Great ambiance and outstanding food will bring diners back again and again

By Sue Baldani

Chef James DeSisto of Laboratorio Kitchen in Montclair is excited to bring his passion for food to a new restaurant in the heart of Maplewood Village. “Growing up, my grandfather had a pizzeria and instead of running around playing, I was always there,” he says. “I fell in love with food at a very young age.” As a chef, he enjoys the challenges and creativity of being in a kitchen, and the fact that every day is different. “It’s never the same, which keeps you on top of your game.”

His new restaurant in Maplewood will be known as Osteria LK. As Chef James explains, “the Osteria in Italy was traditionally a casual place for locals to come together, eat good food, drink wine, and share the news of the day. ‘LK’ is a nod to my restaurant in Montclair.”

Osteria LK, slated to open this summer in the former location of Arturo’s, has been completely redesigned and lovingly refurbished by the building’s owners to create a fresh, warm and inviting atmosphere, and features a 16’ telescoping door which engages the interior with the streetscape of the Maplewood Village. 

The menu will be similar to a traditional Osteria offering elevated Italian food to include house made pastas, fire roasted entrees, an assortment of vegetable plates, seafood, pizza and desert. As with his other restaurant, all of the ingredients that go into his dishes will be top quality, seasonal and locally sourced.

“We work with specialty food purveyors for produce, grains and flour,” he says. “My goal is to create dishes with the best sourced ingredients for everyday dining. We want to create a welcoming spot for people to gather and enjoy simply prepared, delicious food – a place for locals to call home.”

Chef James recognizes that at the heart of any restaurant is its staff, and he is excited about the team he has put together for Osteria LK. “We are like a family who cares deeply about providing not only culinary excellence, but also a warm and happy experience for everyone who walks through our door.” It will, after all, be like a second home for Chef James, as both his wife, Aylin, and daughter, Jesslyn, will be a part of the team. 

“I look forward to giving the people in the community food that’s prepared with love, and when you have that, you have everything,” Chef James says with a smile.

180 Maplewood Ave

Maplewood, NJ

OsteriaLK.com

973-327-2871

Written for Vicinity magazine in NJ.

World-class entertainment and fun for people of all ages

By Sue Baldani

In 1908, when R.W. Nelson arrived at the Westfield train station, he had no idea he would become a part of golf history. He moved onto a huge parcel of land in Scotch Plains, and in 1916, hired renowned architect Albert Tillinghast to design a golf course.

Since then, Shackamaxon Country Club has been a staple in the town. When it was acquired by Heritage Golf Group in 2020, it truly became a world-class venue for playing golf, swimming, celebrating happy occasions, and holding corporate events.

Many upgrades have taken place in the last few years. The ballroom, which can hold up to 325 guests with a dance floor, and the more intimate “Living Room” with its original fireplace, were renovated in 2022, as was the members’ grill, which has a beautiful deck overlooking the golf course.

“We run the gamut with events,” says Shackamaxon’s general manager, Dennis Wuyscik. “We host weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, social events, lifetime milestones and corporate events.” Membership is not required to reserve these spaces.

Membership does come with many privileges though, and there are five different options to choose from to fit your lifestyle and needs. Heritage Plus Members can play at any of its 38 golf courses around the country, including four in New Jersey.

There are also many fun offerings for children. “Recently, we had kids come in for a couple hours to paint pots and watch movies while their parents listened to live music in the grill,” he says.

Heritage is investing heavily in each of its clubs. “We have a young energetic department head staff and we’re striving for excellence and improving every year,” says Dennis. “We’re constantly making the golf, food and service better.”  These improvements came with no assessments, which is very rare in the world of country clubs.

To learn more about Shackamaxon Country Club and how becoming a member can enhance your and your family’s entertainment options, go to ShackamaxonCC.com.

Written for Scotch Plains Lifestyle magazine in NJ.

Solution-oriented routine care makes dogs feel and look their very best

By Sue Baldani

When Marni and David Denenberg were looking for a franchise, they wanted to focus on helping animals. “We’re passionate about dogs and were immediately aligned with Scenthound’s mission to provide routine hygiene and wellness care so dogs live longer, happier lives.” she says.

The first part of the shop name, “SCENT,” is an acronym for skin, coat, ears, nails, and teeth. “Regular bathing, brushing, ear cleaning, nail clipping, and dental care are critical to a dog’s comfort and well-being, and are essential to maintaining their overall health. This applies not just to breeds needing haircuts – all dogs require routine care to stay clean and healthy,” Marni points out that about 80% of dogs will have periodontal disease by the age of 3 if they haven’t had routine cleaning of their teeth.

Two years ago, the couple opened a location in Denville, and a year later, opened another in Morristown. “You walk into a very modern, clean, and attractive ‘scenter’ with an education wall and functional, proprietary products supporting dog health.

Scenthound divides its services into three parts: bath, haircut, and blow-dry, so you only pay for what your dog needs. Dog owners can choose one of three reasonably priced Monthly Care Club memberships – Escentials, Escentials Plus, and Unlimited – but non-members can request services too.

A popular membership is the Escentials Plus, which includes a double bath, ear cleaning, nail clip and teeth brushing, as well as a nail grind and access to a virtual veterinarian 24/7! For dogs bathed several times per month, Scenthound offers an unlimited membership. And another option is a shedding membership for dogs who shed all year-round. “We have an app so people can easily book appointments online, scroll down to review the service menu and then click on the services desired,” she says.

Scenthound also offers blow-drying, haircuts, dental plaque reduction treatments, gland expression, flea/tick treatments and more. The deep condition treatment replenishes and moisturizes both skin and coat, resulting in an extra soft, healthy finish, and the blueberry facial cleanses and exfoliates, which is especially popular for dogs with wrinkled faces.

“All of our services are solution oriented to ultimately have a happy and healthy pup,” says Marni. This begins with selecting from veterinary grade shampoos exclusive to Scenthound. There’s an everyday nourishing shampoo, a hypoallergenic shampoo, an odor neutralizing and a hydrating oatmeal shampoo to address different skin and coat conditions. All are soap, sulfate, and paraben free, and pH balanced for dogs.

Scenthound’s product line, Houndswell, also addresses dogs’ specific needs. Paw Balm is for keeping paw pads, noses and elbows soft and moisturized, Skin & Coat Supplement addresses common skin issues such as hot spots, sunburn, heat rash and allergies, Hemp Calming Aid helping dogs manage stress, nervousness and hyperactivity (while free from grains, corn and soy), and many more wonderful products are available for purchase.

Marni and David strive to provide the same care at Scenthound as they would want for their own dogs. “We have two-year-old Shea, who’s a rescue from Big Dog Rescue Project,” says Marni. “She looks like a golden retriever with short legs. In her free time, she spends time visiting seniors in an assisted living facility. She loves it, and they love her.” They also have an 11-year-old boy named Melo. “He’s a mixture of about 14 breeds, but he looks kind of like a corgi. We adopted him from the Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter.”

Services are recorded by a video surveillance system and iPads are utilized next to each tub and in the grooming room to note pertinent observations about the dog’s skin, coat, ears, nails and teeth. This information is later shared in a report card with the pet parent.

The couple also chose to partner with Scenthound because of their Clean Start program. Across the country, Scenters help care for pups in need by donating basic hygiene services to local shelters. “Our dedicated team is proud to participate and helps dogs who are matted and dirty become cleaner and more comfortable and ready to meet a forever family.”

Scenthound, Marni says, seeks to help change how dog parents think about caring for their pups by educating them on the importance of basic hygiene and providing personalized, convenient service. “Our goal is to put the well-being of each dog that comes into one of our Scenters first and create a safe, loving environment with a knowledgeable staff to give all pups, and their parents, the best possible care.”

Scenthound.com/Morristown

Scenthound.com/Denville

Written for Chatham & Short Hills Lifestyle magazine in NJ.

A method that encourages gratitude, accountability and integrity in children

By Sue Baldani

Cristina DaCruz, a social worker, and Cynthia Vanadium, a mental health clinician, met over a decade ago. They both collaborated professionally with the same goal – to protect those who cannot protect themselves: children. 

Cynthia developed a passion to provide children the security she didn’t have as a young girl. Cristina was raised in a loving family, yet witnessed the trauma others experienced and became determined to be the change in this world. 

Cristina knew Cynthia had the devotion to help others as she did and Cristina knew that Cynthia could offer the support as an educator as well. It was in graduate school at Columbia University to become a clinical psychologist that Cynthia was first exposed to the Montessori philosophy as part of Child Centered Therapy. It so intrigued her that she took additional educational courses so she could be properly trained.

When Cynthia became pregnant with her first child, the idea to open a school incorporating this philosophy began to really take root. At that time, Cynthia was running five mental health departments and working as a college professor, but she wanted a place where she could be with her child and establish a safe and secure environment for other children too.

After extensive research, Cynthia and Cristina discovered Scotch Plains Montessori. In business for many years, Cynthia and Cristina bought it in 2018. “I started my first day of the job with my six week old, and the rest is history,” Cynthia shares. 

For those who aren’t familiar with the Montessori Method, it’s all about children choosing and focusing on various learning stations such as math, science, practical life, and writing, according to their interests. “A traditional Montessori is completely self-directed, which is great, but our approach is that while we include the main areas of Montessori, we also believe in the importance of teacher-led instruction,” says Cynthia. “Most of our students go into the Scotch Plains school system, so we don’t want it to be a new experience for them to follow a lead teacher.”

Due to this blended approach, the women have developed a thorough education training approach for their team. Cynthia states, “You could have all the degrees in the world, and you could be an excellent educator, but if you don’t enjoy being with kids most hours during the day, it’s irrelevant.”

Classes are organized depending on the students’ ages, which range from infant to age 6, but they’re also tailored based on students’ inquisitive interests and social skills. Parents receive report cards that record children’s milestones and teachers’ impressions, and the lines of communication are always open. Questions and/or concerns are responded to in a timely manner.  

When it comes to safety, it isn’t all about emotion – it also includes practical measures. “We take safety to a different level,” Cynthia says. “Our instructors go through a thorough background check. Also, we require staff members to be CPR certified and retrained every year instead of the required two years.”

Scotch Plains Montessori School also offers breakfast, lunch, and snacks. “We incorporate an etiquette piece with those, where we all sit down, wait for one another, and give thanks. That’s another part of the Montessori philosophy – to ensure that you incorporate the values of gratitude, accountability and integrity.”

The reviews they receive warms their hearts. One parent remarks, “Scotch Plains Montessori is amazing. All of the staff is warm, loving, and caring.” Another comments, “The school is safe, clean and puts my mind at ease knowing that my 15-month old daughter is in their care. My now seven-year-old daughter attended preschool here and it still feels like family after all these years. The staff are still the same, which speaks for the atmosphere and support they’re given by the thoughtful and highly knowledgeable owners.”

Today, Cristina and her husband have two children, and she is the on-site co-director supporting her team and the school director. Cynthia and her husband have four children, and she is now opening another school in Texas. “We firmly believe continuing Dr. Montessori’s legacy by role-modeling behaviors of integrity and respect is one of the greatest gifts we can give to our children,” she says.

ScotchPlainsMontessori.com

Written for Scotch Plains Lifestyle magazine in NJ.