Endless Possibilities

By Brianne Harrison

One of the wonderful things about the arts is that they frequently provide a means of expression for those who struggle or are unable to express themselves in other ways. Those with severe physical disabilities may fall into this group, but a New Jersey nonprofit called A.R.T. (Artistic Realization Technologies) helps them realize their full (and impressive) creative potential by providing them with the tools and technology they need to paint, take photographs, and sculpt. A.R.T has helped many artists create beautiful works that have been shown in galleries in New Jersey and Manhattan.

From February 25-28, A.R.T. will come to the Princeton University Art Museum with a new show entitled “A New Way of Seeing.” Stop by for the opening reception, from 6-8 p.m. on February 25, or check the show out over the weekend—admission to the museum is free, and the works will astonish you.

If you’re feeling more active this weekend, you might want to take part in the Enable Possibility Pursuit on Sunday. Possibility Pursuit includes a 5K run, indoor and outdoor fitness walks, and a dog walk. The event is geared towards persons with disabilities, their families, and friends. Pledges and funds raised will go towards supporting the services Enable provides to the disabled and their families. For more information, visit enablenj.org.

Winter Farmers’ Market is Not an Oxymoron

By Pat Tanner

Even though this season marks the fifth year that the Central Jersey Slow Food chapter has mounted monthly indoor farmers markets in December, January, and February, many people still wonder what the heck is available when snow hugs the ground and temperatures struggle to rise into the thirties.

I attended the January market and below is a list of what I purchased. Think of it as a guide to the next market, coming up this Sunday.

1. A hunk of my favorite cheese from Valley Shepherd Creamery: Nettlesome. (Yes, it contains real stinging nettles. No, they do not sting.)
2. Packages of Simply Nic’s shortbread bars in two new flavors: winter spice and espresso with cacao nibs.
3. Empire apples from Terhune Orchards. (I managed to bypass the cider donuts and the cider.)
4. From the table of Princeton’s Whole Earth Center market, a can of Jersey Fresh tomatoes and a Colby cheese wrap. (The latter became my lunch.)
5. A hunk of the newest cheese from Cherry Grove Farm: Maidenhead, a semi soft, creamy, flavor-packed cheese washed with beer from Cherry Hill’s Flying Fish.
6. A bag of six assorted dinner rolls from Village Bakery.
7. A jar of ghee made from grassfed cow butter from Pure Indian Organic Ghee.
8. From Davidson’s Exotic Mushrooms of Kennett Square, a box of shiitakes and a box of cremini. (Which I used to make an excellent mushroom goulash.)
9. Beeswax pillar candles from Woods Edge Wool Farms. (Next time: honey.)

At that point, I had run through my funds, so I bypassed the wines of Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Catherine’s Vegan Treats, Ducky Life Teas, and a perfect antidote to winter doldrums: Stony Brook Orchids.

This week’s market will also feature live jazz and lunch offerings by Tre Piani’s Tre Bar tapas café.

Slow Food Central New Jersey’s Winter Farmers’ Market
Sunday, February 28
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tre Piani Restaurant
Princeton Forrestal Village
Plainsboro
Restaurant phone number: 609.452.1515
For information on the farmers market phone 609.577.5113

Dollars and Sense

By Lauren Johnson

This past weekend I had the pleasure of spending a lovely evening at The Arts Council of Princeton to see the opening of Consumed: An Exhibition about Art, Money and Consumption, which consisted of a variety of works that showcased the diverse perspectives and relationships artists have with money.

I found this theme intriguing in regards to the contemporary art world, since a shaken economy makes it impossible for any creative person to not face economic reality. While some artists may repurpose the marketability of their work, others may use it as a springboard for new ideas. This show was a refreshing showcase of both.

Plus, they had cookies. Shaped like dollar signs.

Upon entering the Arts Council building, my friends and I were immediately whisked into the mass of a buzzing crowd of people still wearing hats and jackets, thawing out from the frigid outdoors. After a few minutes of letting our toes regain feeling, we hung our jackets and proceeded into the exhibition.

The first piece I unintentionally noticed (though it was on the other side of the room, a crowd had gathered around), were two very bright, crisp, (and stylistically obvious) dollar signs by none other than Andy Warhol. The inclusion of these two pieces was entirely appropriate seeing how influential he was in the translation of consumerism to pop art (and later, vice versa). Nearby was a series of line drawings by Rachel Perry Welty, which turned out to not be line drawings at all, but rather razor-thin cut fruit stickers and barcodes arranged in round, organic shapes on paper. On the opposite wall hung Andrew Wilkinson’s piece, ‘MY GOD IT’S GOOD,’ a wry parody of Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper that consisted of Pillsbury Doughboys feasting on fast food and Coca Cola.

Consumed is a refreshing look at art, money, and the modern day interpretation of both. The show is currently on view and will run until February 27th.

For more information, please visit artscouncilofprinceton.org


**Images courtesy of Arts Council of Princeton**

Holiday Happenings

By Brianne Harrison

The holidays are here, and there are plenty of ways to get into the spirit this weekend. Here are some of our favorites:

Jingle All the Way Holiday Run, 12/3: Jog off some of your holiday indulgence and raise money for Special Olympics New Jersey. Dress up in your most festive running gear (prizes for the best outfits!), bring some friends or family members, and join the fun!

Festival of Trees, 12/2-1/10/10: Morven Museum & Garden in Princeton is dressing up for the holidays. Trees decorated by area businesses and organizations will be gracing the museum’s galleries—stop by and be inspired!

Holiday Light Show, 12/3-1/3/10: Be amazed as over 100 Christmas trees, floating on Lake Meone, light up to music in an orchestrated show. There will also be a Christmas Train, a Magical Talking Tree, and Story Time with Mrs. Claus every weekend in December.

“A Dickens of a Weekend,” 12/4-5: Catch a trolley in Spring Lake and enjoy costumed carolers, a scavenger hunt honoring Dickens’ Mr. Fezziwig, a Dickens-themed cocktail party, and a performance of “Scrooge”.

Cape May’s 36th Annual Christmas Candlelight House Tours, 12/5, 12/12, and 12/19: What better way to see Victorian Cape May than by candlelight? Explore at least 14 homes, inns, hotels, and churches decorated for the holidays while listening to carolers and strolling musicians.

Model Train Exhibit and Tree Lighting Ceremony, 12/4-29: The Barron Arts Center turns on their lights at their annual Tree Lighting Ceremony this weekend. There will also be collections for the Mayor’s Food Bank and for Angel PAWS, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding homes for stray, homeless, and abandoned animals.

Sister’s Christmas Catechism, 12/5: CSI meets Bethlehem as the Sister of Late Nite Catechism takes on The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold.

Messiah-A Sacred Oratorio by George Frideric Handel, 12/6: The New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra partners with the State Theatre to perform one of Handel’s most celebrated works.

Festive Feasts and Family

By Brianne Harrison

As we’re fast approaching a holiday dedicated to feasting, it seems only fitting to mention Festive Feasts and Culinary Creations, a new exhibit at the Monmouth Museum that runs through January 3.

Festive Feasts is the museum’s annual holiday exhibition, and it features trees decorated by local garden clubs and the Friends of the Museum, stories and family-friendly activities, and their traditional, ever-expanding model railroad. The museum also has several holiday and food-related activities scheduled throughout the month. Activities include a festival of songs with Maureen McCrink on November 29; Chocolate Fairies with Don Magee—a chocolate tasting featuring bittersweet chocolate popcorn and fountain dipped chocolate pretzels on December 6; stories of festival feasts with Joan Jannerone on December 13; and Who Says You Can’t Play With Your Food? where participants learn to make crafts with food items, on December 20.

Holiday programs are held from 2-3:30 p.m. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $7 per person (children under 2 and Monmouth Museum members free). Visit monmouthmuseum.org for more information.

Don’t Miss…
The Thanksgiving Family Festival on November 27. Find buried treasure, uncover ancient stories, and learn to make pottery at the Newark Museum.

Annual Tree Lighting at Palmer Square on November 27. Enjoy music by Holiday Brass and the Princeton High School Choir as well as a reading of The Night Before Christmas before the 65-foot Norwegian spruce is lit by Santa Claus. Festivities will continue every Saturday and Sunday afternoon in December and on Christmas Eve.

Miracles of Modern Science

By Lauren Johnson

When one typically thinks of indie rock, the word “charming” may seem an unusual adjective. But when the indie rock band consists of a violin, cello, double bass, mandolin, and drums played by five graduates from Princeton University, one may change their mind. And when I saw the Miracles of Modern Science perform a few weeks ago, “charming” seemed a perfectly fitting word, especially since the performance took place amongst the artful grandeur of the Princeton Art Museum.

I heard about these guys only a few days before, after browsing the museum’s event calendar for interesting happenings. Having never been to the Princeton Art Museum, I was excited by the prospect of getting a double dose of art in one night. The band is comprised of Evan Younger (double bass/lead vocals), Josh Hirshfeld (mandolin, vocals); Kieran Ledwidge, (violin), and Geoff McDonald (cello). They met at Princeton, formed their band in 2004, and soon after became a quintet with the addition of their drummer, Tyler Pines, who joined them in 2005. They recently got a significant publicity boost by being written up in Spin Magazine as being one of 2009’s “25 Must-Hear Artists.” I knew seeing them would be a win-win.

I arrived in Princeton with my husband on a chilly night, and scampered through the campus in an effort to both keep warm and avoid being late. Upon arrival, two large glass doors gave way to a large open reception area. Straight ahead was a long table with a pancake stack of very homemade looking CD’s with the track titles hand-written with a note next to them that said “Sign up to be on our mailing list and take a CD.” (Charming marketing tactics to boot?)

We hurried up the steps and found a swarm of young college students surrounding a group of four equally young men (their drummer could not make it to the show). After a few last-minute tuning plucks on the double bass and mandolin, and with a fiery Peter Paul Rubens as their backdrop, the band opened with their first song, called “Luminol,” which begins with a trilling cricket-in-the-night high note on the violin, peppered with perfect little chirps from the mandolin. The sound is instantly unique, and the song quickly builds into a catchy, peppy, indie rock ballad (I should mention here that all the instruments are plugged into amps). Each piece they played thereafter was a creative, whimsical, experimental song that delighted both the eye and ear (have you ever seen someone play riffs on a cello?).

The song I loved the most (and subsequently had in my head for days after), was called “524,” a rumbling, Johnny-Cash-Western-saloon tune about a man who doesn’t fight, but whose only willful defense is out-whistling anyone who dares confront him.

The Miracles of Modern Science are a sight to be seen (and heard!), and after the show, we drove home, whistling the entire way.

Listen to MOMS and download their free EP at:
myspace.com/miraclesofmodernscience

The Perfect Party

By Brianne Harrison

The holiday season is upon us once again, which means parties, which means stress for the host(ess). But if you’re going to be in the Princeton area Friday evening, you may want to check out an event that’ll help make your next soiree a smoother affair.

CoolVines is joining forces with Miele Gallery to present “The Perfect Holiday Cocktail Party: Easy Appetizers and Wines.” Holly Curry, Miele’s Home Economist, and Mark Censit, the owner of CoolVines, will be on hand to teach you how to make some simple yet delicious hors d’oeuvres and pair them with your favorite wines.

Sample blue cheese dip with kettle chips, spicy grilled Brazilian shrimp, Manchego and tomato toasts, and berry mascarpone cream with cinnamon sugar chips while you learn about this season’s hottest vintages in Miele’s beautiful gallery.

Cost is $15 per person. Register with Vicki Robb at 800.843.7231 x 2515 or e-mail vrobb@mieleusa.com. Miele Gallery, 9 Independence Way, Princeton.

Gifts from the Ancestors Offers a Rare Glimpse of Ancient Arctic Life

By Brianne Harrison

Princeton University has, among other things, an excellent art museum that is (rightly) celebrated for its extensive collection and illuminating exhibitions. With their most current exhibition, Gifts from the Ancestors: Ancient Ivories of Bering Strait, they may have outdone themselves. The massive collection of hundreds of ancient ivories carved from walrus tusks—mostly dating from 100 AD to about 1200 AD, are not only exquisite works of art; like most anthropological finds, they provide information about how ancient people of the Bering Strait region lived, hunted, amused themselves, and died, and what was important to them. In addition to showing the beautiful pieces, the exhibition examines their uses and the information they provide to give a more complete picture of life in an ancient subsistence society in the frozen north.

One might think that people who had to struggle day to day just to bring home enough food to feed their families wouldn’t be too concerned with making their everyday objects beautiful. This exhibition definitely proves that assumption wrong. The most commonplace objects—handles, harpoon heads and shafts, needle cases, combs, spoons, and gut scrapers—are intricately carved in such a way that you see something different depending on what angle you view the object from. One harpoon counterweight had the face of a predator carved into it when viewed one way, but if you turned it upside down, you could see a tiny human face carved in as well. Viewing many of these objects is like pulling out an ancient Magic Eye book.

And why should these ancient hunters have taken such care with commonplace items? The exhibition posits that including images of the prey in their weaponry may have been the hunters’ way of bringing luck to the hunt and honoring the animal that would provide sustenance for themselves and their families. But other objects’ meanings are more opaque than that—there are wonderful tiny gaming pieces in the shape of birds, as well as human figures, and small carvings of various animals that have no obvious use. Were these toys? Objects of worship? It’s difficult to say, but they’re still enjoyable to look at.

Gifts from the Ancestors was a long time coming—many of the pieces were gifted to the museum many years ago by Lloyd E. Cotsen, a member of the class of 1950. It took nearly a decade to bring the exhibition to light, but I think most visitors will agree it was well worth the wait.

Bonus: The Arts Council of Princeton, which is a short, pleasant walk from the University Art Museum, is presenting Dry Ice: Alaska Native Artists and the Landscape as a companion exhibition/counterpoint to Gifts from the Ancestors. Dry Ice will be on view through November 21.
102 Witherspoon St., Princeton, artscouncilofprinceton.org

Gifts from the Ancestors runs through January 10, 2010. For more information, visit princetonartmuseum.org.

Autumn Culinaire

By Pat Tanner

I have tremendous respect for the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, so was pleased when the Mercer County chapter instituted an annual food and wine fundraising gala a few years back. This year’s Autumn Culinaire, as it is called, takes place October 15 at Greenacres Country Club in Lawrenceville.

While this event constitutes a tasty way to give to a good cause, it’s also a way to scope out new and interesting eateries. Among the outstanding newcomers are New Brunswick’s Due Mari and Princeton’s elements. (You can read my reviews of both elements and Due Mari) Plus, there are some familiar names with new endeavors. Bobby Trigg of the respected Ferry House recently opened BT-Bistro on Route 1 in West Windsor, and while Lawrenceville’s Acacia restaurant has been around for decades, even dedicated diners may not be aware that it got new owners and a new persona two years ago. They, Kelly Edelstein and Joe Immordino, plan to serve a crabcake surf-and-turf appetizer and lemon curd tarts.

The evening’s additional pleasures include samplings of about 150 wines and beers, live music, and a silent auction that features everything from a Tiffany watch to a dozen new cookbooks from the shelves of yours truly. Host chef Daniel Daniluk of Greenacres will be dishing up braised pork agrodolce with white polenta and, for a sweet treat, wild berry mango parfait. Other participants include: Anton’s at the Swan, Archives, Blue Bottle Café, Blue Point Grill, Brothers Moon, Lindt Chocolate, the Nassau Club, On the Bone, Ota-Ya, Parallel 40, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Silver Decoy Winery, Starbucks, Triumph Brewing, and Witherspoon Grill. Deserving of a special shout-out is Salt Creek Grille in Princeton, which plans to serve duck at the gala, but which is also donating $1 from every order of its Herb Roasted Chicken dish to BBBS-Mercer County throughout 2009.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Autumn Culinaire will take place on Thursday, October 15 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Greenacres Country Club, 2170 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville. Tickets are $85 in advance, $95 at the door. For tickets and information visit bbbsmercer.org or phone 609.656.1000.

Big Fish in a Small Mall

By Millicent K. Brody

Last Saturday proved to be a nice day for a drive, so we met friends at the MarketFair Mall on U.S. 1 at Meadow Road, in Princeton. We decided to browse, and dine at Big Fish. MarketFair is considerably smaller than the Mall at Short Hlls (my usual shopping destination) but nonetheless houses a discerning collection of shops: Smith & Hawken, White House/Black Market, Chico’s, Restoration Hardware, Anthropologie, and Barnes & Noble.

For the foodies, MarketFair also has a Williams Sonoma and Harry and David. If you hurry into Harry and David before July 31st, you’ll be able to mix and match from the following categories:Gourmet Relishes, Savory Salsa, Premium Preserves, Snack Mixes, Moose Munch Confection, chocolate truffles, fruit chocolates, Mondo Malt Balls, gummies, licorice, nuts, and more! The deal is, buy 3 and get the 4th Free. Villeroy & Boch, an excellent stop for anyone looking for attractive dishes, is also having a sale: save an additional 25% off their regular savings price. Available patterns include :Petite Fleur, Vieux Luxembourg, Design Naif, Switch 3, Manoir, Flora, and Cascara.

After dashing in and out of all the shops, we were starving, so we headed for one of only two restaurants actually inside the mall: Big Fish Bistro (there are also a few restaurants just outside the mall building). To celebrate the bistro's name, there's an enormous splash of color spanning the wall that is designed to resemble a BIG FISH. Adding to the decor are gigantic, blown glass globes of light, patches and swatches of color, and crisp table settings.

You’ll like the menu. Hitting various price points, it offers something for everyone. Starters included Tuscan shrimp marinated in garlic and herbs, paired with a tomato and cannellini bean salad, ($9.99); a crab cake with mustard sauce and roasted corn salsa, ($10.99); and shrimp mango spring rolls, or a mixture of shrimp, mango relish, Napa cabbage, cucumbers, and carrots in rice paper, served chilled with peanut sauce, ($8.99). You can choose a salad or cup of soup for an additional $2.99. We all started with a fresh and delicious Caesar salad. I moved to cedar planked Atlantic salmon, roasted with a tarragon-mustard glaze and served with a gaggle of roasted vegetables and redskin potatoes ($19.99). My friend Phyllis enjoyed the potato-encrusted tilapia, served with fresh vegetables ($17.99). My husband ordered the crab-stuffed sole with lemon butter sauce ($21.99), and Stan chose salmon Rockefeller stuffed with bacon, jumbo lump crab, and classic Rockefeller stuffing, ($21.99). A blueberry-hazelnut crisp with Hammonton blueberries, served with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce ($6.99), was enough for each of us to share. Both food and service were a fine contribution to a delightful Saturday.

Girls' Night Out

By Brianne Harrison

Now that spring’s officially here, it’s time to emerge from a long hibernation, get out, and have some fun. I can think of few better ways to do that than to grab a few girlfriends and head to historic Princeton for Girls’ Night Out in Palmer Square on Thursday, May 14.

Girls’ Night Out will feature exclusive promotions and discounts, free gifts, and food, all courtesy of the restaurants and shops of Palmer Square. After you shop till you drop, stop by New Jersey Life’s rejuvenation station, where you can listen to live music, enter to win prizes, and receive an NJL tote bag and magazine.

Participating shops and restaurants include Banana Republic, Bucks County Dry Goods, Kate Spade, Design within Reach, Lace Silhouettes Lingerie, Mediterra (which is offering a complimentary Sangria!), Princeton Corkscrew wine shop, Spruce, Winberies Restaurant and Bar, and Zoe. For a full list of participating businesses and their offerings, visit palmersquare.com/gno. To RSVP for this event, click here.

Girls’ Night Out is a free event and runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m., Thursday, May 14.

Art Lovers' Delight

By Brianne Harrison

New Jersey is particularly blessed when it comes to arts venues, not just because of the state's close proximity to both New York and Philadelphia, but also because of the many spectacular museums, galleries, and theaters our state houses. And this is an excellent weekend to enjoy those amenities throughout the Garden State.

Lovers of the visual arts shouldn't miss Collide-A-Scope on Friday. For this event, Asbury Park's premier galleries throw open their doors for tours and offer special discounts. Further inland, Princeton University Art Museum premieres Myth and Modernity: Ernst Barlach's Images of the Nibelungen and Faust on Saturday, Feb. 21 (the show runs through June 7). This is the only venue in the U.S. that will be hosting this show, which showcases the versatility and narrative power of German sculptor, printmaker, and playwright Ernst Barlach.

In honor of Black History Month, Burlington County Freeholders are exhibiting the works of African American artists from the Amistad Cultural Alliance of Southern New Jersey at the Smithville Mansion Annex Art Gallery in Easthampton. "Keepers of the Dream" runs to the end of February.

If music is more your line, check out Titans of Song: A Musical Tribute to Paul Robeson and Marian Anderson at the East Brunswick Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 21. This tribute to two of the 20th century's greatest entertainers will be performed by the group Follow the Drinking Gourd.

For anyone looking to get a jump start on St. Patrick's Day, the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the State Theatre of New Jersey statetheatrenj.org in New Brunswick. The evening will feature traditional Irish music played on the violin, Irish flute and whistles, Bodhrán, and Uilleann Pipes as well as singers and Irish dancers.

Opera New Jersey is kicking off its 2009 season with a concert-staged production of Johann Strauss's Die Fledermaus at the Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown on Feb. 20 and at the State Theatre in New Brunswick on Feb. 22. Come enjoy this comic romp of mistaken identities, practical jokes, and masquerades set to the memorable tunes of the Waltz King of Vienna.

Reexamining the World’s Oldest Profession

By Brianne Harrison

Mrs. Warren’s Profession, currently onstage at Princeton’s Berlind Theater, is a play of surprises both for the audience and the characters. The characters, particularly Mrs. Warren’s cold, unsentimental, highly educated daughter, Vivie and her layabout suitor, Frank, are shocked to learn that Mrs. Warren’s fortune has been made through prostitution, a subject rarely onstage now, and one that was particularly taboo back when the play was written, in 1893.

That a play like this should have been written in the last gasp of the straitlaced Victorian era is one surprise for the audience. That it should be sympathetic to Mrs. Warren’s choice of profession, the plight of women at that time, and written by a man are three more. That man is George Bernard Shaw, one of the preeminent playwrites of his time.

Shaw is perhaps best known to today’s audiences for Pygmalion, which inspired My Fair Lady. With Mrs. Warren, Shaw takes one of the ideas developed in Pygmalion a bit further: it’s hard for a Victorian woman on her own. Even with her education and polish, Eliza Doolittle’s only real option is working in a flower shop—barely a step above peddling nosegays in Covent Garden. The young Mrs. Warren faced a similar problem. Women’s work at that time was low-paid, menial, and often dangerous (the character gives a vivid description of a sister who dies working in a lead factory). So, she used what she had to get by: a pretty face, which she eventually parlayed into a profitable franchise.

This play is not only about “the profession” (which is never mentioned by name), but also about the relationships between mother and daughter and the struggles women faced to achieve economic stability and be viewed by men as equals (a subject that many of us can connect with even today). Vivie, who stomps around and acts like a bratty teenager who naturally thinks she knows more than her mother throughout most of the first two acts, is a woman ahead of her time. Cambridge-educated, she has no use for romance and even comes across as quite masculine, with her hand-crushing handshake, love of mathematics (a pursuit which was essentially reserved for men at that time), and rejection of marriage and family life. Despite this, the men in the play view her as a child who needs protection. Her mother doesn’t fare much better, in their estimation. But these women clearly don’t need protecting—they’ve done just fine on their own. No fainting Angels of the Household here.

The play has its problems for sure (including a mixed-message ending) but it, like Vivie, was ahead of its time and deserves some notice because of that. Prostitution is still a subject that raises eyebrows and invokes stereotypes, but what Shaw understood was that for some women, it wasn’t a bad job at all. It’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of—it’s not a sin, it’s business. A profession, like any other.

A Spot of Art

By Brianne Harrison

With the economy the way it is and people losing their homes, now might not seem the best time to give money to the arts instead of, say, charities devoted to homelessness or mortgage relief. But as important as those charities are, it’s also vital to support the arts and their venues, many of which struggle even when the economy is strong.

All things considered, it was both surprising and gratifying to see such a large crowd at Princeton Art Museum’s annual fundraiser last Saturday night. More than 200 art lovers and patrons descended on the jewel of a museum in the middle of campus to meet and greet, enjoy some drinks and hors d’oeuvres, and in some cases, give informal guided tours of the collection that would put many professional guides and docents to shame.

And what a collection they have to work with! Although the museum isn’t large, it boasts works from some of the best-known artists in history (Monet, Manet, Degas, and Goya share wall space with Georgia O’Keefe, John Singleton Copley, and Andy Warhol) along with dozens of little- or unknowns. The museum also has two rooms filled with ancient artifacts, including a fragment from an Egyptian sarcophagus, pieces of Greek and Roman statuary, jewelry, and incense burners.

Perhaps one of the best things about the museum is that it’s free and open to the public, although there is a fee to view certain special exhibitions. If you’re in the Princeton area and hankering for a spot of art, the museum is certainly worth an hour or two of your time.

The museum is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. For further information, please call 609.258.3788 or visit artmuseum.princeton.edu

Friday Finds: Rockhounds' Delight

By Kathy Shaskan

If you were the type of kid who loved finding interesting rocks, fossils, and other mineralogical goodies, head over to Tomorrow's Heirlooms in Princeton and feast your eyes. It's part jewelry store, part rock museum; and it's presided over by a passionate collector who scored his first major fossil find at age 14 - a certified dionosaur hipbone! Samples of his jewelry creations are above, clockwise from left: fossilized coral pendant, Owyhee picture-jasper earrings, and two examples of plum jasper pendants.

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).