See why The Bent Spoon has been stealing the hearts of ice cream lovers near and far
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
With over 550 farm fresh flavors in rotation– including a constant supply of chocolate and vanilla – it’s no wonder that The Bent Spoon has developed a cult-like following in Princeton, New Jersey. Aside from promoting local businesses, the state of New Jersey, and organic eating, The Bent Spoon has also encouraged Princetonians to get experimental with their ice cream.
The quaint shop offers 24 flavors at a time, each inspired by seasonal New Jersey produce. That means there are summer ice cream flavors like sweet corn, basil, and Beach Plum currently available, while flavors like pumpkin and shiitake mushroom will make their debut this fall. Although most people don’t associate fruits and veggies with a decadent dessert, The Bent Spoon proves that produce is possibly at its best when made into ice cream. more
Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society presents its 2015 Historic House Tour The Next Generation on Saturday, September 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The tour will feature six historic homes and the First Presbyterian Church, c. 1839. Additional buildings include the Gristmiller’s House, c. 1868 (now Cranbury History Center); Firehouse Museum, c. 1920; United Methodist Church, c. 1848; Town Hall & Gourgaud Gallery, c.1896; and the Garrett P. Voorhees House, c. 1834 (now Cranbury Museum). more
Friday, August 14
8:45 p.m.: Free, outdoor screening of the children’s movie Shark Tale at Princeton’s Palmer Square Green.
10 p.m.: Meteor Shower Watch at St. Michael’s Farm Preserve hosted by D&R Greenway Land Trust. RSVP by emailing jwatson@drgreenway.org. more
Friday, August 7
7:30 to 9:30 p.m.: Free, Dancing Under the Stars at Princeton’s Hinds Plaza. Demonstrations are led by members of Central Jersey Dance (repeats twice monthly through September).
Saturday, August 8
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: West Windsor Community Farmers market, located in the Vaughn Drive Parking Lot at Princeton Junction Train Station.
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: The Pennington Farmers Market at the lawn at Rosedale Mills, 101 Route 31 North in Hopewell Township.
Noon to 5 p.m.: Sangria Weekends at Terhune Orchards Vineyard and Winery Tasting Room (repeats every Saturday and Sunday in August). more
From celebrating birthdays to frolicking outdoors, the husband and wife team and co-owners of The Farmhouse Store tell us the things they can’t live without
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
The “About Us” page on The Farmhouse Store’s website begins, “Ultimately it’s a family business.” You need not look any further than owners Ron and Kristen Menapace’s list of 10 favorite things for proof of that statement. With their #1 spot going to spending time with their family, it’s clear that the Menapace’s success is rooted in their love for one another. Ron and Kristen aren’t running their highly esteemed home furnishings and accessories store, they can be found motorcycling, traveling, or doing another one of their favorite things listed below. more
From prepping Thanksgiving dinner to vacationing in Maine, co-owner of Brick Farm Market, Robin McConaughy reveals the 10 things she can’t live without
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
One look at Robin McConaughy’s list of 10 favorite things reveals a lot about the co-owner of Hopewell’s Brick Farm Market. It tells of her love for the outdoors, great food, family, and her hometown area. It also shows that most of McConaughy’s favorite things make up the foundation of her family businesses, Double Brook Farm, Brick Farm Market, and Brick Farm Tavern. In fact, McConaughy and her husband Jon have been channeling their passions for fresh food and environmentally friendly practices into their work since 2000. As a result, the McConaughys have provided the greater Princeton area with a flourishing chain of businesses that feature local food and vendors. Below, McConaughy explains to Princeton Magazine why her 10 favorite things drive who she is and what she does. more
Friday, July 31
10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.: Sidewalk Sale at Princeton’s Palmer Square. This 3-day event features great deals from participating stores (through August 2).
2 to 4 p.m.: Free, outdoor performance by the musical group The Alice Project at Princeton’s Palmer Square Green.
Saturday, August 1
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: West Windsor Community Farmers Market, located in the Vaughn Drive Parking Lot at Princeton Junction Train Station.
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: The Pennington Farmers Market at the lawn at Rosedale Mills, 101 Route 31 North in Hopewell Township.
10 a.m.: Start of the Just Peachy Festival at Terhune Orchards, a celebration of everything peach including a special “Farm to Fork” tasting with area chefs and restaurants (also on Sunday, August 2).
10 a.m.: Pam Mount’s Annual Canning and Freezing Class at Terhune Orchards in Princeton. Register online at www.terhuneorchards.com. more
Mimi Omiecinski tells Princeton Magazine the people, places and products she can’t live without
Mimi Omiecinski is a Nashville girl who is unapologetic regarding her complete love affair with the host town of the 4th College in the King’s Colony.
“I have fallen completely in love with the town and people of Princeton. I would eBay everything I own to be able to raise my son, date my husband and entertain my friends in Princeton.”
Nine years since she transplanted to Princeton, Mimi is now owner of its #1 Activity on Trip Advisor. Her business, Princeton Tour Company, has recently been recognized as the #1 Tour Operator in the Northeast by AAA Magazine. In addition, she is the founder of a celebration honoring Albert Einstein’s birthday and the number 3.14, Pi Day Princeton, attracting international coverage from the New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR and more.
Interestingly enough, this award winning tourism owner has no formal business training and holds no degrees in history. In 1988, she graduated top of her class from the University of Tennessee in Social Work – a training dedicated to building strong individuals, families and communities. Some believe it’s that unconventional approach to business that holds the secret to her success.
Princeton Magazine wanted to see what the irrepressible Princeton autodidact counts as her favorite sources of inspiration and must-haves. more
By Linda Arntzenius
Princeton is a place of discovery. Nowhere more so than during Morven in May. Focused on art and artistic creativity both indoors and outdoors, this year’s event will bring a number of extraordinary artists to Princeton for the first time, foremost among them basket maker and MacArthur Genius Fellow, Mary Jackson of Charleston, South Carolina.
Regarded as a national treasure by museums and private collectors, Mary Jackson, 70, is the nation’s most celebrated maker of sweetgrass baskets. Her work has been bought by Britain’s Prince Charles and Japan’s Empress Michiko. more
By Greta Cuyler
Illustrations by Jorge Naranjo
In July Amazon.com opened the doors to its new warehouse and fulfillment center in Robbinsville, bringing hundreds of jobs to Mercer County and millions to state and local coffers. These fulfillment centers are integral for businesses to get their products out there to their customers. If you are a new business on Amazon, then what you need to understand about FBA is that it can be incredibly beneficial during the holiday seasons for your business to thrive.
Amazon is a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, Washington, offering an online marketplace where customers can browse and buy millions of new and used items, including books, movies, electronics, toys, clothes, jewelry, sporting goods, home and garden and much more. more