During the summer, C. Casola Farms in Marlboro is a busy yet unassuming farm and marketplace, with nothing untoward peering out. The fruit grows and the flowers bloom. But it's not summer anymore. Gone are the hot days (maybe), and the humidity (well, in New Jersey? Maybe not so much). It's fall, the time to start thinking about spooky things, goblins, ghosts and goodies. Yes, Halloween's approaching, and with it comes the Haunted Hayride at C. Casola Farms. At this yearly event, the (crypt) keepers of the farm deck out the place in several shades of scary, with frightful attractions that …

I decided a while ago that I was due for a weekend away. I mean, I decided that this column was due for a weekend away. After a little poking around with my BFF Google, I found that the Grand Cascades Lodge in Hardyston, NJ was hosting the third annual NJ Beer & Food Festival, which meant that I could get a weekend away, with minimal fuss from my husband. Hey, there was beer involved. Just from perusing the Lodge’s website, I was sure this was going to be a good time, even though I’m not the hugest beer fan in the universe. I figured if I really hated it, I could spend some time in the …

Have you been to Bridgewater Commons Mall lately? I know, I know. Woodbridge Center is in our backyard, why on earth would we drive all the way up Route 22 to go to Bridgewater?  Well, honestly, there aren’t many things that Bridgewater has that Woodbridge doesn’t. In fact, I used to regard Bridgewater Commons as Woodbridge's snobby cousin.  But there are a few stores that I'll head up there for. One of them is a Merrell’s, where I went to check out some running shoes. While I was there, though, I took a quick detour through The Village at Bridgewater Commons. Well, it started out as a quick …

I’m always on the lookout for something unusual to inform you guys about, and I can’t think of anything more unusual than a restaurant giving away food. So when a friend mentioned that the Stage House Tavern and Restaurant in Scotch Plains is giving away free barbeque all summer, you can bet I got right on that. The Stage House is almost like two separate restaurants in the summer. You have the inside dining room, that has a menu of steaks, ciabatta bread pizzas, and other delicious fare. And then you have the patio.  The patio is where the barbeque is served. You can opt to sit at the …

One of the great things about where we live is our proximity to New York, as I’ve mentioned before, and the thing about New York City is that it’s not just Manhattan. There are five boroughs to explore, if you’re so inclined, and I, of course, am so inclined. I spent the first half of my childhood in Brooklyn, which is where my dad is from. As a result, I have fond memories of visiting places like The Brooklyn Museum, which I visited again this week, with my parents and my two daughters. (I know this column is supposed to be about things to do without your kids, but it is summer vacation.) …

I recently embarked upon a gluten free, low carb diet and I’m really feeling wonderful.  My body has been responding beautifully to eliminating certain foods, and it’s been really great. Except when we want to eat out. Breaded this, deep fried that... what’s a health conscious person to do? Kona Grill came highly recommended by someone who is also doing gluten free foods, and I had the opportunity to finally check it out recently. I have found my new favorite restaurant. Not only do they have a delicious selection of gluten free foods, they also have a knock out low cal/sugar free drink menu…

This week, we’re traveling to Virginia Beach, VA, for fun in the sun, amusement parks and more history than you can shake a stick at.  Again, I should remind you that I am not a huge fan of the beach, in general, and I find one of them to be much like most of the others. There’s generally lots of sand, that’s well heated from the sun blazing on it, and salty water.  So, as usual, I won’t spend a lot of time talking about the actual beach at Virginia Beach, except to say that there is one. On to the rest of our vacation, though, with amusement parks!  Virginia Beach is a hop, skip and jump …

If any of you follow my Unbridled Mommyhood column here on Patch, you know that I’m not a huge fan of the beach. (Understatement? Me?)  However, we do live in NJ, here, and let’s face it, going down the shore is one of the big highlights of living here. The catch is, just because you go down the shore, doesn’t mean you have to go to the BEACH. In fact, I go down the shore all the time, and never set foot in sand.  That’s because we have boardwalks, people. And one of my favorite boardwalks is found in Point Pleasant.  Point Pleasant is home of Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, where kids can go on rides…

Who doesn’t love hot wings, right? Okay, well, I actually went through a period where I didn’t eat them, myself, following an unfortunate hot wing and green beer incident one St. Patrick’s Day, but I’m all better now. Whether you’ve got an aversion to hot wings or not, you’ll want to head to Buffalo Wild Wings in North Brunswick.  They are much more than wings, although you’ll be hard pressed to find better wings elsewhere.  The menu boasts all the normal sports bar fare from onion rings to burgers, with special attention paid, of course, to chicken. The thing that really sets Buffalo Wild …

It’s Memorial Day Weekend, and this is traditionally about the time my family starts making summer vacation plans.  So, over the next couple weeks, I want to talk a little bit about some vacation destinations; ones that don’t involve animated rodents or tents. Not that there’s anything wrong with these things, but theme parks and camping is kind of overdone, no? So first up, the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  I’d heard for years from several different friends that we needed to vacation there. I was promised that if I went once, I’d want to go back every year for the rest of my life. Totally …

Peddler’s Village is 42 acres of landscaped gardens, winding brick pathways, 70 specialty shops and six restaurants.  It also boasts the Golden Plough Inn and a family entertainment center, Giggleberry Fair. I’ve been visiting Peddler’s Village regularly for the past ten years or so, and I always look forward to spring, because for my money, there is no better time to visit. Now, that being said, it is important to note that Peddler’s Village is open year round, and is just as gorgeous with a fresh blanket of snow as it is with blooming flowers.  Also, it is worth a trip to see the village …

I usually like to bring you places and experiences that are a little bit out of a comfort zone, or possibly somewhere you’d not think to go. But sometimes we only have our babysitters for a short time, parents! And we stick close to home in those instances.  That’s what I chose to do for this week’s Great Escape, by having dinner at J. J. Bitting Brewing Company on Main Street. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll say that I’ve never been there before. I think I just heard jaws drop all over town. Frankly, beer isn’t my thing. I have historically been more of a wino. (I also went through …

Living in New Jersey, particularly in our neck of the woods, you tend to see your fair share of chain restaurants and fast food joints. That’s why I enjoy going off the beaten path and out of the way to bring you small, local, independently-owned restaurants. Sometimes I go quite far out there to find these gems, but they’re almost always worth it.  That’s the case with this week’s Great Escape, The Brothers Moon Restaurant in Hopewell.  Chef Will Mooney, co-owner and executive chef, shares my passion for local food and sustainable farming, which is just one of the reasons I love to eat at …

The Delaware & Raritan Canal was an important thoroughfare for agriculture in our state at one time. But today, they are used for more leisurely activities. The canal was declared a state park in the 70’s and the D&R Canal State Park, as it’s now known, is used for walking, jogging, birdwatching, biking, canoeing, fishing and kayaking. Now, this is probably the longest state park in the known universe, and I can’t say I’ve visited every inch of it. But I have traveled several miles of it and I doubt there is a centimeter that’s not lovely. I really like to walk the path in Franklin Township, …

In  my life B.C. (that’s Before Children), my husband and I had lots of extra time on weekends to do things like tour wineries in the area.  When I say things like that, people tend to look at me like I’ve sprouted a winery on top of my head, but it’s true.  New Jersey has quite a few vineyards and wineries, and they make some excellent wines.  We aren’t called The Garden State just because of our tomatoes, folks. One of the few wineries in New Jersey that I hadn’t made it to was Cream Ridge Winery, in Allentown, NJ.  This week, I decided to remedy that, hopped into the car and headed south. …

Know what I’ve been noticing lately?  Well, it’s getting warmer, folks. Just last week, I was wondering where on earth spring was, and here it is.  Now that the weather is warming up, you’re going to start seeing some more outdoor Great Escapes, starting with this week’s: Cheesequake State Park. Cheesequake is a pretty popular summer destination among families. They have a wonderful lake with a sandy beach and even concession stands. There are playgrounds dotted throughout the grounds, as well as picnic areas with grills and tables and benches. But this is a column about escaping your family…

I talk about restaurants a lot in this column, but what I’ve never talked about before is horse racing. Well, that’s because I love food and have never been to a race track in my life.  But, I’ve been in the market for some new and wonderful experiences to write about here, and McLoone’s Woodbridge Grille seemed to fit the bill, seeing as how it is actually inside Favorites, one of New Jersey’s few off track betting facilities outside of Atlantic City. I will warn you right from the start, McLoone’s is THE place to be on the weekend, so parking was at a premium. We found a spot at the far …

I have a special relationship with dessert.  I have contemplated running away with a good chocolate mousse, thought about marrying a raspberry torte and even dreamed of making beautiful music with some classic New York cheesecake.  It was in this spirit that I recently entered Old Man Rafferty’s in Hillsborough (there is a closer sister restaurant in New Brunswick.) I’d been told that Rafferty’s dessert menu is second to none.  In addition to that, the regular food promised to rock as well.  Let’s just say, I was not disappointed. The menu offerings range from casual all-time favorites, like …

Is there anything that says “Girls’ Day” like shopping?  Well, maybe facials and mani/pedis, but my kids needed Easter dresses, so I headed to Liberty Village Premium Outlets last week, and I dragged one of my favorite girls along with me. Liberty Village is situated at the top of Church Street in Flemington, and boasts 40 outlet stores. They’ve got designer duds for men, women and children, as well as shoes, housewares, and accessories. One of my favorite things about outlet shopping is the atmosphere. I’ve rarely been to an outlet center that does that small town feel as well as Liberty …

Spring is in the air! Well, almost. It’s trying real hard, though.  The temperatures are warming up and the wind is dying down. In my world, that translates to the perfect time to day trip NYC. My husband and I were lucky enough to have some friends in from out of town last week, and we spent a day in Manhattan with them.  They are the definition of the word “tourist”, which actually turned out to be a lot of fun for me, because I don’t usually get to do the touristy stuff in New York. We had big plans, and didn’t get to everything we wanted to, but that is kind of always the case when you’re…