How Two Best Friends Turned Their Love of Fashion Into a Full-Time Career

By Sue Baldani

When they met in middle school in Boston, Emily Bache and Abigail Breslin became fast friends who shared a passion for fashion. “We happened to be the same shoe and clothing size, so from the very beginning, we decided to share clothes,” says Breslin. “In order to have a bigger wardrobe, I’d buy the pants, she’d buy the top, and then we’d swap.”

That was 25 years ago. They have since turned their passion into a full-time career, and are known as The Wanderlust Girls. It all started with a blog they began in 2009 during their senior year of college. They were attending different schools – Breslin in Long Island and Breslin in Florida – and wanted to share what they were wearing with each other.

“This was at the very beginning of blogs, and Instagram and Twitter didn’t even exist yet,” says Bache. “I would make a post saying ‘Hey, I bought this dress, this is how I wore it, and you’ll own it too when we reunite.’ Then Abigail would write back, and it was really just going back and forth.”

Someone who saw the blog remarked that other people were following them and they might want to do something more with it. The two already had a plan to move in together and live in New York City after graduation, and having a successful blog would open up opportunities.

“We feel so comfortable together, and we’re so ambitious together, so we were able to really throw ourselves into a city like New York and just figure out a way to be in the world of fashion,” she says. “We saw bloggers starting to go to Fashion Week and we wanted to go too.”

They emailed every single designer who was showing and all of their PR companies to introduce themselves, explain what they like to do and how many views their blog had. “We ended up covering 60 shows our first Fashion Week, which was wild.”

The two best friends started getting hired to write about products, cover events, style lookbooks and campaigns, and provide blog-related activities. “Clients liked the way we dressed and put together looks for our blog,” says Bache. “We then got hired by a big brand and knew we had to form a company.”

In 2011, they founded Wanderlust Fashion LLC. “We were watching this inspirational video, Wonderfully Lost in My Wanderlust, and we thought wanderlust was such a beautiful word,” says Breslin. “At first, we were Lovely Wanderlust, but we didn’t feel like it really aligned with us. As fortune would have it, one of the street style photographers at Fashion Week forgot our name and instead called us The Wanderlust Girls, and we liked that so much better!”

When hired to promote a product or put together a wardrobe, they definitely do things their own way. “We’re very big into storytelling,” she says. “We like themes, and we love to come up with concepts that are fun. We really like to make things a little bit dramatic and that have more heart than just a picture of something on a table. We come up with theatrical ideas that are a bit more unique.”

One day, they were hired by a videographer to do a creative video with beautiful flowing dresses on a rooftop. He asked them to find a designer and pull some pieces. “We ended up turning it into this very dramatic kind of Romeo and Juliet inspired modern day video,” says Bache. “It was really cool.”

The videographer posted the video all over social media. Shortly after, they were out in town when, from across the room, they saw a man looking at them. “He came up to us, and he asked if we were The Wanderlust Girls,” she says.” They quickly realized it was Logan Neitzel, who designed the dress that was used for the video. “He told us he loved the video and wanted to keep in touch and talk.” They did, and Neitzel ended up hiring them to style Macklemore for Saturday Night Live!

“That’s how we get a lot of our jobs – from people noticing us kind of stepping outside of the box and doing something that pushes things a bit or is a little more unique,” says Bache.

While living in New York, the two visited Nashville a couple of times. They ultimately fell in love with the city and decided to move there in 2017. “New York kind of lacked the luster that it had when we first moved there,” says Breslin. “It was a little too corporate and felt like a lot of the artists had left or were pushed out.”

They found their new circle in Nashville. “It seemed like everyone we met was a sculptor, a painter, a musician, or some other type of artist,” says Bache. “We were so excited to be surrounded by these super creative people.”

Today, The Wanderlust Girls have over 20,000 followers on Instagram and more than 50,000 across all social media. They are also writing a book about their experiences.

Over the years, instead of doing what everyone else is doing, they say they’ve really stayed true to themselves and their style. Their fans seem to appreciate that – some of their followers have been with them for 14 years. “People say they feel like they’re friends with us,” says Bache.

TheWanderlustGirls.com

@WanderlustGirls

Written for Franklin Lifestyle magazine in Tennessee.

From Italy to the United States, a local family continues a legacy of hard work and determination

By Sue Baldani

When Rocco and Maria DiFrancesco emigrated from Italy to America in the 1970s with their two young children, they were seeking a better life filled with opportunities. Through unwavering determination and hard work, they achieved their dream of owning their own business—Park Avenue Shoe Repair, which has since become a beloved local establishment.

“We came from Montazzoli, and we had relatives already living here,” says their daughter, Anna Fabiano, who was just 11 years old at the time. Her brother Joe was only 9. The family arrived with no knowledge of English, but their eagerness to adapt and build a life in America drove them to succeed.

Rocco, a skilled mason, continued working in his trade until an injury forced him to reconsider his career. One day, an acquaintance from their hometown in Italy offered a shoe repair business for sale. Although Rocco and Maria knew nothing about shoe repair or cobbling, they decided to take a leap of faith and purchase the business. “They needed to support their family,” says Anna. “It’s the resilience of immigrants – wanting a better life and being willing to work hard to achieve it.”

The family jumped right into learning the ropes of the new business. They hired a skilled employee to guide them at first, and the local customers helped them learn English. “They learned both the business and the language, and they ran the shop for over 30 years,” says Anna. “The business became the foundation for our family’s future.”

Over the years, Park Avenue Shoe Repair became known for its expertise in shoe and leather repairs, including everything from handbags to UGG boots and sneaker cleaning. While Rocco and Maria truly enjoyed running the business, especially interacting with their loyal customers, by 2007 they were ready for retirement.

Rocco, knowing how vital the shop had become to the community, asked Anna if she would be willing to take over. He didn’t want the shop to close, especially since there were so few shoe repair shops left in town. In the 1970s, Anna recalls, there were three such businesses in town. Now, Park Avenue Shoe Repair is the only one still standing. The trade has dwindled as fewer people are willing to take up the craft of cobbling.

“When my father asked me to take over, I was working full-time, and my husband was preparing for retirement,” says Anna. “But we decided to keep the business alive and carry on the legacy.”

The shop now serves a diverse customer base, ranging from the older generation who prefer to repair shoes for comfort, to younger professionals who want to protect their expensive footwear investment. “We see a lot of customers who buy resale items and want to give them new life,” she says. “They bring in shoes to be stretched, repaired, and/or cleaned.”

Despite the evolving needs of customers, the shop’s core equipment and atmosphere have remained almost unchanged. “Kids come in and are amazed by the machines,” says Anna. “They’ve never seen a shoe repair shop before.”

The shop’s nostalgic charm is a big part of its appeal. “My dad even fixed the floor using old soles from shoes, and it’s still there today. The smell of the leather and the old-time fee – it’s something people love.”

Park Avenue Shoe Repair is a symbol of resilience and community, and Anna and her husband Nick have hopes for it to continue in the family. Their son, Marc, a physical education teacher and wrestling coach at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, has expressed an interest in keeping the business alive. “We’re hoping our children will be the next generation to take over and keep it going,” she says.

The sense of pride and satisfaction the family feels is reflected in their customers. “When they come in and say, ‘These shoes look brand new,’ it’s such a good feeling,” says Anna, smiling. “They always walk out happy, and that’s what matters most.”

Park Avenue Shoe Repair is more than just a business – it’s a legacy of hard work, perseverance, and love for the community that has supported it for so many years. With the next generation eager to carry it forward, the future of this cherished institution looks as bright as ever.

NJShoeRepair.com

Written for Scotch Plains Lifestyle magazine in New Jersey.

A revolutionary product that will change how we treat aches and pains as well as improve our everyday lives and health  

By Sue Baldani

When Dr. Richard Prince, a life sciences executive and Short Hills resident, and esteemed scientist Dr. Joel Friedman, teamed up and founded Vascarta® Inc. in 2020, their goal was to revolutionize the way people deal with pain and inflammation. Today, they are well on their way to meeting that lofty goal.        

How did you two come together?

JF: We were at one time friendly competitors, and right before COVID, we were thinking about creating a company. During COVID, I came up with a safe gel formulation that allows for very high concentrations of hard to dissolve medicines and natural products and for smart drug delivery into the blood following topical application.

This led to the establishment of our new company that we named Vascarta. Richard has this amazing sense of what’s needed to bring new compounds to market in an efficient manner.

How does this new formulation ease pain and inflammation?

JF: Inflammation activates pain generating nerves. Curcumin was selected as our first therapeutic compound given its well-established safety profile and promise as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent. Our first product was produced by combining curcumin with our patented gel drug delivery technology. The results were dramatic.

RP: Curcumin is a spice derived from turmeric. It’s widely used around the world for many different ailments. The United States FDA recognizes curcumin as a safe compound.

JF: Curcumin has been very well studied and has shown great therapeutic promise. However, oral curcumin has only minimal therapeutic efficacy even at very high doses. Our transdermal delivery approach overcomes the many limitations associated with oral curcumin. Whereas oral curcumin requires extended treatment over weeks and still only yields modest benefits, our product can generate detectable results literally within minutes of topical or sublingual [under the tongue] application. Normalization of elevated blood pressure, as well as pain reduction, occur very shortly after topical application. These effects are not seen with oral curcumin.

What conditions can it treat?

JF: The many painful joint ailments such as osteoarthritis and sciatica that plague and limit the elderly are prime targets for this product, especially because of the significant limitations on NSAID use in older pain sufferers.

Based on our dramatic and just published preclinical results, we are also pursuing treatment of chronic and acute pain in sickle cell patients.

We also have results indicating that our product may prove effective in relieving many of the consequences of aging.

Tell me about the Topi-CLICK applicator.

RP: With just a little twist of the applicator, you will hear an audible click, which will release a defined dose of the product which is then put on your skin in the desired place and gently rubbed in with the tip of the applicator. Alternatively, the dose can be applied directly under your tongue.

It’s available with a doctor’s prescription, correct?

RP: Yes, it’s currently being prescribed by doctors in 22 states from Town & Country Compounding Pharmacy (Ramsey, New Jersey).

What is the name of the product?

RP: Until it’s approved by the FDA, all we can say at present is that our curcumin transdermal product is available. To learn more about it, people can contact Town & Country Compounding Pharmacy. 

What has the feedback been?

JF: We have reports showing that within two hours, knee pain was gone and normal activity, including sports, resumed. We have also had reports of enhanced athletic performance.

I, myself, was starting to get horrible sciatica, and I rubbed it on my lower back and overnight the pain was gone. We had another case of somebody who had a motorcycle accident and his knee swelled up and was agonizingly painful. After he applied our product, the swelling went down and the pain was gone.

Multiple users report substantial and sustained drops in elevated blood pressure back into the ideal range as well.

What is your top goal?

RP: We have worldwide exclusive rights to this life-changing product, and Vascarta is actively working to one day make this curcumin product globally available. The world is really clamoring for non-opioid or non-habit-forming analgesics as well as safe anti-inflammatories without major side effects.

Is there anything else you would like to mention?

RP: Vascarta is a local company with a strong and experienced management team. We have embarked upon something with significant potential to make a positive impact in the practice of medicine. We’re so excited about the future. Interested parties can contact me to learn more about how Vascarta is “Moving Medicine Forward, Smartly.”   

Written for Chatham & Short Hills Lifestyle magazine in New Jersey.

Experience a unique place to shop, eat, and celebrate

By Sue Baldani

In 2006, Michele Bessey used her creativity to turn a small space in a Maplewood building into a showcase for unique gifts. “A store didn’t even exist in that building,” she says. “It was just apartments, but I had seen the possibility there. I called it Perch Home because it was perched up on the corner.”

She loved being a part of the community and developing relationships with her customers. But, in 2023, she unexpectedly lost her lease. “I thought I could either retire or I could create the best version that I ever imagined for my store.”

Michele chose the latter, and took over the space of a former Indian restaurant that was right across the street. It was just a big, empty, dark black box, but it was the only place in town that had an outdoor patio area. Michele’s mind churned with possibilities. Six months later, the new and improved Perch Home opened its doors.

“We installed a big window so all this light came in and expanded our store upstairs,” she says. “It was a labor of love.”

In addition to curated gifts, this space allowed her to offer so much more. “My big thing is experiential retail,” she says. “I want to make customers feel like you do when you’re on vacation and you discover that cool shop.”

She added a café where everything is made by an in-house chef. Brunch is served Wednesday through Sunday, and menu items includes a Peaches and Cream Parfait, Farmer’s Omelet, Chicken Salad Croissant, and Café Crème Pancakes. For lunch, customers can enjoy a fresh salad with Buttermilk Biscuits slathered with house-made jams and honey butter. Children love the French Toast Sticks and Animal Toast.

The coffer bar is also a huge hit. “We serve Kobrick coffee which is roasted in Jersey City. We try to incorporate some of the things we sell in the kitchen area into our food, like the olive oil and honey, plus tea and coffee.” There’s also mocktails and creamy gelato available.

On that once empty patio now sits a lovely garden area. A vintage camper bar is available to serve non-alcoholic drinks, and private parties can be held there, or in the café or upstairs flex space.

“It’s so great because now I can celebrate with my customers all the way through,” says Michele. “They can come in, buy a baby gift, and also have their baby shower with us.” Perch is known for beautiful gift wrapping too.

There’s also now plenty of room for her corporate gifting business, which is geared towards supporting other small, local businesses. “Our whole thing is meaningful gift giving,” she says. “If we get an order for 5,000 gift boxes, ordering one item from one vendor can change that business dramatically. We include the vendor’s story in the box as well.”

Michele and her assistant manager, Mackenzie Troncone, choose each item in the store with care. “The two of us have a rule that if we both don’t say yes, we don’t get it. It has to be ‘perchy.’”

They are definitely doing everything right. Perch Home recently won the 2025 Retailer Excellence Award (REA) for Best Store Redesign. “It was amazing to be recognized by others in the industry,” she says. “It made me feel good.”

Written for Vicinity Magazine in New Jersey.

Recognizing a veteran for his dedication to his country

By Sue Baldani

On Saturday, December 14, 2024, the Scotch Plains community gathered to honor one of its own, Harry T. Ramsey, during a Wreaths Across America event at the Scotch Plains Baptist Church on Park Avenue. Joe McCourt, a U.S. Army Veteran of the Vietnam War, served as master of ceremonies.

PFC Ramsey, a Unites States Army veteran of World War II and Purple Heart recipient, made the ultimate sacrifice for his country in Normandy, France, on July 29, 1944. In recognition of his service, Warren Street, where PFC Ramsey once lived, will now also be known as Harry T. Ramsey Lane. Signs have been placed on Warren Street at the intersections of Coles Avenue and Rose Street. His name will also be added to the War Memorial in the center of town.

This recognition began with the dogged research of Westfield resident, Brian Mueller. In 2020, he watched a 1964 documentary marking the 20^th anniversary of D-Day, and as General Eisenhower and Walter Cronkite walked through the rows of graves at the American Cemetery in Normandy, Cronkite read some of the names of the soldiers buried there. One of those names was Harry Ramsey from New Jersey.

“That’s what started the whole thing,” says Brian. “I started digging, talked to his nephew Tom [Ramsey], and confirmed that that was his uncle. I ultimately found he was from Scotch Plains.”

He also went to the War Memorial in the center of town but didn’t see Ramsey’s name. He set out to rectify this situation and make sure the veteran was recognized for his service.

It took about four years to gather all the records, and Brian never realized his research would culminate in a such an honor to Ramsey. “I’m happy to see this happen, and I’m also happy that it’s during the 80th anniversary of D-Day.”

Even though Brian isn’t a veteran, he’s a treasurer of the Association of the United States Army that supports Army veterans, soldiers that are deployed, and their families.

“I was just shocked when Brian contacted me,” says Tom, who drove up from Atlanta for the event. “I knew about the Walter Cronkite/General Eisenhower documentary because I watched it with my dad as a child.” They were both surprised when Harry’s name was mentioned. 

“When Brian told me what he was trying to do, I offered to help in any way I could. I had some genealogy records, but not a lot.”

Tom’s father, John, was also a veteran and he and his brother Harry enlisted when they were in their 30s. “They were over there serving because they wanted to.”

While in town, Tom had the opportunity to go by and look at the house on Warren Street. “I can picture my dad in that house,” he says.

“I like what Mr. McCourt said at the end of his speech,” says Ernie Hernandez, a member of the Veterans Advisory Board in town, which was instrumental in providing this recognition. “When you place a wreath on a veteran’s tombstone, say his name aloud. Because, when you say their names aloud, you keep them alive, you remember their sacrifice.”

So, next time you’re driving around town, visit these signs and take a moment to remember.

[Caption above – Tom Ramsey and Brian Mueller]

Written for Scotch Plains Lifestyle magazine in New Jersey.