The Nature Program Cooperative

The Nature Program Cooperative
Click here for the NPC website.

Did you know there are over a dozen places and organizations in Bergen County alone that provide quality nature programs? Recently, they created the NPC – a pooling of knowledge and resources designed to offer the people of our region greater opportunities to explore and enjoy the County’s natural side.

Current Nature Program Cooperative partners include:

Bergen County Audubon Society Bergen SWAN Closter Nature Association Demarest Nature Center Flat Rock Brook Nature Center The Fyke Nature Association Greenbrook Sanctuary Hackensack Riverkeeper

Lorrimer Sanctuary (NJ Audubon) Meadowlands Environment Center (NJMC) Palisades Interstate Park Commission Teaneck Creek Conservancy Tenafly Nature Center Watershed Ambassadors (NJDEP) Weis Ecology Center (NJ Audubon)

Throughout the year, different partners of the Co-op will host an outdoor activity or indoor educational program at a nature center or other appropriate location to which all group members are invited. When applicable, member discounts will apply to all Co-op partner members and supporters. For example, when Tenafly Nature Center hosts an event, members of all other groups pay the TNC member rate. Non-members are also welcome to attend. All events will be advertised in each group’s newsletter.

Upcoming NPC programs: click here for more information.

• Birding for Beginners Class
  Hosted by Bergen County Audubon in partnership with the NJ Meadowlands Commission
  March 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00 am - 12 pm

• Stream Invertebrates in Greenbrook Sanctuary Hosted by Greenbrook Sanctuary  March 28

• Sky Creatures: Stories in the Sky
  Hosted by Meadowlands Environment Center
  Friday, April 16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 - 9 pm

• Survival in the Wild
  Hosted/Presented by Flat Rock Brook Nature Center
  Sunday, April 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:30–3:30 pm.

• Guided Paddle Through the Sawmill Marsh

  Hosted by Hackensack Riverkeeper
  Saturday, April 24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 am

• “Shad Bake” at Mrs. Kearney’s tavern
  Hosted/Presented by Palisades Interstate Park
  Saturday, May 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 am – 3 pm

• Marsh Meander
  Hosted by Meadowlands Environment Center
  Saturday, May 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 - 2:30 pm

The Princess and the Frog from Leapfrog

My family is a big fan of Leapfrog products we currently have the Click-start, Leapster2, and Tag systems. So I was a little disappointed with a recent purchase we made of Disney's Princess and the Frog for the Leapster.

I had reviewed the online trailer and thought it would be a good addition with both math and spelling games.

The game has the characters and sounds from The Princess and the Frog. But it lacks originality and seems like a recycled version of other Leapster games. One big detractor is that the sound clips are often repeated back to back. It seems as though Leapfrog rushed to get this product out in time for Mardi Gras and ride the wave of the movies popularity.
In doing so they created a product that is similar to other Disney games and left this consumer feeling a little ripped off. As a parent I have come to expect games from leapfrog that help my child to master concepts in a fun, novel way. This one misses the mark.

The Magic of a Snow Day

The Magic of a Snow Day

This past week we received our first major snowfall of the winter.
Schools and many workplaces were closed.

Ah! The snow day, even as an adult I can remember the feeling of anticipation that school might be closed. A feeling eclipsed only by that of Christmas or a birthday.
So It was truly a gift to be able to experience my daughters first snow day. As she woke I gently whispered schools closed. Her thin slits for eyes grew wide and a smile spread across her face. Then she dashed to the window to look outside. The pool is buried, she said. The snow had drifted up to the wall that surrounds the pool in our building's courtyard.

We had pancakes for breakfast (something usually reserved for Sundays.) And watched the weather report. During the morning I had some conference calls and work to complete. (courtesy of technology, many parents don't get snow days anymore)

Venture Out
After a late lunch enough was enough, it was time to get outside and enjoy the magic of the snow.

Our Courtyard and parking lot had been transformed into a white windswept tundra. We trudged along to our car stopping along the way to make some snowballs and snow angels.

The car was also transformed as well. The snow covered windows blocked out most of the light. Once the heat got kicking it was a warm and cozy snow cave.

Onto the sledding

We drove up to a park along Husdon Terrace. This is a local favorite spot for sledding. The bowel shaped park offers a wide variety of sledding profiles from short and steep to long gradual slopes to everything in between. The perimeter of the hills were dotted with snowman and other snow sculptures.

We made a number of runs down each of the hills, had a snowball fight, and then proceeded to make a snow fort and then some more sledding.

One of my favorite memories that day was when we lied on our backs looking up at the falling snow. We followed the flakes from as high as we could see all the way down to the ground. And on a few occasions, right onto our faces. There is something about falling snow that quiets everything down, including the soul. It is a peacefulness that I have only experienced while it is snowing.
I am grateful that I was able to share this day with the best person I could imagine. While the snow transformed our town into a winter wonderland, for a few hours it transformed this 40 year old back into a kid.

Get ready to Dance

It seems like every Little girl wants to be a ballerina or dancer at some time in their life. Maybe it was the 1st time they experienced The Nutcracker, or saw The Rockettes at the Radio City Christmas Show, or watched Angelina Ballerina. Whatever the reason is, if your child has a desire to dance The Edgewater Community center is providing you with a great opportunity to cultivate that desire.

Local Dance Instructor Maureen Strab will be holding classes for kids starting as young as three.
Classes begin Tuesday January 26th. The Edgewater Community Center is at 1167 River Road in Edgewater NJ. (Other days are available at other North Jersey Locations - you may contact Maureen for more information)

The Cost for the classes are as follows:

$120 for 10 week session Edgewater Residents

$140 for 10 week session Non Residents

The end of the session will culminate in a final performance providing an opportunity for your child to showcase what they have learned.

The following classes and times are available

2:00 - Creative Movement age 3

3:00 - Pre-Ballet age 4

4:00 - Dance Combo: ages 5 & 6 Ballet, tap, and jazz

5:00 - Dance and Drama: ages 7 & 8 Ballet, jazz, funk, theatre dance, acting

6:00 - Dance and Drama: ages 9-12 Ballet, jazz, funk, theatre dance, acting

Dance offers more benefits than just providing an outlet for burning off some extra energy.

It encourages the student to use their imagination and creativity through expressive movement. Broadens your child's knowledge of the arts.

Hones motor skills, balance, flexibility, and coordination.

Is a great way to exercise and have fun at the same time.

Provides a venue for your child and you to make new friends with shared interests.

Here is a some information about Maureen

Maureen Straub is a performer, teacher, and choreographer in the tri-state area. She graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in 2001.

She has performed professionally in NYC, national and international tours, regional theatres, Children's DVDs, and even a documentary.

Her choreography has been featured at many venues including the world famous Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and the Bergen PAC.

Currently Maureen is working on a documentary, called ICONS, in which she plays Judy Garland and is also the choreographer. She has performed with legends Ben Vereen and Ann Reinking.

Maureen loves everything about the world of the arts. She enjoys passing on her knowledge and passion to the next generation.

Massive Product Recall by J&J

Johnson & Johnson issued a massive recall Friday of over-the-counter drugs including Tylenol, Motrin and St. Joseph's aspirin because of a moldy smell that has made people sick.

For full product recall information :

http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com/

What was recalled?

The recall includes some batches of regular and extra-strength Tylenol, children's Tylenol, eight-hour Tylenol, Tylenol arthritis, Tylenol PM, children's Motrin, Motrin IB, Benadryl Rolaids, Simply Sleep, and St. Joseph's aspirin.

What was wrong?

The FDA said about 70 people have been either sickened by the odor - including nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea - or noticed it.

The smell is caused by small amounts of a chemical associated with the treatment of wooden pallets, Johnson & Johnson said. The FDA said the chemical can leach into the air, and traced it to a facility in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico.

The New Brunswick, N.J., company said it is investigating the issue and will stop shipping products with the same materials on wooden pallets. It has asked suppliers to do so as well.

Why now?

It was the second such recall in less than a month because of the smell, which regulators said was first reported to Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Consumer Healthcare Products division in 2008. Federal regulators criticized the company, saying it didn't respond to the complaints quickly enough, wasn't thorough in how it handled the problem and didn't inform the Food and Drug Administration quickly.

The FDA said McNeil knew of the problem in early 2008 but made only a limited investigation.

"McNeil should have acted faster," said Deborah Autor, the director of the FDA's Office of Compliance of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "When something smells bad, literally or figuratively, companies must aggressively investigate and take all necessary action to solve the problem."

What do I do if I have recalled products?

You should stop using the product and contact McNeil Consumer Healthcare for instructions on a refund or replacement, the company said.

For these instructions or information regarding how to return or dispose of the product, go to www.mcneilproductrecall.com or call 1-888-222-6036 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Don't get Scrooged this Holiday Season

Charles Dickens Classic Story of a mean who finds the meaning of Christmas through a series of visits from the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.

Scrooge is a miserable Curmudgeon but somehow Dickens character is also someone worthy of being saved. By the end of the story you right there with Scrooge happy that the spirits were able to complete their work in one night and filled with the Christmas Spirit.

This is a timeless story and has been retold numerous times in different forms and adaptations.

The most recent remake of the story is now on the big screen in 3D in Disney's version of

A Christmas Carol

This is not Disney's first attempt at telling the Dickens Classic in 1983 they released Mickey's Christmas Carol

In 1962 Mr. Magoo took a turn at playing Ebenezer Scrooge in Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol

While the Animated versions are entertaining. A Christmas Carol can be seen live onstage at a number of Playhouses and Performing Arts Centers.

One of my earliest memories is see A Christmas Carol at the Papermill Playhouse on a 2nd grade class trip. It was a surprise trip and I wasn't sure what to expect but after a few minutes I was lost in the magic of live theater. The Papermill production will always hold a special place in my holiday memories.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Event Date: Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 10:00 am

Facility: Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn NJ

Take Route 80 East to Route 280 East, to Exit 7 for Pleasant Valley Way.

Turn left onto Pleasant Valley Way. After five miles, the road turns into Brookside Drive and

the Paper Mill Playhouse is on the left.

Bergen Performing Art Center

Sat Dec 19 at 1:00 PM

Sat Dec 19 at 4:00 PM

$28, $22, $15, $10, $10

A powerful story of redemption, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” has enchanted audiences the world over with its simple message of selfless giving.

Performed by TheatreworksUSA.

Christmas Carol in Hackensack

Original Story by Charles Dickens

Adapted by Marianne DiMaria and Nick Piccialo

Directed by Greg Liosi

Musically Directed by Michael Wada

Choreographed by Jacki Herzog

The Hackensack Cultural Arts Center

39 Broadway Hackensack, NJ 07601

For Tickets call (201) 646-8042

Showtimes

December 4th, 5th, 6th, 10th, 11th & 12th at 7:30pm,

December 12th at 2pm

*a special fundraiser performance on December 6th at 3pm*

$13 for seniors & students / $16 general admission / $11 groups of 10 or more

*All Tickets For December 6th Performance $13*

Holiday Celebrations in and around New Jersey

Northern New Jersey

East Rutherford Recreation will hold its 2009 holiday celebration on Friday, Dec. 4, in the Borough Hall park.

The tree lighting will be held at 7 p.m.

The event will include hot chocolate, music, hot pretzels, candy canes and a visit with Santa.

Holiday Lights Spectacular atTurtle Back Zoo

560 Northfield Avenue West Orange, NJ

973-731-5800

Experience Turtle Back Zoo in the winter as 100,000 bulbs and 50 lit displays illuminate the zoo this holiday season! Regular admission: $7 Adults $3 Children

Beginning Friday, November 27, 28, 29 2009 and then nightly during December until January 2, 2010 (except December 24 & 25th)

Time: 5-9pm

Candlelight Christmas Tour

Friday, December 18 , 2009 6pm-9pm

Main Street Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn

194 Main Street Flemington, NJ
908-782-4928

The Inn’s public space will be decorated with fresh greens, twinkling lights and two fresh evergreen trees.

Snowbabies, antique angels and of course, Santa Clauses will grace the dining room.

Merrymakers are invited to visit the grand Manor which will be elaborately festooned for the best of the Holidays.

Hot cider, cheese & crackers along with holiday cookies will be offered to all who come for the tour.

A donation of $5.00 per person is rerquested to supportthe non profit K-9 Soldiers which is a grassroots organization which supports the K9’s & handlers of military working dogs of all four branches of the service, presently serving our Country in Iraq & Afghanistan

Ringwood

Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. Please be prompt!

Call the recreation office on Sunday, Dec. 6 after 11 a.m. for recorded message on possible postponement of Santa’s arrival and/or the tree lighting ceremony due to weather.

Residents are invited to the community sign on Skyline Drive for the lighting of the tree to usher in the holiday season. Refreshments will be served.

Iron Mountain Stage Company and the Lakeland High School Band Ensemble will make appearances.

Ringwood Manor
Victorian Christmas
Saturday & Sunday, Dec. 5 & 6; Saturday & Sunday, Dec. 12 & 13
11am-5pm

$7 for adults, $6 for seniors, $3 for children

Tour the Manor, decorated in authentic 19th century holiday decor, with guides in period costumes leading you from room to room. Craft vendors will have hand-made items available- get that perfect last-minute gift!
*please contact Carol Henkel at 973-853-7258 if you are interested in bringing a senior group or other group on Wednesday, December 9th.

Dover

Annual tree-lighting ceremony

on Thursday, Dec. 3, at JFK Commons Park (across from the Dover Library) at 6 p.m.

Rain date is Monday, Dec. 7. Share in the holiday caroling by school choral groups.

Hot chocolate will be served, compliments of the Dover Fire Dept.

Children can visit with Santa and receive a treat.

Montclair

Annual Tree Lighting Event and a Visit With Santa

Montclair Township invites you to the annual holiday tree lighting to take place Friday, December 4, 6:00 p.m., in Church Street Plaza. Listen to music by the Montclair Community Band and enjoy an evening of fun winter entertainment in downtown Montclair. Have a picture taken with Santa Claus - $3.00 with a frame. Please Note: Church Street will be closed to vehicular traffic at 5:00 PM.

Santa Comes to Town

Saturday, December 5, Santa will visit the Business Districts on an MFD fire truck and will have gifts for all youngsters.

11:00 AM - South End Business District (Orange Rd. & Cedar Ave.)

11:30 AM - Walnut Street Lot

12:00 PM - Watchung Plaza

12:30 PM - St. James Church (Bllevue Ave. & Valley Road)

The Montclair Community Band will play at each location, and Santa will have candy and gifts for all youngsters.

Santa's Mailbox

Kids can mail a letter to Santa and will receive a personalized letter in return!

Letters can be mailed to:

SANTA CLAUS

205 Claremont Avenue

Montclair, NJ 07042

Letters may also be dropped off at the Montclair Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs.

Please remember to include a return address No letters after December 15, 2009.

South Jersey

Red Bank New Jersey

Red Bank is alive with exciting activities this holiday season. There is something to help everyone get in the holiday spirit!

The season kicks off on Thanksgiving Day weekend with the annual holiday tree lighting in downtown Red Bank. The Victorian Courtyard on Monmouth Street, with its cobblestone streets and old world charm, is home to the holiday tree, and there couldn’t be a better place. The annual tree lighting ceremony takes place on November 27th. The streets fill with holiday music sung by carolers and the popular holiday group known as Holiday Express. The whole town is lit up with lights and music—what better way to get in the spirit of the holidays!

Staring on Saturday, November 28th, the Red Bank business district is filled with the sounds of live music. From 12 noon until 3pm, shoppers can enjoy the music of traditional carolers, choirs, brass bands, rock and roll, folk, jazz and blues. All these great musicians bring their talent and excitement of the holiday season to the sidewalks of Red Bank in celebration of the holiday season. The music is every Saturday from November 28th to December 19th from 12 noon until 3pm.

If you think the holiday music revved up your holiday spirit, wait until you experience the traditional horse and carriage rides that take place every Saturday in the Red Bank business district. A holiday classic, the horse and carriage rides are a favorite way in Red Bank to enjoy the sights and the sounds of the holiday season. Horse and carriage rides are free and they are available every Saturday from 1pm-5pm beginning on Saturday, November 28th and going through Saturday, December 19th. There are two locations to be picked up—on Bridge Ave, across from the Galleria and in front of Murphy Style Grill at 26 Broad St.

Santa Claus loves spending time in Red Bank during the holidays. On Saturdays and Sundays he spends his time at the Galleria taking pictures with enthusiastic children of all ages! “Pictures with Santa” takes place on Saturdays and Sundays in the Galleria from 12 noon until 4pm staring on November 28th and going through December 20th.

Another fun way to celebrate the season is to take part in the Red Bank Gingerbread Walk. The Gingerbread Walk is new to Red Bank this year. There are 14 participating businesses in downtown Red Bank. Each participating business has professionally decorated gingerbread creations on display for everyone to enjoy. There is also the Red Bank Raffle taking place at stores that are participating in the Gingerbread Walk. People can enter to win an overnight hotel stay at the Oyster Point Hotel, tickets to the Count Basie Theatre, and a Red Bank Gift Cheque Shopping Spree. The more participating stores that you visit, the more chances you have to win, so be sure to check out the gingerbread creations in all 14 participating stores! The participating stores are: Better Housekeeping, Front Street Trattoria, Monmouth Street Emporium, Murphy Style Grill, Pierre Deux, Ricky’s of Red Bank, Riverbank Antiques, Sassy Chic, Selve, SurrayLuggage, Tiffany & Co, Ten Thousand Villages, Vizzini and Company, and White Butterfly at Red Bank.

The Westside Community Group Tree Lighting will be taking place on December 5th at WestsidePark, Drs. James Parker Boulevard & Shrewsbury Avenue.

Red Bank has celebrations for Hanukkah, too! Menorah lighting will take place at the Red Bank Train Station on Sunday,

December 13th at 6pm. Come celebrate the start of the Hanukkah season in downtown Red Bank.

PNC Arts Center Holiday Light Spectacular

PNC Arts Center

Holmdel, NJ

732-203-2500

The Light Spectacular usually runs from the end of November through January 2. It is open 5:00pm - 9:00pm 7 days a week.

Each weekend, Red Bank comes alive with holiday spirit. With so many different events and stores to choose from,

there are many reasons to come back every weekend and celebrate the holiday season.

this is one of the most extravagant drive through light displays in the tri - state area.

The spectacular is a 2.5-mile drive through a forest of lights.

Over 5 million lights were used over 225 displays.The display is set up in the parking lot around the Arts Center

on a specially prepared road for the display.

In the premises of the light spectacular, there is a radio station that plays Christmas Carols.

New York City

The 2009 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony is going to be Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Location:

Rockefeller Center is located in the center of the complex of buildings between 47th and 50th Streets and 5th and 7th Avenues.

The 77th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony takes place on December 2, 2009 from 7-9 p.m.

The annual event is televised and features musical performances from a variety of popular artists.

Typically, the Radio City Rockettes perform and there are also ice skaters performing in the Rockefeller Ice Rink.

Special for Disney on Ice Today Only Buy one Get One Free

ONE DAY ONLY - 2 Tickets For The Price Of 1!

Hurry! Offer ends at 11:59 PM on Mon. NOV. 30!

Use Customer Code CYBER

New York Metro Area Performances

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

(Uniondale, NY) - Thu. JAN. 7 - Sun. JAN. 10

Prudential Center

(Newark, NJ) - Thu. JAN. 14 - Mon. JAN. 18

IZOD Center

(East Rutherford, NJ) - Thu. JAN. 21 - Sun. JAN. 24