Asbury Park

Rutherford is about 1 hour from Asbury Park. It is not the closest NJ shore point, but we chose it for our first fall beach outing. I LOVE the beach in autumn - it's almost deserted, its beautiful, the waves are high, the sand pristine and I can walk along the shore in a sweater and barely worry about a sunburn. As a bonus, most of the NJ shore beaches allow dogs after Oct 1. How could we not?

(Brutus' first foray into the waves)

The Casino is a gorgeous fixture on the boardwalk between Asbury Park and Ocean Grove. It was designed by noted architect Warren Whitney. Even in ruins it is both imposing and beautiful. It is being renovated now, and I can't wait to see the results.

You can also see some really nice photos on Bridge and Tunnel Club, for example:

Tweeting with Frank Delaney

(Frank Delaney channeling Mark Twain)

I don't make a lot of recommendations on this blog, I'm picky and I just don't think that many things are worthwhile, but... I'm addicted to Irish author, Frank Delaney's podcasts on James Joyce's Ulysses. He's podcasting 5 minute commentary going through the novel line-by-line and sometimes word-by-word. I told him he's insane, but he just smiled and did it any way. Frank's insight is astute and humorous and his voice is just wonderful.

Earlier in the summer I attended a tweet-fest Frank hosted at a bar in NYC. Ever the gracious host, Frank made the hanging out with him, his marvelous wife, Diane Meier, and some of his Twitter followers a blast. (Oh, if you want to follow Frank on Twitter, his handle is FDbytheword.)

(Bennett, Frank, and a lovely Twitterista)

Frank let me tweet for him! Don't worry, he wrote the tweets, I just typed them.

(Leah and me)

Medieval Times

Have I mentioned that we're just down the road from the Lyndhurst location of Medieval Times? I've not been there since I was a kid (when it first opened) but Linnea wanted to go for her 30th birthday, so we did. Our knight, the blue knight, lost.

Talk It Up! Teen Book Discussion Group

Do I have any teen readers out there? How about parents of teens? This one's for you:

Talk It Up
TONIGHT 7PM - 8:15PM at the Rutherford Public Library
Contact: Susan Rappaport 201-939-8600 ext 19 rappaport@bccls.org

"All teens entering the seventh grade and older are invited to our summer book discussion group. We meet for six weeks and four of the books are on the summer reading list from school. The first half of the program we discuss the books and in the second half we play a really fun version of Family Feud. Come join in on the fun! Food, presents and new friends are available. Registration is mandatory so come in, call or email but you must register!"

By the way, that picture was not taken at the RPL. It's just for visual interest - give me some poetic license.

Outlet Style

When I go to Maine I always stop at the LL Bean headquarters in Freeport. I also like to explore the other shops there and the outlets. That is another thing I can ABSOLUTELY do here in NJ. Secaucus is under 6 miles from Rutherford is the original outlet center. When I was a kid the stores were actual warehouse shops, selling off seconds and last seasons stored goods. Now things are more upscale, which is both good and bad. There's a heck of a lot of shopping there:

When I visit Maine I love to hike and enjoy the outdoors. On recent trips, I've toured the Penobscot Bay islands by boat, seen bald eagles on Mount Desert Islands and gone on various hikes. I could do similar things locally but I never do these things at home. I should, there are plenty of opportunities. Here are two examples:

The NJ Meadowlands Commission offers guided boat tours of the 30+ miles of wetlands bordering the Hackensack RIver, short hikes along the meadowlands, and strolling and admiring the wildflowers in their various parks.

The closest to Rutherford is the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission Environmental Center is an 87-acre impoundment and 10 acres of park land. There is a boardwalk nature trail (made of recycled plastic boards) through the meadowlands, with bird blinds. Also, a nature center, "Trash Museum", and panoramic views of the wetlands. 2 DeKorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst, - Tel: 201 460-8300



Branch Brook Park offers 359+ cares of open meadowland and small patches of woodland on gently rolling terrain.It boasts over 2,000 cherry trees, a larger number and variety than the famous Washington, Each year the park hosts a Cherry Blossom Festival that attracts over 10,000 people a day.



What are your favorite outdoor activities around here?

Dining Under the Stars

Every Thursday evening in July Park Avenue has been closed to traffic for Dining Under the Stars. The downtown restaurants set up tables for outdoor eating while musicians stroll the street serenading the diners.

Tonight was to be my first Dining Under the Stars experience - I had a reservation for 5 at Paisano's (one of my favorite downtown restaurants). Alas, the event has been closed due to inclement weather. I've not minded all the summer rain this season, but I do now.

Next Thursdsay is the last night for Dining Under the Stars (sponsored by the Rutherford Downtown Alliance and The Leader Newspapers). Come on down.

Shakespeare in Our Park

On Friday, July 24 at 7PM The Next State Ensemble of Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey will perform an abridged version of Shakespeare's “The Taming of the Shrew” in Lincoln Park. The performance is free, thanks to the Rutherford Public Library.

“The Taming of The Shrew” is one of Shakespeare's earlier works (c1590). It is a a very fun, energetic, and accessible romanic comedy. The story will be familiar to most of the audience as it has inspired many modern rom/coms, including “Kiss Me, Kate” and “10 Things I Hate About You” As a bonus, the misogynist themes of the play can spark a great debate.

My favorite way to enjoy these performances is to bring friends, a blanket and a picnic supper.

Books In R'ford

Since Rutherford Book Exchange moved to North Arlington, there are no general bookstores in Rutherford. Yes, there is a bookstore, Resurrection Books on Glenn Ave, but it is a specialty Christian bookstore. Since I'm an avid reader this makes me sad and I daydream about opening a bookstore/cafe downtown. Until that happens, there is a saving grace: the Rutherford Public Library.

The Rutherford Public Library (RPL) has an excellent selection of books, DVDs and CDs. The collection is ably curated by Director, Jane Fisher. If you can't find it within the walls of the RPL you are likely to find it at one of their “sister” libraries within the Bergen County Library System (BCCLS). Place your request in person or online at http://www.bccls.org and the item is delivered directly to the RPL for you. I highly recommended the “Book Bag” feature (like the Amazon wish list). I even keep it open while reading book reviews so add items in which I'm interested to my Bag. Oh, did I mention that you can download free audio books too? Nice!

RPL also has children's programs, book discussion groups, ESL discussion programs and much more. Are you a budding poet? Check out the new poetry programs “second wednesdays” on the terrace of the William's Center and the free drop-in poetry workshops in the RPL's glass room. More information is available on their website.

Rutherford Public Library

150 Park Avenue, Rutherford, NJ

http://www.rutherfordlibrary.org/