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City Pa P er

Tapping inTo CreaTiviTy

TrenTon arTs aT prinCeTon CelebraTes five years

of bringing musiC, movemenT, and more To TrenTon youTh.

page 4

the Plenty Pepper Band brings steel pan music to trenton, page 10; you’re invited, see insert.

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Volunteers needed

The Old Barracks Museum seeks volunteers to assist with spring cleaning of its grounds as part of the American Battlefield Trust’s Park Day event on Saturday, April 6, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers should bring their own work gloves and rakes; the museum will provide coffee and donuts. A free tour of the museum, located at 101 Barrack Street, follows for volunteers. To register, visit barracks.org/park-day.

The New Jersey State House Tour Program spring volunteer training begins this April. Volunteers provide guided tours for the second oldest State House in the U.S. Those interested in volunteering are asked to contact Carol Rogers at crogers@njleg.org or call 609-847-3150.

Cultural calendar highlights

The Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market returns on Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7, for its “Spring Fling” festival featuring more than 500 vendors, food trucks, special guests, and more at the Cure Insurance Arena. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. General admission is $15 per day. Visit www.trentonprfm.com/april2024.

AVolunteers are invited to the Old Barracks on Saturday, April 6, for spring cleaning as part of the American Battlefield Trust’s Park Day event.

reveal in this show one of her biggest projects that she has been working on since 2015. Come discover a nine-footlong artwork filled with intricate lines, vibrant colors, and details.

rtworks Trenton, located at 19 Everett Alley, presents two new exhibits on view from April 2 through May 24. Opening receptions for each take place Friday, April 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. Trenton-based contemporary artist and art educator Alia Bensliman’s exhibit is “A Story of Emotions,” which tells her story of dealing with invisible disabilities; encompassing all mental health disorders as well as chronic diseases like migraines and more. Bensliman will also

Spriha Gupta’s exhibit is “2nd Life: Rediscovering Nature’s Canvas.” Strongly influenced by Indian cultural roots, Gupta uses iconic symbolism to exemplify concepts close to her heart that are influenced by personal, societal, and environmental changes. As a narrative mixed media artist based at Princeton Makes, Gupta endeavors to breathe life onto canvases through her unique approach to mixed media. In her upcoming exhibit, nature, in all its intricate beauty, serves as the primary muse.

To learn more about both exhibitions visit artworkstrenton.org/exhibitions.

RWJUH Hamilton April Healthy Living / Community Education Programs

SWEET SUCCESS SOCIETY: A DIABETES GROUP

Monday, April 1, May 6; 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Monday, April 8; 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

A group for anyone with diabetes or caring for someone living with diabetes. Learn and discuss healthy ways to manage diabetes alongside peers and Taryn Krietzman, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

SPRING MINI MEDICAL SCHOOL: “THE SCIENCE OF LONGEVITY”

Tuesdays, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Focus on the science of longevity: the extension of human life, and wellbeing. This approach may prevent chronic disease and extend long-term health. Changing your view from “lifespan” to “healthspan”.

Week 1: John DiBiase, MD; orthopedic surgeon, clinical instructor

Week 2: Javier Villota, MD; Medical Director of Occupational Medicine, Corporate Health and Travel Medicine

Week 3: Sara Ali, MD; Geriatrician and Palliative Care Specialist

Week 4: Maureen Stevens, DPT; Senior Physical Therapist

Week 5: Patricia McDougall, BSN, RN; Integrative Therapies Nurse

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

Tuesday., April 2; 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Learn what wonderful fruits and veggies are up to this time of year and how to make them shine! Enjoy being an in person studio-audience member as Taryn Krietzman, RDN does a live taping or join us from

your home via our live zoom.

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN: SPRING BREAK(FAST)

Thursday, April 4; 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

With the kids having a day off from school, take advantage of a great way to get them out and interested in healthy eating! Empower kids with culinary skills and nutrition knowledge to become their healthiest selves! For children 5 years and older. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Taryn Krietzman, RDN. Fee: $5 per person

DANCE IT OUT!

Friday, April 5; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

With the kids having a day off from school, take advantage of a great way to get them out and moving in a fun activity for all ages.

Monday, April 15; 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. When in doubt, dance it out! Find your rhythm and ease the everyday stresses of life with movement.

TAPPING FOR STRESS RELIEF

Monday, April 8: 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Stress creates blockages in the body that impedes healing. “Tapping” uses the same meridian system as used in acupuncture to help restore the body to heal itself. Patti McDougall, BSN, Integrative Therapies Nurse.

UP, UP, AND AWAY: EXPRESSIVE ARTS FOR OUR WISHES AND INTENTIONS

Wednesday, April 10; 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. We make wishes on birthday candles and shooting stars! Let’s take a look at wishes and intentions,

and formulate how they could be expressed in this workshop. We will read relevant, heartfelt poetry and create a beautiful collage on canvas of a hot air balloon over our thoughtful journaling. We’ll send those wishes and intentions up, up, and away! Rochelle L. Stern, expressive arts facilitator. $15

DINNER WITH A DOCTOR: HEALTHY BONES CLUB

Thursday, April 11; 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Internal Medicine Physician, Anjali Bhandarkar, MD will be discussing the diagnosis, risk factors and treatment for osteoporosis. Also included, insight on the treatment of Vitamin D deficiency and when to measure Vitamin D levels. Dinner provided.

CRYSTAL BOWL SOUND IMMERSION

Monday, April 15; 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Sound healing uses instruments like singing bowls, gongs, drums and chimes to create an atmosphere promoting deep rest, nervous system rebalancing, and emotional release. Sit or lay while the practitioner takes you on a sound journey for mind, body and spirit. Bring a yoga mat, blanket, pillow or anything that makes you comfortable. Adriana Hansen, RYT200, SHA1 of the Learning Collaborative. Fee: $15

NUTRITION, FEEDING, AND SWALLOWING AFTER STROKE

Wednesday, April 17; 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Join dietician Taryn, Oc. Therapist Sarah, and Speech-Language

Pathologist Ashley to discuss management of nutrition and eating after stroke. Learn how to adjust food choices throughout the recovery process for optimal nutrition, frequently utilized adaptive equipment for self-feeding, and common strategies to manage swallowing problems after stroke.

HEALTHRYTHMS® DRUM CIRCLE

Wednesday, April 17; 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Drum your cares away with our monthly Drum Circle. It’s lots of fun and a great stress reliever. Drums provided. Mauri Tyler, CTRS,CMP $15

BRAIN HEALTH-LEARN PROVEN WAYS TO KEEP YOUR BRAIN YOUNG

Monday, April 22; 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. With so much information out today on brain health what methods really work? Join Dr. Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D. to learn more about how to keep your brain young.

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH

Thursdays, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, June 6; 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Take Control of Your Health/ Chronic Disease Management Program is a cost effective evidence-based health promotion program for people with any ongoing health condition, such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and similar conditions. Participants will learn how to problem solve, set goals, and relaxation techniques to help manage chronic conditions. Participants must attend all 6 classes.

CATCH SOME ZZZZZ’S!

Monday, May 6; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Insomnia affects your mental as well as physical health, making prone to heart disease and other serious illnesses. Join Patti McDougall, BSN, Integrative Health Nurse to learn more about how we should spend a third of our life.

ORTHO 101

Monday, May 6; 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Join Orthopedic Program Coordinator, Denise Berdecia, MSN, RN, ONC, Lead Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists, for an in depth discussion on total knee replacements. These experts will explain preventative treatment, talking to a surgeon, decision for surgery, hospital expectations, and recovery with outpatient therapy.

DESIGNER BAG BINGO!

Friday, May 10; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

This popular event is a great way to get out with your friends for a night fun with many Designer Bags up for grabs. Admission ticket includes 12 rounds of Bingo, Tickets will be $45. For more information or to purchase tickets email CommunityEdHAM@ rwjbh.org.

*All programs require registration and are held at the RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd., Hamilton, NJ, unless otherwise noted.

Better Health Programs/Complimentary Membership at 65+ Years Old

Scan

email bhprogram@rwjbh.org

learn more.

*Registration and free Membership required to attend the Better Health Programs

DR. ALI, BREAKFAST AND LEARN, HEALTHY AGING FOR WOMEN

Thursday, April 4; 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Dr. Ali, Board Certified in Geriatrics and Internal Medicine, will lead a focused conversation on concerns for women as we age discussing gynecological cancers, bone health, sexual health and more.

TAI CHI CLASSES

Thursday, April 4 &18; 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

A SENIOR SOCIAL GROUP

Wednesday, April 3, 10, 17, 24; 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Please join us for our ongoing program “A Senior Social Group,” gathering in a collaborative setting to exchange thoughts, feelings and experiences amongst peers. This is a safe-zone designed to be welcoming and understanding of all attendees while exploring this season of our lives.

YOGA CLASSES

Tuesday, April 9 and 23; 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

MEDITATION CLASSES

Tuesday, April 9 & 23; 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

CHAIR YOGA

Tuesday, April 9 and 23; Noon to 12:45 p.m.

Krystal Loughlin, certified RYT, is introducing Chair Yoga to our Better Health Program. Using a chair for seated poses and also for balancing poses, this class is perfect for those who haven’t moved their bodies for a while, recovering from an injury or have mobility/balancing difficulties. A great place to start practicing yoga to help boost your flexibility, find inner peace, unwind and stretch.

ART THERAPY & HISTORY FEATURING GEORGIA O’KEEFE, “THE MOTHER OF AMERICAN MODERNISM.”

Thursday, April 11; 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tapping into your creative side is

a great way to de-stress, improve mental outlook, and simply have some fun. Lisa Bayer from Always Best Care Senior Services, created this program that combines art history with an art project based on the works of artist, Georgia O’Keefe. Using pastels, you will draw your own oversized flower and learn the techniques to layer and blend the pastels.

HOSPITALS AND OUR AGING COMMUNITY

Tuesday, April 16, 2024; 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m

Should hospital care change as we age and if so, what does it look like? Join us to delve into this important topic about how hospitals can better serve our aging population. Panel includes: Lisa A. Breza MSN RN NEA-BC, Chief Administrative Officer, Dr. Sara Ali, Board Certified Geriatrics and Internal Medicine, and Dawn Hutchinson, MSN, RN, PCCN-K, NEABC, Chief Nursing Officer

FOR MEN ONLY!

Wednesday, April 24; 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Ashish Desai, LCSW, from VA NJ Health Care System will lead this open discussion with flexible topics that will be suggested by and of interest to you! This group will meet quarterly.

HERBAL MOCKTAIL PARTY

Tuesday, April 30; 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Amanda Crooke, Herbalist and Owner of the Locust Light Farm in New Jersey will teach us how to craft delicious herbal mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails) using a variety of infusion and blending techniques. You’ll sip and sample these refreshing drinks as we explore herbal extractions, flavor pairings, and ingredients. You’ll make your own tasty oxymel and receive delicious mocktail recipes to take home

TAP showcase celebrates five years of Trenton, Princeton collaboration

By ReBekah SchRoedeR

With Trenton Arts at Princeton, founder Lou Chen has tapped into a rhythm that unites Trenton and Princeton in harmony.

When he launched the Trenton Youth Orchestra in partnership with Trenton Central High School while still a student at Princeton University in spring 2017, cultivating a small group of Trenton violinists and Princeton volunteers who would set the stage for a new alliance, Chen sounded the first beat in a now-fiveyear symphony of artistic synergy.

Chen is the program manager of Trenton Arts at Princeton, or TAP, a collaboration between Princeton University’s Department of Music, Lewis Center for the Arts, and Pace Center for Civic Engagement that brings Trenton and Princeton University students together for artsbased programming and performances.

After Chen graduated in 2019 with his bachelor’s degree in music, former University Provost Deborah Prentice hired him to officially continue the program he had begun as a sophomore into what became known as TAP — making the Trenton Youth Orchestra, or TYO, the overture to TAP’s now-expansive artistic initiative.

Now, on occasion of the organization’s

fifth anniversary, TAP celebrates with a showcase honoring the relationship between the two Mercer County creative communities.

The TYO, which Chen still directs, is one of four groups included in TAP’s Saturday Morning Arts Program, or SMArts, which rehearses each week from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lewis Arts Complex: the Trenton Youth Orchestra, Singers, Dancers, and Theater.

In addition to being able to devote these three-hour sessions to the discipline of their choice, Trenton students are guaranteed free transportation to and from rehearsals, as well as breakfast and lunch. Each Saturday session opens with a performance by a Princeton student group and a Q&A session before SMArts participants break into their respective groups.

“Every Saturday, we bus 70 Trenton Public School students to the Lewis Arts Complex to engage in theater, dance, orchestra, or choral programming, supported by a team of about 60 Princeton student volunteers,” as well as staff and faculty members, Chen explained.

The active collaboration between the two locales has been “gratifying,” Chen, who was awarded the 2023 Tiger Entrepreneur Award for his efforts, shared in an interview.

TYO is open to students at both Tren-

ton Central High School, or TCHS, and Trenton Ninth Grade Academy, or TNGA. Trenton musicians can practice and even work one-on-one with their Princeton student coaches to rehearse pieces in a myriad of genres and compositional styles in the Lee Rehearsal Room.

TYO previously performed for Venezuelan conductor and violinist Gustavo Dudamel as part of his welcome to campus in December 2019, when he arrived as Princeton University Concerts’ inaugural Artist-in-Residence in recognition of its 125th anniversary.

Dudamel is co-chair of the Dudamel Foundation, which “expands access to music and the arts for young people by providing opportunities and resources to shape their creative futures,” an idea influenced in part by his personal experience with Venezuela’s famous “El Sistema” program, known for “promoting social development through music education.”

TYO then worked with PUC on a new outreach program, the “Neighborhood Music Project,” which was “conceived to reinforce Maestro Dudamel’s commitment to music as a force for uniting communities, empowering young people, and promoting positive social change” by supporting six different initiatives to expand access to the arts and music in Trenton.

Trenton Youth Singers, or TYS, came next, serving TCHS and TNGA, as well as Trenton middle schools such as Hedgepeth-Williams Intermediate School and Arthur J. Holland Middle School.

According to the TAP website, trentonarts.princeton.edu, “TYS members engage in a mixture of full choir and small group singing with their Princeton student coaches, learning an eclectic mix of repertoire while building their musicianship skills, vocal strength, and confidence,” with free private lessons available and SMArts rehearsals held in the Lewis Arts Complex Forum. Both TYO and TYS hold annual recitals and showcases.

Trenton Youth Dancers, or TYD, is a dance program for TCHS and TNGA that aims “to educate Trenton students in a wide variety of dance styles so that they are equipped to develop their own choreography” through workshops and rehearsals at the Roberts Dance Studio.

Trenton Youth Theater, or TYT, is the final SMArts group, providing students from TCHS and TNGA with an educational experience that encompasses theater arts skills such as directing, acting, lighting design, and more, “inspired by Princeton’s holistic approach to theater.”

Over the course of the program, members will eventually produce their own original theater works with support from their Princeton student coaches. Weekly rehearsals are held at the Godfrey-Kerr Theater Studio and Light Lab.

Another facet of TAP is the Trenton Arts Fellowship, which allows five Princeton students interested in arts education to participate in paid leadership roles, at least one for each SMArts group, for Saturday rehearsals. They also meet throughout the week to coordinate and invite guest speakers. Applications for the 2024–’25 Trenton Arts Fellowship will open in the summer of 2024.

TAP’s “Saturday Morning Arts Fifth Anniversary Showcase” takes the program to its largest venue yet with a concert in Richardson Auditorium’s Alexander Hall on Saturday, April 6, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

“To be in Richardson Auditorium is an incredible honor. That’s an auditorium that houses professional orchestras and concert series, so to be able to use it is, I think, going to be a real culmination of effort for our students,” Chen said. “The showcase is going to be special in the abstract because it really is a beautiful culmination of the program, which has grown very quickly in a very short amount of time.”

The event consists of two premieres, the first being a TAP-produced documentary film about SMArts with perspectives from the people who made it happen, while the second is a collaborative performance involving — for the first time — all four SMArts groups.

Over an exclusively arranged medley of songs by artists like Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind & Fire, the orchestra will make history as they play their instruments, the choir sings, the dancers execute choreography, and the theater group delivers monologues over music.

Chen said that the SMArts groups are eager to show the public what the program has been working on so they can encourage people to “be invested in the next five years.”

“It’s a very ambitious collaboration. I don’t think Richardson has ever had anything quite like it — a showcase featuring four distinct art forms and then coming together at the end — so logistically, it’s going to be interesting, but I think we keep talking about interdisciplinary connection, unlikely connection. I think having that collaboration at the end of the showcase brings that all together.”

The event is free, but tickets are required. For reservations or more information, see the TAP website at trentonarts. princeton.edu/events/saturday-morningarts-fifth-anniversary-showcase.

Chen said a common misconception about TAP is that Trenton students come to Princeton because they lack opportunities for creative expression in their own city. But that assumption alienates a wealth of local facilitators and advocates, from those in the public school system to creative collectives like Artworks Tren-

BI-MONTHLY NEWS FROM CAPITAL HEALTH

U.S. News & World Report Recognizes Capital Health on Best Hospitals for Maternity List

Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, home to the most complete maternity facility in the Greater Mercer County, New Jersey area, was named among the best in the nation for maternity services, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for Maternity list.

Capital Health is one of 19 hospitals in New Jersey and the only hospital in the Greater Mercer County area to earn this recognition.

To be recognized among the Best Hospitals for Maternity, Capital Health’s Maternity Services Program excelled on multiple quality metrics that matter to expectant families, including complication rates, C-sections, whether births are scheduled too early in pregnancy, how successfully each hospital supports breastfeeding, and transparency on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures. “High Performing” status, the highest ranking U.S. News awards for that type of care.

For the very first time, U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care evaluation recognized “Maternity Care Access Hospitals” across the nation. Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell was one of 73 essential hospitals to earn this designation by providing quality care to expectant parents who wouldn’t otherwise have access to maternity care and serve communities that would otherwise be maternity care deserts. This new category is based on a number of measures including geographic isolation, number of obstetric providers per 10,000 births and hospital quality.

“We’re extremely proud to have earned two important designations from U.S. News & World Report for our Maternity

Services Program,” said Kira Przybylko, medical director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Capital Health. “For the outstanding teams at our Josephine Plumeri Birthing Center, being named a high performing hospital validates their commitment to providing the highest level of care to expectant mothers. On an organizational level, the ‘Maternity Care Access’ recognition goes a long way to demonstrate our broader commitment to the community by assuring growing families in Trenton and other nearby underserved neighborhoods that we’re here to help them get off to the healthiest and safest start possible.”

“Hospitals that receive a High Performing designation as part of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care meet a high standard in caring for parents with uncomplicated pregnancies,” said Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News. “These hospitals have C-section rates that are 26% lower, and newborn complication rates that are 37% lower than unrecognized hospitals. Parents-to-be can research their local hospitals’ performance metrics for free at health.usnews.com to help them choose where to have their baby.”

The Maternity Services Program at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell makes up the most complete maternity facility in the area. From routine deliveries to high-risk needs, staff at the Josephine Plumeri Birthing Center provide a full range of prenatal, obstetrical, postpartum, and neonatal care options so newborns have the greatest chance for a healthy start. The designated Regional Perinatal Center provides neonatal care, including Mercer County’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for at-risk births. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org/maternity.

While you can’t completely avoid allergens, being aware of these facts can help you prepare:

… Tree, grass, and ragweed pollen surges during seasons of warm days and cold nights.

… Pollen counts are higher on warm, windy days, and in the spring, they are generally highest during evening.

APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS… AND ALLERGY SEASON

… Rainfall offers temporary relief, but pollen counts often soar afterward.

… Molds thrive in high heat and humidity.

While it’s exciting to see trees, lawns, and flowers begin to stir, spring fever can give way to “hay fever,” or what is commonly known as seasonal allergies. The itchy eyes, runny noses, and coughing that come with seasonal allergies can stop the most enthusiastic optimists in their tracks.

The main cause of seasonal allergies is pollen from plants, the yellowish, powdery grains released by male plants as part of their reproductive process. “There is a lot of pollen in the air this time of year, and if you’re allergic, your body’s immune system releases histamine to fight it,” said DR. KATHRYN HAMILTON, a board certified family medicine physician with Capital Health – Virtual Primary Care. “This can cause inflammation, overproduction of mucous and other common symptoms of allergies. Allergens like pollen, mold, and dust mites are everywhere, but the severity of symptoms can vary, depending on the person and the location.”

Grief

Look to local news and weather outlets for daily pollen counts.

… Keeping windows and doors shut at home and in your car on high pollen count days can help reduce exposure.

“Millions of adults and children live with seasonal allergies, so you’re not alone,” said Dr. Hamilton. “If you’re not sure what’s causing your allergies, schedule a visit with your doctor to identify your triggers and develop a plan for treatment.” Nasal sprays or rinses can ease symptoms, but your doctor might suggest anti-histamines or steroids. For more long-term relief, allergy shots, also known as immunotherapy, may be recommended. Spring is a season for new beginnings, so don’t let seasonal allergies hold you back. Contact your primary care provider to develop a plan that will help you spring forward to better health. Capital Health Virtual Primary Care is a team of more than 35 primary care providers who can address a wide range of health conditions, including (but not limited to) seasonal allergies, the common cold, flu, symptoms of COVID-19, upper respiratory infection, and more. For details, or to request an appointment, visit capitalvirtualcare.org.

Cope With Loss While Cultivating Self-Compassion

— AN 8-WEEK PROGRAM FOR ADULTS 18 AND OLDER —

Wednesday, April 10 to May 29, 2024 | 4 – 5 p.m.

Location: Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists

100 K Johnson Boulevard N., Suite 201, Bordentown, NJ 08505

Connecting with others who have also experienced a loss can be comforting and helpful. Join Licensed Clinical Social Worker Meredith Kudrick as she leads you through an in-person eight week support and psychotherapy group.

To sign up, call 609.689.5725. This group therapy program will be billed to your health insurance.

Find the “fund” in celebrating a cause with a night out at the Arts Council of Princeton’s Art People Party, then “raise” a glass to the glamor of galas, benefi ts, and more, page 2.

Photos courtesy of Tamara Gillon, above, and Ooika, right.

Get Your Gala On: Parties Pay it Forward for Spring

By Sara Hastings

Sample galas and benefits galore with a look inside the staple event of the nonprofit spring calendar, which previews upcoming parties hosted by the area’s arts and cultural organizations, as well as social service providers, that support programming.

* * *

Arts Council of Princeton

The Arts Council of Princeton hosts its annual Art People Party on Friday, April 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. The evening features food, drink, music, and dancing, as well as a tombola, or Italian-style art lottery. Works of art, each valued at more than $350, have been donated by local artists.

Participating guests will each receive a number and select an artwork to take home with them when their number is called. All entrants are guaranteed to go home with something.

Being honored this year is architect J. Robert Hillier of Witherspoon Streetbased Studio Hillier.

The firm’s many Princeton-area projects include work on private homes as well as faculty housing at the Institute for Advanced Study, an addition to the Lawrenceville School’s Kirby Math and Science Center, and renovations at the Princeton Marriott and YWCA Princeton

Signed copies of “Hillier: Selected Works,” a recently published monograph of projects undertaken by the husband-and-wife team of J. Robert and Barbara A. Hillier during the last 25 years, are for sale as part of registration for the party for $50.

Proceeds from the party benefit the Arts Council’s Anne Reeves Artist in Residence Program and other outreach initiatives.

Tickets are $150, with sponsorship opportunities starting at $500. Tombola entries are $350 each.

Arts Council of Princeton’s “Art People Party” returns on Friday, April 5, from 7 to 10 p.m.

102

Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. 609-924-8777 or artscouncilofprinceton.org.

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The

at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts building,

Witherspoon Street, in honor of Studio Hillier architect J. Robert Hillier. Photo of 2023 event courtesy of Tamara Gillon and the Arts Council of Princeton.

Bohren’s (an agent of United Van Lines) Moves Into Its Second Century of Operation

Family-Owned Robbinsville Company Celebrates Its 100th Anniversary

The moving and storage industry has changed dramatically in the last 100 years since Bohren’s Moving & Storage Company opened for business in 1924 with one Model T Ford truck based at a small warehouse on Chambers Street in Princeton. But through four generations of family ownership, the company has demonstrated its resilience, savvy and foresight, looking for new opportunities while also adapting to many changes over the past century.

In this 100th year of operation for Bohren’s United Van Lines, President Denise Hewitt and her father, Chairman of the Board Ted Froehlich, are grateful for their overwhelming success in the moving category. They are also thankful that decisions made over the decades to diversify the brand have allowed them to keep up with the times.

Hewitt, an Allentown, N.J., resident, and Froehlich, a Princeton resident, intend for 2024 to be a year of celebration and sharing with their employees, customers and the public. Over the year they’ll look back over the decades but also keep an eye on the future, an approach that has kept the business successful for so long.

In the beginning, E.L. Bohren delivered baggage for Princeton University students and did small moves with his Model T truck. By the second generation, Bohren’s son-in-law Warren Froehlich expanded the business and in 1955 became an agent of United Van Lines. His grandson Ted began working for Bohren’s every day after school when he was 12. By the time he was 17, he was driving trucks on routes from New York, Boston, or Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. on a regular basis.

When Ted Froehlich was 27, his dad passed away. Ted had three brothers, but none were interested in running the business. Ted was intrigued, even though his experiences at that point were limited to being a dispatcher, a claims adjuster and, of course, a truck driver. Seeing an opportunity to take on and shape the business, he stepped into the CEO role. He immediately hired management consultants to help him make the business more efficient and professional, the first of his many strategic and prescient decisions.

Another important key step to expanding and increasing the profitability of the company was to become a stockholder in United Van Lines (UVL). As a part owner of UVL, Froehlich and his business became eligible to make moves across the 48 states as well as Canada and Mexico. This made Bohren’s a major player in the moving and storage business as the firm moved families and commercial entities across the country. Throughout this period of growth, excellent service was always his top priority. Froehlich said it took 12 service members in a variety of jobs, from customer service, to sales, to crews, to provide outstanding customer service for every single household move.

Over time, he noted, a shortage of long-haul drivers was becoming a major issue for the industry. It forced Bohren’s to re-evaluate some of

the long-distance moving capabilities. Local and tri-state moving and storage still remain a specialty today.

In 1985 and 1989 respectively, Ted’s daughters Denise and Louise joined the business. Louise managed the Human Resources Department and served as Vice President until her departure in 2021 to pursue other interests. Denise worked in virtually every position in the company before she became President in 2002 and Ted became Chairman.

Denise and her father quickly realized the benefits of Bohren’s being a woman-owned and operated business at that time, welcoming the opportunity to become certified as such by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council the following year. That certification gave the company access to hundreds of corporate clients and government agencies providing a percentage of contracts to women- and minority-owned businesses.

Following in her father’s footsteps, Denise focused on increasing efficiency and expanding new opportunities. One example of that came as Bohren’s customers with residences in the Hamptons and Long Island inquired about the transport and storage of their art collections. Denise recognized the unique need for a trusted, reliable vendor and capitalized on the company’s strengths in those areas. Bohren’s Fine Art Transportation & Storage was created to handle the personal collections of their residential clients but quickly grew to service major art galleries and museums.

In the past century, Bohren’s has expanded from its original humble warehouse in Princeton to as many as five locations in New Jersey and Florida. But again, Froehlich’s instincts told him at a certain point that consolidation would make sense, and in 1999 the father-daughter team brought it all into one 12-acre facility at 3 Applegate in Robbinsville, where they operate today.

One hundred years in, Bohren’s has morphed from a single-owner shipper to Bohren’s Companies, encompassing three divisions: Bohren’s Moving & Storage, Bohren’s Fine Art Transportation, and Bohren’s Logistics. Their services range from household and commercial moving and storage, to trade shows, to transport and storage of art as well as high-valued electronic and medical equipment. Bohren’s has moved and/ or stored everything from microwaves to Elvis Presley memorabilia, Andy Warhol art to Apache helicopters, and RCA communications satellites to Rothko sculptures.

The company is looking forward to what the leadership of the fifth generation will do to expand the future of Bohren’s into the next century.

More information: www.bohrensmoving.com. See ad, page 16

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Community News Service Ad-high res.pdf 2 3/19/24

Louise Froehlich (left) and Denise Hewitt (right) pictured with Ted Froehlich (seated).

on Saturday, April 6, at 6 p.m.

The evening starts with cocktails and a silent auction, followed by an awards presentation and live entertainment during dinner. Silent auction winners will be announced before the evening concludes at 9 p.m.

This year’s honorees include Maria Richardson, Patron of the Arts Excellence Award; Phillip McConnell, Outstanding Emerging Artisan Award; and Wise Intelligent & Culture Freedom, The Poor Righteous Teachers

Richardson is the City of Trenton director of recreation, natural resources and culture and the acting director of health and human services. A statement from Passage lauds her as “a good friend to the theater, to the arts community in Trenton, and to Trenton youth and families. For over three decades of service, Maria has been a tireless advocate in municipal government, the private sector, and academia.”

Passage materials explain that McConnell is a “multidisciplinary visual artist, filmmaker, writer, and spoken word artist,” with a focus on glitch art, “the aesthetic of digital errors, created by corrupting the data of pictures…Phillip ultimately wants people to see that thinking abstract or dis-

cussing emotions within art should be a normal thing for a black creative and that fellow black creatives shouldn’t have to always discuss trauma within their work.”

Wise Intelligent and Culture Freedom of the Poor Righteous Teachers, a hip hop group originally from Trenton, have been center stage at Passage this season with their music serving as the backdrop for the world premiere of “Ghetto Gods in Divineland” earlier this year.

“Apart from launching his own record label — Intelligent Muzik Group (2007) — for nearly 25 years, Wise Intelligent has leveraged his business sense and recognition as a hip-hop pioneer into social entrepreneurship, activism, youth advocacy, and the development of educational and entrepreneurship programs that train and inspire from the unique vantage point of hip hop culture,” Passage materials state.

A Trenton native, “Culture Freedom, along with his wife, were youth ministry leaders for 15 years.” He “has experience publicly speaking to various groups,” including at-risk students involved in organizations from Trenton to California.

Initiative hosts its “Spring Luncheon” benefitting the

Dreams” children’s

Passage Theater, Trenton’s only community theater, has a stated mission to create and produce “socially relevant plays and arts programming that deeply resonate with and reflect our community. Through professional productions, educational programs, and community engagement, we present diverse voices that inspire audiences and invigorate the art of live theater.” Proceeds from the gala support its continued programming.

The Trenton Country Club is located at 201 Sullivan Way in West Trenton. Tickets are $125. Registration is available online or in person at the box office on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call ahead at 609-392-0766. HomeFront’s

Passage Theater, Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. passagetheatre. org/2024gala.

American Repertory Ballet

American Repertory Ballet celebrates its 70th anniversary with a Platinum Jubilee Gala on Saturday, April 20, at 6:30 p.m. at Jasna Polana in Princeton.

Reporter Dan Aubrey explained the journey that led to the nonprofit dance company’s founding in a 2013 article marking the 50th anniversary of “Nutcracker” productions at McCarter Theater:

“One dreamer was Audree Estey, the Canadian-born founder and director of Princeton Ballet Society that, after a few name variations, became the professional American Repertory Ballet (which maintains the Princeton Ballet School).

“After a typical nomadic dance experience — studying in Winnipeg, performing with a Hollywood dance company, touring the vaudeville circuit, and dancing for Fox Films — Audree Phipps married Lawrenceville School English teacher Wendell ‘Bud’ Estey and moved to the Princeton area in 1933.

“Here she began providing classes at the Lawrenceville School and seemingly any place she could use, including the garage of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. She also continued her study, including in the early 1950s with prominent choreographer Antony Tudor at Jacob’s Pillow in Massachusetts. It was then that she began to dream of creating her Princeton company.”

Princeton Ballet School was founded in 1954 to offer dance classes; American Repertory Ballet, the professional dance company, was established in 1963 as the Princeton Ballet Society.

The black tie-optional celebration features dinner and remarks by current ARB trustees Nancy S. MacMillan, Penelope Lattimer, and Susan Croll in honor of the evening’s honorees, the chairs of ARB’s board from 1954 to the present. The festivities also include live music, dancing, and a

silent auction.

Jasna Polana is located at 4519 Province Line Road, Princeton. Individual tickets are $300. Sponsorship opportunities range from $2,000 to $20,000.

American Repertory Ballet, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton. arballet.org.

HomeFront

Lawrence-based nonprofit HomeFront’s Women’s Initiative holds a celebratory Spring Luncheon that spotlights the goals and impact of HomeFront’s children’s programming as experienced by and expressed through the voices of the families it serves on Sunday, April 21, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton.

The event includes coffee, cocktails, and mocktails followed by a buffet brunch. Tickets include access to view the sculpture grounds. All proceeds benefit HomeFront’s Joy, Hopes & Dreams educational and cultural enrichment programming.

The mission of HomeFront’s Women’s Initiative, as stated on its website, is “to mobilize a group of 1,000 caring and committed women of all ages who will lend their expertise and support to help alleviate family homelessness in our community.

The Women’s Initiative works in concert with HomeFront’s rich array of programs and services. Through these efforts, we strengthen our community, making it a better place to live, work and raise a family.”

Grounds For Sculpture is located at 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton. Tickets cost $75 per person or $750 for a table of 10. To register or for more information, call 609989-9417, extension 107, or email PaulaA@ HomeFrontNJ.org.

HomeFront, 1880 Princeton Avenue, Lawrenceville. 609-989-9417 or homefrontnj.org.

United Way of Greater Mercer County

The United Way of Greater Mercer County (UWGMC) board of directors hosts its fourth annual United in Impact Awards on Tuesday, April 30, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Grounds For Sculpture.

The annual event celebrates community champions who demonstrate leadership, passion, and a commitment to a thriving and equitable community in their everyday life. This year’s community champions are:

Patrick L. Ryan, president and CEO of First Bank, Live United Corporate Award; Ida Jackson Woods, assistant vice president and chief diversity officer for ETS, Advocate Award; Denise Mariani, civil trial attorney at Stark & Stark, Community Quarterback Award; and Edward W. Bullock, president of the board of trustees for The Trenton Literacy Movement,

Eugene Marsh Community Impact Award. Brenda Ross-Dulan, founder and managing principal of the Ross-Dulan Group, serves as the event’s mistress of ceremony. Proceeds from the event directly provide food, rental assistance, health insurance access, tax preparation services, children’s books, school supplies and other resources to help individuals and families get ahead. There are more than 60,000 families in Mercer County struggling to make ends meet.

Tickets are $150 and sponsorship opportunities are available.

More information: uwgmc.org/ unitedimpactawards. See PARTIES, Page 6

Isles

Trenton-based nonprofit Isles hosts its spring celebration on Saturday, May 4, at 6 p.m. at the Social Profit Center at Mill One in Hamilton.

The event features locally sourced springtime cuisine, fun cocktails, and music at the historic mill that Isles renovated into a community hub for nonprofits, social impact offices, and artists, as well as its own headquarters.

Being honored at the event are U.S. Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, a Democrat representing the 12 Congressional District, and Stacy Denton, director of TRiO Upward Bound at Mercer County Community College, a program for high school students from low income families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree to encourage completing a high school diploma and pursuing post-secondary education.

Proceeds from the event benefit Isles, the 43-year-old community development and environmental organization with a mission to foster “self-reliant families and healthy, sustainable communities,” according to its website.

Mill One is located at 1 North Johnston Avenue in Hamilton. Tickets for the event are $125. A commemorative Isles tote bag is available for an additional $50. The bags were created by Inspired Threads, a Hamilton-based nonprofit that employs people with disabilities to create ecofriendly, upcycled products from discarded fabric scraps.

More information: isles.org.

The Jewish Center Princeton

The Jewish Center celebrates 75 years — its diamond jubilee — on Saturday, May 4, with a cruise-themed gala.

The event, titled “Sail the Chai Seas!” will turn The Jewish Center’s Nassau Street campus into a cruise ship along with two excursion destinations.

Guests will be welcomed to the event along the “gangplank,” purchase duty free goods from promenade shop vendors in the lobby, enjoy cocktails in the Lido Bar and Lounge, gamble the night away in the Atlantic Deck casino and Sky Deck sports bar, enjoy a delicious buffet dinner and dancing to the tunes of DJ TY in the grand ballroom, lounge in the Empress Deck piano/karaoke bar, be entertained by mentalist Ben Seidman, and take excursions to both Paris and the Islands. The cruise will set sail at 7:30 p.m.

Princeton’s first Jewish congregation emerged in the mid-1920s, and a growing Jewish population led to the formal cre-

ation of the Jewish Center in 1949. In 1958, the congregation moved to its current Nassau Street space, which underwent additional expansions in 1983 and 1990.

Tickets for the event are $175 per person, with raffle tickets available for an additional $100. Sponsorship packages, which include multiple event tickets as well as recognition in print, online, and with a carved brick in the Jewish Center’s courtyard, range from $540 to $75,000. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, contact executive director Joel Berger at jberger@thejewishcenter.org

Jewish Center of Princeton, 435 Nassau Street, Princeton. 609-921-0100. thejewishcenter.org/diamond-jubilee.

Housing Initiatives of Princeton

Housing Initiatives of Princeton holds its spring garden party and fundraiser on Sunday, May 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Princeton home of Tibbie and Greg Samios. The event includes light fare, drinks, and a presentation by John N. Robinson III

Robinson is associate faculty in American studies and assistant professor of sociology at Princeton University. He studies the racial underpinnings of money and markets, with emphasis on housing and credit policies. Robinson’s current book project explores the ongoing rise of the affordable housing industry in the U.S. and its intersections with racial and economic inequality.

The event benefits the nonprofit founded in 2001 to assist local individuals and families experiencing housing insecurity build toward a sustainable future via stable housing, better employment, and a network of support services.

HIP provides services including transitional housing and temporary rental assistance and engages in advocacy efforts to raise awareness of insufficient housing options and challenges facing the working poor.

Individual tickets are $90. Sponsorship opportunities range from $150 to $1,000.

More information: housinginitiativesofprinceton.org

Capital Harmony Works

Capital Harmony Works, the Tren-

The evening of music and

Capital Harmony Works, the Trenton nonprofit behind the Trenton Children’s Chorus, Trenton Music Makers, and Music for the Very Young, holds its “One Voice Many Sounds” gala on Tuesday, May 7, at 5:30 p.m. at Cooper’s Riverview in Trenton. Photo courtesy of Capital Harmony Works staff.

hosted by Bradd Marquis, a Trentonborn singer, songwriter, and producer. The evening starts with cocktails and appetizers, followed by dinner and live entertainment from the Trenton Children’s Chorus and Trenton Music Makers.

Proceeds from the gala benefit the organization’s decades-long history of providing free music education to children and families in Trenton.

The Trenton Children’s Chorus, founded in 1989, is a nationally recognized group that has performed at the White House and the United Nations. In addition to choral music education, the program provides instruction in drumming and keyboard, music theory, and assistance with school work, standardized tests, and college admissions.

The Trenton Music Makers, part of the El Sistema program, teaches the values of leadership and teamwork through instruction in violin, viola, cello and bass instruments, as well as musicianship and composition.

Music for the Very Young is a program that incorporates music education into Pre-K classrooms in Trenton.

Cooper’s Riverview is located at 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton. Tickets for the gala start at $150 per person. Sponsorships are available at levels ranging from $1,000 to $25,000.

Capital Harmony Works, The Social Profit Center at Mill One, 1 North Johnston Avenue, Suite A209, Trenton. 609-3948700 or capitalharmony.works.

McCarter Theatre Center

The biggest party of the year at Princeton’s McCarter Theater is its annual gala, taking place Saturday, May 11, at the theater and under the stars.

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The centerpiece of the evening is a cabaret performance by Tony Award-winning Broadway star Laura Benanti. Prior to the show, guests enjoy a cocktail reception and three-course dinner featuring topshelf wines. Drinks and dancing follow the performance.

Benanti first rose to fame as a teenager playing the role of Maria in Broadway’s “The Sound of Music.” She has starred in 10 subsequent shows, including a Tony Award-winning performance in “Gypsy.”

Her latest film roles include Sony Pictures’ “No Hard Feelings” and Netflix’s “Worth.” She can also be seen in Max’s “The Gilded Age” and Hulu’s “Life & Beth.”

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

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Most recently, she created, wrote, and starred in “Nobody Cares,” an original musical comedy show for Audible.

Proceeds from the gala benefit the nonprofit theater’s programming, arts education initiatives, and community engagement activities.

Tickets start at $300, which excludes dinner service. Individual tickets including dinner range from $600 to $2,000.

McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton. 609-258-2787 or mccarter.org.

Morven Museum & Garden

Morven Museum & Garden’s annual Morven in May spring garden party takes on special significance this year as it also launches anniversary celebrations for Morven’s 20th year as a museum.

The party is happening rain or shine on Friday, May 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. on the museum grounds.

Peonies will be in full bloom for the party, which also includes food, drinks,

See PARTIES, Page 8

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Mercer Eats

Ooika Matcha ‘Teas’ Up for Lawrenceville Opening

By George Point

Matcha, the finely ground powder of specially grown, uniquely flavored green tea leaves that are at the heart of “chanoyu” —the traditional Japanese tea ceremony— is now available at Ooika, a cozy tea house on Lawrenceville’s Main Street dedicated to offering high-quality matcha in its many forms.

Ooika opened its doors on February 27.

“Ooika” is a Japanese word that represents the aroma from the high-quality, shaded matcha offered at owner Joann Lui’s establishment.

According to the Ooika website, Lui “grew up in a family of tea enthusiasts.” Her father is from Chaozhou, China, a city “renowned for Gongfu cha,” described as “the skillful art of tea brewing.”

She eventually met Marc Alexandre, Ooika’s miller, who had apprenticed under tea expert Shunan Teng before his journey led him to Japan, where he discovered heritage matcha.

As continued on its website, Ooika invites its customers to savor “...the unique experience of single-origin heritage matcha from the most celebrated multigenerational family farms across Japan in Uji, Yame, Hoshinomura, Shizuoka, Kagoshima, and more, freshly ground inhouse with traditional Japanese Ishi-Usu stone mills.”

Lui wrote the following on her Facebook page:

“Ooika’s commitment to traditional matcha cultivation and production techniques helps to preserve this ancient art form for future generations to enjoy, while also making matcha more accessible to a Western audience.”

“If you’ve ever had bitter, yellow matcha here in the U.S., that’s because most matcha sold here are months, if not years old.”

“But matcha is meant to be consumed fresh, just like coffee, with a vibrantly green color,” she continued. “That’s why we’re obsessed with stone-milled singlecultivar matcha to bring you the unparalleled freshness that we can’t find here in the U.S.”

A rotating selection of hot and cold matcha-based beverages are available, ranging in price from $3.45 for hot Binchotan Hojicha—a charcoal roasted green tea that is absent matcha’s vegetal green flavor and is caffeine free—to $9.95 for a strawberry matcha parfait.

Patrons are invited to specify the desired level of sweetness; this reporter enjoyed a sugar-free hot matcha latte ($6.85) made with freshly ground matcha and steamed Oatly oat milk.

Ooika also offers a selection of matcha and teaware available for purchase from its website, ooika.co

Membership in their Matcha Mill Club is also available, giving subscribers the opportunity to “explore Japan’s rare, sin-

Joann Lui is the owner of Ooika Matcha, the new tea house now open at 2661 Main Street in Lawrenceville, which grinds the green tea into fresh powder using in-house Japanese stone mills. Photos courtesy of Ooika.

gle-origin matcha shipped to you within 24 hours of stone-milling every month.”

In one of the bolder mission statements put out by any establishment, Ooika promises “to preserve heritage Matcha across the historic terroirs of Japan by making uncompromised matcha accessible to the U.S.”

Why not drop by and decide for yourself?

From PARTIES, Page 7

music, and the chance to see the special exhibit “Morven Revealed,” showcasing rarely exhibited objects and photographs of the mansion and its notable residents through the years.

Morven was built by Declaration of Independence signer Richard Stockton in the 1750s on property granted to his family by William Penn in 1701. After a fire, it was rebuilt and named Morven in 1758.

Four subsequent generations of Stocktons lived in the home before it was leased to General Robert Wood Johnson in 1928.

From 1945 to 1981, it was home to five governors as New Jersey’s first governor’s mansion. The property was restored and

reopened as a museum and garden in 2004.

Proceeds from the garden party support the continued upkeep of the property and the museum’s exhibitions.

In addition to celebrating its 20th anniversary, Morven is also preparing for special programming in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.

Tickets for the garden party range from $250 to $20,000.

Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. 609-924-8144 or www. morven.org. * * *

And guess what? You’re invited.

* * *

Ooika, 2661 Main Street, Lawrenceville. Currently open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. www.ooika.co

Hours are subject to change during the soft opening period, with a formal opening planned in early June.

Morven Museum & Garden’s “Morven in May” spring garden party blossoms in recognition of the museum’s 20 years in operation on Friday, May 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. on the its grounds in Princeton. Photo courtesy of Morven Museum & Garden.

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Blend Bar & Bistro

Bringing Together Food, Cocktails, and People

When Antonio Carannante, coowner of Hamilton’s BLEND Bar & Bistro, is asked how his team came up with the name Blend, he explains, “Blend is all about bringing it together, whether it’s people or ingredients, to share something creative with each other. Pick up a bottle of your favorite wine, beer, or spirit and more often then not you see the word blend or they will list ingredients they use to Blend together. There’s Blended whiskeys, beers, vodkas, wines and more. It’s a word you can’t get away from. But also mainly just the idea of the word has a positive vibe. We like the idea of blend to bring food, cocktails, and people together.”

Indeed, “blend” is something this establishment does very well. In addition to a modern American cuisine concept, the restaurant also offers dishes that represent other global influences. “We have chicken pot

You’re Invited

dumplings and Ahi Poke Bowl, but we also have nachos, quesadillas, and empanadas, as well as gnocchi. Some popular grilled items are our Bone-in Ribeye, Porkchop and handmade never frozen angus burgers served with our very popular handcut fries ,” explains Carannante.

“So we offer a good mix of different flavors and flair to make sure everyone is happy while providing a fun environment and a family friendly dining experience.

In additional to offering both large and small seasonal dishes, more than 100 spirits, 20 draft lines, and a variety of wines, the restauranteur also offers catering, for both on and off-premises. Blend caters at multiple venues in the area including but not limited to Sayen Gardens, Grafton House, Nottingham Ballroom, and also has a dining room for private events that can seat 50 people. They have curbside dining with their outdoor patio, featuring heaters throughout.

Our events include weddings, rehearsal dinners, baby and bridal showers, bachelor parties, retirement

dinners, and much more.

Many of our off premises events are branded under a branch we call, New Jersey Weddings and Events, a catering and event planning company, that we target the more formal events off premise . “We are one-stop service in that way. If a customer chooses to, we can coordinate their entire event, with flowers, music, whatever they desire. We are always happy to make recommendations for what vendors to use as well.”

The Carannante Family originally started and still includes, Brother’s Pizza on Route 33, allows them to offer a variety of pizza-themed parties for customers, including wood-burning pizza ovens for backyard parties and cocktail hours for any special event. Blend consistently holds special events at the restaurant, like wine pairing dinners and happy hours, as well as fundraiser events and holiday parties, but one of its biggest events is the Mercer County Central Jersey Beer and Wine Festival. At the next festival, on Saturday, September 28, from noon to 6 p.m., guests can taste hundreds of different beers and wines

while listening to live music, meeting brewers, and enjoying food vendors. Find tickets at www.cjbeerfest.com, Use Code: CJBEERFEST Antonio Carannante is the event coordinator that executes this production which it attracts thousands of people together for live music, food and drink.”

Now that spring is here, Carannante notes, “it’s time to start thinking about your upcoming special events through summer and fall. It’s always good to pencil in your dates ahead of time!”

Blend Bar & Bistro, 911 Route 33, Hamilton. 609-245-8887. drinks@blendbar.com. planner@ NJweddingsandevents.com. See ad, page 12

K’s Event Decorations and Rentals

Let Our Passion Create Your Memorable Experience

At K’s Event Decorations and Rentals, we understand that every occasion is unique and deserves personalized attention. Our team of experienced designers will work closely with you to understand your style, preferences, and budget. Whether you envision a romantic and elegant wedding or a fun and vibrant birthday party, we have the expertise to bring your vision to life. Our wedding and event design services encompass every aspect of your special day. From selecting the perfect color palette and theme to creating stunning floral arrangements and tablescapes, we pay attention to every detail to ensure a cohesive and visually stunning event. Our team will work closely with you to create a design concept that

You’re Invited

reflects your personality and creates a memorable experience for you and your guests. In addition to our design services, we also offer a wide range of event rentals to enhance your occasion. From elegant table linens and chair covers to stylish centerpieces and lighting options, we have everything you need to create a truly unforgettable event. Our extensive inventory ensures that we can accommodate events of any size and style.

At K’s Event Decorations and Rentals, we understand the importance of quality and reliability and that is why we only work with trusted vendors who share our commitment to excellence. Our team will coordinate with these vendors to ensure seamless execution of your event, allowing you to relax and enjoy your special day. We take pride in our exceptional customer service and strive to exceed your expectations.

Our team is dedicated to providing prompt and professional assistance throughout the planning process and on the day of your event. Antonia James is the CEO and creative

designer who found her purpose designing and creating memorable experiences through life’s momentous celebrations. Antonia has worked in the service industry for more than 22 years and her belief that customer service is the number one priority carries over into everything K’s does. She prides herself in providing the best service with integrity and hard work, starting with an initial consultation that sets clients on the right path to turning their dream event into reality.

We believe that every client deserves personalized attention and we are committed to making your experience with us enjoyable and stress-free. Whether you are planning an intimate gathering or a grand celebration, K’s Event Decorations and Rentals is here to make your occasion truly unforgettable.

Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation and let us help you bring your vision to life. Allow our enthusiasm and expertise to craft your unforgettable occasion.

K’s Event Decorations and Rentals, LLC, 966 Kuser Road, Hamilton. 609-341-8724 www. kseventdecorations.com. See ad, page 11

You’re Invited . . . to Camp

Ewing Recreation Department

Camps & Pools

The Ewing Community Pools System offers two pools for seasonal members and daily patrons. The pools have shaded areas, pool furniture, changing rooms and shower facilities and ESCC has a snack bar. The Hollowbrook Pool located at 320 Hollowbrook Drive, is scheduled to open on weekends & Memorial Day on Sunday, May 26. Operating hours are Sunday to Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays can be rented for private events, email Raquel at rince@ ewingnj.org to schedule an event. The ESCC pool will open on weekends & Memorial Day starting Saturday, May 25, and both pools will open full time starting on Monday, June 17, from noon to 8 p.m. Swim lessons start with evaluations on Saturday, June 15, and space is limited. Senior Swim and Senior Water Aerobics start on Monday, June 17; seniors needing assistance registering can register at the Senior

Office for these programs. Online registration for seasonal memberships, swim lessons and Senior Swim/ Water Aerobics is required at communitypass.net. Labor Day is the last day that the pools will be open.

The Ewing Recreation Summer Camp will run from June 24 – August 23 for grades K – 5 and is held on the grounds of the Fisher School and Ewing Senior & Community Center (ESCC). The hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday. Early hours are from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and late hours are from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Online registration is required at communitypass.net. Teen Travel will be for grades 6 – 8 and will run from July 1 – August 16. The camp will travel four days a week and stay in Ewing the other day. Campers can participate in day camp on weeks Teen Travel is not being held. Camp also offers a Counselor in Training program for children entering 9th grade.

For more information on these programs call the Ewing Recreation Office at 609-883-1776 x6203. You can also go to ewingnj.org, Community Affairs. See ad, page 10.

Gra on House

Once home to the First Sheri of Mercer County, NJ, the recently renovated Grafton House can accommodate a variety of functions and special gatherings. This historic jewel quietly hides behind the Hamilton Marketplace in rural, south-east Hamilton Township, just minutes from the New Jersey Turnpike, Interstate 195 and State Highway 130. The house was bestowed the name “Grafton” after a historic plantation located near where the home sits today!

110 Edgebrook Road Hamilton, NJ 08691

quisite and memorable…

The Sayen House & Gardens is available for a variety of functions and gatherings. The House serves as an elegant, out-of-the ordinary setting for wedding receptions, showers, holiday parties and much more. The Sayen House is nestled amongst 30 acres and serves as the perfect backdrop for your outdoor ceremony and photos!

155 Hughes Drive Hamilton, NJ 08690

Program Coordinator at (609) 890-3874 or PKrzywulak@hamiltonnj.com

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LEGAL SERVICES

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Don’t miss out on our spectacular estate and garage sale! Join us on April 6th & 7th for amazing deals on

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Home Contents Sale

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Understanding Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is one of the most common forms of cardiac arrhythmia, a range of cardiac conditions in which the heart beats in an irregular way (either too fast or too slow). AFib is indicated by a rapid heart rate due to uncoordinated electrical signals in the upper chambers of the heart. While a normal heart rate is around 60 to 100 beats per minute, a person with AFib can have a heart rate that ranges from normal to extremely rapid.

AFib can be caused by many different issues including heart conditions or other contributing causes such as high blood pressure, pneumonia, obstructive sleep apnea, infections from viruses, thyroid problems, high alcohol intake or other drug use, and age. AFib symptoms can include fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

“In addition to its underlying causes, AFib also increases the risk of stroke, heart failure and other complications,” said DR. SCOTT BURKE, medical director of Cardiac Electrophysiology and a board certified, fellowship trained cardiac electrophysiologist at Capital Health Cardiology Specialists. “Anyone having any symptoms of atrial fibrillation should make an appointment with a cardiologist to get a diagnosis and learn more about which treatment option is right for them. Medication is typically the first line of therapy, but the highly trained physicians in our Cardiac Electrophysiology Program also offer the latest minimally invasive options when more advanced care is needed that result in less pain, shorter hospital stays, and less risk for complications.”

The Watchman device is an option for people with atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem, which can lead to blood pooling and forming a clot in a part of the heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA). In a minimally invasive procedure, the Watchman device is guided through a narrow tube inserted into a vein in the patient’s leg and implanted into the LAA to permanently close it. During recovery, the patient’s own heart tissue grows over the Watchman device to prevent clots from developing in the heart and dramatically reduce the risk of stroke for certain AFib patients.

A pacemaker is a small device usually implanted in the chest with thin wires (or leads) that connect to the heart through blood vessels to monitor and deliver electrical impulses that stabilize the heart’s electrical system. Capital Health cardiac

electrophysiologists offer leadless pacing options, which eliminate the wires and allow a miniaturized device to be placed directly into the heart and perform like a traditional pacemaker. Catheter ablation is the elimination of electrically active abnormal tissue that uses recording, imaging, and mapping tools guided through thin catheters into the bloodstream to allow physicians to localize the sources of cardiac arrhythmias like AFib. After the specific location is revealed, the area triggering the arrhythmia can usually be treated with radiofrequency ablation (heat energy) or cryoablation (cold energy).

To make an appointment with one of the cardiac arrhythmia specialists at Capital Health, call 215-860-3344 or visit capitalhealthcardiology.org for more information.

Mindful Yoga

FREE UPCOMING HEALTH EDUCATION EVENTS

Register by calling 609.394.4153 or register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Please register early. Class size is limited.

Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 | 6 p.m.

Location: Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell

NJ PURE Conference Center, One Capital Way, Pennington, NJ 08534

Join certified yoga instructor Marsha Rudolph to experience a gentle, slow yoga practice that links breath and body awareness to increase calm, promote peace of mind, and lift your mood along with many other health benefits. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat or large towel and two yoga blocks (if you have them) for additional bliss.

Fitness Options for Aging Well

Monday, April 15, 2024 | 6 p.m.

Location: Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell

NJ PURE Conference Center, One Capital Way, Pennington, NJ 08534

There are many exercise options available as we age. The important thing is to learn how to do them safely and to find out what type works best for you. Cheryl Ann McGinnis, manager of Rehabilitation Services at Capital Health, will demonstrate how to properly stretch and review options for fitness programs that are individualized to each person’s needs.

ADDITIONAL UPCOMING HEALTH EDUCATION EVENTS:

THE SHOULDER: DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Thursday, May 2, 2024 | 6 p.m. Zoom Meeting

NUTRITION TIPS FOR THRIVING AS YOU AGE

Wednesday, May 8, 2024 | 6 p.m. Zoom Meeting

STROKE: PREVENTABLE, TREATABLE, BEATABLE

Thursday, May 16, 2024 | 6 p.m. Zoom Meeting

TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR KNEE AND HIP PAIN

Monday, June 3, 2024 | 6 p.m. Zoom Meeting

ton and institutions like the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, who have supported and grown Trenton’s arts scene.

“My pet peeve is when I present about TAP to some audience, and afterward, they come up to me, and they go, ‘What you’re doing is so important, because there [is] no arts programming in Trenton,’ and my response to that is always, ‘What are you talking about?’” Chen said, describing the public schools’ offerings as both “incredibly vibrant” and “robust.”

“We’re supporting the programming, but we’re not filling this massive gap in the system,” Chen remarked.

“I don’t want TAP to be people’s only entry point into Trenton; I want them to understand Trenton as its own thriving cultural hub, and I think her voice is going to help with that,” he said. “I often think about, in my work, how Princeton doesn’t understand Trenton, or at least when they do try to understand Trenton, it’s [from] a very theoretical perspective. It’s not like, ‘I know people who live there; I’m embedded.’ The ‘embeddedness’ is so crucial to our work.”

Chen established his own relationships in Trenton by attending local rehearsals, performances, and other events, stating that this immersive experience connected him with others who shared his passion for arts education.

“I think changing how Princeton perceives Trenton is about taking that sense of ‘embeddedness’ I developed and trying to give Princeton students an entry point into that. I know most of them will never become as embedded as I’ve become, but there are ways to ladder that learning for people, depending on their level of commitment,” he explained.

However, Chen mentioned that a friend recently reminded him that TAP’s work has begun to affect how Trenton residents perceive Princeton, too.

“Because I think people in Trenton see Princeton as, understandably, a bit of a behemoth that tramples around and doesn’t really care about what’s happening in the community,” he explained, the prestigious college town has gained a reputation as “exclusive” or “remote.”

But when the Trenton students are es-

sentially given free rein of the Lewis Arts Complex to work alongside Princeton student volunteers not much older than themselves, “that’s really helped them reconceptualize Princeton as a welcoming space that is meant for them.”

“I have Trenton students who’ve been working with their Princeton private teacher for more than four years. That’s a really special relationship, so I think having the Princeton students be the face of this collaboration is crucial to breaking down those perceptions of Princeton as this elite, cold place,” Chen added.

A constant theme throughout the planning process, though, is determining the best ways to reaffirm TAP’s organizational commitment to each of its students and to help them achieve their specific goals or expectations.

“I think a big word for us in TAP is individualization. How do we individualize every opportunity, whether it’s for a Princeton student who only has an hour to give per week versus a student who wants to give 10 hours?” he said, noting the same range in Trenton.

Chen hopes that, moving forward, whether via direct collaboration or support, the city-township bond at the heart of TAP will only grow stronger.

“Something that I’ve been really grateful for is how TAP has, I think, done its own small part to change the nature of the relationship between Trenton and Princeton more generally,” he explained, as the program has “facilitated connections” that have since evolved on their own.

“We bring people together, and we know that when we put people in a room together or we post something on social media about Trenton, that that’s something that people will remember, and then will want to develop their own connections themselves. Ultimately, we build relationships, and then we let them flourish on their own.”

More: trentonarts.princeton.edu.

Trenton Youth Orchestra performs at the SMArts winter 2023 showcase.

Photo by Frank Wojciechowski.

TAP, continued from page 4

Plenty Pepper Steel Band spices up Capital Philharmonic’s April concert

By SuSan Van dongen

If you’ve ever traveled to Trinidad and sampled the regional fare from street vendors, you’ve probably eaten a seriously toned down version of that island nation’s spicy cuisine.

Kristian Paradis, a steel pan musician and teacher from Philadelphia, has been to Trinidad many times and knows that the local cooks don’t want to blow out a tourist’s sinuses with heat.

“When a non-Trinidadian places an order to a street food vendor, they’ll often be served a mild, ‘tourist safe’ version of the dish,” Paradis says. “In order to get the true, authentic flavor, you must order by saying, ‘plenty pepper!’”

That’s why Paradis chose the phrase for his steel pan band, based in Philadelphia.

“Plenty Pepper was formed in 2015 to celebrate the musical traditions of Trinidad and Tobago, and to build new audiences for the steel band art form,” he says. “The name of the band comes from the lingo of Trinidad’s food vendors. Our philosophy is to present music the same way, with all the spice you would expect from the Caribbean.”

The Plenty Pepper Steel Band will be in Trenton on Saturday, April 20, as part of the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey’s bold evening of music. With George Antheil’s avant-garde masterpiece Ballet Mecanique as the concert’s centerpiece, the program is titled “Where Music, History, and Circus Meet.”

The concert will be held in the Roebling Wireworks Machine Shop in Trenton with special appearances by the Trenton Circus Squad, a variety of guest musicians, and Plenty Pepper.

Daniel Spalding, the CPNJ’s conductor and music director, imagined a night of sound and vision in celebration of Trenton native Antheil (1900-1959). Sometimes called “The Bad Boy of Music,” Antheil lived in Paris and associated with the likes of Pablo Picasso and Erik Satie. Antheil’s unusual composition, which debuted in Paris a century ago, is arranged for four pianists and 11 percussionists.

At CPNJ’s concert drums and percussion will also be in the spotlight for J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Four Harpsichords and Orchestra, arranged by Spalding for four pianos and percussion. The concert will open with Spalding’s original work, “Overture to Industry,” and includes pieces by 20th century composers John Cage and Lou Harrison.

In addition, look for performances by the Trenton Circus Squad throughout the evening, accompanied by the Plenty Pepper Steel Band. Paradis’ ensemble will also be at the entrance of the Wireworks building, welcoming concert-goers.

“Dan (Spalding) knew about me and reached out because he wanted to get a steel band involved,” Paradis says. He explains that, of course, Roebling Wireworks was famously, historically involved in the production of steel and metal products, and the concert’s programming celebrates themes of steel, metal, and industry.

Aside from Paradis, Plenty Pepper includes Marji Eldreth (Maryland), Wes Morton and Joseph Whitney (Delaware), Emily Roane and Andy Thierauf (Philadelphia), and Christine Walthers from East Windsor.

“All of us lead and play in other steel bands outside of Plenty Pepper,” Paradis says. “Joseph, Christine, and I are board members for Resolution Steel Band, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit set up to help get youth and community

members in Wilmington involved in steel band. Andy leads a steel band at Kutztown University, and Marji is the director of the steel band at the Cab Calloway School of the Arts in Delaware.”

Giving a little more Plenty Pepper backstory, Paradis says, “Wes, Joseph, Christine, and Marji all started playing together in the steel band at the University of Delaware (UD). Wes and I played in the band together as students back in 1994 or ’95, and the others joined the band as either students or community members after I returned to Delaware as a graduate student in 2003, and then as a faculty member teaching steel pan from 2005 to 2020.”

“Christine was my final graduate assistant at UD,” he adds. “Emily and Andy came into our circle through another group that we’re all involved in, the Philadelphia Pan Stars Steel Orchestra. Emily and Andy had played together in a steel band before at the University of Iowa before they both ended up in Philly, and I recruited them into the band.”

Growing up in Lyme, Connecticut, Paradis first tried organ, then clarinet, but neither lasted too long. He says his older brother was a drummer, and there was always a drum set in the house. That’s what Paradis had his eye on.

“It was natural to gravitate towards it,” he says. “So I’ve played drums all my life, including high school, where I was in a band that toured and performed all around. I got a taste of that lifestyle early on.”

“My parents were both amateur musicians, with my dad (a World War II veteran and Navy pilot) on clarinet and my mom on piano,” he says. “They weren’t playing by the time I was born, but they still loved to dance and would take me with them (to dances), where I would hang out with the band.”

After studying music and computer science at the University of Delaware, Paradis was accepted into the U.S. Navy Music Program. Upon completing his military music training at the Armed Forces School of Music, Paradis became a member of the U.S. Seventh Fleet Band in Japan.

He was the drummer for the Navy’s Far East Edition show band, drummer and steel-pan soloist in the Navy Jazz Combo, and principal percussionist in the Navy concert and ceremonial bands. With these groups he served as a musical ambassador for the Navy and the United States, performing in Russia, China, India, Australia, South Korea, and many other countries in East Asia and the Pacific islands.

“I had a passion for steel pan from an early age, and I had read that the Navy had its own steel band,” he says. “I thought I could play full time and get a government paycheck, so I enlisted right away. Then in basic training, I learned that the Navy was getting rid of its steel band, which was a shock for me.”

“So I went to school in Norfolk (Va.), focused on drum set and played Big Band-style drums,” Paradis says. “I was based in Japan, but the band traveled all over the world, playing for heads of state, presidents, and a couple of kings — all concerts for diplomacy.”

Paradis also performed as a lead steel pan player for the Tokyo Panorama Steel Orchestra.

After the Navy, he returned to UD, where he earned his master’s degree in music, with an emphasis on steel pan music. He currently directs steel pan bands at UD, at the First State School community band in Wilmington, and hopes to get the band at the Springside Academy in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, up and running

again.

In addition, he frequently travels to Trinidad to play in various large steel bands there for that country’s national musical competition called “Panorama.”

“I’ve played with Silver Stars, Pandemonium, and Supernovas steel orchestras, and Joseph has also played with Supernovas,” Paradis says. “Joseph and I also played together in the International Panorama competition in Trinidad in 2015, but we were representing Japan.”

“I had lived in Japan from 1999 to 2003 and played with the Tokyo Panorama Steel Orchestra, led by Yoshihiro Harada,” he says. “When that band joined the competition in Trinidad in 2015, they asked me to rejoin the group, and I dragged Joseph along.”

By the way, the proper term for Paradis’ instrument is the “steel pan,” but many might call it the “steel drum.” That name comes from years ago, when Trinidadians crafted percussion instruments from discarded oil drums.

“In the U.S., people might call them steel drums, but you have to be careful in places like Trinidad, where it’s an incredibly rich art form,” he says.

For the better part of a decade, Paradis has also been music director and drill master for the Philadelphia Pan Stars, the only full steel orchestra (as opposed to steel band) in Philly. It’s a group that performs sophisticated repertoire, music just as intricate as a symphony orchestra would play.

“Many Americans don’t know that steel orchestras in Trinidad have as many as 120 players and play works that are just as complex and important (as symphonic music),” Paradis says. “It’s a far cry from the music played on cruise ships and poolside at resorts. It’s not just ‘Yellowbird,’ ‘Rum and Coca-Cola,’ and ‘Margaritaville.’”

“Unfortunately, that’s the stigma we have to overcome while trying to present steel band music as a legitimate art form,” he says. “The instrument itself is capable of playing anything that any other instrument can. The steel pan is a serious instrument, and we want to open people’s eyes to this.”

Plenty Pepper Steel Band with the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey, Roebling Wireworks Machine Shop, 675 South Clinton Avenue. Saturday, April 20, 7:30 p.m. $40; $10 for students. 609-2000443 or www.capitalphilharmonic.org.

Plenty Pepper on the web: www.facebook.com/ plentypepperband

The Plenty Pepper Steel Band performs with the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey on April 20.

NOTICE TO PERSONS WANTING MAIL-IN BALLOTS

If you are a qualified and registered voter of New Jersey who wants to vote by mail in the Primary Election to be held on June 4, 2024, the following applies:

• You must be registered as a Democrat or Republican by no later than May 28, 2024 to be able to receive a mail-in ballot.

• You must complete the application form below and send it to the county clerk where you reside or write or apply in person to the county clerk where you reside to request a mail-in ballot.

• The name, address, and signature of any person who has assisted you to complete the mail-in ballot application must be provided on the application, and you must sign and date the application.

• No person may serve as an authorized messenger

or bearer for more than three qualified voters in an election but a person may serve as such for up to five qualified voters in an election if those voters are immediate family members residing in the same household as the messenger or bearer.

• No person who is a candidate in the election for which the voter requests a mail-in ballot may provide any assistance in the completion of the ballot or serve as an authorized messenger or bearer.

• A person who applies for a mail-in ballot must submit his or her application so that it is received at least seven days before the election, but such person may request an application in person from the county clerk up to 3 p.m. of the day before the election.

• Voters who want to vote by mail in all future

elections will, after their initial request and without further action on their part, be provided with a mail-in ballot until the voter requests otherwise in writing.

• Application forms may be obtained by applying to the undersigned either in writing or by telephone. Or the application form provided below may be completed and forwarded to the undersigned.

• If you are currently signed up to receive mail-in ballots, but wish to now vote at the polls, either on Election Day or before, in accordance with NJ’s new “Early Voting” law, you must first opt out of vote by mail by notifying the county clerk in writing at the address below. You may find a form for removal from the permanent list on the Mercer County Clerk’s website at https://www.mercercounty.org/ government/county-clerk/elections.

Dated: April 9, 2024, Mercer County Clerk, Paula Sollami Covello, 209 S. Broad St., Election Dept., P.O. Box 8068, Trenton, NJ 08650, 609-989-6495