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About four months into her pregnancy last year, Aja Kennon had an inkling she might be carrying twins. “I had a full, round belly already,” she recalls. And since twins run in both her family and her fiancé’s, she was fairly certain: “There’s no way that that’s one baby in there.” So when she went in for her first ultrasound and spotted two heads on the monitor, she wasn’t shocked—until a few seconds later, when she FaceTimed her sister-in-law to deliver the news. “I flippe...

A few weeks before the October 24 release of Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere—the new biopic about the making of Bruce Springsteen's 1982 album Nebraska, starring Jeremy Allen White—the Asbury Hotel in Asbury Park opened the doors of its brand-new Boss Suite. “It's something we'd been wanting to do for a while,” Simon Little, the Asbury Hotel’s area director of sales and marketing, tells New Jersey Monthly—but the “impetus” came when the film’s cast and crew descended on ...

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For Sang Won Bae, a researcher and professor in the Department of Systems and Enterprises at Stevens Institute of Technology, it was her sister’s cancer; for Naveena Yanamala, an associate professor of medicine and director of the Center for Innovation at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), it was her father’s heart attack. For both scientists, disease was a galvanizing experience, one that got each of them thinking about how technology—specifically, artificial intelligence,...

Openings MM by Morimoto, Morristown Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto and Montclair Hospitality have announced that MM by Morimoto will be replacing the former Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen at Vail Mansion in Morristown. The spot has been vacant since Jockey Hollow closed in January. This will be the second location for MM by Morimoto in New Jersey; the Montclair location opened this summer. “Together with chef Morimoto, we’re honoring the legacy of Vail Mansion while reimagining what fine...

Former President Barack Obama will headline a Get Out the Vote rally in Newark on Saturday, November 1, for Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill in her bid to become New Jersey’s next governor. He endorsed her candidacy earlier this month. Sherrill is in a tight race with Republican Jack Ciattarelli; the most recent polls show them in a statistical dead heat. (New Jersey Monthly interviewed both candidates in our October issue.) New Jersey’s governor’s race has become a national litmus test fo...

Visit any landfill, and there’s a good chance you’ll see a baby bouncer or highchair amongst the scraps. The husband-and-wife duo behind Evrloop hope to change that. Vince Giudice and Marlo Gertz-Giudice created their business with one guiding principle: Keep your baby’s carbon footprint little. For the Chatham couple, this translates to a business using entirely recycled and regenerative materials in its baby gear, minimizing waste, and offering a buyback program where customers can get ...

Classic blue stripes on a white cotton duvet offer a warm welcome; from $109 at thewhitecompany.com. Snuggly knit slippers in bright color blocks are comfortable and stylish for home or away; $48 at verloop.com. Relax and inhale with this cozy cottage-styled atomizer. Just fill with water and a few fragrant drops of essential oil, and breathe; $70 at umbra.com. Give guests a convenient spot to rest their bags with this traditional luggage rack; $143 at thestripescompany.us. A fuzzy herringbone-...

Larry Goldberg knows how to pack a punch—at least metaphorically. For his latest knockout, he has returned professional boxing to Atlantic City and, for the second year, has teamed up with the Atlantic City Police Athletic League to introduce and encourage the sport for local youths. “This quickly became my favorite event of the year,” says Goldberg, who grew up in Margate and attended Atlantic City High School. “I wanted to do my part to see the next generation thrive,” he says. “...

Kate Dawson doesn’t do well with blank walls. An interior designer based in Millburn, her firm, Decor Whore, creates cheerful and inviting spaces that are often as playful as the company’s name. So in March of this year, when Dawson found herself facing a diagnosis of an aggressive form of leukemia, walking into that first hospital room was not just representative of having to confront the health challenges that lay in front of her. The space itself, which lacked any character except for so...

Dining News JBJ Soul Kitchen This community restaurant, run by Jon Bon Jovi’s JBJ Soul Foundation, is offering three-course meals to furloughed federal workers at its locations in Red Bank, Toms River and a pop-up in the Ocean County Library. Love & Plates, Bloomfield This new kitchen/retail space will open on Saturday, October 25. It will offer cooking classes, catering and customized meal-service plans. Openings McMillan’s Bakery, Haddon Township After nearly 90 years as an iconic...

Jennie Pu, director of the Hoboken Public Library, wears a tangerine-orange dress and hot-pink nail polish as she shows off her library to a visitor, greeting and introducing staff along the way. She wore a bright-pink suit to accept the Librarian of the Year award from the New Jersey Library Association in 2024. And, with the library’s rebranding since she became director in 2021, its van, two book bikes, and much internal signage are now hot pink. “Bright pink isn’t just a color, it’s...

New Jersey’s bustling food scene offers a range of experiences and cuisine types, and Garden State foodies have proven to be an enthusiastic crowd, eager to try the new and the now. Restaurateurs have answered that call by upping the ante at their establishments with thoughtfully crafted dining experiences that pair spirits, wines and beer with elevated menus and themed packages for a highly curated evening. “I did these kinds of dinners for years at the casinos,” says Sal Spena, a hospit...

Long before Rafael Contreras opened the Beau Ideal interior-design showroom in Westfield, he hosted pop-up sales out of a re-imagined Pepperidge Farm bakery truck. Contreras, who resides in Metuchen, also spent a stint as a soap and candle sales rep, cruising the Tristate Area and picking up vintage finds along the way. Several years later, he began searching for a traditional storage area for all the treasures he had accumulated. Soon, his artful vision caught the attention of interior designe...

The New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association (NJRHA) will name the state's Chef of the Year next month. The honor, for which public voting ended in October, will be announced at the nonprofit's 40th annual awards ceremony—the first to be held in five years, following a pandemic-induced hiatus. Finalists for the Chef of the Year award include: Scott Anderson, Elements (one of NJM's favorite restaurants in Princeton) Richard Cusack, June BYOB (one of NJM's favorite restaurants in C...

Openings OEN by Morimoto, Montclair OEN by Morimoto is a new 12-seat omakase experience from Iron Chef star Masaharu Morimoto, located adjacent to MM by Morimoto, which he opened earlier this year. Despite its close proximity, OEN will operate as its own distinct concept, featuring a separate entrance, an intimate lounge and a unique identity. It will serve a 12- to 15-course omakase menu ($300 per person, inclusive of tip and service) beginning with a signature welcome cocktail, prepaid at the...

Have the ongoing ups and downs of the markets caused you some concern recently? "One way for New Jerseyans to gain a bit more confidence: sharpen your financial knowledge and skills," says Brendan Cahill, CFP®, Vice President, Wealth Planner at Fidelity Investments. No matter what life stage you’re in, there are simple steps you can take to increase your financial literacy and help smooth your path to financial stability and growth potential. The tools and resources offered by Fide...

Ilana Kaplan was watching a movie marathon on TV as a child when she caught her first Nora Ephron rom-com, the 1998 classic You’ve Got Mail. Too young to side-eye an enemies-to-lovers plotline in which big-box executive Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) forces indie children’s-bookstore owner Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) to shutter her beloved shop, Kaplan simply swooned. “I was like, Oh, so romantic!” she muses. “Meanwhile, I’m totally oblivious to the fact that he’s putting her out of business.�...

There are so many unique restaurants to visit in North Jersey, and Max Gray is eager to give you the tour. Eschewing the stereotypical New Jersey fare of pizzerias and diners, Gray’s organization Chow Town Food Tours takes New Jerseyans outside their comfort zone. Now in its second year, these tours explore the towns of Montclair, South Orange, Madison and Morristown, escorting groups through several restaurants from bakeries to spots offering fusion cuisine. A customized menu is prepared at ...

Openings Capon’s Chophouse, Hackensack  Celebrity chef Josh Capon, who has appeared on Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay, is opening his first New Jersey restaurant at The Shops at Riverside later this year. Capon’s Chophouse will be a modern steakhouse, offering elevated yet approachable prime cuts, seafood and more. It will occupy the space previously held by The Grill at Riverside. Capon owns three establishments in New York City: Little Maven, ITO and the members-only Flyfish Club. La Valse ...

When Robb Rehberg was a lineman at Ramsey High School in the early 1980s, football mentality was still in the dark ages. A player shaken by a hit to the head, who had had “his bell rung,” took a whiff of smelling salts and returned to the action. Life-altering impacts—especially brain injuries—were hardly top of mind. That gradually changed in the NFL as studies showed concussions and head-related blows could cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which can lead to debilitating ...

Briana Vannozzi makes it look easy. Vannozzi, the anchor of NJ Spotlight News, the nightly news program on NJ PBS, displays a serenity that never betrays the heavy lifting behind each half-hour broadcast or the personal challenges she has overcome. To be precise, the broadcast runs 26 minutes and 46 seconds. That number—26:46—has been seared in Vannozzi’s mind since she took over as anchor during the Covid-19 pandemic. On most days, Vannozzi’s job begins as early as 7 am with a text cha...

Closings Kitchen Step, Jersey City Chef Ryan DePersio and his team have announced the closure of Kitchen Step, citing an inability to secure new lease terms that were viable for the business. They are actively exploring a new location for the restaurant, which opened in 2016 and received a two-star review from NJM in 2019. “It’s been the honor of our lives to see Kitchen Step grow into a place where neighbors, families and friends came together,” the restaurant posted on social media. Kit...

An LED light-up paper house is replete with haunting details like celestial symbols and spooky creatures; $42 at anthropologie.com.   Monochrome with silver-leaf accents, this lampshade is a year-round work of art; $88 at mountainandmolehill.com.   The Moon Tarot poster is a year-round favorite conjuring good vibes with a simple black drawing against a parchment-style background; from $8.45 at posterstore.com.   This statement-making, smoke-colored, acrylic table lamp...

Start spreadin' the news! On Wednesday, October 22, the first-ever New Jersey Night on Broadway comes to New York City, featuring discounts on select Broadway shows and other perks. There are 21 participating Broadway shows, including Aladdin, Chicago, Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, Moulin Rogue!, Hell's Kitchen and & Juliet. Newark native Taye Diggs is currently starring in Moulin Rouge! as the Duke of Monroth. Hamilton native Gianna Harris is playing Juliet in & Ju...

Editor's note: As of October 9, Thinkable has canceled its Montclair speaker series, according to posts on its Facebook and Instagram pages, citing "security considerations." Communicating with our peers is a bit of a lost art form—at least according to Desh Amila, filmmaker, entrepreneur and creator of the Thinkable speaker series, which launches its inaugural season this October at Montclair’s Lackawanna Station. The lineup features Ta-Nehisi Coates, Cornel West, Richard Dawkins...

Closings Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Voorhees and Maple Shade Iron Hill abruptly closed all locations this week, including its two in New Jersey. An announcement on their website reads, "After many wonderful years serving our communities, all Iron Hill locations have closed....We sincerely hope to return in the future, and when we do, we promise to welcome you with open arms." Openings Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii, Madison Opening Tuesday, September 30, this spot will offer fl...

That Supper Club operates discreetly out of an empanada shop in the northeastern corner of the state. To find this exclusive three-day-a-week pop-up dining experience requires a meandering drive along exurban Jersey roads with your GPS set to Pop Empanada in Park Ridge, just miles from the New York border. A bicycle shop, a quaint train depot and a little park are nearby. Once inside, guests are treated to nine courses, with some optional add-ons. From crudo to oysters to pasta of all varieties...

Bobbi Brown is a beauty industry icon, bestselling author and entrepreneur—and now, she's telling her whole story in a new memoir, Still Bobbi (Simon & Schuster), out now. Three decades after founding Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, which she later sold to Estée Lauder, Brown launched Jones Road, her clean beauty brand known for its moisturizing, easy-to-use products and her signature "no-makeup makeup" look. The company, which surpassed $100 million in revenue last year, is headqua...

Every day in Westfield, whispers can be heard about the town’s creepiest, kookiest, most mysterious and spookiest former resident: Addams Family creator Charles Addams. There’s the mansion on Elm Street, which bears a striking resemblance to the famed Addams Family house that Addams created; the Presbyterian Church Burial Grounds, a source of inspiration for him; and remnants of Addams’ early scrawls that are on display. But every October, the town fully transforms into a celebration of t...

These sculpture gardens integrate artwork made of stainless steel, stone, bronze and more into lush Garden State landscapes, offering outdoor galleries to stroll at your own pace. Laurelwood Arboretum’s Sculpture Trail Wayne This 30-acre botanical jewel’s walking trail showcases 15 sculptures. Behind this visionary trail are Laurelwood volunteers and Pines Lake residents Stuart and Leslie Reiser, whose dedication fueled the project. Curated by Scott A. Broadfoot, the sculptures are availab...

Chartered in 1746, Princeton University is the fourth oldest college in the country, and the history of the campus is fascinating—so much so that tours here aren’t just for prospective students. “Anyone coming on one of our tours will walk away with a much deeper appreciation of why Princeton was so pivotal in the history of our country,” says Elizabeth Monroe, executive director of the Historical Society of Princeton. “As a town that has such a rich history, from the Leni Lenape to W...

Rattling down a leaf-strewn, rocky road in a golf cart, I am shuttled through a picturesque forest adjacent to the Great Gorge Golf Club in Vernon. Although the day is warm for mid-October, the dense tree canopy is quickly changing to its fall colors. My ride slows to a stop at the entrance to a clearing, cloaked by foliage, where I already see the reason for my journey, suspended above me and stretching out in all directions: TreEscape Aerial Adventure Park. I suit up with the mandatory gear�...

“I always thought that record would stand until it was broken,” legendary Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra once said. On a Sunday in late September, at Montclair State University’s Yogi Berra Stadium, fans took that message to heart, setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest game of catch ever, with 1,179 pairs participating. The event was hosted by the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in honor of the centennial of the Yankees legend, who lived in Montclair before hi...

Call-Us-Clowns loves prescribing its audiences the healing power of laughter. Located in Saddle River, this performance troupe of therapeutically trained volunteers perform as clowns at schools, hospitals, senior centers, veterans’ homes and special events across North Jersey. No matter the institution, the goal is always the same: Find people who might be feeling blue and put smiles on their faces. A four-time winner of the World Clown Association’s Alley of the Year Award since its foundi...

You’ll reach for the laid-back Noah button-down shirt ($298), Stelene skirt ($268) and Farrah aviators ($295) again and again; veronicabeard.com. The Dingo 1969 boot with Western stitching is on trend for daytime dressing or evening fun; $179 at anthropologie.com. An oversized silk bandana in a perky pattern elevates any look. Wear it as a neckerchief, hair tie or strapless triangle top; $69 at jcrew.com.   The suede Michael belt with brass-ring buckle plays nicely with jeans, cordu...

In November, voters will decide whether Mikie Sherrill or Jack Ciattarelli should succeed Phil Murphy and become New Jersey’s 57th governor. Rebecca Michelle “Mikie” Sherrill, a Virginia native, is a 53-year-old former federal prosecutor and U.S. Navy veteran who flew attack helicopters on missions in Europe and the Middle East before going to Washington, D.C., as the U.S. representative for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. Sherrill has emerged in Congress as an influential voi...

As a dedicated mother, federal prosecutor, pilot of U.S. Navy attack helicopters and progressive member of the U.S. Congress, Mikie Sherrill has built a résumé that made her the consensus Democratic choice to succeed Phil Murphy. Her bold promise to freeze utility rates reflects her combat background: "In a crisis, you have to choose to lead,'' she says. In November, voters will decide whether Mikie Sherrill or Republican Jack Ciattarelli should succeed Phil Murphy and become New Jersey�...

Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a lifelong New Jersey resident and successful entrepreneur, spent decades as a faithful GOP moderate in the mold of Tom Kean Sr. and Christie Whitman. Running for governor of Blue Jersey in an era of political anxiety, he's focused less on MAGA and more on kitchen-table issues like property taxes and the Garden State's high cost of living. In November, voters will decide whether Jack Ciattarelli or Democrat Mikie Sherrill should succeed Phil Murphy and become New Je...

You’ve had tickets to a play or concert for months—and now, finally, it’s time to make a night of it. The only question: Where should you go for dinner? Below is a roundup of restaurants we recommend near some of New Jersey's top arts venues—some upscale enough to elevate your evening out, others cozy and casual. All are known for sending you off to the show well-fed and ready for the big night ahead. The list is organized geographically, from north to south. Venue: Bergen Performing Ar...