BC the Mag Fall '22

THE FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE...

Hackensack University Medical Center Helena Theurer Pavilion

OPENING LATE FALL 2022

Hackensack University Medical Center is committed to offering the best health care to our community. This dedication led to our vision of constructing a nine-story state-of-the-art patient pavilion. This fall our vision will become a reality. Our new tower will be home to 24 operating rooms with the most advanced technology available, 50 intensive care beds and 175 private medical/surgical beds including a 50 room Musculoskeletal Institute. Thank you for letting us care for you. We are dedicated to Keep Getting Better. To learn more visit HackensackUMC.org.

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Fall 2022

Publishers

Sharon & Steven GoldStein

Publishers

Sharon & Steven Goldstein

Associate Publisher

Associate Publisher

Brandon GoldStein

Brandon Goldstein

Editorial Director

Editorial Director

JeSSica humphrey cintineo

Jessica Humphrey-Cintineo

Art Director

“She made me feel better about myself and made me realize that I was making my life better and eas ier. She surprised me when I picked up the walker. She had this pink, paisley fabric covering on it. She made me feel good about it. I had a need and anything she could find to improve my life she did. Insurance wouldn’t pay for my catheter and Jodi researched what she could do to help with that. She worked with me. It’s endless what she can give you.”

Art Director

BmG marketinG

BMG Marketing

Contributing Writers

dr. Jen altman emily r. condon kevin czerwinSki tara delorenzo Stacie roSe audrey zona

Fashion Director Candace Kristin

Contributing Writers

Kevin Czerwinski

Tara DeLorenzo

While individual stories like Occi dentale’s are plentiful so are some of the bigger ones such as the Paramus Police Department and the Seton Hall University Physician’s Assistant Program, which Cornell has been working with for the better part of a decade.

Melinda Flynn Courtney Gilroy Soneca Guadara

Dr. Yair D. Kissin

BC Health, Beauty & Fitness is published by BC The Mag.

Richard Posluszny Kimberly Redmond Brianna Ruback

Alisa Singer

Michelle McWeeney has been an assistant professor in SHU’s physi cian assistant program since 2012. She has worked closely with Adam Shiffman over that time to keep the program, which has roughly 180 stu dents, supplied. Shiffman makes sure deliveries go directly to the school, where he proceeds to instruct stu dents in the care and usage of the instruments.

Find us at www.BCtheMag.com

Bergen County The Magazine is published six times a year. Mail all editorial and advertising materials to 297-101 Kinderkamack Road, Suite 135, Oradell, NJ 07649 or email materials to steven@bcthemag.com.

Bergen County The Magazine is published six times a year. Mail all editorial and adver tising materials to 297-101 Kinderkamack Road, Suite 135, Oradell, NJ 07649 or email materials to steven@bcthemag.com.

For advertising and information, please call (201) 6945197 or (201) 694-5196. For subscription information or to contact us, go to www.bcthemag.com.

For advertising and information, please call (201) 694-5197 or (201) 694-5196. For sub scription information or to contact us, go to www.bcthemag.com.

Copyright 2022. All materials are the property of Ber gen County The Magazine, LLC. and may not be cop ied or reproduced without written consent from the publishers.

“He makes it so easy,” McWeeney said. “The ease of ordering with them is down to science. And, if there are any issues, he comes back and fixes it or replaces the whatever needs to be replaced. We teach students how to draw blood and give injections and we need supplies, and he gets them on short notice.

Copyright 2022. All materials are the prop erty of Bergen County The Magazine, LLC. and may not be copied or reproduced with out written consent from the publishers.

Follow us at @bcthemag

A Letter from the Editor

They said don’t blink, and I haven’t.

I’ve kept my eyes wide open, soaking in every season of the last 5 – nearly 6 – years has had to offer. Each sea son has had so much struggle, so much sweetness and so much wonder.

I didn’t blink, yet here we are. He still grew, and now my oldest is off to a magical place called kindergarten.

We’re physically ready for kindergarten.

Backpack. School supplies. Clothes. Shoes. They are all ready and waiting for their day to shine.

We’ve talked about kindergarten and its differences from preschool. We’ve read books about kindergarten. We went to the summer unofficial incoming kindergarten meetups.

His heart is ready for the new friends he’ll meet, the kind teacher he’ll have and the big new school he’ll explore.

My heart, on the other hand, knows what happens in kindergar ten. Kindergarten is the beginning of a mother’s (and father’s) lifelong process of letting go.

As he walks into school with his backpack that looks as if it will swallow him up, I’ll let go a touch to allow him to soar. I’m look ing forward to the new perspective, appreciation and pride kinder garten will bring, not just for him but also me.

Kindergarten teachers, on behalf of moms and dads entering the school districts throughout Bergen County, thank you. Thank you for making our children feel safe and welcomed. Thank you for fostering our children’s love for school and learning. Thank you for turning our babies into kids that are not only ready but ex cited for all the schooling that lays ahead. Thank you for making letting go a little easier.

Sending you love, Jessica HumpHrey cintineo

200 CLUB RECEPTION

The 200 Club held their Summer Cocktail Reception and Membership at Seasons. For more information, visit www.200club.org.

Andrew Jackson, Jo Ann Sanzari, Bob Torre

Steve Pinto, Cheryl Vegell, Bob Ridarick

Mike DeVine, George Cedeno, Paul Goscinski

Richard and Terry Silvia

Tonie Lombardi, Karen Emery, Harry Gates

Kathy and David Sireci Gail Hutnik, Joan Schnuer

Jeannie Safina, Ricki Sellner

Craig and Ann Bierbaum Robert Collesano, Suzy Arku-Nyadia, Linda Bakota, Bob St. George

Steve Cirillo, Patrick Heeney

Gui and Joanne Di Napoli, Steve LoIacono

Bonnie and Stu Krentzman Jack Terhune, Joan Foley, Sam Raia, Jonathan DeJoseph

Mark and Sara Torsiello John and Regina Salemme, Jack Terhune

THE COMMUNITY CHEST GOLF OUTING

The Community Chest Golf Outing was held at White Beeches Country Club. For more information, visit www.thecommunitychestebc.org.

Brian O’Leary, Dick Kennedy

Paul Shackford, Kate Duggan Allen Mandel, Ivan Argello Jim Barker, Glenn Bianco

Brad, Susan and Troy Singer

Melissa Maurer, Kerry White

Jonathan Gal, Larry Barnhart, Steve Gal, Bret Lindemuth

Michael Klingele, John Alesi, Fred Hurst

Matt Libien, Anthony Gaudiosi

Dave Flaherty, Harry Lee Roselyn Altman, Vicki Sidrow

Sandy Pinto, Franci Steinberg

Gary Petry, Matt Libien Allen Mandel, Enrico Palazio

Cheryl Black, Lauri Bader, Barbara Brensinber, Susan Singer

Doug Cosgrove, Len Carlucci

ENGLEWOOD HEALTH GOLF CLASSIC

Englewood Health held their annual golf classic at Ridgewood Country Club. For more information, visit www.englewoodhealthfoundation.org.

Richard Lerner, Moira Sullivan, Sara Barna, Harry Hahn

John Garrera, Chris Debbie, Andrew Klein, Joe Ferraioli

Pat Avallone, Tom Tiscia, Frank Mei, Rich Simone

Bruce Weinberg, John Capazzi

E.Rae Jo, Jon Chang, Sam Jo, Tom Park

Dr. Michael Wilderman, Leon Redensky Marty and Craig Zaikov Brian Lundquist, Yvette Adessa, Paul Murphy

Marc and Toren Arginteanu

Michael Gutter, Keith Smith, Richard Lerner

Jordan Love, Garrett, Frank and Rick Barretta

Sandy Pinto, Franci Steinberg

Mitch Brie, Mark Shirvan Anthony Ambrose, Mark Arzoomanian, Anthony Perillo, George Ricc

Bridget Murphy, Rory Snepar

Harold Lee, Young Kim

No one is ever ready for a cancer diagnosis. For Tracy, breast cancer came as a shock since she was relatively young and had no family history. But she didn’t miss a beat. She wanted the best care available anywhere. That’s why she chose The Lefcourt Family Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center at Englewood Health.

Englewood is a leader in providing outstanding, patient-centered care through advanced, leading-edge technology, facilities and treatments. For Tracy and others, our dedication to deliver only the best care possible is a lifesaver.

VALLEY AUXILIARY ANNUAL MEETING AND LUNCHEON

The Valley Hospital Auxiliary held their annual luncheon at the Indian Trail Club. For more information, visit www.valleyhealth.com.

Anne Swist, Theresa Salameno Diane Frankel, Linda Leeder, Janet Shapiro, Barbara Mills

Janis Ing Strauss, Enza Rossi, Heidi Fink, Corinne Giaccone

Carol Gillespie, Elaine Heimberger

Margaret Scancarello, Sandy Carapezza, Janet Hunt

Lisa Beslity, Pat Barbaris, Diane Davis Phyllis Quinn, Nancy Davidson

Eileen Leone, Joyce Srednicki, Janice Czelusta, Doris Guerrasio

Bonnie Dalal, Joseph Lorino, Peggy Becher

Gilda Gilmartin, Joan Pujol, Denise Downey

Terry Farella, Michele Castino

Lesley Dinallo, Geysa Flynn

Teudy Vink, Nancy Laracy, Diane Davis Julie and Larry Wien The Valley Auxiliary Committee

Jean Meloro, Denise Downey, Audrey Meyers, Elaine Heimberger, Sandy Carapezza

Serving Seniors

Chefs For Seniors Offers Healthy Meals With a Side of Independence

By Melinda Flynn

When

Melissa Del Rosso of Old Tappan left the corporate world to spend more time with her two children, she tried her hand at real estate and found herself often connecting with families seeking solutions to living independently.

It seemed a logical next step when her sister encour aged her to follow in her footsteps and become a franchisee in Chefs for Seniors, a business she had started in South Carolina. Melissa was impressed by the opportunity which provided training, marketing support and industry advocacy.

“She [My sister] saw the need for a service like this a year ahead of me, and she is now adding employ ees to meet the demand,” said Melissa, noting she may soon be hiring staff as her company grows.

Melissa didn’t have a background as a chef, however, she knew “a lot about homecooked meals,” she shared.

Currently, Melissa’s franchise of Chefs for Seniors serves Westwood, Paramus, Ridgewood, Hackensack, Mahwah, Tenafly, Glen Rock, Closter, Saddle River, Woodcliff Lake, Allendale, Oradell, Engle wood, Fort Lee and more, offering a unique program to help seniors who want to remain at home or those who just want to enjoy an extra hand to help with shopping, cooking and clean up.

While some clients may find it had to let go and have someone else do the work, she noted, others enjoy the opportunity for interac tion. For some, Melissa said, aro mas from the kitchen can help stimulate appetites.

Menus are posted online for con venience. During a consultation, a client can indicate “likes” and “dislikes” as well as preferred food styles, such as Italian, Indian, Asian and others.

“We’ve been completely satisfied with the delicious meals she’s been preparing using her own recipes and our family traditional favorites,” said Mimi and Sand ford Furman of Tenafly.

Requests for family traditions are not unique. One client wanted to

their day-to-day lives. For historians, it’s a treasure trove.”

have a sweet and sour cabbage dish her family used to make, so Melissa researched recipes and her cli ent was thrilled to have something she remembered. Citing a popular stuffed acorn squash menu offering, Melissa said some clients want the same thing every week.

That treasure trove includes stories of the Marquis de Lafayette and James Madison spending time there after the Battle of Monmouth, which was one of the first successful campaigns enjoyed by the colonial army. Washington and his men “partied” according to Sullivan, before moving on.

Providing comfort and being available to its customers and its community has been a Cornell Surgical hall mark since the company’s inception. John J. Shiffman began the business out of Union City in 1945 and moved to West New York in 1948. Howard Shiffman, who became the company president and CEO in the early 1960s following the death of his father, moved his operation to Bergenfield in 1995 following a 1993 fire that had destroyed much of his West New York showroom.

pops into the office several days a week to lend a hand, offer advice and interact with customers.

Altogether it took Heidi, who works as a retail merchandise buyer for Burlington Stores, about a year to complete the book.

Spencer, who is now in remission, is a graduate of the University of Maryland and works as an associate buyer for a clothing store, was fully supportive of her mother’s effort to share her story, Heidi said.

“It’s a great experience for me too,” she noted.” I can bring new foods for my family to try, such as a red curry Thai dish that that they liked.”

Sun Valley Farm, meanwhile, is on Rochambeau’s Route, which is essentially Route 202. Count de Rochambeau led a pair of brigades from Suffern, N.Y. to Pompton in New Jersey as part of the jour ney that would ultimately allow them to join Wash ington’s troops at the Battle of Yorktown. The farm remains the largest privately preserved farm in Ber gen County.

“I hope other families find comfort in this book,” said Heidi. “It’s what’s inside that really matters.”

service and prices vary for different package lev els with a separate cost for groceries. A “custom” package depending on dietary needs specified by a doctor or dietitian can accommodate most dietary concerns and diets. Menus for low-sodium, dia betic, gluten-free, Kosher and renal diet meals can be arranged. Melissa brings her own “toolbox” with pots, pans, knives and utensils into the home.

Pictured below: Courtesy of A Life In Print

“My father died when I was 19,” he said. “My mother was there as the eyes and ears of the company and it was a good, quality company. I commuted to school, but I was around every day. Municipalities, nursing homes, the public in general came to our aide and I just gave back to the people who helped and passed it forward.”

Since its release, Heidi has donated copies to several non-profits that work to help children facing hair loss while battling cancer, including Coming Up Rosies, Sunrise Day Camp and Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center.

Some clients request services once a week and some twice. Melissa usually makes two-to-four servings of four different meal options, such as roast beef with mashed potatoes and broccoli or ravioli with snap peas and mushrooms. She ends up with 8-12 contain ers with individual serving portions that can be eaten throughout the week when clients need them.

While Howard Shiffman worked with his father, he wasn’t necessarily anticipating taking over the family business when he headed off to Long Island University in Brooklyn. He was studying to be a pharmacist – he received his license but never practiced – and played baseball for a bit. Once he began running the business, though, working in a pharmacy and playing ball – he said he could never hit a curveball anyway – were no longer an option.

It has also received the endorsement of several medical professionals for its uplifting message.

“Cancer treatment, especially chemotherapy and radiation, has a profound effect on each patient’s body image and no side effect has a more noticeable effect on how a patient looks than hair loss,” said Dr. David Loeb, Chief of the Pediatrics Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

While the service caters to the nutritional needs of seniors, people of all ages can access the at-home

The Hermitage and Sun Valley are part of a rich history about which few people in Bergen County know. So, the next time you’re on Franklin Turnpike in Ho-Ho-Kus…

It wasn’t easy maintaining the business as a teenager, but Howard Shiffman survived and ultimately thrived though it took some time. He is retired now but still

“Our job is to spread the word for The Hermitage,”

“Life is an adventure,” she said. “Make the most of it by enjoying time with family and friends, accompa nied by some divine food.”

That approach of passing it forward is one that Cor nell Surgical continues to employ and not just a large scale. The individual means as much as the munic ipality, the hospital or institution. Consider Diane Occidentale, a Bergenfield resident with Multiple Sclerosis. The 58-year-old has relied on Cornell to aid in her care, thanks in large part to Jodi Silverman, who is Adam Shiffman’s sister.

Bergen County’s Chefs for Seniors is one of four franchises in New Jersey and 75 franchises across the country. The corporate arm of the franchise advocates for insurance coverage for fees and some long-term care policies cover the service.

He also said, “This inspiring book addresses this issue head-on and it provides the powerful and supportive message that you can be awesome and beautiful and full of love, even without hair.”

For more information on the Bergen County franchise, visit chefsforseniors.com

“When I first went there, I was very hesitant,” Occi dentale said. “I didn’t know what to get but I wanted it to be pretty. Why do these things [walker, rollators etc.] have to look like they should be in a hospital

Copies of “I Have No Hair and I Don’t Care” are available for $15.95 each at ALifeIn

on page 32

away the activities you love. At Good Samaritan Hospital, we

with chronic joint pain can

help you take them back.

surgical approach for sports injuries and shoulder, knee and hip conditions can result in less pain and shorter hospital stays, which are mostly overnight in a

within

new

ILEARN SCHOOLS’ 15TH YEAR GALA

iLearn Schools held their 15th anniversary gala at the Hilton Hasbrouck Heights. For more information, visit www.ilearnschools.org.

Joe DeFranco, Dawn Fantasia

Teri Capparelli, Beanne DeGuzman, Roxanne Camejo, Alicia Quarles

Maggie and Makayle Cookinham, Michelle Vernuccio

Donnalee Corrieri, Gian Varbaro, Deborah Visconi, RoseMary Klie

Alicia Quarles, Troy Alexander

Gonca and Adam Cosgun, Carolina Johnson Keesha Colello, Steve DeStefano

Sonja Clark, Muleyke Fidan

Alicia and Anthony Mayo, Lisbel Torres

Daniella Cortez, Anthony Bello Guy Navarro, Glenny and Francis Adames Curtis Hudson, Phyllis Bivins Hudson

Patrick and Marjorie Renahan Jackie Frangis, Yomika Bennett Tom Eastwick, Andre Sayegh, Shadi Taha

Beanne DeGuzman, Yonika Bennett, Danyela Egorov, Nihat and Hurissa Guvercin

ENGLEWOOD HEALTH PHYSICIANS RECOGNITION

Englewood Health held their annual Physician Partners’ Reception at Edgewood Country Club. For more information, visit www.englewoodhealth.org.

Michael Gutter, Clarice and Steve Jacobson

Mark and Lisa Spivack Sandra Sgambati, Warren Geller

Richard Kurtz, Karen and David Abramson

Dr. John and Barbara Stabile, Mark and Amy Shirvabn

E.Rae Jo, Sun Kim Marty and Lynne Zaikov Michael Scherl, Gerald and Adele Grodstein

Dr. Hillary Cohen, Dr. Adam and Rebecca Arnofsky

Debra Albanese, Kristen Geller

Neil Piekny, Warren Geller Dr. Mikhail Tismenetsky, Mary Hung

Sireesha and Dr. Ashwin Jathavedan

Richard Kurtz, Trisch McEvoy

Jamie Ketas, Hillary Cohen, Donna Brunnquell

Mel and Gayle Gerstein, Karen Abramson, Dr. Shweta Parakh, Yaz Shah

Cindy C. Cancer Survivor

CINDY COULDN’T EVEN RISK GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE.

BUT SHE never thought twice ABOUT COMING TO HOLY NAME.

Cindy’s cancer wasn’t supposed to come back. But it did—for the second time—in the middle of the pandemic. Putting her at even higher risk for COVID than she thought. So she stayed strict and stayed home. She even wore her mask to take out the trash. Yet, she visited Holy Name over 20 times in 2020. Yes, for appointments. But sometimes, just to say hi and bring the nurses lunch. Because to Cindy, there was nowhere she felt safer than at Holy Name.

Read Cindy’s story at ThisPlaceIsDi erent.org

Art

By Tara delorenzo

Art From Floor to Ceiling Convey Art Gallery in Ridgewood Sparks Creative Minds

Whatstarted as a pop-up gallery in Novem ber 2021 became a dream come true for art enthusiasts Dan and Kate Rosenberg, as the two settled into a brick-and-mortar space to open Convey Art Gallery, a contemporary art gallery, in Ridgewood.

The Rosenbergs have been developing their own per sonal art collection for about 10 years, and when they lived in New York City, going to galleries was always a favorite pastime for the pair. When they moved to Bergen County though, they found there wasn’t a gallery nearby unless they visited the city and open ing one of their own had always been something they talked about. So, they developed their own curated show as a pop-up with the work of four artists: Alex ander Hall, Mr. Nice, Sara Ward and Kev Munday. The gallery now hosts and represents the art of 13 artists, including the original four.

“I remember the first day in the gallery, we got the keys and we had to paint the walls and clean up the floors and I was just so happy to do this manual labor because it was moving towards something we loved so much and we were so excited for people to come in,”

Kate said. “It was surreal, and it sometimes still is. I just think sometimes, ‘Wow, this is mine; this is what we’re doing.’ It’s weird, following a dream. It’s crazy. I’ve never done that before. I graduated school and got married, had kids. There was no huge risk there and so it’s good. So, when people walk through the door and they’re excited about who we are and what we’re doing, it just feels like we’re doing the right thing.”

Co-founder Kate had previously worked as a pho tographer and graduated from William Paterson University, and she has always had a passion for anything artistic. She and her husband have not only curated the collection for the gallery, but their own personal one, filled with a variety of styles ranging from African art to street art.

Opening the gallery was a process that felt so sur real and organic, said Kate.

“It was like, ‘Wait, are we really doing this?’” she said. “We had talked about doing this forever and it happened so organically, and we started small. Did I ever expect to just hit the road and try to open

Continued on page 28

on North Broad Street in Ridgewood? No way, that would’ve been overwhelming to think about, but our path has shown us the way. It’s happening easily and maybe it’s because we are so passionate about it.”

For the Convey Art Gallery, one of the major goals is to make art fun and accessible to patrons and visitors. The co-founders are hoping to develop a creative and inspiring atmosphere for people in their space. With art ranging from pop art to street art to abstract art, they are hoping there is something for everyone.

“We have art from floor to ceiling,” Kate said. “It’s not a typical art gallery. We’re just showing work that might be new and exciting and different. Honestly getting to support these working artists has been the best thing and having relationships with them has been the best part. It’s just awesome.”

The other artists featured at the gallery include Soo Kim, Dana Salzone, Mike Rohner, Holly Suzanne Rader, Mr. Brainwash, Yvonne Claveloux, Tori Schoeler, Amy Shekhter and Pitch Black.

For bringing artists in, Kate says it is a lot about instincts. Working with artists has become a favor ite aspect of the gallery for her, and finding the art ists comes in a variety of ways. Some artists reach out, others are recommended to her, and others Kate finds, but in selecting them, she considers if their style is the right fit and if their personalities work together.

“Sometimes I think it’s the universe putting us on the same path,” she said. “I want to bring artwork to people. I just want the art to be something of value and joy at the same time.”

And if a visitor has something more specific in mind when looking for the perfect art piece, the gallery also offers commissioned work. With that type of project, the gallery works as the middleman between client and artist to create the perfect piece with cus tom sizes and color palettes.

Additionally, Convey Art Gallery is also open for events. While they opened in November 2021, while the pandemic still made in-person events difficult,

the gallery is hoping to expand on their event offer ings. They have hosted newcomer clubs and women’s clubs, and the gallery is also looking to host more live artists demonstrations as well, especially now that they are working with more local artists. They also partner with local vendors who come in to sell artisan goods.

“We didn’t have local artists in the beginning, so we didn’t have the opportunity to have the artist demon strations and events like that, but now we have local artists,” Kate said. “We just have to keep thinking of new creative ways of getting people in.”

In addition, the gallery has paired up with One River School of Art and Design in Allendale for a student showcase in October, where the students will be working on a project together to be presented at the gallery.

“It’s cool because the kids are really trying their very best since it will be in an art gallery,” Kate said. “I just want to be an approachable gallery for young

While New Jersey is home to a range of restaurants, from Italian to Tex-Mex to Thai, dishes from the Big Easy are hard to come by.

Work It After Hours.

people to show some work. We’re not a big gallery, so we’re using a corner to showcase this, and it’ll be fun. I’m hoping it’s a drive for other kids to see too.”

Similar to Glaze Donuts, Bourbon Street Beignet was inspired by the family’s travels and desire to bring something different to the area.

And for Convey Art Gallery in general, Kate hopes the patrons will take the time to just take in the art as they continue to grow as well.

“What I love about New Orleans is that it is inspired by so many different cultures,” Hazou-Zamanian said. “There’s a European influence, but it keeps the soul of America.”

Putting its signature directional spin on a closet staple, Retrofete’s denim jacket comes with some artfully puffed-up sleeves. It’s the kind of jacket you can layer over a slip dress for dinners with friends, dates nights and parties. Its roomy sleeves add instant insouciance to eveningwear, so you can opt for glam accesso ries to really nail this high-low look – sleek mules and a sophisticated shoulder bag are ideal.

“What can’t you get out of art? It’s all about percep tion. It’s just to be exposed to creative energy. People walk in and say it’s so happy and vibrant. It’s like you see a piece of artwork that’s beautiful, exciting and happy and it just gives you a whole new perspec tive on things,” she said. “I think it’s intimidating though too. Sometimes people will just stand outside and peek in and I just want to say come on in. Peo ple don’t know what to expect sometimes. We just want people to come in and enjoy the artwork. We’re not pushy and we let people do their own think ing. I’ve been in a gallery and the second I walk in, they’ll start selling me on the art, and I just want to enjoy the artwork. So, for my gallery, I want people to come and check it out and just enjoy it.”

Denim Over A Sundress.

After spending more than two years planning the café, finding unique ingredients and perfecting their menu, the Hazous held a soft launch of Bourbon Street Beignets in August and held their grand open ing in January.

Anytime I head out of the house in a summer dress, I almost always grab a denim jacket, especially if it’s nighttime. You can also tie it around your waist to create some shape too. Or, if you’re getting warm, it’s a great solution that also looks good. It doesn’t matter if you’re wearing a mini dress, maxi or midi, a denim jacket, especially a classic fit one that hits at the waist, is super flattering.

Selling off Glaze Donuts “was always part of my father’s plan,” said Hazou-Zamanian, who added that he has launched a number of successful busi nesses over the decades in North Jersey, including supermarkets and delis.

Continued on page 90

Convey Art Gallery is located at 9 North Broad St. in Ridge wood. More information on the gallery and its artists can be found at www.conveyartgallery.com.

RIDGEWOOD Y GALA

The Ridgewood Y held their annual gala at the Hackensack Golf Club. For more information, visit www.ridgewoodymca.org.

Diana Brazill, Juliane Cho

Carrie Gondris, Tasneem Patrawala

Nella and Steven Veldran, Greg Marks, Angela Bien

Kevin Kavanagh, Rita O’Connor

Olga and Richard Jordon Kristin Merrick, Lauren Jester, Kristin Glassman

Shannon Warren, Brian Hughes

Susan D’Elia, Ben Neville, Lauren Sacks

Stacy Hughes, Ernie Lamour

Dominic DiCristoforo, Ann Marie Olson

Bronislaw Ludwikowski, Nancy Radoslovich, Rob and Gail Conenello

Ramon Hache, Michael Tozzoli, Bevin and JT Bolger, Ernie Lamour

Sarah Briguglio, Ryan and Brittany Byrnes, Alana Lightenberg

Ismari and Kevin Laubach Jennifer Contrucci, Melissa VonSummer, Elisa Rivero

Michelle Feagles, Karen Simpson, Jody Irwin

‘More After the BreAk’

Tenafly’s Jen Maxfield Revisits Ten ‘Unforgettable’ News Stories

By KiMBerly redMond

After

the deadline is met and the segment airs, the media typically moves on in search of the next story to pursue.

That’s just the nature of working in such a fast-paced, 24/7 environment.

But, sometimes, the people featured in those stories are too powerful to ever forget.

That’s exactly what motivated veteran local news reporter Jen Maxfield to revisit some of the most

memorable and compelling stories she has covered during the past 20 years.

Maxfield, a Bergen County native and Emmy-award winning reporter, has interviewed over 10,000 peo ple over the years, often meeting those individuals on what may be “the best day of their life — or the worst.”

Since 2013, Maxfield has been a member of the news team at NBC New York, where she covers everything from politics to education to weather to crime to

human interest. And, prior to that, she was a reporter and substitute anchor for Eyewitness News in New York for a decade.

Driven by curiosity, Maxfield followed up on ten stories she said “really stuck” with her, such as the death of Darren Drake, a 32-yearold New Milford man who was among the eight victims killed in an October 2017 ter rorist truck attack on the West Side Highway, and Zaina Matahen, a student on board the Paramus school bus that crashed on Route 80 in May 2018 and lost her best friend, 10-yearold Miranda Faith Vargas.

“I found myself still thinking about them and felt it would be interesting to go back and reconnect,” Maxfield explained.

In her debut book, More After the Break: A Reporter Returns to Ten Unforgettable News Stories, Maxfield writes about reaching out to the subjects of past interviews to find out what happened to them after the news cameras stopped rolling.

Released in July by Greenleaf Book Group, More After the Break was an instant Amazon bestseller when it became available for pre order this past winter. It has also landed on many “must read” lists and earned positive reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus.

While many memoirs penned by journalists tend to follow the journey of their own lives, Maxfield wanted to flip the narrative to focus on the individuals at the center of each story to find out what happened to them.

In her book, Maxfield reconstructs the events that first brought her into the lives of her subjects and then provides updates on what followed in the wake of heartbreak.

Reconnecting with those families, she wrote, can highlight “how little we know about a person when we first report on them. In the days immediately following a tragedy, the

only family members who can provide information are the ones who are emotionally capable of speaking with a reporter. We aren’t getting the full story and the story we present is only as informed as the people who are willing to meet with us.”

Maxfield was “astonished” when most people she contacted agreed to be interviewed. But she also said she understands why some respectfully declined, likely because they are not ready to reopen “old wounds.”

As she began speaking with people, Maxfield said the bigContinued on page 36

gest theme that emerged was “the triumph of the human spirit.”

She also learned that “constructive change can emerge when unjust or tragic events” are featured on the local news, such as the push for New Jersey offi cials to make school buses safer for kids and Darren Drake’s parents, Barbara and James, advocating for a federal law named after their son that would stop potential terrorists from renting trucks.

Maxfield also provides behind-the-scenes accounts and candid commentary on what it was like to handle the news assignments, such as the discomfort she felt while cover ing the stories, as well as reflects on whether her presence “had heightened or miti gated a family’s pain.”

No matter how many years one has been in the business, approaching individu als during their darkest hours never gets any easier. In More After the Break, Maxfield describes “the door knock” as “the part of my job that still forces me far outside my own comfort zone, despite having done it hundreds of times.”

But, Maxfield says, part of her professional obliga tion “is to give people the opportunity to speak” and to “treat them with dignity and respect,” while pre senting their story in the “best and most accurate light.”

“They have the right to say ‘no,’ but my job is to ask the questions and give them a chance,” she explained.

While reporting can often be challenging, Maxfield believes it can also be very rewarding — particularly when it can help effect change for the better. In her book, Maxfield writes that some of “the most important stories” she reports on “are the ones that prompt our viewers to strengthen their con nection to their own community: checking on an elderly neighbor before a storm, volun teering at a local hos pital or offering a kind word to the person bagging your grocer ies or delivering your food.”

“I feel very lucky and honored to be able to cover people’s stories,” she said. “It’s a privi lege.”

While every day in local news “is a fresh challenge” and “a jour ney into the unknown,” Maxfield said that’s one of her favorite aspects of the job.

“The vast majority of my colleagues have gone into news for the same reasons I did – we enjoy people and going to new places,” she said.

Journalism wasn’t necessarily the path Maxfield intended to take.

Growing up in Tenafly, Maxfield was involved in

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sports, like soccer and track and field, and wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps to become a sports medicine physician. After graduating from Tenafly High School, Maxfield went on to attend Columbia College of Columbia University as a pre-med student.

College’s School of Journalism in 2000. From there, Maxfield took a reporting job at WIXT in Syracuse and then WIVT in Binghamton before returning to the Tri-State area to join WABC in 2002.

“But, sort of on a whim, I applied for an internship at CNN at the United Nations,” said Maxfield, who had written for her high school newspaper.

The experience inspired the 20-year-old college stu dent to rethink her career direction.

“They get it and drive it over to us for the day that we are doing that specific activity. He is so easy to work with and so knowledgeable. We are really in a routine every year, so I don’t have to think twice about it. And their equipment is top notch. You get stuff online that is terrible, but this stuff is real quality and has a lifetime guaran tee. It couldn’t be any easier with them; they make my life very sim ple.”

Summer goes by fast, and many people forget to take time for themselves and book a vacation. Between running to and from camp for your kids and work, it can turn into a stressful time. Jet Set Getaways is a one-of-a-kind luxury travel agency that will help you specialize in custom travel arrangements and VIP treatments. They have valuable direct relationships with the fin est hotels, resorts, spas, cruise lines and tour operations in the world as well as an expanded resource of insider destination knowledge.

Maxfield admitted that writing More After the Break “was a heavy lift” but that she enjoys challenging herself and was determined to “keep an open mind about the process” — especially as a first-time author.

As a former staffer on Columbia College’s student newspaper, The Daily Spectator, Maxfield enjoys writ ing. But, as a reporter and anchor, she usually has

During the internship, Maxfield met her very first mentor, Gary Tuchman, a longtime national corre spondent at the network, who encouraged her to be engaged in the process of news gathering and gave her a firsthand look at the ups, downs, ins and outs of the business.

While Cornell Surgical has only recently stepped out of the shad ows, it has been making the lives of many people in North Jersey simple for three quarters of a cen tury.

Set fun goals for yourself. Summer is full of distractions between driving your kids to camp, working, and gatherings every other weekend. Setting summer goals will help you stay productive and not feel as if you wasted the summer away. Challenge your self to see how many books you can read or how many times you can get to the beach. Write them down, set a date, and put them on display so you don’t forget to accomplish them. Make it fun!

“It was very exciting, and I was very fortunate,” she said.

Michelle DeSantis is a Bergen County girl who lives, breathes, eats and sleeps Bergen County. Founder of the blog, The Bergen Skinny, Michelle is determined to find the best food, fitness, fashion and entrepreneurs in the area.

She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1999 and a master’s degree from Columbia

Check her out at www.thebergenskinny.com.

time as an on-air journalist and as an adjunct profes sor at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, where she teaches broadcast journalism.

Maxfield often found herself writing on the go — a valuable skill she honed over the years. Whether it was for a few minutes before the rest of her family woke up for the day or on her laptop in the car while waiting for her daughters to finish dance class or her son to wrap up ski lessons.

“I hope when people read the book, they enjoy read ing it as much as I enjoyed researching it and writ ing it,” she said.

Beyond that, she hopes it inspires readers to “go back to some of their own stories in their lives” and reconnect with people from the past who may have played a significant role.

More After the Break has received accolades from doz ens of high-profile individuals, such as former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevy, NYC radio and DJ legend Funk Flex, longtime ABC NY anchor Diana Williams and Bill Bradley, a former U.S. Senator and retired professional basketball player.

Her mentor, Tuchman, said, “The best journalists get into the business because they genuinely care about the good people they cover, as well as the good people who watch, read and listen to their stories. Jen Maxfield is precisely that kind of journalist. More After the Break strengthens your faith in human

ity, and not incidentally, in the still noble profession of journalism.”

When Maxfield is not working, she enjoys spend ing time with her husband and their three children. Their favorite activities include getting outdoors at Tenafly Nature Center or Flat Rock Brook or visit ing one of Bergen County’s vibrant downtowns, like Ridgewood and Englewood.

After living in Upstate New York, Manhattan and Hoboken, Maxfield said she loves that fact that she has returned to her home turf to raise a family.

“Living here was very much an intentional choice,” she said. “I love it here — the people, the education, the diversity of opinion, the small businesses and the beautiful parks.”

She also makes time to give back to the community.

Maxfield is a longtime volunteer with the Center for Food Action, where she founded and chairs the organization’s 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance event. Each year, the initiative provides thousands of weekend snack packs to children in Bergen County.

She is also involved with non-profits including the Bergen Family Center, Women’s Rights Information Center, Jewish Women International, The Oppor tunity Network, the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation and JCC on the Palisades.

For more information, visit JenMaxfield.com.

Jennifer with Zaina Matahen

By Tara delorenzo

Franklin Lakes Seventh Graders Awarded First in ‘Solve Together’

After

more than two months of planning and collaborating and working, a group of sev enth-grade students from Alyssa McAloney’s Gifted and Talented science class at Franklin Ave nue Middle School in Franklin Lakes were awarded first place in the second annual American Student Assistance (ASA) Solve Together: Tomorrow’s Lead ers Tackling Today’s Challenges.

This is a national competition designed to inspire career exploration and skill-building abilities for middle school students. It is focused on project-based learning and teamwork. For their first-place project, the students from Franklin Avenue Middle School created a prototype and blueprints to help improve transportation systems for the bee population. Their project was inspired by lessons they had had about how the current conditions of transportation for bees is one of the causes for the decline in the population.

“The students were so surprised this transportation problem was such a big issue and that’s how they chose this – they were fascinated this is such a big issue people aren’t necessarily aware of, so they were like, ‘What aspect of the disappearing bees can we come up with?’” McAloney said. “So that’s what led them to the transportation, and they were thinking they could build a truck or train that can transport them better and safer when they are being trans ported.”

The virtual classroom contest went from Jan. 3 to March 18. Putting together the project took about two months of time – at first, it was interwoven with class materials, said McAloney, but leading up to the submission date, they worked on it for three weeks straight.

When initiating the project, McAloney split the class into groups based on different challenge prompts: public health, creating a colony on Mars and a third category was a passion project where the students could decide on a project. From there, there was an online platform that the students could work through that helped with collaboration and research. To help too with information-seeking and feedback, the students also worked with two experts in the field, including an apiarist, which is a beekeeper, who currently transports bees from New Jersey, and

an agricultural professor from Cornell University.

“The students were able in interview people who are actually involved in these careers, and they shared what their problem was with the experts and how they were going about what their solution was and what they were able to do, and those gentlemen were able to give them feedback and they got resources and research they wouldn’t be able to find searching on their own,” McAloney said. “It was really cool for them to get that first-hand experience for people who do it and feedback for their project that they were working on.”

As a teacher, McAloney felt this was a really reward ing process to be a part of. While the biggest challenge stemmed from students becoming discouraged, they might not win since it’s a national competition, she said a favorite part was seeing them share their ideas and work together to create the project.

The final project involved a blueprint and prototype for a truck for short-distance transport and a train for longer distances. Their research showed that in trans port the bees tend to die due to lack of nutrition and overheating, so there were multiple elements put in to place to counter that problem, including temperature controls the driver could control, flowers to help with nutrients, and smokers to help bees calm down.

One of the best parts of the experience too, according to McAloney, is that they were solving a real-world problem.

“They love doing real-world challenges, solving realworld problems, being able to build and create some thing of their own. So, I think for all the groups, they enjoyed it and thought it was a useful project. Even the groups that didn’t win, they connected with other people to interview so just getting that experience they thought was really cool,” she said. “They really enjoyed it, especially once they found out they won. Then they enjoyed it even more.”

Submissions for the competition are reviewed by a panel of judges, which include representatives from the Association for Middle Level Education and American Student Assistance. McAloney was notified

Continued on page 44

by email they had been selected as a finalist, but they didn’t know which group of the three was selected.

Six weeks later, they were told their group had placed, a Zoom award ceremony took place, where third and second place were announced first.

“We knew we won, and all the kids faces lit up,” McAloney said. “They were so excited and surprised. They got to speak and share, and it was really nice. I was so proud. It was the proudest I’ve ever been. They worked so hard, they deserved it, and it was so nice to see that hard work pay off and for them to be so proud of the time and effort and work they put in too was just really great.”

The school was awarded $10,000, and the team of students, which was made up of four students, won $1500. While the school is unsure what they will be doing with the prize money, McAloney said it will be used to “better students’ education.”

For McAloney, this competition really encompassed and encouraged the skills teacher teach throughout the years: communication, collaboration, and listen ing, all to solve a real-world problem.

“There are a lot of different problem-solving chal lenges that can be fun, but when it’s real-world prob lem, you can show them there’s a possibility you can make a difference. So, I think it’s just important to allow the skills they have to solve a problem and also

expose them to the different education and career paths they could have in the future,” she said.

This was McAloney’s first time having her students participate in this competition, and she plans on doing it for many more years to come as long as they keep holding it. She also encourages other educators to look into the ASA Solve Together competition.

“It is such a wonderful experience for the students, and I feel like my students got so much out of it and were able to explore different careers and work on skill building for middle schoolers and really collab orate with each other and make a difference,” she said.

And for students, she loved this experience because of its ability to not only have them explore career opportunities but also to show students at a young age they can really make a change.

“Even if you are young and in seventh grade, it is possible to make a difference. It’s important to just make sure you’re working hard and following their dreams and sharing their ideas and keeping that curiosity going,” she said. “Even if their solution never becomes a thing, I think the amount of people who are now more aware of the declining bee popu lation has drastically increased, and these students have made a positive change in the world.”

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CARL INSERRA LEUKEMIA FUND GOLF OUTING

The Carl Inserra Leukemia Fund Annual Golf Outing took place at five wonderful golf courses throughout the Bergen County area. For more information, visit carlinserraleukemiafund.org.

Dave Schunke, Joe Coccaro, Kevin Pace, JP Schunke

Mia Spain, Kyle Dupont, Carl Inserra Jr., Chip Cronauer

Jonathan Agus, Larry Inserra, Adam and Josh Agus

Vera Kovalski, Pat Sullivan

Phil Zamloot, Mike Casalino, Lawrence Taylor, Stephen Dorey

Larry Inserra, Lawrence Taylor, Jim Dorey, Phil Zamloot

Samantha Young, Laura Inserra Dupont

Robert Volosin, Anthony Guzzo, Gary Merrill, Giancarlo Lanzano

Eric Deelitz, Jeanice Gitto, Val Oppici, Tim Dunn Rick Bendlin, Harry Helmstetter

Pat Sullivan, Hannah Prol Hannah Prol, Tom and TJ Alvarez

Dave Wolf, Ivan Quiles Nick Cangialosi, Ro Sorce, Steven Goldstein

Hal Messer, Mike Hanson, Chris Rotio, Bobby Hartegers

Frank Minervini, Brent Edmonds

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CARL INSERRA LEUKEMIA FUND GOLF OUTING

The Carl Inserra Leukemia Fund Annual Golf Outing took place at five wonderful golf courses throughout the Bergen County area. For more information, visit carlinserraleukemiafund.org.

Barbara Stavrou, Lauren Bladek, Jessica Dominguez, Julianne Gallo

Joe and Donna Heyer, Teresa Ficca Donna Bruno, Craig Tomat, Ron Onorato

Patty and Richard Chamberlain

Renata Bruxel, Ron Onorato

Vera Kovalski, Marie Tevis, Ron Onorato Sean Featherstone, Tyler Botta, John Leighton, Chris, Jim and Niko Kourgelis

Brandon Goldstein, Rich Chamberlain Jr.

Chad Reiber, Mike Implicito, Mark Sparta, Dr. Dante Implicito

Rachel Simoneau, Mark Sparta, Ro Sorce Bruno Sgambellone, Kevin Brannigan, Matt Brogan, Jerry Iannone

Marie Inserra, Frank Siclari

Larry and Inez Inserra Lawrence and Lauren Inserra, Gianna Spina, Thomas Minardi

Lindsey Inserra, Megan Weinman

The Many Masks of Dina Chiovetta

By Kevin CzerwinsKi

It took a pandemic for Dina Chiovetta “to make up” her mind what she wanted to do with her life. The Saddle Brook native spent much her time when the world shut down in 2020 preparing for her “brush” with greatness by teaching herself how to do special effects makeup.

Chiovetta, 28, practiced creating spooky and scary looks on herself as a way to pass the time and ease the boredom of being essentially housebound during COVID-19’s early stages. She read up on how to go after certain looks, studied techniques and is now pre paring to embark on a professional career as a makeup and special effects artist.

She will begin taking classes at The School of Makeup Effects in Totowa at the end of October. The program runs through the spring and when Chiovetta finishes she can head out into the world of television, film and other entertainment avenues, creating the looks and effects that have had audiences oohing and aahing for decades.

“I kind of just fell into it randomly,” Chiovetta said. “My sister [Lisa] had taken a special effects makeup class at East Stroudsburg [University] as just sort of a [schedule] filler. She had her kit from the class left over and I found it. I wanted to play around with it. I was super bored from quarantin ing and it just kind of snowballed from there. The kit had some fake blood, some stuff to make fake cuts, all very standard stuff, nothing crazy. I started playing around with it and then started looking at Instagram and Pinterest [to get some ideas].

“It’s not that I wasn’t interested in doing some thing like this. It just wasn’t something I had thought about. I don’t do regular everyday makeup and stuff like brides; I’m not good at it. I do better at the weirder stuff.”

That Chiovetta is interested in the special effects makeup field as a career choice is not out of the ordinary for her. She says she has “a lot of dif ferent” lives, has tried many things and all that searching has led her to where she is now.

Continued on page 50

“It’s almost like a self-expression sort of thing. Sometimes I just sit at the makeup desk and grab random paints and then go from there, see what happens.”

Chiovetta said it takes about two hours for her get herself made up while looking in a mirror. She is eager to work on someone other than herself, though, and added that she is always looking for new techniques in addition to expanding her knowledge of spe cial effects makeup once classes begin. For now, it’s mostly been put the makeup on, take some pictures of her work and then take it off.

She draws some inspiration from horror movies, which she says she looks at with a more critical eye now. Trying to figure out how someone put together the makeups and effects she is seeing on screen is one particu lar aspect of watching a horror film that she enjoys.

“You think, ‘How did they get that to be so realistic?’,” she said. “Now that I am into it, I definitely have more of an interest when I am watching. One of my favorites is Edward Scissorhands. It’s not too crazy a mask, it’s just one of my favorites in general.

“I’m just excited to see where all this is going. I’ll kind of take it as it goes when I finish school. The woman I spoke with at school said most graduates do TV and movies. But they have other connections that they have partnered up with. They do the Halloween horror nights at Universal. So, there are a lot of projects because obviously a movie doesn’t take years to make, and I’d be open to travel ing to different spots for said projects.”

So, while Chiovetta now spends her time creating faces and images designed to scare and entertain she has also discovered that in putting on another face, she may have found herself.

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THE HERMITAGE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

The Hermitage celebrated their 50th anniversary with a day at Sun Valley Farm in Mahwah. For more information, visit www.thehermitage.org.

Patti Douglass, Julie Zier, Barbara Connolly

Kim Nangle, Alyssa DeJessie

Cipora Schwartz, Tim Schwartz, Wynne Webster

Pam Castro, Marie Tevis

Charlotte and Irene Trace Suzanne Sweeney, Helen Morfit

Christine Blaylock, Nancy Moses

Bill and Linda Dator

Clara and Nick Barrett Emily Holmquist, Robert Coleman

Kathleen Sullivan, Dr. Sherri Burr

Carol Tyler, Lorraine Nangle

Donna Keefer, Diane Homler Cathy Cooke, Carol Green Lindsey Greene Barrett, Dick and Carol Greene, Tom Dench, Joe Portale, John Gaut

Mantana, Robert, Sam and Scarlett Schwartz

Double Duty

Twin Radio Hosts Connect With Millions Inside and Outside the Studio

By Brianna ruBaCK

WhileMarianela “Lulu” Gonzalez and Marissa “Lala” Gonzalez initially sought out careers in television, once they tried their hands at radio, their paths changed course. After working for Univision Radio on X96.3 with The Luis Jimenez Show in 2008, the identical twins fell in love with the industry.

“I think it was the interaction with the people that we absolutely loved,” Lulu said. “When you’re inside that studio, you’re talking to millions of people in the tri-state, and you’re connecting with them in a way that you really…”

Lulu and Lala currently host iHeartRadio’s 103.5 KTU, weekdays from 7 p.m. to midnight. Whether they’re giving advice to callers or capturing listeners’ attention through some relatable sibling bickering, the radio personalities emphasized the closeness they feel with their audience of 2.5 million people.

“It’s like we have an extended family,” Lala said. “Because when we’re having a bad day, sometimes listeners will call up, and anything that they’ll say will just put a smile on our faces, and that’s just enough for me.”

“Didn’t think you could,” Lala jumped in.

Starting in Univision’s promotions department, the New York City-based sisters – who are originally from North Bergen – worked their way up in the radio business. Now, with more than 10 years in the field,

Forming connections with others extends beyond the tri-state area, though. Over the years, the twins have interviewed a wide range of celebrities, such as Jus tin Timberlake, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Sofia Vergara, Neyo and the late Robin Williams. Outside of the studio, they have hosted and covered

several entertainment events, includ ing Miami Music Week, the Billboard Music Awards and the Latin Grammys.

or so sterile? I got a walker and she took a sad situation and made me feel much more comfortable about it. She was very sensitive about it.

And despite their constantly busy sched ules, Lulu and Lala have shown no signs of slowing down. Most recently, the twins made their way back into the television world, but this time as con testants on the 33rd season of CBS’s “The Amazing Race.”

“She made me feel better about myself and made me realize that I was making my life better and eas ier. She surprised me when I picked up the walker. She had this pink, paisley fabric covering on it. She made me feel good about it. I had a need and anything she could find to improve my life she did. Insurance wouldn’t pay for my catheter and Jodi researched what she could do to help with that. She worked with me. It’s endless what she can give you.”

“We really haven’t traveled the world,” Lulu said. “We’re always working, so we’re like, ‘This is a perfect opportu nity to maybe break away and see what the world has to offer and meet people along the way and experience different cultures.’”

While individual stories like Occi dentale’s are plentiful so are some of the bigger ones such as the Paramus Police Department and the Seton Hall University Physician’s Assistant Program, which Cornell has been working with for the better part of a decade.

Although filming initially began in February of 2020, after one week, the pandemic halted production for nearly 19 months, leaving contestants uncer tain about their return to the show. Thankfully, production resumed in September of 2021, with the teams only traveling to COVID-safe countries via chartered travel.

Michelle McWeeney has been an assistant professor in SHU’s physi cian assistant program since 2012. She has worked closely with Adam Shiffman over that time to keep the program, which has roughly 180 stu dents, supplied. Shiffman makes sure deliveries go directly to the school, where he proceeds to instruct stu dents in the care and usage of the instruments.

Before competing on the show, Lulu and Lala ramped up their cardio train ing, took stick shift driving lessons, memorized countries’ flags and com pleted various puzzles on their phones. But nothing would totally prepare them for the international journey they would embark on.

“He makes it so easy,” McWeeney said. “The ease of ordering with them is down to science. And, if there are any issues, he comes back and fixes it or replaces the whatever needs to be replaced. We teach students how to draw blood and give injections and we need supplies, and he gets them on short notice.

From completing an arduous hike across Mount Säntis in Lugano, Swit zerland, to eating maggot-filled cheese in Zonza, France, and driving a manual car in London, Lulu and Lala faced a wide variety of challenges throughout their time on the show. But physical exhaustion, asthma, picky eating habits

and newly-developed stick shift driving skills weren’t the only major roadblocks standing in the way of the million-dollar grand prize – self-doubt was.

“I realized, especially watching back the episodes, how much I doubt myself,” Lala said. “So that was an eye-opener. I’m like, ‘Wow, here I am preaching to everyone on the radio, and I’m doubting myself. What a hypocrite!’”

Lulu echoed a similar sentiment, explaining that the pair would overcomplicate tasks during the race.

Additionally, while the sisters work, live and do just about everything together, competing on “The Amaz ing Race” helped them learn even more about their dynamic. Despite being radio hosts who rely on their ability to communicate with others daily, Lulu and Lala had a difficult time listening to each other in a competitive environment.

However, despite the numerous obstacles along the way, Lulu said the race taught them how to control their anxiety and stay calm in high-stress situations. The sisters were ultimately able to complete eight of the 11 legs of the race. They finished the competi tion in fifth place, with Lala calling their time on the show “the best experience” of their lives.

Although it’s been five months since the airing of their last episode, Lulu and Lala aren’t done grac ing the screens of their fans. Among their upcoming projects – some of which are still under wraps, the sisters will be launching a YouTube series this fall. They’ll also be renewing their radio contract, con tinuing to channel their passion for talking to the tri-state area.

“The world is full of negativity,” Lulu said. “So, if we’re able to put a smile on people’s faces – at least for 15 seconds – then I think that we’ve done our job.”

Ready for the Glow Up

Meet Our Newest Contributor

Bergen County! I’m so excited to be partnering with BC The Mag to showcase the region’s best beauty secrets and service providers.

Hello,

Who am I and what do I know about the beauty industry? My name is Courtney Gil roy and I’m the owner of Glow Commando, a mobile beauty service that specializes in airbrush tanning, makeup and hairstyling. I’m a licensed cosmetologist and started my career as a hairdresser at Bergen County’s very own high-end salon, Panico, in 2013. It was there where my love for making women feel beautiful blossomed. Then, thanks to my good friend and insanely talented celeb rity makeup artist, Nikki Kasak, I began to develop my love for makeup.

Being in this industry means always stay ing ahead of the trends and perfecting many techniques. I’ve had the pleasure of spend ing countless hours training with Nikki, as well as taking other classes with Temptu Airbrush Makeup and gaining certifications with another talented Celebrity Makeup art ist, Lauren D’Amelio of D’Amelio Cosmetics.

There is more to feeling great other than hair and makeup, however. We live in New Jersey. A place that graces you with a gor geous tan in the summer and leaves you feel ing like a friendly ghost all the other months of the year. Getting ready for that October or December wedding requires a bit more glam. It calls for airbrush tanning. There was a market for the service and a need for a mobile service to meet the needs of every one’s busy life, or even someone who cringed at the post-spray walk from the salon to the car. Glow Commando was born.

What started as a simple airbrush tanning company has now come to incorporate all my hair and makeup skills to offer full service glam. After nearly six years in operation, we have grown to be a weekly service provider to women (and men!) across the tri-state area. I’m especially proud to have been entrusted by brides to provide full glam services on their special day as well as having gained local recognition in being voted as a finalist for Best Airbrush Tanning and Best Makeup Artist for the past two years.

I look forward to sharing some of my favorite beauty busi nesses and artists in the area as well as a few beauty and wellness secrets along the way. Reach out through Glow Commando’s website or directly via my Instagram to let me know if you have a business or artists I should check out.

To learn more about Glow Commando or book an appointment, visit www.glowcommando.co.

Stay connected by following these Instagram handles: @Talkcurlytome_ and @Glowcommando.

Fashionable FAll

Jayne Lewis of Tapestrie in Englewood give us the scoop on what trends you’ll be seeing all fall.

All looks available at Tapestrie, located at 10A South Dean St., Englewood.

Unpredictable fall weather? Our knitted plaid car coat is just the right fabric. Get fuzzy and cozy.

You’ll be ready for a fall foliage weekend in our colorful hand knit open ‘coatigan.’

Takes fringe to a new level. Stunning.

Be a good sport with a fresh take on this novelty cashmere blend pullover. Bright accents make this season’s camel color pop. Apple cider, anyone?

This rope motif sweater is the perfect fall weight and texture. And one size fits all makes it easy and comfortable. 100% cotton and 100% terrific.

Sure to be your go-to fall jacket, we know why she’s smiling. Her plaid fall blazer is fresh, crisp, filled with color, and goes with everything.

Perfect for apple picking, we are in love with our statement-making poncho! Not only is it cozy and chic, it’s versatile and lightweight.

Time to carve pumpkins with the family?

This funnel neck puts the fun in funnel. It’s available in black, white and auburn.

Look riveting in this fall ‘shacket’ (Yes, it’s what a shirt jacket is now called). Whatever the name, it looks great.

You’ll take a shine to this special mock neck sweater with all over mini-studs. Very sparkly.

Enjoy the change of weather in this faux fur-ribbed hooded coat. It’s comfy chic.

TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION

Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation held their annual cocktail reception at Montammy Golf Club. For more information, visit www.tnbcfoundation.org.

Harris Faulkner, Tony Berlin

Tiffany Dyba, Trish Michelle, Dana Donofree

Chris, Anna, Graham, and Sarah Kelly Andi Rock, Annie Hausmann, Rose Rock

Nicole Messick, Olivia Brehmer, Kelly and Kaleen Anderson

Irina Blancato, Foffie Christodoulou, Milena Ledven

Julia Weksler, Scott and Tara Belous Khureira, Andrea Stassou

Scott and Tara Belous, Jen and Darren Olarsch

Allison Axenrod, Tim and Courtney Gaarn

GG Oncel, Jolie and David Zenna

Curtiss Howard, Valerie Blackwell Howard, Jayden Spann

Penni Horwich, Lenora Galavas, Nina Pineda, Rana Leibowitz, Dorie Friedrich

Julie and Larry Wien Nina Pineda, Irina Blancato, Andrea Stassou, Ariella Fein, Foffie Christodoulou

Jennifer Maxfield, Beth Cohen, Gia Alvarez

Color Confidence

A Guide To Colorful Outfit Pairing

By soneCa Guadara

People

always say to me, “I wish I could wear color like you, Soneca,” or “I don’t look good in color,” or “I never know how to wear color.”

I get it. Wearing vibrant looks is daunting, and the risk of looking like a child’s coloring book is real. But the truth is everyone can wear bold, bright and beau tiful outfits. All it takes is confidence, coupled with a bit of knowledge about color theory and why different colors work together.

So, consider this a “How To Wear More Color 101.” I’ll walk you through not only how to find shades you will automatically look amazing in, but also how to use basic color theory to put together some fabulous outfits. Let’s do this!

Colors That Everyone Looks Good In

There are three colors that suit everyone – red, teal and purple. That’s because in their purest forms, these colors are equally cool and warm (more on that in a minute), which means they work with all skin tones. If you’re shy about wearing color, then these three are a great place to start.

Red is a strong choice that always adds impact to even the simplest of looks. Red is amazing teamed with black and/or white. For a stylish nautical-inspired look that is always on trend, why not try a red lip with a navy ensemble? A quick word of warning about red: look for a “true” red. A red with more of a “fiery” quality is warmer (great if you’re warm-toned) and a more “pinky” red is cooler (yup, you guessed it; good for cool toned complexions).

Teal is an unusual color that is much more versatile than you’d think. Try teal with baby blue or navy for a fun color pop, or pair with either pink or orange toned coral for a striking contrast. Other fabulous teal combinations include yellow, baby pink, white, silver and gold.

A rich, true purple always adds “wow” to any look. You could pair with black or white to home in on your outfit’s purple component. Tonal purple dressing is fun too. Team a rich aubergine with a soft lilac and accen tuate with either gold or silver accessories. Alternatively, purple will “pop” against orange, yellow and aqua.

When it comes to any other color other than “The Flattering Three” you can wear it, so long as you choose the right shade. That’s where “warm” and “cool” come into play.

How To Find Colors That Suit You

Figuring out which colors work with your natural complexion is something called color analysis or knowing your color season. Have you ever heard someone say they are a spring, or a muted autumn? Maybe a deep winter? That person will have done a color analysis.

There are lots of color consultants out there, and any good fashion stylist – like me – should be able to tell you your color season. I’m not going to delve too deeply into specific seasons because I don’t want you to feel too prescribed to a small palette when trying to experiment with colorful outfits. But by understanding if your base coloring is “cool” or “warm” finding the right shades to wear is much easier.

Lots of people misdiagnose themselves because they don’t really understand what “cool” or “warm” and “light” or “dark” mean in coloring terms. It certainly can be confusing if you’re new to this.

Cool doesn’t automatically mean pale and warm doesn’t automatically mean tanned. What “cool” or “warm” refers to is your skin’s undertones. That’s whether your skin is more pink or yellow. Your skin tone (the top color) changes with age, environmental factors and exposure to the sun, but your undertone (the pink or yellow bit) won’t.

Your hair and eye color also help determine which colors will suit you. Cool toned people usually have bright blue, light grey, greyed hazel or deepest brown eyes. Warm toned eyes are most likely to be green, turquoise or a rich chocolate brown.

Meanwhile, warm hair will have a red hue to it and cool hair will have an ashier quality. This isn’t always in-your-face, which is why sometimes it’s difficult to tell. If you do have naturally red hair, then you’re warm toned. And black? Most certainly cool. With any other shade, you need to look for red/ honey/chocolate tones for warm, as opposed to platinum/muted/soft shades for cool.

I never realized I was warm toned because I am naturally fair with light eyes and fair-ish hair. In fact, I have a definite golden glow. On closer inspection, I realized my eyes have a greenish color through them and my (natural) hair has a strawberry blonde undertone – both definite warm traits.

If you’re lucky you can just glance in the mirror and see straight away if you’re more of a yellow or pin ky-bluey tone, but if it’s not obvious (like with me), there is a few things you can do.

three methods to help you decide if you are cool or warm-toned:

The Vein Test If they have a slight greenish hue then you’re warm toned. If they look more of an obvi ous blue, then you’re cool toned. I tried to find good photos illustrating the different shades of veins for you but I nearly fainted. I’m squeamish like that.

The Jewelry Test This isn’t which you like most, but which makes your skin tone “glow.” If gold illumi nates your skin the most then you’re warm toned. If it’s silver then, you guessed it, you’re cool toned.

The White Paper/White Towel Test If you place your hand on a sheet of pure white paper or hold either white paper or a white towel to your face, hopefully either a yellow or pinky tint will be obvious to you.

There is an exception to the cool/warm tone split, and that’s olive toned. If you’re struggling to see yourself as obviously pinky-bluey or yellowy then you might be a neutral olive. Like warm and cool, olive skin can be both lighter and darker. The thing to look out for is a slight green tint to your skin. It might take a moment to see it, but if you’ve ever found it a total nightmare to find a foundation to match your skin it’s very possible, you are olive toned. The good news is you olives can rock both cool and warm shades, which is great if you’re looking to wear all the col orful outfits.

Using The Color Wheel To Inspire Your Outfits

If you’re serious about wearing color, then you need to have a look at your color wheel. The standard approach is to split the color wheel into its warm and cool tones and keep those colors together in your outfits. This works, and if you know your personal coloring – i.e., whether you yourself are cool or warm toned, this is a great way to wear colorful outfits that really suit you. That’s why blue and green look good together, as well as orange and yellow.

You can also use a more in-depth color wheel to keep your outfit tonal. This will demonstrate shades and tones of a color – i.e., what that color looks like with different degrees of black and white mixed through. For example, if you owned a lot of blush

pink, you could accentuate that with one hot pink piece, or baby blue with a rich, cobalt blue. On the warmer side of the spectrum, camel looks great with orange.

Then there’s complimentary color pairing, and this for me is when your outfit will really pop. What this means is taking colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel, like orange and blue or purple and yellow. There’s also triadic (and tetradic – that means four) color schemes, where again colors are equally spaced on the color wheel. That’s why red, yellow and blue just work together. Triadic color pairing can feel a bit “clowny” or childish looking to most people, so proceed with caution if you’re not going for a bold look.

Try to keep different colors in the same outfit of the same tone or saturation. Pastels with pastels and bright with bright will keep your styling looking deliberate. For example, in these photos my dress is vibrant in a deep purple color. I paired the dress with silver/clear tone shoe to not take away from the dress.

How To Add Color To Your Outfit

Now you’ve nailed your perfect colors, and you’re a pro at teaming them together, here’s some colorful outfit ideas to get you started:

Choose comfy pieces

A colorful jumpsuit is so easy to throw on, but you’ll instantly feel like you’ve tried. The top half of your outfit is also what people will

results in the glass wiggling a bit when you pull the grab handle. And when you lower your windows while driving, the glass tends to bounce around. It reminds me a bit of the days of being in a school bus, rattles and all. That’s not the experience I was hoping for.

see when you’re sat at a desk or a dining table, so it makes sense to start here. Plus, if wearing color is out of your comfort zone, then at least the outfit itself will be comfortable, right?

food-handling guidelines and ServSafe protocols and can tailor meals to meet any dietary restrictions or food allergies a recipient may have.

Lastly, the suspension in the Black Diamond and Wildtrak variants I piloted were firm. Bumps are felt throughout the cabin, especially in the shorter wheel base, two-door variant. If you want a more leisurely experience, opt for the four-door that boasts a 16-inch longer wheelbase. Pure physics smooths out the ride a touch but know it won’t work miracles.

Wear lipstick in a complementary color Now you’re hot on your color theory, it’s time to show it off with some complementary color pairing! Go for a red or orange-toned lipstick with a blue outfit, or a pur ple shade with a yellow outfit. A bold eyeshadow is another fun option, although I’d advise sticking with colorful lipstick or eyeshadow. A child playing in her mom’s makeup bag is not the look we’re after here.

will team printed skirt or trousers with a plain black or white top? Well, you’re a color queen now, so that just won’t cut it. Look for the subtle color running through a check, or the smaller color pops in a jazzy floral print, for example. Wearing a top or match ing jewelry in this color shows you really know your stuff and will score you some serious style points.

Holly Ingraham, a Wallington wife and mother, is among the local volunteers have been delivering com passion — one tray at a time.

“When we were earlier on in the pandemic (pre-vaccine, mid-winter surge), I wanted to find a tangible way to help out,” she explained. “Donating money just wasn’t enough.”

work, recovering from surgery, having just brought a newborn home, and so much more. I know that I’m making a difference for these families, even if it is a small one. I can help ease their burden for a meal or two, which is why I continue to cook,” Ingraham said.

After learning about Lasagna Love from a friend in Virginia, Ingraham put on an apron and got to work.

So, that’s the rub. The Bronco boasts some truly great attributes but it’s not perfect. It strikes me as a bit of a novelty, honestly. Overall, it reminds me of a roofless and less refined F-150 pick-up truck. Of course, this begs the question: Why not just get an F-150? Unless you plan on doing heavy-duty off-roading, that’s what I’d recommend.

Since January 2021, she has made and delivered 30 meals; this year she’s already done seven.

Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize If you are still cautious about color, then accessories are you biggest friend. Whether it’s a hat, bag, chunky necklace, dangly earrings or a scarf, that little touch of color instantly up-levels a simple outfit. It’s details like this that show you’ve styled your look, instead of just thrown something on.

“I’ve had the honor of cooking for frontline first responders, families grieving a loved one, people out of

If you’re comparing the Bronco to a Jeep Wrangler though, that’s a different story. To me, the Jeep doesn’t stand a chance anymore. Provided you can score a Bronco without the $5,000-$15,000 markup that NJ-area dealers are charging.

Pull the colors from your prints How many of us

The ongoing pandemic — coupled with rising prices due to inflation and supply chain issues — have only exacerbated food insecurity levels, nationally and locally.

Look to social media for inspiration I still regularly turn to Pinterest and Instagram for ideas on how to wear more color. Don’t be afraid to do the same. You can take inspiration from influencers, then work a more pared-down version of their bold shade pair ings if you’re not totally confident.

Even prior to COVID, at least one in 14 Bergen County residents had limited or uncertain access to an adequate supply of nutritional food.

I’d love to see your fresh color combinations. Feel free to tag me in your outfit posts on Instagram @styledbysoneca. Be bold and live colorfully.

Since Spring 2020, local food pantries have seen a 50 percent increase in clients and some sites have reported a 200 percent spike in visitors, a recent survey by county officials found.

Are you looking for more colorful outfit ideas using the clothes you already have? My personal service offers just that. Want to learn how to dress vibrantly download my free ebook at www.stylebysoneca.com.

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Wise Up

‘Smart’ Knee Implant Could Be The Future of Joint Replacements

By dr. yair d. Kissin

Weare surrounded by smart phones, smart watches, smart cars and even smart refrig erators. Now our knees can be smart too. Knee replacement surgery has undergone yet another major advancement with the recent FDA approval of a novel sensor that gives a conventional knee replace ment the ability for surgeons to know exactly how well or how poorly their patient is doing.

Knee replacement is one of the most successful opera tions known to man. In the United States, this opera tion is performed approximately 800,000 times a year and that number is rising exponentially. With success rates exceeding 90 percent, patients’ lives are dra matically changed for the better when their severely arthritic knee is replaced with metal and plastic implants. While complications – such as infections, loosening of the implants, blood clots and re-opera tions – do exist, the complication rates are relatively low compared to the successes. However, one of the challenges is the ability to measure success in an objective way. New technologies, such as navigation and robotics, have been very exciting additions in the

field of knee replacement, but scientifically, it will take years to prove superiority to conventional knee replacement, which has been around and successful for 35 to 40 years.

Or will it? With the introduction of a new device that is implanted with the prosthesis itself into the knee, surgeons will be able to track a patient’s prog ress during their recovery, perhaps giving us more rapid insight into which way or ways to perform a replacement best. It is akin to having a fitness tracker implanted into your knee at the time of the knee replacement, but don’t worry, it is not a GPS and no one can find you with this device. Instead of tracking your location, it can track your steps, stride length, cadence and how fast you walk. These are all true measures of how well someone is recov ering after their surgery, and it is the kind of data that we have never had before. There was an attempt to monitor postoperative patients via smart watches, but 30-50 percent of patients did not wear them, which makes the data incomplete at best. With this device, since you can’t leave home without it, the

readings will be accurate for every patient. In addi tion, patients will have access to an online dashboard showing them the same data that their surgeon will monitor and use to gauge their personal recovery.

Who is it for? The device is currently only available for total knee replacement using a specific company’s implant. Ask your surgeon what implant they use and if this is available.

Who is this not for? First and foremost, be sure that you are a candidate for knee replacement. There are often successful nonsurgical treatments for knee osteoarthritis and should be considered prior to pro ceeding with surgery. Second, since this is part of the prosthesis being implanted into the tibia, some peo ples’ anatomy may not be able to accommodate the device, such as patients with smaller bony anatomy or if they have prior hardware in the vicinity of the knee.

As a parting thought, while many technologies have come and gone, this new device may open a window

that can help us understand why 10- 20 percent of knee replacement patients are not always happy with their outcome. Data is king, but only if the data is meaningful. A device like this can let us know, objectively, that a patient is doing well and meet ing benchmarks for similar patients at similar time frames in the postoperative period. Likewise, the device can alert the surgeon if the patient’s activity level, even years later, suddenly drops off and may be a sign that they need to be evaluated. In other words, it can tell us if a patient is doing well and it can let us know, possibly before the patient knows, that something may be wrong.

It is very exciting to imagine what this data will show and how it will hopefully allow us to improve an already successful surgery even further.

Editor’s Note: If you are interested in learning more, search Zimmer-Biomet Persona IQ; the author does not receive any financial compensation from the company.

Yair D. Kissin, MD FAAOS is board-certified in orthopedic surgery and in sports medicine, with a spe cific interest in conditions of the knee. He serves as vice chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center. Dr. Kissin’s clinical research interests include robotic knee replace ment, and he was one of only six surgeons selected to participate in the trial and development of the TSolu tion One robotic knee replacement system. The TSo lution One system received FDA approval in October 2019, and Dr. Kissin performed the first case in New Jersey with the latest generation of this technology in 2020. Additionally, last month, Dr. Kissin became the first to implant this device in a New Jersey hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center. Dr. Kissin treats patients of all ages and with a wide variety of conditions, from acute injuries to chronic degenerative conditions. Additionally, he is an associate clinical pro fessor at Rutgers University and Hackensack-Meridian Health School of Medicine at Seton Hall University. To learn more, visit his website at orthodoc.aaos.org/drykissin.

By riChard Posluszny

Eachyear, all-new automotive innovations make their debut. Although some may say that the golden era of the automobile has passed us by, I’d disagree. To me, things are getting better all the time.

In parallel, every year that certain something about how a car connects with people is falling by the way side. Unfortunately, it has become a casualty of prog ress.

There is a silver lining to this downbeat note, how ever. Certain automakers and specific models keep the spirit alive. It will be snuffed out in due time, but it seems that most manufacturers have gotten the memo and are ending the age of the internal com bustion engine (ICE) on a high note.

This brings us to the Porsche 911. In production for nearly 60 years, the German manufacturer has been tweaking this model with each successive gen eration. All while keeping the charm and quirkiness that makes it one of the most involving and lovable sports cars on the market today. Although I have had the chance to experience the latest generation (992) before, I wanted to revisit its more sporting variant, the GTS.

Serving to bridge the gap between the Carrera S and Porsche’s famed GT models, the GTS is a more honed 911. But it’s not an all-out brute, which can be problematic if you want to daily drive the car in the New York tri-state region.

Surveying the test car — a Targa 4 GTS — it still boasts the traditional 911 shape but there’s been some changes to bring it in line with present day. Take, for example, the door handles that are now flush with the body panel. They present themselves to you when you click the unlock button. Or, how about the LED headlights and sweeping LED light bar around the car’s back side. Porsche loves evolu tionary, small changes. After all, why fix something that isn’t broken?

My example was painted a stunning shade of green called Aventurine and paired with a cocoalike, dark brown leather interior. It oozed sophis tication. While you can specify the car in a more flamboyant fashion, to me, this is exactly how the latest 911 should look. Subtle.

Additionally, the test vehicle continued its stealth ier approach with a black targa bar, black badg ing, blacked-out exhaust tips and darkened engine grille slats. The icing on the cake though were its wheels, which are borrowed from the 911 Turbo S. Also painted black, this set featured 20-inchers up front and 21s out back.

Getting more acquainted in the chocolate-colored cabin, I found myself quite comfortable in the four-way sport seats. I do have to say, however, that these standard chairs are rather limited if you want to take an extended drive. That’s because there’s no lumbar support, thigh extender or abil ity to adjust the bolsters. Are they good seats that can heat and cool your tuchus? Yes. Should you get one of the other optional seats if you do long hauls? Absolutely.

Elsewhere inside there’s a heaping of hide on the seats, dashboard and doors. The steering wheel and shifter were equipped with what Porsche calls RaceTex. Most folks know the suede-like fabric by its brand name, Alcantara.

What truly steals the show is the level of technology in this 911. Though Porsches are known to be the driver’s choice, the 992’s tech is just so brilliantly executed. From the 10.9-inch, high-definition screen located in the center stack to the two displays flanking the tachometer in the instrument panel, this is a significant departure from the Porsche of yore. Frankly, I like it. That’s because it all works in a relatively straightforward way and the software is fast. Over the years, that wasn’t always the case.

The only hang up is that the rather teeny steering wheel obscures the instrument panel’s aforemen tioned screens. So, you may find yourself playing peek-a-boo now and then. That’s the last thing you want to do as your revs build and speed increases.

Overall, so far, so good. To be honest though, we’re merely scratching the surface. That’s because you

buy a Porsche for how it drives. The looks and inte rior come secondary for the broad population.

When you spark the 3.0-liter, twin-turbo six-cylin der engine to life, it’s readily apparent this is not your run-of-the-mill car. That’s just the beginning. Because when you select the Sport Plus driving mode, everything gets just a bit more heightened.

Boasting 473 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque in this configuration, there’s a plentiful amount of power on tap. When equipped with Porsche’s PDK (dual-clutch) transmission, zero to 60 happens in a supercar quick 3.3 seconds. My tester was a bit slower off the line, however. That’s because it came with a seven-speed manual gearbox and, well, me. That meant zero to 60 happened in about 4.1 seconds. That said, it’s a much more involving experience.

If you just care about pure, unadulterated speed, stick with the PDK. But, if you get joy from connecting with an auto, you must go with the stick.

And what a transmission it is. The shifter feels akin to a bolt-action rifle. It precisely snaps into each gear as you work your way through the gate. Speak ing of which, it’s much narrower than I remem ber the 997’s being — it takes some getting used to. What I really like though is the weighting of the clutch pedal, which has some tension without being overkill. It’s just right, so you can feel the bite point.

While this all sounds good, there is one catch: You must be more exacting with your right foot as you go up the gears. That’s because the revs fall off a cliff while shifting, so, you must feather the throttle earlier. Additionally, if you turn off the rev-match function and work your way down the gears, you better nail the blipping of the throttle. Otherwise, you won’t be having a good time. Simply put, the 992 with a standard transmission demands greater precision from the driver. If you’re seeking a car with a do-it-yourself ‘box but you have a more care free driving style, this may not be the ride for you as this 911 wants you to put the work in.

Continued on page 84

Putting the 911 through twisties, you really do begin to appreciate the way Porsche engineered this sports car. This variant was equipped with all-wheel drive, which is fine if you want to have more of a “point and shoot,” experience. You can feed power through an apex and the traction is there, all day. Frankly, you need a track to reach the absolute limit of this car, as it’s that planted. Talk about giving the driver confidence to push it a bit. I must admit though, it almost feels too easy.

Personally, I like a livelier auto where the car squirms based on your inputs. If I were making a six-figure investment, I’d stick with a rear-wheel drive 911.

Additionally, thanks to the optional rear-axle steer ing, the heft of this particular 911 is minimized. Nearing 3,700 pounds, that’s getting porky among Stuttgart’s sports cars. Because of that, you do feel a touch of the weight when giving it a go. For exam ple, in turns while at speed, you will feel the body lean a bit. Just a little reminder that while Porsche has done some remarkable wizardry on the 911, a rear-engine layout is only so capable. A mid-engined car, like the Chevrolet Corvette (C8), will corner flat ter at the end of the day.

Those demerits aside, it is a splendid thing to enjoy. On a perfect summer night, you hit a button and the power top stows away in seconds. By dialing up Sport Plus, the exhaust opens for a more pro nounced soundtrack. The steering’s weighting is, honestly, perfection — it’s on the lighter side but direct. And, if you really want to, you can daily drive it in the vehicle’s normal settings without a problem. It is unquestionably the most refined 911 of all time, which means it is the most usable flagship P car.

Taking the Targa 4 GTS for a blast down Alpine’s Route 9W, I felt like I was in a Porsche commercial. Is it perfect? No. But, that’s why Porsche produces so many variants of the 911: You pick the one that works for you.

All said, what Porsche has achieved is a bit pre dictable. With the 992-generation car, it keeps the charm of the vintage 911 while significantly upping its technological prowess. The 992 gives you all the amenities and technology one has come to expect in 2022. To me, it’s clear the 911 continues to get better. I just don’t know how much longer the company will continue to produce a gasoline-powered 911.

From what I can tell, the horizon is nearby.

By Tara delorenzo

OwnerKara Schnaidt has baked up something sweet with her cupcake store Kara Kakes, which cooks up one-of-a-kind confections every day.

Located in Franklin Lakes, Kara Kakes was opened in 2015 when Schnaidt was 20 years old. The storefront was a recently closed cupcake shop that was located in the same shopping center her mother had also had a storefront at for almost 30 years. To Schnaidt, it felt meant to be, she said. Her bakery is so much more than a cupcake shop.

“It’s a specialty boutique bakery; we specialize in cup cakes,” Schnaidt said. “Most of our business is cakes; we do a ton on the weekends. We do, on average, 75 cakes a week, and they’re all differ ent – from a smash cake for a baby to a wedding cake. You can also come into the store every day during the week and our flavors change every day. We’ve had over 600 flavors since we’ve opened. We’re con stantly changing things and making things better. You can also find other treats. We do cake pops and cookies; there’s no set menu so that keeps it fresh. It’s always a surprise, and you never know what you’re going to get, and I think that keeps customers coming back. And it’s a very clean, girly store. It’s every little girl’s dream. It’s the type of place that belongs in NYC – it’s very pretty and happy.”

While this is her first storefront, Schnaidt truly began Kara Kakes at 15 years old when she started selling cupcakes to family and friends. She had always loved baking, and when things began to expand for her business, she enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City in both culinary man agement and baking and pastry. A year and a half later, she officially opened Kara Kakes.

This bakery is more of a “cupcake experience” than a typical shop. For each cupcake, Schnaidt is con stantly trying to outdo what she has created before and is constantly brainstorming unique cupcake creations. And for her, no cupcake is complete without a “wow topper,” which can include mini cheesecake slices, pies or even mini cupcakes to top a regular cup cake.

“Whatever you can make fit on top of a cupcake, and it’ll stay up standing, I do. My flavors always must have a good design,” she said. “When I see something do really well, it moti vates me to think how much better I can do.”

Kara Kakes flavors shift every day, with six that rotate regularly and a flavor of the month that’s available on the weekends. A gluten-free flavor of the month is also available. The newest addition to the shop has been doughnuts, which are available Sunday mornings and are baked “as fresh as they can get.”

They are baked first thing that morning to ensure customers are receiving the freshest baked goods pos sible. And it is this freshness, in addition to their originality, that Schnaidt says sets Kara Kakes apart.

“We’re just different all around,” she said. “You can’t find what we offer anywhere else. Everything is baked super last minute and fresh, which is stressful, but we bake it all fresh. We don’t use preservatives, and everything is from scratch. Between the product and quality, we offer, it definitely makes us stand out.”

After almost 10 years of business, Schnaidt said the proudest moment for Kara Kakes took place on Mother’s Day of 2020. With COVID, Schnaidt had one other employee and they had only been taking preorders and had been walking out cake deliveries like a drive through, like many other businesses. For Mother’s Day, Schnaidt opened up preorders and received about 400 orders total. Even with dedicated pick-up times set up, the customer demand put the town in gridlock.

“Even though it was so chaotic and I’m pretty sure I cried at one point, I will never forget that because it was like, ‘Wow, look at what I did,’” Schnaidt said. “I was so stressed, and I hadn’t slept in like 2 days, and someone yelled out from their car, ‘You got this; keep going!’ and even though it was such simple words it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, my hard work is being recognized right now.’ Everyone was cheering us on as if we were running a marathon. I couldn’t believe how many people showed up for my product. I will never forget that day. I was so tired at the end, but I couldn’t even sleep because it was like, ‘Look what I did.’ So that was probably the most amazing day of being in business for me.”

In addition to Kara Kakes, there is also The Kake Studio, located at the same address as the bakery. The Kake Studio hosts a variety of birthday par ties for children and teens that gets the partygoers involved in the cupcake decorating process. Since it opened in 2017, the venue has held over 700 birthday parties.

“I’ve been fully booked on birthday par ties for months now and just seeing the calendar fill up is so rewarding to see my business bounce back so much,” Schnaidt said. “It makes me thankful and grateful I was able to tough it out and hold the fort down while we had to wait it out [during COVID]. That was my second baby. It was a huge risk and I had opened it two years after opening my first business. And within the first two years, as with any business, you’re still making your money back that you put into it, so it was a long period where we didn’t see profit because we were pay ing back for the years of reopening and rebuilding and I put a kitchen expan sion on, so it was tough for a while, and then COVID happened. So, for a while we didn’t get a break, and after seeing how our business has grown since the pandemic and seeing the studio make such a comeback, I feel so thankful.”

Moving forward, while Schnaidt would one day love to potentially open a sec ond location, she is focusing her time into Kara Kakes as it is now.

“I want to continue to see where we’re moving now,” she said. “We’re continu ing to grow every single day and I’m happy with that.”

More information on Kara Kakes can be found at www.kara-kakes.com.

THE RED MEAT LOVERS CLUB

The Red Meat Lovers Club held a special event at Saddle River Inn. For more information, visit www.rmlclub.com.

Michael Bruno, Evan Darnell

Tim LoCascio, Jim Fucetola, Keith Disque

Keith Gabrielli, Neil Sikder, Gerald Pascarelli

Enzo Luppino, Joe Romana

Mitch Knapp, Chris Burns Jim Kerner, Mike Arber Jack Inserra, John Macejka

George Demetriades, Doug Meyerson

Joe Romana, Stevie Z., Ryan Berkoff, Jerry Silberman

Craig Costello, Ron Salzano

Brandon Goldstein, Enzo Luppino

Eric Junkers, Vincent DePaola

Frank Barbagallo, Darren Magaro

Neil Sikder, Keith Gabrielli, Gerald Pascarelli, Michael Herklots, Eric Junkers

Jack Inserra, Jerry Silberman, Jamie Knott

Daniel Zausner, Eddie Dean, John Sumas, Mark Pastore

One Hot Havana Night

Summer

soirees call for great food and cocktails, a fun theme and a special reason to celebrate. For Stephanie Tramutola, turning 30 was a stellar reason to host a Havana Night-themed 30th birthday party at a private residence in Upper Saddle River on June 3. Catered by the Market Basket, Franklin Lakes, and planned by Nancy Waanders, also of the Market Basket, Stephanie and her guests enjoyed a plethora of entertainment and treats. The details follow.

Vendors

Photography: Magic Moments Productions, Paramus

DJ: Jorge Hernandez of Magic Moments Productions, Paramus

Bongo Player: Crystal Percussion

Dancers: Above and Beyond Events Unlimited, LLC, Hawthorne, NJ (Melody Garcia - President/Full Service Event & Talent Coordinator)

Floral Designer: Jaime DaSilva of Verde Floral Design, Franklin Lakes

Landscaping: Frank Parker of FP Executive Landscapes

Cake Designer: Skazka Cakes, Midland Park

Cake Pops: Michele McInerney of Puffs and Pops (@puffsandpops)

Invitation: Zazzle

Hair Salon & Stylist: Vanessa Ocando (@vanessa.ocando) and Evija Ryan of Willow and Edge, Allendale

Makeup Studio & Artist: Maria Riskakis of The Wall Group (@riskakismakeup)

Tent: Prestige Party Rental, Inc., Prospect Park

Tables, Chairs, Bars: Party Rental LTD.

Photobooth: MirMir

Cigar Bar: Mobile Cigar Lounge

Custom Coconut Cups: coconutking.com

Want your party featured in BC the Mag? Contact us at bcthemag.com

MARBLEJAM KIDS ANNIVERSARY GALA

MarbleJam Kids held their anniversary gala at Sanzari’s New Bridge Inn. For more information, visit www.marblejamkids.org.

Nancy Cucchiara, Rachel Winkler

Mia Gillespie, Bobby Madden

Steve Weissblum, Rebecca Stern

Steve Carmosino, Ken McClinton

Kadeisha Montique, Kenn Pardo

Mike Dibella, Susan Gurzakovic, Stefan Banbic

Donna Ebert, Cindy Camacho

Gerard, Anne and Paul Bunone

Larry and Debbie Barr Laura Ellison, Jane Giambona Karen DiDonato, Leslie DePiero, Andrea Whalen

Darlene Carmosino, Stephanie McClinton

Cristy SyCip, Trevor Williams

Susana Haber, Christopher Albistur, Alan Haber

Cindy Camacho, Louis Pierro, Lois Strauss, Robin Deprimo

The MarbleJam Team

for Them When Nobody Else Is

Get a Hobby ASAP

by AlisA singer

funny how things turn around on us. We spend the first part of our adult lives envying people with great jobs, and the last part envying people with great hobbies, many of whom had the opportunity to develop the latter mainly because they lacked the for mer. But the time comes when what we do on week ends and evenings is more important than what we do during the day because eventually, if you’re lucky, the two will reverse and your avocation will become your vocation.

It’s

So if you’re over 50, still working and haven’t yet developed a riveting hobby of some kind, you need to find one right away. Keep in mind that retirement comes in two flavors, planned and unplanned, and in either case you’ll be in for a rude shock if you don’t use the runway before you (i.e., the time between now and retirement) to plan your post-work world. But before you take up scrapbooking or sign up for Italian lessons, take a few moments to consider some of the more creative diversions out there.

There’s the exciting pastime of tornado chasing, for example. Or indulge your criminal side with lock sport, the sport of picking locks. Baton twirling; you’ve seen it, but have you tried it? It’s tougher than it looks. And for the fan of medieval history that’s too wimpy to fence, there’s boffering, sword fighting with padded weapons.

Perhaps you would prefer to select a pursuit that com plements your deeply held principles and values. Say, for example, you’re committed to ending the global nuclear arms race. A natural choice for you would be a leisure activity that involves the launching of projectiles at high speeds through the use of pneu matic pressure or the combustion of gaseous fuels. In laymen’s terms, these are spud guns, also known as potato cannons, so named because they are used to fire off chunks of potatoes or other vegetables, or even huge ones such as pumpkins. Just think of how much safer—not to mention funnier—the world would be if countries gave up their nuclear weapons to compete in

a vegetable arms race. Countries invading each other to seek out and destroy vegetables of mass destruction. One could go on and on….

Hopefully you’re beginning to realize that when it comes to hobbies, there are many fascinating options to choose from. I’ve done a bit of the research for you and have come up with this list of some of the more unusual interests people pursue: UFO hunting; hoard ing; bell ringing; robot building; bee keeping; playing with toads; tapophilia (the enjoyment of cemeteries); juggling; cloud watching; plane spotting; astrology; beading; belly dancing; breakdancing; body piercing; cake decorating; flamenco, graffiti, handwriting analy sis; kung fu; line dancing; origami; palmistry; quilting; space exploration; sumo wrestling; duct tape fashion; spying; yodeling; and memorizing songs backwards.

The website “oddee.com” is also worth checking out. There you’ll find descriptions of some of the weirder hobbies, which include playing dead; appearing in the background on TV; giving away money to strangers; mooing (yes, just like it sounds, only done on a compet itive basis); tattooing motor vehicles; animal grooming (painting one animal to make it look like another); and knitting breasts (woolen ones that are used to help new mothers learn how to breastfeed).

If you can’t settle on just one, consider combining a few. For example, pet breeding and taxidermy could be coupled with some interesting results. (I’ll let you ponder the possibilities.)

The important thing is to seize upon some hobby—any hobby really—and make sure you find a second one that can be done indoors. This is important because if you ever find yourself shut up in your home and unable to leave the premises, you don’t want to be discovered by a team of Navy SEALs, pathetically primping in front of the video camera, endlessly watching home movies of yourself or, for lack of a really fun hobby, operating a global terrorist organization from a room above the garage.

A more comfortable mammog ram?

Everything medicine can do. A few things medicine can’t.

When you choose Valley for your next mammogram, you’ll also choose a more comfortable experience That’s because all mammograms at Valley are now conducted with the SmartCurve system, which features a contoured surface that mirrors the shape of the breast to reduce potential discomfort Advanced imaging and comforting care Find it at The Va lley Hospital Breast Center

To learn more about SmartCurve or to schedule your next mammogram, call 201 447 8200 or visit ValleyHealth.com /Mammogram.