejuvenation
While surgery provides structural correction, nonsurgical treatments (chemical peels and microneedling with PRP) are often incorporated before and after procedures to support overall skin quality. Preoperative skin optimization may include medical-grade skincare or targeted treatments to improve tone and texture. Postoperatively, select noninvasive treatments, such as lasers and injectables, can help maintain collagen support and enhance the longevity of surgical results. These adjunct services are used strategically and do not replace surgical correction but rather complement it.
The integration of surgical expertise with supportive nonsurgical care allows for a comprehensive approach to facial rejuvenation. Dr. Spiro’s focus remains on achieving balanced, natural outcomes through meticulous surgical technique, supported by thoughtful treatment planning when appropriate.
Consultations with Dr. Scott Spiro are available Monday through Friday at his West Orange office. To schedule an appointment or learn more, call (973) 736-5907 or visit drspiro.com. To hear more about his philosophy and approach to surgery, listen to his podcast, The Artist in the O.R., available on YouTube and Spotify. Instagram: @spiroplasticsurgery / @spiromedicalspa
A Joint EFFORT
At Morris Spine & Sport, functional medicine specialist and chiropractor Randi Case takes a holistic approach to wellness.
BY CHRISTINE BOCKELMAN
WHEN RANDI CASE, DC, CCSP, ICSC, IFMCP, was six years old, she suffered from terrible, unexplained headaches. Thinking a spinal adjustment might help ease the pain, her mother took her to a local chiropractor. The headaches continued, but so did the chiropractor—he kept digging to find the cause of her headaches. It turned out that she was sensitive to chocolate, and as soon as she stopped eating it, her headaches went away.
“That was my introduction,” says Case, “to not only chiropractic but to a team philosophy toward health. That chiropractor didn’t just adjust my neck and send me home. He stayed with my case to figure out the root cause. That stuck with me.”
It made such an impression that, years later, Case became a chiropractor. Eventually, her strong belief in the interconnections of the body led her to become certified in functional medicine and open a new wing of her practice: Root Cause Functional Medicine Center.
“I wanted to really focus on the whole
person,” Case says. Drawing from her own experience, she examines diet and lifestyle choices, looking for areas of chronic inflammation in the body.
She explains functional medicine like this: “Imagine you have a leaky roof. You could easily put a bucket under the hole to address the problem, but if you have a lot of holes, you might not have enough buckets. I’m not looking at all those individual holes. I’m focused on fixing the entire roof.”
THE BIG PICTURE
The body, says Case, is like a kinetic chain starting from the ground. “If you are injured, I look at your toes, your feet, your ankles, your knees, and your hips to make sure it’s all working properly,” she explains.
Case is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician and a team physician for several area sports organizations, including the New Jersey Amateur Baseball Association, Morristown Gold Sox Baseball Club, and Morris Elite Soccer Club. She says that every detail of an athlete is important, from ensuring their footwear is
correct to making sure their neck is in the proper position and their eyes are on the horizon as they run.
“It’s not about adjusting just one segment of the body,” she says. “It’s about looking at the functional movement of all the parts of the body, how they move together, and how they compensate for each other when something isn’t right.”
WHOLE-BODY REHAB
Working with and rehabbing athletes is a big part of the practice, so the office has a sports conditioning arm. Big Bear Strength & Conditioning is run by a certified personal trainer who works to rehab injuries based on Case’s whole-body approach. “We might see someone with a sprained ankle,” Case says. “We don’t just want to fix the ankle. We want to really look at how that ankle became sprained.” Injuries can be the sum of years of misuse on a joint. “Maybe you’ve always run by striking your heels hard on the ground,” says Case. “Years of moving your body improperly can catch up to you eventually and cause other injuries.”
Although there are plenty of people who shrug off minor aches and pains, pop an over-the-counter pain reliever, and move on, Case warns, “If your ankle hurts a little bit—maybe it has even hurt off and
on for years—it can become a chronic issue. You might start favoring that ankle, maybe without really realizing it, and this can change the way your body moves over time.”
Injuries with their roots in years of misuse are an issue for non-athletes, too. “If your body isn’t properly aligned, over time you start to sit a little differently, or maybe you hold one shoulder higher than the other,” she says. In other words, if you wake up one morning and your hip suddenly hurts, the pain might not be from one specific injury. It might be all those years of misalignment finally catching up to you.
Like her childhood chiropractor, Case loves to collaborate. “I’m not a medical doctor,” she says. “If I feel that this isn’t the best place for you, or that I need another set of eyes on something, I will send you to see an orthopedist or another medical specialist. It’s all about working together and communicating so you can feel better.”
Christine Bockelman is the editor of My Mo-Town.
BOOK NOOK
Fresh Reads for Spring
These new books are now available at the Morristown & Morris Township Library.
BY MARY LYNN BECZA AND RACHEL REINHART
“Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok” by Oliver James Oliver James graduated from high school and became one of approximately 45 million functionally illiterate Americans. However, at age 32, he dedicated himself to learning the key skill that had evaded him his entire life: reading. Oliver became a TikTok/BookTok sensation for the way he candidly documented his journey learning to read as an adult. “Unread” is a moving reminder to all of us that words and stories have power, and that it’s never too late to grow.
“Missing Sister”
by Joshilyn Jackson
From the New York Times bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson comes a chilling story of sisters and revenge. Born three minutes apart, Penny and Nix Albright grew up doing everything together. But when Nix dies in a tragic accident, she leaves Penny guilt-ridden and desperate for justice. As a police officer years later, Penny is called to a crime scene where the victim is a man she has long blamed for her sister’s death. The deeper she dives into the mystery, the less clear it becomes who is hunting whom.
“The Optimists”
by Brian Platzer
A schoolteacher chronicles the meteoric rise of his most dazzling student, Clara Hightower, in this novel of learning and legacy. Over the course of three decades, Clara goes from kindergarten thief to Silicon Valley celebrity, to animal rights activist turned terrorist. But to tell her story, Mr. Keating must share his own. This novel is tender, insightful, and a profound testament to lessons that reach far beyond the classroom.
“This Book Made Me Think of You”
by Libby Page
When her new husband, Joe, dies of cancer, grief-stricken London book editor Tilly learns from her local bookseller that Joe has arranged for her to receive a book—along with a note—every month for a year. As the weeks pass, Tilly becomes friends with struggling bookstore owner Alfie and tries new things with Joe’s literary encouragement in this charming read.
NEED A LIBRARY CARD?
Getting a library card is easy—you don’t even need to leave home! Visit mmtlibrary.org, navigate to “Services & Resources” and select “Library Card Information.” Complete the online form and you’ll be emailed your new card information. Then you can check out downloadable e-books and audiobooks on Libby, look for appliance reviews on Consumer Reports online, or stream free movies using Kanopy. Kids will find children’s e-books and audiobooks on TumbleBooks, and teens can access graphic novels on Comics Plus or use Peterson’s Test & Career Prep. There’s so much to do online with your library card!
The Morristown & Morris Township Library (1 Miller Rd., Morristown; 973-538-6161; mmtlibrary.org) is open seven days a week.
A HAND-DIPPED Easter
Mindy’s Munchies takes a handcrafted approach to chocolates and Easter baskets, both sure to bring big smiles on Easter morning.
for a rich, layered bite. Beyond the chocolate, sweet and sour candies and creamy fudge add even more variety to the sweet selection.
With a strong community connection, Mindy’s Munchies draws Morristown area residents in for everyday treats, as well as businesses selecting gift boxes and inviting Mindy’s Munchies to local events and holiday pop-ups.
Gifts can be customized with colorful sprinkles, labels, bows, and packaging. Orders are available for instore or curbside pickup, local delivery, or nationwide shipping.
A VARIETY OF EASTER TREATS
As Easter approaches, seasonal treats take center stage at Mindy’s Munchies.
You’ll find a selection of Easterthemed treats including chocolatedipped Peep bunnies, chocolate bunnies in a range of sizes wrapped and finished with colorful jellybeans, chocolate-covered Oreos decorated with pastel sprinkles, baskets, platters, and gift boxes assembled to bring extra joy to the holiday.
FOR MANY FAMILIES, Easter is shaped by much-loved traditions, from giving and receving treat-filled baskets to gathering with loved ones for a special meal.
Mindy Mosca, owner of Mindy’s Munchies, began dipping treats more than 20 years ago in her North Jersey kitchen, creating sweets for friends, family, and school events. What started at home has grown into five locations, including the shop on Schuyler Place in Morristown, but the process remains the same.
“Everything we make is hand-dipped, just like when I started,” Mindy says. “That homemade spirit is still at the heart of everything we do.”
“We specialize in hand-dipped favorites like pretzels, marshmallows, Oreos, and graham crackers,” Mindy says. “They’re the classics people
already love, just a little sweeter and more fun.”
Signature creations include Coconut Bliss, a wafer cookie layered with caramel and sweetened coconut, wrapped in dark chocolate and rolled in toasted coconut. Marshmallow Mountain combines marshmallow with caramel, toffee, and chocolate
“Hearing the feedback after celebrations is our favorite part,” Mindy says. “When customers tell us how excited their kids were or how guests kept talking about the treats, that’s the kind of joy that inspires us and drives everything we do.”
Mindy’s Munchies is located at 22 Schuyler Place in Morristown and is open Tuesday through Sunday. The store will be closed on Easter. mindysmunchies.com
LAST LOOK
A TALE OF TWO SEASONS
MORRISTOWN RESIDENT and photographer Bob Burton submitted these photos of The Presbyterian Church in Morristown’s historic Church on the Green. “I live across the street,” he says. “I walk my dog several times a day and I’m always fascinated by the different looks of the church throughout the day and throughout the year. Combined with the reflection in the Vail pool, it always seems to entertain me.”
These images showcase two of Burton’s favorite things: taking photographs and his adopted hometown. “I love Morristown,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to live where I could walk out my front door and be in the middle of things. Morristown has a city feel without a lot of the negatives of a large city. Having the MPAC right next door is almost too good to be true, the food options are great, and it’s a very walkable town.”
Have a great image (or two!) for Last Look? Submit a high-resolution shot to Christine.Bockelman@
PHOTOGRAPHS BY BOB BURTON
SKIN SURFACE TO STRUCTURE
INCLUDING DR. SPIRO’S CUSTOMIZED
HIGH SMAS DEEP PLANE FACE AND NECK LIFTS
Dr. Spiro’s Customized High SMAS Deep Plane Face & Neck Lift
Dr. Spiro’s approach to facial rejuvenation centers on a customized High SMAS Deep Plane face and neck lift, a technique that restores natural anatomy by refining facial contours, improving neck definition, and producing durable, elegant results that age gracefully over time. Each surgical plan is carefully individualized and may include additional procedures such as brow lift and foreheadplasty, lip lift, upper and lower blepharoplasty, and strategic fat grafting to the cheeks, temples, and marionette areas, allowing facial balance and proportion to be restored in a cohesive, natural manner.
Non-Surgical Care to Enhance & Preserve Surgical Outcomes
Non-surgical care provided by Nurse Practitioner Mikayla and skin care specialist Rebecca builds upon Dr. Spiro’s surgical foundation. Injectables, lasers, and medical grade skincare are used to refine skin quality, support healing, and maintain results - allowing surgical outcomes from face and neck lifts to remain balanced and long-lasting, while also delivering meaningful, standalone improvements for patients pursuing non-surgical rejuvenation.
Nurse Practitioner, Mikayla Barbarossa Skin Care Specialist, Rebecca Pierce
