By Taylor Smith
The largest triathlon in New Jersey (and the region), the New Jersey State Triathlon will be held at Mercer County Park in West Windsor on Saturday July 20 and Sunday, July 21. The race is in the top 25 largest triathlons in the United States, and sells out every year. The average competitor pool is 3,500. more
By Taylor Smith
A host of summer classes at Seton Hall University in South Orange can help high school, college, and graduate students meet their academic and future graduation goals. The Department of Continuing Education and Professional Studies’ Summer Sessions will begin on May 21 and run through August 8. more
By Taylor Smith
Camps are not just for kids. For runners, a host of options are available across the country. Here are a few to check out…
https://www.craftsbury.com/running/running-camps/running-camps-home/
Based out of a cross-country ski center where Olympians train, Craftsbury Running Camps offers one workout few other camps do: biathlon practice. Daily running workouts are complemented by guided strength training, swimming, and mountain biking.
Did all that running work up an appetite? The campus dining hall is committed to making sure 50 percent of its ingredients are local. more
By Taylor Smith
D&R Canal
Frenchtown along the Delaware River
The Delaware & Raritan Canal stretches more than 77 miles along the Delaware and Raritan Rivers.The park crosses Middlesex, Mercer, Burlington, Somerset, and Hunterdon counties within New Jersey. It is one of the state’s most popular avenues for kayaking, canoeing, running, walking, bicycling, and fishing. It is also a valuable wildlife corridor with recent bird surveys revealing more than 160 species of birds, almost 90 of which nest within its borders. The upper portion of the canal includes stops in charming Frenchtown, Stockton, and Lambertville, which are great weekend destinations for the arts, dining, and shopping. more
By Taylor Smith
Weighted blankets have been used in niche medical communities for many years, but only recently have the suggested health benefits taken off as a newfound trend. Without a prescription or dramatic changes in one’s routine, weighted blankets have allowed some people to fall asleep faster and to feel less general anxiety. more
By Taylor Smith
The Architecture Digest Design Show, to be held March 21-24 at Piers 92 & 94 in New York City, is a four-day design destination peppered with special events and curated finds from over 400 brands in the luxury residential and hospitality worlds. Organized by sections (including Furnish, Refresh, Made, and Shops), special features are the AD Apartment and DIFFA’s Dining by Design. more
By Taylor Smith
On view through August 9, 2020, “T. rex: The Ultimate Predator” is sure to ignite the imaginations of visitors at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
The new exhibit asks, “How did T. rex evolve to become the most fearsome carnivore of the Mesozoic?” Spectators can take in life-size models of the fearsome predator; fossils, casts, and interactive activities; and an immersive multiplayer virtual reality experience developed just for the exhibition. Children are sure to marvel at how this 12,000-plus-pound terror began as a tiny critter. They will also meet T. rex’s family members, some of whom are small and even have feathers! more
By Taylor Smith
In case you haven’t heard, your gut health has a dramatic impact on your overall brain and body-wide health. The “good” bacteria found in probiotic rich foods can actually help improve the microbiome of your digestive system. The following are some of the best good bacteria-fueled foods to include in your daily or weekly routine. more
By Taylor Smith
For outdoor enthusiasts, the Bean Boot is one of the most iconic pieces of active footwear. Leon Leonwood Bean created the leather and rubber boots in 1911 to combat the problem of cold, wet feet during Maine hunting trips. In 1912, the Bean Boot (originally called the Maine Hunting Shoe) went on sale under the new company name, L.L. Bean. more
By Taylor Smith
Philanthropist and former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg recently announced on his Twitter account: “I’m giving $1.8 billion to @JohnsHopkins for financial aid so admissions can be permanently need-blind. I want to open the same door of opportunity that I had for generations of talented students, regardless of financial aid.”
The donation is the largest ever to a higher education institution. Bloomberg wrote in a following New York Times op-ed, “My Hopkins diploma opened up doors that otherwise would have been closed, and allowed me to live the American dream.” Bloomberg has stated that he was able to attend Johns Hopkins because of a National Defense student loan. more
By Taylor Smith
Each year, thousands of new movies are produced and released, and only a few are nominated for Academy Awards. Many of these chosen films actually began as books, plays, and short stories. Here is a collection of seven written works that have gone on to become beloved Oscar-winning films. more
By Taylor Smith
In the late winter season, nothing beats a bouquet of freshly cut blooms to add some cheer to your home. Flowers have the ability to brighten anyone’s day, and science suggests that simply looking at flowers can improve your mood. What’s not so cheerful? Dealing with a bouquet of dead or dried-out flowers. more
By Taylor Smith
Organizing consultant Marie Kondo’s book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” has sold over two million copies for good reason.
In her native Japan, Kondo says that tidiness and simplicity are a matter of everyday living. She cleverly applies these feng shui principles to cleaning house, simultaneously challenging long-held beliefs in cleaning little-by-little every day, storing things for a different season, and/or discarding one item for every new item brought into your home. more
By Taylor Smith
A new Strava activity tracker feature called Route Builder for mobile can make planning the location and distance of your next run much easier.
Andrew Vontz, Strava’s director of communications, says that the new mobile feature also makes exploring a new town or city much more safe and efficient. “You can land almost anywhere in the world, someplace you’ve never visited before, and, with a just a few swipes on a map, create the best possible route,” Vontz told Runner’s World Magazine. more
By Taylor Smith
This summer, give Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart a try. Located at 1200 Stuart Road in Princeton, Stuart’s summer camps are open to children ages preschool through grade 12. Taught by Stuart Country Day School faculty, the offerings are fun, educational, rewarding, and diverse. Before/after camp can and lunch are also available. more
By Taylor Smith
The Edward & Marie Matthews Center for Cancer Care at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center specializes in clinical services and rehabilitative care and support for a multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment that encompasses the whole person. more
New Jersey’s Activist First Lady is also a Big Fan of Drumthwacket
By Wendy Greenberg | Photography by Tom Grimes
Tammy Snyder Murphy became aware of climate action some 24 years ago while living in Frankfurt, Germany, where her husband worked in financial services. “I was stunned,” she recalls. “People took cloth bags to grocery stores. They recycled trash, just as a matter of course. It opened my eyes.”
The personal commitment to sustainability was a lesson that is still with her today, as first lady of New Jersey. In fact, Tammy Murphy is a passionate advocate for several key issues,
the environment among them.
Since her husband, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, took office just over a year ago, Murphy has channeled a “can do” attitude, which she attributes to her parents, to support the agenda of her husband and Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver. She sees herself as a “convener,” and says, “There are four people in this office,” referring to three staff members and herself. “Tell us what you need. We’ll help get it done.” more
Fashion Designer Ann Lowe
By Anne Levin
In the annals of the accomplished whose work has gone largely unrecognized because of their race, Ann Lowe occupies a prominent spot. Lowe was an African American fashion designer whose lavish creations were coveted by the rich and socially prominent. While she earned such distinctions as Couturier of the Year and made the Who’s Who in American Women list, she rarely received the attention she deserved.
In 1953, Lowe designed the ivory silk taffeta gown that Jacqueline Bouvier wore for her wedding to John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The dress featured trapunto, a layering of fabrics to create a dimensional effect — a technique for which Lowe was known in fashion circles. But the future first lady is said to have credited “a colored woman” with creating the famous gown, neglecting to identify her by name.
Lowe’s designs made the pages of Vogue, Town & Country, and other popular fashion magazines. Her skill and artistry impressed French designer Christian Dior. At one point in her career, she had her own label and a store on New York’s Fifth Avenue. Her dresses were sold at Neiman Marcus, Henri Bendel, and Saks Fifth Avenue, where she was the head designer of a special boutique with a privileged clientele. Yet her genius was rarely recognized. more
M.Rings, Orion Jewelry Studio
Engagement and Wedding Ring Design Trends
By Taylor Smith
Engagement and wedding ring influencers like Gurki Basra, senior buyer of jewelry and watches at Barneys New York, say that the top 2019 trends in engagement ring styles include colored stones, multiple bands, and a mix of metals. Gray diamonds in particular have begun to emerge as a style statement as younger brides become more adventurous in their choices.
If you’re drawn to an edgier look, but worry about your tastes changing down the road, jewelers advise that you can always reset your ring. Raw diamonds or uncut diamonds are another option for unique engagement rings. Raw diamond styles range from ultra-contemporary to minimal and organic in shape. They also tend to be slightly more affordable since they’re unpolished. In addition, no two raw diamonds are alike, fulfilling another engagement trend of one-of-a-kind pieces. The brilliance of a raw diamond is also something to behold, as they are warm in hue and contain a vast color spectrum, making the diamond look as though it is lit from within.
Emerald diamond ring,
Orion Jewelry Studio
The challenge of finding the right combination of metals, diamonds, gemstones, and setting is challenging for any bride or groom. Many jewelers recommend that buyers keep the metal and stone in the same color family. For example, yellow gold dramatically captures the luminescence of a yellow diamond. Similarly, a chocolate-colored diamond in a yellow gold setting generates a warm, luxurious feel. Complementary colors can also create an unexpected effect, such as a rose gold setting matched with a green gemstone. more
Photo courtesy of Arts Council of Princeton
From Nature to STEM, Area Camps Offer an Abundance of Options
By Laurie Pellichero
While it might still be cold and wintry outside, summer will be here before we know it. Now’s the time to start thinking about where to send the kids to camp – and make those reservations before they fill up. Here is just a sampling of the many options right here in our area, each unique in its own way.
ACTIVE
Camp Shriver – Special Olympics New Jersey
1 Eunice Kennedy Shriver Way, Lawrenceville
609.896.8000; www.sonj.org
What began as a fun backyard summer camp known as Camp Shriver has grown into Special Olympics, a global movement that has been changing lives and attitudes for more than 50 years. more
