Terhune Orchards Celebrates 50 Years of Farming 14
THE GREAT GATSBY BY DONALD H. SANBORN III
From its Roots at Princeton University to Broadway Musical 22
MILESTONES FOR MILANOV BY ANNE LEVIN
The Music Director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra Marks His 15th Year on the Podium and His 60th Birthday 32
BOOK SCENE BY STUART MITCHNER
From Fitzgerald To Stella: Celebrating Cover Art with Princeton Connections 42
PRINCETON MAKES BY LAURIE PELLICHERO
A Haven for Creativity and Community 46
ON THE COVER: Reuwai Mount Hanewald, Tannwen Mount, Gary Mount, and Pam Mount of Terhune Orchards. (Photo by Benoit Cortet)
SIMPLE AND EASY SPRING ENTERTAINING WITH A FRENCH FLAIR BY MARY ABITANTO 52
INTO THE DARK BY TAYLOR SMITH
Discovering the Depth of Starry Skies From Your Own Backyard 62
TRAILBLAZER ON THE LAKE BY BILL ALDEN
Lori Dauphiny Enjoys Unprecedented Success as Head Coach for PU Women’s Open Crew 70
A WELL-DESIGNED LIFE BY SARAH TEO 78, 88
THE POWER OF FLOWERS BY WENDY GREENBERG
Optimism in a Day Trip 80
SPRING 2025
PUBLISHER
J. Robert Hillier, Lh.D., FAIA
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Laurie Pellichero
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
Melissa Bilyeu
ART DIRECTOR
Jeffrey Edward Tryon
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Vaughan Burton
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Benoit Cortet
Mary Abitanto
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Ilene Dube
Mary Abitanto
Bill Alden
Wendy Greenberg
Anne Levin
Stuart Mitchner
Donald H. Sanborn III
Taylor Smith
Sarah Teo
ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Jennifer Covill
Tracey Sugar
Angela Lorenz
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Dear Readers,
Welcome to your Spring issue of Princeton Magazine . Our cover story by Ilene Dube celebrates the 50th anniversary of Terhune Orchards, owned and operated by the Mount family since 1975. Pam and Gary Mount met and started dating at Princeton High School, and they were in the Peace Corps for three years before purchasing Terhune. They and their family have expanded and modernized the popular farm extensively over the years, and it now features a vineyard as well.
Continuing with anniversaries, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby turns 100 this spring. Donald H. Sanborn III traces the story from its roots at Princeton University to renewed attention including two musicals, one on Broadway. In his Book Scene focusing on cover art with Princeton connections, Stuart Mitchner points out that this publication became renowned due in large part to its cover design by Francis Cugat. Celestial Eyes features a woman’s image with despairing eyes that evoke Daisy Faye Buchanan, Gatsby’s love and his doom. One might come to believe that the cover is a reason that the novel is still popular after all these years.
Stuart also covers the graphic work of Frank Stella, Princeton Class of 1958, who upon graduation established a whole new abstract art form of very carefully drafted lines. Over the years his art developed more color and abstraction, and one of his paintings sold in 2024 for $6,100,000.
an anniversary, a birth, a death, a graduation, or a prom. That is where I personally discovered the true power of the flower, and also learned how to read and satisfy each customer’s need. That was great training for my eventual career in architecture.
Mary Abitanto brings us wonderful recipes for simple and easy spring entertaining with a “French flair,” both inside and out. Mary also provides photos of her works of art and flavor. Enjoy!
My new “zero carbon” house is right on the shores of Lake Carnegie, and it is a thrill to see the rowing shells flow by, literally, as a work of art. One of my favorite books and an amazing movie is The Boys in the Boat. I mention this to prepare you for Bill Alden’s story about Princeton University’s Lori Dauphiny and her amazing career coaching women’s open crew, including several rowers who have excelled in Olympic competition. I found it to be a healthy commentary on how just the right amount of self-doubt enables you to excel.
Also in the area of the arts, you will enjoy Anne Levin’s article “Milestones for Milanov” about Rossen Milanov, the music director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, who is celebrating his 60th birthday along with his 15th year leading the PSO. You will find the story on how he finally was convinced to join the orchestra very intriguing.
Of course, the origin of the visual arts starts in a studio, and what could be more exciting than a collection of artists’ studios in one place? Our Editor-in-Chief Laurie Pellichero writes about the Princeton Makes artist cooperative, founded nearly four years ago by Jim Levine. Located in the Princeton Shopping Center, it now has 40 member artists, a retail store, and is a haven for creativity and community. With spring upon us, our attention goes to flowers and their amazing impact on our attitude. Wendy Greenberg writes about this as she describes several day trips to experience the blooming of different flowers each month.
As some of you may know, I spent much of my teenage years clerking in The Flower Basket, one of my mother’s three shops. Each customer came in with a need for flowers:
In this issue you will also find two pages of A Well-Designed Life featuring products selected by Sarah Teo for different budgets, each beautifully composed. And speaking of beautiful pages, please note the graphics accompanying each story, the result of the efforts of our Art Director, Jeff Tryon.
Though the days are getting longer, the nights are still there with their spectacular array of stars and galaxies, punctuated now and then by a streaking meteor! Taylor Smith engages us in following 17thcentury astronomer Galileo Galilei and using a telescope to explore the nighttime sky from our own backyards. Taylor also helps us understand the difference in quality and scope of different binoculars and telescopes. One does come away from these sessions wondering if there is other human life out there, somewhere.
On that note, all of us at Princeton Magazine hope that you enjoy this Spring issue. Also, I encourage you to “Shop Local,” especially with our advertisers.
Respectfully yours,
J. Robert Hillier, Lh,D., FAIA Publisher
PHOTO
GOLDEN DELICIOUS ANNIVERSARY TERHUNE ORCHARDS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF FARMING
BY ILENE DUBE | IMAGES COURTESY OF TERHUNE ORCHARDS
Inthe expansive light-filled kitchen, farm-related art and a mural of apple trees echoes the scenery outside. Pam Mount, wearing her signature red Terhune Orchards shirt, reflects on the 50 years that have gone by since she and her husband, Gary, have run the farm. In a way her kitchen has served all of the greater Princeton community. And even if we aren’t among the 25 guests at her holiday gatherings, we’re all a part of the Mount family, thanks to all the farm has offered for half a century.
It all began in 1975 when Pam and Gary, Princeton High School sweethearts who had been living in Doylestown, Pa., saw a sign on Cold Soil Road: “For sale by owner.” Freshly back from a four-year stint in the Peace Corps, where they helped develop crops and fresh water (Gary) and taught school children (Pam) on a small island of Micronesia (population 400), they saw those initial 55 acres as the perfect place to start a commune, jokes daughter Tannwen Mount, who operates the farm with her parents and sister, Reuwai Mount Hanewald. The joke isn’t so far off: what they developed was a community center.
No one had purchased farmland to actually farm in this area for decades, Gary Mount recounts in his 2021 book A Farmer’s Life (Sweetgrass Books). “Farmers were selling their properties to developers for building subdivisions, office complexes, shopping malls — not to young couples with dreams of working the land.”
found it hard to even conceive of being a farmer — such a waste of a fabulous education!” he writes, winkingly, in his memoir. Joining the Peace Corps “fit the Princeton ethos of service to others.… It also convinced Pam to marry me.” And while he didn’t learn farming at Princeton, “it was there that I learned to learn.”
The memoir, written with Gary’s signature humor, details the trials and tribulations of keeping birds away from the cherries and watermelon; trips around the world for agricultural conferences; how tastebuds vary by geographic region; the situations presented by an uncontrolled deer population; working seven days a week; black rot, botrytis, and powdery and downy mildew that ravage wine grapes; introducing the concept of “Jersey Fresh” to Gov. Tom Kean; and all the challenges faced by a farmer.
Gary, too, is always seen in barn red shirts and jackets. Although he majored in psychology at Princeton University (Class of 1966; Pam studied art at Lake Erie College in Ohio), Gary always wanted to be a farmer. He had grown up on an apple farm in West Windsor.
“My dad saw his classmates commuting to New York and, after the three of us were born (Tannwen and Reuwai have a brother, Mark, who is not involved in the farm operations), he thought having a farm would be a great opportunity for the family,” recounts Tannwen.
Gary’s farming aspirations were temporarily derailed by his good grades and graduating magna cum laude from Princeton. “I
The secret to his success? “I was blessed with a wife unfazed by excessive risk.”
Tannwen and Reuwai (both Princeton University alumnae) were encouraged to explore the world and pursue the things that interested them. Reuwai taught at schools internationally before becoming chair of the science department at the Lawrenceville School, and Tannwen, who majored in anthropology and worked in advancement at the University of California, Berkeley, developed an interest in viticulture on the West Coast.
Both felt the pull to return to the farm, where they each have houses and families of their own. “Farmers always tell you their children are their best crop, and we’re no different,” writes Gary in his memoir.
Reuwai is an environmental scientist who oversees the science of farming at Terhune. After three attempts at growing the apples organically, it was deemed unsustainable and IPM (integrated pest management) was implemented, using scientific tracking methods to minimize the need for pesticides. Tannwen, who introduced the Terhune Winery, is responsible for programming and marketing.
“Our model is to start small — the first tasting room opened in 2010 with six kinds of wine from 12 varieties of grapes so we could see what types of rootstocks would hold up with our soil in New Jersey winters,” she says. With temperature-controlled imported Italian tanks and state-of-the-art cooling systems, Terhune now
offers 18 kinds of wine, three of which are made from the farm’s apples. While the Barn Door Café (in a former hay loft that once housed a knitting shop) offers music and food on weekends and ice cream and lunch during the day, the Farm Store remains the backbone of the business.
Not only does the family grow more than 60 crops (threequarters of which are certified organic) on what is now 250 acres (all preserved farmland), providing sustainably grown produce direct to the consumer at the farm store as well as several farmers markets, Terhune Orchards is a destination for Pick Your Own fruits, berries, and flowers; live music; wine tastings; a variety of festivals; and family and educational programs. The farm estimates it receives 700,000 visitors a year.
At this writing, the Handsome Molly Dancers were wassailing the apples, a decades-old Terhune tradition inspired by the ancient British custom of making noise on drums, whistles, bells and clackers to drive away spirits until the next year’s apples return.
“I try to be creative in planning fun things for people to do in the winter,” says Pam.
In addition to keeping the spirits away, the apples are preserved in what Tannwen describes as the only controlled atmosphere storage in New Jersey for keeping apples crunchy all year. Though it looks rustic outside, solar panels produce enough power to support the high-tech controlled storage.
And yet it’s important that the farm look like a farm, and the red peg-and-beam barns all built by Amish builders have the same historic roof lines.
Perhaps one of Terhune’s best business strategies was to introduce sweet treats. Adults who grew up visiting Terhune as children remember it for the cider slushies, pies, and baked goods, and those amazing cider donuts (introduced by Gary in 1989). The apple crisp recipe comes from Gary’s mother.
The cider is made from smaller apples than those sold for eating, and is the basis for several of Terhune’s wines. In addition, there is apple salsa, apple sauce, and apple bread, assuring that everything is put to good use.
All of the products from the bakery are like those your grandmother used to make but you might not have time to bake now, notes Pam. “This is what people miss and why they come to a country store like this.”
There are three full-time bakers responsible for the pies sold each year, 10,000 at Thanksgiving alone. (Sorry folks, Pam can’t bake all those pies herself!)
Aerial photograph of the farm in 1975.
Aerial photograph of Terhune Orchards in 2023.
COLDSOILROAD
Everyone has a story about Terhune, often about coming to the farm during a low point in their lives and finding renewal in the vistas, feeding the animals, picking apples, smelling basil or fresh baked pies, and yes, the donuts. Tannwen and Pam say hardly a day goes by where they don’t hear affectionate stories from visitors who span the generations.
Terhune survived the pandemic, thanks to a full-scale effort to meet the demands of the community. In a week’s time they put the entire store’s stock onto an online platform with curbside pickup and local delivery. In fact, the measures were so successful that they needed to hire additional staff to meet the demand. “It was more important than ever to buy local and know where your food was coming from,” says Tannwen. “We wanted to continue to make sure the community could eat healthy produce, and we remained open every day.”
When restrictions eased up somewhat, a tent and a pavilion were installed outside the Farm Store so shoppers could be accommodated in the open air. “Creativity has kept the business going,” Tannwen adds.
to the stories about them in the quarterly newsletter Terhune distributes through area newspapers and also mails and emails to residents. These include Gary’s genial accounts of agricultural practices.
Staff fluctuates seasonally, with about 35 year-round and double that during the growing season.
Today, six of the Mount grandchildren, ages 10 to 20, are actively involved in the farm, as are cousins of Tannwen and Reuwai. If the family is well known to the community, it’s thanks
Tannwen describes the “Apple Corps” philosophy: “People here work as a team, there are no titles or hierarchy. We try to bring in new, young people.”
One staffer just retired after 32 years of service and still comes back as a tour guide.
Pam and Gary are known for their civic engagement — Pam served for 12 years on the Lawrence Township Council, part of that time as mayor. She recounts how her responsibilities included officiating at weddings. After a busy day working in the farm store, she’d clean up, perform the ceremony, then change back into her farm clothes and return to farming. And yet it was never exhausting. “It was easy — I didn’t have to ride the train into New York.”
In 2006 Gov. Jon Corzine appointed her to the Clean Air Council. She helped establish Farmers Against Hunger and played a key role in creating Sustainable Jersey. Pam’s additional commitments would fill a book.
VAN KIRK ROAD
SHIPETAUKEN WOODS
Gary Mount pruning fruit trees.
Terhune Orchards site map.
Vineyards
Fruit trees
Vegetables at Van Kirk Road farm.
Tannwen and Reuwai at the winery.
Wine grape harvest.
Building the winery.
Gary has held leadership roles with Howell Living History Farm, the Watershed Institute, Mercer County Board of Agriculture, the Trenton Farmers Market, and the New Jersey Farm Bureau, among many others. Both Pam and Gary are recipients of numerous awards from Outstanding Fruit Grower and Apple Grower of the Year to Outstanding Small Business and Jersey Fresh Farm to School Farmer.
“Being engaged in our towns, in efforts to improve our environment — it’s who they are,” says Tannwen.
As for the art career that began while Pam was in college, she says she never put it on a backburner. She applied her sense of color to the garden, what she calls painting without a brush, and she curates the
exhibitions at the gallery on the farm.
For Tannwen and her sister, it’s been a remarkable ride.
As kids their job was to pick the flowers from Pam’s flower garden that would be sold in the store. “I had my own plot,” says Tannwen. “I’m proud that I can show my kids that their family established this special place.”
“When you have a small farm, it gives the family something they can do together,” says Pam. Among her fondest memories are her daughters and niece’s weddings on the farm, and having her family of 25 gathered around the table for the holidays.
“I have had the perfect life,” says Gary, as related by Tannwen. “I love what I do every day.”
The Mount family gathering in 2023.
Gary and Pam Mount at a Peace Corps reunion.
Aerial of Terhune Orchards.
50 Years of Sustainable Farming
50 Years of Sustainable Farming
1975
Pam and Gary Mount purchased Terhune Orchards, the home farm of 55 acres on Cold Soil Road
Pam and Gary Mount purchased Terhune Orchards, the home farm of 55 acres on Cold Soil Road
Purchased property at 13 Van Kirk Road
Purchased property at 13 Van Kirk Road
“Pick Your Own” apple orchard at 13 Van Kirk Road opened 1989
“Pick Your Own” apple orchard at 13 Van Kirk Road opened
Bakery opened — apple cider donuts began
Bakery opened — apple cider donuts began
Purchased 65-acre property at 42 Van Kirk Road
Purchased
property
Became certified organic and started organic vegetable production
Became certified organic and started organic vegetable production
Started Read & Pick education programs and expanded farm festivals
12 varieties of grapes planted
Started Read & Pick education programs and expanded farm festivals
12 varieties of grapes planted
New barn built with controlled atmosphere storage rooms and solar panels
New barn built with controlled atmosphere storage rooms and solar panels
First vintage bottled and tasting room opened
First vintage bottled and tasting room opened
New winery building opened for wine processing and events
New winery building opened for wine processing and events
Purchased 32 Van Kirk Road with about 35 acres of farmable land
Purchased 32 Van Kirk Road with about 35 acres of farmable land
Farm store renovation completed
Farm store renovation completed
Timeline courtesy of Terhune Orchards.
The Great Gatsby turns 100
From its Roots at Princeton University to Broadway Musical
BY DONALD H. SANBORN III
Jeremy Jordan as Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby. (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
First published by Charles Scribner’s Sons on April 10, 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age classic The Great Gatsby turns 100 this spring. In advance of the centennial, Fitzgerald and the novel have received renewed attention, having been the subjects, respectively, of a new volume of biographies and at least two musicals — one of which is enjoying a successful run on Broadway.
The Great Gatsby centers on narrator Nick Carraway’s encounters with the mysterious, slightly crooked nouveau riche millionaire Jay Gatsby. Nick finds himself involved in Gatsby’s plans to win back his lost love, Daisy, a debutante who is Nick’s cousin. Daisy rejected Gatsby when they were younger, because of the latter’s poverty at that time. Instead, Daisy chose the imperious, conservative socialite Tom Buchannan.
Other characters include Daisy’s friend (and Nick’s girlfriend) Jordan Baker, an acerbic golfer; garage owner and mechanic George B. Wilson, who is manipulated by Tom into taking the action that leads to the plot’s conclusion; and George’s wife Myrtle, whose disappointment in her marriage leads to an affair with Tom.
The novel has roots in the time that Fitzgerald (1896-1940) spent at Princeton University, which he attended from 1913-1917. As a student, the aspiring author wrote for the Triangle Club, the Princeton Tiger, and Nassau Literary Review.
A COMPOSITE BIOGRAPHY
Fitzgerald’s time at Princeton is covered in multiple chapters of F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Composite Biography (University of Minnesota Press, 2024). Edited by Niklas Salmose and David Rennie, the volume compiles the work of multiple biographers.
Salmose explains that he and Rennie divided Fitzgerald’s “life into two-year segments,” and offered each segment to a Fitzgerald scholar. “What we were hoping for was that this process would unpack some things about Fitzgerald — maybe not unknown, but things that are not emphasized in traditional biography, which tends to focus on major events.”
During his sophomore year, Fitzgerald returned home to Saint Paul, Minn., during Christmas break. There, he met and fell in love with Ginevra King. The Chicago socialite became the basis for several of Fitzgerald’s characters — particularly Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship mirrors Fitzgerald’s courtship of King. Prefiguring a line in the novel, King’s father disdainfully told Fitzgerald, “Poor boys shouldn’t think of marrying rich girls.” (Eventually King married a wealthy Chicago businessman, and Fitzgerald married Zelda Sayre.)
(Courtesy of University of Minnesota Press)
Ronald Berman covers the period from 19121913, which coincides with Fitzgerald’s first year at Princeton University. According to Salmose, Berman examines the “educational situation in the U.S.” at that time, as well as “Fitzgerald’s academic failures at Princeton.”
Rennie’s chapter on 1914-1915 examines the young Fitzgerald’s athletic aspirations. Fitzgerald tried out for the University’s “football team and failed,” Salmose points out, adding that failure is a theme in “a lot of Fitzgerald writing. But he liked other sports too.” Attributing Fitzgerald’s athletic interests to his years at Princeton, Salmose notes that the character of Jordan Baker is a golfer.
Covering 1916-1917, James L.W. West III examines the “love story between Fitzgerald and Ginevra King,” Salmose
says. “Although she lived in Chicago, she came to visit him at Princeton several times. Love, as a theme — especially failed love — an idealization of woman that came of his story with Ginevra, has been hugely influential in his characterization of femininity.” Salmose includes as examples Rosalind in This Side of Paradise and Daisy in The Great Gatsby . Noting Fitzgerald’s participation in the Triangle Club, Salmose observes, “He learned a lot of his literary craft through thinking about theater. That’s why I think it is interesting that later in life he failed so completely in translating his literary competence into drama.” He points to the unsuccessful 1923 play The Vegetable , and “his failure as a screenwriter in Hollywood, which you would think he would be apt for. I think it says something about the difficulties he had in translating literary prose to other media forms. He was destined to be a prose writer.”
SO WE READ ON
In a 2015 interview with NJ.com, Maureen Corrigan — author of So We Read On: How “The Great Gatsby” Came to Be and Why It Endures (Little, Brown and Company, 2014) — contemplates ways in which Fitzgerald’s student days inspired the novel: “Fitzgerald threw himself into the theater at Princeton,” she says. “While he wasn’t a successful playwright, many scholars of ‘Gatsby,’ including myself, point out that Fitzgerald’s greatest novel
is graced with a tight dramatic structure: every chapter revolves around a party of some sort, from the dinner party at the Buchanans in Chapter One to Gatsby’s poorly attended funeral at the conclusion.”
Speaking with me over Zoom, Corrigan, who is the book critic for NPR’s Fresh Air, elaborates, “These gatherings are inherently dramatic — you have people talking, you have conflict, and I think that’s indebted to the work that Fitzgerald did in theater.” She points to the “compactness of how he nails emotions, and presents so much through dialogue.” She adds that Fitzgerald “knew how to pack a lot into a few phrases.”
what he wrote. Getting that affirmation from the audience must have been good for him, because he was somebody who needed to be told, ‘You’re worthwhile.’”
Corrigan observes that Fitzgerald’s time at Princeton University must have developed his skills by forcing him “to write on deadline. He wrote a lot of plays in a short period of time.” She also considers the “fact that he was writing knowing there would be an audience for
In the course of researching her book, Corrigan spent a week visiting the Princeton University Library to examine the F. Scott Fitzgerald papers. Asked about the impressions left by this experience, Corrigan replies, “I was working on a tight deadline for this book. Every day, I arrived at Firestone Library the minute it opened, and I stayed until it closed.” She enthuses about perusing Fitzgerald’s letters, “some of which I hadn’t seen before; I loved having Fitzgerald’s voice in my head for hours at a time every day.”
The library’s collection includes Francis Cugat’s painting for the iconic cover of The Great Gatsby . Corrigan says that the original is “infinitely weirder than you can guess from looking at the book jacket cover … there are numbers floating in the night sky. It’s a strange and captivating painting; no wonder
Maureen Corrigan (Photo by Nina Subin)
Charlotte MacInnes (Daisy), Isaac Powell (Gatsby), and ensemble members in the American Repertory Theater world premiere of Gatsby . ( Photo by Julieta Cervantes )
Francis Cugat, Celestial Eyes, The Great Gatsby cover 1925.
Fitzgerald wanted it. Ernest Hemingway said that it looked like the cover for a bad sci-fi novel. He was so terrible; I think he was jealous, as usual!”
“I really felt so privileged to be in this almost sacred space, where so much of Fitzgerald is gathered in one place,” says Corrigan. “That’s thanks to Scottie Fitzgerald, who was determined to keep those manuscripts together, as well as many of her father’s letters. She could have sold them off to private collectors; any of us who care about Fitzgerald are indebted to her for keeping that treasure trove intact.”
GATSBY : AN AMERICAN MYTH
Corrigan is working as a literary consultant to the creators of a musical, Gatsby: An American Myth . The show has a book by Pulitzer Prize in Drama winner Martyna Majok, a Hodder Fellow at the Lewis Center for the Arts.
The musical’s lyrics are by singersongwriter Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, and the music is by Welch and Thomas Bartlett. Gatsby: An American Myth premiered in June 2024 at American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Conn.
On March 31 at 6:30 p.m. Majok will participate in a Lewis Center for the Arts panel discussion, “The Greatness of Gatsby.” It will take place at the Chancellor Green Library rotunda.
Majok reveres the novel. She considers The Great Gatsby to be “our great American myth, in the way of the ancient Greeks. To me it is the most moving and honest translation of the American soul. It’s a clear-eyed, but still hopeful, compassionate look at the American mentality. The dream is beautiful — that you can achieve the glory of this world with hard work — though the means by which many have pursued it has been devastatingly destructive. But the dream itself is beautiful.”
Asked how she describes the titular “myth,” Majok replies, “It’s the American Dream itself; that if you just work hard enough, certainly you’ll be able to achieve these great heights — the promise of an
Martyna Majok (Photo by Josiah Bania)
Cory Jeacoma (Tom), Solea Pfeiffer (Myrtle), and members of the company in the American Repertory Theater world premiere of Gatsby ( Photo by Julieta Cervantes )
Ben Levi Ross (Nick) and ensemble in the American Repertory Theater world premiere of Gatsby (Photo by Julieta Cervantes)
ethos of ‘it’s all within your grasp.’ But as an immigrant who came from a workingclass world, I’ve seen people work really hard and not be able to achieve that dream, and then internalize this toxic shame that makes them feel, ‘What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I achieve what they’re promising I should be able to?’ We [as a culture] are vocal about the possibilities and the dream, but not so much about limitations, and obstacles. We don’t all start off at the same level … with the same resources.”
She recalls the challenge of dramatizing the novel, especially given its use of narration. “How do you make it dramatic and propulsive, while still retaining that beauty of language, and transcendent opinion of the world?”
Majok asks rhetorically, adding that the collaborators are interested in investigating the novel as a “memory play” from Nick’s viewpoint.
“ART was our first production — we learned a lot from it,” says Majok. “This idea of Nick as both guide and seeker,
within and without the narrative, is moving to me. He holds the memory of Gatsby. Nick starts the story in the wake of grief for a man who essentially reawakened his belief in living.”
Majok continues, “When I first reread the novel and realized it was set four years after the end of a world war and a pandemic that collectively killed a third of the world, I found my first emotional entry point. Nick finds in Gatsby something that awakens his faith in life and wonder, after witnessing horrific
Noah J. Ricketts, Samantha Pauly, and the cast of The Great Gatsby. (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
Eric Anderson (center) and cast in The Great Gatsby. (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
Noah J. Ricketts, Sara Chase, and John Zdrojeski in The Great Gatsby. (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
death and destruction. And then that wonder, too, is destroyed.”
She adds, “I think of The Glass Menagerie as a way that we dramatically host memory on stage. To me, Nick is trying to piece memories back together — literally and dramatically ‘re-membering’ the past to try to understand how the world could kill something so beautiful.”
“Gatsby resonates for me so much, as somebody who just never feels that he’s enough, who’s always looking over his shoulder for when someone’s going to take the thing that he worked for,” Majok says. “Things that he ultimately achieved by shady means, by the way, after failing to get them the honest way — he went to school, he was a janitor while he was at school, he did manual labor. All of these things didn’t do it. He couldn’t get to a safe financial place until he turned to crime — which is also a very American story.”
Corrigan observes that in Gatsby: An American Myth the “female characters are given their own selfhood, especially the character of Myrtle. She’s given a backstory that’s hinted at in the novel, but isn’t really developed. You start to feel for Myrtle in a way that the novel doesn’t
quite allow us to do, because Nick doesn’t know what to make of her.”
THE BROADWAY MUSICAL
Expanding the roles of the female characters also is a priority of another musical adaptation of The Great Gatsby . This show has a book by Kait Kerrigan, lyrics by Nathan Tysen, and music by Jason Howland. Following its successful 2023 premiere at the Paper Mill Playhouse, it opened in 2024 at the Broadway Theatre, where it currently is running.
“I wanted to make sure that if you loved the novel, there would be a place for you to enjoy the things that you loved about the novel,” Kerrigan says. “The thing that I don’t think translates well onto stage is the narration — because by and large, it’s static; it’s not moving the story forward, it’s moving one character’s emotional journey forward.”
the story into something that works on the stage, you have to dive in a little deeper with the other characters — which for me was an opportunity to get into the heads of the female characters,” She points to a scene, invented by the collaborators, in which Daisy and Jordan play golf together.
“I wanted there to be a moment where two female characters were on stage, talking about being a woman in the 1920s, which felt like something that was a radical moment in the history of America; and a dichotomy — of suddenly feeling a sense of freedom, and also feeling the constraints of the world that you’re living inside of, more than you’ve ever felt them before.”
Kerrigan elaborates, “In order to grow
She suggests that in the novel, even a male character such as Gatsby is “a bit of a cipher; he needs to be for the novel to work. It’s all about the mystery of Gatsby. While we wanted to retain enough of the mystery, we also wanted to get into the
Nathan Tysen and Kait Kerrigan. (Photo by Justin Patterson)
Samantha Pauly (center) and cast in The Great Gatsby. (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman )
psyche of this person who drives the plot. Nick doesn’t drive the plot of the story; he drives the emotional arc of the story. The plot is driven by Gatsby, who wants something very badly. In order to watch that on stage, it’s helpful to get in the psyche of that person, and understand him better.”
Tysen describes Howland’s music as a “jazz-influenced contemporary pop score. The 1920s music and dance, at that time, was new … dangerous and edgy. We wanted to explore what that means for today. We wanted to lean into the music of the time, but not let it feel like a museum piece. There’s a big nod to big band, jazz, and blues from New Orleans — but our horn section is more Bruno Mars, less Benny Goodman.”
He adds, “For the diegetic party songs, I looked at a lot of Cole Porter; I used more internal rhyme than I typically do in my writing, fully embracing the wordplay. For the internal moments, we leaned into story and universal emotions, wanting the songs to feel less locked into the period, and hopefully more timeless.”
Describing the creators’ collaboration with Director Marc Bruni, Tysen relates that the song “Secondhand Suit” originally was to be “sung in a car by Myrtle as Tom drives her to his secret apartment. Marc said, ‘Cars on stage ... are a challenge, because there’s nowhere for anyone to go. The stage can feel static.’ He asked, ‘Can there be a second location that we visit within the song that justifies some dance?’ We found one, and it transformed the song into an exciting production number for the middle of Act One.”
AT 100, “WHAT MAKES GATSBY GREAT?”
In So We Read On Corrigan rhetorically asks, “What makes Gatsby Great?” Now that the novel has reached its centennial, the question merits revisiting.
Asked how she would answer the question 10 years after posing it, Corrigan offers, Gatsby gives us the American myth, the American Dream, of meritocracy. It makes the dream irresistible, believes in that dream — and simultaneously undermines it. It’s a complex, nuanced, exploration of the promise of America.”
She adds, “Fitzgerald writes about the American Dream in language that’s so
gorgeous, you can’t resist it. And yet, when you think about the plot, the fact that the main dreamer — Jay Gatsby — lies dead in his swimming pool by the end of the novel, you realize, ‘wait a minute, something else is going on here, as well. It’s not just a celebration; it’s also a radical criticism of the American myth of the meritocracy.”
Majok says, “I think Fitzgerald understood us as Americans. I feel deeply seen, as an immigrant, in this book. Fitzgerald had a clear-eyed view of who we were, who we are, and who we’re potentially becoming.” She describes the story as “our national myth.”
She likens her mother, who “cleaned houses and worked in factories when we first came to America,” to George Wilson, “who worked hard but just wasn’t considered enough. He gave his finite life to honest work that wasn’t valued. I dare anyone to look at my mother’s broken immigrant body and tell me ‘she just didn’t work hard enough’ at pursuing her dreams.”
“To me, there is so much of the immigrant in Gatsby, as somebody who has to change his name, change the way he looks — to present desirably to a dominant culture, to be able to move up in the ways that he has,” Majok adds. “Some Americans don’t have to make that choice, but some feel they do to be able to ‘make it.’ Some have to aim to be exceptional, just to be safe.”
Describing the story and show as both “emotional and spectacular,” Tysen quotes
a remark by Kerrigan, who says that the story is “An American tragedy, disguised as the best party you’ve ever seen.”
Kerrigan observes similarities between Fitzgerald’s time and ours. In addition to “a moment of profound change when it comes to technology,” she finds a parallel between the Spanish Flu (of 2018) and COVID-19. “There’s so much possibility, but also so much uncertainty. That’s something that the book really dives into … and captures a moment that feels deeply American, and deeply connected to the era that we’re living in right now — while also being far enough away that you can process it.”
She adds that Fitzgerald “was shaped by his experiences at Princeton — experiences connected to class. This is a story that is ultimately about class. One of the reasons that we cast the show in the way that we cast it was because the story of class is something that affects all races, and all genders.”
Kerrigan is pleased to add that publisher “Charles Scribner’s grandson, who is now the head of Scriber’s, saw the show and was excited to know that it was funny! There’s a tragedy at the end, but it’s all the more tragic because you’ve been laughing and feeling connected to these characters.”
Salmose reports that he and Rennie are at work on a new project due later this year: Gatsby at 100 (University of Minnesota Press). “This is a book that covers each chapter of The Great Gatsby with essays by different authors,” promises Salmose. “The point of this book is to think exactly, ‘What is Gatsby at 100 years, and why is it still engaging? Why is it still being taught in undergraduate classes?”
He says, “I think there are several things working here. One thing is the mixture of universal and historical (which I think is always successful). People are embedded in the Jazz Age … we like to be transported in that way, to a particular time.” But he notes that much of the novel’s themes are “universal — striving for idealism, dreaming of success, gaming a particular goal, excess in capitalism, and racial issues.”
Salmose concludes that The Great Gatsby is “both a time machine back, but also a time machine propelling itself in the future.”
(Courtesy of Hachette Book Group)
Stay Vigilant Amid Potential Tax Law Changes
The 2017 Tax Act (often called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or TCJA) reduced tax rates, expanded exemptions and modified deductions for individuals, estates and corporations, benefiting approximately 80% of U.S. taxpayers. Some changes were permanent, but most are set to expire (sunset) on December 31, 2025. The Trump administration is focused on extending the TCJA before it expires, but it requires an act of Congress. Until a new law is enacted, it’s prudent to proceed with estate, tax and financial planning as if the 2025 sunset will occur.
Extension Raises Budget Considerations
The 10-year estimated cost to fully extend the TCJA and additional tax policy proposals (eliminating the state and local tax, or SALT cap, taxation of overtime pay, tip income and Social Security benefits, and introducing an auto loan interest deduction) exceeds $10 trillion, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. For example:
• The expanded brackets and elimination of the top individual income tax rate of 39.6% — estimated cost $2.2 trillion.
• The expanded alternative minimum tax (AMT) exemption and increased phase-out level — $1.5 trillion. Interestingly, it has reduced the number of individuals paying AMT from more than 5 million in 2016 to fewer than 200,000 in 2023 (and jumping to over 8 million in 2026, if it expires).
• The doubled estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax exemptions of $10 million, annually indexed for inflation ($13.99 million in 2025) — $200 billion.
• Elimination of the SALT cap — $1.2 trillion.
Possible Challenges to Full Extension
There are several possible barriers to extending the provisions:
• Political hurdles — A small coalition of GOP senators could oppose a comprehensive extension, as 53 Republican Senate seats require near-unanimous support within the party. An even smaller majority in the House (currently 218 Republicans, 215 Democrats and 2 vacancies, with one Republican seat to be vacated if the holder is confirmed as an ambassador). Two (or perhaps even one) representative defections could thwart passage.
• Deficit concerns — Some GOP leaders have expressed reservations about increasing the federal deficit beyond a certain point.
• Recent legislative trends — A potential lack of party uniformity could be an obstacle for a unified tax extension bill, as seen in the recent continuing resolution battle.
The Likelihood of Budget Reconciliation
President Trump has emphasized his intent to pursue comprehensive tax policies and his top domestic priorities in a single bill. Thus, it’s likely that a bill will arrive before the Tax Act provisions expire. However, if voting on such a bill proceeded along party lines, Republicans would fall short of the 60 votes required to stop a Senate filibuster, so the only way to extend the provisions would be budget reconciliation.
The budget reconciliation process allows legislation to pass the Senate with only 51 votes, but it must first be called for in a concurrent budget resolution passed by both the House and Senate. A budget resolution gives reconciliation instructions as to spending and debt limits, and a deadline of legislation. Importantly, laws passed via reconciliation must either offset tax cuts with revenue or limit deficits to a specified budget window, typically 10 years.
Potential Outcomes and Recommendations
Full extension of the TCJA plus the other tax policies noted above are costly, so there is a likelihood that instead Congress may pass a shortened (e.g., five-year), partial extension with an increase in, but not elimination of, the SALT cap.
Delaying planning expecting a new law introduces significant risks. Legislative changes may be delayed beyond expectations, exclude key provisions or fail to materialize entirely. Thus, we advise proceeding with estate, tax and financial planning as if the 2025 sunset will occur, but you should discuss tax planning opportunities with your wealth advisor throughout the year so you can be prepared regardless of Congressional action.
Contact Paul Gaudio at 609-430-3116 or Paul.Gaudio@glenmede.com to further discuss the impact of 2025 tax policy possibilities.
This article is provided solely for informational purposes and is not intended to provide financial, investment, tax, legal or other advice. It contains information and opinions which may change after the date of publication. The author takes sole responsibility for the views expressed herein and these views do not necessarily reflect the views of the author’s employer or any other organization, group or individual. Information obtained from third-party sources is assumed to be reliable but may not be independently verified, and the accuracy thereof is not guaranteed. No outcome, including performance or tax consequences, is guaranteed, due to various risks and uncertainties. Readers should consult with their own financial, tax, legal or other advisors to seek advice on their individual circumstances.
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Paul J. Gaudio, CFP®, ChFC is a Wealth Planner in Glenmede’s Princeton office.
Spotlight Q&A with Doug Edwards, President of Exact Solar
Interview by Laurie Pellichero
What is the history of Exact Solar, and what areas do you serve?
Exact Solar is a locally owned solar installation company serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware since 2005. We were founded before solar was a household term, specializing in solar pool and water heating. As solar technology changed through the years, so did we. Today, we have 50 in-house employees and have installed over 2,500 solar systems locally.
What are the benefits of going solar?
Going solar means investing in energy independence and longterm savings. Rather than being at the mercy of rising electricity costs, you can generate your own power and sell excess back to the grid through net metering. Homeowners and businesses can also earn money through Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs).
With the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), homeowners can claim a 30 percent federal tax credit, and businesses may qualify for even more incentive. Solar can also increase property values and attract buyers looking for homes with lower energy costs.
Solar energy also contributes to a healthier environment by reducing carbon emissions. For businesses, going solar demonstrates commitment to sustainability, appealing to an eco-conscious audience.
Not every property is a perfect fit for solar, but it’s worth exploring. Exact Solar offers free consultations and can even provide preliminary estimates remotely.
options to ensure you can take advantage these savings while they are still available.
What sets your company apart from other solar energy providers?
Choosing the right installer is a critical step in your solar journey. Over our 20 years in business, we’ve seen many solar companies come and go. It’s essential to understand what to look for in an installer.
Why should homeowners and businesses consider Exact Solar now?
This is the ideal time to explore solar due to high incentives from the IRA and favorable state-level policies. Homeowners can claim 30 percent of their project costs as a federal tax credit, and in New Jersey, SRECs provide additional financial incentives for 15 years. Net metering credits can also be earned for the system’s entire lifespan.
For businesses with projects under 1 Megawatt, eligible projects that meet certain criteria can also receive an additional 10 percent tax credit.
However, policies can always change, and no one knows for sure what will happen to federal incentives under the current administration. So, this is the ideal time to start exploring your
Exact Solar is a fully licensed and insured company with over 20 years of experience installing systems of all shapes and sizes. Unlike many companies, we don’t subcontract our work to third-party installers. This means you’ll work with the same team from start to finish, ensuring consistent communication, accountability, and a higher standard of service. We have built strong relationships with local utilities and know the permitting processes inside and out, ensuring a smooth installation. We use only trusted components that meet or exceed industry standards, ensuring your system is built to last. Our turnkey projects mean that we handle every detail from start to finish. We also offer industry-leading warranties on all our systems. Our solar panels are regularly ranked among the best by independent testing labs, giving you confidence that your investment is protected and performing at its best.
We genuinely care about our customers, and we strive to provide nothing less than exceptional service. From your initial consultation to installation, we take the time to guide you every step of the way with zero pressure, just education and support.
What is the next step consumers should take when considering Exact Solar?
The best way to determine if solar energy is right for you is to speak with our team. If you’re intrigued by some of the benefits I’ve mentioned today and want to explore your options, we’d love to provide you with a free consultation.
If you’re curious to learn more but not quite ready to start the process of going solar, visit exactsolar.com and take a look around! We have a portfolio of photos, solar tour videos, blog articles, case studies, and more. We’ll be here to help whenever you’re ready.
Doug Edwards
You own your home. It’s time to own your power.
If you’ve been feeling the pinch of higher energy bills, it’s not your imagination.
Energy costs across New Jersey are expected to rise by 20% or more this year due to utility rate hikes and increased regional electricity expenses. Utilities, including PSE&G, are passing these costs directly onto their customers. You don’t have to continue paying skyrocketing electric bills that double or triple over time.
With solar, you can stabilize your energy costs, protect yourself from future price hikes, and even generate income from the energy your system produces!
Want to Learn More?
Scan the QR code to read an article from our team about upcoming energy rate increases and how solar can help.
Why Choose Exact Solar?
Locally owned and operated in Bucks County for over 20 years, we’ve built a reputation for quality and trust. Our dedicated in-house team ensures every detail is handled with care—no subcontractors, no surprises.
With over 2,500 solar installations in our community, our experience speaks for itself.
Stay ahead of the curve and drive your business forward with solar energy. As utility costs continue to rise, solar is a smart investment that can help lower your operating expenses and protect your bottom line. For car dealerships, solar is more than just a way to save—it’s an opportunity to position your business as a leader in sustainability and innovation.
Proudly recognized with awards such as "Philly's Favorite Solar Installer" by the Philadelphia Inquirer and "Best of the Region" by the Bucks County Herald.
At Exact Solar, we understand that every business is unique. We’re here to help you navigate the possibilities and design a system that supports your dealership’s energy needs for years to come.
MILESTONES FOR MILANOV
The Music Director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra Marks His 15th Year on the Podium and His 60th Birthday
BY ANNE LEVIN
Eighteen years ago, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra ‘s (PSO) longtime Music Director Mark Laycock announced he was departing following a dispute over his contract. A search committee was quickly put together, and the hunt for a new music director began.
On the committee were the PSO’s then-Executive Director Melanie Clarke, former Westminster Choir College Dean Robert Annis, four musicians, and several members of the PSO Board of Trustees. They gave themselves a year to try out guest conductors who were invited to lead the orchestra on different programs.
Meanwhile, Laycock was scheduled to conduct a concert at Princeton University’s Richardson Auditorium that April. But a month before the date, he opted out. The PSO needed someone to step up to the podium — in a hurry.
A friend of Clarke’s who was a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra suggested that Rossen Milanov, then associate conductor with that esteemed ensemble, might be interested. Although Milanov was not among the 200 people who had applied for the PSO music director position, he agreed to take on the upcoming concert. He spent a week with the musicians before conducting them in a sold-out program of Mozart, Beethoven, and Prokofiev.
It all went well — so well that the search committee asked Milanov to join the list of candidates for the music director position.
Milanov wasn’t sure if he was interested in a full-time gig, but he knew that something special had transpired in Princeton between him, the musicians, and the audience. He agreed to become a candidate, one of five in the final round. When he was offered the job in 2009, he accepted.
Thus began a harmonious, long-term relationship that is being celebrated this season as Milanov marks two milestones: turning 60 and leading the PSO since the 2009-2010 season. Officially known as the PSO’s Edward T. Cone Music Director (Cone was a composer and philanthropist who was on the orchestra’s original board of trustees), Milanov is also the music director of the Columbus Symphony and the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, and he appears nationally and internationally with several other orchestras.
Looking back on his history in Princeton, he is grateful that he made the decision to take the job.
“It was a very dynamic time in my career,” he says. I was with the Philadelphia Orchestra as associate conductor. I was also music director of the Mann Music Center at that time. Somehow, I thought that coming to Princeton was a lateral move, maybe not the right opportunity at the right time. But this was before I had the opportunity to work with the orchestra and get to know the community.”
Getting Milanov to accept the PSO’s offer took some persuading. Clarke laughs as she recalls acting like a groupie as part of her efforts.
“I went to many of his concerts,” she says. “I would show up at the stage door, bringing him messages from our committee.”
“I knew they were very much interested,” says Milanov. “Melanie was very persistent. She came to Philadelphia several times. I still joke with her about it. She’d say, ‘Look what I found
Photos courtesy of Princeton Symphony Orchestra Staff
in my trunk!’ and there would be five bottles of wonderful Italian wine, which she knew I would love.”
Though the committee was impressed by other applicants, there was something about Milanov that was different.
“We had a whole slew of conductors come, including [composer] Gunther Schuller,” Clarke says. “Another had just finished a term at the Boston Symphony. We liked several of them very much, but no one had that same gestalt that Rossen did. He is very warm. He has a natural humanity and cultural literacy, which helps musicians understand what he wants to bring out.”
The PSO was founded in 1980 by Portia Sonnenfeld, at the time also the director of the orchestra program at Princeton High School. It was originally a chamber ensemble known as the Little Orchestra of New Jersey. Under Laycock’s 22-year tenure, it grew into a full professional symphony orchestra.
and partnerships with local cultural organizations. In 2021, the orchestra merged with the Princeton Festival, making the annual summer series held in a tent on the grounds of Morven Museum and Garden an arm of the PSO.
“Programming is important, and Rossen is excellent at programming a variety of styles across the spectrum,” says violinist Basia Danilow, the PSO’s concertmaster. “There is a natural instinct to play Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Brahms — big Romantic things. But he brings some lesser-known materials to audiences and pairs them with classic things. All across the board, the programs are very wellthought-out, with attention to detail.”
Since Milanov took over, the focus has been on a mix of established, classical masterworks and newer music, frequently by living composers. The orchestra’s activities also include pops concerts, chamber music, educational programs,
A native of Bulgaria, Milanov started his musical education at an early age. While there were no musicians in his family, they recognized that he had talent. He loved to sing. He studied violin and oboe. He also took the advice of some of his teachers and started learning how to read musical scores.
“One teacher would give me LPs to listen to. I’d follow the scores while I listened,” Milanov says. “He’d send me back with another pack of 10 LPs. So I had this
Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov and former PSO Executive Director Melanie Clarke looked back at some of their favorite moments together at a PSO Soundtracks event in January, at Princeton Public Library.
The PSO started 2025 with a weekend of celebrations for Milanov’s birthday. Close friend and collaborator Leila Josefowicz was the violin soloist for Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto. The orchestra also played Tchaikovsky’s rarely performed “Manfred” symphony.
Milanov leads the PSO and violinist Leila Josefowicz at the first of two concerts marking his 60th birthday.
Violinist Leila Josefowicz, a frequent collaborator with Milanov, was the soloist in Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto at the PSO’s January concerts marking the maestro’s 60th birthday.
incredible opportunity to be mentored by people who understood that this was the most natural way of guiding a child to its path for music.”
After two years of compulsory military service, Milanov resumed his musical studies in Sofia, graduating in 1990 with a combined degree in oboe performance, orchestra conducting, and musical theory. Then, the Iron Curtain fell.
“Everything changed. That entire world we knew, built under a different political system, where everything was provided free of charge, completely disappeared,” he says. “The dilemma for me was of whether to stay there or continue my education elsewhere. That’s how I arrived in the U.S. I was fortunate to get a full scholarship to Duquesne University through a Bulgarian connection there.”
Next came studies at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, and the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Mass. Milanov’s 11-year tenure with the Philadelphia Orchestra included more than 200 performances, and a 17-year association with the New Symphony Orchestra in his native Sofia concluded in 2013.
When Milanov took over the PSO, the orchestra was performing five times a year at Richardson Auditorium, with only one concert each program. The number of performances has since been expanded to two. Concert tickets include informative talks, which many patrons attend.
“The audience in Princeton has always been very stimulating and inspiring for me to program, because this is not your average audience,” says Milanov. “They are incredibly informed about what they are about to hear. It was difficult but easy at the same time. If you want to hear the top 25 pieces of the orchestra repertoire, you can hear them in Philadelphia or New York, by bigger orchestras. But my goal has always been to curate in a boutique way. I like to include something familiar, mixed with something new for the audience. It has been my credo for 15 years.”
Danilow, who shares Milanov’s Slavic heritage, has also worked
with him as part of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in New York. She was on the PSO’s search committee when he was offered the job.
“We did an extensive search, and it was quite an immediate click,” she says. “Rossen’s style of music-making, his ability to evoke what he needs out of an orchestra — he is a very warm, passionate individual who helps people to want to play their best.”
Clarke concurs. “Rossen is very creative in his programming,” she says. “Because he performs internationally and at a very high level, he has relationships with amazing artists. There are conductors guest artists immediately fall into sync with, who raise the bar for them. People find performing with him to be an artistically satisfying experience.”
Milanov is proud of the innovative programs he has curated.
“We had a season before it became fashionable to do all-women composers. A few years later everybody did it,” he says.
Among the guest artists who have performed with the orchestra are soprano Angel Blue, cellist Pablo Fernandez, and violinist Leila Josefowicz, who appeared on the program celebrating the conductor’s 60th birthday this past January. Acclaimed soprano Renée Fleming is scheduled to open this summer’s Princeton Festival on June 7.
“He has lent a sense of ambition to the orchestra that we could really make a name for us by programming and the kinds of collaborations we would do,” says Clarke. “We’re regional orchestra, yes, but one that is now recognized for its distinctive artistry and programming.”
Milanov returns the compliment.
“I have been professionally at my happiest when I have the opportunity to work with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, now for 15 years,” he says. “It is my dream of what a small, original orchestra could be. And I cherish how important it has been with the connections in the community. It has been great to become of a member of the Princeton circle at large, even though I live in Philadelphia. Princeton seems to be like my second home every time I go there.”
Milanov was presented with an enormous bouquet of roses by PSO Executive Director Mark Uys at the concert celebrating his 60th birthday.
PSO’s second concert of the current season opened with 2023 Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Abels’ “More Seasons,” a remix inspired by Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” It was programmed with Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1 and Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, which was played by, from left, pianist Steven Beck, cellist Alistair MacRae, and violinist Basia Danilow.
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FROM FITZGERALD TO STELLA
Celebrating Cover Art with Princeton Connections
BY STUART MITCHNER
When The Great Gatsby marks its centenary this year, Francis Cugat’s cover design should share the renown that has placed Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald’s novel at or near the top of The Modern Library’s list of the 100 Greatest Novels of the 20th Century.
The visual excitement of Cugat’s Gatsby (1925) is a striking departure from the bland, dated covers of Fitzgerald’s previous novels, This Side of Paradise (1920) and The Beautiful and the Damned (1922). While the jacket image for his story collection Tales of the Jazz Age (1922), by fashionable magazine artist John Held Jr., creates a cute, cartoonish
take on the Roaring Twenties, it appears faded and quaint next to Cugat’s vision, which transcends the period, occupying a realm of art all its own. On top of that, it’s likely that Cugat’s cover design actually influenced Fitzgerald’s visual conception of the crucial Valley of Ashes passage in Chapter Two, as implied in Fitzgerald’s 1924 letter asking his editor Max Perkins not to give anyone “that jacket you’re saving for me” because “I’ve written it into the book.”
The watchful despairing eyes in Cugat’s image evoke Gatsby’s inspiration, his love and his doom, Daisy Fay Buchanan, “whose disembodied face floated along the dark cornices and blinding signs.... sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth.” It isn’t just that Cugat has evoked one of the visions haunting the heart of the novel, he’s found a way to visualize Daisy as Gatsby imagines her — the “colossal vitality of his illusion” that “had gone beyond her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way.”
CUGAT’S FEE
For reading Fitzgerald’s mind (and Gatsby’s dream) with imagery true to the poetry that
illuminates the novel, Scribner’s paid Cugat $100. Not much is known about the artist except that he was born in Barcelona in 1893, the older brother of bandleader Xavier Cugat; that in 1925 he moved to Hollywood, where he designed sets for Douglas Fairbanks movies like The Gaucho (1927); and that he was credited for technical contributions to 68 films, including Frank Borzage’s I’ve Always Loved You (1946) and John Ford’s The Quiet Man . The original gouache artwork Cugat called Celestial Eyes belongs to Fitzgerald’s alma mater Princeton University, where it is preserved in Firestone Library’s Graphic Arts Collection.
REMEMBERING FRANK STELLA
Any celebration of cover art with Princeton connections originating with Fitzgerald (Class of 1917, no degree)
almost inevitably becomes a celebration of the graphic work of Princeton graduate Frank Stella (Class of 1958), who died last May. Stella walked the campus of Old Nassau 40 years after Fitzgerald, majored in history, played lacrosse, wrestled, and ventured into New York’s art world even before he graduated. In Mark Bernstein’s Princeton Alumni Weekly article from November 2006, Stella appears as “a short, wiry young man” sitting on a sofa “doodling” during a meeting of the Nassau Literary Magazine , to which Scott Fitzgerald contributed stories, reviews, and poetry during his time at Princeton. “Within 18 months” of Stella’s graduation, says Bernstein, “at a time in life when most of his classmates were sitting dully in law school classes or fumbling through their first jobs,” the Nassau Lit doodler “was one of the most important artists in the world, a comet who exploded abstract expressionism in a series of black, almost brutally minimalist paintings.” For art historian Robert Rosenblum, the Stella
effect was to “close the door on what art could do.”
My trip through the “open doors” of numerous Frank Stella monographs began with Frank Stella Unbound: Literature and Printmaking (Princeton University Press 2018), with commentary by Mitra Abbaspour, Calvin Brown, and Erica Cooke. The book focuses on a period between 1984 and 1999 in Stella’s
printmaking career when he accomplished four print series: the Had Gadya (a song traditionally sung at the end of the Passover Seder); Italian Folktales , compiled by Italo Calvino; Moby-Dick by Herman Melville; and The Dictionary of Imaginary Places by Alberto Manguel and Gianni Guadalupi.
A cover that particularly interested me displays Stella’s 1974 work Untitled (Concentral Square). The book is Lawrence Rubin’s Frank Stella: Paintings 1958 to 1965, A Catalogue Raisonne (Stewart, Tabori & Chang 1986). Admittedly, I was still seeing the world in the afterglow of Cugat’s Gatsby , but it was hard not to relate Stella’s spectrum of abstract color forms — the dark blues, the greens and yellows — to Cugat’s cover, including the yellow in title letters, the glow at the bottom and even the red of the disembodied lips. Christie’s reports selling the painting on May 16, 2024 for $6,100,000, a cost even a first edition of The Great Gatsby , which has sold at auction for as much as $180,000, is unlikely ever to match . As of this writing, a dealer in Florida is asking $970,000.
RECENT ARRIVALS
Two books distinguished by striking cover art, both with Princeton connections, have recently come to my attention: Martin
Mittelmeier’s Naples 1925 (Yale University Press 2024), translated from the German by Princeton resident Shelley Frisch, and Reflections from a Vibrant Past: The Poetry of the WitherspoonJackson Community by the Rev. Gregory S. Smith (Arts Council of Princeton 2025), which is comprised of poems by Smith celebrating members of Princeton’s historic African American community, both past and present, including native son Paul Robeson. The complexity of the pastor’s mission is reflected in his son’s dramatic book cover art.
Of more interest in the context of Frank Stella is Jenny Volvoksi’s engaging cover for Naples 1925 . According to Shelley Frisch, whose translation of Reiner Stach’s monumental three-volume biography of Franz Kafka has earned universal acclaim, the designer took inspiration from 1920s travel posters for Naples and southern Italy. While the bottom half is an abstract rendering of the shore of the Gulf of Naples, with Mt. Vesuvius in the background, the top half presents a deconstruction of the same geometric elements. No doubt I’m still under the spell of Cugat’s vision, but a strong breeze off the Gulf of Naples has just wafted those daylit geometric elements into a
Neapolitan nocturnal abstraction of deep blues, bright yellows, and reds strangely like the night world of Celestial Eyes . In case the colors suggest something lighter, Naples 1925 is a long way from Fitzgerald’s 1920s French Riviera. According to the publisher, “In the 1920s, the Gulf of Naples was a magnet for European intellectuals in search of places as yet untouched by modernity. Among the revolutionaries, artists, and thinkers drawn to Naples were numerous scholars at a formative stage in their journeys: Walter Benjamin, Siegfried Kracauer, Alfred Sohn - Rethel, Asja Lacis, Theodor W. Adorno, and many others. While all were indelibly shaped by the volcanic Neapolitan landscape, it was Benjamin who first probed the relationship between the porous landscape and the local culture. But Adorno went further, transforming his surroundings into a radical new philosophy — one that became a turning point in the modern history of the discipline.”
Among numerous positive reviews, several offer hope for readers with travel in mind (“What a trip! Mittelmeier is the perfect philosophical travel guide”; “Equal parts travelogue and philosophical meditation.”) Frisch gets her share of notice for the “pellucid translation,” and
author and translator are recognized by Dominic Green in the Wall Street Journal : “Well-written — and well-translated.”
HEMINGWAY WEIGHS IN
Fitzgerald’s friend and rival Ernest Hemingway had his own view of Cugat’s cover art. A picaresque chapter in Hemingway’s posthumous memoir A Moveable Feast (1964) ends as Fitzgerald presents him with a copy of The Great Gatsby. Besides finding the dust jacket “garish,” Hemingway remembers “being embarrassed by the violence, bad taste, and slippery look of it. It looked like the book jacket for a book of bad science fiction.” Fitzgerald told him “not to be put off by it, that it had something to do with a billboard along a highway in Long Island that was important in the story.” Hemingway took the jacket off to read the book. As it turned out, he himself would soon be complaining about the classicthemed jacket art for his novels The Sun Also Rises (1926) and A Farewell to Arms (1929), both published by Scribner’s. Of the latter, with its Venus and Mars motif, he said, “I cannot admire the awful legs on that woman.”
PRINCETON MAKES
ARTIST COOPERATIVE
A Haven for Creativity and Community
BY LAURIE PELLICHERO
AND PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRINCETON MAKES
ART
reativity abounds at Princeton Makes artist cooperative, located in the heart of the Princeton Shopping Center at 301 North Harrison Street. Opened nearly four years ago with 25 members, it now has 40 member artists who work across a wide range of artistic genres including painting, drawing, stained glass, sculpture, lamps, window hangings, textiles, handmade greeting cards, jewelry, and much more. All the artists are local and must live within a twotown radius of Princeton.
The 5,000-square-foot space features plate glass windows facing the center’s courtyard, 24 open artist studios, and additional display and working areas. There is also a retail store where the artists all work a minimum of four hours a week as part of their membership. All art is for sale, and whenever the store is open, at least one artist is working in a studio and customers can interact directly with them to observe and learn about their process and technique. Couches and conversation areas can be found throughout.
Princeton Makes was founded in 2021 by Jim Levine, a longtime Princeton resident who had retired from a career in corporate human resources management at companies such as FMC and Church & Dwight and was looking for new opportunities during the pandemic. “I like to create organizations and businesses and help them grow,” he says, “and I missed the social interactions of a work environment.”
A board member of the Arts Council of Princeton, he served as its interim executive director from 2018-2020 before the hiring of current director Adam Welch. Levine is a stained-glass maker who needed a new space to work. He jokes that he started the coop because his wife wanted to “get him, and the glass shards on the floor, out of the house.”
He got the idea for Princeton Makes after people came to the Arts Council looking for studios to create their works.
When he first visited the space in the shopping center, which was previously a sporting goods store, it was raw but he saw the possibilities. “I saw an opportunity for myself and others,” he said. “I can’t do anything of value on my own — you grow while working with others.”
Hide and Seek by Adriana Groza.
Artwork on display.
Jim Levine and his stained-glass works.
Spriha Gupta in her studio at Princeton Makes.
Adriana Groza at work.
“The shopping center management has been an amazing partner and very supportive,” notes Levine, who adds that Princeton Makes was able to get up and running quickly and less expensively with a host of supplies, tables, desks, chairs, racks, and other furniture left behind by Bon Appetit after it closed its location right across the courtyard.
“We called our original style early modern Bon Appetit,” he says.
To recruit the first members of Princeton Makes, Levine posted a Facebook announcement for a Zoom meeting for artists, which initially received just a handful of responses.
“Everyone had to take a leap,” says Adriana Groza, one of the original members.
Princeton Makes. “I’ve worked up to 3x6foot pieces,” she says. Groza paints there during the week while her children are in school. She started in a studio on the main floor, but later moved to an area in the basement that can accommodate her works.
Another inaugural member is April Zay, a fine artist, designer, and founder of
“But soon we grew.” Groza, who creates abstract paintings using fluid acrylics manipulated directly on deep edge canvas by various means, without a brush, was outgrowing the work space in her Hamilton home and welcomed the chance to create larger paintings at
me I was on to something,” Levine says.
The artists at Princeton Makes are of varied artistic and personal backgrounds. Some are full-time artists, while others are not. They all bring different perspectives and interests to the cooperative. Levine notes that it’s a very international community, with artists from Canada, China, Colombia, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Moldova, Romania, and the United States. The members work in their studios at various times, depending on their schedules. “Some can only come during the week, and others on weekends,” says Levine.
Hummingbird Arts Studio. She specializes in pet portraiture in oils, paper works, and origami jewelry. “April was the first person to respond to my invitation to learn about Princeton Makes, and it was her enthusiasm for the concept that convinced
While the artist cooperative is a community unto itself, with monthly meetings over a pot-luck meal and support and celebrations for each other’s life events, it is also devoted to offering events to engage and benefit the greater Princeton community. These include Art in the Courtyard, Art at Night, the monthly Inside Artist’s Studio artist talks series, Java
Artist 7ove Child (Marlon Davila) with one of his murals.
April Zay with her paintings and origami paper crane earrings.
Jam, and member shows in the Art in the Basement gallery, including the recent “Roots and Radiance” exhibition.
“We want to involve more nonprofits and cultural organizations in the area in Art in the Courtyard,” says Groza, who is also involved in marketing for Princeton Makes.
Monthly Second Sunday Poetry Readings and open mic poetry are hosted in partnership with Ragged Sky Press, a local publisher that has historically focused on mature voices, overlooked poets, and women’s perspectives. Yoga is offered once a week, and they have partnered with Princeton Adult School, through which some of the member artists teach classes. “The fun part is that we try stuff, and if it doesn’t work, we try something else,” says Levine.
“The community we have built is strong and supportive, on an artistic and personal level,” he says. “It’s really everything I could have hoped for.”
Princeton Makes artist cooperative is open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or during special events. For more information and artist applications, visit princetonmakes. com. Questions can be directed to princetonmakes@gmail.com.
Jewelry by Bernadette Suski-Harding.
Carp Swimming by Kyoko Bartley.
Artwork by Rhinold Ponder.
Fabric baskets by Piroska Toth.
Ceramics by Zohar Lavi-Hasson – Zorkeramics.
Artwork by Jessie Krause.
SIMPLE AND EASY SPRING ENTERTAINING with a French flair
BY MARY ABITANTO | PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
Hosting a party or a soirée can seem overwhelming but if you keep a few simple principles in mind, entertaining like a pro can be smooth sailing. Here are some meal and hors d’oeuvres ideas for entertaining this spring using a few shortcuts — including my sheet pan method — as well as some classic wine pairings.
If you are hosting a brunch, may I suggest you make my Hawaiian Sweet Rolls Sheet Pan French Toast that looks fancy, but takes minutes to assemble and a short time to bake. It’s buttery, sweet, and aromatic. It truly melts in your mouth in one bite. You can also add freshly sliced organic strawberries for a pop of color and sweetness. A dollop of whipped cream will be a perfect topping.
ELEVATE YOUR BRUNCH MENU
Deviled eggs are a crowd favorite, or pipe hummus into the egg whites to make them more nutritious. Top with spices and freshly chopped dill to brighten the flavors. Spicy and sweet turkey bacon is always a hit in my house. Artfully assemble everything with some radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, smoked salmon, and capers an hour or so before guests arrive. Popping something bubbly like Champagne for a special occasion instantly evokes a sense of celebration — cheering to wellbeing, happiness, and success. If you are celebrating an extra special occasion, consider serving caviar. A well-known brand is Kolikof, often chosen by awardwinning chefs.
Lionel de Ravel, a local French wine expert and U.S. national sales director for Ackerman, a French wine company, recommends a less expensive and equally good alternative to Champagne,
Crémant de Loire. It’s an excellent French sparkling wine at half the price. Another option is Crémant de Bourgogne, the sparkling wines of Burgundy (Bourgogne). These are well suited for hors d’oeuvres and pair well with dessert. He notes, “With a rich dish, serve a lightbodied wine, and with a light dish, serve a heavy-bodied wine.”
Planning a soirée or cocktail party takes a little more planning. Soir means evening in French, and soirée is literally an “evening party.” People will often dress up for this type of affair, which is usually hosted in someone’s home. Or it can be a more casual gathering, especially if you entertain outside.
HORS D’OEUVRES
Here are a few simple handheld hors d’oeuvres suggestions for your entertaining arsenal. Strawberry crostinis with creamy goat cheese and fig balsamic glaze will be a big hit — Thinly slice a day-old baguette, sprinkle with olive oil and Herbes de Provence, and toast until crisp, then top with goat cheese and strawberries. Consider making gougères (pronounced “goo·zhehr”), or store-bought cream puffs piped with store-bought smoked salmon mousse. My guests like turkey baconwrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese, which is savory and sweet in one bite. A colorful charcuterie board is a good idea
for grazing guests. You can also make individual crudités arranged in small glasses with a creamy, herby garlic dip or hummus in the bottom of the glass. Hors d’oeuvres pair well with sparkling wines.
SPRING DINNER PARTY IDEAS
Make Coq au Vin (pronounced “kohk oh vin”), aka red wine-braised chicken, which is an elegant and simple dish. Serve it over a buttery potato or cauliflower puree or alongside roasted potatoes. It’s a simple French stew, often braised in Pinot Noir, that can be prepared in advance and warmed for guests. Serve with a red Zinfandel such as Limerick Lane Cellars 2021 Rocky Knoll Zinfandel. You could also make a backyard vegetable paella with wild mushrooms to create delicious earthy, umami flavors. While paella is classically seafood-based, plant-based paella lets local and fresh seasonal vegetables take center stage, and you won’t have to worry about food spoiling. It’s a beautiful centerpiece for any rustic table setting. Pair it with a non-sparkling Rosé, which is always a great choice in warmer weather. Or serve my Spinach Lasagna with Ground Turkey. It’s simple and delicious and is elevated by a creamy béchamel sauce, which is very French. Using a baking sheet instead of a deep-dish pan
will cut down on baking time and yields more of those cherished crispy edges that everyone loves. No-boil lasagna noodles further cut down on baking time. Prepare it in advance and refrigerate it, then pop it in the oven about one hour before you serve dinner. Alongside that, serve my eye-catching Ceasar Salad with Homemade Croutons. Pair the dinner with a lightbodied wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or even a non-sparkling Rosé.
For dessert, de Ravel recommends going back to the bubbly to refresh and cleanse the palate. My Lemon Brownies are sure to be a hit, so try them! Be adventurous and explore some unexpected combinations like pairing a Pinot Noir or Cabernet with a flourless chocolate cake. The chocolate with the wine will accentuate all the flavors. Go to Chez Alice for one of the best flourless chocolate cakes in town.
Please drink responsibly.
My newest cookbook, Nourish, has some delicious dinner options: Beef Bourguignon, Red Lentil Bolognese, Asian Inspired Turkey Meatballs, and more. For another great appetizer, try my ChickpeaLentil Balls. My blog at marioochskitchen. com has an abundance of recipes as well. You can also follow me on Instagram @marioochcooks. All my cookbooks can be found on Amazon.
For stunning handmade table linens with idyllic landscapes that will transport you to a garden in Southern France, check out Couleur Nature (couleurnature.com). Their philosophy is joie de vivre, which translates into the joy of living. Don’t forget about flowers, which should adorn any table setting. An assortment of candlesticks in varying heights is a nice touch too. Remember, it’s all in the details.
CLASSIC WINE PAIRINGS
Here are several time-tested guidelines from foodandwine.com (along with input from Lionel de Ravel) to help make you a more educated wine aficionado.
Pinot Noir is a light-bodied wine and pairs well with most dishes from rustic chicken to Beef Bourguignon due to its earthiness.
New-World Chardonnays from California, Chile, or Australia are heavier wines.
Old-World Chardonnays from France, Italy, and Spain are dry. Both pair well with fish.
Brut Champagne and Spanish Cava pair well with salty foods like caviar or even potato chips and are great for brunch. Or try the Crémant de Liore or Crémant de Bourgogne suggested by de Ravel. Prosecco is a more affordable option.
California Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, and similar blends pair well with red meat like a steak or Italian ragu.
Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with tangy foods like a light salad with a zesty vinaigrette or a hearty lasagna.
A dry Rosé from France such as Provence Rosé can be paired with a rich, cheesy dish or a charcuterie. It has the acidity of white wine and the fruit character of red. Good with grilled fish and a fresh salad.
Pinot Grigio or a Chablis from France pairs well with a light fish and veal dishes.
Malbec or Shiraz pair well alongside heavily spiced barbecue.
Moscato d’Asti is very fruity and sweet, so pair it with dessert or as a cocktail.
Red Zinfandel pairs well with pates, mousses, and terrines.
Dry Reisling from California, Germany, and France pairs well with sweet and spicy dishes and helps to tame the heat like in Chinese or Indian foods.
Sparkling Rosé is a drink for all occasions and pairs well with hors d’oeuvres as well as a wide range of main courses.
Tuscan wines and Chianti pair well with Italian recipes like ossobuco or veal or chicken piccata.
HAWAIIAN SWEET ROLLS SHEET PAN FRENCH TOAST
Serves 6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 (18-oz.) bag sweet Hawaiian rolls, halved widthwise (12 rolls)
8 large eggs
12 cups 2 percent milk (or whole milk)
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (I use sugar-free)
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 tablespoons salted butter, melted Sprinkle of cinnamon
Topping: 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon combined.
Other essentials:
Large baking sheet that fits 24 pieces
Non-stick cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, add the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, melted butter, and sprinkle of cinnamon. Mix with a fork to thoroughly combine.
Next, place the halved rolls on a greased baking sheet. They should fit snuggly; I alternate tops up and tops down to create an interesting, visually-appealing pattern.
Using a fork, prick the halved rolls 3-4 times each. Pour the egg mixture over the rolls slowly to properly cover the rolls.
Important step: Turn over each roll to get them fully saturated with the egg; lightly press down and move onto the next one and repeat until every piece has been flipped back to its original position. Let it sit for 10 minutes or longer to absorb the egg. Add a tiny sprinkling of cinnamon.
Bake for 15 minutes. Then turn the pan and bake an additional 10 minutes or until firm.
Top the entire sheet pan with the sugar-cinnamon mixture using a sieve. Gently tap to add it all over the French toast.
Cut into squares and dip into maple syrup. You can place them all on a serving dish or leave in the baking pan where they will remain hot.
Enjoy with a dollop of whipped cream and sliced strawberries.
SHEET PAN SPINACH LASAGNA WITH GROUND TURKEY
Serves 8-10
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 lb. lean ground turkey (85-90 percent) or turkey sausage
1 lb. container fresh spinach
3 tablespoons salted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk (or 2 percent milk)
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
Pinch of nutmeg
4 cups of low-moisture, shredded mozzarella
1 cup parmesan cheese (or pecorino Romano cheese), finely grated
In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the onions in the oil for 5 minutes until translucent. Cook on low heat.
Then add the ground turkey to the pan with the onions. Break it up with a flat-edge spoon. Allow the meat to cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
In the meantime, in a large frying pan, steam the spinach by adding a little water and a tight-fitting lid, about 7 minutes. Strain the water out in a colander or strainer.
Make the béchamel sauce in a medium-sized pot. Add the butter and melt, then mix in the flour, creating a paste. Heat for 3 minutes, then add in warmed milk, whisking continuously. Add ½ cup of the parmesan cheese, continue to whisk. This will take roughly 20 minutes. Cook on medium heat. It’s done when the sauce thickens and starts to bubble on the sides. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and add two ladles of the béchamel sauce to the bottom.
Then place the lasagna noodles to fit on the baking sheet, about 8-9 sheets. You can break some in half lengthwise to fit. Top with three large spoonfuls of béchamel sauce, spread thoroughly to cover the pasta sheets.
Add half of the ground turkey, then half of the spinach, and top with a third of the mozzarella cheese. Season to your liking. You may also add a sprinkling of parmesan.
Repeat the process with two more layers of pasta sheets. For the last pasta layer, add only the remaining béchamel and remaining cheeses. Optional, add some dried parsley flakes or fresh chopped parsley to brighten the flavors.
Bake to golden perfection for 25 minutes.
CAESAR SALAD WITH ARTICHOKES AND HEARTS OF PALM
Serves 6-8
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes (croutons)
Ingredients :
3-4 romaine hearts, torn or chopped
1 (12-ounce) jar halved grilled and marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can hearts of palm, thinly sliced widthwise
1/4 cup salted and roasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
2 avocados, sliced
Cracked black peppercorns to taste
HERBY HOMEMADE CROUTONS
4 slices of thick white bread, cut into chunks (can substitute gluten-free bread)
Good quality extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Herbes De Provence
Optional, garlic powder
Other essentials: Whisk
Baking sheet
Mason jar with lid
Bowl
Large round platter (or wooden bowl)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the slices of bread into cubes. In a bowl, toss the bread with a drizzle of olive oil and herbs. Dump the bread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
In the meantime, while you are baking the croutons, chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Place it onto the platter.
Slice the avocado in half lengthwise, discard pit, and slice the flesh inside the shell, then scoop it out with a large spoon — keeping it intact and together as best as possible. Place the avocado onto the bed of lettuce.
Rinse and drain the artichokes, then cut them into smaller pieces.
Next, drain the hearts of palm and cut into slices widthwise. Place onto the bed of lettuce. Last, right before serving the salad, add the pumpkin seeds.
EGGLESS CAESAR DRESSING
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons capers plus 2 tablespoons brine
1-2 lemons squeezed
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon anchovy paste in a tube
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
Cracked black peppercorns to taste
Sea salt to taste
1-2 tablespoons water (to loosen dressing)
Making the Caesar Dressing.
In a bowl, combine the olive oil, parmesan cheese, capers, juice of 2 lemons, minced garlic, anchovy paste, mustard, cracked black peppercorns, and sea salt, and whisk until well combined. You may also use the back of a spoon. To loosen it, you may add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
Pour into the Mason jar and chill until ready to serve. Shake the dressing right before serving and drizzle over the salad. Sprinkle on more cracked black peppercorns and top with shaved parmesan cheese. Add croutons after dressing is poured. Refrigerate leftover salad and dressing.
LEMON BROWNIES
Makes 16 brownies
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
These lemon brownies are fudgy from the addition of melted chocolate. They are bursting with bright lemony flavor from the lemon zest and lemon juice, and they are perfect for a handheld dessert.
A few tips:
Don’t overmix the batter, because they will get too much air and be more cake-like.
Rub the sugar with the lemon zest between your fingers to infuse the lemon flavor into the sugar.
Don’t overbake the brownies, they should have a fudgy texture.
Cut brownies with a warm knife and wipe it after each cut for perfect little squares.
Ingredients:
1 stick salted butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup classic white chocolate chips
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 lemons zested
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 lemons squeezed, about 4 tablespoons
More white chocolate chips for mixing into brownies
Glazed Icing Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
Water to loosen
Lemon zest to finish
Other essentials:
Metal bowl
8x8 pan
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter and chocolate chips in a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water. Stir continuously.
In the meantime, add the sugar to a bowl with the lemon zest. Mix with fingers to infuse the lemon zest into the sugar.
Add the butter-chocolate mixture to the bowl with the sugar. Whisk to combine.
Premix eggs in a bowl and add it to the sugar mixture. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk. Do not over mix.
Add the lemon juice and a handful more chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
Bake for 25-28 minutes, until firm.
Add the glaze.
Cut into 16 squares.
Enjoy!
NOW ENROLLING for 2025-26 school year & summer camp in Princeton , plus nearby locations in Hillsborough & East Windsor
As the largest network of Montessori schools in New Jersey, Apple is here to support the goals you have for your child’s education, offering yearround programs for children 6 weeks through 6 years of age. Our modern Montessori approach offers enrichment beyond the traditional educational experience for infant, toddler, preschool, and kindergarten programs in your area. We offer a safe and secure environment and flexible schedules to give you peace of mind and accommodate your needs.
IT’S GOING TO BE ONE WILD SUMMER
!
Campers ages 2-8 will enjoy daily on-site swim lessons in our new saltwater pools, plus daily Montessori lessons, sports, cooking, field trips, and more! 8 weeks of fun kicks off June 30. Flexible weekly minimums.
INTO THE
BY TAYLOR SMITH
DARK
Since the beginning of human history, the night sky has been one of the most intriguing and long-lasting forms of entertainment. It has assisted people in learning when to plant crops, chart the calendar, and navigate open seas.
Much can be viewed and learned by the naked eye, but the scientific development of the telescope and its use by astronomer Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century magnified the view of key planets like Jupiter, unique stars , and moons. While Galileo did not invent the telescope, he is credited with applying the instrument to the study of astronomy. Galileo also improved upon the design and strength of the telescope many times over. While the initial telescope magnified things by three times, Galileo eventually developed lenses that would enable 33 times magnification. Galileo’s work would inspire future scientists in pursuing the study of astronomy. His many accomplishments also include charting stars in the Milky Way and supporting the Copernican model that the Earth and planets revolve around the sun ( britannica.com/biography/Galileo-Galilei/ Telescopic-discoveries).
Although the development of astronomy may be steeped in complicated history and difficult theorems, the hobby of backyard astronomy can be a very achievable and accessible activity. Whether you reside in an urban area with a lot of light pollution or a rustic setting, stargazing with binoculars, the naked eye, or a telescope has much to offer.
Galileo showing the Doge of Venice how to use the telescope (F resco by Giuseppe Bertini, 1858 . Wikipedia )
During the daytime, the sun and possibly the moon may be available to view. Nighttime offers a greater chance of analyzing stars, the brightest constellations, neighboring planets, and even comets and meteors, which make for an unforgettable display
There are even some tricks and tips to prepare your eyes for night vision. Twentiethcentury astronomer Clyde Tombaugh would sit in the dark for an hour to adjust his pupils prior to exploring the night sky. It is also suggested that looking at an object from the corner of one’s eye, rather than straight on, will give the viewer more details. These suggestions must have proven effective for Tombaugh, since he would eventually discover the planet Pluto.
calendar can involve charting the phases of the moon over the course of weeks, months, or even years.
For those who are interested in tracking the seasons by the stars, most telescopes offer a chance to view the daily phases of the moon. A great scientific and creative project, making your very own moon
No matter your geographic viewing location, all celestial objects seem to rise in the east, travel across the sky, and set in the west. This directional motion is due to the Earth rotating around its axis every 24 hours. This motion also gives us Earth dwellers night and day. Sky-watching can be dramatically enhanced by finding areas where there is little to no light pollution. Light pollution can come from street lamps, retail stores, and even back porch lights. But there are Dark Sky parks and reserves that are protected and organized by DarkSky International (darksky.org).The Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area operates a Dark Sky organization in Ocean County that can be contacted at astra-nj.com/darksky-newjersey. Other light pollution-free reserves include Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Headlands in Michigan, Big
Cypress National Preserve in Florida, and Canyonlands National Park in Utah.
SKY-WATCHING TOOLS
Binoculars are a great step up from viewing the sky with your own eyes. Magnification, light-gathering power, and optical quality are important when purchasing your first pair. The higher the magnifying power, the greater the visibility of space objects. Binoculars have the power to reveal craters on the moon, comets, star fields along the Milky Way, Jupiter’s four biggest moons, and the planets Mercury, Uranus, and Neptune. The biggest problem with holding binoculars during your backyard space adventures is holding them steady. The bigger and heavier the binoculars become, the more difficult it is to avoid shaky hands. One suggestion is to rest your arms on a steady, harder surface. You can also try mounting the binoculars onto a camera tripod. This will greatly improve image clarity.
Personal telescopes range greatly in price, from under $100 to thousands of dollars, but a telescope can be a great investment for a thorough understanding of
SkySafari
( Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com )
the night sky. The most important aspects are excellent optics and a very solid base. Structures made from wood or metal, rather than plastic, make the telescope less likely to wobble when you touch or adjust it. Also, the larger the primary mirror on the telescope, the brighter and larger the image will be.
User-friendly apps and software are now available to recreational astronomers. Planetarium apps such as Stellarium and SkySafari can be downloaded to mobile devices and computers. These apps depict millions of high-resolution images of stars and planetary objects. They are the ideal tool for cross-checking and comparing what you are seeing (and even discovering) for the first time. The NASA app and Star Walk are also recommended. If you want to share your own space photos try PhotoPills, which is designed for astrophotogrophers.
The sky can be especially fascinating for children. The first time that a child sees the moon or Saturn’s rings through the lens of a telescope can be life-changing. Planetariums are another great way to introduce a young person to the scope and diversity of the universe. Highly
regarded planetariums in our area include the Planetarium at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City (the largest planetarium in the U.S. ), Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, the Planetarium at New Jersey State Museum in Trenton, and the Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. In addition to the Planetarium, The Franklin Institute also operates a Mission2Mars program for kids that is based on NASA’s Artemis Lunar Exploration Program. NASA-inspired STEM activities guide children in grades four through eight on subjects related to moon exploration, the significance of lunar understanding, and deep space possibilities. Learn more at fi.edu/en/ science-and-education
The Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton (AAAP) coordinates monthly events in the Princeton region for astronomers and night sky enthusiasts. Some programs take the form of lectures and guest speakers at Peyton Hall on the campus of Princeton University. For the latest event listings, visit princetonastronomy.org . AAAP invites the public to experience a guided tour of the
night sky on Friday afternoons at Simons Observatory at Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville. The program is free to attend, and all ages are welcome. “Night Skies at the Crossing” operates from April through October. AAAP is also known to bring telescopes into Mercer County classrooms for science lessons and learning.
A PASSION FOR THE SKY
Today’s professional astronomers, astrophysicists , and masters of the sky continually make new contributions and discoveries regarding space. When not searching for stars and planets, these local professors and scientific experts are passing along their excitement to undergraduate and graduate students.
Gaspar Bakos, professor of astrophysical sciences at Princeton University, describes his area of research within astrophysics as that of extrasolar planets (that is, planets that orbit stars other than the sun ).
“We only started finding such planets about 30 years ago, and since then the field has exploded,” he says. “We now know
Liberty Science Center. ( Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com )
thousands of exoplanets ; have measured their masses, radii, temperatures, and orbits ; and have a good understanding on the occurrence rate of exoplanets. For example, we figured that there is roughly one planet per star in our galaxy, making that 400 billion exoplanets. We detected their atmospheres and carved out the future path to find ‘biomarkers,’ a potential sign of extraterrestrial life.”
Bakos continues, “I have been developing astronomical instrumentation to find extrasolar planets via the ‘transit method,’ whereby we try to catch the faint blink of a star as an exoplanet goes in front of it as seen from Earth. We established a network of small, automated telescopes, and found over 140 such transiting exoplanets. These telescopes are remotely operated from Princeton, and are imaging the starry sky from Chile, Namibia, Australia , and Arizona. Many of our findings were among the first of their kind, such as a transiting hot Neptune, the first transiting planet with an outer, second planet, one of the first planets that revolves around its star on a retrograde orbit, i.e., opposite to the spin of star, among other examples.”
During his studies and research, Bakos has been most surprised to find “that even small, ground-based telescopes can yield amazing, cutting-edge scientific results. In
terms of concrete scientific results, it was surprising to see planets orbiting two stars (like Tatooine in Star Wars ), or planets orbiting retrograde with respect to the spin of their host stars (like the exoplanet HATP-7b).”
He says that his favorite course to teach at Princeton University is AST205, Planets in the Universe. “It is a medium-level introductory course in astrophysics that teaches the non-major students.” Bakos continues, “It is the only undergraduate course in the U.S. that teaches visual astronomical observing and astrophotography. Students borrow telescopes and cameras and carry out observations throughout the semester from our campus.”
Lauranne Lanze, associate professor of physics at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), specializes in astrophysics. She teaches many interesting courses at TCNJ, including Astronomy: Planets ; Astronomy: Stars and the Universe ; Astrophysics ; Galactice and Extragalactic Astronomy ; and much more.
“Most of the classes I have taught at TCNJ have been on astrophysics ,” says Lanze. “Most semesters I teach one of our two introductory astronomy classes, primarily the one on stars and galaxies. I also teach a 300-level class aimed at teaching students the techniques of observational astronomy and a 400-level
class on astrophysics that dives into the details of the physics to explain why stars and galaxies are the way they are. In addition, I have also taught a first-year seminar on the history of the space race.”
Lanze describes her primary area interest as the evolution of galaxies and the role played by the supermassive black hole at the center of each galaxy. She explains, “It is understood that galaxies and their supermassive black holes grow together (via the gas turning into stars and being added into the black hole). The black hole, despite being much, much smaller than the galaxy, can still have a profound impact on the galaxy by driving winds and jets (as a result of the process of material being added to the black hole) that can heat gas or remove it from a galaxy, halting the galaxy’s growth. However, exactly how that process happens and what causes it to happen in some galaxies but not others is still poorly understood. Because galaxies take hundreds of millions to billions of years to change significantly, we cannot observe changes in a single galaxy; instead, we study large samples of galaxies to try and understand the process by having caught galaxies at different moments in this evolution. I primarily study this process and these black holes using X-ray, infrared, and radio observations from a variety of primarily space-based telescopes run by NASA and ESA.”
When asked about the latest discoveries of some of the distance planets, Lanze says, “In terms of new discoveries, NASA’s mission Juno has been teaching
Lauranne Lanze, associate professor of physics at The College of New Jersey.
This illustration depicts NASA’s Juno spacecraft at Jupiter, with its solar arrays and main antenna pointed toward the distant sun and Earth. ( Image courtesy of NASA )
us all sorts of really interesting things about Jupiter and its moons. For example, a new volcano has been discovered on the moon Io and studies of that moon are teaching us about how to get volcanoes in objects smaller than we would expect to still be liquid inside. Europa Clipper was also launched in October with the aim of learning much more about the moon Europa, which may be one of the largest sources of freshwater in the outer solar system (and will likely play an important part in future colonization of the solar system). JWST also recently detected carbon dioxide on the surface of Europa, but in a way that suggests that it has to be relatively geologically recent.”
SEEING DARKNESS
From the “ naked-eye sky ” to mobile apps, scientific instruments, and regional planetariums, recreational astronomy leaves plenty of room for “ aha ” moments . It is also a great hobby for all ages and certainly a transformative method of appreciating the path of the planets.
Astronomical observatory under star trails sky at night. ( Photo courtesy
AMB. Arovescio. Blinc Kiss Me. Cambio. Elemente Clemente. Gran Sasso. Heyne Bogut. H+ Hannoh. In Bed With You. Inizio. Kal Rieman. Kangra. Knit Knit. Lars Andersson. Liviana Conti. Mac. Matthildur. P Sophia. Ploumanach. Pistache. Pier Antonio Gaspari. Raag. Serien*Umerica. Viviana Uchitel. Xacus. Yavi. 12 Lbs
TRAILBLAZER
ON THE LAKE
Lori Dauphiny Enjoys Unprecedented Success as Head Coach for PU Women’s Open Crew
BY BILL ALDEN | PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROW2K
When Lori Dauphiny decided to walk on to the University of Washington women’s crew program in 1981, it didn’t look like she had much of a future in rowing.
As an undersized former high school swimmer with no experience competing in crew, Dauphiny was a long shot to make the squad.
“All over the Washington campus were posters — ‘If you are 5 ’ 10 or above, walk on to the rowing team,’ and I am 5 ’ 6,” recalls Dauphiny, a Seattle-area native. “I went to the rowing team meeting and said, ‘I am not 5 ’ 10, but I really want to row.’ And they said, ‘Well if you can compete with others, and you are a good athlete and competitive, then we will give you a shot.’ They gave me a shot.”
Displaying grit and tenacity, Dauphiny made the team, ultimately rising to the second varsity 8 and sparking a love affair with the sport.
“I loved it, it was really cool; it was a water sport, and I had always been in water sports, but it was just different,” says Dauphiny, noting that legendary Washington coach Jan Harville had a major influence on her development
as a rower. “It was sensory overload in the beginning because I was so used to being in the pool and following this black line. There were birds and trees. Some of the same elements apply to swimming and rowing. A lot of the training in rowing is similar to swimming: there is a stroke, a catch, a finish, there is a recovery, and there is a drive.”
Driven to stay in sport, Dauphiny got a job coaching at the Green Lake youth rowing program.
“It was my first introduction to coaching and I absolutely loved it,” says Dauphiny, who was initially considering becoming a physical therapist. “I loved the people I worked with ; they were fantastic coaches. I really enjoyed teaching kids.”
Heartened by that experience, Dauphiny headed east and eventually ended up coaching collegiate rowing , where her love for the sport has led to a fantastic career.
After coaching the women’s novice program at Columbia for two years, Dauphiny came to Princeton University in 1989 to take over its women’s novice program. She was promoted to guide the Princeton women’s open program in 1997, becoming the first women’s head
Lori Dauphiny, center, enjoying the moment at the Henley Regatta in England with former Tiger standouts and future Olympians Claire Collins and Emily Kallfelz. (Photo provided courtesy of Lori Dauphiny)
The Princeton University women’s open varsity 8 churning through the water in a 2024 race.
coach in program history. Since then, Dauphiny has established herself as a legend.
She has guided the Tigers to every NCAA championship regatta since its inception in 1997, with Princeton winning the varsity 8 title in 2006 and 2011. She has coached in the 2004 and 2024 Olympics , and several of her rowers have excelled in Olympic competition. She was a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) Hall of Fame inductee in 2019, the 2006 USRowing Woman of the Year, and a two-time National Coach of the Year.
In reflecting on her journey, Dauphiny maintains that serendipity has played a key role in her success.
When she initially came east on a one-way ticket after coaching at Green Lake, she had nothing lined up and was bouncing around the Boston-Washington corridor with no set plans.
“I was encouraged by the coach here at Princeton, Willie Black He said, ‘You should look at Columbia. It is pretty cool — the coaches there are nice. I think they might be looking for a women ’s novice coach,’” said the affable Dauphiny, 62, sitting in the Princeton boathouse this past January looking out on Lake Carnegie. “So I went to the Columbia campus and one guy was a wearing a rowing jacket and I said, ‘Hey where are the rowing coaches’ offices?’ And he was like, ‘Follow me’ and he took me to the Dodge physical fitness center down in the dungeon.”
Once there, she found another love of her life as she encountered Columbia women’s crew coach Ed Hewitt, her future partner. “I went there, knocked on the door, and Ed opens the door,” says Dauphiny. “He had just gotten done with a workout and had no shirt on and said, ‘Excuse me,’ because he thought it was just another coach He closed the door and put his clothes on and opened the door again. It is never love at first sight for me, I have to get to know someone, but I thought, ‘He is intriguing.’”
Dauphiny got a tour of the boathouse from Hewitt and ended up applying for the novice job.
“I went through the formal process, but the honest part of this is I think they were desperate, and I just happened to stumble in,” says Dauphiny. “They didn’t have a coach. Their coach left, and the season had already started. They really needed a freshman coach. I don’t think I wowed them. I think he was desperate, and I got the job.”
It didn’t take long for Dauphiny to realize that she had found her calling.
“That was my first collegiate coaching experience and early on he said, ‘ I think you should coach, you are good at this,’” says Dauphiny. “I never have any confidence. I was, ‘OK, I am glad you gave me a vote of confidence.’ I worked really hard. That was the first time I felt like this was something I should pursue at a higher level.”
During her two years at Columbia, Dauphiny gained valuable experience on and off the water.
Dauphiny lugging oars before a session on the water.
“It is a great place; it has challenges, and I learned so much as a novice coach there,” says Dauphiny. “Back then there were freshman sports, so you were given half the team . You have the recruits and all the freshmen , and you develop people. As a coach it was a great area for opportunity to learn how to develop a team. I had to learn how to drive a boat trailer in New York City and it was fast learning. I had to learn how to deal with the Harlem River, which is swift with currents and there are other obstacles. The Circle Line is coming through, and you learn very quickly about the elements and nature.”
With Hewitt’s encouragement, Dauphin y came to Princeton in 1989 as its women’s open novice coach and once again good fortune intervened.
“He said, ‘OK, Lori, I think you are a good coach, I think you should apply for this job’” says Dauphiny, who has now been with Hewitt for 26 years and the couple has a son, Connor, a star defender for the Princeton High boys’ soccer team. “He said, ‘You should go, this would be a good place for you to go.’ So, I applied, and I didn’t get it but the person who did get the job decided they didn’t want it and I was the next person.”
Upon coming to Lake Carnegie, Dauphiny found herself working with rowing legends.
“I stepped into the Princeton boathouse with the old guard — Dan Roock, Joe Murtaugh, Curtis Jordan, and Gary Kilpatrick,” says Dauphiny. “They were the old guard and they had developed this boathouse that had such unity that exists like nowhere else. The other lucky break was that Mike Teti was hired on the same day as me. Mike was
the freshman men’s coach and I was the novice women’s coach. Mike is one of the best coaches and I have learned so much from him. He has an eye like no one else I know. I still call Mike for advice. This is what I mean by being surrounded by such amazing people I truly am riding on the shoulders of giants.”
Current Princeton men’s heavyweight head coach Greg Hughes was a Tiger lightweight rower when Dauphiny came on the scene, and she made quite an impression on him.
“I don’t know if I ever saw one of her boats lose a race in her time as a women’s novice coach,” says Hughes. “She was an impressive coach for sure, but also an impressive leader and role model.”
In 1997, Dauphiny was promoted to the head coach of the Princeton women’s open program.
“I did feel ready, but I didn’t have a lot of confidence,” she says. “Dan Roock was the one who told me I was ready. Dan was going to Cornell to be the men’s coach. He said, ‘Lori, this job is opening, and I think you should get it. You are ready for it.’ I said, ‘Dan, I don’t know if I am ready and he said, ‘Oh no, you are ready.’”
Having already coached most of the rowers in the program, Dauphiny had a comfort level as she took the helm of the program.
“When I came in as the varsity coach, the team had all of the women that I had developed over the years,” says Dauphiny. “I knew them and I knew the program well. It was really fun. It took time to develop as a coach.”
After coaching novice rowers for years, Dauphiny did have to refine her coaching approach with the varsity crew.
Dauphiny, second from right, celebrating with her rowers after Princeton placed third in the team standings at the 2022 NCAA Championships.
“As a novice and you are starting fresh with them, everything you say is entertaining and fun,” says Dauphiny. “You can use the same jokes over and over again; you can pretty much do the same things every year because it is a new group. But once you are a varsity coach, you have to have some tricks up your sleeve. You have to have some newness to the things that you do. The dynamics change and you have to be able to adjust. You handle more problems when you are a head coach, things fall into your lap like administrative and individual issues. You are the one who is handing out the bad news sometimes, like, ‘You are not going make the boat.’ Recruiting is trickier, selection is harder.”
The start of the NCAA Championships for women’s open rowing in 1997 helped focus the Tigers.
“We have been to every NCAA championship since the inception — we are one of three schools that can say that (along with Brown and Washington), which I am very proud of because we are a school of 5,000,” says Dauphiny. “I am proud of the fact that we are a mid-size school and that we are always competitive. I think the NCAA has been great in terms of the growth of our sport and the competitive balance.”
Hughes, for his part, marvels at that achievement and Dauphiny’s impact on the sport.
“The stats are there that is really remarkable in the sport of rowing,” says Hughes. “But I think more importantly to me, I cannot think of another woman in collegiate rowing that has been as successful as Lori. What is so powerful to me is that she is a trailblazer and a has done it through the evolution of the sport. She has qualified for every single championship that is mind-blowing.”
Former Princeton women’s open crew standout Kelsey Reelick ’14, an All-American and member of the U.S. senior national program, credits Dauphiny with getting the most out of her rowers in an underdog role.
Over the years, Dauphiny’s motivation had inspired several of her rowers to compete in the Olympics.
“I just think that it means that I am really old,” says Dauphiny, who had five rowers compete in the 2012 London Games with three earning medals as Caroline Lind ’06 held the U.S. women’s 8 to gold while Andreanne Morin ’06 and Lauren Wilkinson ’11 helped the Canada 8 take silver. “I do cherish the fact that I have been around this long to watch the development of people to the highest level.”
While Dauphiny deflects credit for the success of her Olympians, she revels in their accomplishments.
“After Gevvie Stone won her silver medal (in the single sculls at the 2016 Rio Olympics ) she was holding a flag and taking pictures and she saw me and she hugged me,” says Dauphiny. “I felt overwhelmed because I got to be part of the journey. It is not even that I feel like I got them there, I didn’t. They got themselves there. They took me along in this journey in which I could help inspire. I could help them love the sport. I feel a lot of pride that a number of Princeton women go on to do senior team and Olympic team. You have got to love the sport. Sometimes people get out of college and say, ‘I am burned out.’ ”
“She can really get the absolute best out of people and push people in a way that you walk away with a result that you deserve and that you are happy that you can perform well,” says Reelick. “Having a lot of exposure to other coaches and other programs, you realize what she is up against it is incredible with the money and the scholarships. It is a very tilted foundation, and to do so well is a testament to how awesome she is and how much she loves the sport.”
Coaching alongside Dauphiny for more than 25 years, Hughes has learned some valuable lessons from Dauphiny’s unique blend of competitiveness and nurturing.
“She is fierce, demanding, and competitive as a coach but in a very positive and inspiring way,” explains Hughes. “That is a real talent for a coach. She knows how to motivate, inspire, and challenge her athletes to be their best and also step up to support their teammates. She earns her athletes’ trust. They trust that when she is asking them to dig deeper — she believes it is possible.”
While Dauphiny minimizes her role, Hughes believes she has been a driving force in her rowers’ rise to the highest level of the sport.
“So many of those rowers were in that position because of the opportunities they gained through Lori,” asserts Hughes. “You see it in those photos when they are in the Olympics. They have just won their gold medal, and they run over and hug her. She cares about her athletes in a way that I think is very special. It is impactful on the people that get to row for her. It is not just a job, and I think that is how the athletes feel. They know that she cares about them as a whole person. She wants to see them succeed and she has their backs .”
Dauphiny has also been on the U.S. coaching staff for the Olympics in 2004 and 2024.
“I t was a different experience for me this time because I was brought in towards the end, before I was more of the development to the Olympics,” says Dauphiny, reflecting on her Olympic involvement. “In 2024, they invited me to be a part of it and I was honored to do that. I hope that I helped them. It was a different system because I got to coach a lot of different boats. I wasn’t assigned to a boat. We all coached the pair, we all coached the 4. I also got to go out with the 8.”
Reelick, who was on the U.S. Olympic 4 for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics along with fellow Princeton alum Emily Kallfelz ’19, was thrilled to be working again with Dauphiny.
“I remember our head coach telling us that Lori was coming in to help coach us and it was like, ‘Oh thank God,’” recalls Reelick. “I know her intensity. I know that she has got a tool box with drills and ideas. She is a Rolodex of tips and tricks to get
(Photo by Marc Lebryk)
Dauphiny, far left, celebrating with her squad at the Princeton boathouse after the Tigers finished fourth in the team standings at the 2024 NCAA Championships. (Photo provided courtesy of Lori Dauphiny)
Dauphiny, far left, and her rowers enjoying the moment after Princeton won the 2023 Ivy League Women’s Rowing Championships.
fast and how to mesh personalities. She is just an absolute master of her craft.”
For Dauphiny, focusing on the basics is the key to her coaching philosophy.
“Being a novice coach is one of the staples that I fall back on all the time. That sounds silly, but it is such a fundamental part of being a coach and learning how to develop athletes at any level,” says Dauphiny. “What I discovered last year at the Olympic level is that it wasn’t that much different than coaching novices in the sense of keeping it simple and focusing on what counts. It is not getting lost in the meaningless things, things that can lead you down a trap of distraction. It is recognizing that you still have things to work on, even when you are at the elite level. It can be as simple as length or connection, something you are working on with freshmen. I always go back to any freshman coaching and recognize that the lessons that I learned there apply to collegiate head coaching and to Olympic coaching.”
Dauphiny’s coaching acumen has influenced other women looking to follow in her footsteps.
“She is a role model for so many women that are looking at rowing coaching — it is a really powerful thing,” says Hughes. “We need more women coaching for sure. You can look to her as somebody who has had a big impact on women choosing it as a career. The women that are in the career are seeking her out for advice or help so that they can continue to develop in the role.”
In addition, Dauphiny has impacted young rowers in the area through Princeton’s involvement in the STEM to Stern , which helps athletes from underserved communities get exposed to rowing along with some high-quality STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and math) education.
“What is amazing, you can see when Lori walks into that group and the kids light up,” says Hughes. “You can just see it, that same connection is there. I am sure that you will see some of these kids continue as high school rowers and into college because of the connection they made with her.”
In Reelick’s view, Dauphiny has made a special impact on the sport as a whole.
“I just want to say how absolutely awesome she is and how much better the whole rowing community is with her,” said Reelick. “She is a standout coach and human. I think the sport of rowing is so much better because of her.”
Dauphiny, for her part, has relished being part of the Princeton rowing community.
“I think it is the people that we get,” says Dauphiny. “It is the student athletes — they are really driven and committed, they are hardworking, and they are multidimensional. I also think the setting here helps, the tradition and the administration here that supports us.”
As Dauphiny heads into her 28th season at the helm of the Tiger open program which starts when Princeton hosts Brown on March 29, her competitive fire remains undiminished.
“I love coaching, it keeps me energetic and alive,” says Dauphiny, who has guided the Tigers to 13 Ivy League crowns and has compiled an overall record of 262-30 in regular seson dual meet competition. “I feel so blessed with the people around me and the kids I work with. I couldn’t ask for more”
And the sport of rowing is blessed that Dauphiny had the guts to take a shot at making Washington crew program some four decades ago.
Dauphiny takes a celebratory plunge after another Princeton triumph. (Photo by Ivy League/Sideline Photos, courtesy of Princeton Athletics)
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A WELL-DESIGNED LIFE
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Bird Johnson, former first lady of the U.S. and founder of the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin, Texas
The days are noticeably longer, and the sun is deliciously warmer. Most of us think a little more hopefully in spring, and we often turn to nature for inspiration. It’s a season to spend more time outdoors and feast on the exquisite color palette offered by lush landscapes of flowers that cover acres in the Garden State.
Long considered symbols of optimism in literature and song, flowers have represented “resilience, optimism, and the ability to overcome adversity. (A flower) symbolizes growth and renewal, reminding us there is always the potential for growth and change, even amid hardship” notes Southside Blooms, a nonprofit “farm to vase florist” outside of Chicago.
English librettist W.S. Gilbert wrote with composer Arthur Sullivan in The Mikado, that “the flowers that bloom in the spring (tra la), breathe promise of merry sunshine — As we merrily dance and we sing (tra la), we welcome the hope that they bring (tra la).”
Here in New Jersey, we can stop and smell the roses and be surrounded by the floral richness of a park or botanical garden.
If you follow this month-to-month guide of places to view beautiful spring blooms, your senses will be rewarded.
MARCH
ORCHIDS
Duke Farms
1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough
908.722.3700; dukefarms.org
The estate where tobacco heiress Doris Duke grew up is now a nature preserve with more than 1,000 acres of land and abundant wildlife and is known for its sustainability efforts and natural beauty. It is said that when Duke’s father died when she was 12, she was comforted
by an orchid arrangement, and this sparked her interest in cultivating orchids. Today, the Tropical Orchid Garden, in a striking domed conservatory, is filled with a wide variety of orchid species from tropical regions as well as orchids that have been cultivated at Duke Farms, including Phalaenopsis Doris , registered in 1940, “of unprecedented importance in the hybrid Phalaenopsis breeding,” according to Duke Farms.
Support greenhouses hold orchid plants in various stages of growth and bloom in preparation for orchid programs, demonstrations, and presentations in the Tropical Orchid Display.
Two buildings, one for a tropical display, one for sub-tropical, were designed by Boston architects Kendall Taylor & Stevens in 1899, and in 2012 the buildings earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
Platinum-level certification. Less than a mile from the Orientation Center, located in the “core,” the Orchid Range focuses on plants native to the United States. The subtropical display is filled with orchids that have evolved in cooler subtropical locations where winter nights dip to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the website. Naturally-occurring orchid species are highlighted to demonstrate their growing habits — among trees, on branches, and upon rocks.
Billing itself as a “floral paradise in the heart of New Jersey” is no exaggeration for Holland Ridge Farms, considering that eight million tulips in full bloom can be breathtaking.
The Tulip Festival is late April to early May, set every year depending on the weather according to the team at Holland Ridge. “We will not know our opening date until about 10 days before,” they said, but the opening is usually mid-April.
There will always be tulips for picking and photos no matter when you visit the farm’s Spring Spectacular. The best time to come really depends on what you want to get out of the experience — shorter closed buds for picking and taking home to enjoy, or longer open blooms for photoshoots. At the beginning of the season there are shorter stems with mostly closed buds,
according to the farm. Picked stems will last up to a week (or more) in a vase. In the middle of the season, the farm experiences peak bloom, when most of the tulips have opened up and the farm is in full color. At the end of the season there are longer stems with mostly open blooms that will last less time in a vase.
For the Tulip Festival, there is timed admission and ticket prices of $15 per person on weekdays; $17 per person weekends; and a discount for groups. Visit
the website for tickets and details. There is no limit to how many flowers to pick — they are $1 per stem. When you get home, says the farm team, cut the bottoms of your stems to fit the vase and strip the leaves off the stems. Change out the water every couple of days and recut the stems if necessary. Tulips continue growing in the vase even after they have been picked!
The festival has a pop-up vendor market on weekends, and food trucks seven days a week.
(Photo courtesy of Holland Ridge Farms)
(Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.com)
(Photo courtesy of Holland Ridge Farms)
MAY
AZALEAS
Sayen House and Gardens
155 Hughes Drive, Hamilton 609.890.3874; Hamiltonnj.com/ sayengardens
Hamilton Township’s municipal park and botanical garden, Sayen House and Gardens is a 30-acre oasis where more than 1,000 azaleas, 500 rhododendrons, and flowering bulbs bloom with color. Admission is free daily from dawn to dusk.
The Annual Azalea Festival is held Mother’s Day weekend at Sayen Botanical Gardens on Saturday May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., where 250,000 flowering bulbs can be seen. it is a free event.
In addition to the flowers, Sayen Gardens is home to birds and wildlife that enjoy the park’s tree-filled, wooded lands surrounding the many walking trails, rolling fields, streams, and fish ponds.
According to its website. Sayen House and Gardens was created by avid gardener Frederick Sayen in 1912, with his wife, Anne Mellon of Pittsburgh’s Mellon
family. He purchased a 30-acre parcel of land nearby the family rubber mill in Hamilton Square, and there he built a bungalow-style home and surrounded it with plants and flowers he brought from his world travels. The collection included species from China, Japan, and England, many of which are still flourishing today. Throughout the year, annual and perennial displays fill the gardens with splendor, highlighting the trails, ponds, and gazebos that permeate the grounds. Hamilton Township purchased the site in 1988, and the park was opened to the public in 1991.
IRISES
visitors with the breathtaking palette of colors that bloom every spring and fall,” says Anthony Puglisi, the public information director for Essex County, where the gardens are located. The gardens, he continues, “boast over 14,000 irises of about 3,000 varieties that produce over 100,000 blooms during the season, proudly owning its beautiful nickname, ‘ The Rainbow on the Hill.’”
Moreover, adds Amy DiPalma, garden coordinator at Presby, “We have irises that date back as far as the 1500s and as new as the 2020s. Each iris is unique. The color patterns and petal structures of each variety of flower vary greatly. Take time to appreciate their delicate beauty. It will be hard to choose a favorite.”
Presby was founded in 1927 as a memorial to Frank H. Presby, one of the founders of the American Iris Society and a leading citizen of Montclair. An iris hybridizer known for his stewardship of the American Iris Society, Presby wanted to give his iris collection to Montclair’s Mountainside Park.
For almost a century, the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens have delighted
“It began,” says Di Palma of the gardens, “with irises from Presby’s own collection as well as donations from the
(Photo courtesy Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens)
(Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.com)
American Iris Society and hybridizers around the world. The irises that we have at Presby are predominantly bearded irises that were developed and donated by hybridizers. While these irises are not native to the U.S., or anywhere for that matter, they are not an invasive species. There are 28 varieties of irises that are native to America, including dwarf crested irises and blue flag irises. Some of these native irises can be found along our dry creek bed.”
The maintenance and preservation of the gardens is accomplished by staff and volunteers. “Our gardeners and volunteers spend many hours hand weeding each of the garden beds,” says DiPalma. “We do not use weed killer in the garden — we do not want to damage our irises. In addition to weeding, we deadhead, stalk, and thin as needed. During bloom season we keep track of the dates that each flower has bloomed and record that information in our database. Our garden is run on donations from our visitors, and we have a suggested donation of $10 a person. It is not enforced as we would like everyone to enjoy the garden, but every donation is very much appreciated.”
The best time to visit the gardens is in May and June when the irises are in peak bloom, says Puglisi. The annual spring
bloom season is typically mid-May through the first week of June, although certain beds will bloom in October. A recent addition is the PresBee Sanctuary which currently supports 10 active hives with well over 100,000 Italian honeybees.
On May 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a free Family Garden Party at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens offers a walk through a garden blooming with more than 100,000 iris flowers, and booths from local organizations such as the Essex County Environmental Center and Turtle Back Zoo, along with various food trucks. The Bloom Room will be open for shopping. For more information, call 973.433.7469.
“ Definitely visit us in spring,” says DiPalma. “The irises begin to bloom
towards the end of April and last until approximately mid-June. The best time to visit is late May, during what we call Peak Week, typically the week before Memorial Day. During Bloom Season, there is music in the garden on select dates and our lovely gift shop, The Bloom Room, is open for you to pick up a special memento from your visit.
“It truly is a breathtaking view to see the rows and rows of iris beds pop with color during the height of the blooming season. No other public garden in the area specializes in the iris and pays tribute to its many varieties as the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.”
The 98th Bloom Season will begin soon: Opening Day is May 15.
WILDFLOWERS
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve 1635 River Road, New Hope, Pa. 215.862.2924; bhwp.org
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve is a 134-acre nature preserve and botanical garden located in New Hope, Pa. The Preserve is known for its ecologically diverse landscapes, and it features more than 700 native plant species and 4.5 miles of trails.
(Photo courtesy Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens)
In spring, wander the woodland trails to see ephemerals cover the forest floor, especially vivid from mid-April through May. As spring unfolds, flowering shrubs, trees, and vines join the display. In May, according to the website, flowers such as the purple wild geranium, the goldencolored Virginia goldenstar, and common blue violet lend their colors to the landscape.
Summer wildflowers begin to appear in June, especially in the meadow, where richly colored flowers are constantly changing. In June, see the yellow prickly pear cactus, blue Virginia spiderwort and other colorful flowers.
See the website for a detailed look at what you can find.
Bowman’s Hill is open daily, except for major holidays, April–June, and closed on Tuesdays July–March; an admission fee is charged to nonmembers.
JUNE
ROSES
Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden Colonial Park Gardens 156 Mettlers Road; Somerset 908.722.1200 ext. 5721 somersetcountyparks.org/ colonial-park-gardens/pages/ rudolf-w-van-der-goot-rosegarden
Iliana Okum, West Jersey Rose Society consulting rosarian, calls the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden a beautiful oasis. “Van der Goot has them all, hybrid teas, floribundas, climbing roses, and modern shrubs — which have been hybridized. Some are appreciated for bloom, some for size, for fragrance, and color.”
the same color. Take a walk on a beautiful day when the sun is shining — it’s a pleasant afternoon!”
The Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden is a unique garden, says Amy Tranter, horticulture supervisor at Colonial Park Gardens, where the rose garden is located. “It is an encyclopedic collection, a living encyclopedia of roses.”
Agrees Rodrigo Jordy, horticulture manager for the park commission, adding that van der Goot Rose Garden is the largest rose collection in New Jersey. “The collection is diverse — nowhere else does one see the variety in New Jersey.”
The annual Rose Festival is on June 7, but the rose garden is open April through October, sunrise to sunset.
The formal one-acre Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden contains more than 3,000 roses of 345 labeled varieties. The collection includes popular modern hybrid roses, species roses, and various classes of heirloom or “old garden roses” (types grown before 1867). From late spring through fall, the roses unfurl a changing landscape of color, form, and fragrance.
dating back to the mid-1800s. In 1981, the garden was named in honor of Rudolf W. van der Goot, the first horticulturist with the Somerset County Park Commission, to honor his work in developing the garden.
Mettler’s formal garden provided the inspiration for the front garden, which features modern hybrid roses, urns with tree roses, a fountain, and The Grandmother’s Garden, a bed planted with roses popular through World War II.
A rope trellis frames the middle garden, and supports climbing roses and clematis, and beds with the modern hybrid rose collection. Fragrant heirloom roses line the garden’s perimeter. The central walk
“Its so much fun to go there” she continues. “To see multiple specimens of
The rose garden, established in 1971, and surrounding arboretum, were part of the original Mettler Estate, a working farm
(Photos courtesy of Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden)
is named in honor of Millicent Fenwick, a four-term New Jersey congresswoman and U.S. representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture. These beds, according to the website, are planted with a “special collection of polyantha and miniature roses and provide seating under a pergola covered with native wisteria and climbing roses.”
A garden in the formal Dutch style, with raised beds framed by low-growing flowering plants, continues the collection of modern hybrid roses, more heirloom roses, native and species roses, and pergolas covered in climbing roses.
The Fragrance and Sensory Garden is housed in the Rose Garden. This sunken garden showcases collections of plants that engage one or more senses, including medicinal and culinary herbs, tropical plants, fragrant shrubs, tender perennials, vines, and unusual annuals. Its interactive nature features herbs such as holy basil, chocolate mint, lemon-scented geranium, and textured plants such as sedum and lamb’s ear.
The Rose Garden at Colonial Park Gardens attracts thousands of visitors each week in the summer and often inspires a home garden. It is free to visit and open April through October, with a suggested donation of $6 per adult and $3 per senior or child. Pets, picnics, and wedding ceremonies are not permitted. Guided tours can be arranged for a small fee.
Why visit? “It’s intoxicating,” says Jordy. “Every color a rose can come in — we have here,” adds Tranter.
LOTUS and WATER LILIES
Grounds For Sculpture
80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton 609.586.0616; roundsforsculpture.org
June is the start of the blooming season for lotus and water lilies. The lotuses and water lilies are usually in full bloom by late June and stay in bloom for six weeks, says Colleen Molnar of Grounds For Sculpture. The lotus can be found by the gazebo and the water lilies are in
the pond by Rat’s Restaurant. “We also have roses and perennials in bloom earlier in June, which can be found all around the grounds, including the rose arbor by Rat’s Restaurant, scalloped berms, Olympia Hill by the Welcome Center, and behind the Museum Building,” she notes.
Beautiful in any season, Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) is a continually evolving landscape. Every season brings new ways to look, see, and explore, according to its website. Across 42 acres, one can find “a meadow rich with wildflowers, butterflies, and a pond teeming with natural life. Or wander through manicured fairways and paths, past elegant and architectural reflecting pools, to admire the living library of native and exotic trees and flowers.”
GFS is home to a wide variety of native and exotic trees and plants.
In 1984, J. Seward Johnson, sculptor and philanthropist, envisioned a public
sculpture garden and museum in Hamilton, where contemporary sculpture was accessible to all.
In 1986, Brian Carey of AC/BC Associates in New York City was selected through a competition to design a sculpture park at the old New Jersey State Fair. Landscape construction began in 1989. Since then, more than 2,000 trees representing more than 100 species and cultivars have been planted. In addition to typical nursery stock, many plants were collected from estates and abandoned nurseries or were salvaged from construction sites. GFS opened to the public in 1992.
GFS is a Level II Accredited Arboretum recognized by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Ill., for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. Enjoy the blooms!
(Photos courtesy of Grounds For Sculpture)
609.737.0556
609.737.0556
107 N Highway 31 • Pennington NJ 08534 dahliadesign1027@gmail.com
107 N Highway 31 Pennington NJ 08534 dahliadesign1027@gmail.com
@dahliadesign107
@dahliadesign107
1. William Morris “Strawberry Thief” folding umbrella; $35; princetonmuseumstore.org
9. Blue and white Joie de Vivre serving platter; $63; shop.mamannyc.com
10. Il Bisonte small half-moon crossbody bag; $395; nicandzoe.com
GOLD STANDARD IN SENIOR LIVING
We are proud to announce that Maplewood at Princeton have been honored with the prestigious Reputation 800 Award. This recognition, based entirely on resident and family reviews, is reserved for communities that uphold the highest standards in customer satisfaction and brand trust. Reflected in this distinction is our unwavering dedication to creating a welcoming, supportive environment where residents feel at home and families have peace of mind knowing their loved ones are well cared for.
At Maplewood Senior Living, we go beyond providing care—we create meaningful experiences for our residents and their families every day. From engaging programs and seasonally inspired dining to compassionate, personalized support, every detail is thoughtfully designed to promote well-being, connection, and fulfillment. This recognition validates our team’s passionate commitment to our core values and the trust our community places in us.
JOIN A COMMUNITY WHERE WARMTH, CARE, AND EXCELLENCE COME TOGETHER EVERY DAY.
Maplewood has been nothing short of extraordinary! The associates are incredibly compassionate, attentive, and always go above and beyond to ensure mom’s comfort and well-being. The community itself is warm and welcoming, offering a wide range of programs that keep my mother engaged and happy. It’s clear that everyone there truly cares for the residents as if they were family. My mother has never felt more at ease, and our family has peace of mind knowing she’s in capable, loving hands. I couldn’t be more grateful for Maplewood! - Ed
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Thank you to our customers for voting us
CORCORAN SAWYER SMITH
HOPEWELL VALLEY
Two Route 31 South Pennington, New Jersey 08534
Experience modern elegance in this exquisite 4BR, 3BA home on a serene 1.5-acre lot. Vaulted wood ceilings, custom Italian Pangea cherry wood doors signed by Fernando Garofoli, and expansive glass doors create a bright, sophisticated ambiance. Cozy up to two brick replaces or entertain in the gourmet kitchen with granite countertops, premium stainless-steel appliances, and a built-in Miele cappuccino maker. Relax in your private sauna, or enjoy seamless indooroutdoor living with multiple patios and a spacious deck. Designer garage doors, solar panels, and a prime location near downtown Princeton make this a must-see!
Offered at $1,450,000
Thank you to our customers for voting us
Best Pizza
us accomplishment customers. continue to serve – 4-9 www.contespizzaandbar.com vodka! for
Thank you to our customers for voting us
We could not have reached these accomplishment without our dedicated employees and customers. Thank you from the owners of Conte’s Serving the Princeton community for over 80 years, and we will continue to serve you another 80 years and more. Thank you to our customers for voting us
We could not have reached this accomplishment without our dedicated employees and customers.
We could not have reached these accomplishment without our dedicated employees and customers.
We could not have reached this accomplishment without our dedicated employees and customers.
Thank you from the owners of Conte’s
Thank you from the owners of Conte’s Serving the Princeton community for over 80 years, and we will continue to serve you another 80 years and more.
Thank you from the owners of Conte’s
serving gluten-free pizza, pasta, beer & vodka!
Pizza could not have reached this accomplishment without our dedicated employees and customers.
Now serving gluten-free pizza, pasta, beer & vodka!
Since [1950] Conte’s has become a Princeton destination; a great old-school bar that also happens to serve some of New Jersey’s best pizza, thin-crusted and bubbly. The restaurant hasn’t changed much since then; even the tables are the same. It’s a simple, no-frills space, but if you visit during peak times, be prepared to wait well over an hour for a table. 339 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ 08540 (609) 921-8041 • www.contespizzaandbar.com Mon – 11:30-9 · Tues-Fri – 11:30-10:30 Sat – 4-10:30 · Sun – 4-9
We could not have reached this accomplishment without our dedicated employees and customers. Thank you from the owners of Conte’s Princeton community for over 80 years, and we will continue to serve you another 80 years and more. – 11:30-9 · Tues-Fri – 11:30-10:30 · Sat – 4-10:30 · Sun – 4-9 339 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ 08540 (609) 921-8041 • www.contespizzaandbar.com
The restaurant hasn’t changed much since then; even the tables are the same. It’s a simple, no-frills space, but if you visit during peak times, be prepared to wait well over an hour for a table. Tues-Fri – 11:30-10:30 Thank you to our customers for
us accomplishment customers. Conte’s will continue to serve beer & vodka! voting us accomplishment customers. Conte’s will continue to serve 4-10:30 · Sun – 4-9 08540 www.contespizzaandbar.com beer & vodka! Princeton, NJ 08540 www.contespizzaandbar.com
Serving the Princeton community for over 80 years, and we will continue to serve you another 80 years and more. Mon – 11:30-9 · Tues-Fri – 11:30-10:30 · Sat – 4-10:30 · Sun – 4-9 339 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ 08540 (609) 921-8041 • www.contespizzaandbar.com Now serving gluten-free pizza,
Serving the Princeton community for over 80 years, and we will continue to serve you another 80 years and more. Mon – 11:30-9 · Tues-Fri – 11:30-10:30 · Sat – 4-10:30 · Sun – 4-9 339 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ 08540 (609) 921-8041 • www.contespizzaandbar.com
HERRONTOWN ROAD | STUNNING CONTEMPORARY HOME IN LITTLE BROOK, PRINCETON.
Corcoran HP.indd 2
Buckshire
A Sophisticated Reproduction of a Proper Cotswald County Estate | $2,295,000
The 6 bedroom, 4.5 bath home is sited among lush landscaping, esteemed gardens and walking paths and a vibrant waterfall against stone walls. This property has a unique pedigree because it was frequently visited by Julia Child. The home belonging to her husband's brother was the site of her wedding reception and, it is rumored, that many of her early recipes were first executed in the existing kitchen.
One of the more stunning aspects of the interior is the large, open concept Great Room with a centrally located curved staircase that acts as a nucleus. The ornate details…polished flooring, French doors, period fireplaces and custom woodworking, all work, cumulatively, to form a stellar environment. The kitchen is full of light and contains a glass solarium that acts as a Breakfast Room. The bedrooms are located so that the primary suite is private and important. A short walk from the home is the guest cottage. This one bedroom cottage is the perfect location for guests, relatives or a writer’s studio.
*Receive $20,000 off the lease of a new MY25 Polestar 3 vehicle when you combine the $5,000 Polestar Conquest Program bonus and the $15,000 Polestar Clean Vehicle Noncash Incentive (“Offers”). The Polestar Conquest Program bonus is available for eligible customers that currently own or lease a Tesla vehicle. Customer must provide a copy of either U.S. registration or U.S. insurance documents showing VIN, name, address and expiration date. Members of the same household are also eligible to provide proof of ownership on behalf of the purchaser. Proof of same household residence must be provided prior to signing. Supporting documentation must be available at time of delivery. Customer eligibility requirements must be met for the Conquest Program offer. Please see Polestar Space for details. Offer begins March 3, 2025 and expires on March 31, 2025. Only open to legal U.S. residents who have a valid U.S. driver's license. Offers are not transferable. Offer only available on lease of new MY25 Polestar 3 vehicle. Vehicle leases outside of the program dates are not eligible. Offers cannot be used toward the payment of sales tax. This offer is subject to federal, state, and local taxes. Offers cannot be applied to lease or purchase of any other model year or model vehicles purchased as used. No cash value. Offer cannot be combined with Polestar loyalty offers. Vehicle delivery must take place before March 31, 2025.
The Princeton Area Community Foundation makes quality education arts and culture green spaces and environmental action nutritious meals health initiatives disaster relief strong nonprofits after school and summer programs good ...possible through the power of collective giving. Learn how
May 1, 2025
D. Graham Burnett Surviving the Attention Economy
with Chef Gabby Aron
Jun 5, 2025
Alliah L. Agostini Connecting Food & Culture with Kids
with Chef James Graham
Jul 3, 2025
Keri Day Womanist & Black Feminist Eco-spirituality
with Chef Rachel Pennington
Aug 7, 2025
KC Choi
Theology and Ethics of Food
with Chef Dana Klitzberg
Sep 4, 2025
Kim Wagner Responding to EcoTrauma
with Chef Margo Carner
Oct 9, 2025
Padraig O Tuama Poetry & Place
Featuring Chef Sal Riccobono
Hosted at The Farminary, Princeton
Theological Seminary’s 21-acre sustainable farm, this series features scholars, activists, and artists interviewed over dinner. They are paired with a world-class chef who prepares the meal with a portion of the produce coming straight from the farm. Each event is capped at 24 people for a more intimate experience.
No big presentations. Just big ideas and delicious food.
