Morris/Essex Buzz

{ BUZZ }

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

SEE THOSE LIGHTS

Holiday light displays are one of the joys of the season, and while your neighborhood may have some standouts, checking out truly stellar ones may require a drive. But isn’t the smile on your kids’ faces worth the time and gas? Here are a half-dozen you won’t forget: • Augusta, Skylands Stadium, Christmas Light Show & Village. Enjoy more than 2 million lights spread out over a 1-mile drivethrough course in and around the stadium. When you’re finished driving, be sure to check out the Ferris wheel, skating rink and beer garden. Admission is $29 per car; closed Dec. 24 and 25. Info: skylandsstadium.com • East Brunswick, Middlesex County Fairgrounds, Winter WonderLights. New Jersey’s largest animated light show features more than 1.5 million lights that are synchronized to holiday music. Admission is $30 per car. Info: winterwonderlightshows.com • Hillsdale, Demarest Farms, Orchard of Lights. Take a leisurely drive through the farm’s 32 acres, which are decorated with blinking lights, Santa, snowmen and much more. Once your tour is done (or before your time slot), stop by the market for s’mores and hot chocolate. Admission is $35 per car; closed Dec. 24 and 25. Info: orchardoflights.com • Holmdel, PNC Bank Arts Center, Magic of Lights. Take exit 116 on the Garden State Parkway and line up for this dazzling display of LED lights, digital animations, holiday scenes and characters. The drive-through show takes cars around the concert venue’s campus. Admission is $20 per car. Info: magicoflights.com • Newark, Newark Moonlight Cinema, Dasher’s Lightshow. Take the family on a 30-minute tour of the cinema campus, which is decked out with animated lights, characters and holiday images that are choreographed to music. Admission is $29.95 per car; closed Dec. 24 and 25. Info: dasherslightshow.com/Newark • West Berlin, Diggerland, HoliDIG Light Show. America’s only construction-themed amusement park is now in its third year of drive-through light shows, and 2022’s is longer and brighter than before. Holiday displays, tunnels, lit-up trucks and Diggerland’s own accompanying radio station that syncs to the show will get your crew into the holiday spirit. Admission is $34.95 per car; closed most Monday and Tuesday nights. Info: diggerlandusa.com/holiday-light-show/

PUPPY LOVE

Dakota, 2-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd mix Owners: The Kahle family of Morristown Just before the pandemic hit, in March 2020, Dakota was lucky to be rescued by her forever family from St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison. Now she’s living her best life, running all over Morristown with her “mom,” Rani, almost daily, and playing with the family’s two human boys. “She loves to play in the yard and fetch tennis balls,” Rani tells us.

The Kahle family is still very involved with St. Hubert’s, where they take training and agility classes to help them be the best possible “paw-rents” for Dakota. “She is so sweet and very smart,” her owner says. “We rescued her, but she really rescued us.”

Want to see your dog or cat in a future issue of Morris/Essex Health & Life? Email his or her photo and a brief description to rita.guarna@ wainscotmedia.com.

TWO CULTURES COLLIDE

Can’t decide if you’re in the mood for Italian or Japanese? Robbie Felice to the rescue. The James Beard-nominated New Jersey chef behind Osteria Crescendo in Westwood and Viaggio in Wayne, along with Ani Ramen founder Luck Sarabhayavanija, is bringing Montclair an eatery called Pasta Ramen, the first-ever Italian ramen shop showcasing dishes in the style known as wafu, a fusion of Italian and Japanese cuisines. These guys hosted pop-ups all over Miami and LA throughout the year, but Pasta Ramen is getting a permanent home here in Essex County. If it’s hard to envision just how these dishes will taste or look, let us help you with the visual: Imagine ramen shrimp scampi or sweet soy garlic teriyaki-injected burrata. Both will be on the opening menu, and you can catch sneak peeks on Robbie’s Instagram, @robbiefelice.

• 6 S. Fullerton Ave., Montclair, 973.337.6965; pastaramen.com

N.J. IS A SAFE BET

According to a new study from the personal finance website Wallethub, the Garden State is the safest in the tri-state area and the 15th safest in the nation. The company took many factors into account in its rankings, including law enforcement employees per capita (we ranked first!) and workplace safety (not our strongest category, if we’re being honest). We also ranked in the top five for both fewest assaults and overall road safety. Go Jersey!

TASTE A TRADITION

Just as Christmas observers have eggnog and gingerbread, their Jewish brethren too have a signature delicacy for their December holiday. Jelly donuts, called “sufganiyot” in Hebrew, are fried and dipped in oil and traditionally consumed on Hanukkah to honor the small amount of oil that miraculously served the Maccabees for eight nights.

Liv Breads Artisan Bakery in Millburn takes things up a notch for the Festival of Lights. This Israeli-inspired shop’s signature sufganiyot are made not with fried dough but with brioche buns, which are filled with strawberry jam, Nutella or dulce de leche. Bonus: Because they’re not fried, they won’t get stale or greasy like typical Hanukkah donuts do.

“Many customers are more than happy to leave the oil to the latkes!” coowner Elana Livneh tells Morris/Essex Health & Life. These kosher sufganiyot will be available for pre-order at the Millburn bakery (184 Essex St.), and may be purchased starting Sunday, Dec. 18, the first night of Hanukkah ’22, at both the bakery and at the Liv Breads kiosk at The Mall at Short Hills.

EAT, STREAM AND BE MERRY

If you’re not among the lucky few who will be spending the holiday break in the tropics this year, you can at least enjoy your time at home with a holiday movie binge.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas has been entertaining me on holidays since I was a little kid—and now I use it to entertain my kid,” says Rachel Toscano, co-owner of Wize Guys Collectibles in Verona. “The stop-motion animation, catchy songs, macabre imagery and unique characters are just a few of the reasons why I’ll always love this holiday movie.”

Here are a few of our favorite family-friendly and classic holiday flicks to get you started, plus where they’re streaming. (Did we forget your favorite flick? Tell us on Instagram @morrisessexhealthandlife.)

• A Charlie Brown Christmas (Apple TV Plus) • Elf (HBO Max) • Four Christmases (HBO Max) • Jingle All the Way (Starz) • How the Grinch Stole Christmas (HBO Max) • The Holiday (Netflix) • Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (Disney+) • It’s a Wonderful Life (Amazon Prime) • Love Actually (Paramount+) • The Santa Clause (Disney+) • Serendipity (Paramount+)

THINGS WE’RE HINTING FOR

What gifts are you hoping to unwrap this year? A cozy hoodie or a pair of boots, perhaps? A new e-bike, or the latest GoPro camera? In the holiday spirit, our staff members share below what we hope to receive—because sometimes the things one yearns for turn out to be great ideas for giving to others too. (That’s our excuse for hinting, anyway.)

Darius Amos, senior associate editor.

“I’m a wannabe sneakerhead but I’ve yet to pull the trigger on a pair of Jordan 1 mids. I have Nike Dunks, which look similar, but you gotta have the Jordan paneling and logo. I prefer them in black and gray, but I won’t object to unboxing a classic blackand-red pair.”

Haley Longman, lifestyle

editor. “I’m still using the

Apple headphones that came with my 2017 iPhone, and it’s gotten to the point where I’m embarrassed to be out in public (or on video calls) using headphones that aren’t wireless. The horror! I’d love a pair of AirPods for

Hanukkah, preferably the all-new AirPods Pro, with my initials on the case. It’s 2023. It’s time.”

Stephen Vitarbo, creative director.

“I mean, look at them! They’re art! You could be wearing a burlap sack and still look great wearing Taft Jack Boots. But they work even better paired with a stylish suit or jeans and a sportcoat. I put these on my wish list every year, and I’m building up quite the collection.”

SHOP SMALL!

Online and big-box stores are fine, but you’re missing out if you don’t also check out the smaller shops and boutiques in our counties this holiday season. In them you can find distinctive—often surprising—gifts ranging from home décor to hair accessories to knickknacks, and it feels good to support your neighbors by “shopping local.” Here are seven of our favorite Morris and Essex boutiques: • 23 South (pictured) sells sweets, wedding gifts and hostess presents, as well as teen-approved jewelry from brands like Alex & Ani.

—23 South St., Morristown, 973.590.2500; facebook.com/23southmorristown • Giftbar is the type of place where you go in looking for gifts for your friends and leave with stuff for yourself. Think along the lines of pop culture-inspired greeting cards and books, retro-style board games and handmade accessories.

—465 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair, 973.746.8100; shopgiftbar.com • Just Jersey takes shopping local literally, as the store is packed with unique items sourced from the Garden State. Here’s where you’ll find packaged food and gift baskets, Jersey-themed jewelry, home accessories that pay homage to your town and more.

—163 South St., Morristown, 973.590.2820; justjerseygoods.com • Pazzazed has hand-picked gifts for all occasions, with finds from national brands like Papyrus mixed in with items made by artists across New Jersey.

—11 Midland Ave., Montclair, 646.824.8459; pazzazed.com • Perch Home has whatever you (or your holiday hostess) could want for the holidays, including vintage art, personalized mugs, pretty platters and Christmas ornaments you won’t find anywhere else.

—9 Highland Pl., Maplewood, 973.821.4852; perchhome.com • Regalo has hand-picked gifts for all occasions, including seasonal décor, jewelry and purses, New Jerseythemed finds and the like.

—469 Speedwell Ave., Morris Plains, 973.998.7744; regalogiftstore.com • Somewhere in Time has an eclectic mix of goodies, including both vintage items and brand-new ones. Expect an abundance of scented candles, throw pillows and seasonal items that’ll make your home extra homey.

—344 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell, 973.403.7745; facebook.com/people/Somewhere-In-TimeCaldwell/

KUDOS

Congrats to comedian/ activist Chelsea Handler (Livingston) and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg (Newark)! Both have been inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. They took the honors along with other Jersey greats at the 14th annual induction ceremony, which aired live on MY9TV on Nov. 11 and was hosted by actor Danny DeVito.