Tenafly March 2024

TENAFLY LACROSSE BUILDING SUCCESS

FOCUSED ON WELLNESS HEALTHWAY NATURAL FOODS

FROM TRACKS INTO TRAILS

Pizza Passion

Top Local Slices

SINCE

a philosophy centered around personalized care and exceptional

Andrew Spector has built a legacy practice serving the tri-state area with compassion and grace.

The full-service, multi-specialty dental team and empathetic staff pride themselves on offering comprehensive, pain-free dentistry where minimally invasive, technology driven techniques provide the very best in implant dentistry, cosmetic smile makeovers, and technology enhanced general care. With a deep passion and unique vision for aesthetic dentistry, Dr. Spector delves into the goals and desires of his patients to deliver excellence and impeccable aesthetic results. A key national opinion leader and a nationally renowned speaker on the most advanced dental technologies and practices, Dr. Spector is on a constant pursuit to educate his patients and colleagues on all facets of the future of dentistry. His work has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, NJ12 and in the New York Times.

Gentle Dentistry welcomes patients of all ages to come experience a different kind of dentistry.

New Faces

This month, we’d like to welcome three new people to the Tenafly magazine family.

The first is Jenna Demmer. Well, Jenna isn’t exactly new to us; she’s been writing for our magazine since the debut issue in September. But now she is taking on a larger role, serving as our local editor.

Jenna is a longtime area resident who enjoys participating in groups and attending events related to dance, writing, walking and meditation. In fact, one of her favorite recent experiences in Tenafly was visiting—

and writing about—Sacred Space Meditation for our February issue.

Second is Charley Levine. Charley is a junior at Tenafly High School who serves as an editor of her school newspaper, The Echo, and plays on the varsity soccer team. She is an avid writer who is passionate about igniting meaningful conversations within her community.

Charley will be contributing editorial pieces (her first appears in this issue on the Greenway project) as well as social media posts for Tenafly magazine.

And the third new person is Gabrielle Walters. Gabrielle has been a Bergen County resident her whole life and has resided in Tenafly since 2021. Since then, she has enjoyed proximity to the city along with the nature that Tenafly has to offer.

After moving to town, Gabrielle started her wellness and aromatherapy business, Love Is Essentials, through which she has met many local female entrepreneurs. Check out her piece on Healthway Natural Foods and owner Nida Arain. Please keep letting us know what you like about Tenafly magazine and what you’d enjoy seeing more of. My email address is hello@ tenaflymagazine.com.

Gina Palmieri Publisher

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALYSON BARROW

Welcome, Spring!

Tenafly’s mayor highlights happenings in our local community.

BY MARK ZINNA

The Tenafly Spring Fling is almost upon us— save the date! May 4 is the big event. The Borough of Tenafly and the Chamber of Commerce are hosting this exciting community event adjacent to Huyler Park.

There will be 60-plus vendors featuring plants, flowers, jewelry, clothing, candles, flowers, artwork and much more. There will also be plenty to eat with 10 food trucks offering fabulous menus. Enjoy face painting, experience live music, ride a carousel and participate in art activities. It will be a fun day for the entire community. I am looking forward to seeing you there!

On the environmental front: When you throw away organic food waste, it ends up in landfills and releases methane, a potent and harmful greenhouse gas.

The average Bergen County household throws away 14 pounds of food waste per week. This makes up around 30 percent of all household trash. Throwing out food waste is bad for the environment and costs Tenafly hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

To help address this challenge, the Tenafly environmental team has created a community composting program.

With this new program, participating homes can make use of compost drop-off sites. Included in the monthly fee will be an airtight bin for your home, liners, a virtual educational session about how to compost and information on where your food scraps are going.

For details, please email Dorothy at dorothyq1216@gmail.com.

Hope you enjoy the soon-to-be warmer weather!

‘I Can Make a Difference’

Inspired by Tenafly’s welcoming atmosphere, a man with autism started a walking group for the neurodivergent community.

BY JENNA DEMMER

INTERVIEW WITH RICH LIZZI

Since moving to Tenafly from Demarest in 2015, Rich Lizzi, who has autism, has appreciated the town’s tight-knit and inclusive atmosphere. Many residents are empathetic and patient, and the town has resources for people with disabilities.

Lizzi added to this atmosphere in May 2023 by creating a meetup group for neurodivergent people—those with disorders such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. In 10 months, his group has sparked new friendships and even relationships. Here, Lizzi discusses his group, its future and his life in Tenafly.

What brought you to Tenafly?

I liked the way Tenafly was set up, and I found an apartment complex here that I wanted to move to that was for people with special needs. I felt like it would give me a greater sense of independence and accomplishment.

Tell us about your neurodivergent group. My neurodivergent group is a walking group and also a board game group. We do walks at Saddle River County Park in Paramus and play board games at my apartment complex in Tenafly. I hope to expand the group, branch out to some other locations and maybe even do some other types of events. I hope to get at least a few hundred members.

What inspired you to create a group for neurodivergent people?

A lot of neurodivergent people have a hard time making friends. I felt like a group would make it easier for them to congregate together and make friends and fit in with others. I was looking around for different meetup groups and I saw most of them were in New York City, so I figured I’d start a group that was local.

What do you find rewarding about leading your group?

It makes me feel like I can make a difference to the neurodivergent community. I can increase people’s level of exercise, too, as walking is a great form of exercise. It helps people get out of the house and socialize.

What do you love about Tenafly?

I love that most of the people in town are really friendly. I like the easy navigation of the town. I really like the fact that the mayor [at the time] made a complex for people with special needs in this town. There aren’t a lot of those sorts of complexes, so I feel like he was a cut above everybody else because he did that.

Jenna Demmer has lived in Bergen County for as long as she can remember. She is a full-time writer and freelance editor who has contributed to 12 different outlets.

The Transformation of a Town

The Tenafly Chamber of Commerce plans to make downtown a must-visit destination.

A few local entrepreneurs and Tenafly residents have invested an immense amount of time and capital in our town.

Led by Chamber of Commerce president Jonathan Krieger and fellow board members Jenny Jackson of Ave Lumi, Orly Chen of RE/MAX and Shepard Grinker of Tenafly Bicycle Workshop, the group has helped revitalize the Chamber and has been tirelessly working with the borough, the mayor and the council to ensure Tenafly becomes a top-class suburb with a destination downtown and sought-after amenities.

Jonathan Krieger, a native of New York City who has been developing retail and hospitality concepts in major cities around the country for the last 20 years, has refocused all of his time and capital around a seven-mile radius of Tenafly. He recently opened Fat Choy in Englewood

and is reopening The Spring in Tenafly in the next few months as a restaurant, bar and community gathering space.

Jenny Jackson moved to Tenafly seeking fresh air and space that the city couldn’t offer. Wanting to stay close to her kids, she fell into an opportunity to open her business locally and quickly became involved with economic development regionally.

Orly Chen has been an active developer and a board member at Kaplen JCC who has raised three children in Tenafly. She says, “I firmly believe in the paramount importance of fostering a strong sense of community and embracing sustainable development.”

Shepard Grinker has been a resident for 12 years and supports the community in every way he can. The owner of Tenafly Bicycle Workshop has a unique mission: to get more people riding bikes and develop more places to ride them around town.

Upcoming Chamber Events

The Chamber looks forward to its first event of 2024: a dinner at 130 Club on March 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. Paid 2024 members receive one free ticket. Additional limited tickets are available for $50.

The Tenafly Spring Fling, coming Saturday, May 4, will be an incredible affair for the entire community to enjoy. If you have a business, get involved! Chamber members gain access to participate. Come set up a vendor booth, sponsor the DJ dance party or have your business logo on the three billboards around town. Visit www.tenaflychamber.org/spring-fling.

Benefits of Chamber Membership

The local Tenafly Chamber of Commerce is one of your most valuable resources within our community. It provides exclusive business benefits such as:

• Local promotion and visibility opportunities

• Credibility to your business

• Networking contacts

• A voice in local government

Submit your application for 2024 Tenafly Chamber of Commerce membership to www.tenaflychamber.org/join.

Chamber of Commerce board members (from left) Jonathan Krieger, Orly Chen, Jenny Jackson and Shepard Grinker

A Decade of Tenafly Lacrosse

High school teams have achieved winning seasons by building youth programs and local support.

BY RICH LUTTENBERGER

It has been 10 years since competitive lacrosse was first played in Tenafly at any level. At the onset, there were only a few established players on school teams, and— because of the prior lack of youth leagues— the high school program was working uphill to be competitive.

However, after a decade of robust growth and support, the sport is now growing in both popularity and success.

After winning the Curcio League championship in 2021, the Tenafly High

School (THS) boys’ team was elevated into the more competitive Jacobsen League, where it has finished 23-13 over two seasons. “This is where we want to be,” says head boys’ lacrosse coach Eric Quaranti. 2023 was a strong season, as the team was ranked by The Record as high as sixth and finished nineth. And, according to Quaranti, the 2024 schedule is the toughest the team has ever had. “We want to play the best teams,” the coach says. “We want to be competitive with these big-time programs.”

Boys’ lacrosse coach Eric Quaranti (left) and others have developed the Tenafly High School program by getting kids playing at younger ages and rallying community enthusiasm for the sport.

Starting Young

When Quaranti was hired as the first boys’ lacrosse coach at THS in 2014, he came from a four-year stint as the head coach at Pascack Hills, where he started its lacrosse program. Quaranti, who is also a physical education teacher at THS, knew how to get a program off the ground.

From his past experiences, he understood that the success of the high school teams depended on the feeder programs and introducing the sport to young kids. “It’s important to get a stick in their hands as early as possible,” he says.

Quaranti is quick to note the extremely helpful efforts of several parents and other adults from those initial years. Their work was instrumental in establishing the youth program in the town. “That fall

program is the backbone of how this all started,” he says.

It grew from there, with the high school coaching staff regularly meeting with parent groups, hosting chalk talks and running clinics in the offseason.

The hard work paid off, as Tenafly now has a youth team at every grade level. “Not many teams can say that,” Quaranti says.

The old adage “It takes a village to raise a child” certainly applies to the Tenafly lacrosse program. Quaranti credits his teams’ successes to the support that the program has received since the beginning.

He also expressed appreciation for the work of his coaching staff along with local support. “You’re only as good as your coaches and what you are in the community,” he says.

Led by Coach Quaranti (left), the Tenafly program now has teams at every grade level. Some seniors who began playing 10 years ago are now planning to compete on college teams.

Years of Development

Ten years ago, the youngest players in the initial season of the Tenafly youth lacrosse program included the current crop of seniors. Four are now committed to play lacrosse in college, with another considering the sport as an option.

The 2024 varsity team will also return starters at every position. These statistics are a testament to the success of the program: About a dozen kids from this class stuck with the sport throughout high school, and almost half of them have the ability to play at the next level.

When these seniors graduate, the cupboard will not be bare. Tenafly fields freshmen and junior varsity teams and, according to Quaranti, there is talent at each grade level.

“As far as I can see down the line, there is talent coming up through the pipeline,” he says. “When you develop a strong program and tradition like we are starting to do, these kids will understand that, ‘Hey, these seniors did it, and now it’s our turn.’”

With 74 wins over seven varsity seasons and a winning record over the last five, the THS boys’ lacrosse program is getting better and building toward a championship brand. More than that, the team has taken a grassroots approach to the sport, and community-based involvement is what will sustain the program’s success for many years to come.

It is a popular program where players do more than just compete. “It doesn’t end for them in high school,” Quaranti says. “We build connections through life.”

Rich Luttenberger is a longtime teacher at Morris Knolls High School in Morris County. He is also a writer for Gridiron Heroics, a national football blog, and the Sons of Saturday, a multimedia platform focused on Virginia Tech sports.

GIRLS LACROSSE: BUILDING ON ITS BEST SEASON

The Tenafly girls’ varsity lacrosse team is coming off their best season in program history, finishing with a 13-3 record and only one game away from a league championship.

With several returning starters and a healthy program from youth to high school, the Tigers are building momentum for 2024.

The girls’ team, which is also celebrating a milestone 10th year, stands on solid footing. The high school fields both a varsity and a junior varsity team, and youth leagues are thriving. “The growth of the program has been phenomenal over the last couple of years,” says head coach Devin Feeney, noting the community’s excitement around the sport.

Feeney, who also teaches physical education in the district, is confident in her upperclassmen.

“We have a group of seniors that is very dedicated,” she says. With senior leadership, Feeney hopes the Tigers will be competitive in their league again this year.

the Community

Owner Nida Arain

Family-owned Healthway Natural Foods takes a holistic approach to healing and wellness.

BY GABRIELLE WALTERS

When you walk through the doors of Healthway Natural Foods on Riveredge Road, you are instantly met with the welcoming feeling of a small-town community market. Between the shelves of organic food and every vitamin you could think of, customers are greeted warmly and end up chatting about everything from supplements and health plans to family life and weekend plans.

Plants are scattered throughout the store, and the smell of freshly blended, organic juices permeates

the air. It is abundantly clear that nourishing the community has always been an integral part of Healthway’s mission.

Owner Nida Arain and her husband, Khalid Mansoor, took over the business in 2009. It was previously owned by Arain’s father, Mansoor, and Arain grew up watching her father connect with customers and their health concerns on a personal level. Today, she has adopted the same intimate approach, making Healthway an essential part of Tenafly.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Experience and Education

In 2009, seven years after her father passed away, Arain’s mother asked if Arain and her husband would be interested in buying the business. Her father had always wanted her to take over the store, so they decided to purchase it. At the time, Arain was in school, but she took a year off to help at Healthway.

Because her father purchased the business in 1983, Arain had walked the aisles since she was a 1-year-old, with the shop becoming a second home. She spent her youth learning a holistic approach to wellness and witnessed the importance of building

relationships within the community.

Her return to Healthway reignited her interest in health and wellness. After working in the shop, Arain decided to go back to school to study integrative nutrition. There, she learned various theories on how to help people and heal the body. She then obtained a degree in holistic nutrition.

Her studies, along with her experience at Healthway, taught Arain the importance of individualized health plans, and she offers guidance to her customers so they can “feel empowered,” she says.

Unlike with large supermarkets,

when you shop at Healthway, you leave with more than just your vitamins and groceries. Associates take time to consult with shoppers on their individual health concerns and handselect personalized wellness regimens to target their needs. This approach helps shoppers understand their bodies more and learn to make more informed purchases in the future.

“When people come into Healthway, we really focus on education because I can only help them for a certain time period,” says Arain. “They really have to work on it on an everyday basis themselves and change their own lifestyles.”

Owner Nida Arain and some of her staff

Wellness in Motion

In her personal life, Arain prioritizes wellness by taking time to listen to her body. Her daily wellness routine consists of exercising, taking supplements and listening to music as a way to unwind after a long day.

In addition, she loves taking classes at local health and wellness studios, such as meditation and sound bowl classes at Sacred Space Meditation and yoga at Fire Shaper Tenafly.

At Healthway, Arain’s mission is simple: to provide clean ingredients and products to keep the community healthy. Shelves contain foods that are allergyfriendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, high-fiber, keto, low-sugar and more.

Many of the brands that Healthway carries are purveyed by local business owners, who will often stop by the store for events that allow customers to sample and taste products, giving shoppers the opportunity to meet

the local faces behind the brands.

“That’s the beauty of a health food store,” Arain says of connecting vendors with the community. “Everyone gets together and takes care of themselves and each other.”

While Healthway is a food store, its offerings go beyond that. It has an organic juice bar and a prepared food section that is perfect for anyone looking for healthy, nourishing meals on the go. All prepared foods are cooked daily on-site using stainless steel appliances, ensuring quality and freshness.

The store also offers everyday discounts, juice cleanses, supplements and holistic remedy plans. Plus, the holistic gift section carries jewelry, stones, candles and more.

Since 1983, Healthway has been a family-owned staple in the Tenafly community—and it continues to evolve, grow and educate the community on holistic healing and wellness.

Gabrielle Walters is a Tenafly resident and small business owner. You can find her wellness products in multiple stores across Bergen County.

From Tracks to Trails

The Northern Valley Greenway promises to turn a neglected railway into a vital corridor.

BY CHARLEY LEVINE

Envision a revitalized downtown Tenafly where rusted rails give way to vibrant, lush corridors bustling with community activity. Picture an eight-mile stretch of linear park winding through local landscapes, inviting residents to enjoy safe, paved pathways for a wide range of recreational pursuits—from brisk morning strolls to leisurely weekend picnics and scenic bike rides.

This is the ultimate vision of the Northern Valley Greenway—an initiative poised to breathe vitality into the neglected railway, reimagining the disused space as a lively center of community engagement.

Overseen by an interlocal municipal team representing the six involved municipalities— Tenafly, Cresskill, Demarest, Closter, Norwood and Northvale—the initiative is spearheaded by mayoral appointees and council liaisons comprising the Greenway Planning Committee.

Each town has passed resolutions in favor of the project, expressing unanimous support for the shared regional asset. The Rotary Club and various other local advocacy groups have pledged their support as well, uniting in the mission to revive downtown Tenafly and the rest of the Northern Valley.

The Northern Valley Greenway is poised to breathe vitality into the neglected railway, reimagining the disused space as a lively center of community engagement.

RENDERING BY NEOSCAPE, COPYRIGHT TENAFLY ROTARY CLUB CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION

Many Benefits

Once completed, the green corridors will offer both avenues for exercise and spaces for residents of all ages to congregate and connect. From picturesque morning jogs to leisurely afternoon strolls, the pathways will promote safe passage, liberating cyclists and pedestrians to venture through communities without having to navigate narrow streets alongside cars.

However, the Greenway’s ambition extends beyond recreation. The open space will offer a wealth of educational opportunities and environmental benefits. By incorporating educational elements into its design and programming, the Greenway can serve as a dynamic outdoor classroom, offering hands-on experiences that will facilitate learning about local ecosystems, biodiversity and conservation practices.

Furthermore, encouraging transportation modes like walking and cycling reduces reliance on fossil fuel-powered vehicles. This will lessen carbon emissions and improve overall air quality in the region.

Another benefit is the potential for reduced runoff and improved water quality. The Greenway could provide a natural stormwater management system, which is crucial in a region where floods are commonplace.

Navigating Challenges

The need for the Greenway was identified through stakeholder outreach, with the downtown redevelopment of Tenafly becoming a focal point of discussion in recent years.

Residents have voiced the need to create a more fashionable, lively space where nonmotorized travelers are able to navigate safely and where businesses can flourish. The Greenway initiative aims to address these concerns by offering a vibrant hub for recreational activities and contributing to a more bustling downtown area.

The project promises to boost property values in the region and create opportunities for local businesses to cater to pedestrians and cyclists traveling along its corridors.

However, progress is not without its challenges. Negotiations surrounding the expansion of the New Jersey Transit light rail system present a hurdle. Currently, the Greenway’s progress is hindered by an impasse between New Jersey Transit and CSX Railroad. Resolving this is critical in determining the Greenway’s access to land and infrastructure.

“We’re trying to find a way to be less dependent on that political bureaucratic back-and-forth that

we have no control over,” says Andrew Mikesh, team leader for the Northern Valley Greenway’s interlocal committee. Efforts to navigate this challenge, he says, will involve stakeholder engagement and advocacy. Ultimately, the project’s success hinges on overcoming this obstacle.

“We are exploring more professional support to overcome these challenges,” says Mikesh. Professional consultants with expertise in rails-to-trails conversions, land conservation and historic preservation have recently been engaged to help guide the project through the next phases. The team is still looking for federal railroad regulations expertise and volunteers to help with social media and community outreach. These recent developments, says Mikesh, should give the community some hope. “It’s beginning to come together,” he says.

As the project gains momentum, the community’s role becomes paramount. With much of the groundwork already laid, garnering public support and applying pressure on key stakeholders and politicians will be crucial in propelling the Northern Valley Greenway from concept to reality. If enough citizen support is mounted, the rusted rails sprouting unsightly weeds may transform into the vibrant greenway our region desperately craves.

Charley Levine is a junior at Tenafly High School who serves as an editor of her school newspaper, The Echo, and plays on the varsity soccer team.

Hometown Slices

Tenafly’s local pizzerias offer unique flavors and sustain deep local roots.

BY CRISTINA SHEEHAN

There’s something special about local pizzerias. They are more than simply places to get a quick slice; they are often community spaces as well.

Whether it’s celebration time after a sporting event, dinner time after a busy week, or catch-up time with friends, local pizza places offer a social hub for a community—a place where people can connect over piping hot slices and ice-cold sodas.

Pizzerias are places where family and friends create long-lasting memories, sometimes across generations. They can even be places where people give back a little something to their local community.

There may be no better example of this than two pizzerias right here in Tenafly: Tenafly Pizza Restaurant (TPR) and Pizza Nova.

Tenafly Pizza Restaurant

Pizza maker Rudy Cedeño helps Tenafly Pizza Restaurant uphold exacting standards of high-quality ingredients and consistent preparation.

Open since 1983, TPR has long-established roots in the Tenafly community. The restaurant has been co-owned by John Osso, partner, and Robert Perlstein, managing partner, for the last several years.

Perlstein has an extensive culinary background and attended the French Culinary Institute. After finishing culinary school, Perlstein worked for a chef in New York City who now lives in Tenafly. Perlstein also has a degree in marketing from Syracuse University to round out his culinary background.

Perlstein also has family roots in the Tenafly community: His mother grew up in Tenafly, and his grandparents lived in town when he was young. They used to frequent TPR together. “I used to come here when I was very young, until my grandparents moved,” Perlstein says. “This was our pizza place.”

They didn’t realize they were taking Perlstein to get meals together at the very pizzeria he would someday run. He remembered this time with his grandparents fondly. When Perlstein wanted to start a venture of his own, the opportunity came to co-own TPR and he took it, honoring his family’s roots in the Tenafly community.

When entering TPR, you first notice the long pizza counter’s clean lines and rich, dark wood. Staff is engaging and friendly, and they seem truly happy to chat with patrons and toss a humorous quip or a warm smile their way.

This local pizza place serves more than just pizza. There is a full dining room and a bar for anyone who wants to take advantage of various dinner items. The back room and bar will soon undergo renovations.

The pizza itself is classic and delicious. When asked what makes TPR stand out, Perlstein emphasizes offering consistency and quality, choosing higher-end cheese and using extra-virgin olive oil for the restaurant’s pizza dough. “Obviously [having a good recipe] is important,” he says. “But it’s more important to keep things consistent and to use good ingredients, especially when it’s something that uses so few ingredients.”

One of Perlstein’s go-to pizzas is pepperoni and sausage. His other go-to is TPR’s classic cheese pizza, which is definitely worth tasting. Tangy tomato sauce, perfectly melted mozzarella and a delightfully chewy crust come together to make a pizza that is a pleasure to eat. It makes a perfect base for any other toppings a pizza lover might want, but it also stands alone as a fantastic slice. The fresh and high-quality ingredients make even the simpler slices stand out.

TPR PHOTOGRAPHS

CRISTINA SHEEHAN; PIZZA PHOTO COURTESY TPR

Pizza Nova

Pizza Nova, another local staple, may give off the energy of a quintessential pizza place, but it is anything but standard. The welcoming atmosphere is both retro and modern. The juxtaposition of a classic menu board, posters of the local football team and a unique arch sculpture with Pizza Nova written in neonstyle lighting gives Pizza Nova a fun, family-friendly energy.

Staff at Pizza Nova are helpful and welcoming. They recommend Margherita pizza as one of the most popular slices, and it’s evident why. Pizza Nova’s Margherita is incredibly well-balanced, with dollops of cheese, large, fresh basil leaves sprinkled on each slice, the perfect amount of sauce and a delightfully crisp yet still chewy crust. Each ingredient works together in harmony to create an amazing Margherita pizza.

Their bruschetta pizza is also fantastic. Along with excellent proportions of sauce, herbs and fresh, juicy tomatoes, the crisp and chewy crust stands up wonderfully alongside the bruschetta to make another delicious pie.

Pizza Nova also offers gluten-free options, a tasty vegan sausage pie and sweet and crispy stuffed zeppole.

According to owners Andrew and Maria Dimitrakopoulos and director of operations Iro Dimitrakopoulos, Pizza Nova strongly values supporting the Tenafly community. They participate in book drive fundraisers, provide lunch for local schools, put up notices and boast posters of the local football teams.

“Our ties to the community extend through every aspect of our operations,” they say. “Our support for the local football club and other community initiatives further cements our role as a community hub.”

PIZZA NOVA PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS MARKSBURY

Pizza Nova and TPR both have delicious pizza, welcoming staff and delightful atmospheres. TPR has been a staple in the community for many years, offering a slice of history alongside its perfect plain pie. Pizza Nova provides a fun, family-friendly vibe, and its Margherita pie is as delightful as its consideration for the local community.

Cristina Sheehan was raised in Bergen County and now lives in Rockland County, New York. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from Thomas Edison State University.

Hometown Slices

Opposite page: Iro Dimitrakopoulos, director of operations and the owners’ daughter, displays Pizza Nova’s highly recommended Margherita pizza, one of the most popular of many pizzas on the restaurant’s menu, which also includes gluten-free options, a vegan sausage pie and stuffed zeppole. Above: Pizza maker Luis Rangel, who has been with Pizza Nova for 20 years, prepares one of the restaurant’s classic pies, made with fresh, well-balanced ingredients.

6 Ways to Reduce Spring Allergies

These smart strategies can stifle sneezes and other symptoms before they even start.

For people with seasonal allergies, the arrival of spring is a mixed blessing. Along with warmer temperatures that make the outdoors more inviting come classic symptoms such as runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, postnasal drip, sore or itchy throat and dry cough.

When nasal congestion isn’t controlled, sinus headaches can result. Red, itchy, teary eyes are another common symptom. And if you have asthma, common allergens such as grass and tree pollen can trigger an attack.

Seasonal allergies can begin in childhood or arise in adulthood. At most ages, over-the-counter antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops can help relieve mild to moderate symptoms. But even before seeking solutions, you can prevent or minimize seasonal allergies with steps like these:

1 Shower as soon as you come in from outdoors.

Whether you’re an adult who’s been for a run or a child who’s been playing outside, pollen can stay in hair or on skin and cause symptoms. Soap up and rinse off, wash hair and change clothes when you come indoors to minimize ongoing contact with pollen.

2 Rinse your sinuses.

When you breathe during exercise outdoors, pollen gets into your nostrils and sinuses. Ask your doctor about squirting an over-the-counter nasal saline rinse into nostrils.

3 Keep car and home windows closed.

This reduces exposure to outdoor pollen. When temperatures get hot, keep air conditioning running instead of inviting outdoor air inside.

4 Don’t dry laundry outside.

Clothes and sheets that hang outdoors gather pollen that settles on fabric from the air.

5 Consider using an air purifier.

Units with HEPA filters force air through a fine mesh to trap particles—a process that can remove airborne pollen and other allergens (such as dust or mold) from your home or office.

6 Wear a mask outdoors.

Masks that people wear to prevent COVID-19 exposure can also help block allergens. Particles can collect on a mask, however, so wash or dispose of masks regularly.

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR

If you have chronic seasonal allergy symptoms that aren’t relieved by over-thecounter medications and they’re interfering with your life, it’s time to seek medical help. Start with your primary care provider, who can determine if you should make an appointment with an allergist.

Untreated allergies can lead to sinus infections. They also can be accompanied by other, sometimes related medical conditions such as eczema or seasonal dermatitis (a form of hives).

Chronic rhinosinusitis— inflamed and clogged sinuses—can eventually lead to nasal polyps. Some people eventually need to see a surgical specialist such as an ear, nose and throat doctor to have polyps removed.

Physicians can prescribe more powerful antihistamines than those available over the counter. In addition, new biologic therapies, administered by injection, can help people with severe, persistent symptoms. These new drugs are approved for most adults over 18, and some have pediatric indications for children as young as 6.

Houses Fit for Fairies

The Fairy Trail at Tenafly Nature Center (TNC) is a work of whimsy and will. Each house on the trail is volunteer-made and placed strategically to delight visitors— young, old, tall or small. Fairy Trail houses are ever-changing because they are made with natural materials susceptible to the elements. On March 23, TNC will host its first-ever Scout Fairy Fest, when Scouts will work in teams to create new additions to the trail. To learn more, visit www.tenaflynaturecenter.org/scout-events.