TEAM WORK: “The issue in aging is that everyone is an individual, and the issues are different for every family. The family dynamics are different, and the fragmented healthcare system is very challenging. We are the single point of contact, the quarterback who can help people find what they need.” Joanna Gordon Martin, founder and CEO of Theia Senior Solutions (back row, far right), is shown with the company’s team of experts.
By Jean Stratton
If indeed, as studies indicate, 10,000 baby boomers are turning 65 every day and will continue to do so for at least the next decade, the implications for the health care system, for seniors and spouses with health problems, and for adult children of aging parents are very challenging. more
TRIUMPHANT AT THE FINISH: A team celebrates completing the R2C relay just beyond the finish line in Manasquan. (Photo by Paul Mecca: PaulMecca.com)
By Doug Wallack
Early on Saturday morning, 44 teams comprising over 300 runners will gather in Lambertville, on the banks on the Delaware River, and head east across the Garden State, winding 72 miles through Mercer and Monmouth counties before arriving at the beach in Manasquan late in the day. This year will mark the 22nd running of the River 2 Sea Relay, an event that for many participants has become a beloved annual tradition. Each team of seven divides the course’s nine stages between its members in an event that embodies teamwork to an extent that is rare in the world of distance running. more
2017 Youth Athletes (Photo Credit: Special Olympics New Jersey)
By Doug Wallack
Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ) held its annual summer games last month. June 9th, the night of the opening ceremonies, showed the Garden State summer at its finest; as the sun went down, temperatures hovered at a dry 70 degrees. Nearly 2,500 athletes of all ages had come to that weekend’s games, held on the campus of The College of New Jersey, to participate in seven sports: aquatics, track and field, bocce, powerlifting, softball, tennis, and gymnastics. For some, the New Jersey games would serve as a qualifying event for the Special Olympics USA Games — which will be held in Seattle next summer — but for all, the weekend was an opportunity to push themselves and build friendships. more
Trenton Country Club features many amenities including an 18-hole championship golf course, world-class instructors, and a pro shop. Set in the Delaware River Basin, the course is lined with large oaks and manicured greens. Trenton Country Club’s offerings have grown in recent years to include active ladies and junior programs. Competitive and social events, such as GAP Matches, Member/Guest Tournaments, 9-Hole Scotches, and Family Tournaments all add to a thriving culture and love of the game.
Below, Head Golf Professional Graham Dendler shares advice and insights on the course with Princeton Magazine. more
Liberty State Park
By Wendy Plump
On a recent train ride home from Boston, surrounded by people tapping at computers and staring into cell phones, as well as my own pile of devices, the meaning of serenity asserted itself. It wasn’t gained by answering emails or texts or squinting through news feeds, but by looking out the window at miles and miles of wild coastline and coves, a great gray ocean, and a marbled sky. Every seabird scratching in the sand or stand of evergreens leaning out of the wind served to remind me that this is what saves. more
By Doug Wallack
I turned off Route 206 and wound my way southeast toward Chatsworth, in the heart of cranberry country. Within a few miles, the farmland—acre upon acre of wheat and corn—was swallowed up by thick forest. A few miles further, the maples, oaks, and sassafras trees that form so much of the state’s deciduous canopy yielded almost entirely to pitch pines and shortleaf pines. The road became an evergreen-lined alley stretching out into the flat distance, where heat waves shimmered above the asphalt — looking for all the world as though the Atlantic had crept some twenty miles inland of its usual home along the Jersey Shore. The drive continued this way for some time, punctuated by the the occasional bog, until I arrived — almost without warning — in the middle of Chatsworth. more
Manta Ray, photographed by Jennifer Hayes
By Taylor Smith
The Shark Research Institute (SRI) was founded in Princeton, New Jersey in 1991 as a center of scientific research. The organization maintains field offices across the world in places as far reaching as Mozambique and India. SRI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of studying and protecting sharks and their natural habitats. SRI and its scientific research team aim to correct misconceptions about sharks and instead teach the general population to value sharks as a vital part of the global ecosystem.
Marie Levine, executive director at SRI, oversees the day-to-day running of the various networks of scientists, field researchers, members, and donors that are involved in current SRI conservation projects. more
Sweat away the day at Princeton’s latest fitness studio
By Erika Moritz
Recently, Princeton’s Palmer Square received its first Pure Barre studio at 31 Hulfish Street. Influenced by ballet techniques, Pure Barre uses small movements to tighten, strengthen, and isolate key muscles. While it is highly effective, Pure Barre is low impact, making the risk of injury extremely low. To learn more about this growing workout trend, Princeton Magazine met with Princeton studio founder and owner, Jacqui Arce-Quinton. more
Friday, June 23
10 a.m. to noon: The Friends of the Princeton Public Library Preview Sale (regular sale begins at noon and continues through Saturday, June 24 at 5:30 p.m.).
12 to 8:30 p.m.: The annual Friends of Princeton Public Library Book Sale. The sale features special collections and rare books as well as books in all genres and for all ages. Princeton Public Library.
12:30 p.m.: Meeting, Gotham Networking at Eno Terra in Kingston. The cost to attend is $38 per person. For more information, visit www.gothamnetworking.com.
7 to 10 p.m.: The Trinity Counseling Service Junior Board presents The Summer Soiree, A Taste of Hope at D&R Greenway in Princeton. Tastings of food, wine, and brews. For tickets, visit www.tcssummersoiree.org. more
PULLING IT OFF: Princeton University women’s lightweight rower Christina Warren competes in a race this spring during her senior season. Co-captain Warren ended her college career on a high note, helping the Princeton varsity 8 to a bronze medal at the IRA (Intercollegiate Rowing Association) national championship regatta earlier this month. Last week, Warren and fellow co-captain Juliette Hackett were named to the 2017 Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association All-America team. (Photo Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)
By Bill Alden
As a young girl growing up in Sarasota, Fla., Christina Warren dreamed of being a college athlete.
Initially, Warren viewed tennis as her route to the next level, winning multiple USTA (United State Tennis Association) titles in youth competition.
But after suffering a back injury as a 15-year-old, Warren switched to rowing, joining the Sarasota Crew club program.
Warren enjoyed being part of a crew right from the start. “I think the biggest thing for me was that I was used to being on my own as an individual with tennis and when I switched to rowing it is totally the opposite,” said Warren. “It is probably the most team-oriented sport, and doing that was huge for me.” more
By Doug Wallack
The Cherry Valley Cooperative prepares for its first harvest at its new location. (Photo by Rachel Steinhauser)
“You know, the food that we’re eating is just devoid of nutrients, and it’s devoid of flavor,” Lauren Nagy says, perched on a plastic chair in the greenhouse of the Cherry Valley Cooperative. Rows of carrots, Swiss chard, kale, and all manner of other vegetable sit in starter trays stretching to the back of the facility in a patchwork of greens. A barrel-sized bucket of “compost tea” brews, gurgling nearby. Ms. Nagy explains that much of the flavor and aroma of fruits and vegetables is influenced and enriched by soil life. She says that large-scale agricultural producers tend to neglect soil quality, to the detriment of their produce. “People just don’t want to eat it — because it sucks,” she says, “We’re trying to make people like food again.” more
Illustration Courtesy of the Historical Society of Princeton
Friday, May 19
6 to 9 p.m.: Opening reception for ArtJam at 19 Hulfish Street in Princeton’s Palmer Square. The exhibit features national and local artists. Proceeds benefit HomeFront’s ArtSpace (the exhibit will be on view through June 6).
6:30 p.m.: Award-winning author and professor Eddie Glaude Jr. speaks at One Table Café at Trinity Church, Princeton. Reservations are required by May 17. RSVP by calling (609) 216-7770.
7 to 9 p.m.: Opening Night, Dancing Under the Stars at Hinds Plaza co-sponsored by Princeton Public Library and Central Jersey Dance. more
Friday, May 12
6:30 to 8 p.m.: Damsel Duo, an indie-neo-folk group featuring Beth Meyers and Monica Mugan, presents a Mother’s Day concert with acoustic-based duo Helen and Molly. Molly Trueman of Helen and Molly is Mugan’s daughter; Hinds Plaza.
Saturday, May 13
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center hosts its annual Bike Safety Rodeo and Safe Kids Day. Children ages 3-12 and their families are invited to learn about safety and prevention when participating in sports and other recreational activities. Children will receive free bike helmets, have their bikes inspected, and ride a safety course. RSVP by emailing bikerodeo@slrc.org. more
Check out some creative party venues for kids in the greater Princeton area
“You’re invited!”
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
It’s the sentence that makes children shriek with excitement. Full of presents, treats, and entertainment, birthday parties are the height of childhood fun. But as parents keep upping the birthday party anti, the yearly celebration can leave families at a loss for new and creative ideas. Alas, the days of Pin the Tail on the Donkey and ice cream cake might be ending, but luckily, our area is filled with unique birthday venues to keep you up with the Joneses. From arty parties to farm fetes, we outline party venues that will make all of your child’s birthday wishes come true. more
Jana Mars is Making Some Waves with Her Stand Up Paddle Company, Aqua Vida
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
At the end of her emails, Jana Mars signs off with “make some waves.” It’s a fitting valediction for a woman whose career – and name are centered on water. more
Photo Credit: @CristinaMittermeier | @natgeo
In honor of Earth Day on April 22, shop these green gifts, which are globally-minded in perspective.
Photo of Linda Bishop courtesy of God Knows Where I Am
God Knows Where I Am at Princeton Garden Theatre from April 13-18.
Princeton alums and filmmakers Todd and Jedd Wider will be screening their film God Knows Where I Am at the Garden Theatre from Thursday, April 13 to Tuesday, April 18. The Thursday night 7:30 p.m. screening will be followed by an in-person Q&A with the Widers, along with actress Lori Singer and Gerardo Puglia. The event is free with a Princeton University ID. more
by Doug Wallack
photography by Andrew Wilkinson
I am led upstairs to the waiting area outside the tea room. It’s a Saturday morning and there is a lesson already underway inside. Sunlight streams into the space, illuminating its warm wooden hues. It is February, and the outside world is freshly blanketed in snow, but here a diminutive space heater keeps the chill at bay. One of my hosts, Glenn Swann, instructs me to wash my hands in ritual purification while we wait. more