One of Latin America’s most influential artists, multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Lila Downs is known for her charismatic performances and unique compositions that combine genres and rhythms as diverse as Mexican rancheras and corridos, boleros, jazz standards, hip-hop, cumbia, and North American folk music. more
Interfaith Caregivers of Mercer County congratulates Project Healthy Bones Program Coordinator Maria Sergio on her well-deserved Community Advocate Award from New Jersey’s Interagency Council on Osteoporosis (ICO) for her work in osteoporosis prevention. more
(Photo by Vicki Chirco, historian, D&R Canal State Park)
By Ilene Dube
How lucky are we to live in Central New Jersey, with the D&R Canal State Park coursing through our landscape. The 70-mile-long linear park is a thriving wildlife corridor, where dragonflies fall in love, turtles sun on logs, great blue herons wade along the shore, and bald eagles nest overhead. A recent bird survey found 160 species, 90 of which nest in the park. more
Alan S. Blinder teaching in 1983. (Princeton University, Robert Matthews)
Interview by Donald H. Sanborn III
Alan S. Blinder is the Gordon S. Rentschler Memorial Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University, and a regular columnist for the Wall Street Journal. Blinder served as vice chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System from June 1994 until January 1996. Before becoming a member of the board, Blinder served as a member of President Clinton’s original Council of Economic Advisers from January 1993 until June 1994. During presidential campaigns, he was an economic adviser to Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Hillary Clinton. more
Gardens of Vatican City, Rome, Italy. (Shutterstock.com)
By Anne Levin
It all began with the Romans.
Topiary, those shrubs carved into fanciful shapes representing everything from the animal kingdom to wedding cakes, has been in practice at least since the first century. It was then that the lawyer and author Pliny the Younger, known for his detailed accounts of life during the Roman Empire, described the cypress animals, figures, inscriptions, and obelisks on the grounds of his villa on the Tuscan coast.
Photographs courtesy of Mylestone Equine Rescue.
By Taylor Smith
Mylestone Equine Rescue is New Jersey’s first all-breed horse rescue, meaning that all breeds and pedigrees of horses are welcome to its relaxing and scenic pastures. The organization, located in Phillipsburg, was founded 29 years ago by Susankelly Thompson and her husband Bruce. The couple’s children Samuel and Austin have grown up with the rescue organization and have also participated in the care and keeping of the horses, making it truly a family affair. more
Harvey S. Firestone Library, Princeton University. (Shutterstock.com)
Compiled by Wendy Greenberg
Libraries, like most other organizations, have seen a decade adapting to new technology, to shutting down completely in the pandemic, taking on new community roles, and reopening, some with changes. Through it all, librarians have been steadfast leaders of their staffs and captains of their physical spaces. more
Steven Mackey. (Photo courtesy of Kah Poon, @kahpoonphoto); (Stage image courtesy of Sarah Kirkland Snider); Sarah Kirkland Snider. (Photo by Shervin Lainez)
By Donald H. Sanborn III
Born and raised in Princeton, composer Sarah Kirkland Snider writes music that The New Yorker has described as “genre-erasing.” Her website describes her music as an organic synthesis of a “diversity of influences to render a nuanced command of immersive storytelling.”
Her works have been commissioned and/or performed by the New York Philharmonic, the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and soprano Renée Fleming. The Washington Post named Snider one of the Top 35 Female Composers in Classical Music in 2019. Elsewhere, she has been cited by critics as “a significant figure on the American music landscape,” an “important representative of 21st century trends in composition,” and “one of the decade’s more gifted, up-and-coming modern classical composers.” more
Princeton Lavender. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Lavender)
By Taylor Smith
When settlers from England brought the first honeybees to North America in 1622 (blog.education.nationalgeographic.org), the area was already populated by thousands of different species of bees. Some of these native species functioned as solitary insects where female bees would search for pollen and raise their young as a solitary unit, rather than part of a hive. more
By Laurie Pellichero | Cover image from Shutterstock.com
It’s summertime, and escapes to the Jersey Shore offer sun, sand, and a plethora of delicious dining opportunities. Here’s a sampling of waterside restaurants just an hour or so away… more
Health systems account for nearly a tenth of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions, a main cause of climate change. Penn Medicine Princeton Health is dedicated to doing its part to reverse that trend.
In the restaurant at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center (PMC), staff members and visitors end their meal by placing trays stacked with plates, utensils, and uneaten food and drink bottles into a conveyor belt that slowly carries them out of sight. more
Eight members of the Speech and Debate Team represented Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart at the 2023 National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Finals taking place on June 13-16, 2023 in Phoenix and Mesa, Ariz. The NSDA National Tournament is the largest academic competition in the world featuring over 6,000 high school and middle school students representing more than 1,500 schools from across the United States as well as participants from multiple U.S. territories and countries around the world. more
Whether you’re in the mood for a fast casual meal or sit down dining al fresco in the cool of the air conditioning, choose from a variety of options this summer at MarketFair, conveniently located at 3535 US Highway 1 in Princeton. more
An unveiling of Seward Johnson’s Monet, Our Visiting Artist will take place on the banks of the Delaware River in Washington Crossing State Park of New Jersey on Sunday, July 16 at 3 p.m.
The Washington Crossing Park Association (WCPA) and Washington Crossing State Park are happy to be a part of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council efforts to place 10 of Seward Johnson’s life-sized statues all around the Valley. They are also proud to welcome “Monet,” who, through the magic of the Johnson Atelier, will be painting his own version of Washington Crossing the Delaware at the site of the historic event. more
Steve Martin and Martin Short’s “You Won’t Believe What They Look Like Today!” will arrive at the Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Basie Center Campus in Red Bank, N.J. this fall! Ticket prices range from $75 to $299 and there is a limit of eight tickets per mailing address. more
Fatoumata Diawara is a rarity among Malian singers, wielding her electric guitar to write songs that blend Wassoulou folk music, spiritually centered Afropop, and desert blues. Singing mostly in Bambara, the national language of Mali, Diawara sings about migration, African identity, motherhood, and the struggle of African women. A veteran of screen and stage, she debuted as an actress in the ’90s, appearing in films such as Cheick Oumar Sissoko’s La Genèse and the Oscar-nominated Timbuktu. Since her 2011 debut LP Fatou, she’s collaborated with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Bobby Womack, Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), who co-produced her latest album London Ko. more
Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce was honored to hold a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony for White Lotus in downtown Ocean City.
White Lotus is a specialty brand focused on handcrafted items such as crystals, all natural bath and body products, CBD, essential oils, healing products, and more. The clothing is comfortable, stylish, and affordable. They carry brands that are both fair trade and ethically sourced. The shop owners intend for their retail space to be a relaxing and inviting sanctuary from the busy outside world. Located at 601-A Asbury Avenue, they look forward to seeing you in the shop! more
Make memories at Long Branch, N.J.’s Pier Village this summer that will last a lifetime. From classic carousels to high-end arcade games and even virtual reality games, this is a boardwalk experience like you’ve never seen it before. For the adults in the group, test your skills on chance games such as Skee Ball and state-of-the-art crane grabs for that sought-after token prize. more
For the entire month of July, Princeton Public Library will offer a free, new series featuring classic movies of the silver screen era. Audiences are encouraged to take a trip down memory lane with images from the 1940s and 1950s. Lemonade and cookies will be served at each of the film showings. more
