NJ Lifestyle Winter 2013 Issue

LifeStyle NEW JERSEY

WINTER 2013

Baby It’s Cold Outside!

The ultimate wedding checklist • making waves the grapefruit league • Snowbirds fly south, west & beyond

Two great events running through March 6th All Sealy Optimum Memory Foam Beds with Cooling Gel are on a Special Sale.

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“Genius without education is like silver in the mine.”

—Benjamin Franklin

THE • VIEW

Introducing the University of Atlantic City

A

tlantic City is in dire need of something dramatic that is capable of becoming a real game-changer. We have enough casinos and, with the success of gaming in Pennsylvania, it’s time for something very different. We need something where everybody wins — especially downtown Atlantic City. In a recent discussion of what, when, and how, the publishers of New Jersey Lifestyle came up with an idea that would indeed be a definitive game-changer.

Ladies and gentlemen… How about the University of Atlantic City? A four-year college right in the heart of a town that most definitely needs some beautification. Look what Penn, Drexel, and Temple have done for Philadelphia. Why not a serious university that sits near the scenic Atlantic Ocean.

A university brings life (and jobs) to an area that needs a major change. It brings some 25,000 students (and their parents) to our area, and maybe an outstanding medical school can be part of the process. We could use Drexel University as a model, which has contributed so much to downtown Philadelphia.

Of course, it would be a difficult concept, but a beautiful college is what this area needs, and we have the people and resources capable of such a project. We are planting the seed for the University of Atlantic City … summer school will be a blast!

Let’s discuss.

Dar la Hendricks Publisher

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C O N T E N T S FEAT URES Lifestyle Weddings

From Cake to Catering; the Ultimate Wedding Checklist.

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The Grapefruit League

Spring Training season is here.

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Making Waves

Mike Cagno and the Noyes Museum of Art of Richard Stockton College.

Up, Up, and Away

Local heat-seeking snowbirds fly south, west and beyond.

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D EPARTMENTS

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This winter, it’s time to indulge in fashion that will last all year long.

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Lifestyle Memoir: Skinny D’Amato’s Clock

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First Person

15

Protecting Family Values

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Health Watch: Have a Heart

32

Lifestyle Legends: Candles in the Wind

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Living Healthy: Flu Mania

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Lifestyle Money Watch

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Lifestyle on Wheels

44 52

Setting Sail

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Best of the Bunch: Winter Wine Affair

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Lifestyle Fashion

An estate sale junkie discovers a mysterious treasure.

The intriguing Alisa Cooper.

Atlantic Coast Alarm has been getting it right for six decades.

When it comes to cardiovascular health, be proactive, not reactive.

Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, and borderline personality disorder.

LifeStyLe NEW JERSEY

WINTER 2013

Understanding what causes the flu, and how to prevent and treat it.

2012: The year in review.

Featuring the 2013 Kia Sorento and the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. Cruise lines are offering spectacular perks and modern delights.

Social Studies Get the picture on events and happenings.

Cozy up to the succulent flavors of three powerful bottles.

Restaurant Report Comments and observations on the area restaurant scene.

Dining Gallery All of the details on the area’s great dining venues.

A Final Word Governor Chris Christie is making headlines.

Winter 2013 | LIFESTYLE

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Baby It’s Cold Outside!

ThE ulTImaTE WEddINg chEcklIST • making waves ThE gRapEfRuIT lEaguE • SNoWbIRdS flY SouTh, WEST & bEYoNd

LifeStyle NEW JERSEY

MAGAZINE

Publisher

Darla Hendricks darlabh2@gmail.com Associate Publisher

Barbara Scarduzzio barbaras1@comcast.net Creative Director

Darla Hendricks Editor

Bill Henry Advertising Director

Charles Epstein Account Executive

Nancy Astin-Manno Contributing Writers

T H E W H O L E W O R L D U N D E R O N E R O O F...

Bob Bickell Sal Emma Molly Golubcow Bill Henry Sherry Hoffman Alyson Boxman Levine Christine Mattice Carol Plum-Ucci Nina Radcliff, MD Matt and Tom Reynolds Phillip Silverstone Robin Stoloff Tyler Ward Travel Editor

Dan Schlossberg Photographers

Frank Weiss & Bill Horin/ArtC Nick Valinote Eric Weeks

Extensive Entertainment and Educational Video Collection Free Educational Lecture and Movie Series Free Children and Teen Programs Free Downloadable Audio and E-Books via Website Remote Access to Full Text Research Databases via Website Download over 500,000 MP3 songs for Free via website Download Free E-Books to your Kindle via Website Free Wireless Internet Access available inside entire Community Center Live Homework Help: Chat with a Live Tutor from 3pm - 10pm via Website

OceanCity FreePublicLibrary Hours of Operation Mon. – Fri. 9am to 9pm Sat. 9am to 5pm Sun. 1pm to 5pm

1735 SimpsonAvenue, Ocean City, NJ • 609-399-2434

www. oc e a nc itylibra ry. org 6

Winter 2013 | LIFESTYLE

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Online Media Info

www.njlifestyleonline.com Accounting

Michael I. Mann, CPA Zelnick, Mann and Winikur, P.C.

NewJersey Lifestyle is published by New Jersey Lifestyle, LLC. The entire contents of New Jersey Lifestyle are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the express written consent of the publisher. New Jersey Lifestyle, LLC assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. New Jersey Lifestyle, LLC reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse editorial material and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors or omissions. All correspondence should be sent to:

New Jersey Lifestyle One North New York Road, Smithville, NJ 08205 Telephone: 609-404-4611 / Fax: 609-404-4613 info@njlifestyleonline.com www.njlifestyleonline.com

Financial

goals start with a dream.

Achieving them requires a PLAN. n As SEC REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISORS we adhere to a higher standard of fiduciary care. n As PRACTICING CPA’s we understand the complexities of the current tax system and work to maximize tax efficiencies. n As INDEPENDENT ADVISORS, we remain product neutral, transparent, and answer only to you, the client. n With an emphasis placed on FUNDAMENTAL FINANCIAL PLANNING, we strive to help you achieve your long term investment goals. n With over $260 Million in assets under management, we have the RESOURCES, the EXPERIENCE and the KNOWLEDGE to help you achieve your financial goals.

We are CRA Financial.

Matthew Reynolds, CPA, CFP Thomas Reynolds, CPA 609-641-4000 n 332 TILTON ROAD www.crafinancial.com

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NORTHFIELD, NJ

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LIFESTYLE FASHION

Timeless Couture

This winter, it’s time to indulge in fashion that will last. Luckily, the coldest season of the year brings with it trends that will outlive the dreary winter months. These stylish trends will last season after season. nnn Versatile and stylish A few favorites this season are from Girlfriends Material, who is the epitome of casual chic, with versatile pieces that are stylish and fun, yet always comfortable. Based out of Hong Kong, the collection features pieces that easily transcend from day to

night, and work to play. The line features one-of-a-kind tee shirt designs by Pittsburgh-based paper cut artist Bovey Lee and intricate handmade jewelry by Julie Sun. With textured knitwear like cowl neck sweaters, deconstructed boyfriend cardigans, and textured sweater

By DARLA HENDRICKS

Goose Down Long Jacket, $299

Lexy Fur Poncho Sweater, $229

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Winter 2013 | LIFESTYLE

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jackets, the collection is a staple in every closet.

The Lexy Fur Poncho Sweater is a short sleeve sweater with a fur open front and a ribbed wool sweater panel.

This unique piece is great, not only for keeping warm in the winter, but in the spring and fall as well.

Fur Sweater, $229 njlifestyleonline.com

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Navajo Square Rosewood, $178

Logo Rectangle Asphalt, $148

Bloom Rectangle Bisque, $188

Of course, we do need to stay fashionably warm when it’s cold outside, and nothing will keep you warmer while looking cool than the Goose Down Long Jacket. This urban-chic puffer jacket is sleek and streamlined. The stylish outer layer is rendered in allover quilted polyamide with a lightweight pearl down fill, and shaped with a slightly gathered elasticized waist for a feminine silhouette.

A great item for the entire year is their Fur Sweater. Removable fur trim brings a touch of dramatic luxury to this oh-so-versatile cardi wrap.

Visit www.girlfriendsmaterial.com.

what’s better than a scarf that can be tied seven different ways and has a bevy of celebrity fans.

This great line of scarves by Leigh & Luca can be worn season after season. The relevant and trend-driven designs are sensuous, edgy, and modern, capturing that downtown vibe with uptown notes of luxury and style. These must-have accessories are not only luxurious, but are unique as well, with all patterns and prints exclusive to the Leigh & Luca line and created as part of limited editions.

Visit www.leighluca.com for a listing of retailers.

nnn The Must-have Accessory Nothing completes an outfit better than a hot accessory. And

nnn Easy-to-wear jewelry World-renowned jewelry designer Lecil Henderson, founder of The Henderson

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Collection, has introduced The Venetian Collection and The Firenza Collection.

The Venetian Collection features stunning designs crafted in 18k black, chocolate brown, and denim blue gold created from proprietary alloys. You know how those favorite jeans in your closet look fabulous with absolutely anything?

Well, this unique collection has that same quality.

Featuring a rainbow of hues and a variety of finishes, The Firenze Collection is crafted in sterling silver enamel with F-G VS diamonds set in 18k gold. Both collections are versatile and stylish from season to season, and great for any occasion, whether dressy or casual.

Visit www.hendersondesigns.com for a listing of retailers.

The Firenze Collection

The Venetian Collection

THE RETURN

OF

WEAR IT, LOVE IT AND LIVE IN IT!

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Barbara’s

A Fashion Experience 14 Central Square Linwood • 609.601.0035

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Skinny D’Amato’s Clock An estate sale junkie discovers a mysterious treasure in the basement of a notorious Ventnor home

Lifestyle MEMOIR

By MOLLY GOLUBCOW

As a kid growing up in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Skinny D’Amato was a legend — both famous and infamous. He was known as a generous and caring man, as well as a confirmed gambler and party guy. From the 1930s until it burned to the ground in the 1970s, Skinny was the owner and operator of Atlantic City’s most frequented nightclub, The 500 Club. He hosted drinking and dancing in the main room, and alleged illegal gambling in private rooms. Anyone who was anyone jumped at the chance for a night out at the 500. Skinny enthusiastically mingled with his customers and palled around with local politicians, mob characters, and stars like Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr., who also entertained at the club throughout the years.

When signs advertising the estate sale for Skinny D’Amato started popping up all around the neighborhood, I knew that this was my ticket to see the inside of his Ventnor home. Everything from memorabilia, clothing, and furniture would be displayed for the public to see and touch

and buy — dishes and pots from kitchen cabinets, family pictures — some still on the wall, bar accessories from swizzle sticks to half empty Chivas Regal bottles, and assorted tchochkes on book shelves.

Now don’t get me wrong, as an estate sale addict I wanted to see the goods. I always liked poking around in a stranger’s house, opening drawers and closets, and sifting through decades of accumulations. There isn’t another occasion where one can enter a stranger’s house and go through their underwear drawers without accusations of being a pervert or maybe worse, having the police called to come fetch you. An estate sale is open season, and everything can be fingered, squeezed, and bargained down. But what intrigued me the most about this estate sale was getting in and seeing the basement where Skinny’s son, Angelo, brutally murdered an unfortunate guest. Yes, I confess the posted estate sale signs fueled the fire of my morbid curiosity.

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Lifestyle Memoir

My imagination went into overdrive as I pictured the clock’s hands freezing at the exact moment of the murder.

As soon as my friend Susan and I entered Skinny’s house on the day of the estate sale, I charged down to the basement. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I came face to face (so to speak) with a grandmother clock. It was a light oak veneer, with gold trim, standing on a funky four-legged pedestal. Although it was a nice looking clock, it was not in working order with its hands frozen at 7:40.

But, I was not in the basement to shop.

Frank Sinatra and Skinny D’Amato (right) in 1959

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I was there to get a look at the murder site, even though it was many years and many a cleaning ago. As I walked around the basement, I kept turning around to look at the clock. It was like that piece of furniture was watching me. I slowly walked back and touched it, realizing that this clock was witness to the murder.

My imagination went into overdrive as I pictured the clock’s hands freezing at the exact moment of the

murder. Suddenly, the perky woman who was running the estate sale started jabbering to me about how lovely the clock was and that it was a steal for $75. I told her that I was not interested, and she immediately dropped the price to $50. Again, I said that I was not interested, and politely walked away to join Susan who was sorting through a large box filled with pictures of Skinny D’Amato posing with guests, famous and not so

famous, at the 500 Club.

We found so many pictures and were looking at the 1950s hair-dos and fashions when Ms. Perky Estate Sale lady found me again. She insisted that the clock was a great buy for me and lowered the price to $40. I was getting a bit tired of this and Susan abandoned me so she could get herself a souvenir shot glass. I told the woman no thanks again and even pulled out a twenty dollar bill out of my pocket to show her that this was all the money I had with me.

To my surprise, she smiled and said “OK, $20 it is, you drive a hard bargain.

I’ll write up your receipt.”

As she dashed off, I started to panic.

How am I going to get this clock home?

What am I going to do with it? When I told Susan, she laughed out loud and kept insisting that that clock was meant for me. She asked a few healthy looking men at the sale if they could help us carry the clock to my car.

We had brute strength ready for carrying, but getting the clock into a two-door Subaru coupe, complete with Heathcliff, my 85-pound German Shepherd, was a challenge. Like a Keystone Cops routine, we moved Heathcliff to the front of the car, backed the clock into the back seat, and let the top part of the clock stick out of the open window. At this point, Susan and I were laughing so hard, we were actually crying. The drive home was memorable with a dog, two humans, and a grandmother clock that witnessed a murder.

Over the last 20 plus years, the clock has been rigged a few times to keep time and actually has the most beautiful chimes when it works. A few years ago, a professional clock repairer came to the house and claimed to have fixed it. It kept time for about 3 1/2 hours and then it stopped again — at 7:40. I have always meant to look up when the murder took place in Skinny’s basement, but have not gotten around to it. My imagination likes to think that’s what made the clock stop working. Maybe that clock was not meant to keep time. Maybe it was meant to keep secrets.

NJLifestyleOnline.com Turning pages...

Turning heads...

TRY IT!

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FIRST PERSON

FIRST PERSON

By SHERRY HOFFMAN

THE INTRIGUING ALISA COOPER A chance encounter with Rock and Roll royalty led this Atlantic City native down a path of success

A

s a child, she explored Atlantic City with days on the beach, and nights on the boardwalk. Her sense memories — the smell of roasting peanuts, the sound of music floating off the end of Garden Pier, the feel of a miniature golf club in her hands, and the sight of Miss America — are as thick today as they were decades ago. Alisa Cooper has sand in her shoes and Atlantic City in her heart. She has traversed the world of music, teaching, politics as Atlantic County Freeholder-atlarge, and now, with two other Casino Control Commissioners, she’s at the top of the regulatory food chain with a voice in the future of her hometown. Some of the duties assigned to the New Jersey Casino Control Commission include the licensing of Atlantic City casinos and all of their key employees.

How do you feel about being a part of such a powerful panel?

I am in awe… and very honored. The Commission showed the world that you can effectively control casinos to achieve your public policy goals. Particularly in the early days, there were so many groundbreaking decisions that made casino gambling acceptable to the majority of Americans. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happened in Atlantic City legitimized casino gaming and allowed it to spread across the county. To now be a part of the panel that did that is absolutely amazing.

What’s coming down the pipeline?

Right now, there are a number of things that are under consideration, but the big issue in Atlantic City will be completing its transformation into a full destination resort, with more hotel rooms, restaurants, clubs, spas, and other attractions. The future of the city isn’t in the table games and slot machines. People can find those almost anywhere nowadays. Atlantic City’s future is in giving people a much broader experience than they can find in many other jurisdictions.

With all your careers, it seems your life motto is “you don’t have to be just one thing.” What did you want to be when you grew up?

An entertainer. When I was 8 years old, I sang “Mack The Knife” with a 10-piece band at the original Chelsea Hotel. I knew then and there that I wanted to entertain and perform.

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Alisa Cooper

As it turned out, I was in the music and entertainment business for over 35 years — played piano at the famous “500 Club,” helped open Resorts International Casino Hotel. I entertained at parties for Tony Bennett, Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Cosby, Dom DeLuise, Neil Sedaka, and countless sports celebrities. In time, I began Alisa Cooper Orchestras.

And like most things in your life, you achieved your dream.

Do you have a highlight?

The absolute highlight of my career was interviewing John Lennon and Yoko Ono. I was a 16-year-old junior at Atlantic City High School, in 1969, on spring vacation in Amsterdam.

They happened to be on their honeymoon at the Amsterdam Hilton. I met their manager and told him I had a radio show and would like an interview. I got it! It was supposed to last 10 minutes, but it lasted over an hour. Even today, 44 years later, I still get goose bumps when I listen to my taped interview of John and Yoko!

Your late mother, Dolores, was a very prominent and popular politician who was so respected that she has a bridge named in her honor. What influence did she have on your political career?

My mother was my inspiration for getting involved in public service. As an Atlantic County Freeholder and a State Assemblywoman, she had a passion for helping people. She taught me never to stay on the sidelines, but instead to work as hard as possible to improve the quality of life for others. I learned from her the value of honesty, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to give my best effort at whatever I did.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Protecting Family Values When it comes to customer service and expertise, this second generation local business has been getting it right for six decades

By Carol Plum-Ucci

Atlantic Coast Alarm, Inc. of Mays Landing is one of South Jersey’s inspiring, make-you-smile, American Dream stories, featuring a tenacious father, visionary son, and two multi-talented daughters.

In the mid-1960s, Frank Toner decided to take the ultimate business risk. He’d been selling alarms for a national company, all the while yearning for his own business. Alarm systems were almost unheard of then, and Frank wondered it wasn’t, therefore, a great time to strike out on his own. With one partner, he opened Atlantic Coast Alarm in 1967. He sold the alarms, which at that time were large metal contraptions that rang like school bells, and his partner did installation. Frank bought his partner out in the 1980’s.

That was then, and this is now.

Atlantic Coast Alarm has been named in Security By the time Andrew Toner, Frank’s son, joined Dealer Magazine’s Top 100 Integrators since 2005. the business in the mid-1990s, Atlantic Coast was serving thousands of clients in industrial businesses, utility and cable companies, schools, subcontract our work.” county and government buildings, hospitals, court Andrew assumed the role of company president in 2004, and his houses, banks, and jewelry stores, as well as homes. sisters, Carolyn Polistina and Mary Fabietti, serve as vice presidents, “Today, we have six thousand accounts in three states,” reports and have handled a multitude of tasks and specialties. With the new Andrew. “We’ll secure multi-million-dollar custom homes, but also generation came the vision of expanding into the area of home small apartments. Everything we do is based on what the customer automation. New custom movie theatres and sound systems are needs.” indigenous to fine homes, and Atlantic Coast Alarm provides a Andrew has been an integral part of an industry that has one-stop shop. changed and improved, carrying his father’s vision past the “Today, most people want that one accountable person to horizon. His alarm systems now can be accessed from a cell phone deal with,” said Andrew. “It cuts down on cost and prevents the app. Regardless of the location, a homeowner can now instantly see homeowner from having to hear, ‘This isn’t our problem; it’s their multiple indoor and outdoor views of his business or primary and problem,’ and so forth.” secondary residences. Clients can observe whether anything has “It’s amazing that some of dad’s first customers are still with us,” been disturbed or, in the case of a severe storm like Hurricane Sandy, he went on to reveal. “And now that their kids are grown, we’re taking see whether a property is sustaining damage. Clients also have care of their homes and businesses. It’s everything you’d want when the ability to raise and lower the temperature, and turn on and off you dream of going to work for your family.” certain lights from cell phones and remote locations.

Atlantic Coast Alarm hosts its own monitoring station. “Our business is a 24-hour operation,” revealed Andrew. “Clients need Atlantic Coast Alarm to talk to us at all hours of the day and night, and we are available.

500 Harding Highway, Suite 203, Mays Landing, NJ We strive to fix their alarms right away if there is a storm or power Toll Free: 800-728-4928 • Local: 609-823-0096 www.atlanticcoastalarm.com outage. We have forty employees and our own technicians. We don’t njlifestyleonline.com

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Photo by ERIC WEEKS/EZ MEMORIES 18

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LIFESTYLE WEDDINGS

From Cake to Catering; the Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist More couples get engaged on Valentine’s Day than any other day of the year, leaving countless new brides-to-be asking, “Where do I begin?”

By TYLER WARD

R

omantic proposal? Check!

Enthusiastic “Yes”? Check! Sharing the news? Check! Wedding planned and ready to happen? Um, not yet.

The planning can be a bit overwhelming, but using a checklist breaks it into small, manageable steps so you can actually enjoy the process from start to finish. n First, set a date. Nothing else can move forward until you have one. Consider average temperatures and rainfall, especially for an outdoor event. If family and friends will be traveling to your wedding, set the date far enough out for them to make arrangements, and try to choose a value season for hotel and airline deals. And, of course, pick a date your groom can remember for an anniversary! n Now, get a rough idea of how many guests you plan to invite. Don’t forget to include your parents’ list if they are contributing or involved in the planning. n Next, choose your location. Popular wedding venues book quickly, so once you have a date and a tentative guest count, start looking and be ready to put down a deposit. njlifestyleonline.com

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W e ddi ng Pl anner n Send out Save-the-Dates to give your guests a heads-up of the date and location so they can request time off work and make any necessary travel arrangements. n Remember to include your groom. He may be happy to let you take the reins with planning, but ask for his input so he knows his opinion matters. Most grooms have a few details they feel strongly about, such as the first dance song, a cake flavor, or the main course on the menu.

Find out what matters to him and try to incorporate or honor it.

Remember, it’s his wedding, too. n Select your photographer/videographer. The pictures and video are what you will take away from the day, so choose carefully. Ask to meet with the actual photographer/videographer before booking to ensure no personality clashes on your wedding day. n Book a DJ or band. Discuss your idea of a great party. A rockin’ good time with everyone on the dance floor? Or an elegant affair with soft jazz in the background? Choose your first dance, dances with parents, and any other special music requests you both may want. n Contract a caterer if your location does not have one onsite. Most venues can give referrals of dependable, delicious catering companies.

If offered, sample the menu at a tasting. n Taste cakes. Definitely include the groom on this one! Choose unique combinations of cake and filling flavors for smaller layers, and stick with a popular flavor for the largest layer. Agree now on whether you will be naughty or nice when you feed each other cake at the reception. n Shop for attire. Allow plenty of time for your dress to be ordered and altered. Send the groom and his guys to get fitted for suits or tuxedos. n Meet with a florist to select bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages and to discuss floral decor for the ceremony and reception. Clip pictures from magazines so the floral designer can see what you like and what you envision.

Bouquet by Betina’s at Parkview

n Order your invitations. Proofread carefully, and then have someone else proof for you. Send out invites 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding day. Double-check your guarantee deadline with the caterer when choosing your RSVP date so responses will arrive in plenty of time to turn in nBridal your final count. Remember that RSVPs affect nBridesmaids the number of tables, linens, centerpieces, meals, nFormal Wear drinks, favors, and chairs, so keep track and be accurate. nAccessories nProm

& Party

nTuxedos

For the Special Occasions in your life London Square Mall • 201 Tilton Road • Northfield 609.646.9900 • www.tesibridal.com 20

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STORE HOURS Monday: 12pm - 7pm Tues-Fri: 11am - 7:30pm Saturday: 10am - 4pm Sunday: 10am - 4pm

n By this time, your stress level is probably pretty high, and you may be questioning why you ever said yes. Just remember that the reason for the marriage is not the wedding. The most wonderful guy picked you to spend his life with.

Don’t let the rest of this get in the way. Nothing can ruin your wedding unless you let it. Plan it out, but allow for things to go wrong or be

unexpected. It’s about the LOVE, not the wedding. n Think about including programs, place cards, menu cards, and favors. These touches can personalize your wedding and make it your own. Keep in mind they are optional though, and if they cause stress or strain the budget, you do not have to include them.

Specializing in unique arrangements for everyday delivery, weddings & special events.

n Decide if you are doing your own hair and make-up. If not, do a trial run to make sure you are comfortable with the stylist’s results. n On the day of, relax. No, really. Relax. Keep remembering it’s about the love. Look around.

See the flowers. Hear the music. Eat, dance and breathe. Enjoy your celebration.

Congratulations! It’s your wedding day.

Say Yes

to the Dress It is all about the dress on that special day and many brides-to-be have spent years leafing through bridal magazines to track down the perfect gown. In recent runway shows, one bridal trend receiving attention was the Portrait Back wedding dress. Sophisticated and versatile, these lace dresses mirror some of the vintage wedding dresses from years ago, but with a classicallymodern twist.

If you love the excitement of a backless gown, but don’t like the feeling of being so exposed, a dress with a keyhole back is ideal.

According to Tesi Miteva, owner of Tesi Bridal & Formal in Northfield, dresses with keyhole backs give the illusion of a backless dress, but are attached at the top, allowing the bride to maintain a sense of modesty. Tesi Bridal caters to brides — from contemporary to traditional — featuring an extensive selection of award-winning designs and exclusive collections covering the latest trends and styles.

Betina’s at P arkview

609-646-4119 www.betinasgarden.com

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LifeStyle Travel

By Dan Schlossberg

Night action at Champion Stadium, spring home of the Atlanta Braves, at Disney World

The

Grapefruit League

The Atlanta Braves work out the winter cobwebs at Champion Stadium on the campus of Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista

At spring training, getting up close and personal with your favorite baseball players is a cinch 22

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S

ome observers suggest spring begins with the sighting of the first robin or the return of the swallows to Capistrano. USA TODAY sportswriter Paul White disagrees. He says spring begins when the average outdoor temperature is greater than the number of days left before baseball training camps open. Others insist the first day of spring coincides with one line from the newspaper sports section: “Pitchers and catchers report.”

Only weeks after Super Bowl frenzy has subsided, baseball begins a long march that lasts through September, or longer for the lucky few teams that advance beyond the 162-game regular season. Pitchers, who need more time to get ready, and catchers, on the receiving end, report more than a week ahead of the full squad, with exhibition games between teams on the menu for March.

For New Jersey residents seeking to swap the snow of winter for the sun of spring in the south, the training period makes Florida the undisputed baseball capital of the world.

Half of the 30 teams train there: eight on the Gulf Coast (Blue Jays, Phillies, Yankees, Rays, Orioles, Pirates, Twins, Red Sox); four in the center (Braves, Astros, Tigers, and Nationals); and three along the I-95 corridor in the southeast part of the state (Marlins, Cardinals, Mets).

Baseball’s other half trains in Arizona, where the cacti outnumber the people. Although exhibition game results are simply tune-ups that don’t count, media reports refer to Florida games as “the Grapefruit League” and Arizona action as “the Cactus League.”

Fans itching to trade freezing temperatures for sneak previews of the baseball season don’t seem to mind. There’s a certain appeal to the half-work, half-play attitude of the athletes, who often pause to sign autographs and converse with fans. There’s even more of an appeal, at least from the male perspective, to the endless parade of well-oiled female fans in halter and bikini tops.

Compact, cozy ballparks, all with natural grass, breed a

Above, clockwise from top left: Statue of the late George Steinbrenner, whose tumultuous tenure as owner of the Yankees changed baseball, guards the entrance to Steinbrenner Stadium in Tampa; Roger Dean Stadium, spring home of the Cards and Marlins where there’s a game virtually every day; Easy-to-reach Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter is the only Florida spring training venue that hosts two teams, the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals; Although adversial in life, Reggie Jackson (44) and Billy Martin (1) stand together again outside Steinbrenner Stadium, where the Yankees train, in Tampa. Below, from top: PGA National Resort & Spa; Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota plays host to the Baltimore Orioles of the American League East.

casual, informal atmosphere that allows fans to reach out and touch their heroes at a fraction of the regular-season price. Like a wedding, spring training is the perfect place to find something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Old is new in Florida, where snowbirds are more likely to be human than aviary and ballparks may also be survivors of another age.

The Boston Braves established the first Florida spring training site in St. Petersburg in 1922. Al Lang Field, where several teams trained over the years, was a fan favorite for its soaring pelicans, harmonica-playing vendors, and white sails in the bay beyond the outfield fences.

McKechnie Field, the Bradenton base of the Pittsburgh Pirates, remains the granddaddy of spring training parks.

Originally opened in 1923, it was remodeled in 1993. But it still looks ancient, with the 6,562 seats virtually on top of the players and 17th Avenue West so close that foul balls are a health hazard for passing cars. Like the older Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, this stadium looks like it was squeezed into the neighborhood with a giant shoehorn.

When the Detroit Tigers started training in Lakeland in 1934, Hank Greenberg was their first baseman and Henley Field was their ballpark. Though Greenberg is long deceased, Henley still stands a mile away from the team’s current facility, Joker njlifestyleonline.com

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Marchant Stadium. It’s close enough to Lake Parker that players keep fishing poles in their lockers.

Looking for something new? Try teams and stars in new locations, new players hoping to win promotion from the minors, and even new names for existing parks (while the Braves still train at Disney’s Wide World of Sports, their field is now called Champion Stadium).

Even teams that won last year are willing to try something new. Managers juggle furiously during exhibition-game play, often playing regulars three innings before giving youngsters a chance to win the few open spots on the developing 25-man roster (teams often audition twice as many players during the spring).

For something borrowed, fans don’t have to look far: teams invite over-the-hill veterans hoping for one last shot, as well as untested youngsters drafted from other organizations. Draftees who don’t pass muster are offered back to the original clubs at half the original price, baseball’s version of Filene’s Basement.

As for something blue, consider the Florida sky dotted by

From top: The pool at PGA National Resort & Spa; A peaceful view of the sunset in Florida, during spring training season. Bottom right: Crowds gather outside Champion Stadium, spring home of the Atlanta Braves, at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

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puffy cumulus clouds, the primary color of team uniforms, or the shade on the face of a kid who’s just been told he’s going back to the minors. Dodger blue — reputed to be the color of Tommy Lasorda’s blood — was a Grapefruit League spectacle for 60 years before new ownership yanked the rug from rustic Vero Beach, ending a 60-year run for Dodgertown.

No matter where they are, sharp-eyed fans can spot greats of the past, including Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford of the Yankees, in the camps of their former clubs. The Atlanta Braves not only import two former stars per week as special instructors, but send them up to home plate to deliver the lineup cards to the umpires. The fans love it.

Because ballparks are small, it’s not easy to get tickets — especially for weekend games or those involving the Boston Red Sox or the two New York teams. The Sox occupy the newest park on the Grapefruit League circuit, the one-year-old jetBlue Stadium. It has almost as many bells and whistles as one of its sponsor’s cockpits.

For fans following their favorite franchise, keeping track of training locations sometimes requires training. Though only one team has changed its regular-season venue since 1972, the spring training configuration continues to pulsate like a dying quasar.

This spring, for example, the Houston Astros start their second half-century with new uniforms, new owners, and a new league affiliation. After years of playing with separate sizes and separate rules, the National and American League now have three five-team divisions for the first time — though debate over the designated hitter rule (used only by the AL) remains.

The New York Yankees spent years in Fort Lauderdale before moving to Tampa, home of the late owner George Steinbrenner.

A bronze statue in his honor guards the team’s 10,000-seat spring ballpark, renamed Steinbrenner Field in his honor.

The Miami Marlins, the only team to go north for spring training, once switched Florida sites with the Montreal Expos, who morphed into the Washington Nationals. The Fish now frolic in closer-to-home Jupiter while the Nats spend the spring in Viera.

The one-time Florida Marlins now identify with their host city, Miami, after moving into a new downtown ballpark last April. But their new digs did not dissuade them from maintaining a reputation for being more tight-fisted than Jack

Lif estyl e Tr a v e l Benny. They shed a half-dozen highpriced stars, plus their manager, after a disappointing 2012 campaign. This spring, they will do their best to live down to the old Casey Stengel adage, “You can’t tell the players without a scorecard.”

At least the Philadelphia Phillies, one of the 16 “original” major league teams, offer stability: they still train in Clearwater, sandwiched between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay, but not in old Jack Russell Stadium. In 2004, it gave way to a $22 million complex that strongly suggests a smaller version of Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. The lease will keep the Phils in Clearwater through 2024, giving them 77 straight seasons in the same community. Even Cal Ripken, Jr. couldn’t break that streak.

Families planning spring stays of a week or more will make maximum mileage on their money by renting a vacation home, especially in the Central Florida area around Disney World.

Contact All Star Vacation Homes, 7822 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee FL 34747, tel. 407-997-0733, www.allstarvacationhomes.com.

In South Florida, the PGA National Resort & Spa features five golf courses, nine restaurants and lounges, a European spa that embraces 40,000 square feet, a “Waters of the World” complex that embraces three outdoor mineral pools, plus proximity to Roger Dean Stadium.

Contact PGA National Resort, 400 Avenue of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418, tel. 855-809-5297, www.pgaresort.com.

Getting to the Grapefruit League from New Jersey takes less than three hours.

JetBlue, which combines first-class service with unrestricted fares, flies from Newark Liberty to Orlando, Palm Beach International, Fort Lauderdale, and other Florida hotspots. See www.jetblue.com or call 1-800-JET-BLUE for details.

A word of advice: baseball fans should plan early. They will be competing for airline seats with college kids on spring break.

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LIFESTYLE | Winter 2013

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Making Waves Story by Sal Emma Photos by Frank Weiss & Bill Horin/ArtC

The Noyes Museum of Art of Richard Stockton College is taking the show on the road.

For several years, the Noyes has been steadily expanding its footprint. And at the center of that expansion is Michael Cagno, the museum’s executive director since 2007.

The museum headquarters in Oceanville, N.J., makes a striking and unexpected impression. It is hard to imagine a more picturesque backdrop for visual arts exhibition. On the shore of a tranquil lake, surrounded by quiet woods of the Edwin Forsythe Wildlife Refuge, it is 15 minutes north of Atlantic City — but truly a world away.

But its out-of-the-way location is both a great asset and a terrific challenge.

The number of people willing take the initiative to visit headquarters is generally static, year to year. So Cagno and his staff of 11 are bringing the fine art experience to scores who may never set foot in Oceanville. At Richard Stockton College, Seaview Country Club, in area hospitals, at the Atlantic City Airport and in its Hammonton gallery — the Noyes has never before been in front of so many people in so many places.

Soon, the Noyes will add Atlantic City to the list. Cagno, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and Richard 26

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With Mike Cagno and the Noyes Museum of Art of Richard Stockton College on board, the tide may be turning for the Atlantic City Arts District.

LIFESTYLEART

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“We are looking at gallery and studio space, where artists can practice their craft and connect with the marketplace, a museum shop, a Noyes Museum gallery, an emerging artists gallery and additional arts-related retail.”

— Michael Cagno, executive director The Wave arts retail space

Stockton’s Alex Marino are creating a brand new art space in a newly built CRDA building at Fairmount and Mississippi Avenues. Dubbed “The Wave,” the project started life with a utilitarian purpose: a parking garage. As it evolved, planners designed it as a mixed-use building with retail space at street level. And that space will be dedicated to the arts.

“We are looking at gallery and studio space, where artists can practice their craft and connect with the marketplace, a museum shop, a Noyes Museum gallery, an emerging artists gallery and additional arts-related retail,” Cagno explains.

It is the newest addition to Atlantic City’s fledgling Arts District, which also includes Richard Stockton’s Carnegie Library and Dante Hall theater. Targeted to open in August of 2013, Cagno sees The Wave as an arts incubator in the heart of the city.

Change comes slowly to southern New Jersey. But Cagno cites The Wave as a perfect example of how attitudes about the arts have evolved. “What hasn’t changed is the aesthetic, the quality of art being produced by local artists. What has changed is the way government and business leaders are beginning to understand how the arts can drive economic development,” he says.

Examples abound, around the world. With Atlantic City, Cagno easily lists a half dozen regional communities that have designed policy that embraces the arts: Millville, Hammonton, 28

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Collingswood, Mt. Holly, Haddonfield. For South Jersey, it is a fairly new phenomenon. “That’s happened mostly in the last 10 years. The arts have become a spoke in the wheel,” he says.

And that gives the arts a seat at the table.

The museum’s partnership with Richard Stockton College of New Jersey is another clear indication of how significant organizations are expanding their arts presence. “You could say we dated for years. We have always had a relationship, providing internship opportunities for students, partnering with arts faculty. Now, the relationship is more formal, with targets and specific objectives. In another 24 months or so the marriage will be complete and we’ll be a 100 percent part of the College.”

Momentum for the arts is building, throughout the community. And — more often than not — Cagno is involved.

Some projects are wholly under the Noyes umbrella, including the Noyes Gallery at Hammonton and a wide array of educational programs for both adults and children.

Others are collaborations. A recent example was lending his expertise to ArtC’s initiative to expand holdings of art by local artists at Shore Medical Center. ArtC is a local organization promoting southern New Jersey artists. Cagno has been involved in similar initiatives with AtlantiCare. He describes the hospital work as win-win. “It creates new opportunities for the artists and it helps to create a holistic, healthy

Lif estyl e A r ts

Michael Cagno is executive director of the Noyes Museum of Art of Richard Stockton College and a member of the advisory board of ArtC, an organization dedicated to promoting the arts in southern New Jersey. www.artcnow.com

environment for patients, families and caregivers.”

And it’s precisely the kind of program that can help diversify the revenue stream and safeguard museum programs for future generations.

“Funding for arts organizations has always been a rocky landscape. And grant funding is down. Government funding is down. Sponsorships are down. And there are more organizations than ever before, competing for the same pot of money,” he says. So museum people like Cagno are always looking for novel ways to meet financial goals. “We’re not-forprofit, but we have to operate like a business. That’s what keeps the doors open.”

Cagno uses the word balance a lot. In exhibition and collections, in outreach projects and in financial diversity — balance drives success in the museum world.

If museums were driven solely by profit, the integrity of their mission enriching their communities might easily be lost. Art that challenges, provokes and makes a statement is not always the most profitable. And Cagno has a clear vision how the arts can make a statement in his community.

Finding Home is a recent example, shining a spotlight on homelessness. The exhibition combined the work of painter Seth Camm and filmmaker Frank Weiss. Camm has spent a career putting the faces of the homeless on canvas in cities across America. He spent some time in Atlantic City late last year. The Noyes displayed the paintings through January, along with excerpts of the film. Weiss documented Camm’s process, a unique combination of art and oral history. The Noyes will also host the film’s premiere.

The challenge is creating synergy. Again, it’s about balance. Not every museum program is self-supporting. But financial success derives from a healthy mix, with projects that generate income.

Cagno sees himself as a coalition builder, “connecting dots,” as he puts it — working with artists, galleries, governments, academia and other organizations to expand access to the arts. In addition to ArtC, the Noyes partners with organizations like Hammonton Main Street, music and dance studios and area art leagues. Cagno says the grassroots organizations make an important piece of the puzzle. “They keep us Cagno was the keynote speaker at a recent session at Atlantic City’s honest. They are driven by passion. They can help large arts Dante Hall to announce the plans for the proposed Arts district organizations maintain that passion. They can help us keep from getting complacent,” he says.

Artists and art supporters Fred and Ethel Noyes founded the museum that bears their name as a place where southern New Jersey artists could display their work. Today’s Noyes is far bigger and busier that what they envisioned.

Cagno never had a chance to meet them — Ethel died in 1979, Fred in 1987 — but he says their spirit is very much a part of the museum.

He keeps a Fred Noyes painting in his office, where he can see it every day. “I think if they could see what we’re doing they’d be very pleased. It all goes back to why the place was established, with a mission to create community access to art. We’re expanding that mission.”

Cagno says one question sums up his motivation: “If the Noyes closed today would anybody care? We keep working to ensure that they would. That’s what governs my day,” Cagno at the Noyes Museum with Saskia Schmidt, director of education reveals Cagno. njlifestyleonline.com

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Have a Heart

HEALTHWATCH

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When it comes to cardiovascular health, be proactive, not reactive

By ROBIN STOLOFF

In Honor of Valentine’s Day, we are sharing this letter…

To My Lifelong Partner, I have been with you from the very beginning and I will be with you until the very end. I work harder than you realize each and every day and give you everything you need. But I cannot do this alone. I am part of you and you are part of me. So I don’t understand why you treat me so poorly. You abuse me time and again. I am not sure how long I can continue to put up with your smoking, drinking, overeating, and inactivity. Although I am weakened, I keep coming back for more.

In the end, it will not work out for either one of us. I just want you to respect my needs and make an effort. Little changes will mean a lot, and in no time you will see how much better we are together. So I ask you, please, before it is too late, take care of me the way I take care of you.

Always and Forever, Your Loving Heart

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I

f your heart could send you a letter, what would it say?

If it is anything close to this letter, it might be time to make some changes to improve the health of your heart.

Our heart beats about 72 times per minute, over 100,000 times per day, and about two and half billion times in an average 66 year lifespan. It pumps 1,900 gallons of blood per day carrying blood with vital materials to help our body function, nourish our cells, and remove waste. It is a remarkable organ, vital to everything we do, and when it is weakened or damaged, it can have serious consequences. Risk factors are conditions or habits that make you more likely to develop a disease. Here are the major factors for heart disease: • High blood pressure • High blood cholesterol (high LDL and low HDL cholesterol) • Diabetes • Smoking • Being overweight • Being physically inactive • Having a family history of early heart disease • Age (postmenopausal for women and over 45 for men) Some risk factors, such as age and family history of early heart disease, can’t be changed. If your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mother or sister had one before age 65, you are more likely to get heart disease yourself.

The good news is that you have the power to control most risk factors for heart disease. In some cases, that is easier said than done. An unhealthy habit gives you immediate gratification but, in the long run, you pay. A healthy habit might mean giving up something for the short term, but in the long run, you get so much more.

Once you have decided you are ready to make a change, set your goals and make a plan. Then, break down your plan into realistic smaller steps. For example, if you need to lose 25 pounds, start with a goal of five pounds and decide what small changes you will make each week. You could start with walking three times a week and cutting down on desert. The following week, you might walk 30 minutes, four times a week and add vegetables to your diet. It’s also important to get the support of a friend, family member or seek professional help.

If you are trying to quit smoking, you could seek individual counseling or join a support group. Changing a habit is not easy and takes anywhere from 30 to 90 days. There are many resources available to help make healthy changes and set goals. You can find the information. The toughest part is finding the motivation.

In addition to knowing what you want to do, you need to 32

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know why you want to do it. One of the most important changes we can make is to get moving, according to Dr. Howard Levite, president of Central and Southern American Heart and Stroke Association and medical director of The Heart Institute and Cardiac Labs at AtlantiCare.

“What I like to suggest to people is to get a good pair of sneakers, because every single one of the risk factors other than genes you inherit from your parents is modifiable by physical activity,” said Levite. “It is literally the cheapest thing you can do and you can do it with somebody else. Prevention is absolutely the best medicine.”

Exercise or other physical activity can help us lose weight, lower cholesterol, and reduce high blood pressure. In addition, it can make people decrease stress and feel better mentally, which can make it easier to quit smoking. Of course another important aspect of prevention, Dr. Levite suggests, is getting recommended screenings, annual health check-ups and taking appropriate medication prescribed by your physician.

Stress can also increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, according to Dr. Levite.

“Based on what has been learned with Hurricane Katrina and in light of what has happened with Hurricane Sandy, the kind of stress people experience (with these types of traumas) can have a major impact on heart health.” Fortunately, there will be programs coming to our area, with assistance from the American Heart Association, to help our people cope with the stress of this devastating natural disaster.

While there are many options for us to decrease our risk of heart disease, there is also another aspect of heart disease — what if a heart attack actually happens?

Signs and symptoms of a heart attack include discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm, or below the breastbone, discomfort in the back, jaw, or arm, fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn), sweating, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness, extreme weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath, rapid or irregular heartbeats. Not everyone having a heart attack has typical symptoms, but the more you have the more likely you are having a heart attack. Symptoms can develop suddenly, but they can also develop over a period of days or even weeks.

The sooner you get help, the less damage there will be to your heart.

It is important for all of us to know how to use an Automated External Defibrillator or AED and the new Hands Only CPR. These are to be used for people who are not breathing and unresponsive. The first step before doing anything else is to call 9-1-1. An AED is a computerized

Health Watch

medical device that can check a person’s heart rhythm and deliver a shock to get the heart started again. AED’s are available in many public places and use voice prompts, lights, and text messages to tell the rescuer the steps to take.

To perform Hands Only CPR, lie the victim on his back, put the heal of one hand in the center of the chest and the other hand over the first hand. With straight arms, pump hard and fast (about 100 times per minute) in the center of the chest until help arrives. Dr. Levite says that Hands Only CPR has already improved response rates from rescuers and is proving to be just as effective as traditional CPR. In some of our neighboring communities, towns have earned the distinction as “Heart Safe” which means, based on population, there are a certain amount of AEDs available and a certain percentage of people trained in CPR. “The American Heart Association is working with the Department of Health to get this designation for our local towns,” revealed Levite. “It improves our community and shows that we are taking responsibility for our health in South Jersey.”

Finally, Dr. Levite advises, “In partnership with your physician, we are all must take ownership of our health. It is almost part of our culture to react after a situation and many times it is too late, but if we are lucky we get another chance.

Why wait? Be proactive, not reactive when it comes to our cardiovascular health.”

To see our demonstration on both hands-free CPR and AEDs with AtlantiCare, you can watch Health Update segments at “reach out to robin” on Facebook, at nbc40.net — features and health or at njlifestyleonline.com.

Robin Stoloff has been the Health Reporter for NBC 40 since 1986. Her award-winning series, “Health Update”, is the longest-running health feature in New Jersey. To see her health features or let her know what health topics interest you, join her on Facebook/reachouttorobin or log onto nbc40,net, click “features” and “health”. A fitness instructor and health advocate, Robin produced her own workout video on the beaches of Atlantic City. Her personal and professional mission is to “empower others with health information and encourage them to take positive actions towards healthier, longer and more fulfilled lives.”

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LIFESTYLELEGENDS

Statue of Marilyn Monroe in Palm Springs, CA 34

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Candles in the Wind

By CHRISTINE MATTICE

Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, and Borderline Personality Disorder

A

t Princess Diana’s funeral service, Elton John sang Candle in the Wind, a song originally written about Marilyn Monroe. Though most of the words were changed to more closely reflect Diana’s life, the first two lines of the chorus remained the same: And it seems to me you lived your life Like a candle in the wind...

Those haunting words, “candle in the wind” not only describes the behaviors of the troubled movie star and the equally troubled princess, but they describe the behavior of a condition that some experts believe they both shared — borderline personality disorder.

BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER Borderline personality disorder — the borderline between psychosis and neurosis — affects an estimated 2% of adults, “mostly women,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). It is characterized by an inability to control emotions, a confusion of identity, and a notable instability in interpersonal relationships. njlifestyleonline.com

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Lif estyl e Le g en d s

Through the years, many people have tried to diagnose the psychological conditions of Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana, both during their lives and after their deaths.

These symptoms, taken directly from the Mayo Clinic’s web site, are the classic behaviors of those with borderline personality disorder: n Impulsive and risky behavior, such as risky driving, unsafe sex, gambling sprees, or taking illicit drugs. n Strong emotions that wax and wane frequently. n Intense but short episodes of anxiety or depression. n Inappropriate anger, sometimes escalating into physical confrontations. n Difficulty controlling emotions or impulses. n Suicidal behavior. n Fear of being alone.

In short, they behave as “candles in the wind,” says Dr. Richard A Moskovitz, M.D. In his book, Lost in the Mirror, Dr. Moskovitz explains, “if you are a borderline, you may experience your life as fragile and flickering, lacking in substance and permanence. You may, at times, burn brightly and intensely with emotion and, at other times, feel empty and bored. You may dart wildly about, following your impulses in a frantic effort to soothe the pain inside and create a shred of identity.”

Many of these impulses involve romance, as women with borderline personality disorder typically look to men for their identities. But these romances, and marriages, often crumble when their men cannot “save them” from their pain. Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana were prime examples of these types of emotional dependency behaviors.

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MARILYN AND DIANA Through the years, many people have tried to diagnose the psychological conditions of Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana, both during their lives and after their deaths. One of these diagnoses — borderline personality disorder — seems to be the most popular in psychiatric circles. Though experts must be careful in ascribing mental illnesses to people they have never treated (or even met), the evidence that both of these women — to some degree, at least — suffered from borderline personality disorder is compelling.

By all accounts, Marilyn Monroe was, indeed, a “candle in the wind.” One such account, Anthony Summers’ book, Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe detailed the glamorous sex symbol’s tumultuous, and selfdestructive, life: n Her struggles, and inability, to find an identity all her own. n Her sexual promiscuity, shattered relationships, and broken marriages. n Her erratic mood swings and temper fits. n Her depressions and insomnia. n Her drug and alcohol abuse, suicide attempts, and death by suicide.

Although Summers’ subtitled his book, The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe, most of these behaviors were not secret during her lifetime. Quite the contrary — the entire world was Marilyn’s stage and she never missed an emotional curtain call. Indeed, her inability to control her emotions — a key factor in borderline personality disorder — along with her specific BPD

traits, made it easy then, as it is now, to diagnose her with this condition.

Princess Diana’s public behavior, by contrast, had, for many years, only hinted at a psychological condition, with the only visible signs being her shocking thinness and an antipathy towards her husband. That all changed with the publication of Andrew Morton’s book, Diana: Her True Story. In this book, Morton laid bare Diana’s tortured life, and mental state throughout her years as the princess: n Her struggles to find acceptance, and her identity within the royal family. n Her erratic moods and her equally erratic friendships. n Her bulimia. n Her sexual promiscuity.

But perhaps the most shocking revelation in the book — and the one most indicative of borderline personality disorder — is that Diana had engaged in self-mutilation behaviors. “Selfmutilation,” writes Dr. Moskovitz, “is virtually a trademark of BPD, although it sometimes occurs in other conditions.”

When her emotional pain became too much to bear, Diana cut her arms and her legs. In her 1995 interview with the BBC, Diana explained that the reason that she had injured herself was that, “you have so much pain inside yourself that you try to hurt yourself on the outside because you want help, but it’s the wrong help you’re asking for. People see it as crying wolf or attention seeking, but I was actually crying out because I wanted to get better in order to go forward and continue my duty and role as wife, mother, Princess of Wales.”

But neither the self-mutilation or bulimia of Diana, or the alcohol or drug abuse of Marilyn, or the romances of both women, were able to quell their pain for long. It is even doubtful whether anything, including psychiatry, could have helped them. Borderline personality disorder remains a very difficult psychiatric condition to treat. The National Institute of Mental Health says that psychotherapy has been “partially effective” in treating BPD, as have some psychiatric drugs, but that these drugs are only useful in treating target symptoms.

They do nothing to treat the underlying causes of borderline personality disorder.

But, if Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana were mentally ill, how were they able to achieve such astounding successes?

The beautiful Marilyn Monroe did not become a star on looks alone. She took acting lessons, did some modeling, and fought for good acting roles. She worked hard for her success, beating huge odds to become not only a star, but a superstar.

Princess Diana beat even bigger odds to marry the future King of England, a man that many women had tried, and failed, to wed. Then she battled for love and acceptance within a system that was totally unsympathetic to her emotional problems, found a tentative identity in her charitable pursuits, obtained a divorce … all the while being relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi.

How could they accomplish all this with such a distressing mental illness?

New York City Voices: A Consumer Journal for Mental Health Advocacy, offers a possible answer. People with BPD, they write on their web site, are “generally high functioning. It is not unusual for a person with BPD to graduate from college or become a doctor or lawyer.” Further, “despite their extreme sensitivity and the severe emotional pain they live with, people with BPD seem to others to manifest irritating behavior rather than signs or symptoms associated with other mental illnesses.”

There is little doubt that Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana did have a mental illness. But despite their apparent BPD — maybe even because of it — they built legacies that will never die. Elton John was right, about both women, when he sang: Their candles burned out long before Their legends ever will.

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New Jersey Lifestyle Magazine. Advertising that works.

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LIVING HEALTHY with Nina Radcliff, MD

Flu Mania Every flu season, hundreds of thousands, and possibly over a million, New Jerseyans get sick. The flu causes children to miss school, employees to call out sick, and emergency rooms to become overwhelmed with complications that require hospitalization, and even tragedy from death. Understanding what causes the flu and what we can do to prevent and treat it may decrease its occurrence and complications.

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about the flu.

What exactly is the flu?

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza virus and lasts approximately 1-2 weeks. Similar to the cold, people with the flu often have a runny nose, cough, and sore throat.

Unlike the cold, the flu also affects the entire body: • A fever of 100o F or higher • Headaches • Body aches • Chills • Fatigue • Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (more common in children)

What are common complications from the flu?

Children, pregnant women, the elderly (greater than 65 years of age), and those with chronic health conditions (heart disease, emphysema, asthma, diabetes) are at a higher risk for developing a complication. Common complications include pneumonia, dehydration, or ear and sinus infections.

People with chronic health conditions can experience worsening of their disease. For example, a patient with a history of heart disease may develop angina (chest pain), a patient with asthma may start wheezing, a patient with emphysema may experience shortness of breath, or a patient with diabetes may develop very high blood sugars.

How many people does the flu affect each season?

Between 15 million to 60 million Americans. The flu also causes approximately 200,000 hospitalizations, and 35,000 deaths every season.

What are myths about the vaccine?

• “I can get sick from the vaccine.” It is impossible to get sick from the flu shot because it is formulated from inactivated/dead virus.

• “I didn’t get the flu last year.” This means you were lucky, not a superhero with special powers.

• “I don’t have time.” Face it, you don’t have time to get sick for 1-2 weeks, take off from work, be hospitalized, or die. It takes less than 15 seconds to perform.

• “It costs too much.” The majority of recipients have no out-of-pocket costs. If you do pay for it, it is typically less than $30 and MUCH cheaper than a doctor’s office or emergency room visit.

How is it treated?

Antibiotics, like penicillin, fight bacteria and are not effective against the flu. Antivirals, however, are effective and “attack” the flu virus after you are sick. There are two approved drugs, Tamiflu® and Relenza®, that your doctor may prescribe to reduce symptoms, the duration of illness, and serious complications of the flu. These medications work best when started early.

There are a number of medications available to treat flu symptoms. Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) can be used to decrease fevers. NSAIDS (ibuprofen, aspirin) can be taken to decrease headaches and body aches. Decongestants and antihistamines can aid with a runny or congested nose as well as post-nasal drip.

Cough drops or lozenges can soothe a sore throat.

It is very important to drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration may occur because of fever, lack of appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Stay home, rest, and recover!

How long am I contagious?

It can start as early as October. Depending on a number of factors, the flu usually peaks in January or February, and can last as late as May.

Experts state that it is possible to infect others one day before symptoms develop and 5-7 days after symptoms appear. Children and those with weakened immune systems maybe contagious for longer periods.

What can I do to prevent it?

When should I seek emergency medical attention?

When is flu season?

The flu vaccination is the best method of prevention. Although it is not 100% effective, it works on 60-70% of people who get it. It is recommended for everyone over 6 months of age. It is especially recommended for those who are at high risk for complications.

Stay away from people who are coughing and sneezing. The flu virus is most commonly spread via aerosolized droplets that can travel up to 6 feet. The virus can also survive on surfaces or objects and infect a person if they touch their mouth or nose. During the flu season, wash your hands frequently, don’t touch your mouth, nose, or eyes, and wipe down surfaces and objects that may be infected.

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Most healthy people can recover at home without seeing a physician or being hospitalized. However, you should call your doctor or seek immediate medical care if you develop the following symptoms: • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath • Chest pain may be pneumonia, wheezing, or heart disease • Severe or persistent vomiting can cause dehydration and can lead to symptoms such as dizziness or confusion • Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and a more severe cough • If you are unsure!

LIFESTYLE

MONEYWATCH

By Matt and Tom Reynolds

2012: The Year in Review

Stocks shrug off concerns and climb wall of worry in 2012 to double-digit gains 1) Europe — The year 2012 began much as the year 2011 ended, with much of the news revolving around the fiscal crisis in Europe. Would Greece default and leave the Eurozone? Would the Eurozone break up or kick some of the smaller financially weaker nations out? It seemed again that Europe might drag the rest of the developed world back into the recession it had just left several years before. That is, until the European Central Bank’s (ECB) President Mario Draghi announced in August that the ECB would use the roughly $500 billion Euros ($620 billion dollars) of the ECB’s lending capacity to purchase bonds of struggling countries in an attempt to keep yields from rising sharply on these cash strapped countries. It was a brilliant move for two reasons.

First, the ECB did not have enough money to bail out all of the countries in need, but by preventing escalating borrowing costs for these countries, he bought them the much-needed time to get their fiscal houses in order. Secondly, it restored confidence in Europe, at least for the time being. In financial markets, as we saw in 2008, confidence, or lack of confidence, can mean life or death.

2) Obamacare Upheld by Supreme Court — In June, the Supreme Court of the U.S. voted 5-4 to uphold the constitutionality of the President’s Healthcare Plan. Although many of the provisions and costs of this legislation have yet to be felt, it is here to stay unless Congress repeals, which is extremely unlikely at present.

3) U.S. Fiscal Crisis, Deficit Debates and the Fiscal Cliff — In 2012, the United States finished its fourth consecutive year of more than $1 trillion dollars of budget deficit. Once again, Congress kicked the can down the road and did not address our budget deficits and, in the last hours of 2012, passed legislation to extend the Bush-era tax cuts for those families making less than $450,000 per year. The President and the Senate got their much sought after tax increase on the top 2%.

Unfortunately, it still doesn’t scratch our deficits. We will see in the coming months if they actually can address the spending side of the budget equation.

4) Hurricane Sandy — The devastating superstorm that caused the deaths of more than 100 people, left tens of thousands of people

homeless, and has a price tag of more than $70 billion in damage.

It is amazing that even with all of the negative headlines we experienced in 2012, that you had an above average year for investing.

All major stock indices, including Developed and Emerging International Markets, finished with strong double-digit gains. Here in the U.S., the S&P 500 was up 13%. Our markets didn’t ignore the bad news, rather they focused on some of the positive news that we saw in 2012: 1) The first real signs of a sustainable recovery in U.S. Housing Market.

2) China stabilizing their growth rate after a few years of decline in that growth.

3) Unemployment rate declined or remained steady in all but two months, moving from 8.5% at the beginning of the year to 7.8% by the end of the year.

4) Economy showed signs that we could get back to normal growth rate. The third quarter of 2012 saw the second best quarterly GDP growth (3.1%) since 2009.

5) Continued resurgence in U.S. manufacturing led by low cost of energy, particularly natural gas.

One of the lessons we believe investors should take away from 2012 is not to sit on the sidelines and avoid equities because of headline risk. All year long, bearish analysts were calling for a double-digit pullback due to all of the headline risks. That pullback never happened. Review your portfolio and be comfortable with the asset allocation and associated risk that you and your advisor have adopted for your portfolio and ignore the noise.

Matt & Tom Reynolds Co-Managing Partners — CRA Financial This article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as the basis for an investment decision. Consult your financial adviser, as well as your tax and/or legal advisers, regarding your personal circumstances before making investment decisions.

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Lifestyle On Wheels

By BILL HENRY

2013 Sorento

The Kia Sorento compact crossover utility vehicle (CUV), which is built at Kia Motors’ U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, enters its third model year supported by an impressive list of accolades and sales milestones. Since its launch, Sorento has offered discerning consumers a refined and value-minded CUV with class-leading power and fuel efficiency, while delivering a full roster of standard comfort and convenience features and an impressive array of safety equipment. For 2013, Sorento’s utility and functionality are boosted further by adjusting content to suit consumer needs more than ever before.

Among the enhancements, the 2013 model year brings newly standard leather seating for the mid-level EX trim and a newly standard third-row seat for the LX V6 trim. In addition, the base LX trim now offers the optional UVO powered by Microsoft®2 voice-activated infotainment system based on the Windows®4 Embedded Automotive platform. A First Aid Kit for family-minded consumers is also added to all EX/SX Premium option packages.

Sorento employs a unibody design with the ability to comfortably seat up to seven passengers, and represents a modern CUV that is just the right size for today’s consumer.

Prominently displaying the signature grille and wraparound headlamps exhibited on all newer Kia models, Sorento offers an aggressive stance and sleek profile.

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The Sorento provides a feeling of spaciousness with both five- and seven-passenger seating configurations, making the Sorento more versatile than most of its compact CUV competitors. With 142.5 cubic feet of interior volume when equipped with five seats or 149.4 cubic feet with seven, Sorento is spacious with generous head and legroom for optimal comfort. In the five-passenger configuration, the CUV offers 37 cubic feet of cargo space to accommodate both passenger and cargo needs for cruising around town as easily as weekends camping in the mountains.

The 2013 Sorento offers three engines — an advanced 2.4-liter GDI four-cylinder engine providing class-leading 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque and a class-leading fuel efficiency rating of 32 mpg/highway3; a 3.5-liter V6 providing class-leading 276 horsepower2 and 248 poundfeet of torque; and the affordable 2.4-liter Multi-Port Injected (MPI) four-cylinder engine producing 175 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque. All engines are coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with SportmaticTM shifting control.

This advanced six-speed automatic transmission is a proprietary design that was developed, engineered, and built specifically for Kia vehicles.

MSRP starting at $23,150 As Tested: $33,400 www.kia.com

2014

Grand Cherokee SRT

A powerful performer cloaked in luxurious and muscular skin Jeep® Grand Cherokee SRT owners have come to expect — and appreciate — a vehicle that is powerful and refined, luxurious and functional, muscular and stylish.

For 2014, Grand Cherokee SRT checks all of those boxes — while also delivering unexpected delights.

Enhancements for the 2014 model year include an allnew, fully electronic eight-speed automatic transmission that delivers improved fuel economy, significantly improved towing capacity, hardware and software evisions that further heighten Grand Cherokee SRT’s fun-to-drive factor during a daily commute or for more spirited driving on the race track.

Outside, the new 2014 Grand Cherokee SRT sports styling that is even more aggressive than the previous model. Design enhancements for 2014 include a new signature LED character lamp treatment, a brawnier grille, a new, one-touch liftgate, and a new rear spoiler.

Inside, Grand Cherokee SRT customers are treated to a new 8.4-inch touchscreen that displays a wealth of SRTexclusive Performance Pages data. A new launch control button is situated behind the new T-handle shifter on the center console, and a redesigned SRT-exclusive threespoke, heated steering wheel with more ergonomically efficient paddle shifters, features a host of comfort, convenience, and connectivity controls.

With outstanding ride, handling, and capabitily, the Grand Cherokee SRT rides on a short- and long-arm (SLA)

independent front suspension with coil springs, Bilstein adaptive damping suspension (ADS), upper- and lowercontrol arms (“A” arms), and a stabilizer bar.

The rear suspension is a multi-link design with coil spring, Bilstein ADS, aluminum lower control arm, independent upper links (tension and camber), plus a separate toe link, and a stabilizer bar.

Software improvements to the retuned Selec-Track system further distinguish the five dynamic modes: Auto, Sport, Tow, Track, and Snow, enabling drivers to choose a vehicle setting that more ideally meets their requirements and ambient conditions. Drivers will find the torque split change in Track Mode provides a vehicle that is more responsive from mid-corner to exit and one that delivers faster lap times at their favorite track. www.drivesrt.com

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LIFELINES

Up, Up, and Away

By MOLLY GOLUBCOW

As the frigid weather settles in, local heatseeking snowbirds fly south, west, and beyond 42

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S

ummer fun in the sun is over. And as usual, Old Man Winter returns to his winter rental overlooking the boardwalk so he can enjoy several months of empty beaches and long, dark nights. Some folks in the Atlantic City area find this a bit depressing. They are envious as overhead thousands of birds fly away to warmer climates for the winter season. Others decide enough is enough, and follow the pattern of their feathery friends by choosing to migrate as well. So, when the weather outside gets frightful, where do locals get away to feel warm and delightful? Depending on their

Venice Beach in Florida

interests and options, Atlantic City “snowbirds” are flying, driving, and boating away to places like Florida, the Southwest, and even Morocco.

The Snowbird Species

By definition, snowbirds are people who originate from the northern U.S. but spend a large portion of winter in warmer locales. The reasons why people decide to migrate vary. An obvious reason is a preference for warmer weather to be more active and participate in outdoor activities and sports. However, some actually need the warm and sunny climates for healthrelated reasons, like heart conditions and arthritis. Other snowbirds escape the winter darkness because of psychological issues like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and generic malaise.

Snowbirds usually fall into two categories: 55+ retirees and summer seasonal business owners. Some snowbirds literally move their homes with them using campers and boats. Other snowbirds own second homes in their winter locations. Many initially test the waters (literally and figuratively) by just renting to see if they want to make that location a more permanent winter destination.

Beautiful scenic road in New Mexico

Sunshine State of Mind

According to the VISIT FLORIDA research group, over 23 million people visited Florida between the months of January through March in 2011. Of that 23 million, 4.5% were from New Jersey.

One such local snowbird, Kent Daly, has been making this winter trek to Florida for the last 11 years. As the owner of the Shady River Marina in Mays Landing, Daly works seven days a week April to

October to make sure other folks have their boats, jets skis, and other water toys ready for action. With a grin on his face Daly explains, “I work all summer long and can’t play, but when winter comes around, it’s my turn!”

Because of his love for boating, Daly’s primary criteria for a winter getaway

had to include a place near water. He and his wife, Carol, found an adult community in Fort Meyer’s Beach, on Florida’s west coast near the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Daly spends three or so months being active and playing outdoors — boating, biking, and other outdoor activities like njlifestyleonline.com

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Essaouira

competitive beach volleyball.

After heading south for so many years, Daly has made great friends with other snowbirds who escape the cold to enjoy the nice weather and outdoor sports. “I am lucky to have a seasonal business that allows me to spend winters in Florida. It’s a great thing that I don’t have to feel locked up for the entire winter in New Jersey.”

Go South and then West

Although many snowbirds fly south to Florida, there are others who veer left to spend the winter in the Southwest.

According to numerous travel web sites, some of the top places to winter in the Southwest include Arizona and New Mexico.

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day at the beach. But, when fall arrives, she is off to her winter home in Grants, New Mexico — a quiet and beautiful piece of the country near Albuquerque that boasts of 300 plus days of sunshine and little to no humidity.

New Mexico initially attracted Fleischer because of its “exquisite landscapes and wonderful mix of cultures.” According to Fleischer, “The mountains, mesas, and high altitude deserts speak to me in a similar way that the ocean, beach, and sky do when I am in Ventnor, with cobalt blue, turquoise, coral, and fuchsia at sunset, and stunning cloud formations.”

Fleischer loves the Southwest because it allows her to sunbathe, go for long walks, and enjoy sunsets just as she does during the summer season in New Jersey. Being able to extend her “summer” pleasures into the winter

months is a godsend said Fleisher, and she feels so fortunate to have two beautiful places to live and play in.

International Flight Plans

For some snowbirds, winter beckons them to fly far away across the globe — Bali, Costa Rica, Antigua, just to mention a few. Every winter, Margate residents Ron Bauer and Marla Pino make the 3,800 mile trek to Essaouira, Morocco — an artsy, laid-back, and colorful seaport with beautiful beaches surrounded by ancient sea walls and the exotic flavors of a North African city.

During the summer season, the couple — who met and fell in love on the Margate beach — own TJs Ice Cream shop in Ocean City where Marla has been making some of the best ice cream in our area for the last 14 years. When time permits, they can be seen surfing in

Life Lines Margate. But when winter comes, off they go to Morocco.

Why Morocco? Bauer, who summered on Margate beaches most of his life, met the late Christopher Gilmore, local writer, surfer, and world traveler extraordinaire, on the beach in Margate and the two became fast friends. Both men shared a love for water, surfing, and beach life.

Gilmore introduced Bauer to Essaouira in 2000 and he has been wintering there ever since.

According to Bauer, “Chris had been going to Essaouira since the late 1960s and introduced me to musicians, surfers, merchants, government officials, you name it.” Bauer fell in love with the people and the culture because it was like “living in the 1800s … people still wandering around in robes and turbans.

There are merchants on every corner selling jewelry, carpets, vegetables, spices, chickens, clothes, and more.”

Bauer and Pino (also an avid surfer) spend their winters doing what they love doing back in New Jersey, biking and surfing. Morocco boasts winter temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees, and the water never goes below 60 degrees, just right for outdoor fun. They also love the lifestyle that Essaouira offers.

“It’s not unusual to pass a camel train while walking down the beach to surf,” revealed Bauer. “Every evening, we watch the sunset on the Atlantic from Essaouira’s fortified ramparts standing atop 18th century cannons.”

Although Bauer and Pino adore their winter digs, they still miss family and friends far away on Absecon Island. And, on occasion, get a craving for Atlantic City food staples like cheesesteak subs and bagels!

To Everything There is a Season

When winter comes around, you can decide to stick it out and persevere with Old Man Winter, or you can take a hint from Mother Nature and fly off to warmer climates nationally or internationally — just like the birds do. Want to be a snowbird? Better start researching now and set your flight plans. A warmer part of the world beckons you to visit, and maybe even stay awhile.

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Setting Sail From the famed Rockettes to celebrity chefs and top-notch entertainers, cruise lines are offering spectacular perks and modern delights to mingle with the endless ocean breezes

By ALYSON BOXMAN LEVINE

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LIFESTYLE GETAWAYS

each

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Club

The Rocke

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Norwegian Breakaway njlifestyleonline.com

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Bliss Ultra Lounge

The Haven Deluxe Owners Suite Sports Complex

The Haven Courtyard

I

n this lengthy economic downturn, it is refreshing to hear that an industry is on the upswing, creating revenue and employment. In 2012, cruise passenger traffic was up by 9.4% over 2011 and reached 608,786 passengers, according to the National Statistics Office.

According to a Cruise Lines International Association study released in August 2012, the cruise industry performed remarkably well in this challenging economic climate. The report indicated that the spending of the cruise lines and their crew and passengers was responsible for the generation of $40.4 billion in revenue in the United States, a 6.8% increase from 2010. This, in turn, generated 347,787 jobs throughout the country, paying a total of $16.5 billion in wages and salaries.

Bigger and Better The major attraction for all these additional travelers is, no doubt, the endless amenities onboard these massive floating cities, and a trend that will continue into 2013 is the quest for bigger and better ships. Currently, cruise lines are spending millions of dollars to upgrade older ships. One such revamp is Disney Cruise Line’s oldest ship Disney Magic, which entered service in 1998. This 2,700-passenger vessel will enter dry dock at the end of its 2013 Mediterranean season with an extensive renovation planned.

Not only are ships getting massive overhauls, some are even getting name changes to reflect their major makeovers. The 2013 renovation of the 15-year-old Carnival Destiny will take nearly two months to complete and be so extensive that the line plans to rename the vessel the Carnival Sunshine when it re-emerges. “We wanted to get across the idea that it is a new ship,” said Gerry Cahill, CEO of Carnival. “There is not a single area that the guest will see that will not have been redone. It will be a very, very different ship.”

Set to debut in April 2013, the Carnival Sunshine will feature one of the largest water parks ever on a cruise ship. The 2,642-passenger vessel’s new deck-top WaterWorks area will be home to five water slides, including a 334-foot-long Twister slide that extends out over the edge of the ship. The area also will have 40 interactive water features, including a 300-gallon “dump bucket” that will periodically drench park-goers.

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Two new ships are on the horizon for the innovative Norwegian Cruise Line, who, with their Freestyle Cruising, revolutionized the industry by giving guests more freedom and flexibility. The two 4,000-passenger vessels, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, are currently under construction for delivery in April 2013 and January 2014, respectively.

Known as New York’s ship, Norwegian Breakaway will be the largest vessel to homeport year-round in Manhattan, sailing to Bermuda for the summer beginning May 12, 2013.

The ship’s one-of-a-kind features include hull art by legendary artist Peter Max; a seafood restaurant, Ocean Blue, by famed New York chef Geoffrey Zakarian; and fitness classes and a retrospective display from the ship’s iconic godmothers, the Rockettes. The top decks of the ship will feature the first Aqua Park at sea, with five full-size water slides, including twin Free Fall slides, the first ever at sea, and a three-story sports complex that includes the largest ropes course at sea, a nine-hole miniature golf course, a basketball court, a rock climbing wall, and more.

Celebrity Style With the massive success of the Food Network, chefs and bakers have become international celebrities, and the cruise industry is cashing in on this trend. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Breakaway will feature a Carlo’s Bake Shop location upon its May launch. Operated by Buddy Valastro, star of the TV shows “Cake Boss” and “Next Great Baker,” the cake shop will offer freshly baked cookies, cannolis, truffles, cakes, and pies including the chef’s famous Oreo, dark chocolate mousse, and purple groovy fondant cakes. Passengers can also preorder custom specialty cakes for birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations. For those looking for a more hands-on experience, the shop will also offer cupcake decorating classes.

Carnival had its share of celebrity partnerships as well, with comedian and TV personality George Lopez recently appointed as their new creative director for comedy. Lopez will consult on the hiring of talent for the ships, and advise on decor, lighting, and music. Successful restaurateur, cookbook author, and TV star Guy Fieri also teamed up with Carnival to

Lifestyle Getaways upscale stateroom options. The Haven by Norwegian is comprised of 42 suites at the top of the ship and 18 additional suites located throughout the ship, while Balcony and Mini-Suites in close proximity to the spa are also featured and replete with upscale appointments.

One aspect of cruising that seems to give pause to travelers are the little extras that eventually add up to big money. From the gratuities, the shore excursions, the specialty restaurant charges, and of course, the alcohol, cruise vacations are far from all-inclusive. But, some cruise lines are moving in the all-inclusive direction, at least when it comes to alcohol.

“Beverage packages” are the latest trend in cruising, with five lines implementing some variation of an “all you can drink” offer. Carnival Cruise Lines is the latest to roll out such a program, called “My Awesome Bar Program.” It debuted in August on the Carnival Victory and has since expanded to the Splendor and Spirit, and the Breeze. The program costs $42.95 per person per day, plus a 15% gratuity. All wines by the glass, beer, and individual cocktails priced $10 and lower are available within the program.

So, whether you are searching for a relaxing, romantic getaway, or a fun-filled family vacation, cruising has become a growing option for many travelers. With the myraid of choices available, planning your vacation can get a bit overwhelming, but if you narrow your options down to what is important to you, your time spent at sea will be truly memorable. Leave all your worries on shore and reserve your spot this spring onboard one of these luxury floating memory makers.

cook up the best burgers at sea at Guy’s Burger Joint, a casual poolside dining venue.

Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line is starting off 2013 with a “bang” by recently announcing that Norwegian Breakaway will feature an exciting fireworks show on every cruise.

The environmentally-friendly pyrotechnics display will dazzle guests on the second to last night at sea each week, with the choreographed blasts set to a playlist of classic 1980’s music hits, including songs by Quiet Riot, Devo, Madonna, and Prince.

“All the incredible entertainment and amenities on Norwegian Breakaway are going to wow our guests,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s CEO. “We wanted one additional element that would really blow them away and this incredible fireworks show is going to take the cruise to a new level of excitement.”

Relaxing 101 While widely known for their family-friendly adventures, Disney Cruise Line is also vamping up their adult pampering amenities. With great attention to detail, the wine and spirits aboard the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream are as attentiongrabbing as other notable features on these newer ships.

“From rare vintages of wine to inventive cocktails, craft beer, and our own Champagne labels, we have many new tastes for our adult guests to savor,” said Salah Chetbi, manager for Disney Cruise Line Beverage Standards & Consistency.

Relaxing in-room luxury will not be overlooked on the new Norwegian Breakaway, which will feature a rich mix of

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Featuring Gallagher’s signature dry-aged sirloin in its burgers cooked over a wood fire. A wide array of toppings available to create your own signature burger. Also featuring salads, a turkey burger, garden burger and everyone’s favorite — Wagyu Kobe Sliders with caramelized shallots.

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Everybody Needs Some

Luckury!

By BILL HENRY

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Most people were born to gamble. We all enjoy taking a chance no matter what the odds happen to be. It is why they invented the lottery. For just a little bit of money you can make yourself an instant billionaire, and it’s worth a shot because somebody has to win.

The game is secondary to the thrill of a bet — it can be dogs, horses, football games, poker, slots, and even your favorite lottery. In both life and in gambling there are no guarantees. That little ball just as easily lands on red as it does on black. Again, there are no guarantees.

Having said that, the smart thing to do is grab a little education and immensely improve your chances (and it’s not all that complicated). In fact our “Luckury” Program will absolutely make you a better player, and that’s a very good thing

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The Social Scene

SOCIALSTUDIES

Dr. Viren Vankawala, speaks at Senior Health Day at East Elmtown Clubhouse The Heart Institute of AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center held a senior health day at the East Elmtown Club House in East Elmtown on December 7th, 2012. The event was open to the entire senior community of Elmtown.

Staff members of AtlantiCare Heart Institute, Wound Center, Cardiac Diagnostics, HealthCare at Home, and Health Engagement provided information and health risk assessments, including blood sugar, total cholesterol, blood pressure and foot assessments. Some of the staff on hand were Rosemarie McCarthy, RN; Elliot Bainbridge, RN, Clinical Coordinator at ACRMC’s Wound Center; and Christine Mora of AtlantiCare Health Engagement. Rose McCarthy, RN was available to demonstrate an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), Elliot Bainbridge, RN was there to do foot assessments, and Christine Mora did demonstrations, such as blood pressure, on the guests.

Dr. Viren Vankawala, MD [APG Cardiologist] provided a presentation and was available to answer questions. Dr. Vankawala is part of the AtlantiCare physician group-Cardiology, located at 54 West Jimmie Leeds Road Suite 14 in Galloway, NJ .

For more information on AtlantiCare, please call the access center at 1-888-569-1000.

Dr. Vankawala speaking about the heart.

Rosemarie McCarthy, RN presenting a basket to the door prize winner, Margaret Passarella (left).

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Photos by Eric Weeks

Dr. Vankawala talked with the many guests that attended the event.

Dr. Vankawala speaking at the event and answering questions from the audience.

Elliot Bainbridge, RN, Clinical Coordinator Wound Christine Mora, AtlantiCare Health Engagement, Center ARMC and Alice Caivano, AtlantiCare performing a blood pressure on the guests.

HealthCare at Home.

The Social Scene

SOCIALSTUDIES

CRA Financial presents the 2012 Year in Review Photos by Nick Valinote

Co-managing partners, Matt Reynolds and Tom Reynolds of CRA Financial presented the 2012 Year in Review at the Knife & Fork Inn on Thursday, January 24th. “We feel very strongly that it is vital that we keep our clients informed about the market, world economy and regulations that could potentially impact their investment strategies. Additionally, we think it’s important that our clients understand our thought process when we are discussing investments specific to their situation.

Putting our clients’ needs first is our #1 priority”, state the brothers, who, along with their father, Bob Reynolds, founded L to R: CRA Financial advisors Matt Reynolds, Bob Martin CRA Financial in 2000. and Tom Reynolds.

Deb Davies and Marc Lowenstein.

Maura McMahon-Primus (L) and staff member Donna Savastani.

Matt Reynolds reviewing 2012.

L to R: Tom, Bob and Matt Reynolds.

Tom Reynolds looking ahead to 2013.

Wine tasting to benefit The Women’s Center hosted by Sofia Restaurant in Margate The 3rd Annual Women’s Center Wine Tasting was held on Tuesday, December 4th at Sofia Restaurant in Margate. The event helped to raise money for The Women’s Center’s valuable programs and services relating to the prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault. Included in attendance was Sheriff Frank X. Balles, Board

L to R: Lorraine Thompson, Cindy Miller, Nikki Vilardo and Kathie Perfetti.

President. Guests enjoyed an excellent array of hors d’oeurves and wines from around the world in the spectacularly decorated Sofia dining room. The Women’s Center is sincerely grateful to all of the community members who supported the event.

Photos by Nick Valinote

Cyndi Balles and Sheriff Frank Balles, The Women’s Center, Board President.

From The Women’s Center: Dr. Bernice vanSteynWeiss, Board Member; Claudia Ratzlaff, CEO; Sheriff Frank Balles, Board President. njlifestyleonline.com

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PHILLIP SILVERSTONE’S BEST OF THE BUNCH

Winter Wine Affair “When icicles hang by the wall And Dick the shepherd blows his nail And Tom bears logs into the hall And milk comes frozen home in pail”

Cozy up to the succulent flavors of these three powerful bottles You can almost feel the cold English winter blowing across William Shakespeare’s quill as his chilly words from “Loves Labors Lost” conjure up bleak images. I’ve always enjoyed poetry, and there’s many a wintry eve when I’ll thumb through well-worn pages of my favorite verses from the two Williams - Shakespeare and Wordsworth; the romantics, Shelley and Byron; and the thoroughlyintoxicating (an apt pun) Dylan Thomas. Call me strange, but I adore winter and all the melancholic nuances the season lunges in our direction.

Yes, I know winter dictates our pace of life, tests our patience, and inflicts malicious strain on us. But the point is simply this, you can moan and groan and grimace and complain until you’re blue in the cheeks but, like it or not, if you’re not living on some exotic Caribbean Island, you’re stuck with the cold, ice, and wind. So close your igloo, stop your grumbling, and get on with it.

Take me for instance, I simply thrive on winter. It’s the one time in the year when you find yourself often faced with the task of settling down with a good book (is there any other kind), snuggling up with your best friend (the 56

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I simply thrive on winter. It’s the one time in the year when you find yourself in front of a couple of crackling logs, and popping open some splendid winter nectar buried away for a rainy or snowy day.

guinea pig) in front of a couple of crackling logs (preferably in a fireplace), and popping open some splendid winter nectar buried away for a rainy or snowy day.

The winter tipple for me is a wine which represents a burst of color on a monochrome season’s canvas. Fair weather friends are not for me. I want chums to pour into my glass when the doom and gloom arrives. And as for the best food to accompany my tipples, that’s entirely up to you. I don’t subscribe to a magical formula for wine and food combinations, no more than I do for wine and people cohesion. If it works, then it’s magic and if it fails, then c’est la vie.

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Best of the Bunch

Award-Winning Seafood

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With all the ice and snow hurled at us poor wretches living in these colder climes of these United States, it’s hardly likely we want to nurse a glass of nice cool beer. I prefer to nurse something nice and warm and cuddly, an affectionate friend with an easy disposition, good body, enchanting perfume, and the promise of an exciting evening ahead — just the two of us. I am, of course, describing the perfect wine, and there are three that instantly come slurpingly to mind.

Sandeman Founders Reserve Port (Douro, Portugal) approx. $20 The grapes for this luscious wine are grown in the upper Douro in Northern Portugal. Adding a small amount of grape brandy (aguardente) stops fermentation of the port grapes (mainly Touriga Nacional). The wine ferments until it reaches around 7% alcohol, containing more than half the natural grape sugar. It is then fortified with raw grape spirit, resulting in a naturally sweet wine and brings the alcohol up to 19%. “Founders” is made in memory of founder George Sandeman. The wine has been aged for approximately five years from the best lots of each vintage. Its color is intense ruby red, brilliant, and clear, with a rich flavor with hints of red fruits and berries.

“Bottle stands — pass it round-way of the sun — through the button hole — no hell taps. ” Thanks to Mr. Charles Dickens, we are reminded, should we imbibe in excess, that the decanter of port is sent around the dinner table to the left (the buttonhole’s position on all gentlemen’s jacket lapels). The decanter is passed from guest to guest without the stopper.

When the host replaces the stopper, he or she is letting you know, in no uncertain terms, that you’ve had enough of the sumptuous nectar.

FRANCIS COPPOLA ROSSO (Napa, California) approx $9 Well, I really can’t avoid the obvious … listing the incredible credits of this wine producer: American Graffiti, Godfather, Apocalypse Now, Dracula ... well, you get the big picture. Francis Ford Coppola is one of the truly great film directors of all time, and for the past 20 years he has been making some epic wines at his Niebaum-Coppola Estate winery in California’s Napa Valley. The Rosso

and the white Bianco, which Coppola has developed, are wines which evoke memories of the wines served at the family gatherings of his childhood. Rosso is made from a blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah from climatically-diverse growing regions across California. This helps the winery achieve more complexity and intriguing nuances. Lodi fruit, in particular, benefits from temperature differentials, where extremely warm daytime weather is offset by cool afternoon breezes from the San Joaquin Delta.

The supple texture and rich, juicy flavors of plum, cherries, mocha, and strawberry jam make this wine a perfect accompaniment to almost any wonderful Italian dish. (I’m not referring to Monica Bellucci.) This is an easyon-the-wallet quaffable elixir, and an Academy Award certainty.

Cline Cellars Viognier (North Coast, CA) approx $12 Viognier is a tricky grape to grow. Its natural low acidity requires it to be picked at just the right moment. With this blend, Cline chose grapes from vineyards that offered flavors indicative of the appellations from which they came. Solano County was chosen because its grapes get plenty of sun, and provided maximum flavors. Cline’s Mendocino vineyards, basked in warm days and cold nights, contribute to the full-body weight of this wine and the Carneros vineyard was chosen because of its longer cool growing season. The Viognier grape originates in the Northern Rhône Valley in France. Presumed to have arrived from Dalmatia and transported to the Rhone 2,000 years ago by Romans, there are only 2,000 acres of this variety in California at this time.

Cline Viognier shows big peach and apricot flavors, mixed with citrus and floral notes. The wine is a powerhouse of flavor and is full-bodied.

I enjoy my romantic liaisons with wine. As long as wine is my mistress, winter doesn’t bother me. I have my love to keep me warm.

Cheers!

“Time Out With Phillip Silverstone” is heard on WWDB 860 AM Fridays from 10 am - 11 am.

You can also “Listen Live” and hear the podcast through his web site: www.thesilverstone collection.com/category/podcast.

We’ll be the first to admit our name doesn’t tell the whole story.

Bountiful Seafood.

Succulent Steaks.

Perfect Pastas.

And yes, Award-Winning Crab Cakes.

On the circle in Somers Point 609-927-7377 Serving from 11am Children’s Menu Available Lunch • Dinner • Cocktails Live Music • Deck Bar

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LIFESTYLE

Restaurant Report

with Bob Bickell www.primephiladelphia.com

COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS ON THE AREA RESTAURANT SCENE

Manhattan and Renault A Tale of Two Burgers I

just returned from a few days in Manhattan. New York City has a ton of great restaurants and, while relaxing on the train ride home, I couldn’t help thinking that it will actually be very good to get home. I love New York, but I couldn’t live there. There is too much of everything (including people). I do give the New York folks credit because walking is the best way to get anywhere in the Big City. Walking is actually a challenge because of the amount of people doing the walking. Walking means you can avert a $15 cab ride. In my mind, there is New York, and there is nothing else like it, but there is a price to be paid.

Right before I went to New York, I had lunch at one of my favorite spots — Joseph’s at the Renault Winery. In keeping it simple, I had one of their classic Tuscan Burgers (1/2 pound of Angus Beef with provolone cheese and wild mushrooms on a potato roll, with French fries and a dill pickle). I remember thinking about this particular burger while having a similar meal in a serious New York spot known for their great burgers. One was not better than the other.

They were both outstanding. The burger in New York was $17. The burger at the Renault Winery was under $10. That’s the way it is and, make no mistake, dining in South Jersey is a bargain in its own way.

In terms of the actual dining experience, you can’t compare the two. To coin a phrase, the difference between New York and the Renault Winery is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. Both are wonderful in their Chef Joseph DeGennaro own way, and I guess what I’m really trying to say is to be thankful that you have access to a quiet place, where the parking is free, the people are friendly, and the food is great.

Parking in a Manhattan garage is of the $15 per hour variety and, for the most part, the people are friendly — rushed but friendly. The concept of being “rushed” is never part of the Renault picture. Everything in the entire Renault complex is the exact opposite of “rushed.”

Renault is relaxing. NYC is rushed by definition. Everyone is in a constant hurry, and that can weigh on you.

There are many people who see Joseph’s as a hotel restaurant and they have grown to believe that hotel restaurants are over-priced and mediocre. My response is that so many of the best restaurants on the planet are in hotels. The “over-priced” part of the quotation is in Joseph’s Restaurant at the Tuscany House Hotel

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the mind (and wallet) of the beholder.

At this moment, I am talking about one hotel and one restaurant. Joseph’s at the Renault Winery is in a hotel, but “over-priced and mediocre” is nowhere to be seen. A personal visit is necessary to prove my point, and simply visiting their web site will tell you almost as much as you have to know. They have an outstanding chef in Chef Joseph DeGennaro and the menu speaks for itself. You can go from simplicity to serious. It’s totally up to you.

They have a great bar, and Joseph’s is open until the bar closes (the closing is when everybody is finished for the night). The Renault concept is not to be confused with New York (or any other destination for that matter).

It is what it is, and in this case, that’s a good thing!

Joseph’s at the Renault Winery 72 North Bremen Avenue Egg Harbor City, NJ 609-965-2111 www.RenaultWinery.com

Dining area at Joseph’s Restaurant

Barista’s Coffee House “Great coffee is what life is all about” There are tons of places you can go to experience a disappointing cup of coffee. There are numerous places where the coffee is actually good. And then there is Barista’s Coffee House, where the coffee (and everything else) is great!

Debbie and Mark Becker hit it perfectly. They even installed a drive–thru for folks on the run. Most importantly, they happen to be totally committed when it comes to quality, and yes, their always freshlybrewed coffee is superb in every respect.

Start (or finish) your day at Barista’s in Galloway.

Meet the owners who are friendly, passionate, and dedicated to their ever-growing business. And their bagels have to be the best in the entire area.

Barista’s Coffee House 68 West Jimmie Leeds Road (Across from AltantiCare Hospital) 609-568-5519 www.baristascoffeehouse.com Coffee, Cappuccino, Espresso, Smoothies and Signature Drinks. Open daily (Mon-Fri: 6 AM to 7 PM; Sat: 7 AM to 6 PM; Sun: 8AM to 4 PM).

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DINING Gallery Back Bay Ale House

800 N. Hampshire Avenue, Atlantic City 609-449-0006 backbayalehouse.com Home of the Basin Mason Margarita! Located in the Inlet section of Atlantic City, Back Bay Ale House offers a unique menu in a charming atmosphere with stunning bay views. Check out their new outside bar & raw bar! Enjoy casual dining during the warmer months on their deck while you embibe one of their Sunset Toasts.

Bonefish Grill

3121 Fire Road, Egg Harbor Township 609-646-2828 www.bonefishgrill.com Your local seafood restaurant in Egg Harbor Township, NJ! Their anglers are here to ensure your Bonefish Grill experience is outstanding each and every time you visit. Check out their seafood menu and daily specials on their web site. Happier Hours Sun- Thurs from 4 - 6:30 PM. $5 Bang bang shrimp every Wed., all day. Now serving Sunday Brunch.

Barista’s Coffee House

68 West Jimmie Leeds Rd, Galloway 609-568-5519 baristascoffeehouse.com At Barista’s Coffee House, the coffee, cappuccino, espresso’s, smoothies & signature drinks are great! Debbie and Mark Becker hit it perfectly. They even installed a drive–thru for folks on the run. Most importantly, they happen to be totally committed when it comes to quality, and yes, their always freshlybrewed coffee is superb in every respect. Start (or finish) your day at Barista’s in Galloway.

Meet the owners who are friendly, passionate, and dedicated to their ever-growing business.

And their bagels have to be the best in the entire area. Open daily: M-F 6 am to 7 pm, Sat 7 am - 6 pm, Sun 8 am - 4 pm.

Buddakan

The Pier Shops at Caesars 609-674-0100 www.buddakanac.com Stephen Starr’s phenomenal Pan-Asian scene in the Pier at Caesars (a spin-off of the Philly and Manhattan branches) offers beautifully realized fusion specialties in an over-the-top setting complete with a giant gilded Buddha and glorious communal table.

Gourmet Italian Cuisine

324 S. Pitney Road, Galloway, NJ 609-652-1398 gourmetitaliancuisine.com Your home away from home. When Gourmet Italian Cuisine first opened, they set out to be your favorite neighborhood restaurant. Always striving to create a warm, cozy, romantic atmosphere with impeccable food and service, they are so pleased to have become and remained so many family’s home away from home. Also offering Gourmet to Go, Galloway’s #1 takout.

Library IV

1030 N. Blk Horse Pike, Williamstown 856-728-8064 www.libraryiv.com The area’s greatest steakhouse under the direction of owner Brian O’Keeney. Offering quality prepared food and friendly service. Serving handcut steaks by the ounce, prime rib, seafood, veal and chicken. The Library IV restaurant has been the area’s top steakhouse for 30 years. A recently completed remodel includes a new kitchen, new 30 foot long salad bar and dining rooms. A casual and cozy atmosphere sets this restaurant apart from the others, and their commitment to top quality has stood the test of time.

Crab Trap Berkshire Grill

6105 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Twp 609-272-8808 berkshiregrillnj.com Superbly prepared entrees including aged USDA Choice steaks, slow roasted Prime Rib and Grilled Chicken Portofino. Signature entrees include Mandarin Glazed Salmon, Spinach Pecan Salad and Shrimp & Mussels Linguine. A large selection of sandwiches, salads, wraps, steaks, chicken, seafood and pasta is offered.

Blue Pig Tavern

At Congress Hall, Cape May, NJ 609-884-8422 www.congresshall.com Each of the distinctive dining rooms provide a different mood. An outdoor area, which connects to the hotel’s veranda, makes for a spectacular summer dining experience. The dining rooms serve the tavern’s signature American fare — nostalgic, simple and fresh — utilizing local seafood and produce in creative, accessible ways.

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2 Broadway, Somers Point, NJ 609-927-7377 www.thecrabtrap.com Overlooking the Great Egg Harbor Bay in Somers Point is the Crab Trap Restaurant. Flourishing as a 400 seat full service restaurant serving the finest seafood in South Jersey. As many businesses expand, they often lose touch with the quality and small personal touches that made them special. At the Crab Trap they don’t believe that has happened or ever will.

Girasole Ristorante & Lounge

3108 Pacific Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 609-345-5554 www.girasoleac.com An Italian boutique restaurant with a strong Mediterranean influence. Fresh ingredients and simple preparations, served in style, with Versace banquettes and place-settings. A beautiful bar with a noteworthy selection of custom cocktails and quality wines offered.

The Lobster House

906 Schellengers Landing Rd, Cape May 609-884-8296 thelobsterhouse.com Offering a large and varied menu serving the freshest seafood available, often from their own fleet of commercial boats. Dine in one of their five unique and picturesque dining rooms overlooking scenic Cape May Harbor.

Los Amigos

1926 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City 609-344-2293 www.losamigosrest.com As times change, so do tastes and today, “Mexican Food” has become very fragmentized. Over the years, Los Amigos has dramatically grown from offering nachos, tacos and enchiladas (although they are still a very important part of the menu) to creative and complex fare, as well as Southwestern inspired items.

Renault Winery The Melting Pot

2112 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 609-441-1100 www.meltingpot.com At The Melting Pot, fondue truly becomes a memorable four-course dining experience. Patrons can dip into something different — and discover all the ingredients for a unique dining experience including a relaxed atmosphere, private tables, attentive service, fine wines and signature fondue dinners.

72 N. Bremen Avenue, Egg Harbor City 609-965-2111 www.renaultwinery.com Shades of Tuscany, located on 1,400 beautiful acres, only twenty miles from Atlantic City, Renault features two restaurants. Joseph’s features the superb cuisine of one of the area’s most talented chefs — Chef Joseph Degennero — with a moderately priced menu and a wine program that includes selections from the Renault collection. Open every day for lunch and dinner.

In season, check out the Sunday Tuscan Brunch.

The Gourmet Restaurant at Renault features a Seafood Buffet on Friday nights from 5 - 8 p.m. and a Saturday night dinner with chef stations from 5 - 9 p.m. On Sunday from 10 - 2 p.m. is Renault’s Award Winning Sunday Brunch.

Sofia

9314 Amherst Avenue, Margate, NJ 609-822-9111 www.sofiaofmargate.com Embrace the hospitality and diverse flavors, served individually or combined, so skillfully in a cuisine that is good for your heart, body and soul. A Greco-Med restaurant located by the bay in Margate, Sofia is arguably the most stylish noncasino newcomer in years. Sporting a handsome mix of flagstone, fieldstone, and rustic dark wood, it has a transporting outdoor deck; and a kitchen specializing in grilled whole fish and tantalizing tapas. Now featuring a spectacular sushi bar. Sofia Restaurant is a must-visit at the Jersey Shore.

Pier at Caesars, Atlantic City

609-348-2273 www.phillipsseafood.com The eighth restaurant in the Phillips family, Phillips Seafood brings guests a classical American seafood menu boasting an array of fresh seasonal fish and Phillips’ famous jumbo lump crab cakes.

Renowned chef Robbin Haas has designed a menu that offers guests the freshest, finest seafood available, complete with a rolling oyster cart where regional varietals are shucked tableside and a double-decker live lobster tank stocked with 3-10 pound lobsters. Phillips brings an upscale, interactive dining experience to guests with their exhibition kitchen and sweeping ocean views.

Ruth Chris Steak House

The Walk, 2020 Atlantic Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 609-344-5833 ruthchris-atlanticcity.com At Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Atlantic City you’ll want to look around and have a seat. If this is your first visit, prepare to taste the greatest steak you’ve ever eaten. As founder Ruth Fertel used to say, “If you’ve ever had a filet this good, welcome back.”

They take steak seriously, but they’re also serious about making sure you have a good time. So you won’t find the stodgy, uptight attitude you might find at other steak houses. Feel free to laugh out loud. Stay a while. Experience the sizzle. Above all, enjoy yourself.

Souzai Sushi & Sake

Level 3, Pier Shops at Caesars One Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic City 609-348-4443 www. souzaisushi.com Souzai Sushi and Sake is Atlantic City’s premier sushi restaurant. Intoxicate your senses at Souzai with mouthwatering hand-rolled sushi, fresh sashimi, traditional Japanese dishes, creative cocktails, Asian beers & Sake. Come early...stay late...Souzai boasts the best views on The Pier with full, unobstructed vistas of the ocean, beach and downtown Atlantic City.

Philippe Chin

800 Bay Avenue, Somers Point, NJ 609-926-3500 www.phillippechin.com French-Asian Bistro and Deck Bar. Situated directly on the bay, Philippe’s Bistro and Deck Bar offers a stunning space inside a fully-renovated Victorian Mansion. Multiple dining areas, Classic Cocktail Tavern, to the expansive “Open Air” deck which features two large bars and all the bay breezes one could wish for. Accessible by land or sea with “Dock and Dine” slips available and complimentary Valet parking.

A Touch of Italy Seaview Dolce

401 South New York Road, Galloway, NJ 609-652-1800 www.dolceseaview.com The entire presentation of this beautiful resort delivers an ambiance from another era. There’s something very special about enjoying a delightful breakfast, lunch or dinner with a panoramic view of the historic Bay Course. Their famous Friday Night Seafood Buffet and the equally famous Sunday Country Club Champagne Brunch represents some of the best dining experiences on the entire East Coast.

6629 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Twp. 609-641-1855 www.touchofitaly.net It is with great pride that A Touch of Italy offers the finest quality of food and service. Each meal served is cooked to order. A friendly and pleasurable atmosphere will make your visit a memorable one. Established in 1981 with more than 31 years of experience, this restaurant, banquet facility, and lounge serves only the finest natural veal, steaks, poultry, pasta, seafood and brick-oven pizza.

Ram’s Head Inn

9 W. White Horse Pike, Galloway, NJ 609-652-1700 www.ramsheadinn.com Ram’s Head Inn is a welcoming change of pace from bustling Atlantic City, located just eight miles away. The classical elegance of the restaurant and special event venue is brought out by its wood-burning fireplaces, manicured grounds, tucked-away courtyard and several wellappointed rooms — all of which are available for casual or formal dining, as well as private parties both large and small.

Tuckahoe Inn Smithville Inn

1 N. New York Road, Smithville, NJ 609-652-7777 www.smithvillenj.com A lovely historical inn on 40 acres of pristine gardens and lakes. Serving American fare in a cozy early American setting. Specialties include Chicken Pot Pie, Crab Cakes, and Osso Bucco Frico.

Banquets and private parties. Sunday brunch.

1 Harbor Road, Beesley’s Point, NJ 609-390-3322 www.tuckahoeinn.com Come join the good times at the Tuckahoe Inn. A casual family restaurant and tavern with weekly inside specials, bar specials, happy hour Monday thru Friday from 4 PM to 6 PM, Sunday breakfast, lunch specials and an Early Bird menu. Bands and entertainment all year long. Visit thier web site for menus, specials, and event calendar. njlifestyleonline.com

LIFESTYLE | Winter 2013

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CASINO DINING ATLANTIC CLUB CASINO

Ono Chinese Bistro & Bar

Boston Ave & Boardwalk, Atlantic City 609-347-7111 atlanticclubcasino.com Enjoy traditional Chinese fare with their classic Sushi Bar, Seafood, Beef & Pork, Chicken & Duck, Chow Mein, Noodles and Rice, Egg Foo Young, Vegetables and Tofu. The view of the boardwalk and ocean is as amazing as the food, now under the direction of Chef Brian Tsui.

BORGATA

GOLDEN NUGGET

Izakaya

One Borgata Way, Atlantic City 609-317-1000 www.theborgata.com A modern Japanese pub that defies comparison.

Extraordinary sushi, sake and robatayaki served in a sensual, yet modern atmosphere. Izakaya’s tempting cocktails and sharable plates make it the premier spot for am after-hours nosh and drinks, or a delicious late night meal.

Chart House

Golden Nugget, Atlantic City 609-340-5030 www.goldennugget.com With an updated lavish new decor, magnificent waterfront view, and right on the marina, Chart House is for everyone in the house. Fresh fish specialties such as macadamia crusted mahi, award-winning prime rib, original lava cake.

Upscale private dining room for special events with seating up to 100. Happy Hour Sun. & Tues. 4-7PM.

Old Homestead Steak House Patsy’s

Boston Ave & Boardwalk, Atlantic City 609-340-6856 atlanticclubcasino.com Real Italian food is what this classic (New York) restaurant is all about. It’s a clone of the Neapolitan joint on West 56th Street and a well-known Sinatra favorite that has become an Atlantic City favorite. It’s Patsy’s — forget about it! ChickenSaltimbocca, Veal Parmigiana, Steak Pizzaiola, and Pork Tenderloin are all less than $20. There’s even family-style meals that start as low as $14 (up to $36 for four people).

One Borgata Way, Atlantic City 609-317-1000 www.theborgata.com Their domestically-raised, hand-massaged Kobe beef is not only the envy of the trade, it’s trademarked. But that isn’t the only reason the venerable Old Homestead has been a New York City landmark for 137 years. “It’s consistency on all fronts,” says Marc Sherry who, with brother Greg, opened their second location at Borgata. The menu nearly mirrors New York’s — and for good reason.

Vic & Anthony’s

Golden Nugget, Atlantic City 609-441-8355 www. goldennugget.com The original Vic & Anthony’s in Houston is routinely voted one of America’s ten best steakhouses. As for Vic & Anthony’s newest location, we’ll let the menu speak for itself — with succulent beef, lobster, and unique appetizers. All accompanied by an eclectic wine selection and impeccable service, in a classically luxurious atmosphere.

HARRAH’S

THE STEAKHOUSE Wolfgang Puck American Grille Simon AC Steak & Seafood

Boston Ave & Boardwalk, Atlantic City 609-347-7111 atlanticclubcasino.com It’s yet another “Hot” Atlantic Club restaurant.

There are three steaks on the menu for less than $20 (including their 10-oz. NY Strip), and delicious appetizers for under $10 (Crab Cake, BBQ Pork Chops, and Seafood Tacos). Meatloaf ($16); Double-Cut Pork Chop ($17); their classic The Oak’s Chicken Cordon bleu ($18) and the Filet of North Atlantic Salmon ($16) have quickly become house favorites.

One Borgata Way, Atlantic City 609-317-1000 www.theborgata.com The man who revolutionized the culinary industry carries an undeniable cachet, synonymous with bold, innovative cooking and an unmistakable panache and passion that redefined dining in America. Offering contemporary American cuisine, the restaurant offers two distinctive dining areas ranging from casual and relaxed to elegant and upscale.

CAESARS

BALLY’S

The Steakhouse

777 Harrahs Blvd, Atlantic City 609-441-5575 harrahsresort.com Whether you like your steak rare or well done, everything is prepared exactly to your wishes at The Steakhouse! Experience the finest in steakhouse culinary tradition. Choose from succulent Angus Roast Prime Rib of Beef to Pork Porterhouse.

With a menu like this, you can’t go wrong. Plus, let their staff help you pair your meal with the finest vintages from our glass-enclosed wine cellar. Hours of operation are subject to change and availability.

Advanced reservations recommended.

RESORTS

Nero’s Tuscan Steakhouse Arturo’s Ristorante

Bally’s Casino, Atlantic City 609-340-2300 www.ballysac.com Bally’s own Little Italy! Chef Maurizio prepares Milk fed Veal anyway your heart desires, Picatta, Marsala, Francese, and of course, their famous Veal Parmigiana. Vibrant Italian mosaics and offers tranquil views of the boardwalk and the Atlantic Ocean.

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Caesars Casino, Atlantic City 800-223-7277 caesarsac.com Nero’s Tuscan Steakhouse offers oceanside dining in a magnificent old world setting. Entrees feature Prime grade steaks and a fresh seafood selection that you won’t find anywhere else. Their commitment and responsibility to the environment is to sustain future resources for our planet. They are committed to promoting organic agriculture, and supporting local growers and artisanal food producers whenever possible.

Gallagher’s Steakhouse

N. Carolina & Boardwalk, Atlantic City 609-340-6555 gallaghersresorts.com A classic steakhouse serving hearty salads, dry-aged meats, wonderful fish and shellfish. An ambiance of warm woods and deep reds. Friendly, efficient and gracious service. Open for dinner Sunday thru Thursday 5-9:30 pm, Friday 5-10 pm, Saturday 5-11 pm.

SHOWBOAT Cuba Libre Capriccio

N Carolina & Boardwalk, Atlantic City 609-344-6000 www.resortsac.com No passport needed for this Italian experience.

Capriccio’s all new menu features gourmet Italian cuisine in an exquisitely comfortable Mediterranean atmosphere, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Capriccio’s has beautiful murals on the walls featuring Old World Italy. Try the lobster with shiitake mushrooms and sweet peppers served on a baked polenta round; or the Costolette di Vitello alla Lombardese; or absolutely the Ossobuco di Vitello alla Lombardese, braised in a red wine and tomato sauce served with saffron risotto. The food is as spectacular as the view.

Scarduzio’s

REVEL

TRUMP TAJ MAHAL

Amada

Il Mulino New York

Revel Resorts, Atlantic City www.revelresorts.com/dining/amada For sweeping views and Spanish small (and large) plates, it doesn’t get any better than Amada, the Atlantic City outpost of Chef Jose Garces’ famous Philadelphia tapas restaurant. With its tile floor and rustic wood ceiling, Amada transports you to straight to Spain, where sangria flows from terra cotta pitchers and the smell of sizzling chorizo entices you to order just one more plate for the table.

Showboat, Atlantic City 609-343-4330 www.showboatac.com Located on the casino level of Showboat, Scarduzio’s serves the finest in steaks, chops, chicken and seafood. Meat lovers will enjoy premium USDA Prime beef grilled to your specifications; naturally raised pasture fed with an all vegetarian diet, hormone and antibiotic free USDA certified prime cuts of beef and lamb exclusively from DeBragga - one of the premier NYC butchers located in the heart of the meatpacking district. Also, indulge in the classic Sushi and Raw bar selections.

Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City 609-449-1000 www.trumptaj.com Il Mulino New York is the epitome of a traditional, white table cloth, Old New York Italian hangout. The restaurant’s menu offers only the best ingredients, beautifully prepared and presented by tuxedo clad waiters. Choose from a wide range of Italian classics along with an extensive list of inspired specials and wine recommendations.

The Quarter at Tropicana, Atlantic City 800-345-8767 www.tropicana.net Serving traditional Cuban favorites, as well as soul-satisfying “Nuevo Cubano” dishes. The bar features over 70 different premium varieties of rum, which can be enjoyed neat or in any number of refreshing island cocktails. On weekend nights, the venue hosts sultry salsa dancing and dazzling floorshows.

TRUMP PLAZA

Max’s Steakhouse

Boardwalk at Mississippi, Atlantic City 609-441-6420 www. trumpplaza.com Can a steak become a work of art? One visit to Max’s Steakhouse at Trump Plaza, with a taste of what Chef Les Bender has to offer, and the answer is a resounding yes. Classic warm red hues, impressive woodwork and traditional, crisp, white tablecloths capture your attention and set the tone for an exceptional dining experience. Featuring Certified Angus Beef, the menu includes bone-inrib eye, seared salmon and scallops, ahi tuna and the ultimate surf and turf, featuring an 8-ounce coldwater lobster tail and an 8-ounce filet mignon.

Roberto’s Ristorante

Mussel Bar

Revel Resorts, Atlantic City revelresorts.com/dining/mussel-bar Whether you come to hear live rock ‘n’ roll, catch a game on TV or just chill, you’ll stay for the wonderful flavors of Belgium’s hearty Flemish fare. Of course, there are the mussels, bathed in sauvignon blanc and roasted garlic; tomato, garlic, capers and basil – even spicy green curry. But it’s not just about mussels. They serve up some mean tarte flambée (Belgian gourmet pizzas), as well as salads, and steaks. Bien sûr, a side of pommes frites with a trio of mayonnaise is a must.

Village Whiskey

Revel Resorts, Atlantic City www.revelresorts.com With all that drink, you’re going to need a little food. Village Whiskey’s got a lot. For starters, there’s the signature burger, made from Maine Angus beef and widely regarded as the best around. Herb-roasted oysters, duck-fat french fries with cheddar sauce, and Jamie’s lobster mac are mouthwatering any time, but oh so much better after a Knob Creek or two. Village Whiskey dishes out food late into the night, so if you’re craving a little savory after a sweet night out, they’ve got your back.

Robert’s Steakhouse

Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City 609-449-1000 www.trumptaj.com Opened October 2012. Robert’s is one of a few steakhouses in Atlantic City to perform its painstaking dry-age techniques in house, for six weeks. While Robert’s Steakhouse of New York is designed to please omnivores of all varieties, the superstars of the menu remain the steaks, including a hearty, bone-in NY Strip, a delicate filet mignon, and the ultimate Porterhouse for two. Additionally, there are grilled garlic and rosemary lamb chops, citrusy seared scallops and a decadent, truffle-laced risotto. The kitchen uses locally-grown produce and offers many seasonal specialty dishes.

Boardwalk at Mississippi, Atlantic City 609-441-7820 www.trumpplaza.com At Roberto’s Ristorante at Trump Plaza, a stop to look over the menu is worth the visit alone.

Northern and southern Italian cuisine is all prepared under the watchful eye of Chef de Cuisine Robert Pfander of Ocean City. Entrees run the gamut from oven cappalini spiaggia to seasoned lamb chops to sauteed Dover sole. Complement it all with the ideal bottle of wine from Roberto’s extensive collection, as you take in the breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. The perfect ending to a perfect dinner is guaranteed with an individual souffle of either grand marnier or chocolate.

TROPICANA

Il Verdi

Tropicana, Atlantic City 800-345-8767 www.tropicana.net A Culinary Tour of Northern Italy. Specializing in Northern Italian cuisine, Il Verdi serves meticulously prepared gourmet dishes in an elegant, yet relaxed atmosphere. Dine on your choice of hot and cold antipasti, soups, salads, pastas, fish and meat entrees, and desserts.

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LIFESTYLE | Winter 2013

65

A FINAL WORD By ALYSON BOXMAN LEVINE

Making Headlines

G

“I’m reporting Time magazine to the anti-Italian defamation league.

I mean, look at that thing. It says ‘boss’ underneath.

I can’t wait for that to come home for my kids to see it.”

—Gov. Christie, on the “Imus in the Morning” radio show

overnor Chris Christie is not very happy about his recent Time magazine cover, and his sentiment is shared by many in the state as this cover has sparked outrage from numerous organizations. Christie, whose mother was Italian-American, referred to the cover as “not kind.” Likewise, the photo’s mug shot-like resemblance angered New Jerseyians of Italian descent, especially the Italian-American One Voice Coalition, a group that battles stereotypes of Italian-Americans in the media.

“Why didn’t they just put Al Capone’s picture up there?” stated Manny Alfano, founder of the coalition. Responding to some supporters of the cover, saying that it is in reference to Christie’s musical idol Bruce Springsteen’s moniker, Alfano went on to explain that when it comes to having a picture like that and using the words “The Boss,” what else can it mean but a mob-related reference?

There are no actual references to the mob in the cover story, written by journalist Michael Crowley. In the article, Crowley weaves the governor’s best and worst moments in office and hints to his future political goals. And whether you love him or you hate him, Christie has a long line of

staunch supporters. After his stellar performance during Hurricane Sandy, Christie’s approval rating skyrocketed, and his authentic persona has a charm that can not be denied.

According to reports, Time’s managing editor Richard Stengel was surprised that Christie was so upset. Stengel told MSNBC, “If his kids don’t recognize him as the boss, then he has more problems than he realizes. But I think he’s having some fun with it. We had some fun with it.”

For me, the term “Boss” is not necessarily a title that carries with it a negative connation, but rather a term that denotes a certain accountability in leadership that few are willing to embrace. Christie means what he says, is not fearful to take action, and truly believes in our state and what can be accomplished — meaning he is clearly, and loudly, in charge.

With the headline chosen and the photo placed, there is no doubt to what the editors of the magazine were referring. And they wanted to get people talking.

Striking up a bit of controversy now and then does wonders for magazine sales.

It’s Back!

Six Course Gourmet Dinner Returns Friday, February 1, 2013

Just in time for the Valentine’s holiday, the most romantic restaurant in South Jersey will once again host it's very popular six course gourmet dinner with wine tastings. The menu features our famous six course gourmet dinner including a special appetizer, homemade soup, pasta, sorbet intermezzo, salad and your entree choice from one of our exquisitely prepared dishes plus two wine samplings. Renault Gourmet Restaurant now offers a full bar of Beer, Renault Wine and Liquor! Renault Gourmet Restaurant will offer its six course gourmet dinner Friday, Saturday and Sunday Evenings starting February 1, 2013. Now is the time to make your reservations to come back and experience the time honored tradition of Gourmet Dining.

Friday Night 5 pm - 8 pm Saturday Night 5 pm - 9 pm Sunday Brunch 10 am - 2 pm Sunday Night 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm C A L L 6 0 9 . 9 6 5 . 2 1 1 1 F O R R E S E RVAT I O N S

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