Monmouth Buzz

{ BUZZ } OUR GUIDE TO NEW IDEAS, TIPS, TRENDS AND THINGS WE LOVE IN OUR COUNTIES.

WHAT’S COOKING WITH KITCHENS

Before you tear down cabinets and put a sledgehammer to the wall, you should know that upgrading a kitchen takes plenty of thought and planning. Colors or neutrals? Traditional or “smart” appliances? Monmouth Health & Life asked Valerie Sayler, showroom manager at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery in nearby Lakewood, for some insider info on the latest in kitchen design. Experiment with color. White is still the it choice for kitchens, but a number of homeowners are adding accent colors. “Many are going the two-tone route with their cabinets, often installing white upper cabinetry with colored bottom cabinetry,” Sayler says. “The most popular colors we’re seeing right now are navy blue, hunter green and gray.” She adds that accent lights in bright colors or those with natural elements like rattan or crystal are also trending. Smarter kitchens. Many vendors are syncing their appliances with smartphone apps, with ovens—used so often during the quarantine—leading the way. “And to extend the life of appliances, many manufacturers are including technology that alerts homeowners when it is time for routine maintenance or when there is a potential problem,” Sayler notes. “And some appliances can communicate directly with the manufacturer to help diagnose performance issues,” which can spare a costly visit from a repair person. Water…from above. Another growing trend is a suspended faucet in lieu of countertop- or wall-mounted fixtures. “Why not free up some space and install a ceilingmount faucet?” says Sayler. “A suspended faucet can be adjusted to any preferred ceiling and hanging height. It’s a great option for those homeowners looking for a sleek, modern and smart kitchen faucet.” See it in person. While consumers may shop for items such as faucets online, Sayler recommends that many customers visit a showroom first. “Online shopping may be a good option for small items or to replace a similar item, but when purchasing large items online, such as an appliance or new bathtub, many consumers don’t purchase all of the additional parts needed to complete the installation,” she says. “They may not know what they are missing until it’s too late and, in the end, they spend more money and time correcting problems.” Breakfast in bed is always a hit, but spilled coffee and burnt pancakes aren’t—so why take the risk? This Mother’s Day, treat the lady in your life to a special brunch at one of many restaurants in Monmouth County. Our local eateries are open and are following all safety guidelines (and the meals are expertly prepared), so a midday meal with Mom will go exactly as you planned—and will be exactly what she deserves. These five places go out of their way to make every mom feel special:

• Beach Tavern, 33 West St., Monmouth Beach, 732.870.8999; beachtavern.net • Hudson Café, 25 First Ave., Atlantic Highlands, 732.872.2300; thehudsoncafe.com • Meemom’s, 1383 Rte. 35, Middletown, 732.856.9499; 1825 Rte. 35, Wall, 732.359.8544; meemoms.com • Rooney’s Oceanfront Restaurant, 100 Ocean Ave. N., Long Branch, 732.870.1200; rooneysocean.com • Toast, 516 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park, 732.776.5900; 45 Monmouth St., Red Bank, 732.224.1234; toastcitydiner.com

CHEER UP, IT’S NO CAT-ASTROPHE!

Nearly a year since COVID temporarily shut the doors of Asbury Park’s famed cat café, the owners of Catsbury Park have decided to close their small Cookman Avenue storefront for good. No more gluten-free baked goods there, no more steaming hot lattes, no more quality cuddle time with the homeless kitties. But there’s good news: The nonprofit hasn’t gone out of business, and it’ll continue its mission of helping find adoptive families for felines in need and providing trap-neuter-release (TNR) services for the local feral cat community.

“The reality is we have not had a storefront or café for 12 months now and, in that time, we have been able to increase our rescue efforts,” says café founder D.J. Bornschein. “Not having the burden of supporting a sizable rental space in downtown Asbury over the next couple of months will only help us save more cats and plan for the future.”

If you’ve successfully read into that, you’ve figured out that the Catsbury team will eventually reopen a new café. Where and when still remains to be seen. Meanwhile, you can view all the cats available for adoption on Catsbury’s Facebook and Instagram @catsburypark.

LET THEM EAT CAKE (AND SANDWICHES)!

Baked-goods fans were sent reeling when the Flaky Tart closed last fall, but if you haven’t visited that spot in Atlantic Highlands recently, you’ve been missing out. The former Tart’s owner, Laura Martelli, opened Flour on First at the same location, specializing in seasonal, custom and classic cakes. (You can’t go wrong with a good oldfashioned chocolate or red velvet cake.) But there’s more: Flour has a lunch menu with seasonal salads, soups, sandwiches and savory tarts.

• Flour on First, 145 First Ave., Atlantic Highlands, 732.366.9622; flouronfirst.com

THE SHORE MEETS MEDITERRANEAN

Pizza and ice cream are perfect for the boardwalk, but you’ll be hungry for something more after a few hours under the sun. A short walk from the Long Branch beach is Anstuna Grill, which serves healthy and filling Mediterranean dishes, from hummus and baba ganoush to falafel and grilled kebabs. Now that’s food to be shore to sample!

• Anstuna Grill, 75A Brighton Ave., Long Branch, 732.820.6750; anstunagrill.com

PIES TO TRY

The folks whose Brooklyn pizzeria Via Roma earned high marks from the popular blog site Barstool Sports are now giving Monmouth residents a piece of the pizza pie. Via Roma of Marlboro is anything but plain and simple; it offers all the usual suspects in terms of pizza but also makes specials like a burrata pie and a half pizza, half calzone pie as well as a variety of Italian apps and entrées. Barstool may grade eateries after “one bite,” but we’re certain you’ll be taking many more chomps out of Via Roma’s food.

• Via Roma, 12 Rte. 9, Morganville, 732.970.3991; viaromaofmarlboro.com

A BOOST FOR LOCAL BIZ

As the pandemic reached its height last year, Kim Masi watched as the retirement gift to herself, Confections of a Rock$tar bakery, started to drift away. With the quarantine in effect, foot traffic was nonexistent—as was the cash flow—and the business was reeling.

But Masi’s bakery wasn’t the only one hit hard; hundreds of businesses nationwide felt the economic impact of COVID, sending an immediate S.O.S. to the public. While the government threw a few grants to small businesses, a major crowdfunding effort led by Dave Portnoy, a blogger who founded the pop-culture site Barstool Sports, gained traction. Dubbed the Barstool Fund, the campaign collects donations from the public and awards a sum to small businesses that meet eligibility requirements. (More than $50,000 in lost profits, for example, is one qualifying bar.) To date, the Barstool Fund has raised $36 million from nearly 220,000 donors—and helped 315 businesses. At presstime, Confections is one of three Monmouth establishments (Mia Restaurant in Oceanport and Marandola’s in Bradley Beach are the others) to receive Barstool’s financial assistance.

“It’s such a good feeling to know that there are so many people out there who just want to help people,” Masi says.

GOODBYE TO A RULE?

The state is considering ending a longtime requirement for how a customer must consume alcohol at a brewery or distillery. No, the legal drinking age isn’t changing. Instead, the state is deciding on a bill that would eliminate the need to tour a brewery or distillery before one drinks on site.

“Requiring customers to take a tour every time they frequent their favorite brewery is very redundant,” says state Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt.

Legislators have discussed similar bills in the past but have never passed a decisive one. A potential vote, however, has gained traction as a result of the impact of the coronavirus. Eliminating tours would relieve a burden felt by many breweries in Monmouth, many of which suffered during the pandemic. Stay tuned. Most Cinco de Mayo bashes were put on hold a year ago—something about a worldwide quarantine got in the way. But things are a little different in 2021, and we’re ready to safely enjoy the big fiesta on May 5. With many restaurants now reopened and following recommended guidelines, it’s time to celebrate with a margarita and a few tacos. Here are five great Mexican eateries that feature tasty food and drinks as well as a lively vibe that many of us have missed.

• 10th Ave. Burrito, 801 Belmar Plz., Belmar, 732.280.1515, tenthaveburrito.com • Barrio Costero, 610 Bangs St., Asbury Park, 732.455.5544, barriocostero.com • Casa Comida, 336 Branchport Ave., Long Branch 732.229.7774, casacomida.net • Juanito’s, 159 Monmouth St., Red Bank, 732.747.9062, juanitosredbank.com • Rosalita’s Roadside Cantina, 180 Rte. 9, Englishtown, 732.617.0099, rosiescantinanj.com

PUPPY LOVE

Dog: Chance, 3-yearold pug Owner: Aja and Marc Nelson, of Eatontown When a Lancaster, Penn., family learned that their 3-year-old pug wasn’t showdog material, they put the pooch up for adoption. It was pure luck that the Nelsons were looking for a good boy to bring home. Now Chance is relishing his second chance. Like any good “retired” pup, he now spends his time along the Shore, with summer days at the Sandy Hook beach, swimming and sunbathing.

“He loves going for walks to Joe Palaia Park in Ocean,” owner Aja adds. But Chance isn’t all about the beach life—he and his “brother,” Valentino the cat, like to get into mischievous situations together and play with their large toy collection. “They have hundreds of stuffed animals to play with, but Sheldon the sheep is Chance’s favorite,” Aja says.

Email rita.guarna@wainscotmedia.com or DM us on Instagram @monmouthhealthandlife if you’d like to see your puppy or kitten featured in an upcoming issue.