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t r E nt O n’s City P APE r D ecember 2022 | communitynews . org

Merry & Bright

holiday spirits are Being lifted By the city’s cultural leaders, including the lotus project, seen here singing at st. Mary Byzantine church. More on page 2.

A new CEO at the Boys and Girls Club, page 6, and a new curator at the Old Barracks, 11.

By Dan auBrey

Trenton cultural and arts organizations are unpacking seasonal treats to brighten up the holiday spirits with things merry, bright, and revolutionary.

The LOTUS Project

The Trenton-based LOTUS Project brings contemporary American composer Kile Smith’s ethereal “Consolation of Apollo” to the Planetarium at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton. The choral work’s text is based on the1968 Christmas Eve television broadcast that featured Apollo 8 astronauts reciting ten versus of Genesis while also chattering among themselves. Trenton resident and Westminster Choir College conductor Alicia Brozovich is at the helm.

Tickets are a free will donation (with a suggested $25 donation). Reservations are required and can be made online. 205 West State Street, Trenton. Saturday, December 3, 7 p.m. thelotusprojectnj.org/ workshop.

Trenton Mill Hill Holiday House Tour

The 2022 installment of its annual Mill Hill Holiday House Tour is set for December 3. A tradition for 56 years, the tour features approximately 20 decorated 19th century homes of various architectural styles, with some offering holiday music, refreshments, and conversation. $20. The event starts at Artworks, 19 Everett Alley and South Stockton Street, Trenton. Saturday, December 3, noon to 5 p.m. 609-815-1359 or www.trentonmillhill.org.

Don Evans Players

The Don Evans Players and the Free Trenton Public Library present “Redemption Alley.” Billed as an Afro Urban Dickens adaptation for teens and adult audiences, the holiday work is written and directed by Trenton-born Todd C. Evans, poet and poetry host for readings at Classic Books and the Trenton City Museum and son of noted Trenton playwright Don Evans. Featuring a cast of 10

Todd C. Evans presents ‘Redemption Alley’ on December 7.

and an art set design, the work is dedicated in part to Evans’ mother, singer Fran Evans. Free. 120 Academy Street, Trenton. Wednesday, December 7, 1 p.m. 609-346-4329

Passage Theatre Company

The Trenton-based professional theater is presenting a two-actor version of “A Christmas Carol” where actors utilize storytelling, props, and puppets to bring to life Charles Dickens’ beloved Christmas tale of ghosts, memory, and redemption. Richard Bradford plays the author and his ghosts with the world’s most famous miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, played by Peter Bisgaier, a co-founder of Pegasus Theater in Bordentown. $40. Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. Friday through Sunday, December 9 to 11. 609-392-0766 or www.passagetheatre.org

Artworks Trenton

The annual Red Dot 10x10 Fundraising Exhibition opens at Artworks Trenton on Saturday, December 10, and will

Near right, American Repertory Ballet performs ‘The Nutcracker’ at the War Memorial on December 11. Center, ‘Curated by Trenton’ curators C.a. Shofed, front, and back clockwise from left, Habiyb Shu’Aib, Heather Palecek, Jonathan ‘Lank’ Connor, Buck Malvo, and Brass Rabbit. Far right, Addison Vincent’s ‘PANDEMICA’ exhibit opens at the Trenton Free Public Library on December 7. Pictured: ‘Carefree Bike Ride.’

be on view both in person and online. More than 100 Trenton-area and region al artists have created artworks on 10” x 10” canvases. Each artwork sells for $100 with the funds raised going to support Artworks, Everett Alley and South Stock ton Street, Trenton. www.artworkstren ton.org. On view Tuesdays to Saturdays through January 7, www.artworkstren ton.org. Opening reception, 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, December 10.

American Repertory Ballet

“The Nutcracker,” American Reper tory Ballet and the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey’s presentation of Tchai kovsky’s ballet of a young girl, a magical nutcracker, and an enchanted world of dreams. Performed with a live orchestra at the Trenton War Memorial’s Patriots Theater. Sunday, December 11, 3 p.m. www.arballet.org

Artworks director shares vision at Trenton Library

The Trenton Artists Workshop Asso ciation and Trenton Free Public Library present “PANDEMICA: Images of a Po tential Future” by Addison Vincent from December 7 through January 28. An opening reception is set for Thursday, December 8, from 5 to 7 p.m.

“PANDEMICA: Images of a Poten tial Future” features work by Vincent, a freelance artist and curator from Lower Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Addison is the artistic director at Artworks Trenton, the city’s downtown visual arts center, promoting artistic diversity by fostering creativity, learning, and appreciation of the arts. He studied art history and busi ness administration at the University of Hartford and began his art career short ly after graduating with honors in visual communications from Gibbs College in 1999.

The PANDEMICA series was created early in the 2020 pandemic as an Insta gram project when society halted, shel tered in place, and the future was uncer tain.

TAWA is a Greater Trenton nonprofit organization and has a 40-year history of organizing exhibits in such venues as

the New Jersey State Museum, Trenton City Museum, Artworks Trenton, Prince Street Gallery in New York City, and more.

The Trenton Free Public Library is located at 120 Academy Street and is lo cated in the Creek2Canal Trenton Arts District. Hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on the library, call 609-3927188.

More information on the Trenton Art ists Workshop Association can be found on the organization’s Facebook page.

New Jersey Capital Philharmonic

New Year’s Eve Concert: The Fabulous 40s and 50s Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald is how the New Jersey Capital Philharmon ic and Philadelphia jazz singing soprano Paula Johns continue the Trenton New Year’s Eve Tradition at the Trenton War Memorial. Saturday, December 31, 8 p.m.

Six Trenton curators envision Trenton City Museum exhibition

The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie presents “Curated by Trenton,” opening with a reception Saturday, December 3, from 5 to 8 p.m., and remaining on view through January 22.

The exhibition involves six downtown Trenton curators and more than 24 art ists.

According to a statement from lead curator, photographer and Artworks Managing Director C.a. Shofed, the proj ect started in 2020 when he was asked to help curate an exhibit of Trenton cu rators and immediately thought of five artists/curators active in downtown Trenton: Buck Malvo, curator for the Mill Hill Saloon; Jonathan “Lank” Con nor, co-curator for Mill Hill theater and public program manager for Artworks Trenton; Habiyb Shu’Aib, co-coordinator for Mill Hill Playhouse and the monthly Third Thursdays events at the Mercer

“These are the curators who have been doing interesting things in respec tive locations for the last few years,” says Shofed. “Each of them is inventive in their way, each making a special effort to highlight the talented art community in Trenton or discovering a hidden gem. None of them is unapproachable, all are artists in their own right. There are other curators out that could have been cho sen, but this is about the next batch of people who will move Trenton forward.”

Regarding the exhibition, he says, “We

won’t be working on a single theme in this exhibit. It’s going to be about high lighting how these curators chose their artists, put art together to create a feast for your eyes, and, hopefully, move you emotionally.”

The exhibition will feature the work of the following artists based or active in Trenton: Joshua Adair, Alia Bensliman, Bill MF Brown, April Cooper, Kate Egg leston, Will Foskey, Stampy Goblyn, Kate Graves, Sharon Harris, Vee Katz, Will Kinsley, Kyle Lang, Mel Leipzig, Rory Mahon, Buck Malvo, Chris Marinari, Matt “Afromatic” Morton, Léni PacquetMorante, Henry Simon, Jim Simon, Mari

County Community College’s James Ke arny Campus Gallery; Heather Palecek, co-coordinator of Third Thursdays; and Brass Rabbit, who curates the monthly shows at Trenton Social.

Trenton bakes

By Dan auBrey

The Downtowner has over the past decade or so used the December issue to share a Trenton-related holiday recipe to warm up the season and to celebrate the city’s great history. But this year we’re sharing two. First is one from the one of the most unusual Trenton cookbooks. It’s a recipe that helps reminds us of the current Rus sian invasion of Ukraine, the presence of Ukrainians in our area, and an interesting piece of art history

The book is “Recipes of the Soviet Union,” which was published to com memorate the 1989 art exchange pro gram between the Trenton Artist Work shop Association and artists from the Soviet Union, which included Ukraine.

While several Trenton-area artists ac companied artwork to be exhibited in Moscow, several Soviet artists did the same for an exhibition at the Trenton City Museum

Amidst the 52-page book of recipes and illustrations by Trenton-area artists is the following:

Ukrainian Orange Nut Cake

½ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg 1 cup buttermilk ½ cup nuts, chopped 1 tbsp. grated orange rind 1 ¾ cup sifted cake flour

Patriots Week

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder.

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and orange rind. Beat well. Sift dry ingredi ents and add alternately with the butter milk. Fold in nuts. Bake at 350 in greased 8-inch by 8-inch sugar pan for 45 to 55 minutes.

Image by late TAWA member and Mercer County Community College art instructor Anne Bobo.

The other recipe is from Trenton resident and Trenton Public School teacher Deena Jiles-Shu’aib who sent the following as a way of remembering her late mother and Trenton resident Nora Deene Jiles:

Christmas Cookies

1 lb. butter

2 cups of brown sugar

2 egg yolks

4 cups flour

3 tsp. vanilla

2 large Hershey bars

Melt the butter slowly and add the brown sugar. Beat eggs and vanilla into the mix. Pat into cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Let it cool

Melt the chocolate and spread over cookie base then bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately cut into squares. Let it cool, then place onto a separate plate.

Enjoy! And happy holidays.

lyn Simon, Tamara Torres, Kelly Vetter, Andrew Wilkinson, and others.

The Trenton City Museum, housed in historic Ellarslie Mansion, is open to the public Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m., and Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m. The mu seum is located in Cadwalader Park, and is accessible from Parkside Avenue with ample parking. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Visit ellarslie. org or call 609-989-1191 to learn more.

Punk out for the holidays

The Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market’s annual “Wreck the Halls” returns Satur day and Sunday, December 10 and 11, to the Cure Insurance Arena.

The self-described “largest and most unique shopping experience of its kind on the East Coast” will involve 500 small businesses, artists, makers, and crafters from more than 25 states.

Also featured are celebrity guests: Black Sabbath and Dio drummer Vinny Appice, “Halloween’s” Michael Myers actor Tony Moran, and Nickelodeon TV “brothers” Danny Tamberelli and Mi chael C. Maronna

The event also includes dozens of re gional food trucks, live tattooing, scav enger hunts, and live music. General admission is $15. Cure Insurance Arena, 81 Hamilton Avenue, Trenton. For more information, visit www.trentonprfm.com.

A week of family-friendly events cel ebrating Trenton’s role in the Revolu tionary War are scheduled to take place across Trenton as part of Patriots Week festivities from December 26 through 31.

The schedule includes the following events, some of which are repeated on multiple days:

Monday, December 26: Trenton Bat tlefield Tour with Ralph Siegel. Meet at Starbucks, corner of Front & Warren Streets. 9 a.m. Free. Tour starts at 10 a.m. and continues through noon.

Tuesday, December 27: The Stars of 1776, Explore the night sky as it would have been seen in 1776, prior to other fea tured planetarium programming. Plane tarium at New Jersey State Museum, 205 West State Street. $5 to $10. 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Hidden History Tour, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church tour and talk revealing how this site was pivotal to the Battle of Trenton, catacombs under the church, as well as the grave of David Brearley, founder of the Electoral College and sign er of the Constitution. Free. 140 North Warren Street. 1 p.m.

“A Revolutionary Conversation: Whose freedom anyway?” Trenton Free Public Library will transform into a “liv ing museum” featuring students from Sprout U School of the Arts sharing the perspectives of African Americans on the Revolutionary War and its meaning for enslaved people. Trenton students will

portray real-life African-Americans liv ing during the Revolutionary War and excluded from the ideals espoused by founding fathers. Free. 120 Academy Street, 3 to 5 p.m.

Wednesday, December 28: Old Bar racks Museum Tours, $8 to $10, (free for children 5 and younger), 101 Barrack Street. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Civil War Flag Unveiling, Talk and ceremony unveiling five new flags in the New Jersey’s “Civil War Flag Collection of New Jersey,” one of the largest collec tions of its kind in the nation. Free. New Jersey State Museum, 10 to 11 a.m.

The Stars of 1776 (see above descrip tion), Planetarium at New Jersey State Museum. $5 to $10, 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Hidden History Tour (see above), St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 140 North Warren St. Trenton, Free. 1 p.m.

“Strangely Contaminated: The Loy alists of New Jersey,” Presentation by Andrew Dauphinee, instruction and out reach librarian at the New Jersey State Library, will shed light on the forgotten New Jersey Loyalists. Free. 185 West State Street, noon to 1 p.m.

“Alexander Hamilton and the 24 Can nons at the Battle of Trent Town,” pre sentation by historian David Bosted examining Hamilton’s use of cannon ar tillery in the Trenton battle and featuring 8 foot by 10 foot battle map. Free. Tren ton Free Public Library, 120 Academy Street, Trenton, 2 to 4 p.m.

Thursday, December 29: Old Barracks Museum Tours, $8 to $10. 101 Barrack

Street, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Stars of 1776, Planetarium at New Jersey State Museum. $5 to $10, 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

“The Revolutionary World of a Free Black Man: Jacob Francis 1754-1836,” webinar presentation by author and his torian William “Larry” Kidder on the so cial situation of a free New Jersey Black man during the Revolutionary war. Free, New Jersey State Library, 185 West State Street. Noon to 1 p.m.

Hidden History Tour, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. Free. 1 p.m.

Trenton based historian Dr. Sharon Ann Holt presents a slide walking tour of Revolutionary-era Trenton, Learn about Revolutionary-era Trenton. Free. Friends Meeting House, 142 East Hanover Street. 2:30 p.m.

Friday, December 30: Old Barracks Museum Tours, $8 to $10, (free for chil dren 5 and younger), 101 Barrack Street, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Stars of 1776, Planetarium at New Jersey State Museum. $5 to $10, 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Hidden History Tour, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. Free. 1 p.m.

Saturday December 31: Old Barracks Museum offers free programming featur ing American Soldiers talking about their experiences fighting for George Wash ington in 1776. Musket drills and fire at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. 101 Barrack Street. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“The Stars George Saw,” presentation

HOLIDAYS, continued from Page 3

Senior spotlight: Trenton’s Mel Leipzig and the art of aging

By Dan auBrey

Nationally noted Trenton-based artist Mel Leipzig recently became the subject for the latest Artists Magazine issue for both his art istry and for something reflective our current issue — his productivity at the age of 87.

Artists Magazine editor-in-chief Anne Havener introduces readers to the is sue by pointing out a phenomenon that many reporting on the arts have ob served: Artists often continue painting and working at an age when many in other professions have stopped.

Havener starts by looking back into art history and notes that “even with his vision greatly diminished by cataracts, impressionist paint er Claude Monet continued to paint well into his 80s. At home, in the quiet seclusion of his be loved gardens, in Giverny, the artist centered his inter est, almost obses sively, on painting the beautiful lily ponds. His longtime fascination for color and light, and the beauty of the natural world, continued to excite his muse, and the artist created several hundred compositions in the fi nal decades of his life.”

She then turns her glance to today and says that this issue celebrates several contemporary artists, including Leipzig, “who, like Monet, continue to make and exhibit their artwork well into their late 80s and 90s.”

Artists Magazine writer Cynthia Close dips deeper into the theme by writ ing, “During my first conversation with New Jersey-based figurative artist Mel Leipzig, he immediately launched into an excited description of a portrait he was painting of a musician he’d recently

met — a guitarist, dressed for the paint ing in a fabulously patterned Nigerian garment. Leipzig’s total immersion in his work was electric. His barely con tained energy and enthusiasm for shar ing his discoveries drove the interview forward.”

While Close’s article provides details of Leipzig’s personal and professional history, both frequently reported in past Downtowner issues, the artist’s own comments about his method of painting point towards something that is a key to creativity and engagement: a willingness to change.

As he tells Close, “Years ago, I’d make elaborate preparatory drawings, but in the early 2000s, I started painting direct ly on canvas from life and finishing the work in one sitting.”

He also has added to the lim ited color palette he used for decades and incorporated a new approach to making a vibrant and imaginative use of color and design, sparked in part by his interaction with Trenton graffiti art ists as well as tattoo artists, including his son, Joshua.

A recent visit to Leipzig’s Trenton home shows the artist deep at work — surrounded by approximately 25 worksin-progress depicting models who come to his house to pose.

Currently, subjects are curated by a few friends who know Leipzig’s interests and connect him with the models.

One such individual is Trenton-based arts collector and dealer Lawrence Hil ton, who will be participating in the No vember 30 Arts Council of Princeton pan el discussion “Restoring the Overlooked History of Black Artists in Princeton and Trenton in the Later 20th Century Through Local Research, Preservation, and Oral History” as part of the ACP’s

In addition to introducing Leipzig to a good number of jazz musicians that he knows through years of scheduling the jazz series at Trenton’s Candlelight Lounge, Hilton, a retired senior himself, also has arranged sittings for several area political leaders, arts supporters, or interesting members of the community.

Additionally, there are paintings of area artists working in different media and approaches, such as the Trentonbased artist Flykickz, who creates art using sneakers.

“Where would I get such models?” says Leipzig who after years of traveling to paint artists around the region now

paints exclusively in his living room.

So what’s the secret formula that gives artists an edge as they age?

Havener offers a thought, “Perhaps the productivity stems from a continued curiosity with the world and, as the 20thcentury writer Franz Kafka suggested, an ability to see the beauty in it. To this, I would also add an unstoppable drive not only to observe but also to express — to bring to life their creative vision — and to share it.”

But as Leipzig often says, “I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t paint . . . just sit around?”

of night sky in 1776 at the Planetarium at New Jersey State Museum, $5 to $10. Noon and 3 p.m.

Hogmanay, the Scottish celebration of the New Year is being presented in honor of the Scots founder of Trenton, William Trent, and will feature bagpipers, Scot tish Treats, and the symbolic new begin ning fire. Free. William Trent House, 15 Market Street, Trenton. 2 p.m.

Continental Army March from Old Barracks to Mill Hill Park, music and fire drills, battle demonstration, Free. Begins at 101 Barrack Street. 4 p.m.

Assunpink Firewalk and Reading of “The American Crisis” by Thomas Paine,

traditional music, warm drinks, and cook ies on the Iron Bridge, followed by the dramatic lighting of 13 torches along the bank of the Assunpink River. Free. Mill Hill Park; Iron Bridge and canal walk, 5 p.m.

Peace Vigil at the 1739 Friends Meet ing House, the site held by British Dra goons in December 1776 and where Dec laration of Independence signer George Clymer is buried. Free. 142 East Hanover Street. 5 to 6 p.m.

For complete details Patriots Week events and additional information visit www.patriotsweek.com.

current exhibition “Retrieving the Life and Art of James Wilson Edwards and a Circle of Black Artists.”

Mel Leipzig at work in his Trenton home, surrounded by his artwork.

Reggie Coleman is the new leader at Trenton’s Boys and Girls Club

By Sue Ferrara

Reggie Coleman has been named the new CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County, and Cole man couldn’t be more excited to become the face of an organization he has grown to love. “This hasn’t simply been a pro fession,” said Coleman. “It’s been a way of life.”

Coleman, who lives in Hamilton with his wife, Victoria, grew up in West Tren ton and graduated from what was once known as McCorristin High School, now Trenton Catholic Academy. He played basketball at the Urban League’s West Ward rec center.

And like many young men who grow up in New Jersey, guys who live between two cities which host pro-sports teams and popular sports announcers, a young er Reggie Coleman carried dreams of landing a career in one of those two pro fessions.

Graduating from Upsala College in East Orange in 1995 with a degree in communications, Coleman worked sev eral jobs as he “tried to figure things out.” He applied to the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County for the position of athletic director.

The club called back six months later, wanting to hire him for a new position, that of education director. That all hap pened in 1998.

Paul Ashley, chairman of the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County, says Coleman is “an outstanding leader and advocate for our clubs and the young people they serve.”

“When it came time this year to elect a new CEO, our board of directors voted for him unanimously. He’s a leader, a mentor and a friend to everyone from our club kids to the staff and the board. We’re confident his depth of knowledge about the club and commitment to ev eryone will ensure the club’s future suc cess.”

The 49-year-old Coleman spoke about his very first days as education director for the organization.

“I wasn’t even in the office,” he said. “The administration sent me to Princ eton University to be trained in a new Boys and Girls Club curriculum called Be Proud, Be Responsible.”

The curriculum focused on AIDS education, and Coleman learned how to teach that curriculum to the children and teens who would attend his club.

The history of the Boys and Girls club nationally is interesting. Started in Con necticut in 1860 as the Dashaway Club, in 1880, the club was renamed The Good Will Club. By 1906, in Massachusetts, a group of individual clubs became The Federated Boys Club of Boston. More

clubs followed that lead and by 1931, the Boys Club of America was born.

Locally, the Boys Club of Trenton be gan in 1937. Organized by seven men, including James Kearney Jr. and Joseph Roebling, the club taught trade skills to area boys.

By 1985, the Boys Club of Trenton, admitted girls, five years before the national organization opened admission to girls in 1990. Eventually, the Boys and Girls Club of Trenton, extended its reach beyond the city proper and became the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County. The organization is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year.

Coleman noted that over time, the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County, or BGC, has changed from a “gym and swim” or ganization to a place where members can learn more about themselves through the many offerings BGC provides. The club specializes in after-school programming which intro duces members to STEM or creating vegetable gardens, for example.

“When I started,” Coleman said, “we served 300 members annually and had a budget of $300,000. Now, BGC serves 2,600 members and has an annual bud get of $6 million.”

The Boys and Girls Club of Mercer

County serves members in several lo cations. The organization maintains two physical locations, one at 212 Centre Street in Trenton, and another at 1040 Spruce Street in Lawrence Township.

BGC also runs after-school programs at ten local schools in Trenton and Ew ing. Members pay $30 a year to belong to the club. “One has to be a member to participate in additional programming,” Coleman said.

The national Boys and Girls Club sup ports member clubs with curriculum. The costs to participate in these added activities are adjusted based on need. BGC also provides scholarships.

“We never turn kids away,” Cole man emphasized. “We just try to fig ure it out.”

Coleman seems never to be afraid of figuring things out. And in this in stance, figuring out the financial piece can look like many things. Coleman said sometimes board members reach into their pockets; or, the organization writes grants, or holds fundraisers.

Programs run for 10 months during the school year. BGC also runs a 10-week summer camp. There is an outdoor pool at the club’s Centre Street location.

“We put more time and money into high school kids,” Coleman said. BGC doesn’t merely stress college after high

school. The organization is more global in its message, encouraging kids to look at a variety of options, including the trades.

To that end, BGC offers a College Ac cess program and a Career Launch pro gram. The club gives teen members an opportunity to learn how to fix bicycles, or to learn the ins-and-outs of becom ing a childcare assistant. The organiza tion also runs SAT prep programs and teaches students how to fill out college applications.

These teen programs run out of the Spruce Street center. The club also col laborates with The Father Center by providing busing for 15 students from Trenton’s 9th Grade Academy who at tend The Father Center’s Healthy Rela tionships/Healthy Choices program.

“What we’re doing goes beyond our four walls,” Coleman observed, adding: “Great futures start here.”

Coleman began his new position in July, taking the reins from David An derson, who led the organization for 20 years. And once again, Coleman is on a learning curve, much like when he start ed in 1998.

He will be attending CEO classes of fered by the national Boys and Girls Club — an organization with 4,000 U.S.-based member clubs, including ones located on military bases and Native American res ervations.

Locally, Coleman noted, “we’re go ing through a two-year strategic plan, to make sure the current transition goes well and the organization continues to grow.”

The organization wants to cultivate more volunteers to lead programming. Funding is always an ongoing process, and to that end, Coleman would like to reach more individual donors for the funding stream.

That includes donors like Russ White of Princeton, the creator of the Boys & Girls Clubs Bike Exchange in Ewing. He and the two other Princeton eBikes owners, Jay and Theresa Wrobel, have donated in excess of $100,000 to the Bike Exchange.

Coleman wants to continue to grow the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer Coun ty by reaching into other neighboring school districts. He knows his staff and volunteers provide excellent after-school programming.

When asked how much longer he sees himself working with BGC, he grins and says: “It would be nice if I could take the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer to our 100th anniversary.”

For more information, visit on the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer, visit bgc mercer.org.

Reggie Coleman is the new CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County. He has been with the club since 1998, when he was hired as education director.

‘What we’re doing goes beyond our four walls,’ Reggie Coleman observed, adding: ‘Great futures start here.’

On the Cover

Plate Expectations: Restaurants that Set the Stage for a Memorable Meal

BY GEORGE POINT

When dining out, as in most aspects of life, first impressions count big time by setting expectations of what’s to follow. If you stop to think about it, dining out is theater, and a restaurant is a stage set. Consciously or not, when you approach a dining venue for the first time and walk through the front door, you’ve already begun to anticipate what’s in store.

The website of Absolute Commercial Interiors, an English commercial interior design firm, notes in a blog post that “the ambience in a restaurant plays an undeniably significant role in shaping your customers’ overall dining experience. Ambience ties the cuisine, service, and environment together to define your diners’ perception of your restaurant.”

Some restaurants simply do a better job than others in managing diners’ expectations and making their décor an integral part of fostering an appreciation for their cuisine. Here are just four of the many examples of eateries in our area that have managed to achieve just that.

Note that before you visit, you’re encouraged to peruse the full menus for each that are posted on their websites, as well as to verify opening and closing times. Reservations are also highly recommended.

Kristine’s

In its décor and cuisine, Kristine’s in downtown Princeton clearly aspires to create the look and feel of a casual yet elegant French dining spot — and manages to do a highly satisfying job on both counts. Considerable effort has been spent on the details of the exterior and interior design, doing so in ways that appear both obvious and subtle to the eye.

Approaching Kristine’s from Hinds Plaza, one is drawn to the cafe curtains, the inviting blue and white striped awnings emblazoned with “Kristine’s” in distinctive script. The “Bienvenue (‘Welcome’) Kristine’s” on the window glass beckons as you pass by the outdoor dining area to the double entry doors on the south corner of the brick structure.

A more subtle design element, intentional or not, is the simple semi-circular awning over the entry, a sly visual reference to the Art Nouveau canopies covering access to the Paris Metro.

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“Many of these treatments may come as a surprise to patients suffering from chronic pain, especially those who think that their pain — and poor quality of life — is something they have to endure,” Dr. Patel notes. A double board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist, Dr. Patel focuses on treating pain in the back, neck, face, and joints as well as pain related to cancer and chemotherapy.

With so many different pain-causing illnesses, injuries, and conditions, treatments must be carefully customized to fit the needs of each individual patient. Dr. Patel partners with orthopedists, physical and occupational therapists, and chiropractors to provide a variety of approaches and treatments. With

Regenerative Medicine/ Stem Cell Therapy. Regenerative medicine is a fastgrowing, highly developed treatment that helps the body heal or rebuild itself. Dr. Patel uses stem cell therapy to treat ailments, particularly low back or neck pain, caused by degenerative vertebral discs or joint pain in the shoulders, hips, or knees caused by osteoarthritis. The patient’s stem cells are removed, purified, concentrated, and injected into the injured or weakened tissue. Stem cell therapy can also speed recovery and help avoid surgery.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP). A favorite treatment for sports injuries, PRP uses the patient’s blood to produce a platelet-rich plasma that targets a host of chronic and acute pain conditions, including muscle strain, arthritis, tendinosis, cartilage injuries, joint inflammation, and wound care. The treatment is also used in orthopedic and plastic surgery. By synthesizing platelets and releasing proteins, PRP can aid in generating new tissue. And it has helped chemotherapy patients grow back hair faster and thicker.

Cannabis Therapy. The legalization of medical marijuana has brought new treatment options. “We are very excited by the potential of cannabis-based treatments and we comply fully with New Jersey’s evolving regulations,” says Dr. Patel. He uses a local dispensary to provide treatments, which include edibles such as gummy bears and cannabis-based rubbing and vaping oils.

Minimally Invasive Therapy. Dr. Patel offers a wide variety of minimally invasive therapies. These include epidural steroid injections, facet joint injections, radiofrequency ablation, and spinal cord stimulation for patients suffering from chronic neck and back pain stemming from herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, or spinal stenosis. His goal is to help his patients avoid surgery and at the same time regain functionality.

Thanks to these and other game-changing treatments, pain levels can be greatly reduced or eliminated and quality of life enhanced. Says Dr. Patel, “Stop your pain. Start your life.”

666 Plainsboro Road, Suite 100D Plainsboro. 609-269-4451 www.njpaindoc.com

Dr. Ronak Patel

continued from Page 2

The restrained design choices in the din ing room evoke Paris without crossing over into kitsch. The petite floor tiles are set in a pattern that makes them seem to swirl across the room. Fluted glass shades adorn the overhead lighting. The horseshoeshaped bar, replete with bentwood stools, conveys the look of the zinc-topped bars in many establishments found throughout La Belle France. The artwork adds to the feel ing that you’ve been transported back to Paris in the 1930s.

In short, Kristine’s manages to be invit ingly French in appearance, an especially remarkable feat considering that the space housed a boutique in its previous incarna tion. But it’s the ambient sound of Kristine’s that seals the deal.

The sound system may be playing the strains of Bal-musette, a style of French instrumental music usually featuring an accordion that became popular in Paris in the 1880s. Or you may hear the little spar row Édith Piaf proclaiming “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien,” Charles Trenet crooning “La Mer” (long before Bobby Darin made the English version a hit in the U.S.) or per haps the iconoclastic folk singer Georges Brassens singing a tune you’re probably better off not understanding the words to.

And the conversations of the patrons din ing at adjoining tables can be part of the charm of Kristine’s as well, as likely to be in French as English.

The menu at Kristine’s reads like a hit parade of well-curated French favorites that regulars have come to expect: onion soup, foie gras torchons, moules et frites, duck confit, steak frites, as well as vegan and glu ten-free options. General manager Branden English notes that cool weather additions may include burgundy beef, cassoulet, boudin noir, and lamb shank.

Underscoring Kristine’s French pedi gree is the restaurant’s selection of French wines and spirits, with knowledgeable staff

eager to make recommendations; for exam ple, Branden is certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, a global provider of wine and spirit education for professionals and enthusiasts.

Bon appetit!

Kristine’s, 51 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., then 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. 609-924-3339 and kristine sprinceton.com.

Local Greek

Do an online search for “typical Greek taverna” and you’ll see that Local Greek, at 44 Leigh Avenue in Princeton, has fulfilled the promise that owner Tony Kanterakis made upon opening its doors in Novem ber 2017 — an assurance that, when visit ing, customers can “escape Princeton” and enter Greece.

Despite the un-Greek presence of Tor tuga’s Mexican Village, another neighbor hood mainstay, across the street, that state ment still rings true. Nearly five years later, Local Greek continues to be a neighbor hood gathering place to enjoy Greek cui sine in a setting with the authentic spirit of a cozy local hangout on a Greek isle.

As reported in U.S. 1 soon after the res taurant opened, the look of Local Greek is a big part of its appeal, from the sun-washed white and blue exterior and inviting out door seating to the rustic wooden tables and floors, white subway tile, and white washed walls within — not to mention the welcoming attitude and efficient service of the staff. You may hear the strains of Greek music in the background, but at a volume that permits quiet conversation.

At the time, Kanterakis reflected on the spirit of Greek culture that he had worked to bring to Local Greek. “I think a lot of the Greek words on the walls explain what’s

important about Greek culture,” he noted, “the warmth and hospitality of the Greek people, the attitude that strangers are friends you haven’t met yet.”

To cite one example, a sign over the entrance to the side dining room proclaims that ‘the secret ingredient is always love,’ and three Greek words and their defini tions hand-painted on the wall expand on the sentiment; ‘Filoksenia – An act of hos pitality, a warm welcome,’ ‘Kefi – The spirit of joy and enthusiasm in which good times and passion for life are experienced by an abundance of excitement, happiness and fun,’ and ‘Meraki – The soul; creativity or love put into something: the essence of yourself put into your work.’

It would be impossible to quote the extensive menu here, a well-curated selec tion of soups, salads, appetizers, meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes that range from old favorites (avgolemono, dolmades [stuffed grape leaves], gyro platter, souvlaki, bak lava) to more upmarket entrees like shrimp flambé, whole grilled branzino and top ping out at a substantial mixed grill platter ($74.95). Local Greek is BYO, or patrons may choose from the offerings of Old York Cellars in Ringoes.

Perhaps the best example of “plate expectations” is the string of Greek letters diners pass under that proclaims, “We are all family.”

“When strangers to a Greek town wan der by, it’s not unusual for locals to invite them in and share their hospitality,” Kanter akis explains. “That’s the feeling I’m trying to create here — to capture the spirit of the Greek people.”

Local Greek, 44 Leigh Avenue, Princ eton. Monday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Tuesday to Friday, noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.to 8 p.m. 609285-2969 and localgreeknj.com

Note: Tony Kanterakis has four other

Greek-themed restaurants, including Greek Bites and Loco Cheese in Princeton, Local Greek Lambertville, and Local Greek Seafood in Hopewell. Visit eatlocalgreek. com for details.

AJA Asian Cuisine and Lounge

Diners in the area with very long memo ries may recall that 1736 Route 206 in Mont gomery was once the address of the County Line restaurant, back in the day when a slab of prime rib served with a wedge of iceberg lettuce topped with blue cheese dressing was considered the height of haute cuisine. Come to think of it, that combo still sounds mighty tasty. The County Line is long gone, replaced by a succession of eateries in what turned into a hard-luck location.

Perhaps that’s why koi are a recurring presence in the current establishment at that address, Aja Cuisine and Lounge. In Japan, koi, a colorful relative of the com mon carp, serve as a symbol of good luck and determination in the face of hard times.

Koi have been reported to live as long as two centuries; perhaps they are the good luck charms that will ensure Aja’s longev ity, given that there are koi abound at Aja, most notably in the large pottery vessel next to reception that contains live fish lan guidly lazing about.

Koi also appear on assorted fine china serving pieces, and three koi, writ large, circle gracefully on the wall behind the sushi bar. Uniformed itamae (sushi chefs), donned in their caps and tunics, silently and methodically go about their work.

Koi aside, it’s hard to know where to begin to describe Aja’s lavish décor. The quality and quantity of detail one dis

Toast to a French meal at Kristine’s, left and middle, or settle in for some traditional hospitality at Local Greek, right, to get a sense of community with your atmosphere.

PLATE,

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Leaders in emergency and elective angioplasty.

Ever feel tightness in your chest when going up a flight of stairs, or short of breath after carrying in the groceries? These can be signs of coronary artery disease. If you think you may be at risk, you should talk to a cardiac specialist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton. At RWJBarnabas Health, we perform more elective and emergent procedures than any other health care system in New Jersey. Our heart team can clear blocked or narrowed arteries to safely restore blood flow to your heart. Schedule an appointment with one of New Jersey’s top cardiac specialists at rwjbh.org/heart

covers while meandering through the multi-roomed, multi-themed interior is astonishing.

Push the beautifully carved hardwood push plates affixed to the entry doors and note the display of dozens of abaci on the wall to your right. Asian artwork and statuary of all sizes are strategically placed throughout, well-positioned to encourage appreciation by their patrons — almost like wandering through an art gallery.

Many of the interior walls of Aja are finished in small, smooth river stones, with thousands of them set in plaster. Apart from the strips of neon that define the various dining areas, the soft indirect lighting succeeds in giving what would otherwise be cavernous spaces a hushed ambiance and an intimate feel.

The lighting, combined with the use of Asian hardwood accents, river stone, and slate floor tiles, work together to convey the impression that Aja is a place for serious dining. With a mix of spacious booths and tables, it’s no wonder that in the cooler months, seats near the working fireplace are sought-after spots.

The décor continues down to the stairs leading to the lower-level lobby, additional party rooms, and even the restrooms; all are tastefully designed and realized.

There is no shortage of dining options for parties of every size. In addition to the main dining room, Aja sports a sushi bar and cocktail bar, as well as the (lavenderbedecked) Lavender room and the (very red) Mandarin rooms, which may be booked singly or in combination for private events.

And then there are Aja’s menu offerings, too numerous to enumerate in this limited space and best perused at your leisure online.

There you’ll find enough soups, salads, sushi, sashimi, rolls, wok and grilled selections, noodle and rice dishes, bento boxes, and dessert choices to keep you occupied for a while.

Looking for a low-risk introduction to

Aja? Stop in for lunch and choose from a selection of reasonably priced dishes that include salad, soup, and a main course.

My friend and longtime Princeton resident Marty, one of my go-to experts on all things Japanese, especially enjoys the sushi/sashimi luncheon special; 4 pieces of sushi, 8 pieces of sashimi, and a spicy tuna roll for a very reasonable $23.

AJA, 1736 US 206, Montgomery. Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. then 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. then 4:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Saturday, 12:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.; and Sunday,

12:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Full bar service available. 908-262-2512 and ajamontgomery. com.

El Tule

If you’ve only experienced Lambertville as a Delaware River town characterized by the charming 19th century structures along Bridge Street, take the first right after turning in off Route 29.

On your left, you’ll happen upon the bright orange, black, and green sign on a

AJA Asian Cuisine and Lounge in Montgomery, left , and El Tule Mexican & Peruvian Restaurant in Lambertville, right, sport both inviting interiors and extravagant exteriors.

The Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey (YOCJ) provides many opportunities for students to take their skills, passion and talent to new musical levels, including master classes with professional musicians, concert performances, chamber music opportunities and more! YOCJ features three orchestras, as well as small ensembles for brass, percussion, woodwinds, saxophone and flute.

Upcoming events:

• Saturday December 10, 7:30pm Winter Small Ensemble Concert at Community Middle School, Plainsboro NJ

• Sunday January 15, 3pm & the 8pm Winter Large Ensemble Concerts at Kendall Hall, TCNJ. The 8pm concert features Billy Hunter, Principal Trumpet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

New Student Auditions:

•Tuesday January 31 and June 6, 2023 For more information, visit https://yocj.org/

one-story building boldly proclaiming it to be the home of El Tule Mexican and Peru vian Cuisine.

Walk past the row of picnic tables and catch a glimpse of the patio dining area at the rear, festooned with twinkly lights crisscrossed overhead and on the fence that encloses the space.

As you step inside, witness the bright colors abound; orange predominates on the walls and on the red-bordered menus and includes other bright colors as well, reflecting the natural dyes from native plants and the earth that color the tradi tional clothing of both countries.

One wall is covered with concert post ers in dayglo colors announcing appear ances by Peruvian musicians, singers, and composers of contemporary and tradi tional Andean music, like Peruvian singer-

composer Dina Paucar and the dazzling Andean orchestra Super Briliantes del Ande.

The background music reflects the décor as well, played at a festive yet com fortable volume. Rustic floor tile, dark brown tables, and comfortable chairs com plete the picture, giving El Tule the look and feel of a neighborhood establishment you might find in Oaxaca or Cuzco.

And then there’s “El Tule” itself, the tree logo that appears throughout the restau rant and on the t-shirts worn by Jack, the owner, and his staff.

It’s a graphic reference to El Árbol del Tule, Spanish for ‘The Tree of Tule,’ a massive Montezuma cypress located in the center of Santa María del Tule in the Mexican state of Oaxaca said to have been planted 1,400 years ago by Pechocha, a priest of the Aztec wind god Ehecatl.

As with the décor, El Tule comes by the

authenticity of its cuisine honestly. Relo cating from Peru in 1992, the Egoavil and Anguino families present a Mexican Latin fusion menu, guided by chefs from the Egoavil and Anguino families. Peruvian chef Carmen Egoavil has built on the culi nary skills she learned from her mother, while chef Said Anguino crafts the Mexi can side of the menu with interpretations of traditional recipes.

The menu includes a selection of veg etarian, seafood, and meat dishes. Cevi che includes ceviche limeno (corvina fish, sweet potatoes, Peruvian corn) and cevi che mixto (corvina fish, shrimp, octopus, and calamari), “Flavors of Peru” includes coliflor saltada tacu (vegan wok stir-fried cauliflower and fresh vegetables, served over Peruvian beans and rice) and lamb stew tacu tacu (boneless lamb slowly cooked for 48 hours in a sauce of Peruvian panca peppers and Chicha de Jora (a beer

made from fermented maize).

Mexican specialties include spinach and crab enchiladas, tampiquena (marinated ribeye topped with guacamole), and more.

There’s also a good selection of large and small plates to share, and a non-alco holic drink selection that includes Inca Kola, Jamaica tea, and Chicha Morada (purple Peruvian corn, pineapple, a “hint of lime, and a hint of cinnamon”).

A ‘Locals Night Special’ on Wednesday evenings offers three courses, plus a com plimentary margarita for just $30. Che vere! (‘Awesome’).

El Tule Mexican & Peruvian Restau rant, 49 N. Main St., Lambertville. Tues day to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sun day, noon to 9 p.m. BYOB. 609-773-0007 and eltulerestaurant.com.

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.

THE GIFT OF A SMILE

With the end of the year in sight, now is a great time to assess your family’s unmet dental needs. Consider your annual benefits that expire at the end of the year. Contact us to help you plan your New Year smile!

Dr. Irving Djeng • Dr. Lauren Levine • Dr. Michael DeLuca • Dr. Matthew Etter • Dr. Kevin Collins • Dr. Deolinda Reverendo

Hamilton Dental Associates

Don’t Let Your Annual Benefits Go to Waste!

Every year, thousands of people sit on their dental insurance and benefits until the new year rolls around, los ing out on their past year of cover age. While some may use it to cover routine dental checkups, most pay for these yearly benefits without ever using them, leaving them unused and therefore going to waste. Instead of eating it as a sunk cost, consider scheduling some dental work with Hamilton Dental Associates!

Dental insurance can be much less confusing for patients to understand compared to medical insurance. The language used in dental insurance policies directly tells people what procedures receive coverage, how much you have to pay, and how much the insurance provider pays. How ever, people wind up leaving money on the table when their insurance plan rolls over at the end of the year. Whatever the difference between their maximums and what they spent on dental procedures is, they lose that money. To maximize the benefits of their dental insurance plans, patients need to understand what is currently offered, what kind of procedures are offered, and how much their insurance will cover.

Knowing Your Coverage. Most dental insurance plans follow the 10080-50 structure. They will cover 100% of the costs of minor procedures such as bi-yearly visits, teeth cleanings, x-rays, and dental sealant procedures. For things such as cavity fillings, root canals, and gum disease, your insur ance will cover around 80% of the total cost after the deductible is met. The major procedures like crowns, bridges, inlays, or dentures will only

have about 50% of the procedure covered. Knowing how much your in surance will cover helps you plan out your visits and maximize the money still left on your account before losing it at the end of the year.

What If I Have an FSA Account?

Flexible Spending Accounts, or FSA, are provided through employersponsored insurance plans and are designed to help provide flexibility in how you pay for specific procedures. During your enrollment period, you select which FSA account you want and determine how much money is in that account. These pre-tax dollars come out of your paycheck over the year and are then used to help cover the cost of these procedures.

The FSA plans work similarly to a debit card in that the money in the account can be withdrawn to cover the expenses. However, like other benefits, once the new year comes and the plan rolls over into 2021, you lose whatever balance is left on the FSA account. This is why you should take the time to plan out what dental procedures you need done throughout the year and do what you can to maxi mize the money in your FSA account.

Where Do I Go From Here? That’s the most important question right now. Since you only have a set amount of time left in the year to utilize your den tal insurance benefits to their fullest, don’t wait!

We can help you schedule your routine checkups, schedule any ad ditional dental work you may need, and work with your insurance provider to figure out how much is covered and what you need to pay out of pocket. We’re an in-network option for various insurance plans and can work with plans that offer out-of-network ben efits. Contact our team to learn more about how we can help today!

Visit Hamilton Dental Associates today, and come see what all the smiles are about! See ad, page 10.

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

RWJ Hamilton

7 Keys to a Woman’s Healthy Heart

Heart disease, the leading cause of death for women in the United States, can be insidious, creeping up slowly and seemingly without warning. Often it can be “silent,” too, with no obvious symptoms at all—until a crisis or emergency, like a heart at tack, strikes. “Fortunately, there are steps women can take to help prevent heart disease,” says interventional cardiologist Edward Wingfield, MD, Medical Staff President at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, an RWJBarnabas Health facility. “Awareness is important, but it’s not enough to just be aware of risk factors. Women need to be proactive when it comes to their self-care and overall healthcare.”

Here are seven things women can do to help prevent or reduce their risk of heart disease:

1. Monitor Your Blood Pressure. “High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, so get your blood pressure checked regularly,” says Dr. Wingfield. “If it’s high, talk to your doctor about how to lower it. There are many ways to get those numbers down.”

2. Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet. Re duce sugar and salt and eat a diet that

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.

contains whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, and that’s low in saturated fats and cholesterol. A Mediterranean diet is a healthy option to consider.

3. Avoid Overeating. In addition to causing weight gain, eating heavy meals and large portions causes your body to work overtime and increases your heart rate. Fatty meals are par ticularly taxing.

4. Exercise. Take a walk, ride a bike, swim, dance— just get mov ing, and aim for at least a half-hour of moderate exercise per day, incorpo rating strength training twice a week. “Be sure to check with your healthcare provider about a regimen that’s appro priate for your specific health needs,” advises Dr. Wingfield.

5. Quit Smoking. Just do it. After one year, your risk of developing heart disease will be cut by 50 percent.

6. Manage Stress. Stress can have a profound effect on your heart health by inducing the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which in turn cause an increase in blood pressure and injury to the inner layer of your heart vessels (endothelium) leading to a heart at tack. Yoga and meditation are just two things that can help with managing stress. Speak to your provider about other options.

7. Sleep Well. Sleep is important

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-fitsall 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.

but it’s not just about getting enough sleep, which for most adults is about seven to nine hours per night. Getting enough restful, restorative sleep is what matters. Go to bed at about the same time every night; sleep in a cool, dark room; and turn off electronic devices like cell phones and tablets.

Though there is some overlap in the symptoms of heart attack in men and women, women have some dif ferent symptoms, many of which can be subtle or may be attributed to just aches and pains, the flu or heartburn. But if you think you’re having a heart attack, call 911:

• Jaw, neck or upper back pain

• Chest pain

• Chest tightness

• Pain in the shoulder or arm

• Nausea or vomiting

• Dizziness or fainting

• Cold sweats

• Shortness of breath

• Pain or pressure in the lower chest or upper abdomen • Indigestion

Wingfield, MD

McDougall, Integrative RN, and spon sored by Robert Wood Johnson Uni versity Hospital Hamilton Community Education. Registration is required for this program. Register online at rwjbh. org/events or call 609-584-5900 and dial “1” to reach Health Connections.

“LOVE

YOUR HEART” DISCUS SION GROUP

All are welcome to come out on Thursday, December 8, 10 to 11 a.m., as we explore the connection between food and mood, along with a recipe tasting and discussion. Unhealthy nutrition and difficult emotions, such as depression, can often put us at risk for heart disease. Hosted by Patti

Whoever your heart beats for, our hearts beat for you.

To connect to a top cardiovascu lar expert at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, call 888723-7123 or visit rwjbh.org/heart.

To learn more about Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, visit rwjbh.org/Hamilton or call 609586-7900. See ad, page 5.

Edward

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

Jan: 9, 23 Feb: 6, 20 Mar: 6, 20 Apr: 3, 17 May: 1, 15, Jun: 3, 12, 26

Jul: 10, 24 Aug: 7, 21, Sep: 9, 18 Oct: 2, 16, 30 Nov: 13, 27 Dec: 11, 30

Jan: 2, 16, 30 Feb: 13, 27 Mar: 13, 27 Apr: 10, 24 May: 8, 22 Jun: 5, 19

Jul: 3, 17, 31 Aug: 14, 28 Sep: 11, 25 Oct: 9, 23 Nov: 6, 20 Dec: 4, 18

Jan: 10, 24 Feb: 7, 21 Mar: 7, 21 Apr: 4, 18 May: 2, 16, 30 Jun: 13, 27

Jul: 11, 25 Aug: 8, 22 Sep: 5, 19 Oct: 3, 17, 31 Nov: 14, 28 Dec: 12, 26

Jan: 3, 17, 31 Feb: 14, 28 Mar: 14, 28 Apr: 11, 25 May: 9, 23 Jun: 6, 20

Jul: 8, 18 Aug: 1, 15, 29 Sep: 12, 26 Oct: 10, 24 Nov: 7, 21 Dec: 5, 19

Jan: 4, 18 Feb: 1, 15, Mar: 1, 15, 29 Apr: 12, 26 May: 10, 24 Jun: 7, 21,

Jul: 5, 19 Aug: 2, 16, 30 Sep: 13, 27 Oct: 11, 25 Nov: 8, 22 Dec: 6, 20

Jan: 11, 25 Feb: 8, 22 Mar: 8, 22 Apr: 5, 19 May: 3, 17, 31 Jun: 14, 28

Jul: 12, 26 Aug: 9, 23 Sep: 6, 20 Oct: 4, 18 Nov: 1, 15, 29 Dec: 13, 27

Jan: 5, 19 Feb: 2, 16 Mar: 2, 16, 30 Apr: 13, 27 May: 11, 25 Jun: 8, 22

Jul: 6, 20 Aug: 3, 17, 31 Sep: 14, 28 Oct: 12, 26 Nov: 9, 25 Dec: 7, 21

Jan: 12, 26 Feb: 9, 23 Mar: 9, 23 Apr: 6, 20 May: 4, 18 Jun: 1, 15, 29

Jul: 13, 27 Aug: 10, 24 Sep: 7, 21 Oct: 5, 19 Nov: 2, 16, 30 Dec: 14, 28

Jan: 13, 27 Feb: 10, 24 Mar: 10, 24 Apr: 7, 21 May: 5, 19 Jun: 2, 16, 30

Jul: 14, 28 Aug: 11, 25 Sep: 8, 22 Oct: 6, 20 Nov: 3, 17 Dec: 1,15, 29

SERVICES

Senior Concierge. Let me be your helper. In the home or on the road. Part-time/Day or evening. Very good references. Call Mary anne, 609-298-4456.

F,D,Mason Contractor, Over 30 years of experience. Brick, Block, Stone, Concrete. No job too large or small. Fully Insured and Licensed. Free Estimates 908-3855701 Lic#13VH05475900.

Are you single? Try us first! We are an enjoyable alternative to online dating. Sweet Beginnings Matchmaker, 215-539-2894, www. sweetbeginnings.info.

WANTED TO BUY

Wanted: Baseball, football, basketball, hockey. Cards,

autographs, photos, memorabilia. Highest cash prices paid! Licensed corporation, will travel. 4thelovofcards, 908596-0976. allstar115@ verizon.net.

HappyHeroes used books looking to buy old Mysteries, Science Fiction, Children’s Illustrated, kids series books (old Hardy boys-Nancy Drew-Judy Bolton- Dana girls, WITH DUSTJACKETS in good shape), Dell Mapbacks - Good Girl Art PULPS - non-sports cards, good conditioned pre 1975 paperbacks old COLLIER’S. Call 609-619-3480 or email happyheroes@gmail.com

Cash paid for World War II military items. Helmets, swords, medals,

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.

etc. Call 609-581-8290 or email mymilitarytoys@ optonline.net

Cash paid for SELMER SAXOPHONES and other vintage models. 609-581-8290 or email mymilitarytoys@ optonline.net

WANTED- QUALITY CAMERAS AND PHOTO EQUIPMENT, FOUNTAIN PENS AND OLDER WATCHES FAIR PRICES PAID CALL JAY-609-6899651.

COMMERCIAL SPACE

Doctors Office Suite Turn-Key Ready in Hamilton, Mercer County NJ approx. 1405+/- SF for lease. Fully furnished. $2,550/mth. DiDonato Realty 609-5862344 Marian Conte BR 609-947-4222.

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 609-731-1630

VACATION RENTALS

Florida Beach Rental: Fort Myers Beach 1br vacation condo on the beach, flexible dates available. Call 609577-8244 for further information

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Salon for sale- excellent opportunity. Priced to

sell. Relocating out of state. Large space, great potential. Call 609-4620188.

CEMETERY PLOTS

For sale double depth cemetery plot. Location Princeton memorial park, Gordon Road, Robbinsville. Call 609259-7710.

National Classified Health & Fitness

Dental insurancePhysicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurance - not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-855-526-1060 www. dental50plus.com/ads #6258

Attention oxygen therapy users! Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds.

Free info kit. Call 877-9299587 Miscellaneous Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Down + Low Monthly Pmt Request a free Quote. Call before the next power outage: 1-855-948-6176

Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833-610-1936

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 855-7611725

november december

A Holiday Tradition

9am-3pm

9am-6pm 9am-6pm 9am-6pm

9am-6pm 9am-6pm 9am-6pm

FARMS

CEDARVILLE FARMS (WEST) - Cabbage, cauli ower, leeks, broccoli, apples, Asian pears, Brussel sprouts, and tomatoes.

CRANBERRY HALL FARM - Locally grown/raised vegetables and beef. Christmas wreaths and holiday sprays.

PINELAND FARMS - 609-392-1550 Homemade “from scratch” pies, breads, candy & caramel apples. Christmas orals, wreaths, grave blankets, and hand cra ed bows.

RUSSO’S FRUIT & VEG FARM - Wreaths, poinsettias, grave blankets, kissing balls, white pine roping, cider donuts. Still available: yams, sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, beets, and apples.

TERHUNE ORCHARDS - 609-695-7855 Fruit pies, apple cider & donuts, organic produce and herbs, fresh apples, and wine.

ZELL’S FARM - 908-444-2367 O ering fresh and dried exotic mushrooms, pastured eggs, chicken, and duck.

9am-6pm 9am-6pm 9am-6pm 9am-3pm

9am-6pm 9am-6pm 9am-6pm

9am-3pm 9am-6pm 9am-6pm 9am-6pm 9am-6pm 9am-2pm

9am-6pm 9am-6pm 9am-2pm

EATERIES

HAMBONE OPERA 609-325-7357 Cherry wood smoked brisket, ribs, and chicken; homemade sides. Food Network-NJ winner-50 States of BBQ.

KAFE’ KREYOL - Delicious Caribbean soul food. Oxtail, curry chicken, rice & beans.

KING FOODS - 609-989-1047 Fried chicken, take-out platters, fresh chicken plus a wide selection of salads and desserts.

LADY & THE SHALLOT - 609-955-1120 Plant based vegan clean comfort foods! Tacos, our famous street spuds, sandwiches, chili, soups, salads, raw juices, teas & infused waters.

SAVORY LEAF CAFE - 609-557-7585 100% plant based comfort foods such as cheesesteaks, hamburgers, bu alo chick’n sandwiches, and homemade baked treats. All deliciously vegan.

PURVEYORS & PROVISIONS

BABE & BANGLE BOUTIQUE - Handmade accessories & Beauty products, genuine crystals & stones (Tiger’s Eye, Jade, Red Coral).

CARTLIDGE’S QUALITY MEATS - 609-396-3966 Now taking Christmas orders: prime rib, smoked hams, tenderloin, pork roast, homemade fresh pork roll.

CREATIVE WRAPPING - 609-519-4814 Don’t be overwhelmed; let us wrap your holiday gi s & food baskets!

LUNA ROSSA SHOP - Hand-tooled leather and vegan leather handbags, Paparazzi jewelry. O ering 10% o with this ad, see our $5 specials.

MICHAEL’S SWEET LISA - Premier artisan of gourmet sweet & salty kettle corn, made the old fashioned way. Hand-cra ed joy made in the heart of historic Trenton. A big bowl of LOVE, especially for you.

MR. G’S COUNTRY STORE - Wide variety of dry goods, groceries, snacks, cleaning products & household items, all at low prices.

OUT OF STEP OFFBEAT BOUTIQUE & GENERAL STORE - 609-245-2987 Year round gi shop featuring items from nearly 100 small businesses, artists, and markers including specialty foods, unique home decor, regional art, handmade goods, & more.

THE PIE’D PIPER A Gourmet Shop 609-775-5087 Artisan pies, desserts & baked goods; pierogi, kielbasa & Polish specialties. Authentic prepared foods & catering.

PULASKI MEATS - 609-599-4206 Fresh & smoked kielbasa, homemade pierogi, stu ed cabbage, babkas, strudel, and blintzes. Polish favorites year-round.

RECOVERY IS ESSENTIAL - Recover to Uncover the Truth www.recoveryisessential.com.

ROSE BOUTIQUE LLC - Unique clothing, jewelry, and accessories from around the world. Fine quality and best prices.

SO SPLURGE - Extensive selection of customized gi s, home décor, apparel, and marketing merchandise for personal and/or professional use along with superior customer service. Shop So Splurge!

TEA-FOR-ALL - 609-577-8038 Discover the Trenton Farmers Market and Tea-For-All will help you discover your tea! Tea and herbs from around the globe.

THE WATCH & CLOCK DOCTOR 609-396-1116 Antique and cuckoo clock repair specialists; we repair all watches and clocks; batteries and bands while you wait.

WIN, PLACE & SMOKE - 609-695-0206 Tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and accessories. Lottery tickets and snack foods.

@capitalhealthnj

HEALTH HEADLINES

BI-MONTHLY NEWS FROM CAPITAL HEALTH

Capital Health Medical Center –

Hopewell

Earns ‘A’ Grade for Quality from The Leapfrog Group

Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell was awarded an ‘A’ from The Leapfrog Group’s fall 2022 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. This national distinction recognizes Capital Health’s achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital.

“Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell is a one of the region’s leading hospitals and home to dynamic services such as our Cancer Center, the Josephine Plumeri Birthing Center, and minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery with the da Vinci® Surgical System,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO, Capital Health. “Our most recent ‘A’ grade from the Leapfrog group show residents in our community that we remain committed to providing our neighbors and their families the best possible care when they need it most.”

“Our continuous drive to improve quality and safety outcomes is woven into the fabric of our organization through our just culture as well as our ISO 9001 certification and on-site surveys with DNV,” said Dr. Mark Arcaro, vice president of Clinical Performance at Capital

Health. “And while we are pleased to earn this latest recognition from The Leapfrog Group, it also motivates to keep looking ahead to meet and exceed national standards of care.”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

“I applaud the hospital leadership and workforce for their strong commitment to safety and transparency,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a sign that hospitals are continuously evaluating their performance, so that they can best protect patients. The team at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell should be extremely proud of their dedication and achievement.”

What is a Whipple Procedure? Frequently Asked Questions

After a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, patients naturally want to know what treatment options are available to them. The single most effective pancreatic cancer treatment option is surgery.

One particular complex and technically demanding surgery, called a pancreaticoduodenectomy, is one of the surgeries used for longterm control of pancreatic cancer. More commonly referred to as the Whipple procedure, this surgery may extend the person’s life and, for some, may be the best chance at a cure.

If you or someone close to you has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, here are some important questions you may be asking:

What is the pancreas?

The pancreas is a gland about six inches long that sits in the back of the abdomen, behind the stomach. It plays key roles in producing enzymes and hormones that help digest food. It also produces insulin and glucagon to help regulate blood sugar levels.

What is pancreatic cancer?

Because the pancreas has a number of different cells, each can bring about a different type of tumor. The most prevalent is from the cells that line the pancreatic duct, and often there are very few to no symptoms. There are some, however, you should be aware of, and include:

… Loss of appetite or unintended weight loss

… Abdominal pain that radiates to your back

… Light-colored stools

… Dark-colored urine

… Jaundice (yellowing of the skin)

… A new diabetes diagnosis, or existing diabetes that’s become difficult to control

… Nausea or vomiting

What is the Whipple procedure?

The Whipple procedure involves removing the head, or the wide part, of the pancreas next to the first part of the small intestine, called the duodenum. Then, the duodenum, some of the common bile duct, the gallbladder and possibly some of the stomach are all removed. Once that’s done, the surgeon reconnects the remaining intestine, bile duct and pancreas. It’s currently one of the only surgeries that can offer a potential cure for pancreatic cancer.

Who is a good candidate for the Whipple procedure?

Determining the right type of surgery for pancreatic cancer is largely based on the tumor’s location. The Whipple procedure is considered for tumors located at the head of the pancreas that have not spread to other parts of the body.

What is recovery like for the Whipple procedure?

Every person responds differently to surgery, and it depends on how it is performed. For a Whipple procedure performed as traditional open

Dr. Cataldo Doria, medical director of Capital Health Cancer Center and an internationally renowned hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeon, offers robotic-assisted Whipple procedures to treat pancreatic cancer.

surgery, a patient generally takes about four weeks to reach complete recovery. This type of surgery generally requires a hospital stay of about four days, though this varies from person to person. Specially trained surgeons are able to offer a minimally invasive option through the da Vinci Surgery System robotic-assisted Whipple procedure. This approach reduces recovery time for patients.

Your surgeon will want you to be up and walking almost immediately after surgery to reduce the risk of blood clots or a pulmonary embolism.

Are there common complications to this surgery?

As with any surgery, there can be complications, which may be minor or major. Those include bleeding, infections, clots, pneumonia or heart attacks. They can also include trouble with the stomach emptying itself after meals.

Your surgeon should be able to manage most of these complications without the need for another surgery.

Who should perform the Whipple procedure?

The Whipple procedure is a complex and technically demanding surgery. However, extensively trained surgeons at Capital Health Cancer Center are certified and experienced at such a high level that the National Pancreas Foundation recognized them as a Center of Excellence for treating pancreatic cancer-related illnesses.

Patients who are good candidates for the Whipple procedure should choose a surgeon who has extensive experience with this type of surgery and has performed numerous Whipple procedures. Patients should also select a hospital large enough to care for Whipple procedure patients post-operatively, and are used to managing any post-surgery complications.

The decision to select a surgical team is a very important one. The team at Capital Health Cancer Center is here to help you. If you’d like to make an appointment, please call 609.537.5000 or visit CapitalHealthCancer.org.

Capital Health Launches Advanced Simulation Training Center

Mobile Lab Provides Cutting-Edge Clinical Training for Health Care Providers and Community Health Education

Capital Health recently announced the launch of its new Advanced Simulation Training Center, a mobile simulation laboratory that provides state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary clinical training for physicians, nurses, emergency medical service providers, and other staff. The initiative was made possible through more than $500,000 of federal grant funding secured by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), who was recognized for her role in the project at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Capital Health Regional Medical Center.

“As part of our mission to improve services for urban and suburban patients, Capital Health has made a commitment to becoming a leading academic health center for the region,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “The Advanced Simulation Training Center is the latest demonstration of that commitment. Any great endeavor such as this requires strong partners, and we are grateful for the support of Rep. Watson Coleman, whose decades of hard work, experience, and commitment to our community helped bring this initiative to life.”

“For over 125 years, Capital Health has provided high-quality medical care to local residents. I am so grateful that some of our country’s finest medical professionals are right here in Trenton and this new mobile lab will help reach further into our neighborhoods to better serve some of our most vulnerable populations,” said Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman.

Capital Health’s Advanced Simulation Training Center is a mobile facility that can be driven directly to learners to provide enhanced, customized instruction to doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other staff at or near their place of work. The 40-foot unit has two large, independent simulation rooms equipped with manikins

Capital Health Simulation Coordinator Paul Morer demonstrates one of the simulation rooms to Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Dr. Robert Remstein, Chief Academic Officer (Capital Health) aboard the Advanced Simulation Training Center.

(life-sized models of human bodies) to simulate real patient scenarios. Instructors in two central control rooms create situations that learners will see in real life, document their performance, and provide meaningful feedback. Simulation training like this promotes learning through active hands-on experience in a risk-free environment while supporting the development of teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills.

Capital Health will use the Advanced Simulation Training Center to provide safe training in advanced cardiac life support, interventional procedures, management of acute hemorrhagic crises, childbirth, infant resuscitation, team care and other areas to prepare the next generation of its medical staff. Additionally, the simulation labs will be used for process improvement, medical error investigation, and research to help Capital Health continue to advance health care quality, safety, and best practices. On top of its clinical training mission, the Advanced Simulation Training Center will provide health education and wellness screenings at local community-based events.

Capital Health – Virtual Primary Care, part of Capital Health Medical Group, offers telehealth services to individuals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania (ages 16 and older) who wish to receive support in managing common health issues from the comfort of their home or anywhere in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

“Throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Capital Health Medical Group providers have conducted thousands of patient visits in a virtual setting,” said Dr. Michael Stabile, a board certified family medicine physician at the Capital Health Primary Care – Hamilton office. “As a result, our team is thoroughly prepared to provide outstanding, high quality health care services at a time and place most convenient for patients located in New Jersey or Pennsylvania – whether they are at home or on the go.”

Capital Health’s team of more than 35 virtual primary care providers can address a wide range of health conditions, including (but not limited to) symptoms of COVID-19, sinus problems, upper respiratory infection, sore throat, urinary tract infection, cough, flue, rash, common cold, eye infection, and more.

While Capital Health – Virtual Primary Care is designed to serve as an online platform to host sick visits, patients have the ability to schedule an in-person, follow-up visit with the same providers they see during their video visit at one of the many Capital Health office locations across the Mercer, Bucks, and Burlington county region.

To learn more or to request an appointment, visit capitalvirtualcare.org or scan the QR code to complete the online form.

Check your internet connection. Wi-Fi on wired connection is strongly preferred for a great video visit experience.

Use headphones. Cut down on any background noise and help keep the conversation with your health care provider private.

Please be patient! Video visit traffic may be high as clinicians work to provide care for patients during the current health crisis, so some appointments may run a few minutes behind schedule. A provider will be with you as soon as possible!

During virtual care visits with patients who aren’t feeling well, our clinicians address symptoms of numerous health conditions and issues, including but not limited to:

COVID-19

Sinusitis

Upper respiratory infection

Sore throat

Urinary tract infection

Cough

Influenza (Flu)

Rash

Common cold

Yeast infection

Allergies

Eye infection

Insect bites

Nausea

Back pain

Tick bites

Young curator shares patriotic history at the Old Barracks

By Dan auBrey

During Patriots week — or any time of the year -— Old Barracks curator Sarah Kirk is ready to show off one of her favorite artifacts on the fireplace on the building’s first floor Revolutionary War gallery.

“You’ll see soldiers from the 18th century carved their initials and figures into the brickwork. We’ll never know who they were, but they left their mark,” she says dur ing a recent visit about the scratches left by the young men who traveled thousands of miles to be quartered in Trenton in the 17th century.

Those men were the first of many who came from England to fight the French during the French and In dian War (1754 to 1763).

They were followed several years later by young Hes sian soldiers sent by England to quash the American Revolution. But instead of victory, they saw the bar racks fall to Washington’s Revolutionary forces during the one of the war’s most famous events — the Battle of Trenton in 1776.

Kirk, who has been studying the building like a book, says there are more messages. “Upstairs in the attic, marks are on the original ceiling joist, and one of the doors has letters scratched at the time.” And outside, rock masons made their marks when they built the building — in 1758.

Although it was one of five New Jersey barracks of that era, the Trenton building is the oldest remaining structure of its type in the United States.

In addition to its role in the above battles, the bar racks also served as a hospital for American soldiers during the war, including 600 who were transported to Trenton after the 1781 Battle of Yorktown in Virginia.

The barracks’ own quiet battle to survive started in 1782. That’s when the New Jersey legislature sold the building, and it was subdivided into multiple dwellings several years later.

Other skirmishes with time and progress include the 1813 decision to demolish a 40-foot section of the build ing to extend Front Street through it for better connec tion to the State House and the 1855 appropriation of one of the buildings as a home for elderly women.

In 1899 the Daughters of the American Revolution created a public subscription to purchase the south ern L-shaped portion of the property and save it from demolition. Three years later the same group formed the Old Barracks Association to preserve and restore that property. The state followed by purchasing the re maining and privately occupied northern portion. The Old Barracks Association then deeded its section to the state with the stipulation that the barracks be restored and managed by the association. The reconstruction of the central section and building restorations were com pleted in 1917.

Operating ever since as a museum, the Old Barracks was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973. A 1990 Trust grant provided the funds to upgrade electri cal systems, address visitor access, and restore interi ors.

That includes the downstairs gallery with the fire place and an ongoing exhibition devoted to the two Battles of Trenton. A larger second floor gallery is dedi cated to the French and Indian War.

Kirk says the museum’s current collection continues to build on the one that the original organizers began in 1902.

“We have a little over 2,000 pieces,” she says, adding that some of “neatest objects” in the gallery are on loan. That includes a wallet and spy glass reportedly owned by George Washington.

In addition to other materials and paintings on dis play, Kirk mentions “a lot of chairs, hair weaves, sam plers, and lots of stuff not on public view.”

While she says, “Most of our collection is in a sepa rate (state) building in storage and kept in a safe area where it is environmentally controlled,” she says that “some collection highlights are online, things in stor age that we wanted people to see. We’ll randomly do an online exhibit.”

She is then quick to offer a visit to the second-floor gallery where the museum has “two Wilson muskets important to the French and Indian war. Most of them were lost over time. So it is neat that we have two.”

While both were used by members of the Jersey Blue, the smaller and more facile musket belonged to an officer.

Other objects include more objects related to the Jer sey Blues, a period canon, and the “Pine Tree Flag,” one of the oldest known flags in North America.

Born and raised in nearby Levittown, Pennsylvania, Kirk joined the Old Barracks in 2019.

She says her duties include developing and updating exhibitions, making sure that “all the objects are housed safely,” and being “the person who finds the objects that we want to purchase and get on loan.”

Her interest in history was sparked when she and her father — a diesel mechanic — watched the History Channel together.

She also mentions stories regarding her World War II veteran grandfather, history trips with her father and bank-teller mother, and school trips to Washington Crossing and a Native American Village.

“(History) turned into a search for what actually hap pened rather than what we think had happened,” she says about the deepening interest that led her to be the first in her family to attend college.

“I went to Temple (University in Philadelphia) for a B.A. in history and went to Johns Hopkins for museum studies, graduate degree.

“I wanted to be a high school history teacher, and I learned that (teaching) doesn’t need to be a classroom. You can teach anywhere and use objects to teach his tory you feel and experience.”

Kirk started working with museums in 2013, first at Pennsbury Manor and then at the Wentz Farmstead in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

When she saw that the barracks had an opening in the curatorial department, she applied. “This is my first military site,” she says.

Kirk says the barracks “is a neat place to work, differ ent every day.” Yet she also says it has challenges. “The hardest part of my job is keeping an 18th century build ing environmentally sound for our objects. The temper atures should stay consistent. It’s a constant struggle to find the right balance,” especially since the museum is applying for American Museum Association accredita tion and applying its collection maintenance standards.

Another challenge has been the pandemic that changed museum operations, wiped away the tours or ganized by schools and groups, and made potential visi tors concerned about going to public venues.

“It’s been hard. A huge part of our income was from group tours. We are trying to find ways to bring in peo ple, and that includes online exhibits and stories. But that doesn’t bring in revenue. People need to trust us that it is safe to come back here.”

Kirk says the museum has also updated its tours, spruced up the second-floor exhibition, and now offers more period gun demonstrations.

Then there is the future and the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. “People are going to look at Philadelphia, but we have (a draw) here. The Battle of Trenton was pivotal to the war.”

Old Barracks, 101 Barrack Street. Open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $10. www.bar racks.org.

Sarah Kirk is the curator of Trenton’s Old Barracks Museum, which is preparing to welcome visitors for tours and special events during Patriots Week.