Tenafly September 2023

INTERIOR DESIGN

PRO TIPS FROM SHELLEY CEKIRGE

BIG PLANS FOR TENAFLY CHAMBER PRESIDENT

JONATHAN KRIEGER

DOUBLING DOWN ON PRESERVATION AND NATURE EDUCATION

Football

Welcome to Tenafly Magazine!

harmony and working to get everyone what they need. He also shares his favorite restaurant recommendations.

Our cover story is about former NFL Coach Alonso Escalante, now coach of the Tenafly Tigers football team.

We also interviewed Jonathan Krieger, entrepreneur and president of the Chamber of Commerce, to find out about his vision for Tenafly.

BY MIKE FRANCAVILLA

September is a lot of things —the end of summer, the beginning of fall and the school year and the leaves turning. Even more exciting, this September we introduce the first issue of Tenafly magazine. It’s devoted entirely to residents and businesses— both groups have long clamored for a town magazine.

This issue includes a Q & A with Mayor Mark Zinna. Learn how he seamlessly navigates between the town’s various interest groups while promoting

As owner of SugarFly/The Spring, the only ice cream shop in town, he has already contributed a sweet touch!

We round out the issue with a profile of the Tenafly Nature Center, which instantly connects intrepid explorers of all ages to heavily wooded trails that conjure up exotic destinations.

In our Home Front department, we talk about the latest trends with interior designer Shelley Cekirge, who specializes in full-service luxury residential and commercial spaces.

We hope you enjoy this first issue and that we will get to know each other better over time. We’d love to hear about any story ideas that you’d like to see in future issues. Feel free to email me at hello@tenaflymagazine.com.

All my best,

Leslie Hoenninger Publisher

Editor & Publisher

Leslie Hoenninger

Art Director

Sue Park

Copy Editor

Nancy Fass

Writers

Randi Corbo

Rich Luttenberger

AnnMarie Martin

Photographer

Chris Marksbury

WAINSCOT MEDIA

Chairman

Carroll V. Dowden

President and CEO

Mark Dowden

VP, Group Publisher, Regional

Thomas Flannery

VP, Content Strategy

Maria Regan

Creative Director

Kijoo Kim

Advertising Services Director

Jacquelynn Fischer

Operations Director

Catherine Rosario

Production Designer

Chris Ferrante

Print Production Manager

Fern Meshulam

Advertising Production Associate

Griff Dowden

PHOTOGRAPH

Around Town

BEER….AND A WHOLE LOT MORE!

On Saturday, October 14, the Borough of Tenafly and the Tenafly Chamber of Commerce are proud to present the first-ever town Oktoberfest. It will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine, throughout downtown.

Tenafly’s Oktoberfest will offer seasonal foods, live entertainment, a beer garden and tons of fun family activities, including pumpkin decorating, face painting, lawn games, an inflatable corn maze and more. Visit www.tenaflynj.org for updates leading up to the event.

COFFEE AND COMFORT

AWE & WONDER, located at 35 Highwood Avenue, is a “design-focused café” offering single-origin coffee and bestin-class matcha, houjicha, loose leaf tea options and more. Pair with pastries (from Balthazar in Englewood), cookies (from Baking Mama in Hoboken) and other small bites while finding rest in this cozy space. Owners Mike and Michelle, a husband-andwife duo with backgrounds in design and hospitality, also have an eye on “giving back” through local and other non-profits.

The team behind The Spring in Tenafly is thrilled to announce the opening of our newest restaurant concept, Fat Choy –– a unique (and Kosher certified) take on traditional Chinese cuisine that’s entirely vegan. Come & indulge in award-winning, vegetable-forward dishes that will surprise, delight & leave you wondering how vegetables could taste this good.

So, bring your family, bring your friends & join us for an unforgettable dining experience at Fat Choy.

Dimora exudes a warm environment where Gino’s customers are welcomed by the friendly staff who ensure a relaxing ambiance while dining on a variety of dishes. Enjoy

Our Close-Knit Community

Tenafly Mayor Mark Zinna has built a community made of dependable neighbors, thanks to a steady stream of opportunities for fun and connection.

BY ANNMARIE MARTIN

As a 20-year resident of Tenafly himself, Mayor Mark Zinna is no absentee landlord. The proof is in his Friday 4 p.m. shout-outs to his constituents via phone, text and email to keep them abreast of everything his office has cookin’—not to mention the joy in his face when speaking to elementary school students or when he figures out how to make it easier for an elderly resident to get in and out of their driveway.

We caught up with him to see what he’s looking forward to in town for the coming months and how he keeps the community contagiously vibrant.

What’s a common misconception about Tenafly you’d like to debunk right now?

It’s a very personable, friendly town! Everybody knows everybody. And even with the number of residents here (more than 15,000), my wife and I have developed friendships over the past 20 years that have been magnificent.

INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR MARK ZINNA

When someone has just moved to town, what are a few things they need to know?

We have about 180 households move in every year and we try to get them integrated into town. We show them how to get their kids registered with the school district, and, for those who have come with their retired parents, we have an enormously robust program at the senior center with about 450 dues-paying members. We also have a Tenafly Welcome Committee that hosts a couple of cocktail parties every year for new residents, and the police department throws a community night for everyone in September that hundreds of people attend.

Give us some of your best Tenafly restaurant recommendations.

Jack’s Lobster Shack just opened over on Riveredge Road, and I’ve had everything there. For a casual meal, I love Mel’s Butcher Box—they have a great classic American cheeseburger, and beware if you order the onion ring stack—you will eat every last one. The 130 Club is a fabulous upscale steakhouse, and I try to get to Axia [Taverna] Thursday night. It’s been there for a generation and is the kind of place that you walk into and will always find someone you know.

Are there any “hidden” gems in town we should know about?

In Davis Johnson Park there’s a rose garden that is surrounded by an ancient stone wall. You go into the garden, sit on one of the benches surrounded by the sight and smell of the roses and protected by that wall, and it’s like you’ve stepped back in time. A professional gardener keeps it up as do our volunteers who do an amazing job of taking care of that place.

What are some things you’re looking forward to?

We have both a new pickleball court and an indoor basketball court that will essentially be available 24/7 under development right now, so stay tuned for updates on both projects. And we’ll be having our first Oktoberfest this fall, so don’t miss it! We’re always on the hunt for more events that will get residents involved and activated in their neighborhood.

AnnMarie Martin is a writer, editor and published author based in Bergen County.

Left: Mayor Mark Zinna and his wife, Simone. Above, the mayor and his wife renewed their vows in a traditional Korean wedding celebration.

More to See, More to Do

Tenafly Nature Center has big plans to double down on its dual mission of preservation and nature education.

“You can’t have one without the other,” explains Debora Davidson, executive director of Tenafly Nature Center (TNC) about their two primary functions as an organization— education and preservation.

The number of programs TNC provides to the public has more than doubled since Davidson came on board in 2003 as director of education. At that time, she was the only full-time educator on staff. Today, there are six full-time employees and a number of part-time and “as needed” educators.

“So, we’ve really grown,” says Davidson. “It’s a very symbiotic relationship between our staff and the

BY ANNMARIE MARTIN

center,” she says. Despite the larger staff, TNC still has to turn away groups at times due to space, timing or staffing constraints. The center services class trips, homeschool groups, scout and adult groups, birthday parties and much more, so despite the fact that programs are heavily outdoor based, the need for additional covered space continues to grow. Currently, TNC is raising funds for the construction of a third, medium-sized pavilion in the campfire ring education space. Those interested in donating to the campaign, which is currently at 42 percent of its goal, can donate at www.tenaflynaturecenter.org/ campfire-pavilion.

The new pavilion will join the large pavilion, located alongside the parking lot, and the smaller pavilion, which is built on the footprint of the old aviary. (The aviary was replaced with a more up-to-date, four-bay structure in 2021.)

The new pavilion will provide more teaching space with tables, chairs and bins to keep lunches and backpacks safe from a variety of woodland creatures on the hunt for a snack.

The pavilions are not only used for public programs, but also for TNC’s Forest School—an exemplary preschool program that, according to Davidson, originated in Europe and is now gaining traction here in the U.S.

Outdoor Opportunities

Taking the place of the Knee-High Naturalists program, The Forest School was implemented toward the end of 2020—the perfect solution for families who craved more time outdoors thanks to the pandemic, and with children who might learn and think better in more hands-on classroom “environments.” Classes hit the trail system daily and take advantage of all that each season has to offer.

“We dress for the weather and learn to appreciate a rainy day as much as a sunny one,” says Amanda Schuster, Forest School director and animal care manager. “Nature isn’t a place we visit; we inhabit natural spaces routinely, coming to recognize the environment as a crucial part of our lives.” Children are encouraged to take that new-found relationship with nature and celebrate it with others, giving them a community founded on love and respect for the environment they will hopefully carry with them into their adult years.

Another TNC goal is to teach people of all ages how to respect wildlife. The center is home to more than 30 species, from walking stick insects to raptors, such as hawks and owls, to box turtles and more. Many of the animals cannot be released back into the wild due to unfortunate interactions with humans. Telling their stories and explaining the dos and don’ts of how to interact with an animal you encounter in nature is one of the staff’s primary missions.

“Nature isn’t a place we visit; we inhabit natural spaces routinely, coming to recognize the environment as a crucial part of our lives.”

- Amanda Schuster, Forest School director at Tenafly Nature Center

Hidden Gems to Discover

There are many ways to enjoy TNC on your own. Not only does the center run monthly scavenger hunts, but they also participate in geocaching—a worldwide scavenger hunt where participants can use their smartphones to locate any variety of stashes of goodies and fun knickknacks, hidden throughout the preserve.

There are lots of other hidden “gems” to uncover, too, from Haring Rock (a giant 15-ton glacial erratic boulder found on its namesake trail) and the flat rocks on the Purple Trail that are great for a picnic stop. TNC is working hard to make sure these landmarks and trails are much easier to navigate for all in the near future with a major goal of accessibility.

“The idea of turning our yellow trail into a fully accessible trail is a project I really want to see happen,” Davidson says. And not just for those who need a more flat surface on which to walk, like young families with strollers and older individuals who need walkers. The plan is to also add elements that will help those with sensory challenges. Anyone interested in helping make this a reality can reach out to Davidson at ddavidson@tenaflynaturecenter.org.

AnnMarie Martin has been a journalist for nearly two decades. She lives in Bergen County with her husband and two sons and can often be found with her nose in a thriller novel, oat milk latte in hand.

A Spring in His Step

Entrepreneur

Krieger has high hopes and big plans for Tenafly.

BY RANDI CORBO

Jonathan Krieger, Tenafly’s Chamber of Commerce president, is a proud father of three and the cofounder and CEO of The Spring and Sugarfly. You may have already visited The Spring for your early morning coffee and pastries. Now the beautiful home at 91 West Clinton Ave. also serves as the site of Sugarfly, our

town’s one and only ice cream shop. Krieger, who is relatively new to town, brings more than 20 years of experience in leadership positions. He was the co-founder of Bluestone Lane, a chain of more than 55 cafés and coffee shops across the country; Bridges General, a reimagined convenience store in

Manhattan; and Retail Worx, a company that launched several food, fitness and wellness brands. He also served as chairman of YPO Metro NY—a community of young chief executives. He is an expert in brand development and prides himself on being able to work with people from all walks of life.

Jonathan

Lindsay Skulnik, Jonathan Krieger and Gabrielle Marcus

“I couldn’t do anything without Mayor Zinna. He bridges the gaps and balances everyone’s needs.”

– Jonathan Krieger, co-founder and CEO of The Spring and Sugarfly and president of the Tenafly Chamber of Commerce

Born to Build

Krieger’s passion is building—building communities, building businesses and building (and maintaining) relationships to create thriving environments for everyone. Born and raised in New York, he previously lived in Baltimore with his wife and children. He is the oldest of four himself, and two of his sisters are longtime Tenafly residents. As Krieger puts it, “Tenafly chose me.” He says Tenafly has “perfect” demographics and offers diversity, beauty and a very interesting mix of people who co-exist together outside of a major city. He calls it “pretty special,” and, indeed, the inclusion in town is evident.

As president of the Chamber of Commerce, Krieger hopes to help create a downtown that residents can be proud of, “where kids can hang out and get dinner,” he says. He decided to take a more active role in town not only because he’s raising

children here, but because he’s interested in developing things that work for businesses and residents alike. Krieger gives his highest regard to Mayor Mark Zinna, saying, “I couldn’t do anything without Mayor Zinna. He bridges the gaps and balances everyone’s needs.”

Sugarfly, the recently opened gourmet ice cream shop, is a community effort. Created and founded locally—two moms came up with the name and run its social media, and all five investors are residents— the shop is creating buzz all over Tenafly. It is a huge plus that Sugarfly is open late most nights, providing a new sense of fun for families.

At Sugarfly, order a cone, a cup or a pint to go. The cherry on top so to speak, are the vegan options offered so everyone can enjoy fresh ice cream and milkshakes. The hip aesthetic includes an awesome photoready wall so you can snap and tag the shop’s Instagram page (@SugarflySweets).

And, right now, Sugarfly is looking for Tenafly high schoolers and middle schoolers who are aspiring influencers and team leaders to be “brand ambassadors.”

As the head of The Spring’s and Sugarfly’s operations, Krieger constantly listens to employees for suggestions and recommendations. And he encourages customers to offer up the same. As chamber president, he’s looking forward to helping take Tenafly to “the next level,” with a dynamic downtown full of shops, boutiques and restaurants that will attract local townspeople as well as those from nearby communities. Krieger states, “Like everything in life, timing is everything,” and he can’t wait to show off what’s ahead for Tenafly.

Randi Corbo is a Bergen County resident and a proud mother of four. She has a long history in fashion editorial work, writing for several publications over her years in the business.

Sophia Cicero dishes up a sweet treat at Sugarfly. Ice cream can be enjoyed on site or to go.

100 Seasons of Tigers Football

The Tenafly High School football team welcomes a new coach this season, one who brings with him a wealth of NFL experience and life lessons.

This fall, the Tenafly High School football team celebrates its 100th season with new head coach Alonso Escalante, who worked with six NFL teams over eight years. In his journey, Escalante learned much about coaching football at the highest level, and that knowledge is a valuable asset he brings to the Tigers’ sidelines. However, the many life lessons gained throughout his football career are what will influence his young players the most.

BY RICH LUTTENBERGER

Adversity Leads to Opportunity

Escalante always wanted to be a teacher and a coach. The path to get there, however, was windy and full of obstacles. One of his biggest challenges resulted in his greatest life-changing moment.

After graduating from Glen Rock High School where he won state championships in football, Escalante intended to continue playing at Springfield College in Massachusetts.

Unfortunately, he injured his back while lifting weights that summer, and his playing days abruptly ended. At the time, he was devastated. Looking back now, though, he sees the opportunity it presented. “That door closed for playing football, but my coaching door opened,” he says. Springfield’s head coach offered him a position as student manager, and that is how his coaching career began.

One of Coach Escalante’s mentors is Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano, who once told him, “Take this thing one day at a time, and things have a way of happening.”

Building Relationships

While serving as a student manager at Springfield, Escalante also spent his summers with the Rutgers football staff and coach Greg Schiano. After that, he became a graduate assistant at McDaniel College in Maryland. This is when the roller-coaster ride began.

While at McDaniel, Escalante won the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, and he spent 13 days at the New York Giants training camp. He made connections that would lead to opportunities later in his career. “That’s what opened the door to me going to the NFL,” he says.

After earning his master’s degree from McDaniel, Escalante had jobs with the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Phoenix Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers. He also had stints teaching in the Newark and Fair Lawn public school systems and at DePaul Catholic High School, while coaching at Glen Rock, Fair Lawn and DePaul Catholic high schools.

That is a lot of travel and change. Fortunately for Escalante, he learned a powerful lesson from Schiano that helped shape his mindset. When Schiano became head coach of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he brought in Escalante through the Walsh Fellowship. Escalante took the internship but told Schiano that he would leave if a full-time opportunity presented itself elsewhere.

Schiano understood and told the young coach, “Take this thing one day at a time, and things have a way of happening.”

It is a lesson that helped Escalante navigate his career, one that he brings to his new high school team.

Coach Escalante served as an assistant coach for six different NFL teams, including the New York Giants. Photographs courtesy of the New York Giants

Local Team Influence

The influence from Rutgers and the Giants is very profound. Escalante sees the Giants as a first-class organization that does “everything the right way,” from structuring practices to designing meeting rooms to supporting young people. He remembers specific moments with the Giants and asks, “How can I apply that to this experience here?”

He also met his wife, Jennifer, there. And she still works for the Giants. Their decision to have their first child is why Escalante settled down in New Jersey, paving the way for him to finally become a full-time high school teacher and coach.

Building a Program at Tenafly

As Tenafly celebrates its centennial season, Escalante begins his first as head coach, and there is work to be done. He is trying to build a culture that is process-based, not resultsbased. “We’re taking things one day at a time and building this thing as we go,” he says. By being detail-

oriented and focusing on becoming better versions of themselves each day, the players and team are sure to see strong results in time.

Escalante is excited about the season. He feels that the summer workouts went well, and he is appreciative of his seniors. They have helped with the transition, they are working hard and buying in, and he expects to lean on them for more leadership throughout the year.

The new coach wants his team to focus on one game at a time. “We just want to be 1-0 every week,” he says. “I don’t want to look behind, I don’t want to look ahead, I just want to look at the present week.”

Like Schiano said, “Take this thing one day at a time, and things have a way of happening.” If they do that, the Tenafly Tigers will have more to celebrate than just their 100th year!

Top: Coach Escalante encouraging his team to focus on one game at a time. “We just want to be 1-0 every week,” he says. Bottom: Fine-tuning the offensive backfield play

RIch Luttenberger is a lifelong New Jersey resident and a longtime teacher at Morris Knolls High School in Morris County. He is also a writer for “Gridiron Heroics.”

Longing for Home

Shelley Cekirge’s love for Tenafly is apparent in every project she takes on.

BY RANDI CORBO

Tenafly native

Shelley Cekirge is one of the most sought-after interior designers in Bergen County and the metropolitan area. Cekirge spent time on the West Coast, living in Los Angeles for eight years. While there, she missed having four seasons so, in 2014 she returned to Tenafly. Today, she runs her business, Shelley Cekirge Interiors, from her home here.

Throughout her years in Tenafly from her own childhood days to raising her three children today—Cekirge has seen quite a few changes.

The borough—with a population of a little more than 15,000—is comprised of single-family and multifamily homes with well-manicured lawns and wellput-together backyards ready for hosting everything from children’s birthdays to outdoor dinner parties. But nothing means more to residents than their homes’ interiors. So we recently sat down with Cekirge and asked her about some of the current design trends she’s seeing around town that people are incorporating into their homes to make them feel like new.

Lighten Things Up

Topping Cekirge’s list is natural light wood flooring with wide planks. This popular finish gives homes a lighter feel while simultaneously making spaces appear larger. And anyone who lives with children will likely agree that it’s nearly impossible to keep dark floors clean, so light floors are a boon.

Go Natural

A natural color palette has become a firm foundation for many interiors. You can make your space more personal by adding in some mid-century modern pieces or rustic, earthy pieces—whichever you prefer.

Cekirge, who says, “I love Etsy,” has found quality accessories on the site that she has used for professional jobs and at home. And, she says, wallpaper has made a comeback—specifically, the peel-and-stick variety. She adds that 3D wallpaper is easy to apply and very accessible.

Last but not least, Cekirge loves mixing metals. “You don’t have to stick with one metal,” she says. “More than one adds a really nice touch.” A good rule of thumb is to choose a metal you love as the most prominent, then add one or two more to complement it.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF SHELLEY CEKIRGE

Randi Corbo is a Bergen County resident and a proud mother of four. She has a long history in fashion editorial work, writing for several publications over her years in the business.

Shelley Cekirge, Interior Designer

They’ve Got You for Life!

BY RANDI CORBO

Located right in the heart of town at 22 Washington St., Tenafly Kosher Deli is a local landmark. The deli first opened in 1956, and, for the past 30 years, Steve Longo, former owner (now manager), has been dishing out some of the best corned beef, pastrami and brisket around.

Longo started out working for the former deli owners and, after a few years, was running the place himself.

Now, with plenty of restaurant experience under his belt, Longo says that although the hours may seem long to most, they don’t to him because he loves his work.

Longo and his team abide by all the kosher dietary laws. “If you know kosher,” Longo says, “it means clean.”

The deli, which nowadays is one of only a handful like it in all of Bergen County, has become a five-man show post-COVID-19. And it is literally the place where everybody knows your name. Longo’s warmth is infectious, and he greets every customer at the door with a smile. He knows how to make customers feel right at home—and that’s before tasting any of the numerous delicious appetizers, entrées and desserts.

For those with limited time who can’t dine in, there is a wide selection of hot and cold foods readily available: soup, fresh cold cuts for sandwiches and chicken

salad, just to name a few—not to mention Longo’s famous hot dogs, which are a lunchtime favorite.

Pick-up and Private Events

True to its nostalgic feel, you’ll have to call the deli directly for a pick-up order—a real bonus when you’re not looking to pay extra delivery app fees.

The deli also provides convenient catering services. Parties, corporate events and holiday meals are popular—be sure to book early.

For those who know Tenafly, Longo and the kosher deli are town gems. Loyal customers continue to come back, even after moving to live in other towns, and generations call the deli home. Longo says he’s looking forward to the newer Tenafly residents coming in because “Once the food gets in your belly, we’ve got you for life!”

Above: A selection of menu offerings at Tenafly Kosher Deli. Left: Staff members Michael Guarasci and Steve Longo, manager, with customer Mark Levin.

Tenafly Kosher Deli and Steve Longo have been fixtures in town for decades.

Breast Cancer Facts

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, we’ve assembled some key statistics.

297,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer expected in U.S. women this year

NEED-TO-KNOW NUMBERS

2,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer expected in U.S. men this year

1 in 833 a man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer

5% to10% of breast cancers can be linked to gene mutations

HOW TO REDUCE YOUR RISK

Have an annual screening mammogram.

Perform breast self-exams.

Stay active and exercise. Eat fruits and veggies.

40% Since 1990, mammography has helped reduce breast cancer deaths by 40% in the U.S.

98.9%

5-year survival rate for stage I breast cancer

3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.

1 in 8 U.S. women will have breast cancer in her lifetime

Limit alcohol consumption.

Maintain a healthy weight.

the age women of average risk should consider annual mammograms

1 in 6 breast cancers occur in women aged 40–49

85% of breast cancer patients have no family history of breast cancer

A Hidden Gem

Davis Johnson Park & Gardens, a seven-acre site located at the corners of Engle Street and Westervelt Avenue, includes a rose garden, a gazebo and walking paths. It’s a perfect setting for wedding and family portraits.

Photograph by Leslie Hoenninger.

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