One Timber Frame at a Time

Elric Endersby, left, and Alexander Greenwood outside their studio. (Photo by Jeffrey E. Tryon)

New Jersey Barn Company uses antique tools and locally-sourced wood to re-create times past

By Ilene Dube | Photographs courtesy of the New Jersey Barn Company

If these old barn walls could talk, they might use terms such as “braces and purlins,” “rafter-to-ridge,” and “jack-to-hip.” In fact, the centuries-old structures do have a lot to say about what’s taken place under their roofs. Elric Endersby and Alexander Greenwood are listening to those stories and reinterpreting them as they reimagine the historic structures.

The firm they built 40 years ago, the New Jersey Barn Company, has 200 projects under its tool belt: everything from resurrected barns dating from Shakespeare’s time to exacting replicas of Colonial-era buildings.

Most of their projects have been in the U.S., but they also work in the Dominican Republic (DR). “We fantasized about a project on a tropical island with warm breezes, sandy beaches, and rum cocktails,” Greenwood wrote for Timber Framing magazine in 2014, about a resort development at Playa Grande on the island of Hispaniola. “Be careful what you wish for,” he added.

They flew to the job site with power tools tucked among socks in their luggage, managed to get in a swim, then surmounted innumerable obstacles in order to catch the return flight they had booked.  more

Well-Designed Life, Winter 2019

PAFA Offers Training in the Arts to Medical Students and Physicians

Photo Credit: Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts

By Taylor Smith

The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA) in Philadelphia, founded in 1805, is the first and oldest art museum and school in the United States. In a unique partnership with area medical schools, PAFA provides humanities-based training for medical students, nursing students, university faculty members, and practicing physicians. more

Philadelphia-Founded Two Robbers Hard Seltzer

By Taylor Smith

Looking for something fresh and new to serve at your next cocktail party? Two Robbers Hard Seltzer just announced the launch of its fourth flavor, Peach Berry, due to be released in January 2020. more

Delicious Hanukkah Gifts from See’s Candies

Photo Credit: See’s Candies

By Taylor Smith

Celebrate the Festival of Lights with Hanukkah candy and chocolates from See’s Candies. Like all of See’s products, the bite-size Toffee-ettes, Pecan Buds, Almond Royals, Café Latte Little Pops, and Peanut Brittle are made from scratch. See’s Toffee-ettes are, in fact, a year-round treat and one of the company’s very best sellers. And they still use Mary See’s original recipe! more

Camp Bow Wow is a Paw Above the Rest

By Taylor Smith

Located at 231 Bakers Basin Road in Lawrenceville, Camp Bow Wow is a doggy day care, boarding, and grooming facility that pet parents love. With over 160 locations, Camp Bow Wow has been providing reliable pet services since 2000. more

Holiday Movie Screenings at Princeton Garden Theatre

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) 

By Taylor Smith

When the weather outside is frightful, try spending a cozy afternoon or evening at Princeton Garden Theatre, located at 160 Nassau Street across from Princeton University Library. The Garden is proud to show first-run films of the highest artistic quality. During the holiday season, the Garden has added a lineup of festive Saturday children’s matinees and classic Hollywood favorites.  more

Nino’s Pastry Shop Features Everyday Favorites and Specialty Cakes

By Taylor Smith

Nino’s Pastry Shop at 3800 Quakerbridge Road in Trenton has all the classic pastries and desserts that you, your friends, and family will love. Guests will savor every last buttery crumb of Nino’s Sicilian Cannoli, walnut rings, pies, Danish, and cookies. more

Art in a Bar: Southampton Soap Company

“Scent is mood. Scent is memory. Scent is magic.”

By Taylor Smith

Finding a unique and meaningful holiday gift for loved ones can be challenging.

“Like cooking, skincare is an art and ingredients matter. So, we use the simplest, most nourishing ingredients in all of our products. People see the difference in their skin. We’re promoting wellness and encouraging people to take advantage of that renewing experience that we get in the bath,” says Deborah Lukasik O’Shaughnessy, an art teacher, educator, and East End resident. more

Kale’s Christmas Shop and Garden Center is a Winter Wonderland

By Taylor Smith

Kale’s Nursery & Landscape Service operates a beloved Christmas Shop every holiday season that is a “must-see” for families, friends, and those seeking to experience some yuletide magic. more

Scottish Burns Supper and Whisky Tasting at Brandywine River Museum of Art

By Taylor Smith

Each year, Scots from around the world gather in the darkest days of winter for a traditional evening meal and celebration to commemorate the birthday of one of their favorite native sons, Robert Burns. Born on a tenant farm on January 25, 1759 in the village of Alloway, near Ayr, Burns’s early life was marked by back-breaking work on a succession of small family farms. With an ear for Scottish folk songs and traditional stories passed down by his mother, Burns grew to become a widely-respected poet and lyricist. more

New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show

Photo by Robert Benson Photography 

By Taylor Smith

Experience the season at New York Botanical Garden’s (NYBG) Holiday Train Show, now through Sunday, January 6, 2020. Natural materials such as fruit, seeds, pine cones, twigs, bark, stems, fungus, acorns, lotus pods, and cinnamon recreate a sweeping metropolis designed by Paul Busse of Applied Imagination. more

The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey’s High Mountain Challenge

High Mountain Park

By Taylor Smith

The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey is encouraging Garden State residents to stay active this winter season with the introduction of the High Mountain Challenge, inspired by New Jersey native Jessica Bagley’s running achievements. The Nature Conservancy is also hoping to raise awareness of High Mountain Park Preserve, a protected 1,260-acre tract of forested land in New Jersey’s Piedmont region (near North Haledon and Wayne). more

Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Names 2019 Honorees

Dana and Christopher Reeve (Image Source: https://www.christopherreeve.org/about-us/christopher-and-dana)

By Taylor Smith

This year’s gala benefit for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation took place on Thursday, November 14 at Cipriani South Street in New York City.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation grew out of the community-driven Stifel Paralysis Research Foundation, which was founded in 1982 when Henry Stifel, a New Jersey high school student, was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed at age 17. The organization evolved into the American Paralysis Association (APA). When actor Christopher Reeve was injured in a horseback riding accident in 1995, the APA was one of the first places that Reeve and his wife, Dana, sought support. By 1999, the APA and Christopher’s foundation united as the Christopher Reeve Foundation (Dana’s name was added to the moniker after her death in 2006). more

An Evening with Stephen Colbert and Julia Louis-Dreyfus at Montclair Film Festival

Image Credit: NJPAC

By Taylor Smith

Experience two of the sharpest comedic minds onstage for one special evening as Stephen Colbert (a New Jersey resident) and Julia Louis-Dreyfus team up for the Ninth Annual Montclair Film Festival Benefit on Saturday, December 7 at New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Prudential Hall in Newark. The comedic festivities begin at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $79.50 and are available for purchase at www.njpac.org. more

Winter Wonderland Weekend at The Asbury, Dec. 7 and 8

Images Courtesy of The Asbury 

By Taylor Smith

Learn what makes the vibrant shore town of Asbury Park unique at The Asbury’s Winter Wonderland Weekend, December 7 and 8.

The Asbury is situated just two blocks from Asbury Park’s famous beach and boardwalk and is easily accessible from several NJ Transit lines. Designed with a nod to the shore town’s rock n’ roll past and proximity to the seaside, The Asbury offers upscale lodging, dining, multiple vibrant bars, live music in the lobby, and more. more

Edible Ornaments for Birds

Image Source: https://wilderchild.com

By Taylor Smith

Winter often signifies a challenging time of year for birds to find adequate food and sustenance.  Decorating an outdoor tree with edible ornaments is a way to attract winter birds, providing them with shelter and a wide range of foods. more

A Vintage-Inspired New Year’s Eve at Hopewell Theater

Image Credit: Thomas Robert Clark Photography

By Taylor Smith

Take a trip back to the 1920s at Hopewell Theater’s New Year’s Eve party on Tuesday, December 31 starting at 6 p.m. The evening features a three-course dinner by Brick Farm Tavern; live music by Philadelphia’s vintage swing band, Parlour Noir; a swing dance lesson; party favors; and a cash bar. The event is semi-formal and vintage attire is encouraged. more

Simple Ways to Spread Good Cheer this Holiday Season

“Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

By Taylor Smith

Giving back during the holidays doesn’t have to cost a lot of time or money. Simple gifts of happiness and good cheer can go a long way in improving another person’s day. Here are some suggestions for being more generous this time of year. more

Have a Creative Winter at The Center for Contemporary Art

Image Sources: The Center for Contemporary Art

By Taylor Smith

Registration is underway for winter art classes for adults, teens, and children at The Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster. With more than 35 offerings to choose from, classes begin in January 2020. more