1-23 PE

Zoning Board updates

The Zoning Board of Adjustment has heard several applications at meetings scheduled around holidays in November and December.

One application was heard at the November 9 meeting:

17 Carnahan Place, Nafsika H. Dakou, owner / applicant. A C2 variance was requested to permit approval of a carport that has been installed in exception to the required front yard setback. The application was denied. The applicant was given 30 days to remove the structure and was advised to evaluate options for extending the driveway to create a conforming space for the carport. A new application was scheduled to be heard at the January 25 meeting.

On November 17 the Zoning Board held a special meeting to hear an application from RB Homes for a 10-unit apartment building to be constructed on Lincoln Court, a dead-end street behind the former Triumph Brewery accessible from South Tulane Street. Two of the units will be affordable housing.

The proposal calls for the demolition of two dilapidated structures at 10 and

14 ½ Vandeventer Avenue, which front on Lincoln Court. An historic home at 16-18 Vandeventer will be preserved, and its rear yard will be transformed into a parking lot to accommodate up to nine cars. That application, which received a favorable review from the Historic Preservation Commission, was carried to the meeting scheduled for January 25.

The board heard two additional applications at the December 14 meeting:

25 Birch Avenue, Andrew Naumann, owner and applicant. A c (1) variance and Historic Preservation Plan Review were requested to allow the construction of a second floor master bedroom addition and a deck in exception to the required smaller and combined side yard setbacks. The application was approved.

250 Mercer Street, Michael and Anna Prilutsky, owners and applicants. A variance request for a floor area ratio pursuant to NJSA 40:55D-70 (4) to permit the replacement, expansion, and re-orientation of an existing garage. A bulk variance was requested to permit construction of a garage in exception to the 16-foot required setback from the nearest portion of the front façade. The application was approved.

A hearing on an application for the construction of a garage at 90 Brooks Bend was postponed.

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Getting some fresh air with friends — feathery, flapping, and otherwise — is what the Charles H. Rogers Wildlife Refuge is all about. From its perch along the Stony Brook, the 39-acre property, long lauded as a birding oasis, sits adjacent to the Institute for Advanced Study. The two sites share woods, but the refuge is a sanctuary seldom appreciated for its habitat of forests and marshlands within close distance of Princeton’s town center.

Keep your eyes peeled and keep left past the sign bearing the refuge’s name as you come down West Drive off Alexander Street, where parking — and the beginning of an adventure — await.

Winifred “Winnie” Hughes Spar is a member of the Friends of the Rogers Refuge, or FORR, a group that her late husband, Fred J. Spar, started back in April 2005. A freelance writer and poet, Winnie, who has spent more than 35 years birding in the area, said she has seen “enormous improvements and change” because of their stewardship.

“It’s just amazing that right in the middle of town is this enormous central wild preserve. It’s a real privilege of living in Princeton, and we took advantage of it — just by doing that, and by becoming very fond of the Refuge and the birds in the Refuge; that’s how we got involved in conservation.”

The couple met as graduate students at Brown University in Rhode Island, where Fred received a Ph.D. in Chinese history and Winnie acquired hers in English literature. In 1977 the Spars moved to Princeton, where Winnie joined the faculty of Princeton University’s English depart-

ment and has lived in the area since.

The Spars became avid birders after seeing their “spark bird” outside their apartment, purchasing a field guide, and visiting the Rogers Refuge, named after the famous ornithologist Charles H. Rogers.

“It turned out to be a Northern flicker, which is a beautiful woodpecker,” Winnie explained, adding that the bird is also “called a yellow-shafted flicker because it has these beautiful golden-yellow linings to the wings, and it’s got all kinds of soft brown and black patterns, and a red nape of the neck.”

Fred and Winnie enrolled in “the famous, long-running” Princeton Adult School course taught by one of the Rogers Refuge’s founders, Tom Southerland, on bird identification. They soon befriended Tom and his wife, Margot, and met others throughout the area’s birding community.

The Southerlands, who also founded and ran Princeton Nature Tours from 1981 to 2001, mirrored the Spars in that when they arrived in Princeton a decade earlier, they found “an out-of-season Nashville Warbler” by their apartment, then befriended Charles H. Rogers himself, according to the refuge’s website.

Tom became a member of the latter’s informal New Jersey Field Ornithologists Club, which had noticed how ideal Princeton’s wetlands were for birding. In 1968 Rogers and Tom observed that the refuge, under the control of the Princeton Water Company at the time, was being used to discard “construction fill.”

Following their discussion, Tom brought the matter to the Princeton

Township Open Space Committee, joining and then incentivizing a team to address the dumping. This group, along with members of what became the Princeton Environmental Commission, were instrumental in coordinating a conservation easement for the site originally known as the Princeton Wildlife Refuge.

The refuge responsibilities are shared by Princeton and the FORR, yet maintained by the active water company, beginning with the Princeton Water Company, then Elizabethtown Water Company, and continuing with the refuge’s current owner, New Jersey American Water.

Since these efforts from the Southerlands and others like Tom Poole and Tom Gopsill, the refuge has been officially protected, but by 2005 the Spars realized that the ecosystem was experiencing another crisis.

“We, and a bunch of our birder friends, noticed that the open water in the upper marsh at the Refuge had completely dried up. It was this big mud ball, and there were fish flopping around in the mud and all kinds of herons coming to pick them off, and so we began to wonder exactly what was going on, and that was when we started to get involved,” Winnie said.

“What happened was that the open water in the Refuge, and now water in the lower Refuge, is provided by a pump. Water is pumped through hoses up from the Stony Brook directly into the marsh, and so it is a natural wetland, but the pump generally runs from March to December, and it keeps open water,” she added. “The

pump was broken, so that was when Fred decided to get started on not just waiting for crises, but to be more proactive in taking care of the Refuge.”

After her husband’s career in finance, public relations, and corporate communications in New York City, Winnie said that he “wanted to give back and get involved in nonprofits,” with the perfect opportunity right in front of him.

He subsequently formed the FORR, whose members have included the Southerlands, Tom Poole, and Mary Margaret Halsey, as well as others like Steve Hiltner — who was commissioned for an “ecological assessment and preliminary recommendations” in 2007 as a blueprint for the future, the entirety of which is available online — Ludmilla Wightman, Hannah Suthers, Lee and Melinda Varian, Arlene Oley, Laurie Larson, and more.

“Friends of the Rogers Refuge moved in to try to mitigate some of the problems and to repair some of the infrastructure. Since 2005, we’ve repaired the pump, which the town maintains,” Winnie explained, adding that NJ American Water has “been terrific” thus far.

Fred served on the boards of organizations like the Watershed Institute and the New York City Audubon Society, as well as the Friends of Princeton Open Space, where he was the assistant treasurer and helped include FORR under their umbrella.

FORR, which oversees the habitat, infrastructure and visitor accommodations, is also supported by grants from the Washington Crossing Audubon Society and a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the entity that helped eradicate Phragmites, “an invasive species that comes in and chokes off the marsh.”

“By this time, after all these years of working on it, we have basically restored the native cattails in the marsh. There’s very little Phragmites left,” Winnie added, now extending that focus to other culprits “like Multiflora Rose and Porcelain berry.”

FORR replaced the original observation tower with a new viewing platform and added a second to continue the refuge’s reputation as a prime birding spot. In the lower marsh, there is also a new bird blind where “wild creatures can be observed without being disturbed.”

The refuge’s group also installed “boardwalks and bridges in places where footing gets damp, where it sometimes floods over and washes out,” with Winnie cautioning to bring boots if this “extreme weather” happens to bring rain on your trip to the refuge.

Winnie also acknowledged that since 2000, Princeton’s deer management program has reduced the population to the point where the understory — a lower

Members for the Friends of the Rogers Refuge include Lee Varian, back left, Melinda Varian, and Winnie Spar, and Tom and Margot Southerland, front.

layer of smaller vegetation out of direct sunlight — has noticeably returned.

“The deer were browsing everything that they could reach. There was a browse line on the trees, and all the shrubs and ground plants, which [are] the understory, were severely damaged, if not destroyed, by the deer. You could walk in the Institute Woods and just see a great distance between the trees because there was no undergrowth, no saplings, no shrubs, no ground cover in a lot of places, because the deer ate all of it,” she added.

“We have a really key native species, called spicebush, [that] has returned. There used to be little spicebush, and then the deer would eat them. I never saw any higher than my shoulders. Now they’re seven feet tall, and just an enormous change in the habitat — both in the Institute Woods and along the Stony Brook in the Rogers Refuge.”

The bird populations have flourished since the changes, and as some species increase in number, others are returning to the area after years without a single sighting at all.

“We have provided a lot of boxes for various birds, most excitingly, the huge resort that we’ve created for Purple Martins,” Winnie said. “Purple Martins are big, beautiful swallows that come all the way from South America and spend the summer here with us…they had been in the Refuge years ago, but they’ve been gone for decades, and we first put up a little martin hotel in 2014.”

According to Winnie, the structures, or “condos,” for the bird colonies have encouraged an increasing flock of Purple Martins to frequent them throughout the years. There are boxes for other species, but Winnie has personally witnessed the houses be “heavily used” by bluebirds.

“I see them building the nest and feeding the young, and then you can see them fledging, and we’ve had really good flocks of bluebirds since we put in those boxes,” she noted.

During the fall migration, Winnie said she saw a bird that “has never been recorded in the Rogers Refuge before,” a clay-colored sparrow, a species with a “buffy eyebrow, pale mustache, and gray collar,” according to its identification guide on the All About Birds website.

“The clay-colored sparrow is a Midwestern species that evidently got a little bit lost when it was trying to migrate, so it got blown east a bit far. It’s only the second time I’ve ever seen one,” she added, noting that it was “very exciting” that of all places, the birds “chose the Rogers Refuge to regroup.”

She also documented the presence of “at least three Marsh Wrens,” who “nest and are very active and vocal in the Abbott Marshlands in Trenton, but they haven’t been here in decades” until this autumn. Winnie hopes that the birds, which have been “seen very, very rarely in recent years,” will also take the time to settle rather than just migrate or pass through.

“In a period of 15 or 20 years, you could see the results of your labor. If you treat a natural area right, it doesn’t take that long for native plants to reemerge and birds to come back. It will happen, and you could watch it — it’s not real fast — but you could watch it happen over a reasonable period of years, and that’s been the most exciting thing about our involvement in the Refuge,” she added.

In addition to the birds and deer, there are other typical mammals such as raccoons and foxes at the Refuge, but plenty of unconventional creatures also make the marsh their home. Winnie points out that there are river otters, beavers, and mink, adding that people tend to be surprised to learn that “there are mink breeding there … right in the middle of Princeton.”

She also commented, off the top of her head, that there

FORR replaced the original observation tower, right, with a new viewing platform, above, and added a second to continue the refuge’s reputation as a prime birding spot.

are at least five species of frogs and more than 30 species of dragonflies and damselflies.

“It’s a whole ecosystem. You can see as the habitat improves, that the whole ecosystem improves along with it,” she said. “You have to think holistically…everything thrives together.”

The Refuge has also had successful public outreach projects such as the Community Science Days. This idea was the work of Harrison Watson, a Princeton University Ph.D. student in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology, who was on the Princeton Environmental Commission, the organization that co-sponsored the events with the Princeton Public Library, before he stepped down to focus on his studies.

“I’m very dedicated to sustainability efforts at all scales, but I really wanted to get engaged in local environment efforts,” he said.

Watson, a native of Jackson, Mississippi, who recently moved from Princeton to Trenton, conceived the project with the goal of beginning to marry a community effort with “data collection efforts that would then serve Princeton more broadly.”

After reaching out to the FORR, what was intended as a singular event grew into a somewhat seasonal affair, with PEC choosing, as a sign of gratitude for the donation in his name, to incorporate the name of a former commissioner’s grandson, Cole Morano, in the endeavor.

According to a PEC press release, the first event, held in May of this year, brought together about 40 participants, including Morano and his friends, to the refuge for nature walks conducted by recently appointed chairman David Padulo and Winnie Spar.

Participants, many of them children and parents, came together in what Watson called a “heartwarming experience” outdoors, complete with accounts of the history of the refuge and plenty of tips on how to identify the species they observed.

“The fact that birds are coming back is an incredible thing. It’s an astounding achievement, but it would be an achievement that I don’t think could really be appreciated without the people there to appreciate those birds and that can commune with nature, to see these birds and hear these animals,” Watson said.

“To me, that, I think, is the most special thing about places like Rogers Refuge is that it offers an opportunity for a child, or for somebody who is not quite comfortable with nature, or that doesn’t know a lot about natural

aspects of their community, to be able to step out on this observation deck that’s been built at Rogers Refuge, and overlook 15 years’ worth of effort that’s manifested as a field of cattails, and look out, see birds, and hear toads.”

Following another Community Science Day in August and Watson’s departure, FORR is “regrouping” with another PEC member, Zenon Tech-Czarny, to continue the momentum in the spring of 2023. Cindy Taylor, Princeton’s open space manager, will also be helping as the first person in her newly established position.

“It’s exciting to see new birds come because the habitat

has improved,” Winnie said, noting that Virginia rails nested there 40 years ago, but they had been away from the area for decades until this past spring and summer.

“Occasionally, they would pass through with migration, but they’re very, very secretive,” she explained. “They would not nest in invasive species. They didn’t evolve to nest in Phragmites. But now we have cattails, and that’s just amazing to think that we might have nesting Virginia rails.”

Since Winnie heard the calls of the birds back in June, she is hopeful that they have settled in the changed, or reverted, refuge landscape. She added that Claire Wayner, one of the cofounders of the Princeton Birding Society, an entity run by and for the University’s student birders, was able to capture a photograph of the elusive creature.

This past May, Wayner and five others, under the bird-based name “The Princeton Tiger Shrikes,” competed in the New Jersey Audubon’s World Series of Birding 2022, an event where groups of birders document every bird they see in a 24-hour period. The Tiger Shrikes won first place with a whopping 205 species of birds tallied, beating out 86 other contenders, including a team from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Spar took a break from teaching fulltime to raise her two sons, Adam and Alex, but has always maintained a love of writing. In addition to scholarly journals, she was the managing editor of U.S. 1 Worksheets, a publication from the U.S. 1 Poets’ Cooperative — now known as the Delaware Valley Poets/U.S. 1 Poets Cooperative following a merger — for five years.

Spar said that much of her “ecopoetry” “is inspired by and set in the Rogers Refuge,” with nature being a frequent subject

in her published chapbooks such as “Frost Flowers” from Finishing Line Press in 2019.

“My two passions are poetry and birds, and they come together in the Rogers’ Refuge,” Winnie explained. During the pandemic, she visited “virtually every day,” joining Joe Melton, the current vice chair of FORR, with an “irregular, ragtag bunch” who found “salvation” in the Refuge.

“It saved a lot of us through the pandemic. It was our only social event, our fresh air, and our exercise,” she said, adding that even when the Institute Woods closed, the Rogers Refuge remained open for use.

When FORR’s founding chair, Fred Spar, passed in 2018, he was memorialized in a trail and stone at the Rogers Refuge, with member Lee Varian stepping up into the role next. David Padulo, a Somerset County native and a Princeton resident for more than 20 years, took Lee’s place in August with, admittedly, “big Fred Spar shoes to fill,” he said in a quote.

“I was looking for a new opportunity to get involved with something I felt passionate about, feed my soul, and find a break from the financial markets and my day job,” Padulo explained, noting that while birding had always been a family affair, he concentrated on his career for much of his life.

“However, over the last 10 years I’ve rediscovered the joy and wonder of the natural world, in particular the birds within it,” he said, then reaching out to other FORR members such as Winnie, Joe, Lee — who is now treasurer — and Melinda Varian.

FORR’s prerogative will always be to preserve and protect the rare species of the marshland. But, since coming on, Padulo has “developed a mission statement for the group with input from the existing members so that we would have a

common goal and purpose to guide both me and future generations.”

In the spirit of her longtime partner, Winnie is active as a board member for the Washington Crossing Audubon Society. She also works with the Watershed Institute, teaching a course on “The Literary Language of Nature” once a year for their adult education program, but acknowledging that “the Rogers Refuge is closest to our hearts, and that’s where it all started.”

Together, the Spars went from participants to organizers of the Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count, which started in Central Park on Christmas Day of 1900 as the evolution of a holiday hunting tradition that ornithologist Frank M. Chapman wished to change, according to the history of the event on the Audubon Society website.

Now having grown to what she calls an “unbelievable database,” Winnie, alongside other FORR members, was part of the 123rd Christmas Bird Count this past December.

nals” for “The Charles Rogers Bird Journals Digitization Project.”

The online exhibit, “Capturing Feathers: A Digital Collection of Bird Imagery” is a resource for Rogers’ records, lists, thoughts and more. Winnie Spar noted that using this past context to measure biodiversity will be beneficial in preventing more birds from becoming extinct.

According to a 2019 study from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, scientists estimate that since 1970, “the North American bird population is down by 2.9 billion breeding adults, with devastating losses among birds in every biome,” especially for common birds like sparrows and finches, which account for 90 percent of that number.

Likewise, just as the Phragmites did, Winnie said that the emerald ash borer “is taking a huge toll on the refuge,” causing the ash trees to deteriorate and create gaps in the canopy.

Rogers

was born in Philadelphia in 1888, attended the first count at just 12 years old, and joined Princeton’s as a teenager when it began five years later. Similarly, Rogers’ responsibilities increased, with him compiling Princeton’s numbers for decades and only missing a single count in 1969 due to a heart attack.

Rogers graduated from Princeton University in 1909 with a bachelor of letters in modern languages, a designation that is no longer offered. He worked on both Wall Street and at the Museum of Natural History before returning to his former institution as a professor of ornithology. As the curator of the university’s collection of bird skins, Rogers traveled around the world to places like Mexico and Panama, “visiting all continents except for Antarctica,” according to Rogers’ obituary on the refuge website.

Rogers was president of the New Jersey Audubon Society for five years, which later rewarded him for his collection of specimens “said to represent every family of birds in the world except the Australian scrub bird,” per his New York Times obituary.

Given Rogers’ affiliations and presence on the faculty, as well as the other notable figures in the refuge’s history, Winnie said that she leads guided bird walks for Princeton University Reunions. Last spring’s tour drew 66 attendees.

Rogers, who died in 1977, was succeeded curatorily by Elizabeth “Betty” Horn, who is now research support for the University’s Rogers Bird Room. In April 2021, the digital imaging studio at Princeton University Library, in collaboration with the department of ecology and evolutionary biology, digitized “over 10,000 pages” of Rogers’ handwritten, “personal jour-

“When you’re involved in stewardship of a natural area, the work is never complete,” Winnie added. “That’s what we have to do; we have to manage these things. The Phragmites were disastrous 15 or 20 years ago and we have reversed that, so we have to realize that new invasions will come…stewardship never ends. We’re not at the end, ever. You just pass the torch to the next generation of Friends of the Rogers Refuge to continue to do stewardship.”

In 2014, Winnie shared how members of FORR noticed the Southerlands’ willow trees, which the couple had planted back in the 1960s, had started to die off. However, eight years after the group replanted 12 new ones, which were initially “just little sticks with no roots, no leaves,” all but one is still standing tall along the marsh’s edge.

Other projects are in place to stop the open water from silting, and Spar has also been working on a breeding bird survey for the refuge since 2020, finding “over 70 species that nest in the refuge and adjacent woods.”

Spar’s advice? If it’s birds you want to see, bring those binoculars, because the positive changes are visible in both the terrain and types of wildlife at the Charles H. Rogers Refuge.

“You go out there, and if you’re a serious birder, you never know what you might find, and I really think that a lot of these new things that we’re finding are coming because we have improved the habitat so much,” she said. “I think it’s important for people to know that it’s there, and then I think the biggest message I want to send is that you can make a difference. You can do it,” Spar finished. “If you are good stewards of our natural resources, you could make a difference, and you could see that difference, and it’s very exciting.”

More information: www.rogersrefuge. org.

Talking Tea with Holsome Teas and Herbs & Tea-For-All

BY REBEKAH SCHROEDER

January has few holidays after the new year, but a lighthearted observance that makes the weight of a dark winter better is the month’s national recognition of hot tea.

Stay snug with a satisfying cup of your own, or, for an experience combining the leisurely with the educational, put that kettle back on—the wisdom of these tea shops is steeped in years of creativity and care.

Holsome Teas and Herbs

The rows of colorful Chinese tea bins lining the walls at Princeton’s Holsome Teas and Herbs shine like hidden gems in this “hole-in-the-wall” establishment, each resembling vibrant jewels with their own origins, flavors and brewing customs.

Holsome, which takes its name from the word “wholesome” minus two letters, is in the rear of the building at 27 Witherspoon Street, reachable either through the brick back alley and egress or by walking straight through the storefront of Junbi, the bubble tea shop that Holsome’s owner, former chemist Paul Shu, rents the space to.

According to Shu, the longtime spot described on its website as “Princeton’s

Holsome’s rear egress at 27 Witherspoon Street in downtown Princeton.

best kept secret” was the first tea store in the downtown Princeton area, opening in 1996 at 20 Nassau Street prior to moving to its permanent home on Witherspoon. The welcoming white interior, accentuated by an emerald seating area of modest tables and a prime outside view, is a window into the scientist’s second dream.

Holsome has successfully tested Shu’s hypothesis, carrying a combination of three aspects—high-quality teas from around the world, Chinese herbal medicine, and nutritional supplements and vitamins—over 26 years of business, long before you could buy bubble tea on every block.

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Shu’s teas, whether traditional or flavored, come from a variety of countries, including China, Taiwan, Sri Lanka and India.

“A tea shop like this can do well because our tea’s so different, it’s really so different. You will come to a tea shop to buy tea; you can actually see it, smell it, and taste it,” Shu said. “But if you go online, that quality and service are not there.”

Shu also mentioned that relying solely on descriptions for reference raises the risk of “disappointment,” a scenario easily avoided by providing a physical, pleasant environment for perusing and purchasing tea.

Holsome is open Monday through Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Shu’s wife used to help, but he has since encouraged her to do all the paperwork and bookkeeping from home while he oversees the storefront.

Shu is an impressive one-man show, balancing phone calls, brewing tea, and measuring out the leaves waiting to be weighed, which can be purchased for the minimal weight of a quarter pound.

Born in China, Shu moved to Taiwan when he was about 6 years old. In 1965, he came to study in the United States, obtaining a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Notre Dame and his Ph.D. in the same subject from the University of Michigan.

After graduating, Shu completed his postdoc at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, then started as a research scientist with 3M, a manufacturing company based in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

ExxonMobil, then known as the Mobil Oil Corporation, used to have a research and development center based in Hopewell Township that offered Shu a position. He arrived in Mercer County in 1981, worked there for 15 years, and registered an estimated 74 patents in his name.

While he trained as a chemist, Shu rarely stuck with a single passion and “always had more than one job at one time,” leading him to found the Whitewaters Swim Team in 1983. Shu is now the acting director, but before he stepped back to focus full-time on Holsome about three years ago, Whitewaters had “the longest history of one coach and the same head coach” in the area.

In 1995, Mobil exited the area, and Shu accepted what he described as a “package deal” for early retirement from Mobil, which left him wondering about what to do next in his career.

Thinking about his family background, Shu knew that both of his paternal and maternal grandparents were “very knowledgeable in traditional Chinese medicine,” even applying what they knew to serve as healers in their hometown communities. Those who practiced Chinese medicine back then, Shu said, were not often

“formally trained in college or university,” learning instead through “self-study.”

But, “more importantly, because Chinese medicine is very closely linked to our philosophy, our Chinese philosophy tends to be [that] we are more into nature; it’s not artificial, so whatever goes harmoniously with nature, that’s the way they approach.”

Shu observed how a greater number of people in America were taking an interest in this practice so “deeply ingrained” in his culture. The supplement industry was also booming, with health stores in malls like GNC making vitamins more accessible to the general public.

Around the same time, Shu had recently discovered his affinity for tea while revisiting Taiwan, returning to America with some that he eagerly shared with friends. Back in the late ‘90s, he said that because America was such a “fast-moving” country, people tended to gravitate towards soda or coffee, consuming the latter in instant form rather than taking the time to properly prepare their morning java.

Shu envisioned a company that would be informed by both his principles and professional experiences in chemistry. Such expertise, he added, allowed him to “pick up new information”—such as how to run a business without official training—quicker.

Because of Shu’s capacity for analysis, he emphasized the importance of remembering how “nature came first; science is after that.”

“Everything is in nature. It’s already there, and we just don’t know enough. We gradually learn more and more about it, but people think we’re discovering it. You didn’t discover it; it was already there. You bumped into it.”

Shu wanted to improve his clients’ quality of life and health under the belief that he could “fundamentally help people’s overall wellbeing” in an informed, practical manner. Now, he sells organic ingredients such as burdock root, goji berries, rosehips, lavender flowers, and peppermint.

By bringing products and tea to an American audience not nearly as familiar with such a market back at the beginning of the 21st century, Shu capitalized on a niche that has since been embraced in the public sphere.

This change can be visibly seen just in Princeton alone, which is now bustling with various shops to buy, try and enjoy tea. Many of these places also sell bubble tea, a sweet, Taiwanese tea-based drink that typically features boba—chewy balls of tapioca “pearls” with a divisive texture—as well as milk, sweetened red bean, coconut-based flavored jellies, and other additions.

“When I first moved to Princeton, Princeton was a sleepy small town, essentially,” Shu said, remembering a time when the shops were scattered solely from Nassau through Witherspoon, as well as in Palmer Square. One of the only businesses still operating, he added, is Small World Coffee, which he believes was the first coffee spot when it opened three years before Holsome in December 1993.

“I’ve seen so many businesses come and go,” Shu said. “Fortunately, I’m still here,” with the owner attributing that to the fact that his “original formula seems to be working.”

Back then, there were numerous banks and a few restaurants in Princeton, but only one chain: a single Burger King. Similar fare was seen as unbefitting of the town’s atmosphere, so when industry giants like Starbucks came along, “that was a shock at the time,” Shu said.

This attitude of wanting the town to “have its own distinct status and reputation,” Shu continued, has now fallen by the wayside in favor of more chain stores.

Shu was pleased that Holsome had been successful “from day one,” and when Urken Supply Co., a family-owned hardware store on Witherspoon, closed in 2002, Shu’s enterprise had the chance to expand into a larger location.

Once he acquired the building, Shu ran

his tea shop in the front, while a multipurpose space in the back served as an art gallery where, “every two months,” a new, local creative would showcase an exhibit of their works.

When a yoga studio on Spring Street closed, Shu gave the equipment, as well as some of the teachers, a new home at Holsome Teas and Herbs. The “Holsome Yoga”’ program ran for years until instructor Gemma Farrell took over and moved the group, now known as “Gratitude Yoga,” to the second floor of 86 Nassau Street in 2018.

Shu acknowledged that although Holsome was able to incorporate more of a holistic flair, the 2008 financial crisis had a significant impact on the company.

Eventually, Shu made the decision to begin renting out the front of the building, which turned out to be a “very valuable” source of income, as Holsome carried on in the rear. To do so, he redid most of the interior, carving out a corridor and a second egress for additional room.

Shu said that Junbi, which means “preparation” in Japanese, opened in March 2021 with a lineup of matcha-forward drinks, bubble teas, coffees and more. Junbi is “very popular for young people,” he added, with bubble tea frequently serving as “the first step” toward regular tea consumption for these generations. Holsome even sold healthier, “unconventional” bubble tea back when they were in the front area, yet now that Shu is without a kitchen of his own, his recommendation is to take full advantage of Junbi’s menu.

The revamped layout at Holsome is still used for a zen meditation class, but Shu is considering converting the old gallery into a place where people can come to sit, study, and learn while drinking tea.

Shu noted that he is more than “happy here” at Holsome’s spot, gesturing to the wide window, a personal request of his, which fills the room with light as it looks out onto the courtyard area. “This is almost like my own backyard. When you sit here, it’s almost like they let me share their garden,” Shu said with a sincere smile.

Throughout times of uncertainty, Holsome Teas and Herbs has remained true to its roots—and name—by inviting customers to pause and savor the simple things in life. “People just come to talk to me for any health advice. If I know, I’m more than happy to provide it,” Shu explained. “My philosophy here is, I like to provide knowledge.”

Shu insisted that he is not interested in any products with unproven abilities or hypes, and everything he does retail has been vetted in terms of efficacy and safety.

Shu has built trust in his relationship with customers over the years, meaning that if someone asks about a particular problem or product, he will be “very hon-

For the past 26 years, Paul Shu, the owner of Holsome Teas and Herbs, has been running a shop that combines his love of tea with Chinese herbal remedies influenced by his family. background.

est” in letting them know the truth, even going so far as to refuse to sell it to them.

Shu said people he has known for years regularly call him for questions and conversations, becoming like his old friends. Many of them have since moved away, but despite the distance, he arranges for products to be delivered to them wherever they are now.

The owner maintained that because such a feature had always been an integral part of Holsome’s business model from the start, he did not notice a dramatic increase in the sale of “natural alternatives” during the pandemic. The modest storefront, which only accepts in-person or phone orders, does not have an online store.

Just as simply, with green tea being the least oxidized and black tea being the most oxidized, Shu’s favorite tea, oolong, is semioxidized and falls somewhere in the middle. Shu said that depending on how much air the leaves are exposed to in production, the color will fluctuate, giving a “different taste and flavor” to the tea.

His recommendations, however, revolve around each person’s individual tea experiences, as a match must “depend on their interest, state, and appreciation level.”

Everyone “has a different value system,” Shu explained, meaning that there are differences between the palates of beginners and those who have dedicated time to honing their taste preferences. He believes that rather than selecting the most expensive tea, an introduction to tea should begin with sampling and exploring flavor profiles through more affordable options.

Shu equated the experience to that of wine, stating that college students are likely to opt for a cheaper option that works for their roommates at the time. But once they develop a discerning palate, those same people might buy “a particular year or variety” at a higher price.

“Tea drinking is very similar to that,” Shu said. With thousands of years of customs and history behind it, the craft has “evolved continuously” throughout time to the point where drinking tea, according to Holsome’s owner, “is almost like an art” in and of itself.

“You can brew a nice cup of tea your way, [with] your knowledge, and then you can appreciate the result,” he said. Shu explained that although manipulating the climate, and temperature can influence the overall flavor of a tea, the maker has a level of control over the final product that far exceeds that of coffee, where the definitions of a dark or medium roast differ from shop to shop.

“If you understand the tea brewing process,” he said, “a good cup of tea is very easy.” While he referred to tea as “more subtle,” Shu also drinks coffee, brewing it with the same care as his tea. Customers who enter Holsome with a cup of java in hand, though, always seem to apologize

Browse the beautiful displays of teas, left, while taking in the charming courtyard view at Holsome, right.

to the owner as if he would look down on them for their choice; when this happens, he reassures them that there is no need to worry over such a trivial detail.

“Coffee and tea—they all can improve our lives, so what’s the big deal?” Shu said.

Since tea is organic, Shu acknowledged that there is no surefire way to ensure the exact consistency of each tea from batch to batch, but he has long established a rapport with producers that allows him to get as close to the same result as possible every time. Despite coming from “the same tea garden, the same facility, the same teamaking master, every year’s different,” he explained, comparing those variations to the harvest from a vegetable garden.

As shops across Princeton may go about tea in a “different style,” Shu shared, he is glad to see the shift in attitudes about what can be savored as a beautifully understated selection, one that is less ubiquitous in America.

Back when Teavana was in business— the now-defunct tea store and mall staple that was bought out, then dissolved by the Starbucks brand—Shu was still pleased, noting that they provided more ways “to introduce average people to tea drinking” on a larger scale.

“We’re all promoting tea drinking,” Shu said in earnest, adding that to create an art and culture of tea here, others must aid the general mission to “broadcast” the practice. Coffee might have reigned supreme at the beginning of Holsome’s journey, but now that people have a better understanding of tea or are eager to learn, the clientele’s choices have changed accordingly.

“I can see many of our customers are coming with good knowledge and taste in tea, and that’s very encouraging. My original idea is working, but it takes some time,” Shu explained.

He has no interest in moving on or elsewhere, keeping busy with over two decades’ worth of dedication and regulars. If he ever does find a successor, Shu said he would need to ensure that their interest in tea is just as strong as his—someone who can apply his scientific precision, as well as Shu’s peaceful understanding and enduring philosophy, to the business.

Tea-For-All

Tea-For-All is located in the north end of the Trenton Farmers Market at 960 Spruce Street in Lawrence, down the main corridor of permanent and rotating vendors, right by the vegan eatery Savory Leaf Cafe and Out Of Step: Offbeat Boutique & General Store.

Ran by couple Deborah “Debbie” and Michael “Mike” Raab, Tea-For-All has been

in business since 2011, opening in the Trenton Farmers Market eight years later in a spot that comes complete with a tea bar and retail space.

Just four months into this long-awaited storefront, though, the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closed their physical location, so the Raabs, like true tea entrepreneurs, pivoted to take away teas, porch deliveries and off-hour curbside pickups.

Debbie was used to reinventing her approach as the owner and principal; after retiring from a career in corrections in 2009, she honed her business skills through pop-up markets and partnerships. First, she graduated from Trenton State College, now known as The College of New Jersey, with a bachelor’s in sociology and a minor in psychology, then worked in the field for over 30 years, starting as a state social worker before becoming a program director.

Mike joked that Debbie “was terrible at retirement,” because rather than enjoy her free time, she began studying her second interest in tea whenever and wherever she could, with the thought of starting her own, all-encompassing business.

Instead of just focusing on tea and its corresponding products, Tea-For-All centers on education by coordinating a monthly tea club membership program as well as “about 20 or 30 different lectures” that, for a fee, touch on topics from history to wellness. Tea-For-All is also a regular at places like the West Windsor Community Farmers’ Market, where the company can interact with a broader audience.

For January, Tea-For-All is expecting to host more of these educational classes and private tastings “two or three times a week,” while due to the onset of the cold weather, they have been selling more warm beverages such as tea lattes, hot chocolates and apple ciders.

Tea-For-All is currently open from Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., as well as on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. While the Trenton Farmers Market is closed on Wednesdays, several shops remain open to the public and can be entered through their respective entrances, including Tea-For-All, Out of Step, Savory Leaf, and the Lady and the Shallot.

Mike, whose background is similar to Shu’s in their shared love of science, spent 25 years in sales, complemented by his

experiences in engineering and marketing. He received his bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics with a minor in engineering from Northrop Institute of Technology, followed by his MBA from the same institution, which closed as Northrop University in 1990.

Growing up with a dad in the Navy, Mike spent his childhood in “every place that God put water” before living in California for roughly 30 years. Once in the chemical industry, he held a number of managerial, liaison, and leadership positions. Mike’s company, the Chemtura Corporation, wanted to move him to the marketing department on the east coast, so he made arrangements for his teenage son, Andrew, to come along with him.

Once in New Jersey, the plans to bring Andrew fell apart, so Mike let off steam by walking the three miles from Lawrence Square Village to the Quaker Bridge Mall. As he passed by the now-closed store called This End Up Furniture Co., Mike decided to look for a desk for Andrew in the hopes that he could still come in the future.

There, he met Debbie, who was working there as a second job. The two chatted for a long time, and Mike promised to come back once given the official go-ahead. When Mike returned a few weeks later, Debbie was not on shift, so Mike—always a salesman at heart—told her coworker that he wanted to ensure she received credit for the purchase, then passed on a note with his contact information.

The two soon became a couple, bonding over their mutual love for outdoor activities, even training all summer for the MS 150 Bike Tour in Woodstock, a cycling fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. But the week before the event, Mike got sick with the flu, while the facility Debbie worked at had just closed.

Both upset and physically weakened on Mike’s end, they canceled. After he recovered, Mike went out looking for condos with Debbie, having just sold his place in California. When the curious realtor asked about their relationship, Mike confessed to him that he was going to propose to Debbie at Woodstock, which unfortunately was not to be. At dinner that night, Debbie

serve “two benefits: one, it’s a revenue generator, and they’re all profitable, but they also are a major part of our promotion and advertising.”

Their new truck with the Tea-For-All name is hard to miss, and Mike is pleased at how the ruby red ride has been able to build brand recognition from just being out on the road.

“One of the, I hope, infectious things is why people do business with us—because I think we treat people the way we want to be treated. We greet everyone that walks in. We don’t overshadow them,” he said, giving patrons the space to move at their own pace while still providing “accurate knowledge” as needed.

In their travels, the Raabs have traveled to regions like China and Taiwan, but also lesser-known areas of the U.S. that produce tea, such as commercial farms in the states of Mississippi—where they picked, plucked and processed black and green tea firsthand—and South Carolina. Mike added that Tea-For-All is “probably one of the only continental US companies that have Hawaiian tea for sale,” with two visits under their belt and another planned in March.

As a “guiding principle,” Mike and Debbie also want to positively impact younger generations by providing them with opportunities for employment and customer interaction.

“We take them on as our own sons and daughters,” he said. This staff includes another family member interested in tea, the couple’s grandson, John Major IV, or “J.” Another addition to the team is the talent of Kathleen Hippeli, the former owner of One Steep at a Thyme, a Jamesburg tearoom that closed during the pandemic. On Saturdays, Hippeli steps in to help, bringing her expertise and freshly baked goods.

This welcoming atmosphere is perfect for customers who want to expand their tea horizons from the familiar to the esoteric.

“Many people just grew up with a cup of Lipton when they were sick, with some honey in it from grandmom. They don’t really know a lot about the different types of tea,” Debbie said, sharing her own example of how tea can capture the comfort of family love, much like she did with her mother, and then cultivate that into a profound appreciation for the drink.

“Whenever possible, if a customer is not sure that they would like a certain tea—as long as we have the ability to do so—we try to give them a taste so that they can experience it and make their own decision,” she added.

“It’s always amazing to me that I love watching the light bulb go off with people, first of all, when they learn that all tea comes from one plant, and secondly, when they taste five different black teas, and it’s just unbelievable to them at the difference in the flavor profiles.”

Debbie explained that British tea does have its own appeal, but she is “just so much more fascinated with the different cultures of tea” across the globe.

Mike said that they do not sell a single tea that he does not like, but Tea-For-All also counts its vendors as a “backup knowledge base” with a focus on quality control that matches the veracity of their claims.

“Left to my own devices, if I were to pull something off the shelf, it would probably be an oolong or a pu’erh,” Debbie said, the latter being “bioactive,” as Mike pointed out, with a host of health benefits.

The couple includes a good green in their winter rotation but prefers tea without flavors or sweeteners all year. Because TeaFor-All has “a marvelous selection and palate of really excellent quality teas,” according to Mike, he admitted that his tastes in tea have matured. Various additions are available based on customer preference, yet Mike does not mean to downplay the importance of flavored teas.

“Nine out of every 10 cups of tea out of this shop, or any of our pop-ups, it’s going to be a flavored tea. It’s going to be a pineapple coconut, or it’s going to be lemon souffle, or it’s going to be any of these, which are wonderful, strong flavors, and that’s much more accessible to a wider audience,” he said.

Green teas, which the Raabs prefer on the higher end, can also be polarizing if prepared improperly, turning matcha, a type of green tea ground into a powder with a vegetal, nutty, and grassy taste, “almost astringently bitter,” as Mike warned. Matcha is usually associated with either the culinary grade, which should only be used for cooking, or overly sweetened versions where any true flavor is lost amid the other ingredients.

Debbie said that if she has the time to make matcha correctly for a customer who has sworn off it after a bad experience, she will prepare both of the two grades that Tea-For-All carries: one is “very close to ceremonial grade,” or what would be utilized in Japanese tea ceremonies and made from younger tea leaves, while the other is just below it in ranking.

“Four out of five times, the person ends up buying the ceremonial,” she continued, with people able to note the differences in taste between them.

Most customers are coming in exclusively for loose teas, according to Mike. There was also a significant uptick in the purchase of caffeine-free herbal teas, or tisanes, as a byproduct of the pandemic, with many people seeking out other ways to alleviate health symptoms or boost their immune systems. One of these herbal teas, the butterfly pea flower, blooms blue and brews a drink of the same color that transforms into purple when exposed to the acidity of a lemon.

Mike said that he regularly directs custom-

ers who come to him with questions about what teas have the most or least caffeine to the herbal shelf, noting that “even decaffeinated tea has some caffeine in it,” providing an alternative for people with allergies or other concerns.

Without a proper chemical analysis, he continued, a seller cannot properly gauge those qualities in a tea, since countless factors are at play that affect the resulting levels.

“In general, certain tea types have less or more caffeine, but green teas are the perfect example. You drink matcha, and it’s probably one of the highest caffeine contents that you can imagine, as opposed to one of the other green teas that, maybe, is a late-season green tea,” Debbie added.

Since customers have been looking for and requesting more herbal options, the Raabs have been continuing their own learning to be certified in courses about this rising

YEARS

ANNIVERSARY

609-584-5252 www.priornami.com

trend in holistic health. Tea-For-All’s selections reflect the diversity of their customer base, harkening back to countless homeopathic remedies passed down through generations.

While the owners hope to better understand the nuances of products such as licorice root or raspberry leaf, Mike said that Tea-For-All lets the medical professionals study and decide what advantages such products might have.

“People should make [tea] part of their healthy diet, but it’s not going to solve people’s medical issues,” Mike said. “We don’t need to make those claims. We’re happy to tell you what we know the benefits are.”

It’s this everlasting meeting of artistry and philanthropy that encouraged Mike to tell the story about the “Texas bowl,” a vessel for both tea and the tale itself that took the

1666 Hamilton Ave. Hamilton, NJ 08629

RWJUH Hamilton

Scoring Top Nursing Honors: Achieveing Magnet Status Recognizes the Highest Quality Care for Patients

Nurses have been called the backbone of healthcare. At Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJUH Hamilton), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, they provide vital care at the bedside but also promote teamwork, enhance safety, improve patient outcomes, nurture community health, educate staff, provide leadership and more.

As a result of such efforts, RWJUH Hamilton has earned Magnet recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The designation is the nation’s most prestigious nursing honor—one that only 9 percent of hospitals across the country have achieved. “At RWJUH Hamilton, our nursing team continuously strives to provide excellent care to our patients in an authentic, compassionate way. “We were very excited about being designated for the first time as a Magnet hospital,” says Lisa Breza,

Pieces repaired using Kintsugi, left, and the “Texas bowl,” right.

RN, MSN, NEABC, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at RWJUH Hamilton. “It’s not something you just get by applying. “You need to prove that your nursing is consistently exemplary through data, surveys and outcomes for eight consecutive quarters, or two years,” Breza says.

RWJUH Hamilton’s 400-plus nurses excelled even while facing the peak of an unprecedented pandemic. “I’m so proud of our nurses.” “They all work very hard, and our programs are truly outstanding,” says Richard Freeman, President and Chief Executive Officer at RWJUH Hamilton.

Standards of Excellence.

The ANCC considers a number of key criteria that reflect not only best clinical practices but also organizational factors such as leadership structure, shared decisionmaking and education. “Achieving Magnet designation has been years in the making,” Breza says. “We did an analysis of existing practices and executed plans to make sure we met standards for providing exemplary nursing.”

“These honors testify to the outstanding care and compassion our nurses bring to their patients,”

says Dawn Hutchinson, MSN, RN, PCCN-K, and Assistant Vice President of Nursing at RWJUH Hamilton.

Colleagues in Quality. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton is one of six Magnetrecognized hospitals in RWJBarnabas Health (RWJBH), the state’s largest healthcare system. To learn more about Magnet recognition, visit rwjbh. org/magnet

To discover what awaits you or someone you know in a nursing career at RWJBarnabas Health, including Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, visit rwjbh.org/nursing

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton also recently achieved a Leapfrog ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade for the 13th time underscoring RWJUH Hamilton’s commitment as a High Reliability Organization (HRO). Through the concerted effort of RWJUH Hamilton’s physicians, nurses, staff, volunteers and leadership, patients and families benefit from the highest level of quality care and the safest hospital experience.

To learn more about Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, visit rwjbh.org/Hamilton or call 609586-7900. See ad, page 13.

couple back to about five or six years ago to a Dallas tea festival. One of the seminars featured students from a nearby school district with two of their tea-loving teachers, who had started an after-school tea club for the children.

During this experience, the students were encouraged to go over to a potter’s table, where the sculptor had created matcha bowls of varying structure and size. “If you notice, this one is not perfectly round,” Mike explained, showing the piece in his hand but refraining to call those aspects “imperfections,” calling them the work of an artist.

“This one little girl picked up this bowl, and she said, ‘You see how it’s murky down here and it’s not clear? That’s the early part of my life. I don’t see that. But it gets up here, closer to the top,’” Mike recalled, visibly moved by the memory of her words that day.

“‘It becomes much more clear, and how much more perfectly rounded it is, and how it had these indentations and imperfections at the bottom, but…’” Mike stopped where he was in the story with tears in his eyes.

“We like to see kids succeed, and needless

to say, I bought her bowl,” he finished with a laugh, just in awe at how the children “developed this marvelous relationship over tea because they could all relate to that.”

This theme was reminiscent of the Japanese concept of “wabi-sabi,” which Debbie defined as about “how life’s not always perfect, but learn to find the beauty in imperfection…people aren’t in our lives forever, but accept that and celebrate them for when they are there.”

When someone accidentally broke a bowl at Tea-For-All, another customer, Steve, took it upon himself to practice kintsugi, a Japanese art that breathes new life into fragments by adhreing them again with a golden line of lacquer. Kintsugi, which translates to “golden joinery,” embraces any perceived flaws as part of an improved, more elegant piece of pottery.

For Mike, this built on his resounding message of “Yes, it’s imperfect, but so what? It’s beautiful.” Just as time might need to pass for a bowl to become its most colorful itera-

tion yet, he conveyed that younger people deserve to be given the proper space to heal and process.

As the Raabs aim to help from the heart, Tea-For-All has also been making strides to be more sustainable, whether that is in their packaging or products. Customers are also encouraged to bring their own cups for a discount or tins for refills, as long as they call ahead for the latter so that the owners can ensure the tea is in stock.

It’s an expensive endeavor to be more environmentally conscious, Debbie acknowledged, but one they prioritize given its match with both their values and the aesthetic of the farmers’ market. Trips to the World Tea Expo and possibly Japan are scheduled for the new year, but each endeavor shares the same resounding mission statement that Tea-For-All has always echoed from the two who know it the best.

“I think ours is a story of adaptation and teamwork,” Mike said. “We treat people the way we want to be treated. We try to always

speak with knowledge and understanding of where the customer is, always willing to share what knowledge we have. We’re also willing to be told we’re wrong, or we need to know more, and we charge a fair price for a cup of tea—and a quality cup of tea.”

“We’re having more and more people that are coming in, too, that are saying, ‘we like to come here and get the tea, because we always get an education with it,’” Debbie said, with that love of endless intellectual exploration forming a mutual bond between owners and customers.

“We continually learn about tea. It’s not an endpoint, it’s a journey; that’s one of the things we pride ourselves on,” Mike added.

Shu and the Raabs continue to cultivate their crafts and curious minds with a ceaseless resolve—retiring has never stopped them before—and there is always more tea to pour, more kettles to fill, and more knowledge to impart with an equal helping of smiles.

But if you take anything in your tea, let it be the lesson that these two businesses in Mercer County are serving up cups of endless enthusiasm to ease the brunt of the cold winter season.

Read the full story online at the CNS website, communitynews.org.

AllCure Spine and Sports Medicine

Helping seniors find the right diagnosis and right treatment

AllCure Spine and Sports Medicine is a multidisciplinary family practice that has been in business for over 10 years. Over the past decade, the senior community has been a big portion of our patient demographic. We hear many different complaints week to week, but one of the biggest complaints we see with our seniors is balance and gait dysfunction. As our bodies get older, degenerative changes take place, which can lead to a host of symptoms taking away from your quality of life. This can lead to loss of balance, decreased range of motion, decreased strength, trouble with gait mechanics, and much more. Here at AllCure, we provide the proper imaging and testing to help us diagnose these common complaints before they become debilitating. We always say that a small problem will remain small if it’s treated early enough. We strive to get ahead of each patient’s chief complaints and provide a comprehensive plan of care.

One of the major issues seniors face is getting a proper diagnosis early enough to find effective treatments. In many cases we see that patients are given a prescription for medication that will only treat the symptoms, but not the root cause.

This will lead to worsening symptoms over time and keep patients from an active and independent lifestyle. We pride ourselves in making tailored treatment plans to fit each patient’s individual needs and impairments. There is no one-size-fits-

all approach to healthcare and each patient should be treated with that mindset.

We strongly feel that a multidisciplinary approach is the best way to get patients the care they need and the relief they deserve in a safe, fast, and efficient manner. Our experienced team of providers consisting of chiropractors, physical therapists and acupuncturists collaborate on each case to get the patient the best plan possible to achieve their goals.

We do accept Medicare! We find that most of our Medicare patients don’t have to pay a dime out of their pocket, rather just commit the time and effort.

Please give us a call today and we would be happy to hold a free 10 minute consultation for you or a family member to make sure that you are comfortable and get the correct information to make an important decision for improving your health and quality of life. We look forward to hearing from you!

AllCure Spine & Sports Medicine, 140 Cabot Drive, Suite A, Hamilton. 609-528-4417. www. allcurespineandsports.com. See ad, page 9.

Brothers Anthony Alfieri, DC, left, and Victor Alfieri, DPT.

Hamilton Dental Associates

New Year, New Smile

Smile, it’s a new year! A time that for many means resolutions, and a renewed commitment to health and improvement. A healthy smile is a big part of that, and now you can care for your and your family’s teeth all in one place. When families come to HDA, they are happy because they can take care of their own dental needs while everyone in their family’s oral health is being looked after at the same time. “It’s a win-win,” commented Dr. Irving Djeng, pediatric dentist, “kids get attentive, gentle treatment by a dedicated, specialist team that works only with kids, while parents and adult patients are cared for by our experienced adult staff right down the hall.” Dr. Lauren Levine, pediatric dentist, also commented, “We go to great lengths to make the children feel comfortable because we know that teaching children good oral hygiene at a very young age prepares them for a lifetime of healthy smiles.”

You may have heard the term 6-Month Dental Recall, but what does that mean? A “recall” or “dental recall” visit is a regularly scheduled checkup appointment to help dentists have an ongoing knowledge of the status of their patients’ oral health. These visits are vital to both practice and patients. The more often a patient can meet with their dentist, the better care that doctor can provide. The frequency of appointments is determined by each dentist and usually coincides with a hygienist visit, usually every 6 months or twice a year. A recurring 6 month recall to your dentist is so important to supporting oral and overall bodily health, that many insurance companies outright cover many of

recall services included in the visit!

The basic components of the preventive dental appointment consist of:

• Review and update medical and dental history

• Blood pressure screening

• Oral cancer examination

•Examination of the teeth and periodontal tissues (i.e. gum tissue and supporting bone). This includes a visual examination for signs of dental caries (cavities), other problems with the teeth (chips, broken fillings, etc.), looking for signs of inflammation and infection, and periodontal probing, which measures the depth of the gum pocket.

• Radiographic exam. The content and timing of dental x-rays can vary and are customized to the needs and disease susceptibility of the patient. The dental team weighs risk vs.

benefits when taking dental x-rays, keeping radiation exposure to a minimum

•An actual prophylaxis (cleaning) to mechanically remove any build up or plaque from tooth surfaces.

•Application of a topical fluoride

agent, when indicated.

Usually at the end of the appointment, the dentist will review all the findings and radiographs, make any necessary diagnoses, and recommend treatment, if indicated.

Hamilton Dental Associates (HDA) has been serving Hamilton and the Greater Central New Jersey area for over 50 years. While HDA’s roots are in pediatric dentistry, they also specialize in adult and cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics, oral surgery, periodontics, and endodontics. Patients are treated by specialists in their field. For example, orthodontic treatment is done by an orthodontic specialist, and patients requiring a root canal will be treated by an endodontist — a dentist who specializes in root canals. It’s all done under one roof which is time saving and eliminates the need for multiple referrals.

Come see what all the smiling is about! To request an appointment, call 609-586-6603 or visit

HamiltonDental.com. Locations are 2929 Klockner Road and 2501 Kuser Road, Hamilton, New Jersey.

Happy New Year! We look forward to seeing your smile! See ad, page 12

Physical Therapy

Nutritional Services

Caruso PTRD offers a unique, patient-centered physical therapy approach that offers patients the chance to work closely with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. Our therapists' main goals are to listen to each of your needs and provide individualized care to treat your condition. We want you to get back to being you; whether it's getting you back on the field, back at the office, or back to running around with your children or grandkids! Treating pain is only the first step!

performance, or weight loss goals through an approach that is anything but “cookie cutter”. Our Nutrition Experts, RDN’s,are the ONLY medical professionals qualified to give you nutrition advice. We don’t believe in quick fixes or the latest craze. We believe in life long change without having to sacrifice ANYTHING that makes your life unique!

Pilates Reformer

The most recognized and effective form of safe and successful exercise. Pilates can be tailored to the specific needs of the client to provide injury prevention, rehabilitation and muscle stability work. We offer Private and Semi Private Sessions.

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

ATTENTION ALL AGES: Achieve your body composition, sport's performance, nutrition or weight loss goals through an approach that is anything but "cookie cutter". We take the time to learn about you, any medical conditions you may have and tailor to your individual needs. Our Nutrition Experts, RDN's,are the ONLY medical professionals qualified to give you nutrition advice. We don't believe in quick fixes or the latest craze. We believe in life long change without having to sacrifice ANYTHING that makes your life unique! Relax and unplug in our new Salt Room! Offering numerous health benefits such as; providing relief for respiratory

THERAPY

Regenerative Spine and Pain Institute

Treating Pain with PRP and Stem Cell Therapy

Pain.

It gnaws at you. It drains you. It becomes the focus of your life.

Experiencing a few pain-free moments can be euphoric; it makes you realize how long you’ve been living with aches and pain. You might wonder how you can find a solution to relieve the pain and regain your freedom from discomfort.

Dr. Ronak Patel at Regenerative Spine and Pain Institute wants you to know there are two new revolutionary answers to pain relief.

Both platelet-rich therapy — otherwise known as PRP — and stem cell therapy give patients new hope by using the body’s powerful healing power to accelerate the battle against pain. Dr. Patel has seen incredible success implementing these cuttingedge treatments on hundreds of patients suffering from pain-related issues.

So if you are suffering from any of the ailments below, there’s a lifeline.

• Osteoarthritis

• Rotator cuff tear

• Back pain

• Meniscus tears

• Tennis elbow

• Disc herniations

• Tendonitis

• Neck pain

Here’s the best news: Neither PRP or stem cell therapy involves drug use with side effects or any surgical procedures.

Both PRP and stem cell treatments use the body’s own healing resources to repair diseased or damaged tissue — and the results are quite remarkable.

PRP therapy involves injecting concentrated platelets and growth factors into damaged tissue to

stimulate the faster growth of new healthy cells. Platelets are cells that prevent and stop bleeding. If a blood vessel is damaged, the body sends signals to our platelets to get on the job and start the healing. Some call platelets the body’s natural bandage.

So how does PRP therapy work? It’s basically drawing a one small vial of blood from the patient and then using a centrifuge to turn it into a potent and concentrated form of platelets. It is then injected back into the patient. Think of it as a boost of your own blood — only superpowered.

Recovery time for PRP therapy is far shorter than for surgery. Patients usually experience soreness for a week or so, but the gradual improvement soon begins. Unlike

a steroid shot, which gives you immediate relief and quickly wears off, a PRP patient will see pain symptoms improve over a period of months, and up to 80 percent of patients will see relief for up to two years.

Stem cell therapy can be an even more powerful way to harness the body’s healing power. Stem cells are the building blocks for every cell in our body. These powerful cells can be harvested to produce powerful new cells to fight inflammation and disease.

For those suffering from osteoarthritis, stem cell therapy has proven very effective. That’s because the stem cells may help develop new cartilage cells and suppress inflammation. Stem cells can be harvested through a sample of body fat or bone marrow or be harvested from donated umbilical cord tissue.

And yes, you can even augment PRP therapy with stem cell therapy for an even bigger boost!

Stop wondering if you’ll have to live with your pain forever. Contact Regenerative Spine and Pain Institute today at 609-269-4451 or go to www.njpaindoc.com to book an an appointment and learn more. See ad, page 3

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I’ve got breast cancer

but I also have an expert team on my side.

RWJBarnabas Health, together with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, offers the most advanced, patient-centric cancer care for adults and children. Our multidisciplinary teams of nationally renowned oncologists, nurses, oncology nurse navigators, and support professionals ensure a compassionate, comprehensive approach, creating an individualized plan to treat your type of cancer. Our patients have access to innovative clinical trials, precision medicine, immunotherapy, advanced surgical procedures and sophisticated radiation therapy techniques. Visit rwjbh.org/beatcancer or call 844-CANCERNJ.

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Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center

To book a classified ad in this section, please email your text and any other information to mdurelli@communitynews.org. Classifieds run at 75 cents per word with a $20 minimum per month. For more information, call 609-396-1511, ext. 105.

SERVICES

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WANTED TO BUY

Wanted: Baseball, football, basketball, hockey. Cards, autographs, photos, memorabilia. Highest cash prices paid! Licensed corporation, will travel. 4thelovofcards, 908-5960976. allstar115@verizon.net.

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Doctors Office Suite TurnKey ready in Hamilton, Mercer County nJ approx. 1405+/- SF for lease. Fully furnished. $2,550/mth. DiDonato Realty 609-5862344 Marian Conte BR 609947-4222.

Office Space For Rent: Pennington ground floor office space 32 N Main Street. Share with clinical psychologist and real estate management company. Private entrance, off street

parking. 305-968-7308

Princeton Commercial retail spaces for lease: Various Locations in Town. Please Contact: Weinberg Management. WMC@ collegetown. Text 609-7311630

VACATION RENTALS

Florida Beach rental: Fort Myers Beach 1br vacation condo on the beach, flexible dates available. Call 609-5778244 for further information

BUSINESS FOR SALE salon for sale- excellent opportunity. Priced to sell. Relocating out of state. Large space, great potential. Call 609-462-0188.

CEMETERY PLOTS

For sale double depth cemetery plot. Location Princeton memorial park, Gordon Road, Robbinsville. Call 609-259-7710.

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Miscellaneous

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standard fare

Agricola, 11 Witherspoon Street. Farm-to-table fare and creative cocktails in a hip, modern atmosphere. Full bar. www.agricolaeatery.com

Alchemist & Barrister, 28 Witherspoon Street. Burgers and other American fare served at tables and at two bars with sports on TV throughout. www.theaandb.com

Bluepoint Grill, 258 Nassau Street. The JM group’s seafood-focused dinner spot. BYOB. www.bluepointgrill. com

Dinky Bar & Kitchen, 94 University Place. Snacks and shared plates, including sushi and flatbreads, along with a full bar. www.dinkybarandkitchen.com

elements, 66 Witherspoon Street. Upscale farm-fresh American fare served in a tasting menu. Full bar. www. elementsprinceton.com

Ficus Above & Ficus, 235 Nassau Street. The groundlevel cafe offers counter service for soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, bowls, and hot beverages. Ficus Above, upstairs, is a sit-down restaurant offering creative American fare. www.ficusbv.com

Metro North, 278 Alexander Street. Classic Italian dishes as well as sandwiches, salads, and burgers served for dinner as well as lunch on Thursdays through Saturdays. Full bar. www.metrorestaurantgroup.com/home Mistral, 66 Witherspoon Street. Less formal sister restaurant to elements serving innovative small plates meant for sharing. Full bar. www.mistralprinceton.com

Nassau Diner, 82 Nassau Street. Classic comfort food with an expansive menu of breakfast items, salads, burgers, entrees, sides, and desserts. www.nassaudiner.com

The Perch at the Peacock Inn, 20 Bayard Lane. Upscale American cuisine for dinner, brunch, and afternoon tea. Full bar. www.peacockinn.com/restaurant

PJ’s Pancake House, 154 Nassau Street. A Princeton

staple since 1962 serving breakfast all day but now also offering an expanded lunch and dinner menu. getforky.com/ pjs-pancake-house

Planted Plate, 15 Spring Street. All vegan restaurant serving a range of sandwiches, burgers, salads, bowls, pizza, tacos, and burritos. www.plantedplatevegan.com

Roots Ocean Prime, 98 University Place. Fourth New Jersey location for the steakhouse owned by Harvest Dining Group. Full bar. rootssteakhouse.com/ roots_ocean_prime

The Blue Bears, 301 North Harrison Street. Restarant in Princeton Shopping Center offering light fare from its staff of individuals with intellectual and development disabilities. www.bluebears.org

The Meeting House, 277 Witherspoon Street. American cuisine emphasizing seasonal ingredients. Full bar. www.meetinghouseprinceton.com

Winberie’s Restaurant & Bar, 1 Palmer Square. Casual pub far for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Full bar. princeton. winberies.com

Witherspoon Grill, 57 Witherspoon Street. Steak house operated by the JM Group. Full bar. www.witherspoongrill. com

Yankee Doodle Tap Room, 10 Palmer Square East. Gastropub inside the Nassau Inn. Full bar. nassauinn.com/dining

InternatIonal flavors: South of the Border

A Taste of Mexico, 180 Nassau Street. Mexican restaurant serving tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and other Mexican specialities. BYOB. www.restaurantji.com/nj/ princeton/taste-of-mexico.

Chapin, 146 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. Small counter-service establishment serving Guatemalan and Mexican fare. www.allmenus.com/nj/ princeton/685874-chapin-restaurant/ menu

Tacoria, 110 Nassau Street. Mexican street food including tacos, burritos, and more. tacoria.com/location/princeton

Tortuga’s Mexican Village, 41 Leigh Avenue. Traditional Mexican and Southwestern fare. BYOB. www.tortugasmv. com

Asia-Inspired

Ajiten, 11 Chamber Street. Small basement Japanese restaurant specializes in sushi and seats only parties of four or fewer. BYOB. www.ajitenprinceton.com

Amazing Thai, 260 Nassau Street. Curries, rice and noodle dishes, and other Thai specialties. BYOB. www.amazingthainj.com.

Ani Ramen, 140 Nassau Street. The latest in a series of ramen spots to appear in the Princeton area is scheduled for a late December opening. The restaurant has nine existing locations in New York and New Jersey. www.aniramen.com/location/ princeton

Chennai Chimney, 19 Chambers Street. Restaurant specializing in South Indian cuisine. BYOB. www.chennaichimney.com

Cross Culture, 301 North Harrison Street. The restaurant has been in operation since 2010 serving specialities from across India at Princeton Shopping Center. BYOB. www.crossculturerestaurant. com

Dvaraka Indian Cuisine, 36 Witherspoon Street. The restaurant invites diners to “experience the unique culture and cuisine from the coast of India.” BYOB. dvarakaprinceton.com

Elite Five Sushi & Grill, 277 Witherspoon Streeet. Sushi, sashimi, and yakitori as well as surf and turf options. BYOB. www.elitefives.com

Hunan, 157 Witherspoon Street. Standard American-style Chinese food for dine-in or take-out. www. restaurantji.com/nj/princeton/ hunan-chinese-restaurant

KBG Korean BBQ & Grill, 180 Nassau Street. One of three New Jersey locations for the fast casual spot offering the flavors of Korean barbecue in bowl, taco, and burrito form. www.eatkbg.com

Lan Ramen, 4 Hulfish Streeet. Authen-

tic Lanzhou cuisine featuring the handpulled noodles that the northwestern Chinese town is known for. BYOB. www. lanramen.com

Lil Thai Pin, 180 Nassau Street. Counter-service Thai cuisine for lunch and dinner. lilthaipin.com

Nassau Sushi, 179 Nassau Street. Sushi and other Japanese and Korean fare served for lunch and dinner. BYOB. nassausushi. godaddysites.com

Purinsu Ramen, 32 Witherspoon Street. Counter-service ramen as well as other rice and noodle-based dishes. www. purinsuramen.com

S C House, 238 Nassau Street. Chinese restaurant specializing in Sichuan cuisine. BYOB. www.njschouse.com

Sakura Express, 43 Witherspoon Street. Sushi, teriyaki, and other Japanese specialties. BYOB. www.sakuraexpressprinceton.com

Thai Village, 235 Nassau Street. Traditional Thai fare. BYOB. www.thaivillageprinceton.com

The Mint, 164 Nassau Street. (Indian) themintnewjersey.com

Tiger Noodles, 252 Nassau Street. Standard Americanized Chinese food as well as sushi. BYOB. www.princetontigernoodles.com

Tomo Sushi, 236 Nassau Street. Japanese cuisine, focused on sushi. BYOB. princetontomosushi.com

Across the Pond

Efes Mediterranean Grill, 235 Nassau Street. Kebabs, hummus, falafel, and other Middle Eastern specialties. efesgrill.com

Kristine’s, 51 Witherspoon Street. The

JM Group’s take on a traditional French bistro, including Parisian-style seating in Hinds Plaza. Full bar. www.kristinesprinceton.com

La Mezzaluna, 25 Witherspoon Street. Classic Italian dishes served for breakfast and lunch. BYOB. www.lamezzaluna.com

Local Greek, 44 Leigh Avenue. Authentic Greek breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare along with breads and pastries. BYOB. www.localgreeknj.com

Mamoun’s Falafel, 20 Witherspoon Street. Princeton outpost of the chain specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine including falafel, shawarma, and kebabs. mamouns.com/locations/princeton-nj Mediterra, 29 Hulfish Street. Restaurant and taverna specializing in food from the Mediterranean region with an emphasis on Italian and Spanish dishes. Full bar. www.mediterrarestaurant.com

Mi Espana, 301 North Harrison Street. Spanish street food-inspired spot in Princeton Shopping Center serving tapas, paella, and other traditional dishes. Part of the Gretalia group. getforky.com/ mi-espana

Small Bites by Local Greek, 20 Nassau Street. Fast casual partner to the Leigh Avenue Greek spot offering gyros, salads, and more. www.smallbitesbylocalgreek. com

Taim Mediterranean Kitchen, 301 North Harrison Street. Counter-service Mediterranean flavors including pitas, bowls, and mezze in the Princeton Shopping Center. taimkitchen.com

Teresa’s Caffe, 23 Palmer Square East. Italian-inspired pasta and individual pizza dishes in a trattoria-style atmosphere. Full bar. www.teresacaffe.com

Trattoria Procaccini, 354 Nassau Street. Traditional Italian menu in a casual setting. BYOB. getforky.com/ trattoria-procaccini

sWeet spots & QuIck stops: Bakeries and Beyond

Bread Boutique, 41 Witherspoon Street. Handcrafted breads and European pastries with sandwiches made to order. www.bread-boutique.com

Chez Alice Patisserie, 5 Palmer Square West. Artisanal French-style bakery serving coffee, tea, and pastries. chezalicecafe. com

Delizioso Bakery & Kitchen, 205 Witherspoon Street. Italian-inspired baked goods and sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. deliziosobakerykitchen.com

Ellinikon, 200 Nassau Street. Greek savory and sweet pastries, coffee, and ingredients such as pasta, cheeses, and

Mochinut and Ani Ramen, left, are preparing to open on Nassau Street.

honey. ellinikonusa.ecwid.com

House of Cupcakes, 32 Witherspoon Street. Bakery offering more than 30 varieties of cupcake, including vegan options. Birthday parties and cupcake decorating classes also offered. houseofcupcakes. com/pages/princeton-nj

LiLLiPiES Bakery, 301 North Harrison Street. Bakery specializing in single-serving pies, artisan bread, other sweets, and breakfasts made to order. lillipies.com

Maman Bakery Cafe, 43 Hulfish Street. The recently opened 24th location for the French country-style bakery and cafe offering coffee, sweets, egg-based dishes, soups, and sandwiches. www.mamannyc. com

Milk & Cookies, 20 Nassau Street. Bakery serving more than two dozen types of cookies along with cold milk, coffee, and tea. milkncookies.online

Mochinut, 140 Nassau Street. As of press time, the Princeton location of the chain specializing in mochi donuts, Korean-style hot dogs, and bubble tea was scheduled to open December 26. mochinutmhg.com

Terra Momo Bread Co., 74 Witherspoon Street. Bakery producing rustic breads and pastries. www.terramomo. com/terra-momo-bread-company

The Little Chef Pastry Shop, 8 South Tulane Street. Pastry shop offering cakes, tarts, croissants, and other sweets. www. littlechefpastries.com

Thomas Sweet, 29 Palmer Square West. Handmade chocolates and other sweets. thomassweet.com/product-category/ chocolates/

Fast Casual & Market Fare

CHOPT, 301 North Harrison Street. Branch of the made-to-order salad chain in Princeton Shopping Center. www. choptsalad.com

Chuck’s Spring Street Cafe, 16 Spring Street. Princeton institution known for its buffalo wings. www.chucksspringstreetcafe.com

D’Angelo Italian Market, 35 Spring Street. Selection of grocery items as well as bakery items, pizza by the pie and slice, and a deli with prepared foods and sandwiches made to order. www.dangeloitalianmarket.com

Diesel & Duke, 124 Nassau Street. Fast casual burgers and fries with a variety of toppings.www.eatdiesel.com

Fresca Bowl & Poke Mahi, 142 Nassau Street. Specializing in sweet bowls built on acai, pitaya, chia seeds, or oats, and savory poke bowls built with rice, fish, and other toppings. www.frescabowl.com

Hoagie Haven, 242 Nassau Street. Nofrills take-out spot serving classic hoagies and specialties like the “Sanchez” and “Phat Lady” for nearly 50 years. www. hoagiehaven.com

Jammin’ Crepes, 20 Nassau Street. Sweet and savory crepes featuring locally grown, seasonal ingredients. A second cafe also operates in the lobby of Princeton Public Library. www.jammincrepes. com

La La Lobster, 63 Palmer Square West. Lobster-focused counter-service restaurant. lalalobster.com/princeton-nj/

La Rosa Chicken & Grill, 301 North Harrison Street. Recent addition to Princeton Shopping Center specializing in grilled, roasted, and fried chicken. www. larosagrill.com/princeton-nj

Le Kiosk, 255 Nassau Street. French and Italian cafe offering crepes and focaccia-based sandwiches. Eat in the plaza or take your order to go. www.le-kiosk.com

Loco Cheese, 20 Nassau Street. Oversized grilled cheese sandwiches available for takeout along with soups and sides. www.lococheese.com

Nassau Street Seafood & Produce, 256 Nassau Street. Fresh seafood and produce and made-to-order takeout items including poke bowls, sandwiches, and wraps. www.nassaustreetseafood.com

Olives, 22 Witherspoon Street. Market, prepared foods, bakery, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches made to order. olivesprinceton.com

Olsson’s Fine Foods, 53 Palmer Square West. Wide selection of cheeses and accompaniments as well as grilled cheese sandwiches made to order. www.olssonsfinefoods.com

Princeton Soup & Sandwich Com-

pany, 30 Palmer Square East. Hot and cold sandwiches, soups, and breakfast served all day. www.princetonsoupandsandwich.com

Say Cheez & Empanada Station, 183D Nassau Street. Restaurant dedicated to grilled cheese sandwiches as well as meatfilled and vegetarian empanadas served inside Say Cheez. www.saycheezcafe.com and www.empanadastation.net

The Bagel Nook, 301 North Harrison Street. Bagel spot in Princeton Shopping Center featuring a range of exotic flavors and breakfast sandwich combinations. www.thebagelnook.com/location/ the-bagel-nook-princeton

Tico’s Eatery & Juice Bar, 33 Witherspoon Street. www.ticosprinceton.com

Tiger’s Deli, 266 Witherspoon Street. Formerly the Molisana Deli.

Frozen and Fabulous

Fruity Yogurt and Cafe, 166 Nassau Street. Serving ice cream, frozen yogurt, and bubble tea. www.fruity-yogurt. com

Halo Pub & Halo Fete, 9 and 5 Hulfish Street. Ice cream shop serving cups, cones, and coffee drinks, as well as the adjacent shop offering ice cream patisserie and additional seating. www.halofarm.com/halo-pub-princeton-2 and www.halofarm.com/halo-fete-princeton

Kilwins’, 16 Witherspoon Street. Chain serving ice cream, chocolate, and other confections as well as sweetsbased gifts. www.kilwins.com/stores/ kilwins-princeton

Playa Bowls, 10 Hulfish Street. Princeton location of the chain serving açaí, pitaya, and coconut bowls and smoothies.

www.playabowls.com/location/princeton

Rita’s Italian Ice, 301 North Harrison Street. Franchise of the water ice chain in Princeton Shopping Center. www.ritasice. com/location/ritas-of-princeton-nj

The Bent Spoon, 35 Palmer Square West. Artisan ice cream, cupcakes, cookies, and seasonal hot chocolate. www.thebentspoon.com

Thomas Sweet, 183 Nassau Street. Ice cream shop known for its blend-ins. thomassweet.com

Pizza, Pizza

Conte’s, 339 Witherspoon Street. A longtime no-frills Princeton establishment known for its thin-crust pizza. Full bar. contespizzaandbar.blog

Jules Thin Crust, 18 Witherspoon Street. Counter service for organic thincrust pizzas by the pie or slice and a selection of salads. www.julesthincrust.com

Nino’s Pizza Star, 301 North Harrison Street. Long-standing pizza spot in Princeton Shopping Center. www.facebook.com/Ninos-PizzaStar-190762097662137/

Nomad Pizza, 301 North Harrison Street. Wood-fired brick oven pizza with organic and local ingredients at Princeton Shopping Center. Local wines served or BYOB. www.nomadpizzaco.com

Pizza Den, 242 1/2 Nassau Street. Counter-service brick oven pizza. www. pizzadenprinceton.com

Proof Pizza, 84 Nassau Street. New York-style pizza with a menu inspired by farm-fresh ingredients. www.proofpizzeria.com

Ellinikon, left, offers Greek coffees and treats, while Maman Bakery brings the feel of Paris to Hulfish Street.

HAPPENING

Wednesday January 4

The Duke, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. British comedy-drama starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren chronicles the 1961 theft of the portrait of the Duke of Wellington. Tea and cookies served. 3 p.m.

Contra Dance, Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Lesson followed by dance. $15. Weekly on Wednesdays. 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Thursday January 5

Destroying Democracy by Law, 55-Plus Club of Princeton. www.princeton.com/ groups/55plus. Presentation by Kim Lane Scheppele, professor of sociology and international affairs in the School of Public and International

Affairs and the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University. Via Zoom. Free; $5 donation requested. 10 a.m.

Friday January 6

Fiesta del Día de Los Reyes Magos, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Three Kings Day is celebrated throughout the world to mark the culmination of the twelve days of Christmas. Live dance performance by the Arts Council’s Flamenco program, led by Lisa Botalico, features multiple dance numbers to learn about this cultural holiday. Register. $10. 7 p.m.

Princeton Men’s Hockey, Baker Rink, Princeton University. www.goprincetontigers. com. Harvard. $12 to $15. 7 p.m.

Princeton Men’s Basketball, Jadwin Gymnasium, Princeton University. www.goprincetontigers.com. Columbia. $12 to $15. 7 p.m.

saTurday January 7

Painting Women: Variations on a Theme, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Opening reception for exhibit of works by students in Charles David Viera’s class. On view through February 11. 1 to 3 p.m.

Fiesta del Día de Los Reyes Magos, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Live dance performance by youth dancers in the Arts Council’s Flamenco program, led by Lisa Botalico, features multiple dance numbers to learn about the Three Kings Day holiday. Register. $10. 1 p.m.

What Remains, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Opening reception for exhibit of works by Hetty Baiz and Laura Duerwald focused on the artists’ shared interest in repetitive

processes, their use of organic nontraditional materials, and on the tension and harmony between Baiz’s figurative weavings and Duerwald’s non-objective constructions. On view through February 4. 3 to 5 p.m.

Princeton Men’s Basketball, Jadwin Gymnasium, Princeton University. www.goprincetontigers.com. Cornell. $12 to $15. 5 p.m.

Princeton Men’s Hockey, Baker Rink, Princeton University. www.goprincetontigers. com. Dartmouth. $12 to $15. 7 p.m.

sunday January 8

Book Brunch, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. Author Fredrik Backman discusses his body of work with Amy Jo Burns and signs copies of his books. Tickets are $35 and include a choice of book. Proceeds benefit the library. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

all You can drInk

Arlee’s Raw Blends, 14 1/2 Witherspoon Street and 246 Nassau Street. Organic, cold-pressed juices and other vegan and raw products. www.arleesrawblends. com

Caffe by illy, 45 Spring Street. Authentic Italian coffee in an Italian-style caffe setting. earthsend.com/coffee

Dunkin’, 301 North Harrison Street. Branch of the coffee and donut chain in Princeton Shopping Center. locations. dunkindonuts.com/en/nj/princeton/301n.-harrison-st/343690

Fresh O Tea, 244 Nassau Street. Fruit tea, bubble tea, milk tea, and other specialty tea drinks. www.freshteanj.com

Holsome Teas & Herbs, 27 Witherspoon Street. Teas from China, Taiwan, Ceylon, and India and other Chinese herbal remedies. www.holsome.com

Ivy Inn, 248 Nassau Street. Dive bar with late-night music and food from Saturn Pizza available. ivyinnprinceton.com and www.saturnpizzaprinceton.com

Junbi, 27 Witherspoon Street. Coffee and teas with a focus on matcha. Matcha soft-serve ice cream and other snacks available. junbishop.com

Kung Fu Tea, 90 Nassau Street. Princeton branch of the bubble tea chain with more than 350 locations in the U.S. www. kungfutea.com

MT, 86 Nassau Street. Variety of teas including fruit teas and milk teas along with Asian-inspired desserts and cakes. www.mteausa.com

Rojo’s Roastery, 33 Palmer Square West. Artisan coffee roaster providing coffee drinks, tea, and coffee-making equipment. rojosroastery.com

Sakrid Coffee Roasters, 20 Nassau Street. Purveyors of specialty coffee. sakridcoffee.com

Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street & 254 Nassau Street. Locally

roasted coffee, tea, and baked goods, as well as breakfast and lunch sandwiches made to order at the Nassau Street cafe. smallworldcoffee.com

Starbucks Coffee, 100 Nassau Street. Downtown storefront for the international chain. www.starbucks.com

Tipple & Rose, 210 Nassau Street. Daily tea service and a menu of sweets and lunch options as well as retail shop with tea brewing accessories and other home goods. www.tippleandrose.com

convenIence & GrocerY stores

7-Eleven, 259 Nassau Street. Convenience store offers coffee and a selection of prepared foods. Open 24 hours. www.7-eleven.com/locations/nj/ princeton/259-nassau-st-36995

McCaffrey’s, 301 North Harrison Street. Anchor tenant of Princeton Shopping Center offering a full grocery store including fresh fish, a deli, and prepared foods. www.mccaffreys.com

Palmer Square Kiosk, 1 Palmer Square. Packaged snacks and drinks. www.palmersquare.com/directory/the-kiosk

Princeton Convenience, 148 Nassau Street. Packaged foods and coffee available.

Princeton University Store, 36 University Place. Selection of groceries and prepared foods serving primarily students. www.pustore.com

Wawa, 152 Alexander Street. 24-hour convenience story with deli and prepared foods. www.wawa.com/store/8331/ma/ nj-princeton-152-alexander-street

Whole Earth Center, 360 Nassau Street. Natural foods grocery store and vegetarian deli offering lunch options. www.wholeearthcenter.com

DINING GUIDE, continued from page 9

MT, now open in the former Dunkin’ space on Nassau Street, offers fruit and milk teas along with desserts and cakes.

January 10

FYI Seminar, Princeton Senior Resource Center, 101 Poor Farm Road. www.princetonsenior.org. “Loneliness vs. Social Isolation” presented by Barbara Forshner, sales manager at Brookdale Hamilton. She is a certified dementia practitioner and Montessori certified dementia practitioner. Register. Free. 3 p.m.

Wednesday January 11

Presentation: Sweet Tooth, Bitter Truth, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. Health and fitness advocate Randie Rubin talks about how eating sugar impacts health and shares some alternatives to satisfy cravings for sweets. 7 p.m.

Youth Perspectives: The Value of Autonomy in Education, Princeton Learning Cooperative. www.princetonlearningcooperative. org. Online panel discussion featuring teens and young adults who left conventional schooling behind. They share why school didn’t work and how they’re creating meaningful lives for themselves. Register via EventBrite. 7 to 8 p.m.

Thursday January 12

Princeton Men’s Basketball, Jadwin Gymnasium, Princeton University. www.goprincetontigers.com. Hartford. $12 to $15. 6 p.m.

Taking Sides in Revolutionary New Jersey with Dr. Maxine Lurie, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, 609-924-8144. www.morven.org. Join historian Maxine Lurie for an evening exploring her new book, “Taking Sides in Revolutionary New Jersey: Caught in the Crossfire.” Hybrid event. Register. $10. 6:30 p.m.

PSO Soundtracks: “Knoxville and the Lost Generation”, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. Historical musicologist Austin Stewart explores author James Agee and composer Samuel Barber’s approaches to coloring in their own childhood memories in “Knoxville: Summer of 1915.” 7 p.m.

Friday January 13

Princeton Men’s Hockey, Baker Rink, Princeton University. www.goprincetontigers. com. LIU. $12 to $15. 7 p.m.

saTurday January 14

Princeton Men’s Basketball, Jadwin Gymnasium, Princeton University. www.goprincetontigers.com. Brown. $12 to $15. 2 p.m.

Pretty Yende, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, 609-497-0020. www.princetonsymphony.org. South African opera sensation performs arias from Gioachino Rossini’s “Il barbiere di Siviglia” and Giuseppe Verdi’s “La traviata” as well as Samuel Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915.” The PSO plays overtures from operas by Rossini and Verdi, plus Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. Also January 15. 8 p.m.

Monday January 16

Celebrate the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Community coffee and bagel breakfast with featured speaker, Tina Campt, Black feminist theorist at Princeton University. Bring a donation of canned or boxed non-perishables. 9 a.m.

Monthly Meeting, Women’s College Club of Princeton, Stockton Education Center, Morven Museum, 55 Stockton Street. www.wccp. org. Presentation by Rev. Dr. David Mulford on “Presidents Who…? Our lesser known presidents and their influence on our history.”Free. 1 to 3 p.m.

Princeton Men’s Basketball, Jadwin Gymnasium, Princeton University. www.goprincetontigers.com. Penn. $12 to $15. 2 p.m.

ScandiDance-NJ, Princeton Country Dancers, Christ Congregation Church, 50 Walnut Lane. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Lesson followed by dance to live music. No partner needed. $10. Masks required. 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday January 17

FYI Seminar, Princeton Senior Resource Center, 101 Poor Farm Road. www.princetonsenior.org. “Aging Athlete” presented by Jillian Galindo, DPT. Hybrid event. Register. Free. 3 p.m.

Princeton Men’s Hockey, Baker Rink, Princeton University. www.goprincetontigers. com. Providence. $12 to $15. 7 p.m.

Wednesday January 18

Five Basic Principles for Getting (and Staying) Organized, Princeton Public Library www.princetonlibrary.org. Professional organizers Marie Limpert and Annmarie Brogan present their organizing principles, answer questions, and provide solutions to common challenges. Via Zoom. Register. 7 p.m.

Thursday January 19

an explorer, a tracer of lost tribes, a seeker of clues to feelings, Anne Reid ‘72 Gallery, Princeton Day School, 650 Great Road. www. pds.org. Reception for an exhibition of stopmotion animation by Carrie Hawks, Gabrielle Tesfaye and Jordan Wong. On view January 9 through March 24. 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The Garden State: Where Ideas Grow, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, 609-924-8144. www.morven.org. Join author and historian Linda Barth as she explores groundbreaking, useful, fun, and even silly inventions and their New Jersey roots. Hybrid event. Register. $10. 6:30 p.m.

Author: Yolonda Jordan, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. The designer and author discusses her recent book, “My Pretty Brown Doll,” and her crochet patterns that focus on brown

dolls with natural-hair-inspired hairstyles. Hybrid event. 7 p.m.

Cooking on a Budget, Eating for Your Health. www.eatingforyourhealth.org. Marion Reinson discusses how to plan nutritious meals in advance, buy whole foods in bulk, and replace packaged processed foods with dishes you can create from simple ingredients, all on a budget. Via Zoom. Register. Donations accepted but not required. 7 to 8 p.m.

Friday January 20

Men & Women in Retirement, Princeton Senior Resource Center, 101 Poor Farm Road. www.princetonsenior.org. Bob Mecklenburger has been singing and performing his own and other folk songwriters’ music with his acoustic six- and twelve-string guitars for over fifty years. Hybrid event. Register. Free. 10 a.m.

Transition to Retirement, Princeton Senior Resource Center, 101 Poor Farm Road. www. princetonsenior.org. Group facilitated by Paul Knight addresses the many kinds of issues that can arise during the transition to retirement. Hybrid program. Register. Free. 2:30 p.m.

Story & Verse: Open Mic, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www. artscouncilofprinceton.org. Enjoy an evening of community-created entertainment in the form of storytelling and poetic open mic. Performers should bring their own work, inspired by this month’s theme, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” Register. Free. 7 to 9 p.m.

saTurday January 21

Art of Salsa & Bachata, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www. artscouncilofprinceton.edu. Immerse yourself in Salsa and Bachata with instructor Mike Andino of Estilo Dance Studio then dance to music by DJ Poli. Enjoy beer, wine and dinner. No partner or experience needed. Register. $125. 7 to 11 p.m.

sunday January 22

Meet the Curator Tour of Ma Bell: The Mother of Invention in New Jersey, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, 609924-8144. www.morven.org. Take a tour of “Ma Bell: The Mother of Invention in New Jersey” with one of the exhibition’s curators, Jesse Gordon Simons. Register. $15. 2 p.m.

Art of Chocolate Making, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www. artscouncilofprinceton.edu. Chocolate connoisseur Alex Pimentel guides this artisanal chocolate making workshop using organic cacao from Peru. Register. $55. 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Choral Reading of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers, Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, Route 206 at Cherry Hill Road. www.musicalamateurs.org. Choral singers welcome. No auditions. Vocal scores provided. $10 admission for singers (or annual membership). Free for students and non-singing guests. 4 p.m.

Monday January 23

Annual Chamber Jam: Mental Health Focus, Princeton University Concerts, Lee Rehearsal Room, Lewis Arts Complex, Princeton University. concerts.princeton.edu. With members of the Me2/Orchestra, conducted by Ronald Braunstein. Free; registration required. 3 p.m.

Tuesday January 24

FYI Seminar, Princeton Senior Resource Center, 101 Poor Farm Road. www.princetonsenior.org. “Senior Living: Costs, Services & Where Medicare Fits In” presented by Hilary Murray, director of community relations at Brandywine Serenade at Princeton. Hybrid event. Register. Free. 3 p.m.

Wednesday January 25

Winter Seedling Workshop, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, 609-9248144. www.morven.org. Morven’s horticulturalists Louise Senior and Charlie Thomforde walk participants through the science and practice behind growing seedlings indoors for spring planting. Register. $15. Noon.

“Where’s My Stuff?”: The Ins and Outs of Managing Space, Princeton Public Library Professional organizers Marie Limpert and Annmarie Brogan discuss strategies to help attendees maximize space and stay in control of their belongings. Via Zoom. Register. 7 p.m.

Thursday January 26

Pups & Cups, Princeton Senior Resource Center, 101 Poor Farm Road. www.princetonsenior.org. Socializing and pet therapy with a certified therapy dog. Free. Register. 3 to 4 p.m.

saTurday January 28

Princeton Men’s Basketball, Jadwin Gymnasium, Princeton University. www.goprincetontigers.com. Yale. $12 to $15. 2 p.m.

Princeton Men’s Hockey, Baker Rink, Princeton University. LIU. $12 to $15. 7 p.m.

Contra & English Country Dance, Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Lesson followed by dance. $15. Masks required. 7:30 to 11 p.m.

Monday January 30

Presentation: Getting Started as a Paid Freelance Writer, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary. org. Journalist Terri Huggins discusses types of freelance writing, setting up portfolios, and creating samples as well as getting your first writing assignment and making money. 7 p.m.

Tuesday January 31

Between Two Knees, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, 609-258-2787. www.mccarter. org. Funny and subversive intergenerational tale of familial love, loss, and connection. 7:30 p.m.