Bergen Buzz

OUR GUIDE TO NEW IDEAS, TIPS, TRENDS AND THINGS WE LOVE IN OUR COUNTY.

SANTA WELCOMES YOU— SAFELY

Last year many kids missed out on visits to Santa Claus at the mall because of COVID-19. This year the jolly old dude is back, ready to greet the young—but with special safety precautions. Here’s what you need to know for five Bergen locations: • American Dream, East Rutherford,

through Dec. 24. Santa is known to enjoy the water park and ski slope at this mall, but you may catch him at other special programs taking place—the Elf Workshop, perhaps—in the facility.

• Bergen Town Center, Paramus, through

Dec. 21. Advance reservations are encouraged and can be completed online, but walkups are accepted as space permits. Social distancing rules will be observed.

• Garden State Plaza, Paramus, through

Dec. 24. Online reservations are recommended, but walkins are accepted as space permits. Vaccination is required for all staff, and guests have the option to take photos next to Santa or at a socially safe distance.

• Paramus Park, Paramus,

through Dec. 21. Online reservations are encouraged, but walk-ups are accepted as space permits. Social distancing rules will be observed.

• The Shops at Riverside, Hackensack, through

Dec. 24. Online reservations are suggested, but walk-ups will be available as space permits. Families may choose to sit with Santa or maintain social distance.

DID YOU KNOW? New Jersey’s favorite Christmas movie is Home Alone, according to IMDB. The 1990 comedy stars Macaulay Culkin, who plays an 8-year-old who protects his home from a pair of burglars during the holiday season.

MAKE A CHILD’S HOLIDAY

As you scroll through your shopping list trying to recall who’s been naughty and nice, remember the kids who aren’t as fortunate as many of us. ’Tis the season to consider donating a new, unwrapped present to one of several toy drives underway in December. Many organizations set up donation tables and booths at local malls, and local Police Benevolent Associations and volunteer fire departments accept gifts for kids as well. Or consider contributing to:

• Bergen County Department of Human Services Office for Children, 1 Bergen

County Plaza, Hackensack: Donors can drop off unwrapped gifts for children up to age 13 in collection bins at the building’s main entrance.

• Bergen Volunteers: All Wrapped Up, 64 Passaic St., Hackensack,

bergenvolunteers.org: Willing donors are matched with, and donate gifts and necessities to, families in need.

• Family Promise of Bergen County, 100 Dayton St., Ridgewood,

bergenfamilypromise.org: Monetary donations go to the Holiday Gift Fund, which allows parents to provide their children with gifts and necessities.

• Marine Toys for Tots, toysfortots.

org: One of the most-recognized holiday charities, this organization partners with community groups to distribute toys. The Dover office accepts donations for Bergen County children.

AN EGG-CELLENT HOLIDAY DRINK

While candy-cane cosmos and holiday mai tais sound great for the season, traditionalists will demand a classic heartwarming eggnog. “You can’t enjoy the holidays without eggnog, Michael Bublé and family!” says Westwood resident Amanda RiveraWilliams. Below is a simple eggnog recipe for 12 servings, courtesy of Allrecipes, that’s sure to put anyone (21 and older) in the holiday spirit.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups milk • 5 whole cloves • ½ tsp. vanilla extract • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon • 12 egg yolks • 1½ cups sugar • 2½ cups light rum • 4 cups light cream • 2 tsp. vanilla extract, for finish • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Combine milk, cloves, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and cinnamon in a saucepan, and heat over lowest setting for 5 minutes. Bring to a boil.

In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until fluffy. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs. Pour mixture into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes or until thick. Do not allow mixture to boil. Strain to remove cloves and let cool for about 1 hour.

Stir in rum, cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and nutmeg. Refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.

DAZZLING DISPLAYS

Holiday lights are a creative opportunity for those who decorate—and a visual treat for the rest of us. Check out how these locations light up the night with sparkling bulbs, large inflatables, musical elements and more:

• Demarest Farms, Hillsdale.

Families can drive their cars around the farm’s Orchard of Lights, 32 acres all decked out for the holidays. Online reservations are required and can be made at orchardoflights.com. • Forest Avenue, Lyndhurst. A pair of families lights up the night with their displays, and they often create a charitable component to go along with the decorations. • Highland Avenue, Wyckoff. With more than 200,000 lights reflecting off a nearby lake, Jerry Ghinelli’s home has become a popular destination for enthusiasts. • Manhattan Avenue, Waldwick. The DeWeil family display, known as “Christmas on Manhattan,” has been attracting visitors for about 20 years. (They were dark for one or two years for different reasons.) Christmasonmanhattan.com even has a real-time countdown for the arrival of Santa. • Van Saun Park, Paramus. Bergen County’s annual Winter Wonderland includes an outdoor ice-skating rink (open now through February) with colorful lights adorning the adjacent trees. Visit bergencountywinterwonderland.com for more details.

{ BERGEN BUZZ } PUPPY LOVE WHAT’S NEW FOR A NEW YOU

The recent openings of three Bergen businesses couldn’t have come at a better time. Focusing on bettering one’s health and self, each can help you get a head start on those New Year’s resolutions: • Hustle & Heart, Ridgewood. This “athleisure” store features a collection of activewear that can make any woman feel and look great. The cute tops, bottoms and accessories are appropriate for “on the go”—whether you’re running on the treadmill or just running errands around town.

Hustle & Heart, 12 S. Broad St., Ridgewood, 201.389.6213; shophustleheart.com • YogaSix, Norwood. Find your comfort zone in this studio, which focuses on yoga that’s energizing, empowering and fun. Classes are available for all skill levels and are in a socially distant, supportive, communityoriented environment.

YogaSix, 521-523 Livingston St., Norwood, 201.975.3808; yogasix.com • Aurdell, Oradell. Certified instructors lead students through mindfulness meditation sessions, which are said to relieve anxiety and promote relaxation. Choose a 20-minute sitting or a 40-minute one. Those who sign up may bring a guest for free!

Aurdell, 625 Oradell Ave., Oradell, 201.466.0881; auradell.com Dog: Nina, 1-year-old Havanese Owners: Debbie Migdal-Baron and Mitch Baron of Allendale Debbie had hoped for a puppy for as long as she could remember, and timing seemed perfect last year. In fact, a reputable breeder she knew had a new litter of Havanese pups, and Debbie immediately fell in love with one.

“I wanted a black little girl, and [Nina] was the one,” she recalls. Black-and-white Nina ultimately joined Debbie and her husband, Mitch, at their home, and the trio have been living it up ever since. “She loves to play catch and tug with Dad,” says Debbie, adding that she’ll even play by herself when no one’s around. “She tosses her toys in the air and catches them.”

But the company of others is what this pooch enjoys most. Nina, who turned 1 on Halloween, rarely meets a person she doesn’t love, her owners report, and will take a seat in almost anyone’s lap. She also looks forward to playdates with her furry friends—when Nina’s not visiting them at their homes, she’s at the window keeping watch for them. Debbie says she can’t wait for spring, when Nina will be meeting even more people and pups at Bergen’s many outdoor eateries.

Want to see your puppy or kitty in a future issue of BERGEN? Email our editor at rita. guarna@wainscotmedia.com.

PARKING GETS EASIER

Don’t worry if you’re late to dinner in Hasbrouck Heights, or if you’re running into town for a quick errand—parking likely won’t be a problem. Heights business district visitors now have more parking options, thanks to the borough’s recent purchase of a private lot for public use. The lot, located at 161 Walter Ave. behind the post office, will be free to shoppers and diners during the holiday season. After that grace period it will be pay-to-park, with users accessing spots via an online app.

Downtown areas in other towns such as Englewood, Ridgewood, Rutherford and Westwood also typically waive or reduce fees on specific days in December. Shoppers are encouraged to check with individual municipalities for updated parking schedules.

KUDOS

Cheers to former Ramapo High School football star Chris Hogan (left), who’s retired after a decade-long career in the National Football League. The wide receiver played for eight teams, including the Jets and Giants, and helped win two Super Bowls and scored four postseason touchdowns while with the Patriots. Hogan switched sports this past year, playing briefly with the Premier Lacross League.

And give a round of applause to Paramus piano teacher Stella Xu (right), who was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame. The honor goes to the top piano teachers in North America—only 44 individuals in the U.S. and Canada received the distinction this fall. Xu has been playing piano since she was 5 and has achieved many international honors and distinctions. Many of her students, too, have gone on to win piano competitions.

Get virtual healthcare from virtually anywhere.

We’ve taken every precaution to ensure your safety. That’s why we offer two easy ways to visit with a doctor without coming in:

Primary Care or Specialist

Have a video visit an RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group provider via your phone, tablet or computer. Book online or call 888-724-7123 and we’ll walk you through it step-by-step. New patients can register on the site as well.

Urgent Care

Download the TeleMed app, and you can visit with an urgent care provider* on your smart phone, tablet or computer – anytime, anywhere.

To learn more about your virtual care options visit rwjbh.org/telemed TeleMed

Let’s be healthy together.

*Urgent care services for RWJBarnabas Health TeleMed® are provided by U.S. board-certifi ed, licensed, credentialed doctors who average 15 years in urgent care, emergency, family, or primary care medicine, and who have been trained in telehealth. RWJBH TeleMed does not replace your relationship with your primary care doctor.

YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE’S FUTURE

Decorating a tree for the holidays is a joyful occasion; taking it down, that’s more of a mournful hassle. But what if your Christmas tree could be put to constructive use? Try one of these ideas (and remember to take all the decorations off first): • Turn it into firewood. Your tree is perfect fuel for your outdoor firepit. Use smaller branches as kindling and chop the trunk into longer-burning logs. Avoid lighting it indoors, however, as the amount of moisture in the tree will create smoke and sooty fireplaces. • Create a sanctuary. Whether they’re rooted in the ground or secured in a stand, trees are great shelters for birds. So take your old Christmas tree into the yard and stand it in a secure spot for winter. Decorate it with a bird feeder, then watch as new aviary acquaintances drop by. • Compost it. Towns that collect Christmas trees at the end of the season turn them into mulch. You can use your tree similarly and simply toss it into the compost heap in your yard—the browns and greens will ultimately break down into soil and feed your garden. • Donate it. That’s right, several organizations—namely zoos and animal sanctuaries—will accept old Christmas trees. The Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, for instance, uses them as décor in their exhibits. Some animals, such as goats, chow down on the greens too, so it’s imperative that all tinsel and ornaments are removed.

THOSE NUTTY CAKES

What have you planned for National Fruitcake Day, Dec. 27? Yes, this classic holiday goodie is often a culinary outcast—a booze-soaked loaf with clusters of red and green candied fruit—and when a stale one arrives in the mail you ache to re-gift it. But fruitcake can be delicious when it’s fresh, and five Bergen bakeries are ready to prove it. Stop by and open your mind (and mouth) for a taste.

• A Little Cake, 176 Kinderkamack Rd., Park Ridge, 201.391.6300; alittlecake.com • Balthazar Bakery, 214 S. Dean St., Englewood, 201.503.9717; balthazarbakery.com • Hackensack Pastry Shop, 184 Hudson St., Hackensack, 201.880.4200 • Ho-Ho-Kus Bakery, 187 Franklin Tpke., Ho-Ho-Kus, 201.652.2376; hohokusbakery.com • Sook Pastry, 24 S. Broad St., Ridgewood, 201.493.2500; sookpastry.com

CULINARY CORNER:

FROM FLORENCE WITH LOVE

Rutherford’s restaurant scene will get a boost when Fiorentini opens this month. The farm-to-table eatery specializes in traditional Italian cuisine (with modern twists) and an emphasis on fresh and seasonal ingredients—we’re talking high-quality vegetables and sustainable seafood. If you can’t make it to an actual Florence bistro, this is the next best thing.

• Fiorentini, 98 Park Ave., Rutherford, 973.721.3404; fiorentinirest.com

WELCOME HOME

Also opening this fall is O Lar, a Spanish-Mediterranean restaurant that has moved to Northvale following a decade in Piermont, N.Y. Its homey atmosphere (o lar is Portuguese for “hearth” or “home”) and helpful service are topped only by delicious dishes, which include beef and lamb plates, fresh seafood (the grilled octopus is a must!) and delightful desserts.

• O Lar, 493 Tappan Rd., Northvale, 845.848.2207

IN ’DA HOUSE

We’re also excited about the debut of Yard House at the American Dream Mall. The opening marks the chain’s first Bergen location (it has spots in nearby Wayne and West Nyack, N.Y.), giving diners here a chance to sample the elevated bar menu—poke nachos, Korean beef tacos and rib-eye and shrimp plates. Vegetarians also welcome: Filling soups, salads and artisan pizzas grace the menu as well.

• Yard House, 1 American Dream Way, East Rutherford, 201.528.2875; yardhouse.com