There are no bounds on creativity and fun at the Art Studio, a multi-faceted studio dedicated to stimulating the artist in all of us, located near your Maplewood home. The Art Studio provides unique art instruction for children and adults in a focused yet relaxed environment. This week, or the sooner the better, awake your artistic side and have a great time at the Art Studio, especially if you live in Maplewood.

Adults are in for a treat this Halloween season and beyond as the Art Studio welcomes you with Masterpieces and Martinis, evenings full of artistry and most of all, fun for you and all your friends. You can choose from a portfolio of master paintings and then have a blast creating your own, step by step and while sipping on refreshing martinis.

All skill levels are welcome most evenings of the week from 7:00 to 9:30pm. The cost of the evening $35, including canvas and paint. Groups of seven or more may paint for free. The Art Studio is located at 499 Summit Avenue in Maplewood. For more information and to schedule a reservation, call (973)378-3798 or click here.

The SUE ADLER TEAM website The SUE ADLER TEAM website

Do you know what you’re doing this Sunday? I do! I will be having a great time visiting and meeting neighbors who live in Millburn and Short Hills! The annual Millburn Street Fair and Art Festival is on Sunday, Oct. 2nd, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. between Millburn Avenue and Spring Street. This is a must-do community event and admission and parking are free, although it’s only a short walk from your Millburn home.

Over 150 crafters, artists and other vendors bring you the best Millburn has to offer on this special day and cars will not be allowed on Millburn Avenue or Spring Street for the event. A wide variety of food, some international, along with pony rides, a petting zoo, and other circus type entertainers will be available, too. Be sure to stop by municipal parking lot 5 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. You may discover an outdoor dance party by DJ John or a live performance by the Flying Dogs of Jupiter Band. The Millburn-Short Hills Chamber of Commerce host the annual festival and this year’s Premier Sponsor is Investors Savings Bank. To find out more, click here.

The SUE ADLER TEAM website The SUE ADLER TEAM website

The Burgdorff Cultural Center will be showcasing the talents of young actors who live in Maplewood and surrounding midtown direct towns this weekend!  Join in the fun and laughter with your friends and neighbors at a production of “Annie Get Your Gun.”  This faced paced show near your Maplewood home features music from Irving Berlin, unexpected romance, and cowboys and Indians and is sure to be a delight.  This production is geared for all ages will run Wednesday, August 17^th through Saturday, August 20^th at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, August 21^st at 2 p.m.  General admission tickets are $13 and student and senior prices are $11.  The Burgdorff Cultural Center is located in the heart of Maplewood, at 10 Durand Road.  Enjoy your evening of entertainment in this historic stone theater and reserve your tickets by calling 973-632-4108.  To find out more about other performances near your New Jersey midtown direct town, please click here.

The SUE ADLER TEAM website The SUE ADLER TEAM website

10 Reasons why you should move from Manhattan to our awesome New Jersey towns….

1. NJ Transit- Midtown Direct Train gets you into New York Penn Station in 25-50 minutes from South Orange, Maplewood, Millburn, Short Hills, Summit.  After Summit, the trainline branches off to: Chatham, Madison, Convent Station…  and the other branch heads to New Providence and Berkeley Heights….   If you click on link above, you will see parking options whether you live in one of these towns or one of the surrounding towns. Need to commute to downtown to the financial district? Just take the train to Hoboken, and then the path or ferry.

Oh, did I mention that there is valet parking at the Millburn train station, and that there is a jitney bus to get you to and from the Maplewood & South Orange train stations during morning and evening rush hours?

Great Schools

2. We have great public schools! 2010 New Jersey School Report Card

3. Our towns are absolutely charming and beautiful. They are SO not like the New Jersey stereotype. Each town has its own personality(and different sections within each town do as well), and you’ll find that living here you will frequent all of the surrounding towns for different things from shops to restaurants to theatre to fitness centers to art, piano or karate lessons.

Town Tour Videos

Town Tour video of Millburn & Short Hills

Town Tour video of Maplewood & South Orange

Town Tour video of Summit

Town Tour video of Chatham

Town Tour Video for Livingston

4. There are very active Newcomers Clubs in each of our towns. A great way to meet other newcomers & put the “bourbon back in suburban” is to attend the Octoberfest or Spring Formal. My husband and I STILL go to the monthly wine tastings at the Millburn/Short Hills Newcomers Club because we’ve made so many new friends at this event. Newcomers Club Sample Activities, Activities with Children

5. We have lots of Golf Courses in New Jersey . Prefer tennis instead? There is the Racquet’s Club in Short Hills or the Orange Lawn Tennis Club in South Orange. You can join for tennis or just get the social membership. There are always tons of activities going on. But the cherry on the top is- each of our towns has its own town pool, a relatively inexpensive and popular option.

6. Contrary to Manhattan real estate, in New Jersey, we have a Multiple Listing Service (MLS), so ONE realtor can show you all of the listings in the Garden State MLS.  Search all MLS listings now

7. Cars today have navigation systems, so you can wander around our beautiful winding tree-lined streets and not get lost if you move here.

Short Hills Pond

8. We have beautiful parks, arboretums, the South Mountain & Watchung Reservations, and local dog parks in Millburn and Livingston. You can go to Millburn Deli and stroll through their parking lot into Taylor park to eat, and relax to a concert or movie in the park as well during the summer.

9. We have a variety of great restaurants!

Scalini Fedeli in Chatham, La Focaccia or Fiorino in Summit and Bascilico in Millburn are my favorites for Italian. For Asian/Thai food, I recommend Khun Thai or Samuri Sushi in Millburn or Monster Sushi in Summit.  If you love a juicy steak, Roots in Summit is really great ( reserve early!), and for Happy Hour, there is Winberries in Summit, and Martini’s Bar and Bistro in Millburn, or head over to Toro Loco in South Orange. If you would like to add your favorite restaurants to this post, please comment!

10. You are not, I repeat… ARE NOT… allowed to pump your own gas in New Jersey. Is that great or what?!?

The SUE ADLER TEAM website The SUE ADLER TEAM website

The Garden State has produced some of the greatest musical artists in history! Check out this video and tell me, who’s your favorite?

The SUE ADLER TEAM website The SUE ADLER TEAM website