For this month’s Princeton Insider, we are celebrating the act of getting outside and being physical in spite of the winter weather. There are so many opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors in Princeton, be it at the D&R Canal or the grounds of Battlefield State Park. Here, we have hand selected our top picks for looking stylish (and feeling great) all winter long. Simply click on each product image to purchase! more
By Donald Gilpin
It’s the same battlefield, but 238 years later another Battle of Princeton is heating up. The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) announced last week that it is moving ahead with its 15-unit faculty housing project on approximately seven acres of a 21-acre site, while the Princeton Battlefield Society and other opposition forces marshal resistance on political, historical, and environmental grounds.
State Senator Bob Smith (D-17), chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment, announced Tuesday that hearings on the IAS construction project and the Princeton Battlefield will be held on December 21 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Environmental Committee Room of the statehouse in Trenton. Representatives of the Department of Environmental Protection, the Princeton Battlefield Society and the IAS have been invited to attend, according to Mr. Smith. Others are welcome to participate. “Hopefully,” Mr. Smith said, ”we’ll get a little more information on the issue.” more
Visit Washington Crossing State Park on December 25 from noon to 3 p.m. to witness the annual reenactment of George Washington’s historic Christmas Day river crossing. During the event, several hundred reenactors in Colonial military dress will listen to an inspiring speech by Washington and then row across the river in replica Durham boats. Additional activities and demonstrations will follow in the historic village.
While river crossings are contingent upon safe conditions, this year’s forecast is expected to be mild and bright. Even if weather conditions delay the crossing, all ceremonies, speeches, and commemorative activities will still occur. more
Photography by Thomas Robert Clarke
For this year’s Holiday Chef Series, Urban Agenda Magazine wanted to spotlight the Executive Chefs from some of New Jersey’s best-known country clubs and golf clubs. Synonymous with fine dining and a rich heritage of championship golf, these chefs are used to cooking for weddings, special events, and momentous holiday occasions.
Each chef has provided a sample of the holiday menu offerings at a particular club. Thoughtfully prepared and perfected for the season, these menus are cause for celebration.
Cheers!
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
Why spend a fortune booking a flight for a vacation when you can retreat in the good ol’ Garden State? New Jersey is home to a surprising number of charming inns and hotels that are full of character and coziness. If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing and more intimate getaway, the following destinations are perfect for you. more
Whether you begin at the northern most winery in Sussex County or the southern most winery in Mercer County, visitors will find an overwhelming amount of varieties to sample during Vintage North Jersey’s Wine Trail Weekend, November 14 & 15.
Terhune Orchards Vineyard and Winery will offer guests samples of their award-winning red, white, and fruit wines crafted from their own local vineyard and orchards. Throughout the weekend, Terhune will pair the wine with delicious treats from local gourmet food purveyors, such as 3 Monkeys Mustard. more
Last week, Dominique Ansel (the well-known inventor of the Cronut) brought his team to Princeton to pick apples at Terhune Orchards. While at the Van Kirk Road orchard, he and his team posted photos on Instagram of the 125 pounds of Macoun, Jonathan and Gala apples that they picked to make salted caramel apple pies. The pies will be sold at Pie Night on October 1, 2015 at Dominque Ansel Kitchen in New York City.
As part of Pennington’s 125th Anniversary celebration, the Hopewell Valley Historical Society is sponsoring an historic house tour on Saturday, October 3. The tour, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., features a diverse group of Pennington’s most historically and architecturally significant homes.
The architectural diversity of houses on the tour is represented by eight houses dating from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. Over a half dozen architectural styles can be seen including the Federal style, Greek Revival, Italianate, Colonial Revival, Craftsman, Queen Ann, Shingle and American Four Square. As a bonus, tour goers can also visit the recently restored Gothic Revival Alumni House at The Pennington School and view the impressive Neo-classical Sun National Bank building. more
By Anne Levin
Photography by Tom Grimes
To reach The Farm Cooking School in Stockton, you turn off Route 29 at the sign for Tullamore Farms onto a rutted, bumpy road. Almost immediately, if your windows are open, you notice a change in the air. It’s cooler. It smells good.
You drive up the tree-shaded road and park behind the barn, just across from the 18th century farmhouse that Ian Knauer, who started the school just over a year ago, has turned into a cozy teaching kitchen. If you’re lucky, three of the farm’s resident goats might gambol over to greet you, bleating as they usher you across the road to the stone steps that lead to the kitchen. more
By Linda Arntzenius
Princeton’s history is nowhere more apparent than in street names like Washington, Stockton, Mercer, Olden, Bayard, Nassau, and Witherspoon, to mention the most obvious. But for whom was Alexander Street, Guyot or Harrison named? And what of Mansgrove, Mount Lucas, and a host of others? Starting with the Princeton-born Richard Stockton (1730-1781), the first person from New Jersey to sign the Declaration of Independence, Princeton Magazine embarks on a series of articles exploring the history behind such references. more
Interview by Taylor Smith
Photographs courtesy of Semester at Sea
Semester at Sea (SAS) is a multiple country study abroad program open to qualified full-time college students at colleges and universities both domestically and internationally. The University of Virginia is the program’s academic sponsor and credit earned is transferable to a student’s home institution. SAS offers a wide variety of coursework, along with relevant field studies that provide meaningful engagement within the global community. Lauren Judge, Director of Public Affairs at SAS, spoke in-depth about everything from the faculty who serve on board to application suggestions for prospective students. more
By Stuart Mitchner
The legend known as the Princeton Record Exchange (Prex) originated in April 1977 in the U-Store parking lot on University Place on the same block as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s first residence. “I used to find students and offer them an album or two to help unload a van full of heavy orange crates of records,” Barry Weisfeld told Town Topics Monday, regarding his sale of the Princeton landmark to store manager Jon Lambert for an undisclosed amount. In 1980, Mr. Weisfeld’s traveling record fair found a home on Nassau Street, across from Holder Hall, before moving five years later to the Tulane Street building it occupies today.
Mr. Lambert, 53, still shares the attitude he expressed to a New York Times interviewer in October 2008. Referring to the “cold, sterile world on the Internet,” he said, “people get an experience here you can’t get online,” adding, in the context of the plight of independent record sellers, “If there are five stores left standing, I think we can be one of them.”
Customers and dealers all over the world will agree.
In a telephone interview Tuesday, Mr. Lambert emphasized, “No big changes, no turning everything on its ear.” The “main thrust” is to continue doing what has worked so well. Prex has been named among the top 20 record stores in Rolling Stone; in the top 10 in GQ; the top 10 in Time; and in the top five in the Wall Street Journal. more
Join Longwood Gardens for the first theater performance presented in their Meadow Garden. Created by the award-winning Pearl Damour (Katie Pearl and Lisa D’Amour) along with Mimi Lien, Lost in the Meadow follows an eclectic group of pilgrims as they make their way through the expanse of the Meadow Garden, each looking for a place where they belong. Headphones allow the audience to hear the travelers’ conversations, even though they are hundreds of feet away. more
By Linda Arntzenius
Images courtesy of Rare Finds Travel
Travel designer Melanie Tucker has the antidote for the time-pressed traveler. With a lifetime of adventurous, off-the-beaten track trips behind her, the former Princeton resident has a wealth of knowledge of three-day breaks that can deliver the feel of a much longer vacation.
She will share her know-how in a 40-minute slideshow, “Short Sojourns: Rejuvenating Travel in Just Three Days,” Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Community Room at the Princeton Public Library. more
By Greta Cuyler
At the mouth of Barnegat Bay lies a quaint Victorian village with a family atmosphere that appears relatively untouched by time. Bay Head Borough is located on the Jersey Shore’s barrier island, nestled between Point Pleasant to the north and Mantoloking to the south.
Bay Head is less than one square mile so everything is within walking distance—pristine beaches, a popular wine and cheese shop, restaurants, a bakery, public tennis courts, gift shops, bed & breakfasts, even a bank. 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 Taylor Smith
Directly north of New York City lies the Hudson River Valley, an incredibly unique place that has inspired generations of artists and creative types. The art and history museums are numerous and could easily occupy a traveler for weeks, but there are also several dozen “can’t miss” Hudson River Estates, many of which are open to the public. Large mansions overlooking the lush, loamy farmland and seductive landscape of the Hudson Valley, these sites were once home to the rich, famous, and downright eccentric. more
By Taylor Smith
The Brandywine River Valley encompasses sections of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Northern Delaware. This is horse country, rich in farmland, rolling hills, and history. The area is dotted with 19th century grist mills and Civil War sites. In autumn, the foliage is alive with color and the many bed and breakfast lodgings open their doors to weekend travellers. It’s no wonder that the famously talented Wyeth clan made the Brandywine their primary home when they weren’t in Maine.
So, if you were still planning for a destination for your next mini vacation, you can consider the Brandywine valley. That said, you might want to check vacation planning portals that can suggest when to go to this valley according to the weather and festivities. Located only a few hours from Philadelphia and Manhattan, the Brandywine makes for a relaxing long weekend. Visitors will soon come to understand why it is often referred to as the “England of Pennsylvania.” more
By Linda Arntzenius
Photography by Richard Speedy// Snapshots by the author
For outdoor adventure in New Jersey, few settings rival the Pine Barrens. Covering over 1 million acres, or 22 percent of the state, this is an ancient and unsullied land of breathtaking diversity. Less than two hours south of Princeton, visitors can boat, hike, cycle, canoe, fish, horseback ride, camp, explore old abandoned towns, or simply enjoy the otherworldly beauty of a quiet, pine-filled forest. Dozens of tucked-away rivers, creeks, and lakes of cedar-tinted water make the Pine Barrens a dream spot for canoe and kayak enthusiasts. more
By Taylor Smith
Summer is a great time to enjoy the many cultural attractions, fine food, and parks available in Philadelphia. Located approximately one hour from Princeton (two hours from Manhattan), Philadelphia is the perfect place to wile away a weekend. In addition to the suggestions below, there’s always the opportunity to watch a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park. Better yet, schedule your trip around Independence Day to view the spectacular Fireworks Celebration at Penn’s Landing on the Delaware River Waterfront. more
