Packet Magazine June 2015

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Paying Dividends The women of the Gould Group

Also Inside: ď Ž Making pools a destination for summer fun

June 2015

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June 2015

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Born From a Family Tradition: The Gingered Peach bakery

Divesh Ramani to compete in Special Olympics

Make Your Pool Cool: Games and accessories add to summer fun

On the Cover: Audrey Gould (center) and her daughters Georgeanne (left) and Ellen (right) offer financial advice and volunteer for the community through The Gould Group. See Pam Hersh’s story on Page 21. Cover photo by Mark Czajkowski | Packet Magazine | June 2015

Now Featuring Outdoor Audio Systems

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35 What’s New: The latest and the greatest What’s in Store: Visiting antique stores Favorite Things: Summer fun On the Vine: Wines of Le Roc des Anges

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JAMES B. KILGORE President and Publisher

MICHELE NESBIHAL General Manager AUBREY hUSTON Editor DEE SCARPATI Magazine Manager ANTHONY STOECKERT Managing Editor Contributing Writers FAITH BAHADURIAN KEITH LORIA SALLY STANG STEPHANIE VACCARO PATRICK WALSH

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NICOLE M. WELLS

PHIL MCAULIFFE Staff Photographer

JIMMY ELLERTH JOE KANASKA MINERVA TRINIDAD Art & Design LET US KNOW! Packet Magazine welcomes your feedback, suggestions and story ideas about notable people and places, trendy hot spots and upcoming events happening in the Princeton area.

Contact us: E-mail: astoeckert@centraljersey.com Mail: 300 Witherspoon St., Princeton, NJ 08540 Telephone: 609-874-2159 Š 2015 the Princeton Packet Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by Packet Media Group 300 Witherspoon St. Princeton, NJ 08540 To advertise: 609-874-2193 pmfineliving.com

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What’s New Read all about the area’s latest happenings

By Keith Loria

Yoga studio comes to Hillsborough

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Honor Yoga’s Hillsborough location is setting the right mood to honor the mind, body and self.

ith six studios throughout New Jersey, including locations in Hamilton and Pennington, Honor Yoga has been providing top-quality yoga instruction for years. Now, a new Hillsborough studio has opened at 220 Triangle Road in the New Center Village.

studio in order to practice, Ms. Artman knew the area needed this studio.

“Honor’s mission is to provide a sustainable community of healing by offering a loving and approachable yoga environment to honor the student’s mind, body and self,” says Heather Artman, owner of the studio. “We welcome students of all levels from those brand-new to yoga to those looking to deepen and challenge their existing practice.”

“There was a general feeling from the folks that I talked to of wanting to practice close to home, with their own community,” she says. “When choosing the space, we wanted to ensure it was accessible from a traffic and commuting perspective and selected the space because with all of the residential communities and schools in the immediate vicinity, it really felt like part of the neighborhood, part of the community. Many of our students walk or ride their bikes to the studio to practice, which is wonderful.”

Through speaking with numerous people in Hillsborough who were either not continuing their existing yoga practice, not starting a new yoga practice or driving for miles to a yoga

The studio offers a variety of yoga classes every day of the week for all levels of yoga taught by dedicated, welcoming, and professional instructors.

| Packet Magazine | June 2015

The menu includes duck fat potatoes with black garlic sour cream; warm pub pretzels and whole grain mustard with Irish whiskey; shrimp ceviche taco; Nueske applewood bacon, quarter-inch thick with maple chipotle syrup; spreadable infused cheeses, sun-dried tomato cream cheese and pesto goat cheese with French baguette; lamb lollipops with blackberry mint jam, mint yogurt and feta; plus drink specials.

“We are centrally located in the heart of downtown and love being everyone’s ‘place,’ for anything from business lunches to family reunions. A quick browse of posts tagging Witherspoon Grill on Instagram will show how people love sharing their group dinners, girls night out gatherings, and plated dishes,” Ms. English says. “We take care of our patrons and treat them like neighbors and friends; in turn, they’ve come to know our wait staff, bartenders and management team by name.”

Honor Yoga has opened a new location in Hillsborough.

“I am amazed and humbled at the many, many beginners we have had come through the studio in our opening week. People that have never tried yoga but have decided that they would like to begin their yoga journey at Honor,” Ms. Artman says. “I’ve also been amazed at the multiple occasions of people reuniting in classes with old friends they haven’t seen in a very long time, including some reuniting with high school friends that they’ve lost touch with over the years. There is a fantastic community developing here which is such an important part of the Honor Yoga mission, and we are so grateful to be a part of it.”

For a complete schedule of classes, visit honoryoga.com/ hillsborough.

Witherspoon Grill adds cocktail menu The Witherspoon Grill, at 7 Witherspoon St., Princeton, is known throughout the area for its great food and lively and bustling atmosphere, and now it’s added a new cocktail hour menu.

“We have always offered drink specials Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., and we wanted to add food that was special without being your typical pub fare, while at the same time offering a casual and affordable preview of some of the tastes and flavors found on our main menu,” says Laura English, assistant general manager, who hosted the VIP tasting for the roll out of the menu. “We named this a cocktail hour, rather than happy hour, to reflect the sophistication and the ambiance of our restaurant. Our cocktail hour menu will serve as the first course to an evening of good food in good company.”

Witherspoon Grill’s cocktail menu is offering foods that go perfectly with an after-work drink special.

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More Than A Notion Fabrics in Princeton is a dream store for people who love to sew.

The restaurant invites guests to come out to its weekly Tuesday night live jazz and now that summer is here, its patio on Hinds Plaza, with the bright colorful umbrellas, is the perfect setting for enjoying lunch among the bustle of activity or savoring a delicious dinner under the twinkling lights.

Get your sewing on

Valerie Thomas has been sewing for as long as she can remember and last year she decided to change careers and start her own business, so she opened More Than A Notion Fabrics at 4437 Route 27 #1B in Princeton last November.

“I was tired of going into New York for fabric and having to travel far just if I needed a spool of thread,” she says. “I felt there were other people in the area who felt as I did, and so I decided this was a great opportunity.”

The store offers fabric for apparel, bridal fabric, quilting fabric and home décor fabric. The store also has plenty of trims, laces and buttons — and just about anything someone designing could need.

“We also offer sewing classes and this summer we’re going to have a program for kids ages 10 to 14, which we’re calling ‘Project Summer Sew,’” Ms. Thomas says. “They are going to learn how to sew and make jewelry, dolls, an apron and tote bag.”

Of course, you don’t need to be a More Than A Notion Fabrics kid to learn to sew.

Where You Never Go Out of Style Ms. Thomas says that the classes are regularly filled with people 50 and older — those who always wanted to learn to sew but Kingston Mall never did. There’s 4437 Route 27, Unit 1B also a parent/child Princeton, NJ 08540 Hours class so families Phone (609) 454-5789 Mon-Fri 9:30am-7pm Fax (609) 454-5793 Sat: 9:30am-6pm can come out fabrics@morethananotionfabrics.com Sun: Closed together.

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“My favorite thing about the business is teaching. I’ve enjoyed imparting my knowledge and seeing people realize that sewing is something they can do,” she says. “I’ve loved the fact that they’ve enjoyed it and are having fun.”

The store can also help with fittings and are available to guide people into creating anything they want, offering advice on the best fabric and materials needed.

For more information, call 609-454-5789.

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What’s In Store Where to buy and what to buy

By Nicole M. Wells Photos by Phil McAuliffe

Making Old Memories New You’re sure to find something to treasure during an afternoon of antiquing

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hether you’re searching for furniture with a story to tell or looking for that certain something with a historical veneer, you’re sure to find it and more at these area antique shops.

Housed within the walls of the 18thcentury Smith House, Musing Antiques (137 Stockton St., www.musingantiques. com) in Hightstown features antiques wrapped within an antique, Russian nesting doll style. Listed as the oldest house in town, the Smith House has served as the showroom for the European antiques dealer since 2005.

After graduating from Boston College with a degree in finance, and a stint in pharmaceutical sales, owner Dimitri Musing started the company in 2002.

“I did that (pharmaceutical sales) for a couple of years and really found that it wasn’t my cup of tea at all,” Mr. Musing says. “I didn’t like the corporate America world.” Open only by appointment, Musing Antiques focuses on importing quality pieces at affordable prices.

“I think that, 13 years later, we’re still in that market,” he says. “I think you get quality and you get it at a good price.”

Having had no formal training, Mr. Musing says he jumped in with both feet and learned about the antiques business from the school of hard knocks.

With a warehouse “packed to the gills” in Cranbury, the merchandise on the showroom floor is approximately onetenth of the company’s total inventory, he says.

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Clockwise from top: Among the discoveries found in area antique stores are jewelry, such as these necklaces at the Gilded Lion Princeton, and vases, like this one at Bonaparte Antiques in Bordentown City.

A savvy digital presence, with an abundance of photos per piece, has allowed him to reach global markets, Mr. Musing says, even selling European antiques back to Europeans. Working with his mother Gisela Portael, who came on board with the company in 2011, Mr. Musing says that they travel to Europe routinely and personally select every piece that they sell.

“We try to make them as good as possible again,” he says. “We wax them or whatever needs to be done to them. We don’t strip them because then you get rid of the patina.” The stories and the history of the pieces, coupled with the ecologically friendly nature of the business, are what appeal to him as a dealer, Mr. Musing says.

“This is my passion, this is running through my bloodstream.”

Bordentown is home to Bonaparte Antiques. At right is Julia Ciarocca, who owns the store with her husband Paul.

Born in Belgium, to parents who collected antiques, Mr. Musing attributes his love of European antiques to the early exposure he received from his family.

with stoneware and oil lamps. Estate jewelry glitters invitingly from glass cases, and antique trunks invite you to consider the possibilities.

He adds that collecting antiques is also a way for people to invest their money in an aesthetically pleasing way.

According to owner Julia Ciarrocca, getting into the antiques business occurred quite by accident.

“In an uncertain world and in an uncertain economy, it does give people another option to invest their money and, not only can they use it daily, but they have enjoyment about seeing it, looking at it,” he says. “When people buy an antique, there’s emotions attached to it. It’s not just another chest of drawers.”

“It all happened because the building went for sale and my husband buys real estate and he really liked the building,” she says. “And I was like, ‘Well, what are we going to do with a storefront?’ because we have apartments but no storefronts.”

Located in the “little city with a lot of charm,” Bonaparte Antiques (375 Farnsworth Avenue, www. bonaparteantiques.com) in Bordentown City offers visitors both vintage and antique items, as well as the occasional oddity.

Duck decoys draw you in, as original oil paintings peer into the room and reproduction cast-iron toys share space

They found their answer in a mutual enjoyment of antiquing and, after several years of owning the building, opened the store just over a year ago.

Named after local historical figure Joseph Bonaparte — the brother of Napoleon who lived in Bordentown City for a time — the name is also a nod to owner Paul Ciarrocca’s father, who owned Bonaparte Insurance in Trenton before he passed away, according to Ms. Ciarrocca.

Though their inventory makes its way to them in a variety of ways, it comes primarily through Mr. Ciarrocca’s occupation.

“My husband is a general contractor, master plumber, so he comes across a lot of stuff through his work in architectural salvage,” Ms. Ciarrocca says. “He’s actually the one who picks everything. He likes treasure hunting.”

When asked what she enjoys most about being in the antiques business, Ms. Ciarrocca didn’t have to think for long.

“I really enjoy the customers coming in,” she says. “It surprises me sometimes, (from) how far (away) they come.”

Formerly a hardware store, the repurposed space makes full use of the extensive built-in shelving to display its sundry wares. Aged glass bottles, many of them made of local glass, perch alongside porcelain dolls, as rescued wagon wheels adorn support beams and salvaged stained glass windows lean gently against the walls.

Although they are not certified appraisers, people will often bring items in to sell and they may buy something if it interests them, Ms. Ciarrocca, adding that her husband’s keen eye is what guides their purchasing decisions.

“He kind of really likes the architectural salvage stuff that’s a little more grungy or primitive,” she says. “That’s kind of what he looks for and then sometimes we just come across other stuff that gets thrown in, like at an auction.”

Bonaparte Antiques is open Thursdays, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Slightly off the beaten path of Nassau Street, The Gilded Lion (4 Chambers St., www.thegildedlion.com) in Princeton invites passers-by to step down into its den pmfineliving.com | 13

and take a trip through time and space.

Taking a cursory glance around, Owner Leo Arons finds Indian sculpture, Chinese porcelain, American silver, English furniture and Native American weaving among the shop’s current offerings, to scratch but the surface. Reclining on a shelf, tucked up in an alcove, a golden lion offers insight into the origins of the shop’s name.

“I was strongly attracted to it as a sculptural work, a work of American folk art, and since it is a gilded lion, it seemed appropriate for the shop to be named The Gilded Lion,” Mr. Arons says.

The name is also a play on Mr. Arons’ first name. A Princeton fixture for more than 25 years, Mr. Arons said that his passion for the business is what has kept him around.

“There have been ups and downs but I like what I’m doing so I’ve managed to stay here and continue over the years,” he says.

Trained as an engineer, Mr. Arons said that making the switch from the sciences to the arts was fairly simple.

“The transition was not a difficult one because I’d always been interested in the arts,” he says.

The experience of holding a medieval manuscript in graduate school began him on his collecting journey, and he started out by collecting books.

As he looks for new things to share with

people, the most important consideration is quality, Mr. Arons says. The shop carries unusual objects, representing both the fine and decorative arts, which come largely from Princeton-area homes when the owners decide to downsize.

“We operate at a level that is worth a second look from anyone who is interested in fine things” Mr. Arons says.

To feel a connection with people from the past through the objects they left behind, you have to have a slight touch of romanticism in you, according to Mr. Arons.

It surprises him that not everyone feels that.

“Most of the folks that come in here do have a sense of the connection with the past that an object can bring, and holding something and just sensing the presence of all those who’ve held it in the past,” he says.

Getting new things in the store requires a certain amount of research to determine their stories, which is always exciting, Mr. Arons says. Putting all of the information discovered together is what the antiques business amounts to.

“The objects bring history alive,” he says. “I was never very fond of history in school but the antiques business gave me a completely different slant on history. The everyday life of people at the time, in the past, it’s much more interesting than just bare facts out of a history book.”

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Treasures of all sorts can be found in stores such as Bonaparte Antiques in Bordentown City.

14 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

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Favorite Things Hey, where’d you get that?

By Sally Stang

It’s Time For Summer Fun! Pizza…Pronto!

Bag of Chocolate

Cover up!

As a young child, I worked in the pizza mines digging for veins of melted mozzarella and glistening nuggets of sausage. It was a grueling, greasy life, but with many high-calorie rewards… OK, actually, the real story is that our neighbor owned a pizza parlor and, breaking all child labor laws and enduring cardboard cuts, my brother and I folded his pizza boxes. As payment, neighbor Joe would give us fresh, ooey-gooey pizza! A lifelong obsession with tasting and making pizza (on a pizza stone) began with that first bite! However, the quest for perfect pizza may finally end with this portable Pizzeria Pronto Pizza Grill. Make fast, 10-minute personal pizzas for all your friends in your own backyard. This small propane grill has gotten good reviews and has demonstrations on YouTube to help make that perfect pizza. Look out — I may be tossing that pizza stone!

This is one of those goofy things that yelled “Yoo hoo!” at me when I was in Botari, a purse boutique in Princeton’s Palmer Square. I needed a large summery straw or cloth bag (and found some cute ones), but there was this small bag calling to me. It looked like a large chocolate bar, with shiny, individual rubber blocks.

And it smelled like chocolate! Wow, that’s amazing! And it tasted like… OK, no, I was tempted, but I didn’t try to taste it… because there were people looking. In any case, this is just the perfect sort of nocalorie, fun bag to carry in the summer.

It measures 9 X 6 X 4, which is big enough to hold your wallet and phone and several other items. Approach a stranger and say “Here, smell my purse!” It’s quite a conversation starter!

Looking forward to summer? Oh, you must be one of those crazy people who like barbeques, bicycling, hiking, and swimming. Me? No, not so much.

Honestly, the two most dreaded words to me are “pool party.” My upper arms and upper legs have not seen the light of the sun since Jimmy Carter was president! I am pale and jiggly and it is just not pretty, my friends. Swimming by moonlight with near-sighted people would be ideal.

Therefore, a light maxi cover-up is a boon to us self-conscious women. Check out South Moon Under at MarketFair — it has a graphic, colorful collection of coverups, with designs that are bold, like this example of a bohemian maxi skirt by Flying Tomato (with an elastic waistband, yay!) You can look cool while keeping cool.

Price: $299

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Price: $69 South Moon Under at MarketFair 3535 Route 1, West Windsor 609-608-7014; southmoonunder.com

Williams-Sonoma at MarketFair 3535 Route 1, West Windsor 609-419-1390; williams-sonoma.com

16 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

Botari 63 Palmer Square West 609-430-3031; facebook.com/botari

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pmfineliving.com | 17

A Bakery Born From a Family Tradition Joanne Canady-Brown has set up shop in Lawrenceville with The Gingered Peach

By Faith Bahadurian | Photos by Phil McAuliffe

Pastries at The Gingered Peach are designed to satisfy your sweet tooth.

very small town needs an old-fashioned bakery, and Lawrenceville had one at 2 Gordon Ave., just off Main Street, for nearly 50 years. With only three owners during that period, the town and surrounding communities had come to rely on The Village Pantry. But then Hurricane Sandy put the most recent owners out of business and the space sat empty for two years, until The Gingered Peach opened last December.

Proprietor Joanne Canady-Brown has been gratified with the warm reception she’s received, saying people started coming in on opening day, and with virtually no marketing or advertising on her part. “From day one, people told me how glad they were that I was here,” she says. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the Lawrenceville School is right across Main Street, and during my visits I’ve noticed a constant stream of people of all ages stopping by to pick up some of the wide range of goods offered, from homey to sophisticated.

Ms. Canady-Brown and her four siblings grew up in Hoboken, 18 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

in a multi-generational household with her paternal grandparents living downstairs. She named her business in honor of her grandmother who taught her to bake while passing along her southern heritage.

“She baked out of the cupboard,” Ms. Canady-Brown says, “making do with what was on hand, and if something was missing, she’d just improvise in order to ‘ginger it up,’ as she put it.” The term means to make something more interesting or exciting, and that’s exactly what she has done for Lawrenceville, which has a well-developed dining scene.

She relocated her original business, Let Them Eat Cake, the Ewing bakery she and a business partner opened in 2011. After her partner left to get married, Ms. Canady-Brown sought a better, and more affordable, retail location, which led her to Lawrenceville.

With the move, the emphasis is less on cakes (still available by special order) and more on individual pastries. Gary Hullfish, who owns the property and was eager to keep the location a

bakery, had a contractor all ready to work with her on renovating and outfitting the interior, which was empty except for a large commercial sink. Ms. Canady-Brown signed her lease in July 2014 and opened her doors five months later, after an extensive renovation.

A long display counter runs down one side of the space, while the area across from it provides table seating, so patrons can enjoy their treats on the spot with coffee or organic tea. Warm copper-toned ceiling tiles — the same pattern that was in her grandmother’s’ kitchen — cast a rosy glow, a brick wall is framed out with salvaged barn wood, and a photo portrait of her grandmother reigns over all.

A self-trained baker, Ms. Canady-Brown learned through constant testing and experimentation along with studying professional pastry-arts books. She has a background in restaurant management and marketing, and from those years, she acquired key skills in cost and labor management, negotiating with vendors, and merchandising, and has completed most of an MBA in marketing.

Her last corporate job, opening new stores for Bed, Bath, & Beyond, involved lots of travel, which she didn’t love, especially once she got engaged (her husband Joe is an engineer) and contemplated starting a family. Today she has a 4-year-old daughter and a 20-month old son, and is thankful for a short commute and the ability to carve out family time in the

evenings and — somewhat — on weekends (she closes at 1 p.m. on Sundays).

All her goods are made from scratch on the premises, right down to the rich brioche and croissant doughs used in many of the pastries. Sensibly sized cupcakes, are lined up like ranks of little soldiers, each with a swirly frosting hat, in a case at one end of the counter: Salted Caramel, Oreo, and a Hostess lookalike are current top sellers. Pastries are displayed on a collection of cake stands, and the special order cakes are in a case at the end.

My own favorites include little orange-scented olive oil cakes, pecan-butterscotch scones, and any croissant, but especially the one filled with ham and cheese. There are usually two kinds of brownies, traditional all-chocolate and an unusual version with swirls of tart goat cheese on top that became a customer favorite in her old location.

Sticky buns and cinnamon rolls are must-haves, as is the unusual “caramel crack,” a small brioche bun coated in dark caramel “goo,” as Ms. Canady-Brown calls it. The staff makes a point of finding time to create new items, which keeps things interesting for them and the customers. A “Sticky Piggy,” for instance, is in development; it will include some bacon fat in the goo. Her eyes light up even more when she tells me that as soon as a new gas line is hooked up, she’ll install a professional donut fryer.

The Gingered Peach uses high-quality ingredients. The chocolate is Callebaut from Belgian and the flour is from King Arthur. The

Owner Joanne Canady-Brown opened The Gingered Beach last year in the space that was once home to The Village Pantry.

pmfineliving.com | 19

Employees Katelyn Matteucci (left) and Elizabeth Richardson help prepare the cakes and other treats served at The Gingered Peach.

two kinds of butter used in the bakery are higher in butterfat than what most of us buy in the supermarket: European style Plugra where it really counts, and AA Grade Sommer Maid from Bucks County PA for the rest.

Breads come from Terra Momo Bread Company in Princeton because artisan loaves require large steam ovens, and, as Ms. Canady-Brown wisely put it, “it’s best to stay in our lane,” rather than trying to do both sweet and savory baking. Another example of that strategy is not offering gluten-free baked goods. “I made a conscious decision,” she says, since the entirely gluten-free WildFlour bakery is right around the corner on Main Street.

Even when the Gingered Peach is closed for retail business on Mondays, Ms. Canady-Brown is there preparing wholesale orders to supply some of the area’s coffee houses with pastry dough and muffin batters that are then baked fresh on their own premises.

These include Thomas Sweet in Montgomery (who in turn provides the bakery’s coffee) and Rojo’s Roasters on Palmer Square. Those large orders give her buying leverage with her suppliers, which help keep retail prices down. Cupcakes, for instance, have held the line at $2, which is important to her.

“You should be able to get a high quality treat for $2,” she insists.

Plus, that way, those who can afford to indulge — whether in money or calories — can try two flavors.

She’s gingered up Lawrenceville for sure.

The Gingered Peach is located at 2 Gordon Ave. in Lawrenceville.

For information, go to www.thegingeredpeach.com or call 609-8965848.

Faith Bahadurian blogs at njspice.net (also Twitter @njspice).

20 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

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They Mean Business Audrey Gould and her daughters have built a legacy in Princeton through their investment group

By Pam Hersh | Photos by Mark Czajkowski

Audrey Gould (center) and her two daughter, Ellen (left) and Georgeanne (right) have been assessing financial opportunities through The Gould Group for 20 years.

pmfineliving.com | 21

G

oogling “mother-daughter” generally produces associative references to mother-daughter outfits, greeting card quotes, and recipes.

It is rare that searching “mother-daughter” would produce links to business outfits as in corporate entities, stock quotes, and recipes for fiscal success. That’s because the people at Google have yet to catch up with the likes of the mother-daughter — actually mothertwo daughters — combo of the Gould Group of Wells Fargo Advisors on 138 Nassau St. in Princeton.

When their early morning conversation over coffee centers on discount shopping and apples, it’s about Costco and Apple stock. No one can say if the mother-two daughters investment adviser group is unique in the world of wealth management firms, but those in the business acknowledge that it is rare. And some think that the Gould Group may have been the first of its kind when it was launched 20 years ago.

For the past two decades, longtime Princeton residents Audrey Gould and her two daughters, Ellen Gould Baber and Georgeanne Gould Moss, both of whom are Princeton High School graduates, have started their weekday mornings with a cup of coffee and an assessment of the day’s investment news, challenges, and financial opportunities.

“Although we are very close personally, the office time is spent on our profession of helping our clients find the best financial strategies that fit their individual situations,” Ellen says. “The working arrangement just seems very natural, nothing strained or artificial.

Conversation — relating to personal issues with husbands, friends,

The Goulds say that focus and a passion for work are the cornerstones of their investment group.

22 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

children (Ellen’s son and daughter are grown and out of college and working, Georgeanne’s boys are teen and pre-teen) — takes place only at times that in no way would interfere with work flow and attention to our clients.”

“We all bring different skills to the table, but share one crucial attribute — focus and a real passion for the work,” Georgeanne says.

The three of them never had a grand plan for working together.

“Things just seemed to evolve,” says Audrey, who started the financial ball rolling in the Gould family more than 30 years ago. She began her career in finance in 1982, when being a female financial adviser was an anomaly.

“No one would have hired me, except for the fact that a discrimination lawsuit against a major investment firm forced investment firms to hire women for financial adviser positions,” Audrey says. With an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Audrey’s first career was in health care, specifically orthoptics, the diagnosis and management of eye movement disorders. For 26 years, she was director of the Orthoptic Clinic at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

“I loved my work in orthoptics and my patients, but I was intrigued by the complex and ever-changing world of finances and the challenges of investment,” Audrey says. “I knew that as a financial adviser, I could still help people, but help them in a way that I found truly challenging. When I was 17 years old, I borrowed money from my father, bought and sold shares of U.S. Steel, made $5,000, and financed my first year of college at University of Pennsylvania.”

In 1982, she traded her career in orthopics for a job at Merrill Lynch, where she kept her eye on stock market movements. She became Merrill’s first female senior vice president in New Jersey.

The next big change came when she went to work for Wachovia (now Wells Fargo) and brought her daughters into the business more than two decades ago. Ellen, with an undergraduate degree from Trinity College, took about 26 minutes rather than 26 years to decide the financial services arena was where she wanted to be.

However, it did take Ellen a year of working in the high-stress and frenetic environment of a New York City brokerage firm to make her realize that what she craved was the personal, face-to-face connection to the client. Like her mother, she was fascinated by the complexities and challenges of investing, but also wanted to connect with people.

“I was interested in the interaction with individuals,” she says, “understanding their lives and priorities and being responsive to their particular situations… I needed to look at faces, not just computer screens.” Therefore, Ellen without any hesitation accepted her mother’s offer to work with Audrey in Princeton.

While Ellen and her mom were pursuing investment management careers, younger sister Georgeanne had decided to become a lawyer.

With an undergraduate degree from Barnard College, Columbia University, and then a law degree from Benjamin Cardoza School of Law in Manhattan, she began her career as an associate at a Connecticut law firm and then worked as a senior attorney specializing in litigation, securities compliance and derivative products at a major brokerage firm.

“I loved what I did, but it must be something in the Gould female DNA that drew me, as it did my mother and sister, into the profession of helping people make smart financial decisions.” Even though she no longer practices law, her legal background adds important perspective to her investment strategies — and brings a skill set to the Gould Group that complements the skills of trading specialist Ellen and resource management expert Audrey.

What is most gratifying is the trust they have built with their clients who over the years have referred their friends and family members living all over the world to the Goulds.

“There is nothing magical about what we do,” Audrey says. “Trust is built by being intensely well informed and knowledgeable and then engaging in proactive listening, caring and communicating… We do not wait for our clients to call us, we call them on a regular basis, pre-empt their questions, anticipate their concerns before they even verbalize the concerns.”

The Goulds have invested their time and resources outside of the office to benefit a community of people far broader than their Wells Fargo clients. Even though their community service efforts are made on each of their own individual behalf rather than on behalf of the Gould Group, they share a common commitment to give back in the areas of the arts, medicine and education.

In addition, the skills of listening closely, analyzing, and making rational thoughtful decisions — skills that have worked so well for them in their profession — have worked to make them leaders in the community service organizations on whose boards they serve.

None of them talks much about their volunteer accomplishments, they just volunteer.

Audrey’s current volunteer activities include being on the board of the Governors at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey; the Child Health Institute of Rutgers Medical School; and the Princeton Public Library, where she and her recently deceased husband, Dr. Kenneth Gould, inspired the library’s first endowed annual lecture series — with the emphasis on the mind and learning.

Ellen for several years has been a dedicated fund-raiser for Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, while also serving on the Board of McCarter Theatre in Princeton.

Georgeanne’s most significant community service efforts have been focused on her board responsibilities for the National Committee for the Performing Arts (NCPA) of the John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts. She has played a key role in making a connection between the NCPA and the Trenton School District. She also serves on the board of the Princeton Education Foundation.

All this activity as professional financial managers and community service leaders has occurred within the non-stop efforts of being devoted parents and spouses. Is there another female in the family who may add her credentials to the Gould Group’s roster?

In fact, there is Ellen’s daughter, Jessica, who recently graduated from her grandmother’s alma mater University of Pennsylvania and who has worked for a New York investment firm and a start-up food venture, and now hopes to return to school to get her MBA. pmfineliving.com | 23

Princeton Junction Local to Compete at Special Olympics

By Keith Loria

N

ew Jersey’s 2015 Special Olympics Summer Games will see more than 2,500 athletes participate in seven sports — aquatics, bocce, gymnastics, powerlifting, softball, tennis and track & field — when it comes to the College of New Jersey in Ewing and Mercer County Park in West Windsor, June 12-14.

One of the athletes competing will be Princeton Junction’s Divesh Ramani, who has been involved in the Special Olympics for the past seven years through his local Y S.K.O.R. (YMCA Special Kids Organized Recreation) program. Over that time, the 19year-old has competed in cycling, snowshoeing, and bowling.

they wanted to find an organization where his son could interact with some friends and do the sports he enjoys.

“To some extent, this has changed Divesh’s life,” his dad says.

“One very important thing is he has ADHD and all those things, but by being fit and healthy, the Special Olympics are helping him to become smarter.”

Watching his son compete is always a special time for Divesh’s dad, who recounts a memory from last year.

“In the last Games, he was the youngest athlete in the 15km cycling race and it was his first big race, and he fell down, but we all cheered and got him to get up and go, letting him know he still had a chance,” he says. “What I saw in him was he rode the race of his life. He ended up getting a bronze.”

An interesting development to come from the race was one of the announcers was Joe Saling, a 20-time national champion. He saw Divesh’s effort and determination, and agreed to become his local coach for the World Games.

“My favorite part about competing is having fun and meeting new people,” Mr. Ramani says.

“I like to win medals.”

Now, Divesh will compete in cycling at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games, which will take place in Los Angeles this July

Since cycling is a fall sport, for the upcoming 2015 Games, Mr. Ramani will be competing in track and field, taking on events such as the 1,500-meter 800-meter and the 4-by-400. His philosophy is simple: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

In cycling, Divesh trains up to five days a week, both outdoors and at the SONJ Fitness Center in Lawrenceville. He also takes spin classes at CanDo Fitness in Plainsboro and participates in triathlons.

“It’s lots of fun,” he says. “I enjoy running.”

His events are scheduled for the College of New Jersey, and Mr. Ramani says he is looking forward to staying in the dorm and meeting the other participants.

“I can’t wait,” he says. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

In addition to sports, Mr. Ramani likes to spend his free time going to the movies, and was particularly excited about seeing Pitch Perfect 2.

His father explains that when the family moved to the area,

“This organization has helped him a great deal,” his father says. “My son knows so many sports now and he enjoys being an athlete and getting the encouragement from the Special Olympics on the world stage. It’s like a dream.”

Special Olympics New Jersey’s mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympictype sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Divesh Ramani has won medals in fall Special Olympic cycling events, and will compete in track and field in this summer’s New Jersey Games.

24 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games Schedule June 12-14, 2015 All are welcome to attend these events to watch and cheer on the athletes of Special Olympics New Jersey!

Friday, June 12, 2015

Saturday, June 13, 2015 & Sunday, June 14, 2015

7:30 p.m. – SONJ Summer Games Opening Ceremony at The College of New Jersey Lion’s Stadium, Ewing, there will be live music, fireworks, a parade of athletes, and the lighting of the Summer Games cauldron

• 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Competition – Bocce – The College of New Jersey Soccer Field, Ewing – Gymnastics – Schafer’s School of Gymnastics, Lawrenceville – Powerlifting – The College of New Jersey Kendall Hall, Ewing – Swimming – The College of New Jersey Packer Hall – Softball – Mercer County Park, West Windsor – Tennis – The College of New Jersey Tennis Courts, Ewing – Track & Field – The College of New Jersey Track and surrounding fields, Ewing

• 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Young Athletes™ intro to sports activities for children ages 2-7 that have intellectual disabilities throughout The College of New Jersey campus, Ewing

• 12:30 p.m. – Young Athletes™ Future Stars Race at The College of New Jersey Track, Ewing

• 6:00 p.m. (Saturday ONLY) – Showcase Baseball Game featuring our baseball athletes. Baseball is one of our newest sports, and currently features an exhibition format.

pmfineliving.com | 25

Blooming Hearts Child Development Center

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609-924-0004

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www.princetonmattress.com

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Diamond’s Restaurant 25 Route 31 Pennington, NJ 08534

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D.J. Fox Landscapes

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Twomey Builders & Carpentry Details

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Donald R. Twomey

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Major Car Wash

Nassau Tennis Club

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Skillman Cardiothoracic

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26 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

Anthony’s Handyman Services Proudly Serving the central New Jersey area Home Improvements

609-309-1501

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pmfineliving.com | 27

Make Your Pool Cool Get the most out of your pool with games, accessories and maintenance supplies

By Keith Loria

S

Get the most out of your summer fun by adding style and fun to your pool.

ummer is almost here, and if you’re lucky enough to own a swimming pool, you already know how great it is to come home from the office on a hot day and take a refreshing swim.

Owning a pool probably means you’ll be hosting many friends and family members on weekends, and if you’re planning on doing some heavy entertaining by the pool this year, there are plenty of ways to beef up the fun.

Kevin Jenkins, a spokesperson for Leslie’s Pool Supplies (www.lesliespool.com), with locations in the Mercer Mall on Brunswick Pike in Lawrence, and at 950 Route 33 in Hamilton, says floats and pool games are always popular, and this year the store is selling NBA-logoed hoops and rafts, so you can show your favorite team’s colors proudly in the pool.

Other popular toys sold at the store include remote control boats, a Dunn-Rite volleyball net and a Leisure Sea-Saw Rocker.

28 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

Looking for a little flash? Mr. Jenkins says that adding colorchanging LED lights in and around the pool is a great way to highlight the area.

“There are some stunning visual lights that give you the ability to change up the lighting to suit any mood or event around the pool,” he says. “Leslie’s offer numerous light options — from static colors like blue, green, magenta, red and white to dynamic preprogrammed light shows that enhance nighttime “poolscapes” with rich and vibrant colors. The light shows range from slow and soothing, to fast and energetic.”

With the growing trend of luxurious, resort-like backyards, chairs and furniture surrounding the pool are becoming much more fashionable, as bars, luxurious cooking stations, fire pits and fire tables, and sometimes even entertainment systems are now within reach as you exit your pool.

One visit to Patio World (www.patioworld.com) at 3303 Route

1 South in Lawrenceville can help you create a backyard oasis.

The store offers everything from wicker furniture to grills to patio chairs and a host of other backyard accessories that will make entertaining fun.

Hammock lovers can rest in a Hatteras hammock, hand-woven using three-ply cotton rope, or one of the four different types of hammocks sold at REI Princeton (www.rei.com), located at 3371 Route 1 Business in Lawrenceville.

Keeping your pool blue also is vital. Everyone knows that you need to vacuum a pool and add chemicals, but it’s important that the right mixture is used, and that the pool is cleaned regularly.

Balancing your water chemistry is the key to a healthy pool all summer.

Chlorine is the quintessential chemical when fighting and eliminating bacteria and contamination in a swimming pool.

The PH is measured by determining the acidity of the water, and a pool that does not have an ideal PH balance can cause swimmers to have skin and eye discomfort. Ensuring that a swimming pool has enough calcium is essential when caring for its pipes and heating system.

Pelican Pools (www.pelicanshops.com) located in Whitehouse, with three other locations in New Jersey, sells everything you could need for the pool and its surroundings, including the chemicals, patio equipment, grills, pool supplies and games Speaking of games, some fun lawn games like Badminton, horse shoes or lawn darts are always great things to do when needing a little break from the pool.

Now that you’re ready to create the perfect environment in and around your pool, just remember, you may never get your friends to leave!

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pmfineliving.com | 29

Making a Difference for 40 Years Eden Autism Services marks a milestone

By Bernadette Suski-Harding

I

Among the members of the Riddick family is son Chase, who attends Eden. From left: Chase’s mother Romy, brother Austin, sister Savanna, father Derek, and Chase.

n the 40 years since its founding, Eden Autism Services has called many places home: the basements of Trinity and St. Paul’s churches, Dorothea’s House, and two buildings on Route 1.

But perhaps, the place that’s most like home is the place without any walls. Perhaps Eden’s true home is in the hearts and minds of the people who helped Eden get its start and who help it — and are helped by it — today.

People like Carol Markowitz, Eden’s chief program officer, who was inspired to work with autistic children in the 1970s, while studying psychology at Rutgers’ Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, when a nonverbal girl she taught spoke for the first time at the age of 6. Ms. Markowitz has been with Eden since the beginning.

Or Peter Bell who, not long after his son was diagnosed in the mid-1990s, left a promising career in corporate marketing to become a full-time advocate for autism.

He joined Eden a year ago, as president and CEO. People like Dion Giannicola, one of Eden’s 30 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

founding mothers, whose son Bobby Pescia, now 46, was diagnosed with autism at age 2 by a neurologist, after another doctor’s diagnosis of “profound retardation.” She supports Eden to this day.

Or the Riddick family, whose son Chase, a high schooler, talks and expresses more emotion since starting at Eden. “For him

to say ‘hi’ to me when I walk in the door, before I say ‘hi’ to him, that’s huge,” his mother, Romy Riddick says.

Hearts and minds working together, not to effect a cure — because it’s generally accepted that there is no cure, only treatment — but to effect a change in how society responds to autism, and how people

From left Eden’s Chief Program Officer Carol Markowitz; President and CEO Peter Bell.

with autism respond to society.

A tall order, that, but if ever there were a group of crusaders up to the task, this is the one.

Doing what had to be done

Clockwise from top: A student practices writing at Eden; student Chase Riddick climbs a tree, his brother Austin helped him; Chase’s school picture and a picture of him getting ready for school. Bottom: Among the places where Eden students work is the Hyatt Regency in West Windsor.

When Eden first began operating, it was driven by a group of parents whose children had autism, before the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (sometimes referred to as Public Law, or PL, 94-142), enacted by Congress in 1975, required public schools to make special services available for 10 months of the year.

But even the passage of that law didn’t do enough to jumpstart the cause. It wasn’t until 1990 that professionals moved past three diagnoses — psychological or neurological impairment, emotional disturbance or mental retardation — and began recognizing autism.

“Those three were all there was. To get funding from the Department of Education, your program had to fall into one of those categories,” Ms. Markowitz says.

“People didn’t recognize autism, most people hadn’t heard of it. A lot of parents were told ‘Your child will never progress. Put them in a state institution, that’s the best they’ll be able to do.’ ” Many families did just that. Now, with deinstitutionalization in full swing, older adults with autism are moving back into the mainstream.

“They have the same needs, physical and retirement, that everyone else does, but there’s very little research on it,” Ms. Markowitz says. “Aging and geriatrics (among people with autism) is the new frontier.”

There were those, though, for whom an institution wasn’t the answer. In the greater Princeton area, a half dozen or so families got together to make a difference.

Mrs. Giannicola remembers meeting in the living room of Dr. David Holmes, Eden’s founding director, to make plans. “All the parents got along famously.

We all had the same goal,” she says. “We came from all different walks of life. God doesn’t pick and choose. Anyone can get this — children of doctors and professors — anyone.

“We were green, and didn’t know where the heck this would go. We didn’t know what we were dealing with really, but we knew we had to do something, so we went out on a limb, and started in the basement of a church.

“We had bake sales and covered-dish dinners, and fund raisers, to raise money for the school. My husband would bring home pencils and notebooks from work. There was a lot of hard work from everyone involved. We worked 18 hour days to make sure the school flourished.”

When asked when she knew that they’d hit on something that worked, she replies, “We didn’t know. We took it day by day. We had to. There were no choices back then. Nothing in the public schools.

Kids would have to get driven in by parents because a pmfineliving.com | 31

lot of school districts then didn’t provide busing.”

But, in the case of these founding families, they simply did what they had to do.

“It meant a future for my son, and for all the kids with this condition,” she says. “You can’t go into denial. You have to say, ‘OK, it is what it is,’ but then you have to do what you have to do to help your kid.”

An exciting time

The name Eden was chosen, Ms. Markowitz recalls, to signify a new beginning, for students, for parents, for society.

Once incorporated, Eden helped 17 families its first year, and more each year after that. This year, 73 students ages 3 to 21 are enrolled at Eden, and an additional 130 people benefit from Eden’s services.

Eden also helps train teachers, both in person and via webinars, across the U.S., and in Great Britain, Hong Kong and Africa.

Ms. Markowitz remembers Eden’s founding as a very exciting time.

“The laws didn’t yet afford much protection or assistance for families, but there was an awful lot of research being done,” she says. “A lot of researchers were doing an enormous amount of very good work, and we were drawing from that and getting training and materials from them. It was a very exciting time to be a part of it.”

When Ms. Markowitz began working in the field of autism, one in 10,000 children received a diagnosis of autism.

“Back then, when a child had autism, everyone wanted to see it,” Mr. Bell says. “Today you can’t meet anyone who isn’t touched, directly or indirectly, by autism. It’s everywhere now.”

Roughly two decades later, in 1996, the year Mr. Bell’s son was diagnosed, the prevalence of autism was one in 2,000; not long after that, one in 500.

Today, according to studies by the Center for Disease Control, the rate is one in 68, one in 48 in New Jersey). Among boys the rate is one in 30.

Asked if that spike in numbers is an actual increase in the number of cases, or indicative of an increased awareness of and willingness to diagnose autism, Mr. Bell calls that the “135 billion-dollar question. That’s the cost we as a society incur every year to take care of those living with autism.”

Research indicates, Mr. Bell says, that between 50 and 60 percent of the increase is due to better awareness, helped along by a broadening of criteria.

“The other 40 to 50 percent, we don’t know whether those individuals would have been diagnosed before, or if there’s an increase today in cases,” he says.

What is known for certain is that there is an increase in awareness of autism, coupled with an increase in understanding.

“I was driving with someone yesterday,” Ms. Markowitz says. “There was an autism magnet on 32 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

From top: Eden Autism Services is marking its 40th anniversary; Carol Markowitz, Eden’s chief programming officer, with one of Eden’s adult participants; Eden student Bobby, who works through Eden’s program, with his family.

the car in front of me. You see them so frequently now, and it never ceases to amaze me the level of awareness now, compared to when I started.

“It was so rare, that people often responded with blank stares, or a question along the lines of ‘What? They like art?’” Ms. Markowitz said. “It never ceases to amaze me — that huge change. It’s resulted in greater services and resources, and all those good things that come with it.”

The power of work Eden offers yearlong educational services for pupils ages 3 to 21.

But what happens when individuals age out?

That’s when Eden’s employment program kicks in. Since the 1970s, WaWa has been a huge supporter of Eden’s work program, developing jobs for 17- and 18-year-olds with autism, and is generally considered a leading employer of people with disabilities.

“What has always separated Eden, and made us a pioneer in that regard, is that we’ve always worked very hard to integrate our members into the community,” Mr. Bell says. “They shouldn’t be hidden away, or someone society ignores. That’s why we’re so focused on employment programs, to help people find something they love to do, so they can pay taxes and not live off other people’s taxes. That’s a novel concept.

“It should be an expectation and not the exception, being able to work.”

Presently, Eden has several people working in the community: four work at the Princeton Garden movie theater, one works at Miele, four work at the Hyatt Regency, and another 25 or 30 work at Princeton Windrows.

“We feel lucky to be in Princeton,” Mr. Bell says. “But I also feel Princeton feels lucky to have Eden. We want the Princeton community to recognize autism is not a scary thing, and that it’s OK to employ people with autism, it’s OK to invite them to your parties or dances. You might need a little extra patience.

“We feel lucky to be in a community that recognizes that giving individuals a little support can let them become important contributing members of our society.”

Student Chase Riddick at a soccer game, with his brother Austin who served as Chase’s buddy during the game.

From top: Eden student Evan at work; Eden President and CEO Pete Bell with a student, photos of Chase Riddick and his family.

pmfineliving.com | 33

Three Families United by a Diagnosis The Bell Family When Tyler Bell was first diagnosed with autism in the 1990s, Peter Bell and his wife spent the first 10 years hoping for optimal outcome, in which the symptoms of autism appear to fade away.

“We hoped that might be our child, but that was not the case,” Mr. Bell says. They came to terms with that gradually, and accepted it when Tyler, their middle child, was a teen.

“I can’t say it occurs one day and you wake up understanding it,” Mr. Bell said. “It was an evolution.”

From hoping for optimal outcome, the shift changed to helping Tyler be the best he can be.

“Autism comes with a lot of great skills and abilities,” Mr. Bell says, “and understanding it is constantly evolving.”

Autism doesn’t define Tyler, but it makes him who he is: a young man who experiences seizures, but who, as Mr. Bell describes him, “is a remarkable young man who has probably touched more people in his life than most other 22-year-olds, and we’re very proud.”

The Riddick Family Chase Riddick was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2.

He attended Yale Southeast, a school for autistic children, in Voorhees, before switching to Eden last July for the high school program.

“We needed the right setting to make him as independent as possible after high school,” says his mother, Romy. Eden’s programs involving training in vocational and life skills was the deciding factor.

While Chase’s speech is limited and he tends to speak in twoand three-word combinations (his mother says he understands more than he lets on), he has not yet plateaued. “He’s still learning math and reading,” Mrs. Riddick says.

The Riddicks were nervous about the transition from Yale Southeast, which Chase attended for 10 years, to Eden, but knew from the start that he would be fine.

“It’s no exaggeration, but we noticed from the very first day that he slid right in without issues,” Mrs. Riddick says. “When he woke up on the second day, he was so happy. We told him, ‘Chase, it’s another school day at Eden.’ He giggled and jumped out of bed. We knew he was happy and that’s important to us.”

The changes the Riddicks have noticed since July are monumental — to them.

“There are things other families with typical kids take for granted. When I walk in the door, for him to greet me before I greet him, is huge, or to say goodbye to each of us in the morning, when he gets on the school bus. That didn’t start until Eden,” Mrs. Riddick says.

The Riddicks have also noticed more expressed compassion.

“One night, my daughter Savanna was crying at the dinner 34 | Packet Magazine | June 2015

table. Chase reached over and patted her head, and said ‘It’s OK savvy cakes’,” Mrs. Riddick says.

She adds that Eden’s support reaches into the home too as well.

“They have been really supportive of us,” she says. “They check to see what his chores are, and what he’s doing. They’re reminding him to help take out the trash and load the dishwasher, the normal things you’d ask your kids to do.”

The Giannicola Family When Dion Giannicola’s son from her first marriage, Bobby Pescia, was diagnosed 42 years ago, she was a young mother of 23 who had no idea what autism was or what it meant.

“I was confused, and didn’t know it would be lifelong,” she says. “When I found out it would be lifelong, I felt like someone ripped my heart out. It was frightening. I was a single mother. I had no idea where it would go from there. I just knew I had to do the best for my son.”

And do her best, she did. She and a group of parents banded together to create and build Eden. In the 40 years since, Mrs. Giannicola has remained a big part of the school’s efforts, as has her son.

“He had no eye contact, and wouldn’t play,” Mrs. Giannicola says of the traits that first made her suspect something was amiss. “He was very affectionate though.”

Bobby attended Eden until he aged out at 21. Today he’s in Eden’s work program.

“He’s done things for the post office and attorneys. He’s collated. Now he’s making paper blocks to burn in the fireplace,” Mrs. Giannicola says.

He also lives, semi-independently, in a group home in Ewing, where he’s learned to ski, swim and bowl. He’s even competed in cross-country skiing events in the Special Olympics.

She has great respect for the work Eden’s teachers do.

“It’s a tough job,” she says. “They’re the hardest kids to educate.” She adds that there are breakthroughs — and those can be joyous.

“They called me on the phone when he first said his name,” she says. “I was crying, they were screaming.”

Mrs. Giannicola knows in her heart that her son wouldn’t be where he is today without Eden’s teachers. He’s high functioning, but non-verbal. He understands a lot, she says, and uses sign language very fluently.

From left: Austin, Derek and Chase Riddick.

On the Vine Pouring and pairing wines near and far

By Patrick Walsh

The Wines of Le Roc des Anges A summer romance built to last

I

n late April I visited Domaine Le Roc des Anges, a winery in the Roussillon appellation of southern France’s Languedoc region and just miles from the Spanish border. The vineyard is owned and run by Marjorie and Stéphane Gallet, a young couple who began this labor of love in 2001.

Their superb wines will keep thirsty oenophiles happy yearround, but summer might be the best season to get acquainted with their reds and whites — a summer romance that will last.

Energetic and affable, Marjorie, the winemaker, has a backbone of steely resolve. She chooses to grow grapes that are organic and biodynamic. Her youngest vines are 40 years old; the oldest, a magnificent parcel of gnarled Carignan, was planted in 1903.

Old vines are to be preferred for the concentrated power of their grapes, but they yield far less juice: on average, Marjorie gets a little bit more than a glass of wine from each vine.

In many ways, Languedoc is the “Wild West” of French winemaking. It boasts the largest production of any region in the world, supplying over a third of France’s total output. While other regions expressly forbid certain grapes (i.e. non-native varietals) being grown within their purview, Languedoc takes a laissez-faire approach. Other than A.O.C. wines, which must contain only specified grapes, everyday wines, or vin ordinaire, can be made with just about any grape a vigneron chooses. Consequently, Languedoc abounds with fly-by-night winemakers, dilettantes who “fancy” running a vineyard or schemers out to make a quick Euro.

Keeping with the motif, Marjorie and Stéphane are true pioneers.

In a region criticized for high volume and poor quality, their commitment to low yields results in wines that fully express both the varietals and terroir in which they’re grown. Wines as good as those of Le Roc des Anges don’t happen overnight; like their vines, the Gallets have put down deep roots.

The vineyard’s terroir, or soil character, prominently features layers of flaky, quick-to-crumble schist. The schist forces the vines to grow deeper, the roots groping their way around rocks in search of fertile soil and moisture. Deep roots enable the vines to survive summer’s brutal heat.

Marjorie showed me one steeply sloped field planted with oldvine Carignan in which a quartz vein runs through the dark schist.

She pointed out that when one stands at the hill’s base, the white, fist-sized rocks, “roc blanc,” covering the ground resemble a path leading straight up to the heavens, hence the vineyard’s name: angels’ rock.

The wines are heavenly too. Made from a blend of Grenache Noir, Carignan, and Syrah, Segna de Cor, the vineyard’s introductory

red, pours a dark, enticing purple in the glass and greets the nose with black cherry, raspberry, cocoa, and hints of fennel. At $23, the 2013 Segna de Cor is the perfect bottle to accompany your tangiest ribs or your juiciest grilled lamb chops with generous sprigs of rosemary.

The domaine’s premier cuvée is the Vignes Centenaires Carignan, which, as its name states, is made from those 1903 Carignan vines.

(Let me put 1903 in perspective: the Boston Americans beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the very first World Series!) If you’re not familiar with Carignan, it’s a lot like Syrah, or, as the Aussies call it, Shiraz. Marjorie explained how Carignan vines folds their leaves during the day’s hottest hours to conserve moisture, an adaptation Syrah vines don’t possess. Sublime, endlessly concentrated, cellarworthy, and just plain delicious, this first-growth-level red is $60.

Le Roc des Anges whites are made from Grenache Gris and Maccabeu grown on 70- to 100-year-old vines. They offer delicate melon, peach, and apricot fruit underpinned by firm mineral flavors reminiscent of the best Chablis. The first food-pairing I thought of was oysters, but the 2013 Llum (which means “light” in Catalan) can accompany the richest seafood. It’s $32 per bottle, but think of it this way: what other wine region’s best white is as inexpensive?

Princeton’s Corkscrew (49 Hulfish St., 609-430-1200, www. princetoncorkscrew.com) wine shop proudly offers the Segna de Cor, Vignes Centenaires Carignan, and Llum cuvées. Why not try a bottle or two this summer and start a lifelong romance.

Patrick Walsh with winemaker Marjorie Gallet at Domaine Le Roc des Anges.

pmfineliving.com | 35

Health Simple techniques to help you relax Finding ways to relax can improve life at home and at the office. While it’s not often easy to find time to slow down, especially for those men and women juggling the responsibilities of career and family, the following are some simple techniques that don’t take much time but can have a positive impact on your day.

Take some time out from multitasking. The ability to multitask is a cherished commodity for parents and working professionals alike, but men and women can benefit from periodic breaks from their everyday juggling acts. Something as simple as focusing on a single task for 30 minutes at a time, as opposed to checking emails while preparing dinner or working on a project while answering a client’s phone call, can help lower stress levels and have a lasting and calming effect on your nerves.

Make time to meditate every day. Studies have shown that meditation can affect the circuitry in the brain, positioning it to more adequately respond to illness and stressful situations.

Meditation has the added benefit of being a relaxing exercise, as meditation encourages people to sit with their feet on the

floor with both eyes closed in a relaxing setting that is free of external distractions.

Walk away from your desk and couch. It’s well documented that spending too much time sitting at a desk can have a negative impact on your health. In addition to elevating a person’s risk of heart disease and diabetes, sitting at a desk all day long has been linked to repetitive stress injuries, obesity and back pain, each of which can contribute to stressful living conditions that make it difficult to relax. Men and women should spend at least five minutes each hour walking, whether they are getting up from their desk at work or getting off the couch at home. Doing so takes little time, but it can help to relieve stress at work and at home and improve your overall health.

Practice yoga. Yoga is another activity that can help men and women relax. Yoga involves a series of poses that helps stretch the muscles and aid their recovery from everyday aches and pains, including those that often result from stressful experiences or days at the office.

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36 | Packet Magazine | June 2015