Monmouth Health & Life January 2010

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M O N M O U T H H E A LT H & LIFE ■

H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9

MONMOUTH T H E G O O D L I V I N G M A G A Z I N E from M O N M O U T H M E D I C A L C E N T E R

& life

health

Holiday 2009 $3.95

London in winter: 7 delights A winter-white New Year’s Eve fête

GIFT GUIDE

2009 FANTASTIC FINDS FOR:

• kids • homebodies • fashionistas • foodies

... and more!

Health

link

■

‘My heart attack’:

a doc’s own story ■

Goodbye, back pain!

L^ciZgh! Featuring an extensive collection of furs, outerwear, clothing and accessories including capes, fur trimmed coats, cashmere sweaters, scarves, gloves and jewelry for all your gift giving needs.

WINTERS FURS 43 MONMOUTH STREET RED BANK, NJ 07701 732-741-2675

Storage, Cleaning, Repairs and Remodeling

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Contents

32

30

13 Holiday 2009 4 Welcome letter 6

32 At home/

Editor’s letter

13 Monmouth mix · La vida locavore · Green Christmas · FREE gifts! · Homes for the holidays · Winner’s circle · “What I’m listening to ...” · Please touch, don’t tilt

16 Flash

Winter wonderland

What is prettier than freshly fallen snow? A table that takes its cues from a wintry landscape for an elegant New Year’s Eve dinner.

36

Holiday gift guide 2009: Editors’ picks Piles of presents to please all your favorite people!

48 Monmouth gourmet Captured moments around the county

Good Greek! Simple, enticing Mediterranean

food is served up in casual elegance at Niko’s Trapezi in Long Branch.

18 Profiles

Going to Plan B What does a surgeon do when

he can no longer do surgery?

50 Where to eat

Your Monmouth County

dining guide Like father, like son This carpenters’ union leader did what his dad did, not what he said.

22 Health link · Beating ‘the widow maker’ · Goodbye, back pain · Happy hospital? · Meeting primary care’s challenge · Prostate cancer survivors gather to thank docs

30 Escapes /

36

Your London holiday

7 surprise ways to make England’s capital the highlight of your festive season

52 Be there!

Local events you won’t want to miss

53 What’s happening

at Monmouth

Medical Center

54 Shopping guide 56 Faces of Monmouth Hawks on ice COVER IMAGE : GETTY IMAGES

TOWN & COUNTRY KITCHEN AND BATH

TyyÉÜwtuÄx XÄxztÇvx hÇ|ÖâxÄç YâÇvà|ÉÇtÄ www.townandcountrykitchenandbath.com

Specializing in design services and quality cabinetry for all your living spaces. As always, design services are complimentary and installation is available.

25 Bridge Avenue • Suite 100 • Red Bank, NJ 07701

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Welcome LETTER No one should “learn as you go” about decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. My office should be your first stop in your Divorce process.

Together we will help you plan your strategy, finances, and choose the right attorney for your case. In these troubled economic times, divorce may not be viable or costs must be streamlined.

We will help you decide if mediation or collaborative divorce is more suitable. Please call for a consult.

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One of the ‘Best’ ANOTHER HOLIDAY SEASON IS UPON US, AND AT Monmouth Medical Center, we once again have much to celebrate. Topping the list of 2009 achievements was a systemwide honor, as Monmouth Medical Center was named, along with its sister Saint Barnabas Health Care System facilities, among the “100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare magazine.

Modern Healthcare conducts this program to recognize outstanding employers in the health care industry on a national level. From program and service development to employee retention, being named one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare demonstrates that building a culture in which employees are supported and engaged benefits not only patients and customers but the employers as well.

The program collected information from both the employer and employees and was open to all health care companies—providers, suppliers and payers—with at least 25 employees. Employers completed a survey detailing company policies, practices, benefits and demographics, and employees were asked an in-depth set of questions that resulted in an analysis in eight core areas: leadership and planning, culture and communications, role satisfaction, working environment, relationship with supervisor, training and development, pay and benefits and overall satisfaction.

We are extremely proud to receive this distinction, as it clearly illustrates our commitment to providing an exceptional workplace. As a part of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, Monmouth is the only health care facility in central New Jersey and is among just five in New Jersey to be recognized as a top health care employer.

As executive director of the hospital, I take great pride in the dedication of our staff to Monmouth Medical Center, and I know that it is not advances in technology or facilities that mark truly outstanding health care providers. It is the hospital staff that remains the single greatest asset of Monmouth Medical Center.

From the Monmouth Medical Center family to yours, I wish you the happiest of holidays and the healthiest of new years.

Sincerely,

FRANK J. VOZOS, M.D., FACS Executive Director Monmouth Medical Center

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We’re the first in the region to perform minimally invasive gastric bypass.

We do it better. And we can prove it.

Monmouth Medical Center: The Regional Leader in Minimally Invasive Bariatric Surgery • First in the region to perform laparoscopic gastric bypass.

Frank J. J. Borao, Borao, MD, MD, FACS FACS Frank Director Director Minimally Invasive Invasive Surgery Surgery and and Bariatric Bariatric Surgery Surgery Minimally Monmouth Medical Medical Center Center Monmouth

At Monmouth Medical Center, we know that it’s results that matter.

That’s why we created the region’s first Bariatric Surgery Center—which has among the lowest complication rates in the nation.

We’re one of the first in the state to perform laparoscopic gastric bypass.

The fact is that we do it better. And we can prove it.

We’re the only hospital in New Jersey performing minimally invasive total laparoscopic esophagectomy and we have one of the highest volumes of anti-reflux surgery in the state.

We’re also the first in the region to perform cutting edge, minimally invasive surgery for the spleen, colon and stomach.

Just a few of the reasons why we’ve earned the coveted Thompson 100 Top Hospitals Performance Leaders award.

• Extensive experience in gastric bypass, Lap-band, sleeve gastrectomy, revisional procedures, anti-reflux and paraesophageal hernia repair.

• First Bariatric Surgery Center in the region.

• Among the lowest complication rates for Bariatric Surgery in the nation.

• The only hospital in New Jersey to perform an endoscopic incisionless procedure for revisional weight loss surgery.

• First in the region to perform laparoscopic solid organ (adrenal, kidney, spleen, liver) removal.

SAINT BARNABAS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

Monmouth Medical Center

Monmouth Medical Center

1-888-SBHS-123 • saintbarnabas.com

A national leader in delivering outstanding health care outcomes.

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Inspiration

for designers

Editor’s LETTER

A peek inside our holiday prep

As New Jersey’s only family-run interior design showroom open exclusively to the trade, Schwartz Design Showroom will inspire you to create unique design experiences for your clients. We’ve been in the business for over 60 years, so our talented and experienced staff know how to help you with all the details, from researching and ordering to follow up and customer service.

Come see the difference. ~Susette Schwartz & Alexis Varbero

fine furniture • lighting • decorative accessories • rugs

THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT ALWAYS ARRIVES A BIT EARLY for the Monmouth Health & Life staff. While our friends and families are still trying to squeeze in that last beach day, we’re already dreaming of twinkling lights, festive tunes, sumptuous feasts and gifts galore for our nearest and dearest.

But we have to say, hunting down those gifts always gives us a thrill. Walk through the editorial offices during the selection process, and you’ll find ideas strewn across desks and tacked up on walls, samples overflowing from shelves and tucked into spare corners. We consider hundreds upon hundreds of products—the new and shiny, the warm and cozy, the fun and quirky—until we’ve culled our picks to those we most covet ourselves and would be most proud to wrap up for a loved one. See our final selections starting on page 36.

Knowing that the home is the hub of holiday festivities, we also provide visual inspiration for your seasonal abode. In “Winter Wonderland” on page 32, one designer shares her vision for a glittery, snow-inspired New Year’s Eve fête.

In Monmouth Mix, page 13, we point you toward a charming inn-and-home tour sure to add sparkle to your season, a local farm where you can buy a live Christmas tree to plant in your yard after the holidays have passed, a pinball “museum” that lets you play to your heart’s content and more. You’ll also find the details for our annual gift giveaway!

Read all about our reviewer’s meal at Niko’s Trapezi in Long Branch on page 48, and check out our list of seven fun reasons to consider a London jaunt this season, page 30.

This issue has been several months in the making, and we hope you enjoy the fruits of our labors. We wish you the happiest and healthiest of holidays!

Please call us for designer referrals.

287 Amboy Avenue Metuchen, NJ 08840 732.205.0291 schwartzdesignshowroom.com

RITA GUARNA Editor in Chief

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Join us for our new

Buffet Brunch Beginning Sunday, November 22 10 am - 2 pm · Sundays omelette station · roast beef · french toast · salads · desserts and more

26 Ridge Road · Rumson, NJ 07760 · tel (732) 842-8088 fromagerierestaurant.com · davidburke.com

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H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9 Monmouth Health & Life Staff

editor in chief RITA GUARNA

art director SARAH LECKIE

senior editor TIMOTHY KELLEY

managing editor JENNIFER CENICOLA

assistant editor KRISTIN COLELLA

art intern PATRICE HORVATH

executive vice president, sales & marketing JOEL EHRLICH

regional advertising director DOUG BARKER

senior account executive SHAE MARCUS

director, internet and new media NIGEL EDELSHAIN

production manager CHRISTINE HAMEL

advertising services manager THOMAS RAGUSA

senior art director, agency services KIJOO KIM

circulation director LAUREN MENA

editorial contributions: The editors invite letters, article ideas and other contributions from readers. Please write to Editor, Monmouth Health & Life, 110 Summit Avenue, Montvale, NJ 07645; telephone 201-571-7003; fax 201-782-5319; e-mail editor@wainscotmedia.com. Any manuscript or artwork should be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope bearing adequate return postage. The magazine is not responsible for the return or loss of submissions.

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Helping Small Miracles Happen • COMPREHENSIVE FERTILITY CARE • TREATMENT FOR RECURRENT PREGNANCY LOSS • ADVANCED/ROBOTIC REPRODUCTIVE SURGERY • INTRAUTERINE INSEMINATION (IUI) • IN VITRO FERTILIZATION (IVF) • INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION (ICSI) • DONOR EGG • PREIMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS (PGD) • IVF/DONOR EGG REFUND PROGRAM Dr. Jason G. Bromer and Dr. William F. Ziegler

RSC-NJ is the only infertility practice in Ocean/Monmouth County to be approved with the BBB.

RSC-NJ is the first CAP/FDA approved lab in Ocean/Monmouth County.

RSC-NJ is a member of SART, the primary organization of professionals dedicated to the practice of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in the United States.

Dr. William Ziegler was voted Top Doc by New Jersey Monthly Magazine in 2007.

RSC-NJ is proud to be a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

Reproductive Science Center of NJ DR. WILLIAM F. ZIEGLER • DR. JASON G. BROMER FERTILITYNJ.COM • TINTON FALLS, NJ • 732-918-2500

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Craftsmanship • Functionality • Design

Saint Barnabas Health Care System Staff president & CEO RONALD J . DEL MAURO

executive director, monmouth medical center FRANK J . VOZOS , M . D ., FACS

vice president, marketing & public relations MICHAEL J . SLUSARZ

director of public relations and marketing DENNIS WILSON JR .

marketing & public relations

PLANTATION SHUTTERS and BLINDS LLC

To schedule your consultation, contact us at (866) 215-4265 (732) 229-3630 www.MBShutters.com

LUXURY SHOWER DOORS Measured, Custom-Manufactured & Installed In Less Than One Week At Manufacturer-Direct Pricing

KATHLEEN M . HORAN

MONMOUTH MEDICAL CENTER 300 Second Avenue, Long Branch, NJ 07740. For information, call 1-888-SBHS-123.

Visit Saint Barnabas Health Care System on the Internet at www.saintbarnabas.com.

PUBLISHED BY WAINSCOT MEDIA

chairman CARROLL V. DOWDEN

president MARK DOWDEN

Your Custom Frameless Shower Doors are manufactured in our 30,000 square foot facility, located in New Jersey.

We utilize state-of-the-art fabricating and tempering equipment to guarantee you a perfect fit.

JOEL EHRLICH

vice presidents AMY DOWDEN NIGEL EDELSHAIN RITA GUARNA SHANNON STEITZ SUZANNE TRON

advertising inquiries: Please contact Doug Barker at 201-573-5557 or doug.barker@wainscotmedia.com.

Visit our Designer Showroom in Eatontown, New Jersey.

We are open Monday through Friday, 9-5 and Saturday, 10-4 or call for an appointment.

subscription services: To inquire about a subscription, to change an address or to purchase a back issue or a reprint of an article, please write to Monmouth Health & Life, Circulation Department, PO Box 1788, Land O Lakes, FL 34639; telephone 813-996-6579; e-mail lauren.mena@wainscotmedia.com.

PRECISION

Monmouth Health & Life is published six times a year

by Wainscot Media, 110 Summit Avenue, Montvale, NJ 07645, in association with Monmouth Medical Center.

This is Volume 8, Issue 6. ©2009 by Wainscot Media LLC. All rights reserved. Subscriptions in U.S.: $14.00 for one year. Single copies: $3.95.

S H O W E R

D O O R S

Designer Showroom 89 Highway 35 North, Eatontown, NJ 732-389-8175 www.customshowerdoors.com Serving all of New Jersey

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executive vice president

Material contained herein is intended for informational purposes only. If you have medical concerns, seek the guidance of a health care professional.

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Outstanding primary care. Plus regional leadership in stroke care, diabetes, gastroenterology, cardiology, chronic lung disease, oncology, kidney disease, infectious diseases, palliative care, and more.

We do it better. And we can prove it.

Allan Tunkel, M.D., Ph.D., MACP Chairman, Department of Medicine Monmouth Medical Center

Internal Medicine at Monmouth Medical Center: ● More of the region’s primary care physicians trained

At Monmouth Medical Center, we know that it’s results that matter.

That’s why we’re proud that we train more of the region’s primary care physicians than any other medical center.

And we do it well. We continue to teach and train the doctors who will provide primary care to the people of New Jersey, and are consistently recognized for our outstanding teaching of medical students.

It’s because of our outstanding primary care physicians that our Intensive Care Unit is a regional leader, offering the newest therapies, multidisciplinary care and a commitment to the highest quality. And it’s because of our primary care physicians that our pneumonia outcomes are superior.

At Monmouth Medical Center, we know that it’s results that matter.

And our doctors do, too. That’s why they provide outstanding primary care. Plus regional leadership in stroke care, diabetes, gastroenterology, cardiology, chronic lung disease, oncology, kidney disease, infectious diseases, palliative care, and more.

●

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●

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here than at any other area teaching hospital, and we continue to teach and train the doctors of tomorrow.

Our internists consistently receive awards in recognition for outstanding teaching and mentoring of medical students from Drexel University College of Medicine.

Our internists and specialists participate in nationally conducted multi-center clinical trials and creation of national patient-care guidelines; their work can be found in such publications as The New England Journal of Medicine, The Journal of General Internal Medicine, Clinical Infectious Diseases and primary care and specialty textbooks.

Intensive Care Unit maintains lower infection rates than national averages when compared with the Centers for Disease Control’s national health care safety reports.

Significantly lower mortality rates than state wide average for acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, stroke, gastrointestinal hemorrhage and pneumonia.

First outpatient palliative care program in New Jersey.

Monmouth Medical Center 1.888.SBHS.123 • saintbarnabas.com

A national leader in delivering outstanding health care outcomes.

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How to treat his Prostate Cancer is a decision for both of you.

With our robotic procedure you can immediately remove prostate cancer from your lives without the wait period and possible side effects associated with radiation and/or seed implantation.

Prostate cancer is a couple’s disease, not just a man’s. Consequently, more couples are coming to New Jersey Center for Prostate Cancer & Urology for state-of-the-art robotic prostatectomies. There is no need for multiple radiation treatments. You get the cancer removed immediately, with less pain, a shorter hospital stay, a reduced risk of incontinence and an increased likelihood of post-operative erectile function.

Pioneers of this remarkable minimally invasive procedure in the tri-state area since 2001, the doctors of NJCPC&U perform this advanced surgery more than any other team in the state. To date, our doctors have performed over 2,000 successful robotic prostatectomies with a zero percent mortality rate and are increasing that number by 8-10 per week. More experience makes for better outcomes.

Call today if prostate cancer has impacted your lives.

The leaders in Robotic Prostatectomies

Vincent Lanteri, MD, FACS Michael Esposito, MD, FACS Mutahar Ahmed, MD, FACS Gregory G. Lovallo, MD

Monmouth Medical Center - 255 Third Avenue, Long Branch 732-403-5506 Maywood - 255 W. Spring Valley Avenue, Maywood 201-487-8866 www.RoboticUrology.com

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by Chris Burns

Monmouth MIX YOUR GUIDE TO LOCAL TRENDS, TREASURES, PEOPLE & WELL-KEPT SECRETS

Green Christmas

STOCKFOOD; GETTY IMAGES

La vida locavore The New Oxford American Dictionary defines locavore as a person who seeks out locally produced food. And locals themselves can find such fare at D’JEET? (732-224-8887), chef/owner Casey Pesce’s new haven for home cooking in Shrewsbury’s Grove.

Pesce, a 30-year-old graduate of the American Culinary Academy and former chef at Rumson’s Fromagerie, moved his eatery from smaller quarters in Middletown last August, but brought along a passion for recipes using local foods and seasonal ingredients.

“Our menu changes with the seasons,” he explains. “For fall we’ve incorporated a lot of root vegetables and bitter greens, and we’re doing more braising and slow cooking.”

Casual yet elegant, the lunch menu features innovative burgers, wraps and salads, while the dinner menu skews to more substantial fine-dining entrées like “Gaelic & Garlic” short ribs and Clear Springs Rainbow Trout—dishes that clamor for a nice BYOB wine.

Patricia Supino of Middletown is a big fan of the chicken salad pita at lunch, going so far as to say it’s the best she’s ever eaten. “The freshness comes through in everything,” she remarks, also noting that the daily soup specials are exceptional. “They certainly live up to their reputation— there’s nothing run-of-the-mill about the menu.”

Has the eco-guilt of trashing your tree become too great? Then join the growing number of people opting for a replantable living tree to mark the season.

Maggie Keris of the 20-acre KERIS TREE FARM in Allentown (609-259-0720, www.keristree farm.com) says that live Christmas trees are very popular with people who want a lasting remembrance of a special year—one with a birth, a wedding or a new home.

“We have a wide variety of trees balled, burlapped and ready to go,” she says. “Our most popular is the Douglas Fir.” Prefer to wander the fields yourself? They’ll also dig up any tree of your choosing for pick-up at a later date. Prices run $65 to $100, depending on size (about $15 a foot).

Keris recommends using a pick-up truck to transport your tree, as the root ball can be heavy.

Once home, keep your tree in the garage for a few days both before and after for gradual warming and cooling. After moving it into your home, stand it up in a plastic or galvanized tub, using rocks or bricks to keep it vertical. Keris recommends keeping the tree indoors for only about 10 days, and provides a care sheet with each tree to ensure a happy holiday for all!

FREE gifts!

Head to www.monmouthhealthandlife.com/ WINagift for your chance to win one of the items chosen for our holiday gift guide (page 36). Open to Monmouth County residents age 18 and older.

All entries must be received by December 15.

MONMOUTH

H E A LT H & L I F E

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Monmouth MIX ‘What I’m listening to ...’

Homes for the holidays Does your holiday spirit needs some nurturing? A trip to the Ocean Grove VICTORIAN HOLIDAY FESTIVAL (732-7741391, www.oceangrovenj.com) December 12 and 13 may be just the tonic. This National Historic Landmark resort pulls out all the bells and tinsel this weekend, with a tour of its most gilded homes and inns: “We hope to have 10 to 11 homes and 10 to 11 inns, including one of the famous summer tents,” says event co-chair Clark Cate, innkeeper of the Manchester Inn. Once regular summer residences of many Ocean Grove visitors, the tents are prized by old-timers and have been passed down through generations.

This weekend, the whole town will be aglow with cheer.

“Shops and restaurants stay open late,” says Cate. “We’ll have horse-and-buggy rides, a model railroad show and a hand bell concert.” And the 10,000-seat Great Auditorium, built in 1893, will host a live nativity 5 p.m. Saturday. Festival tickets ($30) are available at the Chamber of Commerce. Note that while the inns are open all weekend, the homes are open only on Saturday.

WINNER’S CIRCLE Congratulations to our latest winner, Linda Jones of Holmdel! She received a copy of Bobby Flay’s newest cookbook, Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries and

Tim McLoone knows a thing or two about holiday music. The musician and restaurateur’s Holiday Express, formed in 1993, performs seasonal tunes—and also delivers food, gifts, financial support and friendship—for those in greatest need of the gift of human kindness. While this is the busy season for McLoone and his merry band, he took time out to share a few of his own holiday favorites, including new takes on some old chestnuts.

1. “WHITE CHRISTMAS,” Bing Crosby, from White Christmas

2. “THE CHRISTMAS SONG,” Nat King Cole, from The Christmas Song

3. “ALL ALONE ON CHRISTMAS,” Holiday Express, from Holiday Express Greatest Hits

4. “HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS,” Elvis Presley, from If Every Day Was Like Christmas

5. “ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE,” Brenda Lee, from Brenda Lee Christmas Collection: 20th Century Masters

6. “PANIS ANGELICUS,” Luciano Pavarotti, from Luciano Pavarotti: O Holy Night

7. “PEACE ON EARTH/LITTLE DRUMMER BOY,” David Bowie and Bing Crosby, from Bing Crosby’s Christmas Classics

8. “HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS,” James Taylor, from James

Taylor at Christmas

9. “MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS,” *NSync, from Home for Christmas

10. “MARSHMALLOW WORLD,” Darlene Love, from A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector

Shakes. Enjoy!

Please touch, don’t tilt

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Relive those Boardwalk memories at the SILVER BALL MUSEUM in Asbury Park (732-774-4994, www.silverball museum.com), a hands-on gallery of more than 100 classic pinball games spanning the 1940s through the 1980s.

For $10, you can spend an hour of playing some old favorites, or go for a $20 all-day pass. Enjoy the audio/visual rush of the bells, buzzers and bumpers of a 1965 Gottlieb Buckaroo, or use a little (gentle) body language to influence the ball—and score a few bonus points—in Bally’s 1977 Mata Hari.

Glen Jones of Asbury Park, a DJ heard locally on 105.7, finds a trip to the Silver Ball Museum goes well with a Boardwalk stroll. “It really is a great joint,” he enthuses. “I love the older games, especially with the placards that tell you the history of the machine and its creators—and you can BYOB!”

FISCAL FITNESS CERTIFIED DIVORCE FINANCIAL ANALYSTTM

Okay. Now What?

W

elcome to the latest edition of Fiscal Fitness. In this issue, we are all committed to Go Green. The stimulus bill gives dozens of energy initiatives the green light, extending existing tax credits for energy-efficient upgrades to homes through 2010 and includes a new tax credit of at least $2,500 for the purchase of plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Please talk to your tax advisor prior to implementing any tax strategy.

As we head into the fourth quarter, most people are asking “Now What”? Recent evidence suggests that positive economic figures are becoming less influential in moving the markets (LPL Financial Research, Sept. 09). Is further market fluctuation likely in the weeks and months ahead? When will inflation peak its head around the corner? With a 50% rise in the market since the March low (as of 9/14/09), is it time to take profits or reallocate your portfolio? In my opinion yes, eventually and finally, yes.

7 tips for successful investing 1. Understand what you own and why.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

2. Acknowledge a bad investment and move on. Ever hear the phrase “paralysis by analysis”. Sometimes just getting it off of your statement makes all the difference.

3. Rebalance at least annually. Trying to time the market is extremely difficult.

Rebalancing on a regularly scheduled period may help you stick with your long-term investment strategy.

4. Diversify your portfolio. Diversification means more that stocks and bonds. Learn from the past and prepare for the worst. Be

open to alternative ways of thinking and different investment strategies.

5. Hedge against things you can’t control. And I don’t mean buying a hedge fund. Do you have investments that should bode well in an inflationary environment? Do you have risk management strategies in place or products designed to provide protection?

6. Know your tolerance for risk. Could you sleep at night if we had another 30% drop in the market? What return do you need to work toward your goals? Is it 4% or 7%? I call this my personal index number.

What’s yours?

7. Confirm your exit strategy.There’s a point where we begin to dollar cost average out of the market, particularly as you begin or near retirement.What’s your exit strategy?

Principal, Harbor Lights Financial Group, Inc., has been providing comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory services for over 15 years. She is a member of the Association of Divorce Financial Planners, Institute of Certified Divorce Financial Analysts and the Jersey Shore Collaborative Law Group. She has been quoted in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine and has been a frequent guest on Good Day New York.

For a private, no-obligation consultation, please call 800-995-HLFG or e-mail debra. fournier@hlfg.com.

Are you nervous about your investments?

Unsure what the next step is? As investors, we must force ourselves to remove emotions when making investment decisions. My job as a Certified Financial Planner® is to put things into perspective for my clients and help them focus on living their lives, not on the day to day gyrations of the stock market. Please call if you would like more information on my financial concepts and strategies. N

Debra Fournier Certified Financial Planner® Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™

No strategy, including dollar cost averaging, can guarantee against a loss or ensure a profit. There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not ensure against market risk. Securities offered through LPL Financial Member FINRA/SIPC

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Debra Fournier, CFP®, CDFATM

2424 Highway 34 Manasquan, NJ 08736 800-995-HLFG www.hlfg.com http://divorce.hlfg.com debra.fournier@hlfg.com

9/30/09 12:57:56 PM

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FLASH GOLFERS GATHERED AT THE MANASQUAN RIVER Golf Club for the David. S Zocchi Memorial Golf Outing.

Proceeds will benefit the David S. Zocchi Brain Tumor Center at Monmouth Medical Center. Also taking to the fairways were participants in the Brother Andrew Memorial Golf Outing at the Trump National Golf Club in Colts Neck. The event supports the Christian Brothers Academy boys’ prep school in Lincroft and is named for Brother Andrew O’Gara, former president of the school. Finally, the Spring Lake Golf Club was the site of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth County’s Disco Ball gala. The evening featured dinner, auctions and more, and helped the group in its mission to provide mentors to at-risk children.

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3

2

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BROTHER ANDREW GOLF OUTING

6. Melanie and Matthew Saker

1. Bill Arnold, COO of Monmouth Medical Center; Frank J. Vozos, M.D., FACS, executive director; and Thomas Heleotis, M.D., VP of clinical effectiveness

3. Marc Russo, Brother Frank Byrne and Greg Boles

7. Gerard and Janice Scapicchio, Mary and Joe Cellini

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS DISCO BALL

8. Ann Marie Longo and Pam Callender

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4. Marybeth Bull and Beth Krieger 5. Janet Rizzo

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Think you belong in Flash? Send photos from your gala or charity event to Monmouth Health & Life, att: Flash editor, 110 Summit Avenue, Montvale, NJ 07645; or e-mail editor@wainscotmedia.com.

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Monmouth PROFILE

by Francesca Moisin

Going to Plan B WHAT DOES A SURGEON DO WHEN HE CAN NO LONGER DO SURGERY?

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON MICHAEL ABSATZ, M.D., found in his work a dream combination of two loves: mechanics and medicine. “Orthopaedics was the ultimate form of engineering—engineering for the human body,” he says. Then his own body failed him.

At 42, in the prime of his surgical career at Monmouth Medical Center, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord and leads to eventual loss of muscular control.

“I was devastated when I realized I could no longer practice my profession,” he says. But because Monmouth is a teaching institution, he had also been training tomorrow’s orthopaedic surgeons—and he’s been able to continue that. He has also become something of a painter.

“My mother is a professional artist, so as a child I was exposed to paintings and museums,” Dr. Absatz recalls. In medical school he drew anatomical pictures, some of which were published in medical texts. Now he creates medical-themed paintings—one recently appeared

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in a show called “eMotion Pictures,” which was held to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (See it online at www.aaos75th.org/gallery/the_artists.htm, along with a work by his mom. Given their medical subject matter, he concedes with a laugh, his paintings “aren’t the sort of thing I can hang in my living room.”)

Still, it wasn’t easy giving up a career he calls his “life’s passion.” A graduate of Johns Hopkins University who majored in biomedical engineering (and was lucky enough to participate in cutting-edge medical research at the Hopkins med school as an 18-year-old freshman), Dr. Absatz went on to his own medical education at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. “When I found orthopaedics I thought, ‘This is perfect!’” he recalls.

He joined Monmouth’s staff a few years later and ultimately performed thousands of hip and knee replacements. Such surgery, he says, is “one of the most profound differences a surgeon can make in people’s lives—it helps them go from a crippling, painful problem to a new life and a new chance.”

His own new life has its limits—unfortunately, MS can’t be cured by a skillful surgeon. Dr. Absatz has had to give up sailing and sailboat racing, but he’s an avid reader who is getting used to his new Kindle. He still goes to the beach with his wife, Lisa, and—when they’re around— his children, Jessica, 22; and Aaron, 18. And as for orthopaedics, though he can no longer operate today, Dr. Absatz still has a significant impact at Monmouth in the roles of educator and consultant.

“I’m happy with the work I’m doing now,” he says.

“It’s fun dealing with the younger doctors, helping them understand and learn.” Fittingly, he’ll be honored as a physician leader at the medical center’s annual gala, the Crystal Ball, on December 5.

“In surgery—or in life—you can try to be as prepared as possible, but unexpected things come up,” Dr. Absatz reflects. “When they do, you can’t just get totally bent out of shape. You have to dig in and figure out what to do next. In a way, my work gave me a model for how to deal with my disease.” ■

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Monmouth PROFILE

by Kristin Colella

Like father, like son THIS CARPENTERS’ UNION LEADER DID WHAT HIS DAD DID, NOT WHAT HE SAID

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learned that if you’re not involved in the discussion, what you want to happen can get lost,” he says.

A bitter example came in the early ’80s. A new system of payments to hospitals called DRGs (diagnosisrelated groups) failed to give the Carpenters Funds what he thought it deserved— preferential rates comparable to those it gave other groups that bought similarly generous health insurance plans.

“Organized labor was not at the table, and as a result we paid more than our fair share,” he recalls.

So Laufenberg got busy. Taking on his current job in 1984, he took financial management courses at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, earned certification as an employee benefits specialist from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and boned up on the hot topic of health policy. Then, in the early 1990s, he helped rectify the problem as a member of Gov. Jim Florio’s Hospital Rate-Setting Commission.

Today, Laufenberg enjoys time with his wife, Pamela, and their four grown children, and relaxes with golf and spy novels. But the professional challenges go on.

“With 30 percent unemployment in our industry right now, we’d like to get everybody back to work and have our people retire with the good benefits they deserve,” he says.

And his leadership isn’t limited to labor. He also chairs the New Jersey Alliance for Action, a nonprofit pro-growth consortium of business, labor, government and academic leaders, and serves as a trustee of Monmouth Medical Center, which will honor him at this year’s Crystal Ball.

Somewhere, perhaps, the spirit of George H. is winking with pride. ■

CHRISTOPHER BARTH

WE ALL WANT OUR KIDS to have something better than our own lot in life, and the late George H. Laufenberg, a union carpenter who headed the New Jersey State Council of Carpenters from 1982 until his death in 1995, was no exception. He hoped his son would be a professional man, not a carpenter like himself.

“He didn’t know if this industry was going to be as successful in the future,” explains that son, Allenwood resident George R. Laufenberg, 59, who himself worked in construction every summer starting when he was 16. “He and my mother did their best.”

Laufenberg smiles. “But in spite of that, I decided to stay in construction.”

He did earn a college degree—at Susquehanna University, with a major in economics. But the Morristown-born, Paterson-raised Laufenberg also pursued an apprenticeship during time off from school. “I remember waking up at 4:30 or 5 in the morning to drive to job sites,” he says. “Carpentry is what I really enjoyed doing.”

He became a union carpenter in 1972, and followed his dad into labor leadership, first with a three-year stint as a union organizer in Pennsylvania, settling grievances and setting up employee benefit programs. For 25 years he’s been administrative manager of the New Jersey Carpenters Funds in Edison—he now oversees health, pension, annuity and vacation benefits for the state’s 17,000 union carpenters and their families, as well as 5,000 retirees. During his tenure the Carpenters Funds’ assets have increased more than thirtyfold, from $80 million to $2.5 billion.

But even though he was following his dad’s path, Laufenberg had his own lessons to absorb along the way— and ironically they led to professional-level achievement. “I

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Lowest surgical mortality in New Jersey (.2% at MMC vs. 1.0% statewide), as part of the Department of Surgery.

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And why we built the state’s only Multidisciplinary Gastrointestinal Tumor Team to meet monthly to review ongoing cancer care.

The fact is that we do it better. And we can prove it.

We not only perform among the most laparoscopic colorectal resections of any hospital in New Jersey, we also have the region’s lowest conversion rate from laparoscopic to open colorectal surgery (4% at MMC vs. 15% nationally).

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W H AT ’ S N E W I N M E D I C I N E A N D H O W Y O U C A N S TAY W E L L

Michael Disciglio, M.D., understands better than most patients the critical difference an emergency angioplasty can make—like the one performed on him by Rita Watson, M.D.

Beating ‘the widow maker’ AS A DOCTOR, HE KNEW WHAT HIS OWN EKG MEANT—AND IT WASN’T GOOD

was suffering a very massive acute myocardial infarction, IT’S SAID THAT JUST BEFORE YOU DIE, YOUR the medical term for a heart attack. The EKG revealed a whole life flashes before your eyes. But for a local physicomplete blockage of his left anterior descending (LAD) cian who recently suffered a major heart attack, the artery, the heart’s main artery. Blockages there are so flashbacks that came before he underwent lifesaving dangerous that the artery has been nicknamed “the treatment at Monmouth Medical Center dated back just widow maker.”

13 years—to the birth of his son.

Dr. Disciglio was well aware of his dire condition.

Heart attacks are the leading cause of death for “I told the ER doctors I was a docboth men and women, and Michael tor and wanted to see my EKG,” he Disciglio, M.D., an internist in prac“All I could think recalls. “When I did, my eyes tice for more than 25 years (see page 27), almost became an addition to about was that I was popped out—I was shocked. I thought back to my days as a resithose grim statistics. The electrocargoing to miss seeing dent right here at Monmouth in diogram performed minutes after he 1987. Back then, if we read an EKG my son grow up.” arrived in Monmouth’s Emergency like that, we knew the patient was Department last April showed that he 22

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not going to survive. And all I could think about was my son—that I was going to miss seeing him grow up.”

But the good news for Dr. Disciglio, 59, and his only child, 13-year-old Michael Patrick Disciglio, was that treatments for acute myocardial infarctions have come a long way since the 1980s. In 2006, Monmouth joined the American College of Cardiology in launching a national quality-improvement initiative aimed at ensuring that patients in Dr. Disciglio’s condition—he had what is called ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)—undergo emergency angioplasty within 90 minutes, a window of time that can mean the difference between life and death.

The ST segment of the EKG specifically measures the LAD, which is how Dr. Disciglio knew his condition. The ER physicians activated the Code STEMI, with the on-call cardiologist and the specially trained cardiac catheterization team called in for emergency treatment. The Code STEMI team that cared for Dr. Disciglio was led by interventional cardiologist Rita Watson, M.D., who acted quickly, performing a lifesaving emergency angioplasty 79 minutes after his diagnosis.

“Dr. Watson did a miraculous job,” he says. “The next day my EKG was normal, and after three days I felt ready to go back to work. Of course, she laughed at me.”

Instead, he took off about six weeks to rest, recover and undergo cardiac rehab at Monmouth’s Joel Opatut Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program. (See “Comeback From a Heart Attack,” right.)

Dr. Disciglio, a single father who lives in Eatontown, calls himself “the last guy anyone expected to have a heart attack.” Most victims have some risk factors, such as smoking or diabetes, or warning signs. But he is a trim, athletic nonsmoker with normal blood pressure and cholesterol. Adding to the irony is his special interest in cardiology—on the night of his heart attack, he had given a lecture on cholesterol at an area restaurant. When he returned home, he started feeling pressure in his chest. But he’d had a negative stress test just a month before, so he ignored it until the pain grew worse and traveled to his jaws and teeth. That’s when he decided he needed to get to an emergency room.

“What happens is, you can have plaque attached to your arteries, but no blockage, which is why my stress test was normal,” he explains. “But sometimes the attachment ruptures, and the plaque immediately blocks the artery. That’s what happened to Tim

Russert,” he says, referring to the NBC-TV newsman who died of a sudden heart attack soon after a normal stress test last year.

“I feel extremely fortunate that I lived long enough to get to the hospital and have this procedure performed,” says Dr. Disciglio. “In the time of my residency, a patient like me would have died or been left a cardiac cripple. I was lucky enough to survive—and I get to see my son grow up.” ■

Comeback from a heart attack The Joel Opatut Cardiopulmonary ilitation

Rehab-

Program

Monmouth

at

Medical

Center is designed for people recovering from heart and lung disease, as well as those who want to improve their cardiovascular health through diseaseprevention and health-promotion services. The program features state-of-the-art fitness equipment, including treadmills, rowing machines, stationary bicycles and arm ergometers (they work like bicycles for the arms, promoting an upper-body workout).

The unit’s staff works closely with doctors and patients in developing exercise programs that meet each patient’s individual needs. Workouts are conducted under the supervision of registered nurses specially trained in coronary and pulmonary care.

These professionals monitor each person’s vital signs to measure the body’s response to the exercise.

Monmouth’s cardiac rehabilitation program is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) a national multidisciplinary association. Certification recognizes those programs that are rigorously reviewed by a national board and found to meet essential requirements for standards of care.

For information about cardiopulmonary rehab at Monmouth Medical Center, call 732-923-7459.

For more information on cardiac services at Monmouth Medical Center, please call 1-888-SBHS123 (1-888-724-7123).

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GOODBYE, back pain

THANKS TO TWO SURGICAL INNOVATIONS, A SPINAL FUSION PROCEDURE HELPS A NURSE FEEL BETTER

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STOCKILLUSTRATIONSOURCE.COM

ELIZABETH MALDONADO HAD TRIED all kinds of medical treatments for the chronic back pain that had plagued her since 2005. She saw pain-management specialists who injected her spine with medications and prescribed oral narcotics. After three years of this, she was no better. In fact, she was worse.

“The pain became so bad that I couldn’t lift my legs,” says the 54-year-old nurse, who lives in Toms River. “I started to drag my legs when I walked.”

When she was referred to Jonathan H. Lustgarten, M.D., section chief of the division of neurosurgery at Monmouth Medical Center, he suggested a common surgery called spinal fusion. Maldonado had been offered that option before, but turned it down. “As a nurse, I had seen that spinal fusion doesn’t always work,” she says. “But then Dr. Lustgarten told me about some new technologies that would help make the procedure more precise and effective. Then I was more comfortable trying it.”

“Surgery is always the option of last resort,” says Dr. Lustgarten. “And it’s true that it doesn’t always work. But two recent developments have turned this long-established procedure into a new and exciting possibility for some patients.”

Maldonado suffered from spinal stenosis, a typically aging-related narrowing of the spinal column that causes pain by putting pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves that extend from it to the rest of the body. Her spine had narrowed severely and an arthritic cyst was compressing her spinal nerves. She also had some structural damage to her spine, which she traces to several falls she took over the years, down stairs and off ladders at home. “Then, in August 2005, I stood up,

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“These two advances help us see better pain relief, better outcomes and a higher percentage of pleased patients.”

Jonathan H. Lustgarten, M.D.

my back cracked and the pain started,” she says.

Dr. Lustgarten says that a spinal fusion procedure often consists of two components: The first is a laminectomy, in which the surgeon removes bone and abnormally thickened ligaments from the spine to relieve the compression on the nerves. The second is fusing the damaged area of the spine with bone tissue supplemented by hardware—rods and screws—to provide stability. “These procedures have been done for a long time,” he says.

But here’s where the new technology comes in. In the past, the surgeon had to harvest large quantities of bone from the patient’s hip to create the graft. “That harvest can cause pain and increase the chance of complications,” he says. Now, though, surgeons can use only the bone they already removed during the laminectomy by supplementing it with a bone morphogenic (that is, structure-creating) protein (BMP) at the fusion site.

BMP interacts with specific receptors on the bone cell surface to encourage bone growth and heal fusions faster.

“This is a significant advance,” Dr. Lustgarten says. “Six months after the surgery, you see terrific fusion and much less pain, and that’s often sooner than before we used BMP.” BMP is not used in every spinal fusion, he says. Depending on the site of the operation, it may cause more bone growth than is needed, and it may trigger other side effects. “I use it in about half of these surgeries,” he says.

Next comes the hardware placement—and the second major technological breakthrough. A portable computed tomography (CT) scan called an O-Arm helps the surgeon place the screws and rods within the bony structures more accurately. The scan produces images in real time, so the surgeon sees exactly where he or she is during the operation. “And when we’re done, we perform a final scan to prove it’s where we want it, while we are still in the OR, and we can fix it right then if necessary,” says Dr. Lustgarten. “We get a level of accuracy that is

beyond what was achieved previously, which means less chance of error or injury to nearby structures.”

Spinal fusion still has a mixed reputation, the doctor concedes. “But I think these two advances put together help us see better pain relief, better outcomes and a higher percentage of pleased patients.”

Count Maldonado among them. The single mother of three children ages 19 to 27 had her surgery on March 23. She says she was pain-free six weeks later and has almost wholly remained so.

“I get a bit achy in the cold weather, and I can’t do all the yoga moves I once did, but I feel great,” she says. “I can do my job perfectly, and I’m an inch taller now that they’ve straightened me all out. I should have done this a long time ago.” ■

New role for a new tool Two years ago, Monmouth Medical Center became the first hospital in New Jersey to acquire a new computed tomography (CT) scanning device called an O-Arm, which shows the surgeon real-time images while he or she is operating. After performing more than 100 spinal fusions using the new scanner, Jonathan H. Lustgarten, M.D., section chief of the division of neurosurgery at Monmouth Medical Center, and his partners have begun using the technology in a new and exciting way. “We now can do spinal fusion in a delicate area more accurately than we could before,” he reports.

That area is the upper cervical spine where the spine joins the skull. There the brain, spinal cord and critical blood vessels all converge. “Any injury there can be devastating or fatal,” he says. “There is a very low tolerance for any error when placing the screws and rods. Now we can visualize with realtime images and place this hardware with unprecedented precision.”

He and his partners—David Estin, M.D., and Ty Olson, M.D.—have been using the O-Arm since it was introduced at Monmouth. “This new technology allows us to continually refine the way we do both common procedures and more unusual and complex ones,” says Dr. Lustgarten.

To find out more about treatment options for back pain at Monmouth Medical Center, call 1-888-SBHS123 (1-888-724-7123).

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Happy hospital?

WORKING IN A MEDICAL CENTER CAN BE SATISFYING—AND THAT’S GOOD FOR PATIENTS

WE MAY NOT CARE MUCH IF THE GROCER IS grumpy or the mailman is morose. But when we trust hospital staffers with our life and health, we’d like them to be at their best. That’s why it was good news for the community when Modern Healthcare magazine, a key health-industry trade journal, recently recognized the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, which owns Monmouth Medical Center, as one of the “100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare” for 2009.

This report acknowledges workplaces in health care that enable employees to perform at their optimum level and provide patients with the best possible services.

“It’s an affirmation that we’re on the right track as an organization,” says Frank J. Vozos, M.D., Monmouth’s executive director. “Of course, we have to keep working hard to stay there.”

Making a medical center employee-friendly has its challenges, especially in a time when resources are

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tight and the nation’s health care system is in turmoil.

Clearly, such a workplace will never be stress-free. But the management of Saint Barnabas—and Monmouth—is committed to assuring a satisfied workforce in which every person knows how much his or her efforts count.

“We deliver very sensitive human services,” says Sidney Seligman, senior vice president for human resources for the Saint Barnabas system. “We can’t make our patients satisfied if our staff are ill-treated. For that reason, we try to be as supportive of staff as possible.”

To find the finest health care employers, Modern Healthcare worked with the Best Companies Group, a Harrisburg, Pa.–based firm that conducts regional “best places to work” assessments across the country. For companies that volunteered to participate, the firm did two surveys: a questionnaire for the participating employer and a satisfaction survey of that employer’s workers.

“They asked a wide range of questions about things like staff training and development, benefits and services we offer employees,” Seligman says. As examples of services provided by Saint Barnabas, he notes onsite banks, dry cleaning and pharmacies to help staffers (75 percent of whom are female) balance family obligations and work duties. But most important, he believes, is that “we try to imbue our department leaders with a sense of obligation to support their staff, to be perceived as being in their corner, to help staff in their day-to-day professional and personal lives.”

“Saint Barnabas’ size and breadth of services also allow us to encourage employees’ career development with tuition reimbursement and education opportunities that help them move within the system to achieve their professional goals,” says Glenn Oppito, Monmouth’s vice president of human resources.

“Monmouth is one of most loyal places I have ever worked,” he says. “There are people who have been here 20, 30, even 40 years. That says something.”

Oppito is especially proud of Monmouth’s rewards and recognition program, which acknowledges the achievements of individuals and groups within the hospital. “We make sure they understand how appreciated they are,” he says. “It all goes back to our core value of providing the very best in patient care.” ■ To learn more about the care available at Monmouth Medical Center, please call 1-888-724-7123.

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Meeting primary care’s challenge FOR THIS MONMOUTH PRACTICE, THERE’S NO JOB LIKE BEING SOMEONE’S MAIN DOCTOR

AS HEALTH CARE REFORM PROMISES TO expand the number of people with health insurance, primary care physicians’ offices have become the front lines of social change. These doctors aren’t medicine’s flashiest or best-paid, but they’re the ones charged with coordinating our care. And unfortunately, their ranks are shrinking just when we need them most.

Monmouth Medical Group, an internal medicine practice, can’t solve the country’s whole problem, but its five doctors are determined to keep doing what they do.

“It’s everyday good medicine—the mundane but important things that keep people well,” explains lead physician Barbara Courtney, M.D. “We treat chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease, counsel patients on disease prevention and do all the recommended screenings and immunizations.

We see everyone from teenagers through the elderly. We’re generalists—that’s what internal medicine is.”

The practice was founded in 1983 by Eric Burkett, M.D., who now also serves Monmouth Medical Center as vice president of medical affairs. The group became part of the medical center in 1994. All five of its members are board-certified in internal medicine, and Drs. Burkett and Courtney in geriatrics as well.

“We are the doctors who care for the largest part of the population,” says Michael Disciglio, M.D., of his chosen calling of primary care. He says he doesn’t know exactly how the expected sudden increase in patients will be handled. “The government may offer incentives for doctors to go into primary care,” he says. But as far as he and his colleagues are concerned, “taking care of people is what motivates us.”

“One of the beauties of internal medicine is that you become attached to families,” adds Dr. Courtney.

“You feel a sense of loss when people die. A lot of things going on in medicine today are counterproductive to establishing that relationship.”

She tells of a woman who suffered such severe

The doctors at Monmouth Medical Group MICHAEL DISCIGLIO, M.D., 59 M.D.: American University School of Medicine, 1984 Residency: Monmouth Medical Center, 1984–1987 Joined practice: 2005 GERLANDO PARISI, M.D., 49 M.D.: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, 1989 Residency: Seton Hall, 1990–1993 Joined practice: 1995 ERIC BURKETT, M.D., 64 M.D.: Hahneman Medical College, 1971 Residency: Monmouth Medical Center, 1971–1976 Founded practice: 1983 BARBARA E. COURTNEY, M.D., 63 M.D.: Hahneman Medical College, 1977 Residency: Monmouth Medical Center, 1977–1980 Joined practice: 1995 PAUL BARNICKEL, M.D., 52 M.D.: St. George’s University School of Medicine, 1983 Residency: Jersey Shore Medical Center, 1983–1986 Joined practice: 1986

anxiety she could barely leave her house. Dr. Courtney treated her with medication. “She came back six months later and said, ‘I can’t believe it—I went to a wedding and had great time,’” the doctor recalls. “She told me, ‘When they toasted the bride and groom, I was toasting you!’ Stories like that just make your day. I feel it’s a privilege to be a part of my patients’ lives.” ■

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PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVORS gather to thank docs FOUR MONMOUTH MEDICAL CENTER UROLOGISTS CELEBRATE THEIR 2,000 TH SUCCESSFUL ROBOTIC PROCEDURE WITH THE DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

HUNDREDS OF PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVors congregated at the Meadowlands Sheraton in East Rutherford on November 7 to thank the surgeons who made their survival a reality.

The surgery that saved them was robotic prostatectomy, a technique that has fast become the procedure of choice for prostate cancer patients. And the doctors they came out to celebrate were the four Monmouth Medical Center urologists who pioneered this procedure in New Jersey: Vincent J. Lanteri, M.D.; Michael P. Esposito, M.D.; Mutahar Ahmed, M.D.; and Gregory 28

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Lovallo, M.D., of the New Jersey Center for Prostate Cancer & Urology (NJCPC&U).

The event marked the doctors’ 2,000th successful procedure—the most of any practice in the state. In addition to meeting each other and sharing personal experiences, all those in attendance had the opportunity to “test-drive” the robot that helped to save their lives, the da Vinci S Surgical System.

But these surgeons’ influence extends beyond those whom they’ve operated on personally: The doctors also teach one of the few courses on this robotic tech-

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nique offered in the U.S. and have ditions for the first time.

“Risks and published the very first textbook on “Men don’t talk as easily complications are the subject. about these things as women do,” Nearly 200,000 men are Patty says. “But get a bunch of reduced, and diagnosed with prostate cancer in them together and man, did they recoveries are easier share! It helped us know what to the U.S. annually. In 2005, M.D. News magazine predicted that the expect and what we wanted to do.” and shorter with robotic approach would be the According to a recent study, robotic prostatectomy.” robotic prostatectomy surgery future of prostate cancer surgery— —Vincent J. Lanteri, M.D. and indeed, this has proven to patients have a 14 percent higher be true, for many reasons, says rate of cancer removal and, on Dr. Lanteri. average, regained urinary function “In general, risks and complications are rein about a month and a half—four times as fast as openduced, and recoveries are easier and shorter,” he says. surgery patients. Robotic patients also experienced an “For instance, long-term incontinence and impotence increase in nerve sparing, which resulted in a lower inciare much less likely, there is less pain and risk of infecdence of sexual dysfunction compared with opention, the procedure is considered ‘bloodless’ due to surgery patients, half of whom experienced impotence minimal blood loss and the return to normal activity is two years later. ■ much quicker.”

In 2006, Monmouth Medical Center, one of New Jersey’s largest academic medical centers, became the When prostate cancer is detected in its earliest stage, first hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties to the potential for survival dramatically increases—a introduce the minimally invasive robotic surgery with process that begins with regular testing. the da Vinci S Surgical System. This remarkable sytem Men age 50 and older are encouraged to uses computer and robotic technologies to enhance a undergo an annual physician’s checkup that includes surgeon’s skills. It creates a 3-D image of the surgical prostate cancer testing. Men at high risk for the disfield and lets the surgeon get closer to the surgical site ease, including African-Americans and those with a than human hands and vision permit. It also allows for family history of prostate cancer, should begin roumore dexterity thanks to its EndoWrist instrumentation, tine testing at age 40. which can move in more directions than a human wrist While one in six men will develop prostate can, allowing for increased control in manipulating cancer during their lifetimes, only one in 34 will die of instruments and the ability to place sutures in more the disease—underscoring the importance of early complex cases than is possible with traditional detection and treatment. In fact, when the malignancy laparoscopy. As a result, the surgeon’s hand motion is is found while still confined to the prostate, the fiveseamlessly translated into movements more smooth and year survival rate is 100 percent, according to the precise than any unaided human hand could achieve.

American Cancer Society.

Now, three years later, Matawan resident Louis Prostate cancer is second to skin cancer as the Dimino became NJCPC&U’s 2,000th success story when most common type of cancer among American men— he underwent his robotic prostatectomy at Monmouth and the second most fatal, after lung cancer. In New Medical Center.

Jersey, prostate cancer is diagnosed in about 6,000 Louis credits his wife, Patty, with taking the men annually, claiming about 800 lives each year. initiative to research all the treatment options thoroughly in the days following his cancer diagnosis, thereby allowing him to consider his best course of To learn more about robotic surgery or to schedule a action. They heard strong recommendations for consultation, call Monmouth Medical Center at NJCPC&U from friends of theirs who were former 1-888-SBHS-123. patients, some of whom were speaking about their con-

Why testing matters

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ESCAPES

Your London holiday 7 SURPRISING WAYS TO MAKE ENGLAND’S CAPITAL THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR FESTIVE SEASON

LET’S FACE IT: No one ever goes to London for the weather. But despite winter’s grey skies, the city is aburst with British charms to warm your spirits, rekindle your romance or give your kids memories that last a lifetime.

Here are seven activities worth bundling for:

1

Ring in the New Year. Let the chimes of Big Ben be the first sounds you hear in 2010, then take in a dazzling 10-minute fireworks display launched from the London Eye (www.london.gov.uk/newyearseve).

Just don’t revel too late: You’ll want to rise the next day in time for the noon parade (www.londonparade.co.uk), featuring marching bands, clowns, acrobats and more, which moves north on Whitehall from Parliament Square for 2 miles.

2

View the city from the London Eye. Would

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ALAMY

Queen Victoria have approved of a giant Ferris wheel in the heart of London? Well, she was keen on world domination, and this has been voted the planet’s best tourist attraction. You’ll see breathtaking views of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Thames and beyond. The Eye’s open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and your 30-minute “flight”—a complete turn of the wheel’s 1,392-foot circumference—will cost £17.50 (about $28.50) for adults; £14.00 ($22.75) for seniors over 60; and £8.75 ($14.25) for children 4 to 15, with

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kids under 4 free. Save 10 percent by booking online before you go. (The Waterloo tube stop is 5 minutes away; follow signs to the South Bank. Learn more at www.londoneye.com.)

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Enjoy holiday lights in the city’s shopping districts. Bond, Oxford and Regent streets offer

retail treats year-round, but these already-bustling West End locales become extra vibrant from November through early January. That’s when shoppers can stroll amid canopies of twinkling lights as they peer in the windows of upscale shops both international (Hermès, Prada, Yves San Laurent) and local (Hamley’s toy shop, John Lewis department store). (Closest tube stop: Oxford Circus.)

4

Savor afternoon tea at Brown’s. Tea time’s an event in England, especially in the English Tea Room at this venerable hotel, open since 1837, on Albemarle Street in the heart of fashionable Mayfair near West End theaters and Bond Street stores.

Brown’s recently got a £24 million makeover, and it copped the Tea Guild’s prize for “Top London Afternoon Tea 2009.”

Afternoon tea at £35 ($57) is served from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. (Green Park tube station. Learn more at www.brownshotel.com/dining/ english_tea_room.htm.)

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Catch some footie. Make like the locals and pay

tribute to Britain’s other national religion: English Premier League “football.” Notoriously vocal in their ardor, soccer fans will cram into Crave Cottage stadium, set beside the Thames, to cheer on the local favorites— the 130-year-old Fulham Football Club—against worldfamous Manchester United (December 19), Tottenham Hotspur (December 26) and Portsmith (January 9).

Tickets generally run £35 ($57) for adults, and about half that for seniors and kids under 16. (Petty Bridge tube stop.)

6

Lift a pint at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.

This dark, oak-lined refuge has served brews to the likes of Dickens, Voltaire and Samuel Johnson. And with what one online reviewer calls an “insanely low price of beer,” the gathering place at 145 Fleet Street is as irresistible today as when it was rebuilt after the fire (1666, you know).

Try the steak-and-kidney pudding, pot roast shank of lamb or braised pheasant. (Phone 44-20-7353-6170.

Temple tube station.)

7

Hear the orations at Speaker’s Corner. Winter’s

chill won’t stifle the impromptu Sunday-morning eloquence heard at the northeast corner of Hyde Park, where by a tradition going back 150 years anyone with a voice, a soap box and an opinion has the chance to sound off—and maybe get heckled by an equally opinionated skeptic. This free speech, of course, is free.

(Marble Arch tube stop.) ■

Dos and don’ts for a London holiday jaunt DON’T be set in your days. “There are bargains out there if people have flexibility,” advises Cristina Candelino, owner of Prestige Travel in Hazlet. Want some assistance? A travel agent can help you find the best deals—and make smart use of your frequent-flyer miles.

DON’T be pound foolish. At press time the British pound had been falling against the dollar—it was about $1.62—but many Americans may still be in for sticker shock upon arrival.

Better deals may be available, says Candelino, if you pay for things like theater tickets in dollars before you leave.

DO

be weather-ready. Though snow is rare in London, the winter weather is often drizzly, with temperatures hovering in the upper 30s/low 40s.

Also, sunset generally occurs just before 4 p.m., so be sure to get in any activities that require daylight early in the day.

DO check out schedules. Note that the underground does not run on Christmas Day. And while it generally ceases operation around midnight each night, the trains run until 4:30 a.m. for the New Year’s holiday. But certain stations may be closed due to the celebration, so check the official Transport for London website (www.tfl.gov.uk) before heading out for your revelry.

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At

HOME

by Carolyne Roehm

W inter wonderland WHAT IS PRETTIER THAN FRESHLY FALLEN SNOW? A TABLE THAT TAKES ITS CUES FROM A WINTRY LANDSCAPE FOR AN ELEGANT NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER

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HOLIDAY TIME IS FILLED WITH many wonderful sensations. Just the colors of the holidays—reds and greens, icy blues and silvers, burnished gold and pinecone brown— add up to a visual feast. But in the same way you often desire a simple meal after a rich banquet, I found the idea of a winter white dinner party for New Year’s Eve appealing.

There’s something enchanting about a winter’s day after a blustery storm, everything covered in a blanket of snow. It’s that pristine landscape that inspired me to create a winter wonderland indoors. The color palette was easy—pure white and frosted surfaces were used for the invitations, decorations and party favor wrapping, because I wanted everything to glisten like snow. I used a snowflake cookie cutter to trace the invitations, and sent them in a pochette folder filled with snowy glitter. A table was covered with a snow-dusted linen tablecloth set with all-white china, crystal and silver. As a centerpiece, snow-flocked branches were set in a bowl overflowing with faux snow with white taper candles standing nearby. White ceramic vases with faux blossoms took the place of fresh flowers.

Even the meal took its cues from the palette. We started with a creamy almond soup, followed by halibut with herbs and lemon and a salad of endive, pears, walnuts and Stilton cheese. For dessert, guests could indulge in coconut flan or iced sugar cookies. At the stroke of 12, we toasted the new year with champagne in our pretty winter wonderland. ■ ©2006 by Carolyne Roehm, from the book A Passion for Parties by Carolyne Roehm, published

by Broadway Books, a division of Random House Inc. Reprinted with permission. Photography by Sylvie Becquet.

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GIFT GUIDE

Holiday gift guide 2009: Editors’ Picks PILES OF PRESENTS TO PLEASE ALL YOUR FAVORITE PEOPLE!

For the

Homebody 1. Merino wool Kyoto throw, Anichini, $425

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2. Recycled sandcast aluminum Bird & Branch two-tiered server, Mariposa, $134 3. Gold-plated brass menorah, L'Objet, $385

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4. Malle à Feu portable fireplace, Atria, $7,325 5. Polished-nickel Twist candlesticks, Red Envelope, $39.95 6. Kiwi watering can with stainless-steel spout, Alessi, $49

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7. Handcrafted Mortimer peacock figurine with Swarovski crystals, Jay Strongwater, $2,500 8. Cast-iron Regency Bamboo Canterbury, The Source Collection, $165

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For the

Fashionista 1. Braided rhinestone necklace, ABS by Allen Schwartz, $350 2. Taffeta red party dress, Jill Stuart, $198 3. Silk Leo Sandinista scarf, Prova for Barneys CO-OP, $395

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4. Floral-inspired 1.9-carat diamond earrings, Kwiat, $5,000 5. Metallic leather Webster clutch, Michael Kors, $198 6. The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia, $19.99, HarperCollins 7. Croc of Q double-wrap leather bracelet, Marc by Marc Jacobs, $78

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8. Three-button leather gloves, Coach, $158 9. Infallible Never Fail plumping lip gloss, L’Oréal Paris, $9.99 continued

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GIFT GUIDE

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For the

Foodie

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1. Red velvet layer cake with cream-cheese frosting (serves 8 to 10), We Take the Cake, $47 2. 25-year-old balsamic vinegar of Modena, Academia Barilla, $179

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3. 18-ounce tin of Italian black truffle almonds, Squirrel Brand, $23.99

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4. Romariz Colheita Port 1944 in wooden gift case, www.portwine.com, $399.50 5. 16-piece Holiday Truffle Collection, Vosges Haut-Chocolat, $43 6. Handblown-glass Celebrity Swirl Shaker, Cocktail Vibe, $31.99 7. Cucina d’Italia gourmet gift basket, Harry & David, $139.95

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For the

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Kids 1. iPanda iPod docking station, Speakal, $129.99

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2. Silver-plated robot bank with moveable arms, Reed & Barton, $45

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3. Yo Gabba Gabba DJ Lance Boombox, MEGA Brands, $29.99 4. City Ramp Racer, Melissa and Doug, $49.99 5. Velvet-lined frog treasure box, Pylones, $50 6. Rubik’s TouchCube, Techno Source, $149.99

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7. Cashmere zip-front hoodie (sizes: 3–6 months through 18–24 months), Amber Hagen, $160

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8. Classic Shooter (holds 25 mini marshmallows), Marshmallow Fun Company, $24.95 9. Candela Tooli two-lamp nightlight set (rechargeable batteries included), Vessel, $39 continued

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GIFT GUIDE 2

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For the

Sports lover 1. SensoGlove golfing glove with grip monitor, SensoSolutions, $89

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2. New York Yankees Fantasy Camp in Tampa, Florida, New York Yankees, $5,500 3. Nike+ SportBand, Nike, with USB link, for tracking distance, pace, calories and more, $59 4. Hammerhead Pro XLD sled, Hammerhead Sleds, $349 5. Waterproof Optio W80 camera, Pentax, $299.95

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6. Foldable aluminum STRiDA 5.0 bicycle, Areaware, $800

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7. Fingerless women’s running gloves, Adidas by Stella McCartney, $30 8. Notebook fold-up portable grill, Design Within Reach, $60

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Stocking

Stuffers 1. Suede Travel Backgammon Roll, Vivre, $395 2. Butterfly magnet set, Paper Source, $13.95 3. 24kt Luxe Lip Gloss Collection, Stila, $30 4. Couture Striped Pop Top mittens, Juicy Couture, $55 5. Churchill Cigar Cognac set and cutter, The Conran Shop, $90

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6. Coonley votive set, The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, $50

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7. Snow Baller snowball maker, Emsco Group, $15 8. Stainless-steel pocket compass, Red Envelope, $89.95 continued

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GIFT GUIDE

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Stocking

Stuffers 9. Personalized playing cards, Horchow, $35 10. Pat Says Now Ladybug optical mouse, The Conran Shop, $35 11. Touch Up Smile Perfecting Ampoules, GO SMiLE, $28 (14-count) 12. 2010 page-a-day Islands calendar, Workman Publishing, $15.99

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13. Pop-Up Blossoms note cards, Robert Sabuda, $21.95 14. Scottie Dog scented soap (5.5 ounces), Gianna Rose Atelier, $20.40 15. Lipsync Heartfelt Lip Palette, BeingTRUE, $38 ■

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15 14

WIN! A variety of items from our gift guide are up for grabs—see page 13 for details.

For stores that carry the product lines shown,

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see our shopping guide on page 54.

SPECIAL PROMOTION REP ORT

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Staying abreast of the latest trends and advances in everyday life is no small feat.

So Monmouth Health & Life spoke to a few cutting-edge professionals in the area and asked them to share what’s new and exciting in their fields.

And this is what they had to say…

REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCE

The Art of Creating a Baby

Nearly one in six couples in the U.S. struggles with some degree of infertility. In these cases, it is crucial to consult with a physician who is on the cutting edge of this fast-paced field.

“We offer a wide range of fertility services, from evaluation, to the most advanced reproductive procedures including egg donation,” says Jason Bromer, M.D., the newest physician with the Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey in Tinton Falls. “But what really sets us apart is our experience and expertise in some of the newer procedures.”

In the area of fertility, we are now able to evaluate the genetic makeup of embryos through procedures called PGD (pre-implementation genetic diagnosis) and CGH (comparative genomic hybridization) which are used to test the genetic makeup of an embryo for possible disorders before placing it in the uterus. Also, even though the process of freezing eggs is still considered experimental, it has produced over 1,000 babies worldwide. Some women are also opting to preserve ovarian tissue that contains eggs for possible transplantation as well.

“Robotic surgery is now being used to treat a number of gynecological problems and has greatly improved the outcome and shortened the recovery time,” Bromer adds. “Dr. Ziegler and I are part of the teaching clinical faculty at both Monmouth Medical Center and Jersey Shore University Medical Center, which allows us to teach young physicians these newer techniques.”

Jason Bromer, M.D. l William Ziegler, D.O. Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey One Hovchild Plaza l 4000 Route 66 l Suite 125 l Tinton Falls l 732-918-2500 l www.fertilitynj.com

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

R E A L E S TAT E

Adding Value to Real Estate Kohl Asset Management sees the recent devaluations in real estate as an opportunity for savvy investors. “Vacancy rates at rental properties have started to drop and sales volumes are picking up, particularly at communities that have enriched the services and programs they offer,” observes Drew Barile, CEO/COO of Kohl Asset Management, a specialty housing, hospitality and senior living firm with close to $1 billion in managed real estate in its portfolio.

“Consumers have been affected by the downward cycle and are a lot less conspicuous in their buying,” he adds. “They want to feel that their rental or purchase is a good value.”

In addition to improving the aesthetics of a property, Kohl Asset Management also recommends adding services such as 24-hour security, concierge service and variety of meal/ housekeeping/transportation plans. In some properties, they have added space and connectivity for owners who both live and work in their homes.

Drew also sees more people of all ages moving beyond their traditional geographic area in pursuit of real estate that offers greater value, as well as thoroughly investigating the builder or property manager to make sure they have a bona fide track record in the business.

“In today’s real estate and healthcare business, it’s all about customer satisfaction,” Barile concludes.

Kohl Asset Management 1 Overlook Drive l Monroe Township 609-409-0018 l www.kohlpartners.com

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O R G A N I Z AT I O N

Bringing a Sense of Organization to Your Home When it comes to your space, there are no rules. California Closets pioneered the category of custom home storage over 30 years ago and now creates innovative solutions for a wide range of spaces from home offices and media centers to garages and mud rooms – and everything in between.

Customers today are more educated than the early days and look at both the appearance and function of a proposed design.

Traditional closets tend to be a simple bar and a few shelves with a lot of wasted space at the top and the bottom. Once the full height of a space has been professionally designed and a solution installed, everything is easier to find and retrieve.

“Oftentimes, people want custom details added to their storage design. These include different finishes and door faces that match the surrounding décor, crown molding and wide range of accessories such a tie or belt rack that tucks into a corner, mirrors, hampers, and pant racks—there are really so many extras that can be added. It’s amazing how once you have one of these accessories, you can’t do without it” says Eric Nili, manager of the family-owned and -operated Cranbury California Closet showroom.

California Closets 2666 Route 130 l Cranbury 609-655-1899 www.californiaclosets.com/cranbury

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

FOOD AND DRINK

Sophisticated festivities As businesses reevaluate their holiday celebration plans, red Restaurant & Lounge is offering a few economical alternatives that still keep the “spirit” going. “Happy Hour parties can include great tasting plates, hors d’oervres and $5 seasonal martinis in a less formal, more relaxed setting that everyone really enjoys,” says Kiera McElwain, director of operations of red Restaurant & Lounge. “If a company can be a little more flexible on the day of the week, we also offer three-course meals on Monday through Thursday for $25 and (on Mondays) the choice of 20 different wines by the bottle for $20 each.”

In addition to food and drink, the ambiance of the site has a huge impact on the success of a party or evening out. red is upscale casual with the sophistication usually only found in big cities. In the lounge, areas are separated with half walls of glass that affords some privacy, yet allows a patron to still feel part of surrounding energy.

Red’s Wine Club is free and was started about eight months ago—and there are already about 1,000 members that receive 25% to 50% discounts off bottles of their favorite wines. And red regularly posts drink and food specials on Twitter, so patrons can keep up with the menus as they’re being updated.

Red Restaurant 3 Broad Street l Red Bank 732-741-3232 l www.rednj.com

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Old World Craftsmanship “People are not going away as much as they used to in the past, and in many ways, are turning their homes into personal resorts,” says Dean Bruno, owner of the design/build firm bearing his name. “Outdoor space has also become as important as the interior.”

In addition to being a mason by trade, Dean has a strong background in landscape and Old World architecture – and provides a fullrange of construction services including courtyards, pool design and installation, outdoor kitchen and fireplaces, pergolas, custom woodworking, water features, outdoor furniture and furnishings. He also handles all aspects of a project, so homeowners are guaranteed the utmost in personal service.

Bruno Custom Masonry Design/Build Firm 134 Wood Duck Court l Freehold 866-416-3090 l www.brunomasonryllc.com

NET WORKING

Increase Sales and Save Cash More and more business owners are using the timeproven barter system as a tool to survive and thrive in times of economic uncertainty. “Most recently, an increase in membership in categories such as construction, marketing firms, restaurants, and healthcare providers, have joined our network of nearly 700 active Central Jersey traders,” says Faye Alba, director and president of BarterPays! Inc. “Credit markets have dried up and businesses are looking for alternate means of generating new sales and offsetting expenses while conserving precious cash.”

BarterPays! just celebrated its Sweet 16 anniversary and guarantees new members success in their network. The Network offers thousands of products and services that can be bought without cash—or their money back!

BarterPays! Inc. 2587 Route 9 North l Howell 732-364-4614 l www.barterpays.com

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by Amanda Prost

melitzanosalata—chopped roasted eggplant—tasted fresh and, dare we say, healthy. But our favorite was the taramosalata, an addictively salty carp roe dip.

The bite of our hunger somewhat sated, we moved on to the piperies: still-crunchy seared peppers stuffed with soft, melty feta. Together the two flavors provided a pleasing balance. The Greeks are known for their seafood, and our final appetizer, the htapodi, did not disappoint: A large octopus tentacle, simply dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil, was tasty and cooked to a perfectly buttery consistency—not a chewy morsel could be found.

Tasteful simplicity was the theme for our entrées as well.

A rack of lamb was served with artichoke hearts in a refreshing lemon/white wine/butter sauce that left us literally gnawing at the bones. For the whole grilled fish, we had several A NONDESCRIPT STRIP MALL. A BRIGHT NEON options, but chose the Mediterranean sea bass at the recsign that blazes “Greek Grill.” It’s certainly a far cry ommendation of our affable waiter. And when they say from the serene beauty of Greece—but somehow that’s “whole fish,” they mean the whole fish—with a crispy all part of Niko’s Trapezi’s charm: For food lovers, takseared skin just as yummy as the moist, flaky fish beneath. ing that first bite at the Long Branch eatery feels a bit A side of roasted lemon potatoes made for a light yet like uncovering a hidden Grecian outpost or scoring a hearty addition. Still, we must admit these selections— cheap ticket to the Mediterranean. though skillfully showcasing Niko’s respect for quality The restaurant has a simple, casual elegance and freshness—lacked some of our starters’ pizzazz. (muted, earth-tone walls; simple dark wood tables; even Luckily straightforward the Greek columns on the wall seem scrumptiousness awaited us at somehow subdued) that matches its N i k o ’s Tr a p e z i dessert. A comforting, creamy rice cuisine. Take, for instance, the pikilia 444 Ocean Boulevard North, pudding was pleasantly doused with dip sampler we ordered to nibble on as Long Branch; 732-222-4600; cinnamon, while the traditional we perused the menu. The dish’s four www.nikostrapezi.com galaktobouriko featured sweet custard traditional “mezes,” or appetizers, Hours layered between crisp sheets of phyllo, weren’t fancy, but—served with warm Tuesday through Sunday, all nicely drizzled with honey. Add in pita—they both enticed and satisfied.

11:30 a.m.–9 p.m. a cup of rich, dense, bitter Greek cofHummus, a chunky puree of chickWhat you should know fee, and we could just about envision peas with a drizzle of olive oil, pro• Entrées range from $9 to $24 the sparkling Mediterranean nearby. vided a hearty start. The tzatziki had a • Major credit cards accepted But our tasty trip required only a garlicky bite, nicely offsetting the • BYOB short car ride home. ■ creamy yogurt and cucumber. The

Good Greek!

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Rebecca Cipriano, M.D., M.A. Clinical Nutrition A Better You Weight Management Centers Medically Supervised Weight Loss 24 Highway 34 South l Suite D2 l Colts Neck, New Jersey 888-866-6177 l www.abetteryouweightloss.com

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where TO EAT If you’ve got a craving, there’s a dining establishmentin Monmouth County (or nearby) that will satisfy it.

Turn to this listing next time you want a wonderful meal out.

A S B U R Y PA R K

C O LT S N E C K

LONG BRANCH

BISTRO OLÉ Latin-infused Spanish and Portuguese cuisine. MC/V/AMEX accepted. · 230 Main St., Asbury Park · 732-897-0048

GREEN MEADOWS RESTAURANT Continental cuisine featuring 1954 Steak. MC accepted. · 270 Route 34 South, Colts Neck · 732-431-8755

AVENUE Combining French and American traditions. Major credit cards accepted. · 23 Ocean Ave., Long Branch · 732-759-2900

BRICKWALL TAVERN AND DINING ROOM American fare featuring a variety of steaks and salads. Major credit cards accepted. · 522 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park · 732-774-1264 CARMINE’S Italian favorites: Pasta, pizza and seafood. Major credit cards accepted. · 162 Main St., Asbury Park · 732-774-2222 JIMMY’S Italian cuisine featuring dishes like chicken scarpariello. Major credit cards accepted. · 1405 Asbury Ave., Asbury Park · 732-774-5051 LANGOSTA LOUNGE Vacation-inspired cuisine and libations. Major credit cards accepted. · 1000 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park · 732-455-3275 MARKET IN THE MIDDLE Innovative global cuisine with late-night tapas and wine bar. Major credit cards accepted. · 516 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park · 732-776-8886

I CAVALLINI Italian cuisine with seafood and pasta. Major credit cards accepted. · 29 Hwy. 34, Colts Neck · 732-431-2934

FA I R H AV E N RAVEN & THE PEACH International fare featuring steak. Major credit cards accepted. · 740 River Rd., Fair Haven · 732-747-4666

MONMOUTH BEACH

THE GREYSTONE MANOR Continental cuisine featuring seafood and steaks. MC/V/AMEX accepted. · 260 South St., Freehold · 732-431-1500 METROPOLITAN CAFÉ American cuisine with a Pacific Rim flair. · 8 East Main St., Freehold · 732-780-9400

GRENVILLE HOTEL & RESTAURANT American & French cuisine. BYO. Major credit cards accepted. · 345 Main Ave., Bay Head · 732-892-3100

BISTRO ON THE BAY Seafood and Italian cuisine featuring oysters, lobsters, clams and more.

Major credit cards accepted except Diner’s Club. · 1 Willow St., Highlands · 732-872-1450

BELFORD

CHILANGOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT Authentic Mexican fare. Major credit cards accepted. · 272 Bay Ave., Highlands · 732-708-0505 DORIS & ED’S Contemporary American fare featuring seafood. Major credit cards accepted. · 348 Shore Dr., Highlands · 732-872-1565

DREW’S BAYSHORE BISTRO Cajuninfluenced fare. Major credit cards accepted. · 58 Broad Street, Keyport · 732-739-9219

BRIELLE

TRINITY RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE Inspired American fare. Major credit cards accepted. · 84 Broad Street, Keyport · 732-888-1998

H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9

NICHOLAS New American cuisine featuring signature braised suckling pig. Major credit cards accepted. · 160 Rt. 35 South, Red Bank · 732-345-9977 RED American menu featuring seafood, sushi and steak. Major credit cards accepted. · 3 Broad St., Red Bank · 732-741-3232 TEAK Stylish restaurant featuring many flavors. Major credit cards accepted. · 64 Monmouth St., Red Bank · 732-747-5775

RUMSON SALT CREEK GRILLE American cuisine and seafood. Major credit cards accepted. · 4 Bingham Ave., Rumson · 732-933-9272

KEYPORT

MATISSE Ocean-front restaurant and catering.

V/MC/AMEX accepted. · 1301 Ocean Ave., Belmar · 732-681-7680

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MIKE AND NELLIE’S Italian grill with entrées including prime steaks and seafood. BYO. MC/V/AMEX accepted. · 1801 Hwy. 35, Oakhurst · 732-531-7251

GAETANO’S Regional Italian Cuisine, featuring homemade pasta, ravioli, seafood, veal and chicken dishes. BYO. MC/V/AMEX accepted. · 10 Wallace St., Red Bank · 732-741-1321

HIGHLANDS

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OAKHURST

BIENVENUE Classic French cuisine featuring duck. BYO. Major credit cards accepted. · 7 East Front St., Red Bank · 732-936-0640

B AY H E A D

SAND BAR RESTAURANT Seafood and American cuisine. House specialty: blackened mahi mahi bites. Major credit cards accepted. · 201 Union Ln. Brielle · 732-528-7750

SALLEE TEE’S GRILLE Pasta, seafood and burgers. Major credit cards accepted. · 33 West St., Monmouth Beach · 732-834-9899

RED BANK

JULIA’S Elegant Italian and Mediterranean Dining. BYO. Major credit cards accepted. · 91 First Ave., Atlantic Highlands · 732-872-1007

DUE AMICI Northern Italian with 10 nightly specials. Major credit cards accepted. · 420 Higgins Ave., Brielle · 732-528-0666

MARLBORO

Veal Roberto. BYO. MC/V/AMEX accepted. · 3333 Rt. 9 North, Freehold · 732-462-2233

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS

KLEIN’S Fresh fish, raw bar and sushi. Major credit cards accepted. · 708 River Rd., Belmar · 732-681-1177

MAHOGANY GRILLE Creative grill cuisine, steaks and seafood. Major credit cards accepted. · 142 Main St., Manasquan · 732-292-1300

CAFÉ COLORÉ Unique Italian eatery. Try

TAKA Stylish Japanese eatery. MC/V/AMEX accepted. · 632 Mattison Ave., Asbury Park · 732-775-1020

BELMAR

MANASQUAN

SAM VERA RESTAURANT Northern Italian fare. Major credit cards accepted. · 476 Rt. 520, Marlboro · 732-292-1300

FREEHOLD

MOONSTRUCK American/Italian/ Mediterranean cuisine and cocktail lounge.

MC/V/AMEX accepted. · 517 Lake Ave., Asbury Park · 732-988-0123

BELFORD BISTRO New American cuisine.

Major credit cards accepted. · 870 Main St., Belford · 732-495-8151

NIKO’S TRAPEZI Authentic Greek cuisine.

Major credit cards accepted. · 444 Ocean Ave. N., Long Branch · 732-222-4600

L I T T L E S I LV E R RAY’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT AND MARKET Fresh seafood selection. No credit cards accepted. · 123–125 Markham Pl., Little Silver · 732-758-8166

SEA BRIGHT MCLOONE’S RIVERSIDE New American cuisine featuring large lobsters. MC/V/AMEX accepted. · 816 Ocean Ave., Sea Bright · 732-842-2894 OCEAN AVENUE GRILL Modern, eclectic cuisine. Major credit cards accepted. · 1250 Ocean Ave., Sea Bright · 732-933-4400 THE QUAY Steak and seafood, location directly on the waterfront. MC/V/AMEX accepted. · 280 Ocean Ave., Sea Bright · 732-741-7755

SEA GIRT FRATELLO’S RESTAURANT Italian fare featuring seafood. Major credit cards accepted. · 810 The Plaza, Sea Girt · 732-974-8833 SCARBOROUGH FAIR Eclectic American fare. Major credit cards accepted. · 1414 Meetinghouse Rd., Sea Girt · 732-223-6658

SHREWSBURY SAN REMO Italian cuisine. BYO. Major credit cards accepted. · 37 East Newman Spring Rd., Shrewsbury · 732-345-8200

SPRING LAKE BLACK TRUMPET New American cuisine featuring fresh seafood. BYO. MC/V/DC accepted. · 7 Atlantic Ave., Spring Lake · 732-449-4700 WHISPERS Modern American cuisine featuring seafood. BYO. Major credit cards accepted. · 200 Monmouth Ave., Spring Lake · 732-974-9755 ■

WHERE TO EAT

BY CUISINE

AMERICAN: Belford Bistro, Belford • Black Trumpet, Spring Lake • Brickwall Tavern and Dining Room, Asbury Park • Doris & Ed’s, Highlands • Drew’s Bayshore Bistro, Keyport • Mahogany Grille, Manasquan • Mcloone’s Riverside, Sea Bright • Matisse, Belmar • Metropolitan Café, Freehold • Nicholas, Red Bank • Ocean Avenue Grill, Sea Bright • Red, Red Bank • Sallee Tee’s Grille, Monmouth Beach • Salt Creek Grille, Rumson • Scarborough Fair, Sea Girt • Trinity Restaurant and Lounge, Keyport • Whispers, Spring Lake ASIAN: Taka, Asbury Park CONTINENTAL: The Greystone Manor, Freehold • Green Meadows Restaurant, Colts Neck • Raven & the Peach, Fair Haven FRENCH: Avenue, Long Branch • Bienvenue, Red Bank •

Grenville Hotel & Restaurant, Bay Head

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Park • Due Amici, Brielle • Geatano’s, Red Bank • Fratello’s Restaurant, Sea Girt • I Cavallini, Colts Neck • Jimmy’s, Asbury Park • Mike and Nellie’s, Pakhurst • Sam Vera Restaurant, Marlboro • San Remo, Shrewsbury MEXICAN: Chilangos Mexican Restaurant, Highlands MULTI-ETHNIC: Bistro Olé, Asbury Park • Julia’s, Atlantic Highlands • Langosta Lounge, Asbury Park • Teak, Red

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Bank Market in the Middle, Asbury Park • Moonstruck, Asbury Park • Niko’s Trapezi, Long Branch • Teak, Red Bank SEAFOOD: Bistro on the Bay, Highlands • Klein’s, Belmar •

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Be THERE DECEMBER December 4 through 19—

Get into the holiday spirit with the musical SCROOGE at the Community House Theatre in Spring Lake. Tickets: $20 to $28.

Call 732-449-4530 or visit www.springlaketheatre.com for show times and more information.

FREE

December 5 and 6—Taste

wine, sample gourmet items and find great gifts at the Cream Ridge Winery’s HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Cream Ridge.

Call 609-259-9797 or visit www.creamridgewinery.com for more information.

FREE

HAIRSPRAY January 10—Catch the national Broadway tour of this Tony Award– winning musical-comedy, 4 p.m. at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. Tickets: $39.50 to $69.50. Call 732-842-9000 or visit www.count basietheatre.org for more information.

December 5, 12 and 19—

Take a break from the season’s bustle to enjoy the sights of downtown Red Bank decked out for the holidays on a CLASSIC HORSE AND CARRIAGE RIDE. Rides depart between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. from both Bridge Avenue and Broad Street. Call 732-8424244 or visit www.redbankriver center.org for more information.

December 12 and 19—Journey

through 19th-century Christmas splendor by taking a HOLIDAY LANTERN TOUR,

5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Allaire’s Historic Village in Wall.

JANUARY The 90-minute tours leave every 15 minutes and take visitors through the village’s bakery, chapel, general store and lavishly decorated homes. Tickets: $10. Call 732-919-3500 or visit www.allaire village.org for more information.

FREE

through December 29—

Browse pottery, knits, scarves, glassware, home décor, jewelry, gourmet treats and more at the HOLIDAY BAZAAR AT FESTIVAL PLAZA in Long Branch’s Pier

Village. Call 732-923-0100 or visit www.piervillage.com for more information.

MANASQUAN CANDY CANE HUNT AND TREE LIGHTING FREE

December 4—Take the kids to this festive event, 6 p.m. at Abe

Vorhees Plaza and Main Street. Call 732-223-8303 or visit www.manas

January 3—Ring in 2010

with the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea’s VIENNESE NEW YEAR performance, 3 p.m. at the Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan. Tickets: $20 to $45. Call 732-528-9211 or visit www.algonquinarts.com for more information. through January 10—See

amazing images from space— captured by a Pennsylvania neurologist in his backyard—at DR. MAZLIN’S ASTROPHOTOS,

an exhibit at The Monmouth Museum in Lincroft. Admission: $7; FREE for children under 2, museum members and Brookdale Community College students and staff. Call 732-747-2266 or visit www.monmouthmuseum.org for more information. ■

quanchamber.org for more information.

SEND EVENT LISTINGS TO: Monmouth Health & Life, 110 Summit Avenue, Montvale, months in advance of the event and must include a phone number that will be published.

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SHUTERSTOCK

NJ 07645; fax 201-782-5319; e-mail editor@wainscotmedia.com. Listings must be received four

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What’s HAPPENING CHILDBIRTH PREPARATION/PARENTING Programs are held at Monmouth Medical Center, 300 Second Avenue, Long Branch. To register, call 732-923-6990 unless otherwise noted.

One-Day Preparation for Childbirth December 13, January 24, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. $179/couple (includes breakfast and lunch).

at M o n m o u t h M e d i c a l C e n t e r

4 p.m. For 11- to 13-year-olds on responsible, creative and attentive babysitting. Monmouth Medical Center. Call 1-888SBHS-123, then choose prompt #4. $50/person. (Bring snack and bag lunch.)

GENERAL HEALTH

■

■ Two-Day Preparation for Childbirth (two-session program) December 5 and 12, January 9 and 16, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. $150/couple (includes continental breakfast).

■ Preparation for Childbirth (five-session program) January 5, 12, 19, 26 and February 2, 7:30–9:30 p.m. $125/couple.

■ Two-Day Marvelous Multiples January 10 and 17, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. For those expecting twins, triplets or more. $150/couple (includes continental breakfast).

Eisenberg Family Center Tours December 6 and 20, January 10 and 24, 1:30 p.m. Free. (No children under 14 years old.)

■

■ Baby

Fair February 28, 1–3 p.m. For parents-to-be and those considering starting a family, featuring Eisenberg Family Center tours, refreshments and gifts. To register, call 1-888-SBHS-123, then choose prompt #4. (No children under 14 years old.)

Make Room for Baby December 19, January 23, 10–11 a.m. For siblings ages 3 to 5. $40/family.

■

■ Becoming a Big Brother/Big Sister January 30, 10– 11:30 a.m. For siblings age 6 and older. $40/family.

■ Childbirth Update/VBAC January 6, 7:30–9:30 p.m.

Refresher program including information on vaginal birth after cesarean. $40/couple.

■ Baby

Care Basics (two-session program) December 12 and 19, 1–3 p.m.; January 7 and 14, 7:30–9:30 p.m. $80/couple.

■ Breastfeeding

Today February 4, 7–9:30 p.m. $50/couple.

■ Cesarean Birth Education December 9, 7:30–9:30 p.m. $40/couple.

■ Grandparents

Program January 11, 7–9 p.m. $30/person,

$40/couple.

■ Parenting Young Children Through S.T.E.P. (fivesession program) February 10, 17, 24, March 3 and 10, 7–9 p.m. Systematic Training for Effective Parenting from infancy to age 6. $75/person or $100/couple.

■ NEW:

The Happiest Baby on the Block December 10, 7:30–9:30 p.m., $40/couple, includes DVD and Soothing Sounds CD ($40 retail value). Learn an extraordinary approach to keeping your baby happy based on the book by Harvey Karp, M.D.

Adoptive Parenting Private, two-session programs conveniently scheduled to accommodate your needs. $150/couple.

■

Gestational Diabetes Education Program Onesession class for women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Convenient appointments available; call the Center for Diabetes Education at 732-923-5025. Fee required.

■

JUST FOR KIDS ■

(Also see sibling preparation programs above.)

Safe Sitter (one-session program) January 30, 9 a.m.–

Parenting Education Series “Current Drug Trends,” December 4, 6–8 p.m. Cosponsored by The Coastal Monmouth Alliance and Monmouth Medical Center, with speakers from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office. At Monmouth Medical Center, 300 Second Avenue, Long Branch. Registration required; call 1-888-SBHS-123, then choose prompt #4.

■ Free Glucose Screening December 8, January 12, 10–11:30 a.m. At the Center for Diabetes Education, Monmouth Medical Center, Diabetes Education Classroom, Maysie Stroock Pavilion, corner of Pavilion and Second avenues, Long Branch.

■ Releasing Worry, Finding Peace December 8, 7–9 p.m.

At Monmouth Medical Center, 300 Second Avenue, Long Branch. Registration required; call 1-888-SBHS-123, then choose prompt #4. $10/person.

■ Free Child Car Seat Inspection December 17, 11 a.m.– 1 p.m. Offered through a cooperative effort of the Long Branch Police Department, the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, The Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center’s Safe Kids Chapter.

At Long Branch Union Fire Company, 199 Union Avenue, Long Branch.

■ The Healing Properties of Food, January 6, 7–9 p.m., Holistic Stress Busters, January 14, 7–9 p.m. At Tatum Park Activity Center, Red Hill Road, Middletown. To register for any session, call 732-842-4000, ext. 1. Fee required.

■ Diabetes Self-Management Series Four-session program focusing on nutrition, glucose monitoring, medications, meal plans, prevention/treatment of complications, dining out and excercise. For dates and times, call the Center for Diabetes Education, 732-923-5025. Fee required.

■

SENIOR HEALTH ■ Depression:

Not a Normal Part of Aging January 20, 1 p.m. SCAN.* Free.

■ Obesity and Weight Management January 27, 1 p.m.

Presented by Zorica Mercadante, M.D., internal medicine.

SCAN.* Free.

■ Introduction to Energy Medicine February 3, 1 p.m.

SCAN.* Free.

■ Heart Attack Prevention Strategies February 10, 1 p.m.

SCAN.* Free.

■ Health Information on the Internet: The Good, the Bad, the “Don’t Go There” February 24, 1 p.m.

SCAN.* Free. *SCAN Learning Center (Senior Citizens Activities Network, for those age 50 and over) is located at Monmouth Mall, Eatontown. To register for programs, call 732-542-1326. SCAN membership is not required. ■

MONMOUTH

H E A LT H & L I F E

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Shopping

GUIDE

FOR THE HOMEBODY, PAGE 36

www.academiabarilla.com

1. Kyoto throw by Anichini, New Jersey Decorating Exchange, River Edge, 1-888-515-9671; www.anichini.com

3. Squirrel Brand truffle almonds, Bergdorf Goodman, New York, 1-800558-1855; www.squirrelbrand.com

2. Mariposa’s Bird & Branch server, Rumson China & Glass, Rumson, 732842-2322; www.mariposa-gift.com 3. L’objet menorah, Chelsea, Shrewsbury, 732-936-9000; www.l-objet.com 4. Atria portable fireplace, www.lefeunomade.com 5. Red Envelope Twist candlesticks, www.redenvelope.com 6. Alessi Kiwi watering can, Bloomingdale’s, Short Hills, 973-5482200; www.alessi-shop.com 7. Jay Strongwater peacock figurine, Chelsea, Shrewsbury, 732-936-9000; www.jaystrongwater.com

4. Port wine gift set, www.portwine.com

6. Areaware STRiDA foldable bicycle, Shelter Home, Asbury Park, 732-7747790; www.areaware.com

5. Vosges Haut-Chocolat Holiday Truffle Collection, Vosges HautChocolat Boutique, New York, 212717-2929; www.vosgeschocolate.com

7. Adidas by Stella McCartney running gloves, Stella McCartney, New York, 212-255-1556; www.adidas.com/stella

6. Cocktail Vibe shaker, www.cocktailvibe.com

8. Design Within Reach portable grill, DWR: Tools for Living, New York, 212-471-0280; www.dwr.com

7. Harry & David gift basket, Harry & David, Edison, 732-548-0440; www.harryanddavid.com

FOR THE KIDS, PAGE 39 1. Speakal iPanda, Datavision, New York, 1-888-888-2087; www.speakal.com

8. The Source Collection canterbury, www.sourcecollection.com

2. Reed & Barton’s robot rank, Martin Jewelers, Cranford, 908-276-6718; www.reedandbarton.com

FOR THE FASHIONISTA, PAGE 37

3. MEGA Brands boombox, Toys R Us, Eatontown, 732-544-8179; www.megabrands.com

1. ABS by Allen Schwartz necklace, Bloomingdale’s, Short Hills, 973-5482200; www.absstyle.com 2. Jill Stuart dress, Bloomingdale’s, Short Hills, 973-548-2200; www.jillstuart.com 3. Prova for Barney’s CO-OP scarf, Barney’s CO-OP, Hackensack, 201270-2707; www.barneys.com 4. Kwiat diamond earrings, Neiman Marcus, Short Hills, 973-912-0080; www.kwiat.com 5. Michael Kors clutch, Nordstrom, Freehold, 732-308-1117; www.michaelkors.com 6. The Little Black Book of Style, Borders, Eatontown, 732-542-1785; www.harpercollins.com 7. Marc by Marc Jacobs bracelet, Neiman Marcus, Short Hills, 973-9120080; www.marcjacobs.com 8. Coach leather gloves, Coach, Freehold, 732-863-1116; www.coach.com 9. L’Oréal Infallible lip gloss, CVS, Manasquan, 732-223-6360; www.lorealparisusa.com

FOR THE FOODIE, PAGE 38 1. Red velvet cake by We Take the Cake, www.wetakethecake.com 2. Academia Barilla balsamic vinegar,

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HOLIDAY 2009

5. Pentax waterproof camera, Best Buy, Howell, 732-363-5269; www.pentaxwebstore.com

4. Melissa and Doug City Ramp Racer, Toys for Thought, Lakewood, 732-3634009; www.melissaanddoug.com 5. Pylones frog treasure box, Pylones, New York, 212-317-9822; www.pylones-usa.com 6. Rubik’s TouchCube, Best Buy, Howell, 732-363-5269; www.rubikstouchcube.com 7. Amber Hagen hoodie, Charlotte West, Manasquan, 732-223-9400; www.amberhagen.com 8. Marshmallow Fun Company shooter, REI, East Hanover, 973-5811938; www.marshmallowville.com 9. Vessel nightlight set, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Manalapan, 732-761-8563; www.vessel.com

FOR THE SPORTS LOVER, PAGE 40 1. SensoGlove by SensoSolutions, www.sensosolutions.com 2. Yankees Fantasy Camp, www.yankees.com 3. Nike+ SportBand, The Sports Authority, West Long Branch, 732389-8334; www.nike.com 4. Hammerhead sled, Eastern Mountain Sports, Eatontown, 732-460-0188; www.hammerheadsleds.myshopify.com

STOCKING STUFFERS, PAGES 41 AND 42 1. Vivre backgammon roll, www.vivre.com 2. Paper Source magnet set, Paper Source, Princeton, 609-921-0932; www.paper-source.com 3. Stila lip gloss collection, Sephora, Freehold, 732-780-4232; www.stilacosmetics.com 4. Juicy Couture mittens, Bloomingdale’s, Short Hills, 973548-2200; www.juicycouture.com 5. Cigar set from The Conran Shop, The Conran Shop, New York, 1-866755-9079; www.conranusa.com 6. Frank Lloyd Wright votive set, The Met Store, New York, 1-800-4687386; www.franklloydwright.org 7. Emsco Group Snow Baller, Campmor, Paramus, 201-445-5000; www.emscogroup.com 8. Red Envelope pocket compass, www.redenvelope.com 9. Horchow playing cards, www.horchow.com 10. Ladybug mouse from The Conran Shop, The Conran Shop, New York, 1-866-755-9079; www.conranusa.com 11. GO SMiLE ampoules, Sephora, Freehold, 732-780-4232; www.gosmile.com 12. Workman calendar, Borders, Eatontown, 732-542-1785; www.workman.com 13. Robert Sabuda note cards, MoMA Design and Book Store, New York, 212-708-9700; www.robertsabuda.com 14. Gianna Rose Atelier soap, Whimsicality, Spring Lake, 732-4499337; www.giannarose.com 15. BeingTRUE lip palette, www.beingtrue.com ■

H A I R

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ROOM TO BREATHE. TIME TO DEFINE.

S PAC E TO B E

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faces of MONMOUTH

Hawks on ice At Gold Coast Arena in Farmingdale, Eric Folker (foreground) and Scott Russell of Monmouth University’s Ice Hawks hockey team take to the rink against Lafayette University.

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H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9

CHRISTOPHER BARTH

56

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732-739-2424 www.prestigetravelae.com

American Express Vacations tours operated by Travel Impressions, a subsidiary of American Express. To qualify, all your American Express® Card accounts must be in good standing.

The Membership Rewards® program enrolled Card account you designate will be charged for your purchase. Membership Rewards points will be debited from your program account and a credit will be issued to the Card account you designate for the corresponding dollar amount. If the points redeemed do not cover the entire amount of the charge, the balance of the purchase price will remain charged to the Card account you designate. Minimum redemption of 5,000 points. Permitted returns of Pay with Points redemptions that result in a credit on your Card account will result in a point deduction on your Membership Rewards program account. These points can be retrieved by calling the Membership Rewards program. Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards program apply and are available at membershiprewards.com/terms.Promotion is accurate at time of printing and is subject to changes, exceptions, cancellation charges and restrictions. Not responsible for errors or omissions in the printing of this flyer. Prestige Travel acts solely as the sales agent for travel suppliers and is not liable for the actions or inactions of such suppliers. GR176-09_DM_11.9.09. CST #2029006-20, IOWA #758, NEVADA #2004-0029, Washington UBI #602 425 801.

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e ecutive

dual time

Self-winding. Patented time zone quick setting.

Black ceramic bezel and 18 ct rose gold case.

Water-resistant to 100 m. Rubber band.

W W W . U LY S S E - N A R D I N . C O M

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