Wesley Garrison and Evelyn La Quaif in “Rigoletto”.  Photo: Marilyn Monsanto

           The NJ Association of Verismo Opera (Verismo Opera), a nonprofit organization based in Fort Lee, concludes its 20^th anniversary season with Giuseppe Verdi’s, “Rigoletto”, on Sunday, October 24 at 3 p.m. at the BergenPAC, 30 North Van Brunt St. in Englewood, New Jersey.  Tickets are $55, $45, $35, and $25.

             In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Verismo Opera is saying “thank you” to opera lovers and patrons with a special “2 for 1” sale on tickets priced at $55 and $45 ONLY on September 9, 10, and 11.  The code for this special offer is “Rigoletto”.

             Tickets may be ordered by calling 201-227-1030 or toll-free at 1-888PACSHOW or purchased online at www.bergenpac.org.  They may also be purchased in person at the BergenPAC Box Office.  For group rates, contact Mary Ellen Rohon at 201-886-0561.   

A Masterpiece on the Stage

             Verismo Opera, under the direction of Artistic Director and former Metropolitan Opera diva Lucine Amara, brings to the stage Verdi’s famous masterpiece, “Rigoletto”, following the libretto by Francesco Maria Piave.  Based on Victor Hugo’s play, " Le Roi s'amuse", the opera weaves the story of a court jester, the royal seduction of an innocent girl and the curse that leads to her tragic end.

             International soprano and Verismo Opera Director Evelyn La Quaif says her new production of “Rigoletto” focuses on realism. 

          “People go to the opera to escape their daily struggles for awhile.  Verismo Opera’s production remains true to the original with the grand sets, beautiful costumes, and the splendor.  Each person on the stage, including the chorus, has an individual personality that emotes unique, complex human emotions,” she explained.

             The production includes the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera Orchestra & Chorus; Anthony Morss, Conductor; and Mara Waldman, Chorus Mistress, with Catherine Mirabella heading the costume department.

New Jersey Residents Featured   

            Several New Jersey residents comprise a large part of the cast, with 90 per cent of the chorus from the Garden State.  Cast from the state are Joo Won Kang (Rigoletto) of Fort Lee, Steven Fredericks (Sparafucile) of Tenafly, Richard Bozic (Count Ceprano) from Highland Park and Alan Smulen (Marullo) of Bayonne.

             Kang is no stranger to Verismo Opera.   In 2010, he won second prize in the company’s annual Opera Vocal Competition and performed in its concert, Operatic Highlights of New Jersey. 

         Opera News called him “a firebrand baritone...He is definitely a singer to watch.” 

         He is also a 2009 Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition New York District winner, a 2010 Career Bridge Competition winner, and a Puccini Foundation grant award recipient.  Currently, Kang is pursuing a Master’s of Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music, where he is studying under the tutelage of Mark Oswald. 

Cast

• Rigoletto, the jester - Joo Won Kang

• Gilda, Rigoletto’s daugher - Jennifer Gliere

• Duke of Mantua - Benjamin Sloman

• Sparafucile, an assassin - Steven Fredericks

• Maddelena, Sparafucile’s sister - Jessica Grigg

• Giovanna, Gilda’s nurse -  Maro Partamian

• Count Ceprano - Richard Bozic

• Count Monterone - Nathan Resika

• Marullo - Alan Smulen

• Matteo Borsa - To be announced

• Countess Ceprano - To be announced

         Funding has been made possible by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State through grant funds administered by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs and from private donations.

 20 Years in Bergen County

         The NJ Association of Verismo Opera has been a part of the New Jersey music scene since 1989.  The company performs at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey and provides performing opportunities for young musicians and artists.  Verismo Opera sponsors an annual vocal competition held in November with finals conducted in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall, drawing artists from all over the United States, Canada, and sometimes Europe.  The company organizes opera workshops and offers affordable, highly professional operatic productions to the Bergen County, New Jersey community.

         For more information, visit www.njavo.org and Facebook at http://bit.ly/9JXTP8, or call (201) 886-0561.

At Reconstructionist Temple Beth Israel, Bergen County's only Reconstructionist synagogue, the Sunday Hebrew school program -- known as the Children's Learning Center (CLC) -- offers a different kind of Hebrew school. Sunday program that meets every week for grades 1-7 and now a new inter-generational, interactive preschool program for children ages 5 and under and their families. This preschool begins Sunday, Sept. 26; regular sessions begin Sunday, Sept. 12.

TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS FOR RECONSTRUCTIONIST HEBREW SCHOOL

Children’s Learning Center Kicks Off School Year on September 12

MAYWOOD, N.J., September 3, 2010 — Reconstructionist Temple Beth Israel (RTBI), Bergen County’s only Reconstructionist synagogue, is accepting registrations for students at its Children’s Learning Center, the temple’s Sunday-session Hebrew school. The first class will be on Sunday, September 12, from 9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for students in grades 1 through 7 and the preschool class begins on Sunday, September 26. The preschool program runs from 9:15 to 10:00 a.m. and is led by Rabbi Jarah Greenfield.

RTBI’s Children’s Learning Center offers students in grades 1-7 a progressive Jewish education in synch with Reconstructionist tenets. The three-hour Sunday morning sessions include Hebrew instruction and prayers, hands-on family activities, history and holiday enrichment.  In addition to classroom time, students learn through arts and crafts, cooking, singing, drama and participating in synagogue services. There is a new bi-weekly 45-minute preschool class for younger children and their families which is interactive; this class will introduce elements of Jewish life through arts and crafts, songs and stories, plus teachings for parents and caregivers. Bar/bat mitzvah preparation is offered for older students.

Families may enroll students as non-members for one year, after which temple membership is required. RTBI draws members and students from throughout all of Bergen County as well as lower Rockland County.

The Bergen chapter of the NJ Association of Women Business Owners offers area professionals plenty of opportunities to meet new contacts, learn something new to take back to their businesses and benefit from the legislative advocacy that NJAWBO provides for its members. Here is a lineup of the September events hosted by the Bergen chapter:

BERGEN WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS HOST NETWORKING MEETINGS, EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP IN SEPTEMBER

August 30, 2010 – The Bergen chapter of the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO) will hold three networking meetings in September which are open to all area business professionals, as follows:

Tuesday, September 14 – Professionals interested in electronic newsletters for their businesses are invited to hear Susana Fonticoba of Home & Office Computer Training discuss “How to Develop an Effective Online Newsletter" at Bergen NJAWBO’s Network at Noon lunch meeting. The luncheon will run from 12:00 to 1:30pm at Palmers Crossing Restaurant at the Clinton Inn, 145 Dean Street in Tenafly. Cost for members is $17, non-members $22; cash only please (no checks). For information and reservations email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the chapter hotline at 201-444-8773, ext. 5.

·         Wednesday, September 22 – Area business owners are invited to learn how to boost their business’s online presence when Suzanne Bugge of A Focused Advantage shares ways to build business through internet advertising, e-newsletters and social media platforms at the monthly dinner meeting of the Bergen chapter of NJAWBO. The event will be held at the Hasbrouck Heights Holiday Inn, 283 Rt. 17 South. Networking and registration begin at 5:45pm, followed by dinner and the presentation starting at 6:30pm.  The cost is $35 for NJAWBO members if paid by Sept. 10; $40 after the early-bird deadline and at the door for members and non-members. For reservations or more information call Bergen chapter hotline at (201) 444-8773, ext. 3 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

·         Wednesday, September 29 – The Bergen chapter of NJAWBO holds its monthly Business Over Breakfast meeting networking meeting, from 8:00 to 9:30a.m. at Panera Bakery Café in Paramus Place, 165 Route 4 West in Paramus. Attendees will introduce themselves and their businesses and exchange business cards, and brainstorm solutions to a member-presented business challenge. The cost is $10 for NJAWBO members, $15 non-members; cash only please. For reservations call the Bergen chapter hotline at (201) 444-8773, ext. 4 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

NJAWBO is the oldest statewide organization focused on the needs and concerns of women business owners. Established in 1978, its primary objective is to support and encourage business ownership by women by providing them with the tools to develop and grow their enterprises through networking, partnering, leadership, education and political advocacy. Classes, seminars, and informational events are offered to members and aspiring entrepreneurs. There are thirteen chapters throughout New Jersey. For more information about NJAWBO-Bergen, call (201) 444-8773 or visit www.njawbobergen.org; for more information about the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners, call (609) 799-5101 or go to www.njawbo.org.

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Chance at Life Cat Rescue will be holding a yard and bake sale on Saturday and Sunday, Sept 4th & 5th.  Adoptions will take place, weather permitting.

230 Catalpa Avenue (off of Summit Avenue) Hackensack NJ 07601.  9am-4pm.

New and used items available.  Yummy baked goods.

Donated items for the sale are greatly appreciated.  Contact Vanessa 201-982-2219 or Renee 551-206-1284 if you have items to donate or can donate your time during the sale.

Thank you!

          The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley (League) has named Joyce Luhrs, president of the marketing and management firm Luhrs & Associates, to its board of directors and appointed her to the position of co-vice-president.  Ms. Luhrs will celebrate the League's 90th anniversary milestone this year, as part of her two-year term.

           She will work with the League to carry out out its mission to encourage informed and active participation in government and influence public policy through education and advocacy.  The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley, a part of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey (LWVNJ) and the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS), is a non-partisan political organization. 

            Ms. Luhrs has been involved in the League of Women Voters in various capacities over the years, including as a member of the board of directors of the former League of Women Voters of Leonia.  She served as membership chair and implemented its publicity campaigns and outreach efforts into the community.  She was also very involved on the League of Women Voters of NJ's State Education Committee and coordinated a conference on issues impacting education in urban areas in the state.

            "Joyce Luhrs is creative and certain to be a great asset to the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley's board of directors.  Her extensive marketing and management experiences working in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors and being involved in the community will help the League grow and develop," said Ann Moscovitz, president, League of Women Voters of Northern Valley.

            The LWVNV’s membership represents the 27 towns of Alpine, Bergenfield, Cliffside Park, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Edgewater, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fort Lee, Hackensack, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Leonia, Montvale, New Milford, Northvale, Norwood, Old Tappan, Park Ridge, Rivervale, Tenafly, Washington Township, and Woodcliff Lake.

            Ms. Luhrs brings to the League extensive experience working with businesses and nonprofits to promote and increase their image and name recognition in various markets.  Her company, Luhrs & Associates, is a creative marketing, public relations, and management services firm that works with businesses, celebrities, nonprofit organizations and schools.  She is also active in other community organizations, including Rotary Club of The Palisades, NJ and Leonia Arts.

           Under her direction, the company has launched several community projects through its In the Community program, an annual community service initiative for nonprofit organizations.  Earlier this year, the company implemented a statewide publicity and community outreach campaign to announce the Hispanic Business Council Scholarship Foundation of NJ, Inc.’s 2010 scholarship program, resulting in a 103% increase in applications received. 

            Other activities have included providing pro-bono one-on-one consulting about public relations and publicity to nonprofit leaders attending the Center for Nonprofits 2009 conference; sponsoring linen, school supply and children’s book drives to aid the Ramapough Lenape Nation in New Jersey and New York; and undertaking other collections to support domestic violence shelters and arts programs.

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Deregulation began back in the late 1990s out of necessity to create more competition and bring high energy costs down.

Deregulation allows consumers to choose where they buy their power, much as they can choose their long-distance company. This choice creates a competitive marketplace in which each energy company is working to provide the best product. Creating competition drives prices down and improves quality.

Under deregulation, each part of your energy service is broken down into separate pieces that are provided by different companies. Delivery of the electricity to your home as well as all necessary service is still provided by your utility, making it possible for you to still have safe and reliable electricity in your home.

Third Party Electric suppliers are licensed by state and federal agencies and are not in competition with the local utility. The local utility does not make any money on the energy, only on the delivery and service of electricity, so the utility company supports customers who choose to switch suppliers. A third party company simply supplies energy to the grid and your utility delivers that energy to your home or business.  It's just that simple. All this adds up to a perfect reason for you to exercise your choice to select the best supplier for your electricity.

Deregulation means you can shop around to find the product that's best for you. You have a choice. Why wouldn't you make the choice that saves you money and helps the environment?  You can make a difference for your family and the environment.

Imagine this example

You drive into your local gas station and one pump says $3.50 per gallon for Regular Unleaded.  Right next to it the other pump says $3.00 per gallon for Regular Unleaded.  You ask the attendant what is the difference between the two? Why is one much more expensive then the other?  He tells you that they are exactly the  same, except the cheaper one, the $3.00 per gallon, actually makes your car run better and omits less CO2 into the environment.  He says that the company that produces the $3.00 per gallon gas wants to make it more affordable for you to use so you save money and in turn help the environment.  WHICH ONE DO YOU CHOOSE? 

STOP!!!!  DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME YOUR DECISION IS A NO BRAINER!!!

If it's such an obvious choice then why does almost everyone including YOU choose to buy the $3.50 gallon of gas when it comes to purchasing your electricity?

You have the right to choice and the responsibility to make the right choice. 

WWW.NJGREENCHOICE.COM

This link is a direct link that will allow you to save money and help our planet buy choosing an energy supplier that provides you cleaner and greener electricity.

IT IS FREE, HAS NOT CONTRACT OR CREDIT CHECK

As always you can contact me with any questions

Mike Hoffman

Cell 201-647-1960

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Hair Color

There a few different types of hair color. 

• Temporary will wash out in 1 -4 washes.  These include rinses, colored gels and spray on hair coloring
• Semi-permanent will last about 4-6 weeks.  It is a low processing color that will coat the hair shaft and wash out over time.  They do not go into the cuticle; which is the top layer of your hair. 
• Permanent color will fade, but will stay on the hair shaft until it is cut out.  Permanent color has  a higher level of processing solution that will go through the cuticle and permanently change the hair color. 

Special care must be taken when coloring your hair.  You should do what is called a patch test to make sure that you are not allergic to the product.  A small amount of the color is placed on your skin for 24 hours.  If you see no reaction, you can color.  If you have any reaction, you should not use color or try a semi-permanent color.

Do not wash your hair or scratch your scalp for 12 hours before a coloring.  Color must be placed on dry hair, and processed according to the manufacturers directions. 

"Box" color that you can buy in any drugstore is not the same as the product that a stylist uses on your hair when you are in a salon.  The products a stylist use, can only be purchased by a licensed hairstylist.  Please be careful if you do color with "box" color as most salons charge more for color correction.  Remember that stylist go to school, take a test to become licensed and then continue their education to better serve the clients in their salon.  

(This Column was censored by Doug Hall, editor of The Bergen News, because he found it unfit to print. He saw nothing in it that "his readership" would enjoy or connect with. So here is the offensive piece.)

In 1972, George Carlin immortalized himself through his “7 Words You Can’t Say…” monologue and talk of it trickled down to the schoolyard as a topic of conversation at recess. I remember the outrage provoked by George’s monologue, but none of the older kids would let me in on what exactly those seven words were. I pleaded, I begged, I eavesdropped on the upper classes at recess. Nothing. I mean, even in my Tween years, words were my bag, man. The good, the bad, but most especially, the ugly. If only someone would tell me what they were!

          Unfortunately for me, I was born into a house where swearing was less a part of the vernacular and more an inadvertent slip of the tongue. The dropping of potent potables were limited to emphasizing physical pain, as in “son of a ***** my toe!” or, to exhibit frustration “********* listen to your mother!” or, the trigger that released airbags of anger “Wipe that ******* smirk off your face right now!” There was an occasional slip of a ****, or a temperate ***-******, but nothing operatic or symphonic.

          On the other hand, my friend’s mother, who was a waitress at the Fort Lee Diner, crafted curse words with the same artistic precision that Michelangelo carved his masterpiece, the Statue of David. Her accomplished and pointed tongue demonstrated extraordinary technical skill that displayed the strength of her symbolic imagination. I would spend hours at my friend’s house following her mother around, my ears the tuning fork for her *-*’s and her go **** **** ****’s that she tatted into her conversation like finely webbed heirloom lace.

          So, imagine my surprise when while visiting the newsroom last week, my editor took me aside and informed me that I could not use the word **** in my columns anymore. Frankly, I don’t even remember typing ****, but it sounded like me. And I never considered **** to be an expletive especially since a priest I know regularly peppers his conversations with it. However, he said, there were complaints. People were offended. Really? Complaints? Well, I’ll be—that means somebody other than my mother is reading! (Wait. Mom, did you lodge a complaint?)

Standing there I felt like I was back in Junior year at Paramus Catholic Girls Regional High School being publicly excoriated by Sr. Lawrence wishing she’d just give me the demerit for whatever archaic rule I had violated and save the “Hell hath no fury” sermon for a Freshman. Here’s the rub: no one can curse quite like a Catholic School girl can. Some of the girls in my class could hold their own with any salty sailor; in fact, most our tongues were tinged with Tourette’s. We could profanely roll our tongues as adeptly as we could roll our skirts. And with the same minimal amount of effort.

If he thought the word **** was a profanity, he should spend an afternoon with me or any overworked, overtired, overstressed, underpaid mom on her way to pick up this kid from his friend’s house, drop that kid off at soccer, and take another kid and his friends to the movies at the same time her husband is calling to ask what she’s cooking for dinner. Better yet, stand next to a mom at the check-out line at Shop Rite when she finds out her debit card has been declined and she has 18 bags of groceries sitting in her shopping cart and her screaming toddler is poised to impale himself onto the pointed bag of frozen shoestring French fries. Or accompany a mom to Model’s and witness her reaction when while purchasing her son’s cleats, socks, and shin guards is informed by the 17-year-old sales clerk that she is no longer the Master of her Card when he announces to the entire store, “Oh great! Your card is no good!” I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m going to guess that “darn-it” isn’t quite the descriptive word these moms are reaching for.    

          So, from mom-to-mom, I apologize if I’ve linguistically offended any of you. I’m going to **** (hint: that’s the word that got me into trouble!) on a bar of LifeBoy to clean up my language. But for old times’ sake, here’s a final “*!@??%%??%??@??@?%****” to all my saucy-tongued stressed-out sisters!

After nearly 40 years, an original Palisades Amusement Park billboard has returned home.

It started when I received an email back in March from Janet Strom at the Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs. She wrote to tell me that a man had dropped off an original Palisades 14-part billboard and another Palisades subway poster that he wanted to have a good, safe home. Janet called me since she was aware of the PAP Historical Society and felt I could supply the "good home" for the artwork.

I called the generous donor, who turned out to be Richard Patterson from South Jersey. He told me how he had acquired it after the park's closing. At that time, Rich, a member of the class of 1969, was a resident of the town of Palisades Park. He and a friend had been walking the grounds of the former amusement park the year after it closed. There they found an open building that housed an assortment of advertising posters and materials that the park had used annually to promote the fun center. He grabbed a poster and a billboard and kept it in storage all these years.

Richard, a retired US postal worker, now decided the time had come that he find a good home for the posters. He contacted the Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs since these pieces certainly fit the definition of "historic." That was when Janet had the idea to contact me about housing the collection.

Thank you, Richard. Your generosity will forever be appreciated by myself and by the countless fans of Palisades Amusement Park.

Beginning

To straighten hair, begin by shampooing, conditioning and towel-drying hair.  Apply a heat protectant product to your hair, paying special attention to the ends.  Air dry hair or blow dry lightly until hair is just damp.

Sectioning

Section hair into small section. Use a thick, round brush and begin at the roots, gently pull the brush through the hair to the ends while blow-drying. Pull the hair away from your head, stretching and straightening it as you go. Pull the brush through the underneath of your hair so that the heat of the dryer is directly hitting the hair.  Once that area is dry, switch to the next section. Going from the bottom up to the tip.  You want to repeat this process for the rest of the sections to straighten your entire head of hair.

Finishing

You want to finish off with a smoothing serum. Use a small amount, and rub through the hair evenly.

Tips

• Do not play with hair, it will make it greasy.

• Keep the tension consistent and evenly distribute heat over the section. This ensures uniform hair texture and prevents over drying of certain areas. 

Do you have a question about hair?  Ask us!