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It ain’t over ’til it’s over! That’s the hope of Yogi Berra fans as they attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest game of catch ever, in honor of the baseball legend’s centennial year. On Sunday, September 21, the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls will host Yogi’s Big Catch Challenge—a community-wide attempt to make history and celebrate the legendary Baseball Hall of Famer, who lived in Montclair with his family before his death in 2015...

In 1958, 20-year-old Connie Francis appeared on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and sang “Who’s Sorry Now?” With her wide-set eyes, pert nose, and black, shoulder-length hair, she looked like the Italian girl next door—the kind you’d want to bring home to your family. Her voice was smooth, clear, and broke at times, as if she were about to cry. The song immediately jumped to number 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and set the pace for a string of hits for the next several years. In fact,...

Closings Exit Zero Filling Station, Cape May This beloved Cape May gem, housed in a former filling station, will close on Saturday, September 20. The restaurant will be sold through an online auction with bids starting at $2 million; online previews of the property, located at a busy intersection three blocks from the beach, have been posted to the auction website. The restaurant was on New Jersey Monthly's list of the best restaurants in Cape May. Openings By Zena, Moorestown By Zena, a Europ...

The New York Times released its list of the 50 best places to eat in America right now, and one spot in the Garden State made the cut. Chatpati Delhi, an Indian restaurant in Franklin Park, was lauded by the paper’s former dining critic Pete Wells for its great chole bhatura, a popular Northern Indian dish that consists of a spicy chickpea curry (chole) that’s served with a fluffy, deep-fried bread (bhatura). This small, casual spot, which sits in a strip mall in Somerset County, opened in...

Some major star power is coming to this October's Montclair Film Festival. The 14th annual event—and New Jersey's most prestigious film festival—is set to kick off on October 17 with Noah Baumbach’s Netflix dramedy Jay Kelly, starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler. Based on a screenplay by Baumbach (Frances Ha; Marriage Story) and actress Emily Mortimer, the movie follows Clooney's Jay Kelly as he and his longtime manager (Sandler) journey through Europe. Jay Kelly marks Baumbach’s ...

A year after Lisa Fitzgerald lost her leg on the NJ Transit train tracks in Morristown, her megawatt smile has not dimmed. Sitting in a coffee shop in her hometown of Verona, her crutches propped against the wall, the raven-haired 31-year-old, in a red dress, is still upbeat after the horrific accident, when she fell into the path of an oncoming train. Since then, she has endured a painful recovery, two surgeries, and the arduous adjustment to life on one leg. Surviving an accident involving ...

When the calendar flips from August to September, people who live along the Jersey Shore delight in what they call local summer. The large crowds have dispersed, tables are available at favorite restaurants, the days are warm, the nights cool and crisp, and the ocean temperatures still in the 70s. While not every day is warm enough for leisurely relaxing in a beach chair, there is no better time to enjoy a walk along an uncrowded beach. Here are ten more great ways to enjoy fall at the Shore. F...

Think you can beat the buzzer? Give it a try at the American Dream mall’s Great Big Game Show, which opened earlier this year. Groups of up to 14 can spend a frenzied couple of hours playing a mashup of the greatest TV game shows. An entertaining host guides the game as guests earn bragging rights. Two teams of up to six players each are positioned in front of buzzers on opposite sides. Players compete in short, modified versions of more than 18 games, many inspired by game-show classics like...

Openings Mykos, Northvale The owners of Verana in Norwood, which made New Jersey Monthly’s Top 40 restaurants list last month, have opened a new Greek restaurant. Mykos will serve homemade pita and seafood dishes, with a cocktail list inspired by Greek myths. Tatte Bakery & Cafe, Morristown This is the second Tatte in New Jersey; the first opened in Ridgewood in May. This popular chain offers Mediterranean-inspired breakfast, lunch and dinner, including Jerusalem bagels, fresh challah...

It would take the most talented archivist years to catalogue the vast collection of Pingry School memorabilia covering almost every speck of space on the walls and floor of Miller Bugliari’s office. Included are team pictures, photos of the 90-year-old Bugliari with various sporting luminaries, plaques, pennants, framed news clippings and other reminders of a 66-year career spent coaching soccer, teaching, fundraising and making the lives better of anyone who intercepted his orbit. One partic...

It was a typical Sunday at Rowan University. In the dorms, in the library, and in the dining hall, clusters of students, mostly young men, were deep in study. With smartphones in hand, or hovering over their laptops, they ranged over subjects like statistics, probability, accounting and finance. But these students weren’t cramming for finals. They were prepping for NFL game day and getting ready to place their bets. “It’s like all around you, everywhere you go on campus, there are guys w...

It took one visit to the New Jersey suburbs for Sara Haines to fall in love. The View cohost and her husband, Max Shifrin, had been looking for years to buy a home in Westchester for their family of five. But one day, very early in the pandemic, they trekked from their home in New York City to look at properties in North Jersey. The third house did the trick—the basketball hoop in the driveway, surprisingly enough, was a big selling point. “This is it,” Haines, who originally hails from ...

September may be a bit early to start celebrating Christmas. But what if you could celebrate Christmas past, present, and future in the company of a direct descendant of Charles Dickens, the iconic author of A Christmas Carol? The opportunity presents itself right here in New Jersey, with actor/author Gerald Roderick Charles Dickens performing spirited renditions of his great-great-grandfather's much-loved 1843 novella. Gerald Dickens, 61, whose distinguished ancestor helped define Christmas fo...

Openings Italiana by Zod, Montclair Zod Arifai, the former owner of the popular restaurants Blu, Next Door and Wicked Jane, is set to open this new elevated Italian restaurant in October. Pizza, pasta and desserts will all be made in house. Baumgart’s, Fairview Baumgart’s in Edgewater has officially announced its return—though it will now be in Fairview. At the new location, the popular restaurant will have an expanded menu including American classics and Asian fusion dishes—from burger...

Roger León grew up the son of immigrants, a welfare recipient, and, perhaps most importantly, a Newark kid with big dreams. Now, as superintendent of the city’s schools, he leads a district filled with kids who grew up like him. As superintendent, he oversees more than 40,000 students and over 3,000 teachers—that’s 18 high schools, 42 elementary schools and 5 specialized schools. In a district that is majority Latino, León is the first ever Latino superintendent. Seven years after León...

Jessica Navarro Davalos, the Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey’s Youth of the Year, started spending time at the Paterson and Passaic Boys & Girls Club when she was in middle school. Her parents, immigrants from Peru who worked as a cashier and a carpenter, enrolled her in the club’s after-school program. The first hour was devoted to homework, and that emphasis on education made a big impression on her. By the time she was in seventh grade, Navarro Davalos was helping tutor ...

When Courtney Capogrosso lost her husband, Matthew, in 2023, her world began to unravel. With two young children at home, the then 46-year-old had little time to grieve and heal. She was in unfamiliar territory without a playbook. What saved her was the support showered on her and her family by the New York Jets organization, for which her husband had been director of football systems for 15 years. “They said, ‘We’ll never leave Courtney and the twins,’ and they haven’t to this day,�...

Years ago, I walked into a coffee shop near my house in Bergen County and saw one guy talking to another guy. The second guy looked familiar. When the second guy left, I went up to the first guy. “Who was that?” I said. “Oh,” he said. “David Krumholtz. You know him.” He was sort of right. I didn’t know Krumholtz, but I knew him. For the last 30 years, Krumholtz has been one of the most prolific and versatile actors in America, appearing on screens both big (as a younger man he wa...

Openings Cucina Del Mar at the Seahaus Hotel, Atlantic City Oceanfront restaurant Cucina Del Mar is now open at the new Seahaus Hotel in Atlantic City. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Cucina Del Mar serves authentic Italian coastal dishes that showcase Mediterranean flavors while emphasizing fresh local seafood and seasonal ingredients. It's helmed by executive chef Nick Faucher, a Philadelphia-area native who has led the kitchens of several Atlantic City restaurants. A playful craft-cock...

There’s nothing little about Wendy Kou’s popular giant cookies. These aren’t your ordinary cookies. Kou’s treats are single cookies baked to grandiose, ten-inch proportions, either stuffed with filling—ranging from Nutella to marshmallows—or shaped into distinct objects like footballs, Diet Coke cans and even Labubu monsters. What began as a hobby in 2018 for Kou, who was then working in retail merchandising, now includes a sizable social media following; a cookbook, Colossal Cooki...

If you're a kid in New Jersey, there are a heck of a lot of options for fun. From science centers to amusement parks to the boardwalks and beaches at the Jersey Shore, there's always something exciting for families to explore in the Garden State. Below, we present our definitive list of the 50+ things every Jersey kid must do. Our team—and the kids in our lives—have explored much of what Jersey has to offer, and the spots on our list are places we absolutely love. We hope you love them, too...

I think I know words and their power. I think I know the Garden State. But my college-essay students give me an education in both. Most of them are high-achieving high school juniors in Camden and Newark applying to the most prestigious colleges in the country. When I found out that one of them got a full ride, I jumped for joy—as high as I used to when I was a cheerleader in South Jersey. I grew up not far from Camden, surrounded by piney woods and a lake too polluted for swimming. I never ...

Part air fryer, part oven and totally convenient, this countertop appliance does it all; from $180 at nordstrom.com. This hefty terry robe from Palm Heights and H&M Home has sunny stripes and is comfy for studying or lounging; $179 at hm.com.      A multicolored, double-handled basket makes hauling and storing easy; $89.99 at containerstore.com. This leak-proof canister has a sleek silhouette, with separate compartments for wet and dry foods; $19.99 at staples.com.  ...

SELECT SPECIALISTS takes a 360 degree look at New Jersey’s pediatric doctors, reviewing 10 criteria across 15 procedure categories to… Read the rest The post Select Specialists Methodology—Pediatrics appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.

Whether you’re a wine aficionado or simply want to get together with friends over a glass or two, there’s a New Jersey winery experience within easy driving distance from anywhere in the Garden State. With more than 60 New Jersey wineries and vineyards to choose from, the biggest challenge is where to begin! Enjoy all the elements of an escape that’s close to your front door this summer or fall. Relax with live music, sip wine with an expert, take part in fun activities or just unplug and...

Openings BRBQ, Jersey City BRBQ, a dynamic fusion of Korean-American cuisine and wood-fired grilling in a contemporary setting, is now open at Journal Square Urby in Jersey City. The all-day restaurant is the third Jersey City concept from co-owners Jae Park and Brian Kim, who helped shape the city’s culinary identity with DOMODOMO and ONDO. At BRBQ, located at the base of the 25-story Urby tower across from the Journal Square PATH, the duo introduces a menu centered on proteins and vegetable...

On a rainy day in June, the chrome-and-red paneling of the Pikeview Diner in Kearny glistened under the gray sky. Dan Bies was eating a chicken wrap before heading back to work at a construction site across the street. A Michigan native, he comes to the diner at least once a week. “It’s nice,” he says. “We don’t have diners like this back home.” Pikeview’s reopening in April, after sitting closed for three years, was a bright spot in the current diner climate. New Jersey is the d...

When Vera Farmiga sings, you can hear New Jersey. Farmiga, who grew up in Irvington and Flemington, is an Oscar-, Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actress, best known for her work for more than a decade as paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren in the Conjuring blockbuster horror-film franchise. But Farmiga is captivating audiences in a new role, as the frontwoman of the richly atmospheric alternative rock band the Yagas. The band is based in upstate New York, where she lives, but to hear Farm...

The South Seas rattan side table is versatile enough to use as a bedroom nightstand or a petite cocktail bar; $368 at serenaandlily.com. The St. Tropez lounge chair is crafted from authentic reeds and blue velvet cushions for a coastal vibe; $1,995 at jonathanadler.com.    Set your table with handwoven rattan chargers to elevate indoor and outdoor dining. Set of four; $100 at mrsalice.com.    Grass-cloth wallpaper adds an organic vibe to any space. From left to right: Somer...

What if you could have one last meal with someone you lost? The question is posed in Aftertaste, New Jersey author Daria Lavelle’s thrilling debut novel that blends food, love and the mysteries of the afterlife. The protagonist is Konstantin Duhovny, who is 11 when he first learns he has a gift: He can taste things he isn’t eating, ghostly dishes once beloved by those who have passed away. That first haunting comes courtesy of his father, whose death has left within him “a great cavity of...

The Montclair Jazz Festival has come a long way from its humble beginnings, when a handful of Melissa Walker’s jazz-camp students held an impromptu concert in Nishuane Park in 2010. On September 13, more than 25,000 people are expected for the 16th annual festival, the largest free jazz festival in the New York/New Jersey area and one of the largest free festivals in the country. Big names in the genre, such as saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, vocalist Jazzmeia Horn, and Christian McBride and U...

Metal detecting is part of Garden State history. Alexander Graham Bell, whose Bell Telephone Company and Bell Labs were long located here, invented the first metal detector in 1881 following an assassination attempt on President James A. Garfield. Garfield died that September in Elberon (Monmouth County) of sepsis and an infection caused by the lodged bullet. Bell had scrambled to locate the bullet with his new device, but the metal springs in Garfield’s bed kept registering false positives....

Here's what's going on in the world of New Jersey restaurants this week. Restaurant Openings Sam's Table, Montclair Chef Sam Stymest—who ran a popular series of pop-up suppers stemming from a backyard dinner series he started during the pandemic—is going brick-and-mortar in Montclair. Set to open in early September, Sam's Table will serve vegetable-forward modern American fare, with its menu changing every two weeks based on what's available from local farms and purveyors. The intimate spot...

My parents would occasionally wax nostalgic about catching Frank Sinatra perform at the 500 Club during Atlantic City’s glory days. My mother beamed when reminiscing about the Chairman of the Board performing on Missouri Avenue in 1959. “If you only saw Frank Sinatra up close,” my mother would say. I’d roll my prepubescent eyes, since, at the time, my world was all about the Rolling Stones and the Who. When my parents hit the slots at Resorts Casino during the late 1970s and early ’8...

Happy Gilmore 2 is a hole-in-one for Adam Sandler and New Jersey. The long-awaited sequel to the beloved 1996 comedy debuted on Netflix with an opening weekend of 46.7 million views—the biggest U.S. opening weekend in the platform's history—and the scores of fans who watched it not only saw Sandler and his funny pals, but viewed several locations in the Garden State, too. A total of 45 New Jersey locations were used in filming, according to Netflix. Because Sandler plays a hockey player-tur...

Openings VooDoo Lounge, Harrah's Resort in Atlantic City Inspired by the excitement of Bourbon Street in New Orleans and the allure of its spellbinding history, VooDoo Lounge is now open at AC's Harrah's Resort. The cocktail menu features smoky creations, voodoo-themed concoctions and signature punch buckets marked by the lounge’s iconic skull logo. Guests can elevate their evening with premium bottle service and enjoy personalized attention from the VooDoo team. The lounge will host weekly e...

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. The post Protected: The Magic of Broadway Closer to Home appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.

If you’re near the Hudson River on a beautiful summer day, you may see a large sailboat glide by. Maybe there’s a school group trying their hand at steering and raising the sail. Or perhaps there are passengers just enjoying a day on the water. That boat is the Clearwater, a unique floating classroom and cultural center. Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, the sloop’s parent organization, was founded in 1966 by folk musician Pete Seeger and his filmmaker wife, Toshi. The river was severely pol...

One of the East Coast’s most accomplished surfers, 35-year-old Ocean City resident Rob Kelly, has been a hero of the New Jersey surfing community for nearly two decades. He went pro as a senior at Ocean City High School, putting the Garden State on the surfing map with big wins and endorsements while leading the surf team to multiple state championships. His pro career has included winning the Monster Belmar Pro, Sweetwater Pro, Water Brothers Pro, Surfline’s Northeast Wave of the Winter an...

The Atlantic City Boardwalk of the 1970s hummed with summer excitement: the Steel Pier roller coaster, saltwater taffy, the Miss America Pageant. A young Stephen Starr, who would later become a well-known restaurant mogul, was working his first job on the Boardwalk, taking it all in. Starr grew up in Philly but spent a lot of time at the Jersey Shore—specifically, Atlantic City. “When I was 15 years old, my friend got us a job working at a variety store on the Boardwalk. I held that job for...