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Maplewood Home: It’s the Tree of Life

April 22, 2015 by rbenjamin Leave a Comment

Maplewood TreesBrooklynites: are you thinking about buying a Maplewood home, but you’re not sure yet? Next question: do you like trees? Do you go to Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Prospect Park and bask in the sun while push your stroller on Sunday afternoons? And while you’re pushing your stroller, do you think to yourself, “I wish I could have this everyday, and not just Sunday . . .” Well, think about this.

Let’s break down the name of the town, Maplewood. First word: Maple. A type of tree. Second part: wood, the stuff that trees are made of. And does Maplewood deliver on its name? Absolutely. There are: Norway and silver maples, Scotch maples, flowering cherry, honey and black locust, magnolias, pin oak, and buttonwood. Just to name a few. So, if you like trees, nature, walking around gorgeous, bucolic parks, yet still want the advantages of the urban lifestyle with booming arts and culture, and an outstanding school system, then a Maplewood home is the direct fulfillment of all those needs. Don’t just take The New York Times’ word for it. Take a look for yourself. Walk around the tree-lined streets, and wander into Memorial Park where you’ll bask in the twenty-five acres of serenity.

Brooklyn: springtime is here. The flowers are blooming. Love is in the air. There’s no better time to make the jump to Maplewood, the place that is literally made of trees.

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blog Posts, Maplewood, Midtown Direct Events

Living in Maplewood? Celebrate Restaurant Week!

March 17, 2015 by rbenjamin Leave a Comment

Gourmets living in Maplewood love Restaurant Week.Ask anyone living in Maplewood what makes the town special, and they’ll tell you about the amazing restaurant scene.  Each year, the restaurants in town celebrate Restaurant Week.  This year the celebration will run from Sunday, March 22nd through Sunday, March 28th.  Participating restaurants include fine dining establishments, casual diners, and take out spots.  They are offering special deals from special prix fixe meals, to tasting menus, to discounts on your order.

This is the perfect opportunity for Maplewood real estate owners to try out the restaurants you’ve been meaning to get to.  Get a few friends together and hit the town.  Take a trip to India at Tandoori Chef II, with 10% off dine-in meals.  The Maple Leaf Diner has a specially priced menu to enjoy all week.  Coda Kitchen & Bar offers a $30 prix fixe 3 course meal, Monday through Thursday.  Take home a special dessert from The Able Baker or get a baker’s dozen of cupcakes from Gigi’s Cupcakes.  Bill & Harry’s Chinese Restaurant is offering diners 10% off dinner specials all week.

There are so many more amazing specials offered to gourmets living in Maplewood for Restaurant Week.  Click here to see the full list of participating restaurants and plan your gastronomic adventure!

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blog Posts, Maplewood, Midtown Direct Events, Places to go

Just Picked Produce Arrives Near Your Millburn-Short Hills NJ Home

June 10, 2013 by rbenjamin 1 Comment

Fresh Produce Near Your Millburn-Short Hills NJ homeWith so many farmers markets near your Millburn-Short Hills NJ home, you can ditch grocery store fruits and veggies an entire growing season! Starting on Friday, June 7th, Downtown Millburn Farmers Market will be open every Friday, until October 25th, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market will be located on Essex Street at the Town Hall. Choose from a wide variety of local produce, some of it certified organic. There will also be fresh baked goods, local cheeses, aged beef, and more! Pick up a chicken entrée or a frozen to go dinner and give yourself a break from cooking in your Millburn-Short Hills NJ home.

On Wednesday, June 5th, the South Orange Village Center Alliance opens its farmers market, which will run from 2 to 7 p.m. until October 30th. So if you live in South Orange, come to the Sloan and First Street parking lot, across from the NJ transit station. Some farmers are certified organic, and some accept WIC and Senior FMNP vouchers.

The Maplewood Farmers Market opens at Springfield Avenue at Indiana Street on Monday, June 10th and runs from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Just a short drive from your Millburn-Short Hills NJ home to a wonderful selection of fruits and vegetables! Some farmers accept WIC and Senior FMNP vouchers.

West Orange opens its farmers market on Friday, June 28th. It will be open every Friday from noon to 6 p.m. until October 25th. Meet friends and neighbors living in Millburn-Short Hills NJ or nearby for a fun time picking out delicious locally grown fruits and vegetables. Pick up some cut flowers or a plant to beautify your Millburn-Short Hills NJ home! WIC and Senior FMNP vouchers are accepted by some farmers.

Fresh and delicious summer meals are easy to prepare with the variety of produce available at the farmers markets close to people living in Millburn-Short Hills NJ, so come and get some!

Filed Under: Blog, Maplewood, Midtown Direct Events, Millburn/Short Hills Tagged With: live in South Orange, Living in Millburn, Living in Millburn-Short Hills, living in Millburn-Short Hills NJ, Millburn-Short Hills NJ home, NJ home, Short Hills NJ home

Millburn-Short Hills NJ Home to Sidewalk Sale

May 31, 2013 by rbenjamin Leave a Comment

Millburn-Short Hills NJ home sales coming upGear up for a great time with your neighbors near your Millburn-Short Hills NJ home! On Thursday, June 13th, Friday the 14th, and Saturday the 15th, you and your family can enjoy the Sidewalk Sale and Stroll in downtown Millburn. Find a few bargains at your favorite shops and discover some new unique stores. Whether you’re looking for a few new summer wardrobe items, a piece of art or the perfect rug for your midtown direct home, or a gift for a special occasion, one of the downtown merchants is sure to have just what you need.

Make a day of it and plan to dine away from your Millburn-Short Hills NJ home that evening, too. There are so many restaurants to choose from downtown! From casual bakeries to elegant sit-down restaurants and everything in between, there’s something to suit everyone’s fancy. Why not relax with a date or good friends over cocktails and appetizers? Or, if you need a pick-me-up, savor a cup of coffee and a fresh-baked pastry.

Enjoy a beautiful day in the sun, strolling the streets of downtown and getting better acquainted with the community that surrounds Millburn-Short Hills NJ homes this month.

Filed Under: Blog, Midtown Direct Events, Millburn/Short Hills, Places to go Tagged With: midtown direct home, Millburn-Short Hills NJ home, Millburn-Short Hills NJ homes

Midtown Direct Home Town Fun Awaits

February 8, 2013 by rbenjamin Leave a Comment

midtown direct home and spa celebratingValentines Day is nearly here and should you happen to find yourself as a single woman(like me), living in Millburn-Short Hills or any of our midtown direct towns for that matter, I suggest you treat yourself well on this holiday. I know I will! Have some fun taking some time out to experience something new, like reflexology or aromatherapy, or some other treatment you can enjoy close to your midtown direct home.

Choose one or choose them all, make your reservations, and have the time of your life embracing your status, living in a midtown direct home, and being your own Valentine!

If you have a home in Short Hills, a short trip to the Hilton Short Hills eforea spa will have you grinning from ear to ear as you explore a full range of services or a packaged “journey” of experiences. The “essentials” journey delivers instant, noticeable results, while the “escape” journey nourishes your body with organic plants and substances and healing practices. Men can take their own “men’s journey” with the end result of balance and restoration.

You might also want to call Massage Envy on  Morris Turnpike, as they offer a LONG massage (an hour and a half) and Sugar Foot Scrub Therapy to boot, which may very well be a better solution to a sweet treat this Valentines Day than chocolate.

If you live in a Chatham home, you may want to stop by Chatham Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa. You’ll find a full range of pleasures, from stone massage and facials to waxing (Did I just call that a pleasure? ugh). And, if you happen to be part of a couple, they do offer special, private sanctuaries just for couples. I must mention that they are offering Valentines Specials, as well, which you can see by clicking here.

Another favorite that I had to list is a bit farther away, in Denville NJ, but the Urban Muse is truly an enchanting place. Called “The Best Day Spa in Morris County” you will find the expected list of traditional spa treatments, even including mudwraps, mixed with holistic offerings of Reiki, Angel Readings, Nutritional/Life Coaching and Intuitive Counseling which may come in handy this Valentines as you, like me, choose to love yourself.

Filed Under: Chatham NJ, Featured Blog Posts, Midtown Direct Events, Millburn/Short Hills, Places to go Tagged With: Chatham Home, home in Chatham, home in Short Hills, Living in Millburn-Short Hills, midtown direct Area, midtown direct home

To Stay or To Go – Sandy’s Effect on New Jersey Homes, People and Pets

November 5, 2012 by rbenjamin Leave a Comment

Pets displaced from New Jersey homes, tooHurricane Sandy has left many of us who live in Midtown Direct towns in New Jersey in a difficult situation. With cold weather and another nor’easter on the way, the ability to stay warm in our New Jersey homes is a critical issue. Blankets and jackets can only do so much. And while some New Jersey homes have power, many do not. For those without power, like me in my Chatham NJ home, the options are limited. We can burn wood or fuel, but those items exhaust themselves quickly. Possibly restaurants and movie theaters have heat, but those cost money and have limited hours, so are not a complete solution, either.
After a little over a week of coping without electricity and other amenities, I’ve decided to take a friend’s offer and get out of town for a little while. Others are doing the same on a day-trip basis and three charter buses are transporting residents tomorrow, leaving the Madison Municipal Lot #3 at 7 a.m., for a trip into NYC for a round-trip charge of $20. Find out more at the Chatham website here.
Pets are not allowed on the bus for obvious reasons, which brings up another point. Now, I realize my next topic may not be the most important issue when it comes to priorities but for pet people who have been made homeless, our pets have become a big issue! We’re between a rock and a hard place. We board them if we’re lucky enough to be able to afford the incredible prices of boarding at $100 dollars a day or we stay in our freezing homes and pray for power! The truth is, none of our friends (as much as they love us) are going to take us in with our beloved pets.
When leaving,  I had to find lodging for Bailey so I could spend a few days away because quite honestly I just am not sure I’m up for another storm quite yet. Luckily Morristown Inn in Morristown NJ had space available.  We are expecting this next storm on Wednesday and with the ground as wet as it is and the trees being as precarious as they are, it could be more troublesome than a typical nor’easter. People need to be prepared once again, physically and emotionally. We’ll all be praying for each other. If you have online access, click here for important numbers and information on how to get help.

Filed Under: Blog, Chatham NJ, Midtown Direct Events, Millburn/Short Hills, Summit Tagged With: Chatham NJ, Chatham NJ home, live in Midtown Direct towns, live in Midtown Direct towns in New Jersey, Midetown direct towns, New Jersey homes, NJ home, towns in New Jersey

Find Gas Near Your Millburn/Short Hills home

November 3, 2012 by rbenjamin Leave a Comment

Gas Near your Millburn/Short Hills homeI’ve learned a lot in the last week since Hurricane Sandy barreled through our New Jersey towns.  It used to be that my day to day activities were focused on the search for a Millburn/Short Hills home listing or meeting with clients and friends.  Now, however, my search is limited to finding a full gas station or a working ATM, as is the case for many residents living in Millburn/Short Hills.

My search at least came to an end, thankfully this morning.  Gas rationing has begun and I found a gas station in Summit, located on River Road, by The Broadway Diner, that had working pumps!  Yesterday I waited in line at another station only to be turned away, but this morning I realized that I only had 80 miles of gas left and knew something needed to be done immediately.  I was very blessed to have been chosen in gas rations to be one of the first in the mile long line to purchase gas.

So… I went to wait in line and I thought about how lucky we are to have just lost power in our towns. Yes, it’s difficult, but it’s nothing compared to the devastation in some areas affected by Hurricane Sandy.  While waiting, some amazingly nice people from Congregation Beth Hatikvah (I believe) brought donuts and coffee to those of us in line.  It was a literal God-send!  This is the type of thing that you’ll find in our New Jersey communities and I’m glad I was there to witness it.

Lines near your Millburn/Short Hills homeI only had to wait a little over two hours (not bad compared to some people) and when I finally got to the pump I discovered that they weren’t taking credit cards!  I suppose I should have anticipated this with no electricity throughout  our towns, but it was still a shock.  I had waited so long!

In Summit, New Jersey and all of our towns, however, people really care about each other.  The workers at the gas station were SO nice about it and in broken English we agreed that I would come back with the $50.  I couldn’t believe it – I was so grateful!  To my surprise, two seconds later a woman behind me in a car offered me $50 in cash so I could pay for the gas and I wrote her a check. Wow, these small random acts of kindness are what keep me going and are examples of why I live in Chatham NJ.  I love our community, and the fact that even in times of extreme crisis, we, as neighbors watch out for one another.  Thank you, New Jersey!

Glennwood Crosswalk near your Millburn/Short Hills homeBy the way, I saw that the gas station on Morris turnpike, across from Benihana’s in Millburn, NJ was pumping this morning, too.  I’m trying to post and share more updates like these to Facebook as I get more news that you may need, so you can follow my Facebook page here.

Filed Under: Blog, Chatham NJ, Midtown Direct Events, Millburn/Short Hills, Summit Tagged With: live in Chatham NJ, living in Millburn/Short Hills, Millburn/Short Hills Home, New Jersey towns, Summit New Jersey

NJ Midtown Direct Rail Starting to Get Back on Track

November 2, 2012 by rbenjamin Leave a Comment

NJ Midtown Direct Rail infoHurricane Sandy landed hard on our Midtown direct rail system and really all of the transportation lines on the eastern seaboard, but dedicated transit employees are hard at work to get things back on track. Announcements concerning our NJ Midtown direct towns and transit options appear to be in the works, allowing for some travel from your Summit NJ home or home in Millburn/Short Hills and surrounding areas.

Today NJ Transit resumed rail service between Trenton and New York Penn Station on the Northeast Corridor Line using this special schedule. Service for the other rail lines has not resumed because of damage from Hurricane Sandy and resulting outages in power. Most of the bus lines and the River Line light rail are providing transportation options too.

Summit, Chatham and Millburn/Shorthills home owners and residents should also be aware that rail passes will be cross honored on NJ Transit and buses and that passes expiring in October will be honored until November 7th to aid residents, according to the transit website. Please visit NJ Transit to get details and view actual schedules.

Filed Under: Blog, Midtown Direct Events, Millburn/Short Hills, Summit Tagged With: home in Millburn/Short Hills, midtown direct, midtown direct towns, Millburn/Short Hills Home, NJ midtown direct, NJ Midtown direct towns, Summit NJ home

A Hard Day and A Good Day at My Chatham NJ Home

October 30, 2012 by rbenjamin Leave a Comment

Today was a good day.

A day to witness miracles and a testament to the strength of our communities.

Leaving my Chatham NJ home to visit and see family and friends alive and well and standing next to their Millburn/Short Hills homes (many of which were still standing) was amazing. Visiting the Millburn Deli brought a tear to my eye as I watched them remove the boards from windows, a sign that things were going to be okay. Many of you can remember when that wasn’t the case.

Preparing for disaster in Millburn NJ, near my Chatham home

Yes, there was devastation in our community yesterday.

Yes, it will take time (many months, likely) to recover and rebuild.

Yes, it was a hard day.

But, it was still good.

And I will sleep well tonight knowing that my friends, family, pets and loved ones and their homes in Summit, Millburn/Short Hills, and Chatham are still here. We will continue to draw strength from one another and make each day good until one day everything will be great in our small communities again.

Devastation hits near my Chatham NJ home

You see, we as a community are resilient. Our towns have weathered major storms, like Hurricane Irene and last years ice storm on Halloween and now Hurricane Sandy, and have bounced back. In fact, we are already bouncing – Halloween has been re-scheduled to Monday in many of our towns so that we can embrace our neighborly spirit despite the tragedy that has occurred. I am excited to have a chance to have trick or treaters visit my Chatham NJ home this week and recount the blessings of having children who are able to dress up and walk through our community.

Please join me in embracing the challenges that lie ahead – the challenges that will try our patience and resolve and may at times seem insurmountable.

Devastation hits near my Chatham NJ home
Together as a community, whether you live in Summit NJ or have a home in Millburn/Short Hills, Chatham, or another of the affected areas, we need be strong, patient and move forward.  We have no choice.

Millburn, Summit & Chatham NJ Home Resources & Emergency Numbers

Listed below are some emergency resources that may be of help as you seek to rebuild and repair whatever challenges you may face individually and as a family. If I can be of service to you, please give me a call.

  • PSE&G: 1-800-436-PSEG ( 1-800-436-7734)
  • JCP&L/First Energy: 1-888-LIGHTSS ( 1-888-544-4877)
  • Radio Stations with Updates: 98.7FM or 1050AM Radio
  • Mental Health Help: 877-294-HELP (1-877-294-4357)
  • Red Cross
  • NJ Social Services
  • NJ Updates & Other Info
  • Road & Tunnel Updates: dial 511
  • Information & Disaster Referral: Dial 211
  • Individual County Website Links
  • Summit Info
  • Millburn/Short Hills Info
  • Chatham Info

Filed Under: Blog, Chatham NJ, Midtown Direct Events, Millburn/Short Hills, Summit Tagged With: Chatham NJ home, home in Millburn/Short Hills, homes in Summit, Hurricane Sandy, live in Summit NJ, Millburn homes, NJ home

Active Living in Short Hills and Millburn

July 5, 2012 by rbenjamin 1 Comment

Living in Short Hills and Millburn - Donate!The Millburn-Short Hills community has a full schedule this month, filled with all kinds of activities ranging from blood donations to date-worthy concerts at your local bar and you can find the 411 here! Beyond Fourth of July events, living in Short Hills and Millburn will keep you on your toes with celebrating throughout the month! Come be a part of the fun by your Millburn-Short Hills home and enjoy your month of July jam-packed with fun, family, and friends.

If you’re getting that mid-year feeling most of us tend to get around Independence Day, that guilty, am I doing enough for my country feeling, here’s an idea to put an end to your guilt quickly and easily. Take some time away from your busy life to enjoy the things you usually take for granted and donate some blood! Just down the street from your Short Hills home, at the Millburn-Short Hills library, you can help at the Red Cross blood drive where you can help give the “gift of life” to someone in need. According to the Red Cross, all blood types are at critically low levels, but O positive, O negative, B negative, and A negative are especially in high demand right now. You can donate on July 7th and 14th. Call 1-800-733-2767 or 973-379-4198 to learn more!

As promised, that date-worthy concert is right around the corner is you are looking for a night on the town without traveling far from your home in Short Hills and Millburn! For jazz fans, The Mark Peterson Trio will perform at the Highlawn Pavilion in the Piano Room and Bar area and offer the option of a great-priced $29 prix-fixe, three-course menu, too. The Mark Peterson Trio will play every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings throughout the summer. Make your reservations through 973-731-3463 or visit Highlawn’s website.

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blog Posts, Midtown Direct Events, Millburn/Short Hills, Places to go Tagged With: home in Short Hills, home in Short Hills and Millburn, Living in Millburn, Living in Millburn-Short Hills, Living in Short Hills, Living in Short Hills and Millburn, Millburn home, Millburn homes, Millburn-Short Hills home, Short Hills home, Short Hills homes

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