Metuchen Connection Spring 2012

June 3rd proved to be another beautiful and clear day in what seems to have been one of the best June’s NJ has seen in the past decade. The clear skies and warm temperatures were the perfect background to the steel drums and face painting that took place in Metuchen’s 16th Annual Spring Street Fair.

The event saw 145 artists, merchants, non-profits, and an array of crafts and vendors lining the streets of Metuchen with attractions. Whether it was for curious sundresses and summer apparel or cool jewelry, or even a mighty fine shish-kabob, the fair catered to everyone.

Amongst the list of attractions were representatives from FM radio station NJ101.5 who were playing music and passing out goods to passersby as well as hosting prize contests. Musicians and performers provided a lively soundtrack and visual spectacles for the approximately 30,000 that passed through the fair. Food, clowns, and a slew of activities kept parents and children alike entertained and in top spirits for the entirety of another marvelous Sunday.

CHAMBER CONNECTION News aNd INformatIoN about Chamber members, eveNts aNd meetINgs

Volume 15, Issue 2 July 2012

President’s Message 12 years ago I was asked to join the Board of Directors of the Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce. I must admit that at that time I didn’t really have a clear understanding of all of the things the Chamber did other than promote business in town. Over these many years I remain in awe of all of the wonderful events the Chamber sponsors with the hope of increasing business for our local merchants and improving the quality of life for the entire Metuchen community.

On Memorial Day our streets were once again lined with hundreds of faces who eagerly watched our fantastic and moving 85th annual Memorial Day Parade (Thank you Jan Margolis!)

This spring we celebrated our fifth season of the JuneBug ArtFest which brought record numbers of people from all over the state to our great little town with a great big heart. I want to thank the scores of volunteers involved and send a special thank you to the wonderful Linda LaStella and Angela Sielski for their countless hours of hard work.

It is always with great joy that we greet summer in Metuchen – The warmer months bring with them our Monthly Classic Car Cruise Nights (Thanks Bob Matland of Black Belt Institute!), and Weekly Metuchen Market Day (Thank you Nelson Li!) . These are just two of the many events that the Chamber is proud to present to the people of Metuchen all year long. It is only with the hard work and support of our local businesses, our many volunteers, and our committed office staff that we are able to continue to do so. I want to personally thank each and every one who has taken on a leadership role to make these special events a central part of life in the wonderful Borough of Metuchen. I would also like to urge everyone to get involved and be a part of the Metuchen Chamber.

As we look forward to another busy Fall filled with activities like our 49th Annual Country Fair and the return of Scarecrows on Main, I want to remind you to support your local Metuchen merchants who in turn make it possible for all of us to enjoy these great activities.

A PUBLICATION OF THE METUCHEN AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Maggy Cook

2012 Spring Street Fair

Page 2 CHAMBER CONNECTION

The Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce works to advance the civic, industrial, professional, and commercial interests of the Borough of Metuchen

and to maintain a high standard of integrity in business practices.The Chamber Connection is

published quarterly by the Metuchen Area

Chamber of Commerce323 Main Street, Suite B

Metuchen, NJ 08840 Tel.: (732) 548-2964Fax: (732) 548-4094

[email protected]

Newsletter Co-Chairs: David Goncalves & Bob Matland

Photos by: Image Up/Frey Sen Studios Phone: (732) 549-1845

Layout & Printed by: Creative Design Plus

Phone: (732) 287-3336

Officers, Directors & StaffExecutive OfficersMaggy Cook - PresidentPrudeNtIal NJ ProPertIes

Judie Crawford – Vice PresidentKeller wIllIams elIte, realtors

Louis Novia - TreasurermetuCheN savINgs baNK

Jason Conway - Secretarythe ProvIdeNt baNK

Board of DirectorsJason Conway – The ProvidenT BankSteve Epstein – Boro ace hardwareChris Flynn – hailey’s harP & PuBSilvia Goncalves – silvia’s TailoringMartin Jessen – vicTorian office renTals

John Kwasnik – Mezzacca & kwasnik, llc

Jan Margolis – aPPlied research corPoraTion

Robert Matland – Black BelT insTiTuTeTom Mezzetti – Main sTreeT TraTToriaRichard Topping – ToPPing The weBDottie Winhold – PrudenTial nj ProPerTiesEd Lubowicki – luBowicki insurance coMPany

Chamber RepresentativesNancy Goldberg – MeTuchen recreaTion deParTMenT

Rob Donnan – MeTuchen fire deParTMenT

Fred Hall – MeTuchen deParTMenT of PuBlic works

Joe Keane – MeTuchen Police deParTMenT

Sheri-Rose Rubin – Borough council

Past OfficersHelene Zahn – yMca of MeTuchen, edison, woodBridge & souTh aMBoy

David Glasofer – iMage uP-frey sen sTudio

John Jeney – The schenck agency, inc.Maria Araneo – MeTuchen Travel

Chamber Office StaffAngela Sielski – Executive DirectorLaraine Altman – Administrative AssistantAndrea May – Administrative Assistant

CRUISE NIGHTS

First Wednesdays of the MonthJuly 11, August 1, September 5, October 3 ~ 6:00 – 9:00 pmRaindates: Second Wednesday of the monthDowntown Metuchen

METUCHEN MARKET DAY

Every Saturday June 16th to October 20th9:00 am – 2:00 pmPearl Street Parking Lot

49th ANNUAL COUNTRY FAIR

Saturday, October 6th, 2012 10:00 am – 4:00 pmRaindates: October 13th, 20th, and 27th Downtown Metuchen

SCARECROWS ON MAIN

Voting begins October 26th – November 16thDowntown Metuchen

2nd ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARADEIn conjunction with Metuchen Recreation CommissionSunday, October 28th ~ 3:00 pm

Upcoming Events

volume 15, Issue 2, July 2012 Page 3

Newsmakers

KICKS ARE FOR KIDS held their annual Kick-A-Thon fund raiser on May 5 which raised almost $2500 to help under-privileged, at-risk kids. Many thanks to our business contributors including Metuchen Savings Bank, Pete’s Barbershop, Martin & Sons Jewelers, Optique Unique, New Pearl Cleaners, Main ST. Trattoria, What’s the Scoop, Georges Dry Cleaning, Marafiki Fair Trade, Torino 2, Hailey’s Harp & Pub, Serata Fine Italian Dining, Fresco Deli, and Boyt Drugs.

Coming August 12 is the METUCHEN RESCUE SQUAD CAR-TRUCK-MOTORCYCLE BENEFIT SHOW. This benefit was started last year by Ben Deutschman and Alan Regen. Become an event sponsor or trophy sponsor to help this worthy cause. Call Ben at 732-549-2478 (email – [email protected]) or Alan at 732-549-8819 (email – [email protected]).

This past May’s architectural scavenger hunt, hosted by the Borough’s Historic Preservation Committee, was again a great success and encouraged residents and visitors to appreciate our historic downtown business district. Winners were randomly chosen from each of the five pools of correct entries, corresponding to each of the five age/group categories, and were awarded $25 in Chamber gift certificates, while runners up received booklets about the Old Colonial Cemetery. Many thanks to Chamber member Kyo Morishima for taking the photographs for this year’s hunt, and to everyone who participated in this year’s hunt.

The Central NJ U.S. Marine Corps will be hosting a 60-mile “Toys for Tots Motorcycle Run” on September 9th (Rain date: Sept 15th) at the Edison Elks Lodge #2487, 375 Old Post Road in Edison, NJ. Registration begins at 9:00am and the run starts at 12:00 pm. This is a police escorted run, with entertainment, vendors, food & drink. For more information, contact Nick D’Andrea, CW04 USMC at (732) 906-0110.

On June 4th, in their Project Citizen presentation, Metuchen 6th-graders revealed to the Borough Council, Mayor Thomas Vahalla, and Officer

Welcome New Members

NYS Collection Eyewear230 Liberty Street, Metuchen NJ(732) 429-1500www.nyscollection.com

NYS Collection offers the latest in today’s eyewear without the high price tag typically associated with premium sunglasses. The company started with one retail location at the World Trade Center in New York City. Now, NYS Collection sunglasses are sold at more than 10,000 retail locations worldwide. In the last decade, the company has established itself as the leading eyewear provider for the specialty retail industry. Rising sales, market leadership, and a proven record of success has established NYS Collection as a major player in the eyewear industry. We stand by the quality of our workmanship and offer a lifetime guarantee on all our sunglasses.

Jamie ChecketBegin Again Health Coaching917-526-3345

Begin Again is a private health coaching practice that teaches clients how to make sustainable diet and lifestyle changes that create abundant health.

Owner, Jamie Checket is passionate about helping others and committed to her clients success. Read more about her practice at BeginAgainHealth.com to find out how you can reach your health goals to live a happy, healthy life you love!

Pavel StuchinskiyRoyal King Driving School24G Wernik Place, Metuchen, NJ(732) 321-0707

Royal King Driving School of Metuchen, NJ provides effective drivers education classes to Monmouth, Somerset, Union and Middlesex counties. Our instructors are all certified by the State of New Jersey, patient, professional and trained to help you pass your test and become a safe driver. When it comes to the driving school industry we have made a name for ourselves based on our success rate and commitment to our clients. We have trained over 1,000 students of all ages, ranging from 16 to 81 years old. Our primary goal is to provide the most thorough drivers education training at the most reasonable rate!

Continued on page 7

FACE to FACE PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICESLYNN MACARIN-MARA, LCSWLicensed Clinical Social Worker

Certified HypnotherapistAdults, Adolescents, Children and

Couples GroupsNew Jersey, Staten Island & Manhattan

Call for appointment: 732 906-6383 Web Page: www.LM-M.com

Continued on page 9

Page 4 CHAMBER CONNECTION

Metuchen’s Junebug ArtFest, held every Friday evening during the month of June, has been a resounding success in its fifth year, with even larger crowds coming out to celebrate the arts.

This year, artists participating in the festival had an opportunity to showcase their works to statewide art gallery owners as well as to the general public, with quite a few gallery directors attending the ArtFest and interacting directly with artists hoping to be “discovered.”

Another highlight this year was the first annual “June Bud”

program, which sought to make the Junebug Artfest inclusive to special needs children and their families by offering special interactive activities. Junebug’s “Project Runway” event was a huge success. Sponsored by Suite Beverly and Silvia’s Tailoring, the activity encouraged teens and ’tweens to create amazing t-shirt fashions. Capping all this activity was the scenery along Main Street, even more festive this year thanks to brightly colored flags lining the street to bring a decorative spirit to the event.

Junebug ArtFest a Resounding Success

Summer Fun with Cruise Nights

June 6 July 11

August 1September 5

October 3

6:00—9:00 pm

RAIN DATES:

7/18, 8/8, 9/12, 10/10

Cruise Night

volume 15, Issue 2, July 2012 Page 5

ROTARY CLUB OF METUCHEN

We Make a Difference!We Save Lives, Eradicate Polio,

Build Schools, Grant Scholarships, Provide Clean Water and more

For More Information callFaith Murphy at 732 548-3315

Chris FlynnProprietor

John LaBarberaExecutive Chef

Moshe AtzbiManager

400 Main St, Metuchen, NJ 08840 732.321.0777

www.haileysharpandpub.com

Gerard Bargoud, RPh, MSPhone 732-548-2125

Fax 732-548-8911www.boytdrugs.com

Boyt Drugs & Gifts411 Main Street, Metuchen, NJ 08840

Pharmacy DepartmentHallmark Cards & Gifts

Wide Variety of Gifts

On June 5th, the 20th annual Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing was held at the Metuchen Golf & Country Club. This event had 81 registered golfers of all skill levels. The day started with a continental breakfast, followed by a scramble format of play. The event concluded with a barbecue luncheon and distribution of golf prizes as well as many door prizes and goodie bags.

The golf outing provided a great day for networking with business associates and friends as well as golf enthusiasts who want a day of golf at a challenging course. The golf outing also provided an excellent opportunity to promote their businesses

to the neighboring Metuchen/Edison area.

The Metuchen Chamber wishes to thank all the sponsors at the different levels for their continuing support of the many events throughout the year. Also thank you to the many volunteers and chamber staff who helped contribute to making the days event very successful.

This year’s event was again chaired by Lou Novia, Metuchen Savings Bank; Chris Flynn, Hailey’s Harp & Pub; and Jason Conway, The Provident Savings Bank.

20th Annual Chamber Golf Outing a Success!

Page 6 CHAMBER CONNECTION

FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FOR HEALTHY LIVING FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

THE YMCA OF METUCHEN, EDISON, WOODBRIDGE & SOUTH AMBOY

Corporate Office 483 Middlesex Avenue Metuchen, NJ 08840

732-516-9200 x1108 ymcaofmewsa.org

Our new website is still not one year old but we are excited by the increased number of visitors to the site and we hope to see more visitors as the site continues to evolve. Our focus is to provide a traditional style Chamber of Commerce website for our businesses while still maintaining a community focus. Why, since our area member businesses are an integral part of Metuchen and they support many of the Chamber hosted events that serve the community. As such we strive to meet the needs of our businesses and community residents.

The site provides an excellent source to find products and services from our area businesses,

to look for C h a m b e r hosted events and to read about our s p o n s o r s , while offering a d v e r t i s i n g opportunities and general information for

our businesses. Over the past months we have added many new features and content.

We extended the advertising in the Metuchen Connection to similar ad placement on our website for greater exposure, and we invite our site visitors to click on the ad to visit the business’ website or social media. So if you are looking for products or services, please check out the ads and the business directory.

Since many of the events held in Metuchen are sponsored by

area businesses and the events could not happen without their sponsorship, please acknowledge them when shopping. We list our sponsors in several spaces on the site: under Sponsors or within the actual event content. We added some additional Signature Event information for Cruise Night, JuneBug ArtFest and Metuchen Market Day.

Lastly, we began a Network Information & Education Series of events that are open to businesses and consumers. We video these sessions and include them on our site.

So bookmark the site, check the calendar and announcements for the latest information and future updates. Also, please note that our web address is MetuchenChamberExchange.com. Links from the old address may no longer work.

Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce Website

volume 15, Issue 2, July 2012 Page 7

Jill JustinThe Jill Justin Dance Alliance1199 Amboy Avenue, Edison, NJ(732) 662-9808

The Jill Justin Dance Alliance offers dance instruction for students aged 2 ½ and older. Zumba classes are offered for adults. Our spacious, state-of-the-art studio is conveniently located in Tano Mall on Amboy Avenue. Stop in for a free trial class! We welcome students and their families who not only want, but demand, the very best. Our dancers receive individualized instruction to assure maximum growth and achievement. Our school’s unique program is designed to enhance technique and stage performance, while our professional faculty carefully monitors the progress and growth of each dancer in our studio. Whether your child dances one hour per work or multiple hours a week, they receive the same quality instruction from the same top faculty members. Every student is important at The Jill Justin Dance Alliance. Contact us at [email protected].

Roxanne AggarwalTwinkling Creations616 Middlesex Avenue, Metuchen, NJ(201) 424-5619

Twinkling Creations brings you handmade jewelry inspired by current trends and imbued with the transcendental beauty of this world. We use only Swarovski crystals and semi-precious gemstones. Our in-house artist, Roxy, is well known in the community for her talent. Our Dazzle-Me service enhances your party, bringing our artist on site to assist guests in choosing crystals and designs for their jewelry. Our services can be used for bridal showers, weddings, proms birthdays and more. We offer customized jewelry at no extra charge. We strive towards adding twinkles in your eyes. Visit www.twinklingcreations.com for more info!

Metuchen Self Storage138 Liberty Street, Metuchen, NJ(732) 906-0300

Metuchen Self Storage is a family-owned, full service, self storage facility offering many different types of climate control and non-climate controlled units for rent... and of course use of our truck FREE to move in! Please call or visit us to learn about our daily specials. We are conveniently located at 138 Liberty Street, directly off Central Avenue in the Liberty Corporate Park. Greater Media Newspapers The Edison/Metuchen Sentinel198 Route 9 North, Manalapan, NJ (732) 358-5200

Greater Media Newspapers is a group of 10 community newspapers and 12 websites servicing the communities in Middlesex and Monmouth counties. We are your local connections for news, sports, real estate and business. For more information, visit: www.gmnews.com.

Welcome New Members cont from page 3

Did you know that the Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce offers membership for families? “Family Members” know that their dues are an investment in their business community and not merely a contribution. They recognize that by putting “their money where their house is” they are helping the Chamber continue to promote and sponsor activities that benefit the businesses, schools, and residents of Metuchen. For more information about Family membership contact the Chamber office.

Bernice P. Venable, Ed.D.

Account Executive

[email protected]

SDB(SBA) Veteran Owned

90 Saw Mill Pond Road

Heller Industrial Park

Edison NJ 08817

Phone. 732.985.6677

Fax. 732.985.2909

us321.alphagraphics.com

Memorial Day, a day to remember our heroes who gave ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty to protect our country, our ideas, and our way of life. For Metuchenites, it is something more than that. For us, it is a long held tradition that is embedded in the rich history of Metuchen. On one hand, we offer our tributes to our war-heroes by including veterans and military vehicles in parade. On other hand, we display the talent and entrepreneurial spirit of the people in our town. Our kids participate with great excitement and interest thus inspiring them to keep our town as unique and talented as it always has been.For our 85th Annual Memorial Day Parade, the theme was “Honoring

Our Women in the Military” and it featured as grand marshals, eight female veterans who served from 1941 through the present. It is so touching to see our mothers, sisters and daughters who fought for our country, side by side with our fathers, brothers and sons. Metuchen proves that even though we are a small community, we contribute to the development of our country in all possible ways.

During the ceremony held in Memorial Park, high school students from Metuchen who have enlisted in the military were honored alongside veterans and our grand marshals. Retired Army Lt. Col. Jeanne Marie McNamara recounted the history of women’s service to the strides of the present day. “In these times of war when paying the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom may become a reality, these are not easy decisions to make for these young people,” she said.

Edgar School 8th grader Divina Tanamai won the school district poster contest, beating out 400 others, for her rendering of weathered boots and footsteps, a flag and a sunset. “Your steps to freedom will never be forgotten,” the poster’s title said.

The parade and ceremony were organized by the Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce, and paid for by private donations. After the ceremony, everybody was invited back to American Legion for free hot dogs and root beer.

Page 8 CHAMBER CONNECTION

Speech-Language Pathology Associates, Inc.

Heidi Sperling, MS CCC-SPSharon Ratiner, MA CCC-SP

272 Main Street, Metuchen,NJ 08840TEL (732) 321-1780 FAX (732) 321-0164

www.sperlingratinerspeech.com

568 Middlesex Ave. (Rt 27) Metuchen, NJ(732) 548-0149

Figure 0: Our Kids in a Bicycle Caravan 

 Figure 0: Chambers' Members in the Parade 

Chamber’s Members in the ParadeOur Kids in a Bicycle Caravan

volume 15, Issue 2, July 2012 Page 9

The American Cancer Society kept residents in Metuchen up all night for this year’s American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Metuchen. Participants from the area joined a national movement that, since inception in 1985, has raised more than $3.5 billion to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Cancer survivors celebrated their triumph over the disease by walking in the Survivors Lap to kick off the celebration. They were then joined by more than 200 participants who took turns moving around the track at Metuchen SportsPlex throughout the night in honor of cancer survivors, caregivers and those who have lost their battle with cancer. At nightfall, a “candlelight” vigil was held to honor survivors and to remember those lost to cancer. White Luminaria bags lined the track with glow sticks and were left “burning” throughout the night as a reminder to participants the importance of their involvement in the Relay For Life event. Each bag was decorated by participants at the event with pictures, poems and messages to their loved ones. “The American Cancer Society is appreciative of the overwhelming show of support from the residents of Metuchen,” said Stephanie Coutros, Relay For Life Director. “We are especially grateful to the

many volunteers and their families for all of their hard work to make Relay For Life a reality. They represent hope that those lost to cancer will not be forgotten, that those who face cancer will continue to celebrate many more birthdays, and that the disease will one day be eliminated.” For more information about Relay For Life or other American Cancer Society programs and services, call the American Cancer Society 1-800-227-2345 or donate online anytime at www.RelayForLife.org/MetuchenNJ.

Continued from page 3NewsmakersLOCAL RESIDENTS JOIN AMERICAN

CANCER SOCIETY TO CELELBRATE A WORLD WITH MORE BIRTHDAYS AT

RELAY FOR LIFE OF METUCHEN

Joseph Keane their views on the dangers of texting-and-driving. The 6th-graders suggested ways of increasing awareness and preventing texting-while-driving such as increased officer focus as well as introduction to the D.A.R.E. curriculum. Various leadership figures, including Councilwoman Dorothy Rasmussen, were impressed with the 6th-graders insights and thoughts on the matter.

On Saturday June 9th, the Freemason’s of Metuchen, in conjunction with Cristian A. Ossa, kicked off its 4th annual Treasure Hunt.  The Treasure Hunt is a “Metuchen Town” community based event that has children, moving in teams, finding clues, solving puzzles, and getting to better know the town in their search for the Final Treasure much like the movie “National Treasure”.  It began with a few words from Cristian A. Ossa, Borough President Peter Cammarano, and a poem by Sebastian DaCosta, before the teams were all given their “First Clue” off through Metuchen they went! The Treasure Hunt had over 200 people walking around Metuchen till 4pm that day.  They explored many stores; stopped for lunch, met many store owners and gained a better understanding of the goods and services Metuchen provides. Prizes for the teams were provided by What’s the Scoop, the Black Belt Institute, To Be Continued… Bookstore, Friendly’s, Chase Bank and Wells Fargo Bank.  Thanks to all who helped and attended.

KICKS ARE FOR KIDS holds “COOL KIDS BULLY RESISTANT WORKSHOP” fund raiser for ages 6 through 12 on June 2. Kids and parent’s learned that bullying cannot be stopped, however, there are methods to resist being bullied. Parents learned the signs of being bullied, and bullying, and methods to better respond to these signs. Kid’s learned how to get help from parents and other adults.

Contact the Chamber Office to have your news included in the Newsmakers.

Page 10 CHAMBER CONNECTION

™

My name is Aanand Aggarwal. I am a 3rd grade student at Campbell Elementary School. I am also a Cub Scout in Metuchen Cub Scout, Pack 15. I enjoy participating in our local events that includes recently held Memorial Day Parade, Metuchen Street Fair, Junebug Artfest and many more throughout the year.My Experience in the Memorial Day ParadeThe Memorial Day Parade was both a fun and tiring experience. It was fun to see old friends while marching down Main Street and it was tiring to walk a long way in hot weather. I walked along with my Cub Scout Pack. It was enjoyable to be marching proudly with everybody watching. My Experience at the Metuchen Street FairThe Metuchen Street Fair was an extremely fun day. My mom is an artist who designs jewelry and I was helping her at her booth. I had my own table serving free cool-aid, as relief from the heat to all the visitors. It was fun because some visitors would drop a tip in my

box. My grandma visited and put huge tip in my box. While my mom was busy interacting with visitors, my dad and I went around visiting some other stalls for some time. I visited lots of different stalls. I saw people selling: hats, purses, shirts, and many more things. The Metuchen Street Fair was great.My Experience at the Junebug ArtfestThe Junebug Artfest is fantastic always because of the amazing things that you can do there. I could walk around Main Street with my friends, visiting other artists and shops. My friends and their parents also come to the Junebug. Sometimes we get frozen yogurt and go to the bookstore. The Junebug is super fun.My Experience at Campbell SchoolI love my school because we have so much fun activities all year around. We have annual talent show and even though I am only in 3rd grade, I got to perform at Metuchen High School. The audience there was very friendly and they gave me a big applause. It felt so good.

As my school is so close to my home, I get to walk home when school ends. I have the responsibility to pick up my little sister (Grade 1) and bring her to the spot where my elder brother waits for us. We all walk together home. It is so much fun. Sometimes we get to play in the school playground after school. I think it is so nice that we can walk home and so we do not have to depend upon the bus. It allows us to have more fun.I love living in Metuchen because we have friendly people, kind teachers, fun local events, and programs for kids like me. There’s no place like Metuchen!

Metuchen: MY EXPERIENCEBy Aanand Aggarwal, 9-year-old from Campbell School

Dr. Kevin J.HoltonChiropractic Physician

When you’ve suffered long enough

289 Central Ave. Metuchen, NJ 08840

732-549-0141 Fax: 732-632-2103

www.drkevin jholton.com

July 6th Reception will be Followed by Weekly Cooking DemonstrationsCo-sponsored by Metuchen Market Day and the Borough Improvement LeagueOn the first Friday evening in July, Metuchen area residents will have the opportunity to taste a historic wine.Only one week ago, a wine competition in Princeton was set up to mirror the notorious 1976 “Judgement of Paris” where California wines routed their French competitors in a blind taste test. This time, New Jersey wines were compared with French peers and again judged blind by a panel of international wine experts, including three critics from Belgium and France. The New Jersey wines were ranked so well that the results were almost a statistical tie; a 2010 Chardonnay from Unionville Vineyards placed a close second after the top white, a Joseph Drouhin Beaune Clos Mouches 2009 from Burgundy, France. “I am ecstatic about sharing this epic moment in New Jersey wine history with Metuchen,” says Janna Morishima, programming director for Metuchen Market Day. “The quality and variety of what is being produced by New Jersey farms, orchards, and vineyards is increasing every year, and this special event gives us a chance to celebrate that, not to mention raising a glass to toast the continuing growth and success of the Metuchen Farmers Market.”At Metuchen’s July 6th wine & cheese reception, local wine lovers will be able to sample this spectacular wine from Unionville, along with a host of other specialities, including Governors Cup-winner The Big “O” (a blend of Cabernet Sauvigon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot); Albariño Spanish-style

dry white; and Vat #17 Port, among others. Local m u s i c i a n Steve Kaplan will be entertaining guests with acoustic guitar music.The event is open to the public and starts at 7 pm on July 6th, in the Old Franklin S c h o o l located at 491 Middlesex Avenue. Tastings will be available for $5 a glass. The wine & cheese reception is the launch event for Metuchen Market Day and the Borough Improvement League’s Summer 2012 event calendar. Every Saturday at 11 am in July and August, food enthusiasts are invited to attend a variety of presentations at the Old Franklin School. These will include:July 14: The Stress Effect by Jamie Checket, a private health coach, on how to use food and behavior to lessen stress; July 21: Let’s Cook Indian by Hema Devarajan, an Indian cooking blogger; July 28: Say Cashew Cheese by health coach Evelyn Fuertes; August 4: Fresh Fruit and French Pastry by Kir Rodriguez, Pastry Chef Instructor at The International Culinary Center in NYC; August 18: Cooking Gluten-Free by Karen McNamara, a former special education

teacher, and Allison Inserro, who runs the support group www.allergyfriendsnj.org; and August 25: How to Pack a Bento Box Lunch by Janna Morishima.Metuchen Market Day is the Metuchen farmers market, held every Saturday in the northeast corner of the Pearl Street Parking lot from 9am through 2pm, and sponsored by the Metuchen Chamber of Commerce. To join the mailing list or get more information, visit http://www.metuchenmarketday.com or become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/metuchenmarketday.The Borough Improvement League, founded in 1901, is a non-profit organization devoted to community service and preserving the historic Old Franklin School in Metuchen. For more information, visit http://www.boroughimprovementleague.org or become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/groups/boroughimprovementleague/.

volume 15, Issue 2, July 2012 Page 11

Reception Featuring Award-winning Unionville Vineyards Opens Metuchen Market Day 2012 Events Calendar with a Bang

websites + logos + ads + flyers + brochures + sell sheetsCall Dan for your business marketing needs: 732.603.1341

dan flint DESIGN.com

Page 12 CHAMBER CONNECTION

The CHAMBER CONNECTION

Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce323 Main Street, Suite BMetuchen, NJ 08840

PRESORTED STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDNEW BRUNSWICK , NJ

PERMIT NO.40077

John F. Kwasnik, Esq.Attorney at Law

Phone: 732.549.4600Fax: 732.549.8028

2 Lincoln Highway5th Floor, Suite 511

Edison, NJ 08820

BORO ACE HARDWARE

Steve Epstein655 Middlesex Ave.Metuchen, NJ 08840

Phone 732-548-3974Fax 732-548-8024

ORTHODONTIC SPECIALIST P.C.

Children Adults Invisalign

MICHAEL J. DONATO, JR. DMD

Member of American Assoc. of Orthodontists, Diplomate, American Bd. of Orthod

450 Middlesex Ave. Metuchen NJ Spec Perm. #3884 732-548-5008

www.straightteeth.net