Join the Friends of Herrontown Woods for Circus Quercus — a multigenerational circus in the woods — on Sunday April 20, April 27, May 4, May 11, May 18, and June 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. more
Spring represents the blooming of the famous Japanese cherry blossom, known as sakura. To celebrate the warming of the season and the blooming of the flower, Ooika of Princeton and Lawrenceville has announced its first Sakura Fest.
Join the festival at 300 Witherspoon Street on April 26 from 12 to 6 p.m., part of this year’s Porchfest.
Sakura fest is organized by Ooika, whose hope is to spread their passion and love for the spring — when matcha is harvested across Japan. Ooika Matcha imports matcha (a powder for tea with a long history) from Japan when available, and has been the only place in the New Jersey that has ground in-house its single-origin matcha from family farms in Japan using Japanese stone mills. more
(Photo courtesy of Liz Pacelli)
The area river towns have long had walking tours, and even ghost tours, but Sister Cities Food & Shop Tours celebrates the culinary scene, especially the smaller independent eateries.
Sister Cities is a homegrown local tour agency that takes the guesswork out of finding the best spots in town for visitors — because it does it for them. Clients enjoy the best New Hope, Pa., and Lambertville have to offer with expertly guided food, beverage, and shopping tours from a curated list of participating establishments throughout what are dubbed the “Sister Cities.” more
Experience F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel The Great Gatsby as a staged radio play from Raconteur Radio with period costumes, vintage commercials, Golden Age radio equipment, and more at the Princeton Public Library on Tuesday, April 22 at 7 p.m. more
Step back in time and experience the magic of an old-fashioned barn dance in the historic Charles Fish Barn at Howell Farm on Friday, April 25 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The event benefits the restoration of the antique kitchen garden fence at the farm at 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township.
Reservations at $25 per person, which are limited, can be made here.
Join professional dance caller Sue Dupree for an evening featuring live music by the Jugtown Mountain String Band. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or a first-timer, she will guide you through each step. Light refreshments will be available for purchase and for a special experience, take a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride around the farm ($30 per couple, first come, first served). more
Dear Readers,
Welcome to your Spring issue of Princeton Magazine. Our cover story by Ilene Dube celebrates the 50th anniversary of Terhune Orchards, owned and operated by the Mount family since 1975. Pam and Gary Mount met and started dating at Princeton High School, and they were in the Peace Corps for three years before purchasing Terhune. They and their family have expanded and modernized the popular farm extensively over the years, and it now features a vineyard as well.
Continuing with anniversaries, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby turns 100 this spring. Donald H. Sanborn III traces the story from its roots at Princeton University to renewed attention including two musicals, one on Broadway. In his Book Scene focusing on cover art with Princeton connections, Stuart Mitchner points out that this publication became renowned due in large part to its cover design by Francis Cugat. Celestial Eyes features a woman’s image with despairing eyes that evoke Daisy Faye Buchanan, Gatsby’s love and his doom. One might come to believe that the cover is a reason that the novel is still popular after all these years. more
Terhune Orchards Celebrates 50 Years of Farming
By Ilene Dube | Images courtesy of Terhune Orchards
In the expansive light-filled kitchen, farm-related art and a mural of apple trees echoes the scenery outside. Pam Mount, wearing her signature red Terhune Orchards shirt, reflects on the 50 years that have gone by since she and her husband, Gary, have run the farm. In a way her kitchen has served all of the greater Princeton community. And even if we aren’t among the 25 guests at her holiday gatherings, we’re all a part of the Mount family, thanks to all the farm has offered for half a century.
It all began in 1975 when Pam and Gary, Princeton High School sweethearts who had been living in Doylestown, Pa., saw a sign on Cold Soil Road: “For sale by owner.” Freshly back from a four-year stint in the Peace Corps, where they helped develop crops and fresh water (Gary) and taught school children (Pam) on a small island of Micronesia (population 400), they saw those initial 55 acres as the perfect place to start a commune, jokes daughter Tannwen Mount, who operates the farm with her parents and sister, Reuwai Mount Hanewald. The joke isn’t so far off: what they developed was a community center. more
Jeremy Jordan as Jay Gatsby in “The Great Gatsby.” (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
From its Roots at Princeton University to Broadway Musical
By Donald H. Sanborn III
First published by Charles Scribner’s Sons on April 10, 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age classic The Great Gatsby turns 100 this spring. In advance of the centennial, Fitzgerald and the novel have received renewed attention, having been the subjects, respectively, of a new volume of biographies and at least two musicals — one of which is enjoying a successful run on Broadway.
The Great Gatsby centers on narrator Nick Carraway’s encounters with the mysterious, slightly crooked nouveau riche millionaire Jay Gatsby. Nick finds himself involved in Gatsby’s plans to win back his lost love, Daisy, a debutante who is Nick’s cousin. Daisy rejected Gatsby when they were younger, because of the latter’s poverty at that time. Instead, Daisy chose the imperious, conservative socialite Tom Buchannan. more
The Music Director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra Marks His 15th Year on the Podium and His 60th Birthday
By Anne Levin | Photos courtesy of Princeton Symphony Orchestra Staff
Eighteen years ago, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra ‘s (PSO) longtime Music Director Mark Laycock announced he was departing following a dispute over his contract. A search committee was quickly put together, and the hunt for a new music director began.
On the committee were I would like to touch it PSO’s then-Executive Director Melanie Clarke, former Westminster Choir College Dean Robert Annis, four musicians, and several members of the PSO Board of Trustees. They gave themselves a year to try out guest conductors who were invited to lead the orchestra on different programs. more
Celebrating Cover Art with Princeton Connections
by Stuart Mitchner
When The Great Gatsby marks its centenary this year, Francis Cugat’s cover design should share the renown that has placed Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald’s novel at or near the top of The Modern Library’s list of the 100 Greatest Novels of the 20th Century.
The visual excitement of Cugat’s Gatsby (1925) is a striking departure from the bland, dated covers of Fitzgerald’s previous novels, This Side of Paradise (1920) and The Beautiful and the Damned (1922). While the jacket image for his story collection Tales of the Jazz Age (1922), by fashionable magazine artist John Held Jr., creates a cute, cartoonish take on the Roaring Twenties, it appears faded and quaint next to Cugat’s vision, which transcends the period, occupying a realm of art all its own. On top of that, it’s likely that Cugat’s cover design actually influenced Fitzgerald’s visual conception of the crucial Valley of Ashes passage in Chapter Two, as implied in Fitzgerald’s 1924 letter asking his editor Max Perkins not to give anyone “that jacket you’re saving for me” because “I’ve written it into the book.” more
Artist 7ove Child (Marlon Davila) with one of his murals.
A Haven for Creativity and Community
By Laurie Pellichero | Art and photos courtesy of Princeton Makes
Creativity abounds at Princeton Makes artist cooperative, located in the heart of the Princeton Shopping Center at 301 North Harrison Street. Opened nearly four years ago with 25 members, it now has 40 member artists who work across a wide range of artistic genres including painting, drawing, stained glass, sculpture, lamps, window hangings, textiles, handmade greeting cards, jewelry, and much more. All the artists are local and must live within a two-town radius of Princeton.
The 5,000-square-foot space features plate glass windows facing the center’s courtyard, 24 open artist studios, and additional display and working areas. There is also a retail store where the artists all work a minimum of four hours a week as part of their membership. All art is for sale, and whenever the store is open, at least one artist is working in a studio and customers can interact directly with them to observe and learn about their process and technique. Couches and conversation areas can be found throughout. more
With a French flair
By Mary Abitanto | Photos by the author
Hosting a party or a soirée can seem overwhelming but if you keep a few simple principles in mind, entertaining like a pro can be smooth sailing. Here are some meal and hors d’oeuvres ideas for entertaining this spring using a few shortcuts — including my sheet pan method — as well as some classic wine pairings.
If you are hosting a brunch, may I suggest you make my Hawaiian Sweet Rolls Sheet Pan French Toast that looks fancy, but takes minutes to assemble and a short time to bake. It’s buttery, sweet, and aromatic. It truly melts in your mouth in one bite. You can also add freshly sliced organic strawberries for a pop of color and sweetness. A dollop of whipped cream will be a perfect topping. more
(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com)
Discovering the Depth of Starry Skies from Your Own Backyard
By Taylor Smith
Since the beginning of human history, the night sky has been one of the most intriguing and long-lasting forms of entertainment. It has assisted people in learning when to plant crops, chart the calendar, and navigate open seas.
Much can be viewed and learned by the naked eye, but the scientific development of the telescope and its use by astronomer Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century magnified the view of key planets like Jupiter, unique stars, and moons. While Galileo did not invent the telescope, he is credited with applying the instrument to the study of astronomy. Galileo also improved upon the design and strength of the telescope many times over. While the initial telescope magnified things by three times, Galileo eventually developed lenses that would enable 33 times magnification. Galileo’s work would inspire future scientists in pursuing the study of astronomy. His many accomplishments also include charting stars in the Milky Way and supporting the Copernican model that the Earth and planets revolve around the sun (britannica.com/biography/Galileo-Galilei/Telescopic-discoveries). more
The Princeton University women’s open varsity 8 churning through the water in a 2024 race.
Lori Dauphiny Enjoys Unprecedented Success as Head Coach for PU Women’s Open Crew
By Bill Alden | Photos courtesy of Row2K
When Lori Dauphiny decided to walk on to the University of Washington women’s crew program in 1981, it didn’t look like she had much of a future in rowing.
As an undersized former high school swimmer with no experience competing in crew, Dauphiny was a long shot to make the squad. more
Optimism in a Day Trip
By Wendy Greenberg
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.”
—Lady Bird Johnson, former first lady of the U.S. and founder of the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin, Texas
The days are noticeably longer, and the sun is deliciously warmer. Most of us think a little more hopefully in spring, and we often turn to nature for inspiration. It’s a season to spend more time outdoors and feast on the exquisite color palette offered by lush landscapes of flowers that cover acres in the Garden State. more
Princeton’s pottery painting shop is turning five, and the community can help celebrate on Saturday, March 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. with fun activities like a craft station for kids, free pottery painting, a photo booth, and more.
There will also be treats from LiLLiPiES, giveaways, and a ribbon-cutting with Mayor Mark Freda to add to the festivities. more
March has many milestones: the Ides of March, the first day of spring, seasonal holidays, and for basketball fans, March Madness, in which college teams play for the NCAA championship. (Selection is Sunday, March 16).
The Yankee Doodle Tap Room at The Nassau Inn, 10 Palmer Square East, is featuring Hoops and Hops, when, during all March Madness games, March 18 through April 7, the pub is offering $5 Voodoo Ranger IPA, Yankee Doodle Ale, and Lightstrike. Also, make a shot in the mini-hoop behind the bar to win prizes! The Pub Grub Menu will also be available during all games. more
Princeton’s most famous resident, Albert Einstein, was born on March 14,, the numeric equivalent of pi, and the town is ready for its annual Pi Day Celebration, including a Pie-Eating Contest, Pi Recitation Contest, Einstein Look-Alike Contest, tours, and more. (Pi is a mathematical constant, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter).
For the non-competitive among us, there are Dinky Rides with Einstein (featuring Bill Agress, a professional reenactor), a Pi-Rade, author presentations, family-friendly self-guided Albert Einstein tours, and a Genius Pub Crawl for adults. more
For that serendipitous bargain book, or an intriguing, rare book, the 94th Annual Bryn Mawr-Wellesley Book Sale may be the browsing space you need.
The book sale is March 12-16 at Stuart Country Day School, 1200 Stuart Road, in Princeton. Over 60,000 books, sorted into categories from Anthropology to World History, will be on sale, with most hardbacks priced at $4. Children’s books start at $1. Three special collections are featured this year from the estates of local scholars in Native American studies, British art, and archaeology. more