Barista Kids » 2010 » April

Montclair High School Performs “Miss Saigon”

Georgette Gilmore — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:04:53 +0000

Montclair High School musical director Patrick Dearborn is never one to shy from a challenge or from challenging material: he took on Les Miserables a few years back and the musically and dramatically powerful Parade three years ago. Miss Saigon follows in that ambitious vein.
Miss Saigon is a modernized reworking of Madame Butterfly by the team that wrote music and lyrics for Les Miz. It tells the tragic story of an American GI who falls in love with a young, beautiful Vietnamese prostitute–some deep stuff for high school kids.
Over 50 Montclair High School students are in the cast, led by Emma van Inwegen and Michael Robinson as Kim and Chris. The sets–which really are pretty unbelievable–were built by a student tech crew led by MHS theater teacher Kenneth Cleerdin. The entire technical crew–sets, costumes, props, sound, lighting–comprises about 30 MHS students; the pit band includes MHS students, one MHS alum (Daniel Parente), and even Glenfield Middle School orchestra and jazz band director Jonathan Ward. It’s a big community production that you won’t want to miss!
Miss Saigon
Who: Children at least 13 years-old and up.
What: MHS School of Visual and Performing Arts production of Miss Saigon, a tragic tale of love.
Where: MHS Little Theatre in the George Inness Annex, 141 Park Street, Montclair, NJ, 07042.
When: Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1 at 8 pm / Sunday, May 2 at 3 pm / Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8 at 8 pm / Sunday, May 9 at 3 pm.
Cost: Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students; parental discretion is highly recommended for children under 13, due to the adult content of the play. Tickets are available at the box office one hour before curtain.

Your Weekend Itinerary

Georgette Gilmore — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0000

This weekend has so many fun events, it’s almost a shame that they all fall on the same days and you can’t do them all. We’ve put together some great itineraries to please all types of families. Check May 1 and May 2 listings for all details:
For Artsy Families:
Saturday, May 1
11 am - Start the weekend at the theater and enjoy Westminster Arts Center’s production of Alice in Wonderland.
1 pm - After the show, head over to the Montclair Art Museum for their Imagination Station program, a drop-in art program for families. This week’s theme is Memories & Heritage.
2 pm - Bring all that inspiration to the Montclair Public Library’s Young Writer’s Open Mic and have your kids perform an original story, poem or essay for the crowd.
Sunday, May 2
11 am - Bring the kids to get their faces painted at Aunt Jean’s Toys & Treats.
12 pm - Take a ride to Hoboken for its annual Arts & Music Festival. There is great music for both kids and adults playing at two stages, family activities and good food.

For Adventurous Families:
Saturday, May 1
9 am - Go fishing at Grover Cleveland Park Pond in Essex County’s Fishing Derby.
12 pm - Get a free comic book about an adventurous superhero at The Comic Book Market for Free Comic Book day.
Sunday, May 2
10 am - Be a pilot at the Young Eagles Flying event and go up in an actual plane.
2 pm - Explore dinosaurs at Newark Museum’s Dinosaur Day.
For City Loving Families:
Saturday, May 1
12 pm - Celebrate Christmas in May at the Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular Free Spring Open House
3 pm - Head downtown to the Tribeca Film Family Festival Street Fair. We’ve gone for the past five years and have lots of fun.
Sunday, May 2
10 am - Visit the Bronx Zoo. Check out our friends at MyVeronaNJ.com’s recent review before you go.

Dinosaur Day at Newark Museum

Georgette Gilmore — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:00:00 +0000

This weekend Newark Museum will travel back into the time when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Sunday, May 2 is the museum’s annual Dinosaur Day, and this year it promises to be better than ever.
This year two life-sized, animatronic T-rex dinosaurs are the stars. The robotic dinosaurs, similar to the ones used in the movie Jurassic Park, replicate the exact movements and sounds of a T-rex. In addition to the massive robots, dozens of exhibits will give families a real look into prehistoric time. Fossils and mineral digs, a live animal show featuring lizards, snakes and turtles, science experiments, dinosaur art projects and a new planetarium show The Dinosaur Prophecy which will “allow you to travel back in time millions of years to solve four famous cases from the age of the dinosaurs. Visit dinosaur graveyards, study their bones, and reconstruct how these creatures lived, thrived and died.” The show will be the first in the newly renovated Alice & Leonard Dreyfuss Planetarium.

We took our girls last year and had a great time. Even my little one, who was only 1 had fun digging for fossils. But the line-up this year is way cooler.
Dinosaur Day
Who: Mini paleontologists and their families.
What: A full day of dinosaur activities: fossil dig, demonstrations, touch table with dinosaur specimens, and a cool viewing of The Dinosaur Prophecy, the planetarium’s special program about dinosaurs.
Where: The Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102.
When: Sunday, May 2 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The Dinosaur Prophecy planetarium show will run on the hour from 11 am – 4 pm.
Cost: Free with suggestion admission: Adults – $10 / Children, Seniors & Students – $6 / Members – Free.

Get Free Comics on Saturday!

Bernadette Baum — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Comic book junkies, there are multiple treats for you this weekend in the way of Free Comic Book Day events, several of them within grasp in Baristaville.
Free Comic Book Day is a tribute to the genre, which has grown exponentially since the adventure days of Superman, the Man of Steel (introduced in 1938), to include thought-provoking slices of life, science fiction and gripping drama. The day usually falls on the first Saturday of May, when participating stores across the US will give away comic books free. Do check with your local stores about participation guidelines and rules.
In Bloomfield, stop by the Comic Book Market, where NYC-based Jacob Chabot, X-Babies artiest, and creator, writer and illustrator of The Mighty Skullboy Army (a comic that was nominated for an Eisner in 2008) will be on hand to chat about his work and Marvel’s X-Babies.
Another special guest will be Gregg Schigiel, also based in NYC, who has done cartoons and illustrations for Marvel, Nickelodeon Magazine, Disney Adventures Magazine, and works as an illustrator for Nickelodeon. Responsible for those SpongeBob SquarePants illustrations on consumer products and packaging, Schigiel also wrote the X-Babies mini series.
And over in West Orange, there’s a Comic Book Day at the Library which has been an annual event since 2002. Take your pick of a free Gold Sponsor comic book donated by Time Warp Comics of Cedar Grove at the children’s department, while supplies last.

At Comic Book Market, Bloomfield, NJ
When: Saturday, May 1 all day
Who: Fans of all ages
What: Visit and get a free comic book and great deals. And see the talented NYC-based illustrators and writers, Jacob Chabot and Gregg Schigiel
Where: 28 Washington Street, Bloomfield, NJ.
Cost: Free
At West Orange Public Library, NJ
Who: Comic book afficionados.
What: Get a free Gold Sponsor comic book donated by Time Warp Comics of Cedar Grove when you visit the Children’s Department
Where: 46 Mount Pleasant Avenue, West Orange, NJ.
When: Saturday, May 1, while supplies last.
Cost: Free

Another Crib Recall

Georgette Gilmore — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 07:00:00 +0000

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing, yet again, another crib recall.
The first recall is of all Simplicity full-size cribs with tubular metal mattress-support frames. It includes both fixed-side and drop-side cribs. These cribs pose a risk of serious injury or death due to entrapment, strangulation, suffocation and fall hazards to infants and toddlers. The problem with this recall, is that Simplicity is not in business anymore, so the CPSC has limited information about the number of cribs sold. Parents are urged to stop using these cribs immediately. Read more about this recall here.
Also on the list of crib recalls, is Graco-branded drop side cribs made by LaJobi. About 217,000 cribs were sold and the company and CPSC received a total of 99 reports of drop side incidents. The drop side hardware can break or fail, allowing the drop side to detach from the crib. Parents should immediately stop using the recalled cribs and contact LaJobi at (888) 842-2215 to receive a free hardware retrofit kit that will immobilize the drop side. Read more about this recall here.
My almost 3-year-old is still in her crib, which was a hand-me-down from her older sister. I was trying to keep her in it for as long as I could to keep my sanity, but with all these crib recalls, I think I’ll sleep easier buying her a bed.

Keep Montclair Beautiful

Georgette Gilmore — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Tomorrow, Friday April 30 and Saturday, May 1 Montclair residents and local friends will be lending a hand to clean up and beautify the Upper Montclair Village business district. The chair of this annual event isPaul Giordano, owner of Sweet Home Montclair, that wonderful gift shop on Valley Road.
Paul told us that kids are always welcomed to help out. In fact, members of the Boy Scouts and MHS key club will participate in the cleaning of sidewalks, alleyways, planting of flowers and more. So take your family and do a good deed together.
Upper Montclair “Just Do it” Community Clean-up
Who: Everyone.
What: Annual clean-up and beautification of Upper Montclair Village busness district.
Where: Friday, April 30 – meet on St. James Church lawn. Saturday, May 1 – meet in front of Bellevue Theater.
When: Both days between 9 am – 3 pm.
Cost: Free.

Giveaway: “Just Let Me Lie Down”, a Book For the Tired Half-Insane Working Mom

Georgette Gilmore — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0000

WINNERS: Congratulations to alyson330, russellk and mikesgrrl! They are the winners of Just Let Me Lie Down. Enjoy!
Tuesday night I was one of the many tired, half-insane moms who gathered at Orbis Bistro in Montclair for wine, hors d’oervres, and discussion of Real Simple editor Kristin van Ogtrop’s new book Just Let Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms for the Half-Insane Working Mom. Sponsored by Watchung Booksellers, it was a great book event.
After some mingling and drinking, Margot Sage-EL, owner of Watchung Booksellers, welcomed everyone and introduced Kristin, who told us the inspiration behind her book and read some of her funniest terms, such as Coup de moi:

It works like this: There is a flag football game at 6:30 at night and the entire family is going, but it’s November and thirty-five degrees outside and you declare in a moment of bravery at 6:15, I am not going. My son will just have to know that I love him. No one protests and you end up on the sofa with a glass of wine in a completely quiet house. That is a coup de moi. Or you look at your work schedule for the day and see that it contains three meetings that don’t need to happen and so you cancel them. That is a coup de moi. Or you keep getting cc’d on a long tedious e-mail chain and finally send out a reply-to-all that says, “Please stop cc’ing me or I’m going to kill one of you”–coup de moi.

More mingling, eating and drinking occured and Kristin, who looks just as put together in real life as she does in Real Simple, was funny, friendly and great to talk to as she signed copies of her book. Watchung Booksellers treated everyone to a great goody bag, with things to calm a tired, insane mom–chamomile tea and a delicious piece of chocolate. My favorite treat? The $5 off coupon for any book at the store.
If you haven’t purchased a copy yet, you’re in luck. Thanks to Kristin’s publisher Hachette Book Group, Barista Kids has 3 copies of Just Let Me Lie Down to giveaway.
To enter the contest keep reading…

Simply tell us your funniest half-insane mom story in the comments section. Three people who reply to this post by 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, May 2, 2010, will be chosen at random to receive a copy of Just Let Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms For the Half-insane Working Mom. Please post only once.
No purchase necessary. Starts Thursday, April 29, 2010, 1:00 pm EST and ends Sunday, May 2, 2010, at 11:59 pm.
Open to U.S. residents ages 16 years and older. Void where prohibited.
If you aren’t lucky enough to win, head over to Watchung Booksellers and buy a copy. It will make you laugh.

Take Back the Kitchen: Schela’s Haitian Marinade

Georgette Gilmore — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Hi everyone! Good news–Montclair’s Mayor, Jerry Fried, is putting together a special Toast for MFEE, honoring all the parent and child volunteers who have helped out all year in the Montclair schools. There will be a music concert and multicultural potluck lunch held at the High School Amphitheater June 19th from 12 pm – 3:30 pm and the whole town is invited!
Now to the cooking obstacles. Do you find that you are the one who always brings the drinks and paper products when asked to participate in a pot luck? Well, leave that task to someone else because I’m are starting a series here demonstrating how to prepare different ethnic dishes. The recipes will be from your neighbors in and around Montclair. By June 19, you will be fully prepared to make a simple and delicious dish.
Our first recipe is from my neighbor, Schela Hilaire. Schela showed me how to make an easy and delicious marinade/sauce from Haiti. Watch and learn in the video on the next page and stay tuned for more interesting recipes for the June 19 event. Email me if you would like to share your favorite recipe for the potluck and we will feature you on Take Back the Kitchen!
If you would like to participate in the potluck, please RSVP here.

Schela’s Haitian Marinade:
1 cup chopped scallions
1 cup garlic, peeled and whole
1 cup loosely packed parsley
1 scotch bonnet pepper or other small, spicy pepper if you want heat, with or without seeds
1/2 cup sour orange juice or lemon juice
1 tsp dried thyme
Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Use as a marinade for meats or shellfish, add to rice when cooking or as a dipping sauce.
Post by Alma Schneider. Take Back the Kitchen provides individual, hands-on sessions and group workshops.

A Spring Affair

Georgette Gilmore — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Next week The Junior League of Montclair-Newark will hold its annual Spring Affair event to benefit children at risk. It will be a three-day event with great shopping, a ladies night out, a Roaring 20′s Cocktail party, and some great children’s activities. The shopping ticket is just $5 and will give you a chance to shop from over 20 of our local vendors, who will be selling jewelry, apparel, accessories and great gifts.
Children can enjoy a book reading and a tea party….

Meet the Author: Children’s Book Signing
Who: Kids ages 3 – 7
What: Local mom and Illustrator Julia Gorton will read her latest book Just Like Mama and sign copies for her little fans.
When: Friday, May 7 at 4 pm.
Where: The Upper Montclair Women’s Club, 200 cooper Avenue, Montclair, NJ, 07043.
Cost: Free with an adult general admission shopping ticket, which costs $5.
Mad Hatter Family Tea Party
Who: Families.
What: This family fundraiser, a special event presented by A Spring Affair, is the launch party for Super Sporowtz books and DVD series by authors Radha Argawal and Jessica Jenkins. Enjoy tea fare, sweet treats, musical performances by Parents Who Rock, a puppet show, Mad Hatter crafts, and a children’s fashion show. All proceeds support the Junior League of Montclair-Newark programs benefitting Children At Risk.
Where: Upper Montclair Women’s Club, 200 Cooper Avenue, Montclair, NJ, 07043.
When: Saturday, May 8 from 12 pm to 3 pm.
Cost: Tickets for this event are $25 for adults and $15 for children. For more information visit the Special Events page here. To order tickets visit the estore.

GR Schools Team With ShopRite in Eco Shopping Bag Fundraiser

Bernadette Baum — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Glen Ridge schools and ShopRite of Brookdale are joining hands to make the world a better place in two ways – by promoting environmental awareness and helping schools raise funds for much-needed supplies.
From Thursday, April 29, schools in Glen Ridge will compete against each other in a Reuse Challenge, which encourages families to buy the MY ECO Shopping Bag System as a school fundraiser, and to reuse the bags at Brookdale ShopRite, thereby obviating the need for non-biodegradable plastic bags.
Each time an ECO bag is reused, it will be scanned, and the user’s school earns points that can be redeemed for school supplies.
The system is a four bags-in-one shopping bag made of recycled yogurt cartons. Each bag has a different function so that similar items may be packed together. One is insulated, another is pocketed for glass bottles and jars. All four can hold up to $200 worth of groceries.
The bag system’s creator Kristen Brown, ironically, has a dad who invented the opposite of an eco bag and a scourge of landfills.

Said Brown, “My father invented the plastic grocery sack in the ’70s that changed consume behavior. I can think of no quicker way to create change again than involving students in the School Reuse Challenge.”
Incidentally, plastic bags can take hundreds of years to biodegrade at a landfill.
Brown said kids that are aware of the environment from an early age will likely remain environmentally conscious, and hopefully spread the lessons learned to their families.
MY ECO Shopping Bag System was featured on the Today Show as one of the top “Green Picks” of the year. (Click on the link to take a look)
Schools that sell the MY ECO Shopping Bag System as a fundraiser earn $5 per bag sold. Even after the fundraiser, the bag system can still be bought at ShopRite of Brookdale and continue to earn Reuse points. Then, on a monthly basis, the points may be redeemed for supplies and goods at ShopRite of Brookdale.
The bags may be bought at ShopRite of Brookdale or at this site.