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Robert Simek, a lifelong surfer, didn’t want anyone to be excluded from the intense feelings that riding waves can bring. So six years ago, Simek and his wife, Lisa, started Waves of Strength, a nonprofit that brings surfing to children and adults with cognitive and physical challenges in the Ocean County and Long Beach Island area. “There is this sense of freedom, there’s a sense of exhilaration, like you are on a wave of energy,” says Simek, who lives in Montville and LBI. The organiz...

He never intended to open a rock club, let alone one of the most hallowed in music history. It was late 1973, a quiet weekend at the Jersey Shore, and Jack Roig says he was just “killing time.” A computer-programming consultant in Manhattan, Roig had worked many summer weekends on the floor of what he refers to as a “rambunctious” boardwalk bar in Point Pleasant called the Rip Tide. He harbored dreams of opening a small, unremarkable bar of his own, akin to the “gin mills” that dot...

For our 2024 Shore Guide, the editors at New Jersey Monthly wanted to shine a light on every beach town in our state. Not just the ones with the splashy attractions or the busy boardwalks, but every town—big, small or in-between—along the coast. Here, you’ll find at least one fun thing you must do in each town, from restaurants to natural wonders to boardwalk attractions for the whole family. Wishing you a wonderful season down the Shore! MONMOUTH COUNTY Sandy Hook Gunnison Beach Feeling...

It was 1968. LBJ was in the Oval Office, with the race for his presidential successor in full swing between Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. Woodstock was still a year away, and our troops were still very much engaged in battle in Vietnam. Meanwhile, back here in New Jersey, a store with a funny but unmistakably catchy name opened in Vineland, about halfway between Philadelphia and Atlantic City. That was New Jersey’s first Wawa. Actually, in the early years, Wawa called each of its stores...

This is a very special graduation year for the Povolo family, as the couple's quintuplets are all set to graduate at the same time from Montclair State University on Monday, May 13. And when the 21-year-old siblings walk across the stage at Newark’s Prudential Center, it’ll be the first time a set of quintuplets have graduated from a New Jersey college at the same time. The quintuplets grew up in Totowa. They are first-generation Americans, and the first generation in their family to attend...

Openings Hef’s Hut, Vernon Hef’s Hut, the bar and grill at the Great Gorge Golf Club, recently reopened with a revamped interior and menu. The eatery–which is open to anyone, not just golfers—offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and boasts a wide view of Vernon Valley. An upgraded menu includes Philly cheesesteaks, Texas lollipops (smoked bratwurst bites wrapped in bacon), and quarry steaks. The specialty cocktail menu has also been updated. 414 County Road 517 vPho, Westfield vPho i...

Visitors to the East Greenwich Township home of the Rev. Dr. Robert W. Ralph don’t have to worry about finding a place to sit. The longtime baseball fan, historian and collector has taken his interest in the sport to another level, with more than 250 seats from 45 major and minor league ballparks displayed throughout his home. With seats from classic fields, such as the original Yankee Stadium and Ebbets Field, to current stadiums, including Oriole Park at Camden Yards and Citizens Bank Park ...

When Evelyn Penza was 31, she didn’t know what to do next. Her marriage had crumbled, and her ex was gone. She had two grade-school sons, a full-time teaching job and early-morning work at her family’s farm in Hammonton. “I was apprehensive,” says Penza. “This was 1972 in a small town. Divorce was rare. I had to protect my boys from any disapproval.” But she comes from a long line of accomplished, powerful women. Her mother, Jessie, was especially formidable. She was a fantastic coo...

The largest topiary producer in New Jersey and one of the best-known decorative topiary purveyors in the United States, Atlock Farm grows specimens ranging in height from 8 to 80 inches. The place is a plant-lover’s paradise. Classic topiaries—hand-pruned shrubbery grown in individual pots—have been mainstays of design for centuries, achieving cult status among interior designers and home-decor enthusiasts. “If you look at design magazines from 30 years ago and even 60 years ago, you’...

Walt Whitman, one of America’s most important literary figures, spent the final 19 years of his life as an esteemed resident of Camden. The internationally acclaimed poet of the body and soul famously and unashamedly declared, “I celebrate myself,” and, “I am an acme of things accomplished.” This month, the people of New Jersey will celebrate him. Whitman’s 205th birthday (he was born on May 31, 1819) is being observed with festivities at two Camden County venues directly associated...

It won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Play and is considered the eighth story in the beloved Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. This month, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will be staged for the first time in a U.S. school, at Hoboken High School. Hoboken was chosen after an extensive search by the play’s license holders, landing the prize because of its robust theater program. The district employs three full-time theater educators, which is a rarity, says Danielle Miller, director of the H...

Bridget Cutler had just given birth to her first child in 2011 when she read an article about a mother forced to put her baby up for adoption because she couldn’t afford the child’s care. The story moved Cutler, who had more than enough, so she began collecting donations of baby essentials in her Hoboken community. Cutler’s future co-founder Megan Deaton, who had infant twins, began bringing products to Cutler. Soon, the two moms were working together. Every month they’d alert families ...

There’s a new café in Montclair, but the draw isn’t the food or beverages; people come for the cats. The feline-friendly gathering place, called Catfé Montclair, joins a trend begun in Tokyo in 1998 that has since spread internationally; there are three other cat cafés in New Jersey. While self-serve coffee is available, and there are occasional yoga, guided-meditation and sound-bath sessions, the café’s simple aim is to be a place where people and cats can relax together. “It’s a...

There's a new wood-fired pizza spot in New Jersey, and it’s inside an old train caboose, just a few feet away from an old train station turned distillery. Home Slice Pizza, in Mount Holly, Burlington County, cooks fresh, wood-fired pizza pies in the caboose, just big enough for a kitchen and staff. A small window for ordering and picking up is in the middle of the caboose, just up a metal ramp. The pizzeria was established in 2021 as a mobile pizza oven, where the team would regularly serve p...

Into anything witchy or weird? Well, about 10 to 15 times a year, you can spend the night wandering Lunar Faire, a mystical night market that travels throughout the Garden State between spring and fall. “This is a place where anyone can be who they are, and it's cool,” says co-founder Kelly Dagion. “People in this world just want to be accepted as they are, and I want other people to be in a place where we can all feel that together.” At Lunar Faire events, large, outdoor fairgrounds f...

Every spring, playwrights flock to Cape May for the National Playwrights Symposium. This month, about 20 emerging and mid-career playwrights will learn from theater and screen legends during a five-day master class at Cape May Stage (May 12-17). “This symposium is the artistic heart of Cape May—it’s a writer’s paradise,” says Pulitzer, Tony and Oscar winner John Patrick Shanley, who mentored the class last year. It’s an intense five days filled with speaker presentations, student re...

Pulling over along the Garden State Parkway for a bathroom break or a bite to eat? You can learn about some iconic New Jerseyans during your stop. Launched in 2021 by the New Jersey Hall of Fame (NJHOF) and New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy, nine Parkway service areas have now been re-named to honor Garden State celebrities; they feature exhibits with photos, memorabilia and more. Some even have selfie-ready holograms. Millions of people drive the Parkway daily, making these service areas a gr...

In need of an outlet during a difficult time, Haworth mom Michelle Fleischer picked up an embroidery needle and not only stitched herself out of depression, but eventually into a new business. “I miscarried two days after my birthday, and it was devastating,” Fleischer says, explaining that sharing stories is one of the most rewarding parts of Embroidery Babes, her stitch-and-sip company that sells custom-embroidered designs and offers hands-on workshops. Before becoming a mom to her first...

Here are some of the hottest concerts happening in New Jersey this May. Find more arts and entertainment events here, and browse our gigantic events calendar for hundreds more things to do. Please note that all schedules are subject to change; visit each venue’s website for more information. Kelly Clarkson 📅: Friday, May 10-Saturday, May 11 (8 pm) 📍: Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena • Atlantic City ℹ️: The original American Idol, multiple Grammy winner and talk show host brings her s...

In her new book, Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls—and How We Can Take it Back, Kara Alaimo talks about the pernicious influence of cell phones and social media in the lives of young people, especially girls. Alaimo, 41, is an associate professor of communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University and frequent CNN commentator. She grew up in Somerset County and is now raising her children there. Her book was published in March by Alcove Press. Why is social medi...

Two foodie icons—Ruth Reichl, the former Gourmet editor and food critic for the New York Times, and Eric Ripert, the chef and owner of famed New York City restaurant Le Bernardin—made a stop in New Jersey on Thursday. Appearing as part of Succeed2gether’s Montclair Literary Festival, the pair spoke to a sold-out crowd at the Glen Ridge Country Club about Reichl’s new book, The Paris Novel, as well as food critics, cooking and, of course, restaurants. Ripert, 59, who is French, is widely...

Good news, deli devotees! Pastrami House Delicatessen has added a third Jersey location to its arsenal. After success whipping up a classic deli menu of more than 100 choices in New Providence and Jackson, Pastrami House's team of sandwich savants—founder Nick Liuzzi and partners Jeff Michelson and Monica Fabara—have been thrilled by the warm reception at their newest location, which opened off the Morristown Green in March. “People come to Morristown to eat," Liuzzi says. "And ...

Opening Blended Joe Coffee Bar, Sewell Blended Joe Coffee Bar is the first brick-and-mortar location for this specialty coffee roaster, founded in 2018 and based in Cinnaminson. The coffee bar serves its uniquely flavored roasts—like Swiss chocolate almond, butterscotch crème and salted caramel—in hot, iced and frozen varieties. Coffee grounds, beans and K-cups are also for sale in shop. 745 Woodbury Glassboro Road Graze Brunch Kitchen, Ho-Ho-Kus At this new brunch spot, open daily from 7 ...

Looking to dive into some tacos and margs this Cinco de Mayo? These Garden State spots are hosting fiestas aplenty. NORTH JERSEY Hudson Hall Marg Madness • Jersey City Kick off Cinco de Mayo a little early. On Wednesday, May 1, Hudson Hall is lighting the fuse with Marg Madness, a margarita contest for local bartenders. Enjoy $8 margaritas all night long, plus merchandise giveaways. 364 Marin Boulevard, Jersey City; 201-659-6565 Cinco de Mayo Bar Crawl • Hoboken Have some uproarious fun at ...

One of New Jersey’s roadside intrigues is the enigmatic Teterboro Airport just off Route 80 in Bergen County. It’s big (827 acres) and old (in operation since 1919). This enclave of private jet travel is the country’s busiest private airport by far, averaging more than 200 takeoffs per day. Popular though it may be, Teterboro Airport is a rarefied outpost. Private jet travel is expensive: well into thousands of dollars for every hour of flight time. While most of us would be ecstatic to g...

When Maleah Joi Moon was approached about auditioning for the lead role in Hell’s Kitchen, the new Alicia Keys musical on Broadway, she initially turned it down. The actor, who uses she/they pronouns, had no professional stage work to their name, and had fallen in love with acting while performing in shows in the Franklin Township public schools. “I felt like I wasn’t enough to fulfill something of that quality,” Moon says. She had also recently left Pace University, where she’d been...

Kevin Kelly opened his first salon when he was only 18 years old. Now, at 25, the Keyport salon owner and celebrity hairstylist has a mission of making people feel beautiful and empowered, in and out of the styling chair. That’s why Kevin Kelly Salon began its charitable fashion shows four years ago, where local boutiques and designers are celebrated while local non-profit organizations are supported. This year’s show was an all-white, Vegas-themed brunch at Piazza di Roma in Aberdeen, pack...

Bon Jovi fans who have been missing the legendary rock band, which has been on hiatus from touring due to Jon Bon Jovi’s vocal issues, can get their fix in a new documentary on Hulu.  Titled Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, the four-part series chronicles the band’s journey from its beginnings in the 1980s through the Slippery When Wet era, when the band sold 28 million records, to the taping of the band’s soon-to-be released album, Forever.  The goal of the documentary, Bon Jo...

Opening Shaka Kitchen, Morristown Kiersten Gormeley—a champion from a 2021 episode of Food Network’s Chopped–and her sister Krista originally opened Shaka Kitchen in 2016 in Hoboken, with a second Hoboken location opening in 2018. The fast-casual poke and açaí bowl eatery is filled with health-conscious menu items made with fresh, wholesome ingredients. Many dishes can be vegan. 62 South Street Kora Kai, Montclair This new restaurant specializes in Thai street food-inspired dishes, with...

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A distinguished historian who’s taught at Ivy League universities including Princeton and Penn, a respected visual artist, and an active member of the New York and New Jersey literary community, Nell Irvin Painter—at 81—sometimes seems as if she’s just getting started. I Just Keep Talking, published this spring by Doubleday, gathers more than 40 essays and dozens of visual works from Painter’s academic and artistic career, covering topics from the Clarence Thomas hearings to Toni Mo...

For a front-row vantage point to one of the world’s most stupendous views—the New York City skyline—head to the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, which stretches along the western shore of the Hudson River. On sunny days, the Hudson River sparkles. On overcast days, it radiates a steely gray. Walking or running along the river, you hear the insistent cries of gulls and the waves lapping against the shore. Watch ferries glide quickly across the water from Weehawken to midtown Manhattan. Pic...

For the last couple of years, New Jerseyans have relished the playful, snarky safety messages plastered across digital road signs around the state by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). Memorable signs have included, “Driving distracted? Fuhgeddaboudit”—channeling Jersey attitude—and “Texting and driving gives me the ick.” During the holidays, drivers saw, “Only Rudolph should be lit, drive high get DUI” and “Don’t be a Grinch, let them merge.” And around ...

Maybe you already know South Jersey’s Hammonton as the blueberry capital of the world—or as first lady Jill Biden’s birthplace. But this farm-encircled Pinelands town of 15,000 has come into its own as a day-trip or getaway destination. It has a thriving wine culture, intriguing eating, a vintage downtown, and an aura of welcome. “Visitor or resident, Hammonton just draws you in,” says local Kelly Perone. “My family tore ourselves away from Montclair to start up Blueberry Rascal Di...

A gas-fired power plant, an incinerator and a pair of smokestack-topped factories all sit in close proximity in a primarily African American community. A child from that neighborhood is diagnosed with severe asthma attributed by their doctor, in part, to poor ambient air quality. Another student from that area notes she doesn’t pass a single park on her walk to school. Yet, discussions about racial inequalities rarely address these kinds of environmental issues. Pollution has historically ha...

When adult-use cannabis sales were legalized in New Jersey in February of 2021, it wasn’t just pot smokers who celebrated. Town leaders saw tax dollars and tenants for empty storefronts, and entrepreneurs saw a chance to get in on the ground floor of a lucrative new industry. Since then, business has indeed boomed: 219 operating licenses have been issued, and 110 dispensaries have opened in 20 of the Garden State’s 21 counties. (58 are recreational only, 12 are medical, and 40 are both.) J...

Brute's Roots Dispensary in Egg Harbor is known for its low prices and sun-grown cannabis, both a rarity in New Jersey. Owned by Kelly Gatto, a registered nurse, and her fiancé, Jim DiNatale, who rehabs old industrial buildings, their adult-use dispensary opened in September of 2023 and was voted best dispensary in the state three months later by the industry group Cannademix. Their success hasn’t come easy. A 3.5-year wait for approval because of missteps by the state Cannabis Regulatory Co...

For Jesse Marie Villars and Cord Schlobohm, opening an adult-use cannabis dispensary in Lambertville has been a dream—and, at times, a nightmare. Both are former opioid addicts with past marijuana convictions who credit medical cannabis with saving their lives by ending their opioid dependency. They became activists, educating patients on healthy ways to consume cannabis and break the cycle of pain meds, through YouTube tutorials and a popular course on edibles and infusion baking at a local ...

When Stephanie Blum spent her early years in fashion as director of merchandising for Calvin Klein’s design team, she didn’t foresee her future as a full-time photographer specializing in pet portraiture. “I love this job because I always wanted to work with people and their animals,” Blum says. “Growing up, my family had a lot of rescue animals, so I’m comfortable around pets, and I know how to read a dog’s body language.” She adds, “Pets are beloved family members, so clien...