Friday Finds: News, views and tips..from you!

By Kathy Shaskan

We just heard some terrific news from the Willow School in Gladstone. Their new building, called "The Barn," has been acknowledged as the greenest building in New Jersey! (Platinum certification, U.S. Green Building Council.)

The Barn has an amazing combination of eco-friendly features. It was built with salvaged and recycled materials. It uses rainwater running off the recycled steel roof to flush the toilets. Its wastewater is treated by passing it through a bed of hydroponically grown plants. Daylight is used to supplement electric light. Photovoltaic cells capture solar energy.

Bottom line: The Barn consumes 70% less energy and requires 50% less electrical lights compared to an identical building constructed to code. Congratulations, Willow School!

Book Beat: Upcoming Book Signings

By Jenniah Caldwell

What is the perfect yuletide gift for the bibliophiles on your holiday shopping list? A signed copy of one of the holiday's hottest books, of course! Here's a listing of upcoming book signings that are sure to make your (and their!) season bright.

Sopranos: The Book: The Complete Deluxe Edition by HBO

Did the ambiguous ending of the Sopranos series leave you feeling bewildered and wanting more? Sopranos: The Book contains 225 pages packed with cast photography, episode guides, and behind the scenes gossip, which will definitely help fill the void. It may even answer some burning questions about the finale -- like, will Meadow ever get her car parked?

Actor Vince Curatola, who played Johnny ‘Sack’ Sacramoni on the mega-hit, will be signing copies of Sopranos: The Book on December 15, 2007 at 1 p.m. at Bookends, East Ridgewood Avenue in Ridgewood, NJ.

Pontoon: A Novel of Lake Wobegon by Garrison Keillor

Pontoon is author Garrison Keillor's latest addition to his Lake Wobegon tales. Lake Wobegon, a fictional Minnesota town made famous by radio’s A Prairie Home Companion, is peopled with a cast of campy and heartwarming residents like Evelyn Peterson, whose secret life and comical adventures are revealed to her family only after her death.

Garrison Keillor will be signing copies of Pontoon on December 16, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. at Mendham Books, East Main Street in Mendham, NJ.


No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach by Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain, New Jersey’s own bad boy of all-things-epicurean, has taken his taste for exploration and adventurous food on the road on his hit Travel Channel show No Reservations. Around the World on an Empty Stomach is the illustrated companion book to the series, recording Bourdain's travels from the exotic ends of the earth and into his own New Jersey neighborhood. Brash, outspoken, and humorous, Bourdain is considered one of America’s best food writers.

He will be signing copies of Around the World on an Empty Stomach on December 15, 2007 at 7 p.m., Barnes & Noble Tribeca, 97 Warren Street in New York City.

Fashion Forward: Clutch and Go

By Leigh Boriskin

With the holiday season upon us in full force, our best party frocks are stepping into high gear. From beaded to tulle, to chiffon-trimming and lace overlays, one final touch will make your outfit pop with sophistication and unrelenting style: The clutch.

Perfectly fitting into the palm of your hand, the evening clutch has little room for error, or anything else for that matter! When grabbing onto this trend, bring only the essentials: keys, cash and gloss, and nothing more.

Stop into Knit Wit in Margate to pick up Moyna’s bronze beaded clutch, which will add just the right amount of sparkle to any outfit.

Add a serious pop of color to your LBD when you carry Lauren Merkin’s fuschia sequined clutch, available at Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Short Hills.

When both silver and delicate ruffles are in the mix, what woman could ask for more? Snag up Santi’s ruffled clutch at Willow St. Boutique in Summit to add a final touch of glam that needs nothing more.

New & Noteworthy: Chelsea in Princeton

By Kathy Shaskan

Rhonda Salem is excited about the opening of her new shop in Princeton's Palmer Square. The doors were thrown open just 2 weeks ago at Chelsea, an upscale gift and bridal registry boutique that focuses on designer brands. You'll find Vera Wang, Kate Spade Tabletop (shown above), Michael Aram, Marc Jacobs, Bernardaud, Rosenthal, Kosta Boda, Missoni, Richard Ginori, Jonathan Adler, Ralph Lauren, and Vietri, to name a few. If you're closer to Shrewsbury, you can visit the original store at The Grove. Or, find out more about shopping in Princeton (and score some great deals too).

The Monday Muse: Princeton University Art Museum's Beloved Daughters: Photograhs by Fazal Sheikh

By Kimberly Baldwin

Between now and January 6, 2008 you absolutely must make time to visit the Princeton University Art Museum to see Beloved Daughters: Photographs by Fazal Sheikh. The exhibit is a combination of two of the artist-activist's 2005 projects: photographs and testimonials of dispossessed widows in the northern Indian holy city of Vrindavan that appeared in his fifth book, Moksha (Heaven) and Ladli (Beloved Daughter), a funded project that explored the challenges faced by girls and young women in a fast-changing yet tradition-bound society.

On the surface, you'll find 150 black and white aesthetically beautiful and haunting images. Each photograph is expertly composed and captures the essence of each subject. As you read the accompanying text and learn the stories behind the faces – of the abandonment, forced prostitution, domestic slavery, and murder – you are forced to reconsider your initial reaction to the works. The stories are deeply moving and may come as a shock to many. The exhibit will leave you much more aware and questioning India's retrogressive treatment of women in a time when their economic profile is becoming more contemporary.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Find more exhibits and art events here.