Barnstorming

This is being written to balance out Saturday's rant if you will. Happy to read this morning (in the Courier of course!) that Pottery Barn will soon be joining the store line-up at Bridgewater Commons. I Love That Store! Bedroom #2 is a virtual shrine to their style (the pattern: Matine Toile in powder blue), which combines the best of traditional and country...or is it contemporary and that quirky sensibility called shabby chic? Anyway, something very soothing (at least to me!) about their products and how their collections go together and complement other furnishings as well. Between the "closed for remodeling" placard (rarely a good sign) posted at their upper west side/Manhattan location and the traffic jams caused by work on 78 by the Route 24 exit (my quickest way to the Short Hills Mall store), things were decidedly grim and I thought the only way to give in to my 'fix' would be by means of their catalog. And now...I cannot wait!

A Hole in My Universe

Beautiful weather today--not a day for being indoors , at home or in store! This is when I start weekend day trips to the farm stands and farmers markets within easy driving distance (this morning forgot to get out to the farmers market at the Bernardsville train station--does anyone know if it has Sunday hours?) But I am losing track of what I wanted to write about, a mini rant if you will.

Martinsville is a very charming spot in which to live but...There Is No Bagel Store! Oh there are very good ones if I drive 7 miles east of me and 7 miles west of me, but on Sunday morning all I want to do is go as short a distance as possible to get my fix of a pumpernickel bagel with a shmear of lox spread (and Herb his cinnamon raisin with same--a combo that makes me slightly gag but chacun a son gout...!) And while I am in the mood to 'gently' rant...a neighborhood bookstore would be a wonderful addition to the landscape as well!

Enjoy the weekend!

Dry My Car

When our friend Joe chided me for not taking my three week old car to a car wash a few years ago, that's when I discovered the Bridgewater Car Wash on Route 28. Owned and operated by the McFarland Brothers since 1976 (a good year for car washes: one of disco's trademark hits of that time bore the very same name), it is a multipurpose 7 day a week spot where you can clean-up and gas-up your car and eat-up too(a few years ago the brothers opened the adjacent Patriots Mini Mart deli and coffee shop).
There is a laundry list of a la carte services from which to choose as well as packages that range from the Full Service Deluxe to the Classic to The Works. Newest options include VIP washes. Now I am a Classic girl--hot wax, sealer wax, undercarriage, Armorall tire power-wash, $15.45--but decided to splurge for ten dollars more on a VIP treatment (the one that encompasses a mini interior detail) that left my car interior genuinely looking and smelling (no artificial "new car scent" here!) like an out of the showroom vehicle--I fell in love with my jalopy all over again. Well worth the extra shekels and I was assured the finish would last for a good two months or so (had it done a month ago and still lookin' good). By the way, the guys are staunch Giants fans (even the tips container is shaped like a mutant football!)

There's A Small Hotel

Never mind George Washington--Clark Gable slept here! "Here" is The Dunellen Hotel, a circa 1869 onetime inn now well-regarded restaurant and rathskeller owned and renovated by the same trio who brought new life to "my" Stewart's (and thank you once again, wildsnowflake, for pointing this out). The menu is quality American fare served in a light pub atmosphere. From comfort dishes like their famous meatloaf platter and chicken parm to upscale selections such as triple onion soup and sesame tuna steak. Half-pound Black Angus burgers, sandwiches, salads, wraps and more. And--shades of Nancy Drew!--a hidden staircase that descends to the rathskeller, no doubt handy during Prohibition days. Wildsnowflake also notes that the homemade potato chips "are delish!"

Tiptoe through the (Blue) Tulip

A few weeks ago my friend Jane introduced me to Westfield...and I am hooked! One hard-to-resist shop after another in a downtown that has served as a model to other communities for quite some time (trust me on this one--I used to live in a Westfield-aspirant!) So many stores, so little space...let's start with one that made a very big impression on me.
'Tis the season for hostess gifting among other occasions (dads, grads, weds and the like) and there are many stores that cater to this market, however, if you think you've seen one gift boutique you've seen them all, you'd possibly be right...that is, until you walk into the Blue Tulip. A display that was notable in its variety, uniqueness and clever presentation of objet --I was oohing and aahing all over the place as I quickly scribbled some notes (which I hope I can now transcribe!) about what I saw: teacher gifts, like a beribboned apple motif tower of three graduated-sized notebooks with matching pen (also available in sunflower pattern)...Father's Day pilsner glass having TV remote motif...hostess gifts including edible chocolate (ha! ' knew I'd sneak that one in!) flowerpots planted with truffles, and a daisy ceramic bowl with spreader...new spins on the most prosaic summer ware like bright jelly flip-flops and--no washed-out pastels!--vividly colored terrycloth beach/pool totes. What did I end up with? A pair of The most incredibly soft pale pink slipper sox.
Next time you need a gift and want to make a really memorable impression, it's 123 Quimby Street in Westfield. Many occasions, one store. Westfield. To Be Continued...

It's a frame-up!

As I type from my home office I look around--on the wall in front of me is a radio station poster, the promotional art for a friend's book, a nice citation that I once received. To my left a blown-up photo of my girls circa 3 years old. To my right, a collage of teeshirt logos. What they all have in common is the artful framing done by Lynne and Rick Bigge of Village Art Custom Framing in Martinsville (732-356-2225). Lynne has an art school background so she has that famous eye for determining what shows off artwork best, while Rick has the precision ability of the architect that he is. When I meet with them I wish I had either more wall space or more art suitable for framing. They have access to literally hundreds of frames,a rainbow of matte choices and treat your item as if it was their own, be it a child's drawing or a signed edition. And not just pictures are framed; the Bigges have done everything from memorabilia and teeshirts to a famous racehorse's halter and a collection of signed baseballs.