Minio Art Studios and Artistree Photography Open House

Posted on 05/03/2013 by Sharon Steele

Sandull On May 16th, Minio Art Studios & Artistree Photography will be hosting their first annual open house event, from 4:30 – 8:30 PM, at Vine Republic at 1267 Route 22 in Mountainside. Attendees will be offered the opportunity to view Minio Art Studio’s portfolio of specialty wall, ceiling, and counter top finishes, among other things. They will also be introduced to the stunning work by Artistree Photography, who will be showcasing newborn and child photography. Other services include headshots, photography for family, pets, and real estate, and much more. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served at the event, and gifts and prizes will be awarded. Custom frames and serving trays will also be available for sale.

At Minio Art Studios, each surface finishing commission is totally custom in color, texture, and effect, according to the client’s preferences and needs. Professionally trained artist Erin specializes in the latest decorative painting techniques, offers the most sophisticated finishes, including such things a glazing, shimmering textures, plasters, stenciling, custom lettering, mouldings, painted cabinetry, metallics, faux brick and stone, and custom countertop finishes. View their website at http://www.minioartstudios.com/ to see samples of the exquisite work and to learn more about the company.

Artistree Photography, owned and operated by professional photographer Angela Sandull, takes a natural approach to creating heirloom imagery for clients. The goal with every session is to capture genuine expressions that are only achieved by making the interaction fun, and to photograph clients in real, meaningful settings that convey the essence of who they are and what they love. Angela works diligently to make sure the entire process is stress-free for clients from start to finish, with the end result being beautifully crafted photo prints and products to be treasured for many years to come. View the website at http://artistreephotography.com/ to learn more about Angela, and to view some of the breathtaking examples of her work.

Advance notice is appreciated, but not required, and can be offered at minioartstudios@yahoo.com, or by texting 908 494 2224. Bring a friend or two, enjoy some food and wine, and enjoy the beauty of the artistry of these two professional artists.

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Wychwood Manor of Westfield NJ

Posted on 05/03/2013 by Sharon Steele

 

wychwood 

            Wychwood Manor is neighborhood in the northeastern portion of Westfield, bordered by beautiful Echo Lake Park, just west of Cranford.  It came into existence during the 1920’s, right on the heels of Stoneleigh Park (which exists just to the south of Wychwood), as Westfield began to grow and expand as a haven for NYC commuters.   The convenient railroad line was basically a magnet for developers at the time.

Arthur Rule, at the time, was a businessman, working primarily in fruit distribution.  He had a vision for this area, and set out to design a cluster of homes in this picturesque section of the growing town, perfectly located alongside the railroad, and close to the downtown area of Westfield.

Have you ever known a woman, or BEEN a woman, to purchase an entire outfit to compliment a single favorite piece of jewelry?  Well, that’s not unlike what Arthur Rule ended up doing.  While he already had the vision for the community of upscale homes, it was Sip Manor that ended up being the core of his creation, and around which the rest of the Wychwood Manor neighborhood was created.

In 1926, in Jersey City, New Jersey, a 1666 Dutch colonial house sat on the corner of Academy Street and Bergen Avenue in Jersey City.  It was the second oldest house in the state, second behind only a log cabin in Gibbstown, Gloucester County, and it was in danger of demolition in the rapidly expanding urban zone of Hudson County.

When Rule heard about the imminent demolition of the historical home, he made it his mission to save and relocate the building to Wychwood.  He felt it would be a most welcome treasure in the community, and a huge attraction for buyers in the area.   Rule ultimately found workers to painstakingly take the house apart, section by section, piece by piece, and then reassemble it in its new location at 5 Cherry Lane . . .  . the treasured jewel of the Wychwood Manor ensemble. sip manor

Today, Wychwood Manor remains a highly desirable area of the equally highly desirable town of Westfield.  The houses, many featuring  traditional columns and porches, slate and shake roofs, finely wrought porticos, reflect the ideals of the past, and represent  period classical architectural traditions of Georgian, Dutch Colonial, Tudor, and Mission. It maintains the beauty and grandeur of the past, while simultaeously boasting modern touches and impeccable upkeep. It is now, as it was then, a neighborhood filled with homeownership pride! 

 

 

 

 

 

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Cranford NJ’s “Old Peppy”

Posted on 05/02/2013 by Sharon Steele


Old PeppyOld Peppy lives on!

Most Cranford residents who have kids involved in either boys or girls basketball have a rainbow of Rec uniform shirts in the kids’ drawers.  And while they may receive a different color each year, the one thing the shirts always bear is the Cranford Recreation Department symbol, featuring  Old Peppy.  If you ever wondered why the tree was emblazoned on so many things in town, today is the day your questions are answered!

Old Peppy is the name given to the pepperidge tree which takes root on Lincoln Avenue in Cranford, right on the fringe of Lincoln Park.  The pepperidge tree, or nissa sylvanicus in Latin, is also known as the sour gum, blackgum, or black tupelo in other parts of the country, and  Old Peppy is believed to be the largest of its kind in the northeastern United States,  at an estimated 250 years+ old.  While that age may seem impressive, there are actually  pepperidge trees in the United States that may be up to 850 years old. Yowza!

Old Peppy is an important branch (tee hee!) of both Cranford and United States history.  It was growing right in its current spot back when New Jerey was a brand new colony, and the settlers befriended the Delaware Indians.   That means it has lived to see the birth of our nation, and the ENTIRE history of our nation, including one civil and two world wars.  While Peppy remains virtually unnoticed by the hundreds of cars whizzing by daily, it used to provide shade for the horses pulling the carriages of yesteryear.  If that tree could talk, Oh, the stories it could tell!!

Old Peppy sort of accidentally came into the limelight a few years ago, when it split in two during a heavy storm and was thought to be a goner. Since then, “Old Peppy” has survived an earthquake, Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy, and a host of freakishly strong storms.  The township considered taking down Old Peppy, fearing it may have become a danger to residents.  Instead, a tree service trimmed some of the branches on the split section to alleviate the weight, then installed four support cables to anchor the unsteady bough to the main trunk of the tree. There is currently a fence surrounding the tree for protection, as it is frequently visited by residents and classes from local schools.

Old Peppy isn’t out of the “woods” yet.  The township continues to discuss the best course of action for its future, considering both the historical importance of the tree, as well as the safety of residents and visitors.  Last year, a successor was planted, just in case, nearby . . . . guess that would be “Lil’ Peppy,” Or “Peppy Jr.”  But, for now, Old Peppy stands tall and proud, and with each trunk ring carries with it a litany of stories, the likes of which no human being could match.

So the next time you pass by, make a point of stopping to admire the old tree.  Think for a moment about all that this tree has seen, and how the world has changed around it.  Really, how could you help but be impressed?  You may even be inspired to “bough” to it.  Sorry.  I’ll “leave” you with that one.

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Cranford New Jersey’s Spring Street Fair

Posted on 05/02/2013 by Sharon Steele

(snifffff!) Aahh! Can you smell it? Zeppolis, cheesesteak sandwiches, and sausage and peppers from a truck? It must be that time of year again!
This Sunday, May 5th, from 11:00 – 5:00, the 24th annual Cranford Street Fair & Spring Craft Show will be in full swing throughout downtown Cranford. As always, there is no fee for parking or admission (but, if you’re smart and can do it . . . . walk and avoid the hassle!).
As always, there will be something for the entire family, including more than 200 artists, crafters, vendors, food concessions, bands, games, and rides and an expanded kids-zone, with pony rides, petting zoo, inflatable rides, games, clowns, jugglers, mimes, face-painters, and family fun.

The event, which is sponsored by the Cranford Chamber of Commerce, will also include two areas of live music entertainment. The 18-piece stage band Full Count will perform beginning at 11:00AM in the center of town. The rock band Flying Dogs of Jupiter will perform legendary hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s. And DJ John, from Allstar Entertainment, will play and hold hula-hoop and limbo contests during the bands’ breaks.

In addition, three radio stations will be playing music and giving away prizes at the Event . . . NJ 101.5-FM, FRESH 102.7, and WCBS-FM. For car enthusiasts, the Spring Cranford Street Fair will also feature a collection of classic cars from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s in a designated area of the Street Fair. See? It really is something for EVERYONE!
For more information, call the Office of Street Fairs at 908-654-1400 or visitStreetFairs.org. Be sure to head down with friends and family, check out the vendors, listen to some music, and stuff your face! That’s’a what street fairs are all about.

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Cranford Tree Poster Contest 4/26-6/30

Posted on 05/02/2013 by Sharon Steele

Trees Poster ContestOld Peppy

“I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree.” Joyce Kilmer

Fortunately, no poem is needed for the annual poster contest sponsored by the Cranford Tree Advisory Boards. From April 26th through June 30th, they will be accepting entries from age groups 6 – 8. 9 – 13, and 14 – 18. The “Our Trees Are Terrific “ theme for this year will be A Greener Cranford. Posters need to be completed on 18’ x 24” stock paper, and need to be a unique design and/or slogan. They also need to include the name, age, phone number, and email address of the artist. The posters will remain on display at the Cranford Community Center throughout the summer, and prizes will be awarded in each age category.
The Cranford tree Advisory Board recognizes that trees are an important part of what makes Cranford an attractive community, as they provide clean air, shade, wildlife habitat, beauty and enhance property values. And now that they are again blooming in vivid color after the long months of summer, what better time to acknowledge and point out their importance to our community than by having the kids do so via this poster contest? Not only will it add some precious décor to the Community Center, but it will get the kids thinking and appreciating the precious life around them. And what could be better than that?

For more information, contact Tina at (908)276-5177, or at TinaMac208@gmail.com.

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Westfield NJ Area Y 9th Golf Outing & Dinner

Posted on 04/30/2013 by Sharon Steele

Does a day of golfing sound good to you?  What about golf and dinner?  Or, for that matter, how about just dinner?  How about if you could enjoy yourself for a good cause?

On Monday, May 6th, at the Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield, The Westfield Area Y’s Men’s Club will host their 9th annual Golf Outing and Dinner with Live Auction.  Registration and use of the practice range will begin at 10:15 AM.   Lunch will be served to participants from 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM, followed by the “Shotgun Start “ tee-off at 1:00 PM.   Prizes will be awarded for individual and team performance for both men and women. When the golfing fun is over, participants can enjoy a  cocktail hour beginning at 6:15 PM,  followed by a buffet dinner and live auction hosted by WCBS TV Weathercaster John Elliott.. Tickets can be purchased for individual players, twosomes, foursomes, sponsorship, dinner-only tickets,  and even more options are available. For more information, call Bonnie Cohen at (908) 233-2700 x240, or email her at bcohen@westfieldynj.org.

What a fun way to help out a great local organization!  Last year’s event raised over $60,000 for the Westfield Area Y’s Strong Kids Campaign.  So shine up those clubs, break out the funky golf garb, and get ready to enjoy yourself for the benefit of The Westfield Area Y.  Think of it as “golfing for good.”

 

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“Our Daughters, The Soldiers” Lecture in Cranford NJ

Posted on 04/30/2013 by Sharon Steele

Like the characters in “Steel Magnolias,” women show strength of all kinds. They create new life, they keep families together, they raise the children that become tomorrow’s leaders. They open businesses, they invent, they heal, they invest . . . . and some choose to show their strength in other ways.

On Wednesday, May 1st, at 7:00 PM, at the Cranford Community Center at 220 Walnut Avenue, the Friends of the Cranford Public Library are hosting a lecture by Dr. Helen Brudner, Associate Director at the School of Political and International Studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Dr. Brudner will discuss the role of women who have served, and who are currently serving, in the United States armed forces. Emphasizing particularly on World War II through current day, Dr. Brudner will talk about how women in the American military were perceived, how they perceived themselves, and how this has changed over time. She will point out the roles they played and continue to play as military personnel, and will highlight women warriors from our area.

The program is funded by the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Admission is free, and all are welcome. What a great way to build pride in the women of our nation!!!!
Flickr Image Credit

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Thinka Dinka – Westfield NJ’s Very Own Toy Story

Posted on 04/28/2013 by Sharon Steele

Thinka Dinka

The name conjures up for me those little creatures in “Spaceballs” that said only “Dink!  Dink!  Dink!”  But once you get past that, it’s really a cool place to shop.  Located at 264 East Broad Street in the heart of the Westfield shopping district, this is a place parents can take their kids to without dread.

Co-owner Connie Van Epps and partner Ronald Tuchman stock a huge selection of unique, fun, and educational toys for children of varied ages.  Shoppers can find puzzles, books, washable paints, sand and water tables, rocking horses, and all kinds of imagination-stimulating toys and games, without the overwhelming feeling associated with stepping into a huge toy store chain conglomerate.  It’s more of what hometown toy stores used to be, before the giants took over, and the old-fashioned toy store feel is a great part of this place’s appeal.

They’ve even had a brush with fame.  Last year, the store was featured on the show “What Would You Do?,” hosted by John Quinones.  Van Epps and Tuchman agreed it would be a fun experience, and agreed to allow the episode to be filmed there.  The crew filmed for an entire day, for a 15 minute segment, in which it appeared a woman had abandoned her children at the train table while she left the store. According to the owners, most of the women who entered Thinka Dinka and offered to assist the abandoned children were Westfield moms, and everyone wanted to help them out. Van Epps is quoted as saying,   ”The reaction was terrific.  Everyone wanted to help. That really says a lot about this community. Nobody walked away.”

That says a lot about the community, indeed.  As does the success of a store that sells only the most educational and stimulating of toys for children.   It’s a perfect fit for this family-oriented community.

And it’s fun to say the name.

 

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Cranford New Jersey’s Indian Village is a Delightful Neighborhood

Posted on 04/25/2013 by Sharon Steele

mohawk parkIndian Village in Cranford New Jersey

Indian Village comprises the area in the southern part of Cranford, between the Parkway and the Clark border, with Raritan Road as the main feed.  Most of the streets are named after the Native American heritage this area is known for.  The children of Indian Village attend Walnut Avenue and Livingston Avenue Schools for elementary school, and Hillside Avenue School for middle school.  It is a quiet neighborhood, set away from the business areas of town, features some beautiful, serene parks, such as Mohawk Park, and is home to a portion of the gorgeous Hyatt Hills Golf Complex.

The original subdivision, comprising Algonquin Drive, Cherokee Road, Oneida Drive, parts of Cherokee Road, part of Mohawk Drive and part of Raritan Road, is known as Sunny Acres.  Most of the homes in the Sunny Acres area were “Sears Modern Homes“, built from kits where all of the materials needed were delivered to the worksite by the iconic retailer that still exists today. The process was made very easy by the accessibility and proximity of the railroad tracks, which are still in use today. This is why many of the homes share a similar layout and exterior look, if you can look past the personal touches, additions, and changes that each owner has applied over the years in making these houses their homes.   The story goes that there was a contest to name the then-new development, and the person who won picked the name because there were so few trees at the time.  How ironic that she was actually complaining,  and WON! Of course,  things are very different now, as the streets of Sunny Acres have become beautifully tree-lined over the years.

Indian Village is a welcoming, friendly neighborhood.  According to long-time resident John McSharry, “It seems like most of the neighbors are long-time residents (at least 20 years). I feel like the neighborhood is pretty tightly knit. In fact, we consider some of our neighbors an extension of our family. I say it all the time, but I honestly believe that there is really nothing like our group of neighbors and I truly believe that.”

The neighborhood association, Sunny Acres Civic Improvement Association, is involved in many community service events, such as the river cleanup, a Valentines Day food drive,  and a number of social events.  In warmer seasons, residents can be found visiting each others’ porches and yards for some pleasant social time, and kids can always be found playing together in the streets.  Indian Village is like a little piece of Americana, right here in Cranford!

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An “UNCANNY” Feat in Cranford NJ

Posted on 04/24/2013 by Sharon Steele

CRANFORD STILL PHOTOS 022On Saturday, May 4th, in the Atrium at the Cranford Community Center, the Cranford Teen Advisory Board will be attempting an “uncanny” feat!  No, wait . . . it’s actually QUITE canny.  They will be attempting to break The Guinness World Record by constructing a giant pyramid completely out of canned food.  In order to break the record, they will need to use over 20,000 cans!

Lest this sound like a futile waste of time, rest assured this pyramid has a point.  (Hahahahaha!  Pyramid . . . point . . . . see what I just did there?)  Because at the completion of the record breaking project, all of the canned food will be donated to families affected by Hurricane Sandy, via  Cranford Family Care, The NJ Food Bank, and The Salvation Army Plainfield Corps.
And 20,000 cans is a LOT of food! The base alone will be 38 x 38 cans square, or 1,444 cans on the first level.  The second level will be 37×37 cans, the third level 36×36 cans, and so on and so on, until reaching the pinnacle of one can at the very top.  It is estimated that the pyramid will be  approximately 12 feet square and over 12 feet high, and will weigh over 16,000 pounds,  depending on the size of cans donated.

Donations, therefore, are desperately needed.  Cranford Community Center is the main drop off point for canned food donations. There will be a box in the lobby.  For larger amounts of cans, see the person at the front desk for carts and access to the storage room.   There are also drop off bins at each of the public schools.  Any and all donations are greatly appreciated . . . . not just for the pyramid, but for the needy families who will ultimately receive the food.   Consider being a part, however large or small, of this record breaking endeavor, and help out those in need!

 

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