Relive the memories of Giants Stadium in this behind-the-scenes, all access tour of one of the most famous stadiums in the world, before it closes and is replaced by the new Meadowlands Stadium. Come celebrate the stadium’s 33-year history during its final season, with new features and never-before-seen areas.
 Tickets are still available for tours on Dec. 28-31 and Saturday, Jan. 2.

- See the luxury suites and press box

- Get a glimpse of the player locker rooms
- Walk out on to the field for a special photo opportunity

- Receive a special commemorative item

The tour runs approximately two hours. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are sold on a first-come first-served basis depending on availability with a maximum capacity of 60 per tour. Cameras that take still photos are permitted, but video cameras or recording devices are not allowed. The tour is handicapped accessible. Coats, bags and strollers must remain with guests, as there are no check-in or holding areas. Tour schedule and content are subject to change without notice. Children under 5 will be admitted for free.

You can park your vehicle in Lots 10/12 before meeting at the East Gate between Gates B and C.

Tonight, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m., in NBA basketball the NJ Nets take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. For more event information and to purchase tickets online, please click here.

Also tonight, in NHL hockey the New York Rangers take on the Florida Panthers at Madison Square Garden in New York at 7 p.m. For event info and to purchase tickets, please click here.

Take advantage of today’s snowfall and hit a ski resort or the local skating rink. According to this Star-Ledger article, despite the current economy, ski resorts in NJ have seen an increase in visitors this year.

Ice Skating Rinks in Central New Jersey
Old Bridge Ice skating Arena
Old Bridge, NJ 732 607-7971
Offers public skating everyday. Clink on the link above to see the exact times for open public skating. Children’s birthday parties and many types of classes for all ages to learn how to skate.

Princeton Sports center
1000 Cornwall Rd, Monmouth Junction 732-940-6800
New Jersey’s State Of The Art Skating Facility. They have Travel Hockey and open skating to the public. Take lessons and learn To Skate or Figure Skate. They have a great coaching staff.

Bridgewater Sports Arena
425 Frontier Road Bridgewater, New Jersey 732-PLAY-BSA
Offers Public Skating 7 days a week. Please check their schedule for current public dates and skating times. Click on the link above for more info.

Ice Land
6 Tennis Court Hamilton, NJ 609-588-6672
Ice land is open year round. They offer 3 Ice Rinks, 2 Arcades, 2 Snack Bars, 2 Heated Lobbies overlooking their Rinks, 2 Party Rooms and a great Pro Shop. Many programs to learn how to skate.

Red Bank Armory Ice Complex
76 Chestnut Street Red Bank NJ 732 450-9001
They offer public skating as well as skating lessons. They also have a pro shop. You can also have your parties here.

United Skates of America Inc
600 Main St Woodbridge, NJ 732-596-4100
Open Year Round! For details of their ICE HOCKEY PROGRAM Information, please check out their Adult Hockey league page and their Youth hockey league page.

Edison Family Ice Skating Rink
Roosevelt Park (off route 1) Edison NJ 732-494-3785
This outdoor rink is open Open January 17 – March 31. Hours are Mon – Fri 5- 9 PM – Saturday 12 Noon – 9 PM – Sunday 12 Noon – 7 PM and Holidays 12 Noon – 9 PM. Adults $5.00, Children 17 & Under $4.00

The Rock Ice Pavilion
125 North Ave. Rt. 28 Dunellen NJ 732-752-8600
The Rock Ice Pavilion offers Ice Skating Lessons! Hockey Clinics, Adult Open Hockey, Freestyle, Public skating sessions and more!

Mercer County Skating Center
South Post Road West Windsor NJ 732-371-1669
The Mercer County Public Ice Skating Center is open to the public seven days a week during the operating season. The Olympic-sized rink which measures 200′ by 85′, offers general public skating sessions, family night sessions, birthday parties and ice time for hockey.

Aspen Ice at Flemington
426 Cace Bvld. Flemington 908-237-1423
NHL regulation size rink, full size arcade, party areas, snack bar, fully stocked full service pro shop, all complemented with high quality features. Offers Public Skating. Visit their website for Public Skating Calendar.

Wall Sports Arena
1215 Wyckoff Road Farmingdale NJ 1-800-ICE-HOCKEY
Adult Open Hockey Ages 18 & Over. Monday / Wednesday / Friday 12pm – 1:30pm and Fridays 10pm – 11:30pm. Public skating is also available. Friday Night DJ Skate Is Here!! 8pm-11pm Every Friday.

Resorts for Skiing, Snowboarding, and Snowtubing
Mountain Creek Ski Resort
200 Route 94, Vernon NJ 973-827-2000
Offers: Skiing, Snowboarding, Snowtubing, Terrain Parks, Rentals, Lessons, lodging, Play and Stay Package. Mountain Creek is NJ’s backyard playground for skiers and snowboarders of any age, featuring snowmaking and lighting across 45 trails serviced by 11 lifts with a 1040′ vertical, and home to the Largest Terrain Park in the East! We also boast luxurious townhome-style accomodations at Black Creek Sanctuary or the slopeside Appalachian hotel, which also hosts small groups and meetings. There is also free ski and board check resort-wide. Rental equipment and lessons are also available. www.mountaincreek.com

The Hidden Valley Club
44 Breakneck Road, Vernon, NJ, 973-764-4200
Offers: Skiing in NJ, Snowboarding in NJ, Night Skiing in New Jersey, Ski and Snowboard Lessons. The Hidden Valley Club is a semi-private ski area located in Vernon NJ. Catering to families they offer a great place for families to ski and snowboard. They are open to the public for the 08/09 season. The mountain features 15 trails, three chair lifts and one tow. There is night skiing and the mountain has 100% snowmaking capability. The Snowsport School teaches children and adults of any level to ski and snowboard. They also offer a SkiWee program for children as young as 4. The mountain race program has even produced some Olympic caliber talent. The cozy lodge has a cafeteria and a beautiful restaurant and bar called Hickory Sticks Grill which offers hearty food. If you are planning a group outing there are also group discount packages available. For information on becoming a member of The Hidden Valley Club please call 973-764-4200.

Campgaw Mountain
200 Campgaw Road, Mahwah, NJ 201-327-7800
Offers: Night time Skiing in NJ, Snowboarding in NJ, Adult Ski Workshops, Snowtubing, Snow sports camp, Season passes, group rates. Campgaw Mountain is New Jersey’s premiere ski – snowboarding and tubing destination. Campgaw Mountain offers an alpine escape right in your backyard. Located in northern Bergen County, we are the closest ski area to the New York metro area with 100% snowmaking capabilities. Only 18 miles north of the George Washington Bridge.
They provide of variety of skiing and snowboarding terrain for all abilities with short lift lines, un-crowded trails, and a friendly staff. You’ll find the latest in rental equipment and the highest level of skiing or snowboarding instruction for all ages. Whether you are a beginner or an enthusiast, you’ll love the skiing, snowboarding, and tubing at Campgaw Mountain. Campgaw Mountain also offers eight scenic cross-country trails. They offer kids skiing lesson programs that introduces kids to skiing through fun games.

Hailey’s Harp and Pub in Metuchen is planning their first-ever beer dinner, to be held on Monday, January 18, 2010 at 6:30-9:30 p.m. The PubScout, Kurt Epps, will emcee the event, after having been a regular emcee at annual beer dinners at nearby Metuchen seafood restaurant Dick’s Dock. Cost is $50 per ticket, with a maximum of only 45 tickets to be sold for the event.

The menu will be as follows:
Melon with Prosciutto
Corn Beef and Cabbage Rolls
Potato Leek Soup
Mixed Greens with Citrus Salads
Beef Rib Roast with Fresh Rosemary
Kicked up Jameson Strawberries

As-of-yet to be determined specially selected beers will accompany the meals, though Hailey’s Ale and Guinness are certain to be on the list.

You can purchase tickets and reserve your seat by calling (732) 321-0777.

Take a FREE horse-drawn carriage ride and explore the rich history of downtown New Brunswick. The ride will last approximately 15 minutes and a historian will be available to point out important historical sites. Though the ride is free, passengers are asked to bring a non-perishable food item that will be donated to local food pantries.

When: Friday, December 18th & Saturday, December 19th from 6:00-9:00 pm

Route #1 – The Hyatt Regency on Neilson Street
The carriage will travel from the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick, (see map,) making a left and going up Church Street, making a left on George Street, making a left onto Liberty Street, then going straight onto Richmond Street and making a left onto Dennis Street. It will then make a left, going around Hiram Square at Riverwatch, making a right out onto Neilson Street to return to the Hyatt.

Route #2 – The Heldrich
The carriage will travel from Monument Square, going around the Square, making a left onto George Street, making a right onto Liberty Street, then going straight onto Richmond Street and making a left onto Dennis Street. It will then make a left, going around Hiram Square at Riverwatch, making a right out onto Neilson Street again, and going past the Hyatt, making a left and going up Church Street, making a left onto George Street, making a right onto Livingston Avenue to return to the Monument.

Sun. Nov. 15: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Athletic Fields at Heavenly Farms
Dunhams Corner Rd, East Brunswick

Join your friends, neighbors, and family in celebrating the 47th annual free Turkey Trot Cross Country Race at the Heavenly Farms Athletic Fields on Dunhams Corner Road. Races of varying distances will be held for each and every member of the family. So, bring out baby (that’s right, baby), great, great grandpa, and everyone in between! Races are conducted by EB Recreation staff. Races will move indoors to the Community Room at the Community Arts Center in case of rain. A cross country race (3.2 mi) will begin promptly at 1:00pm. Runners will follow a marked course through Heavenly Farms. Both residents and nonresidents are invited to participate regardless of age, ability, or physical/mental disability. (EB Residents Only for field races; residents or nonresidents for cross country race). Sign up day of event. Admission is FREE in exchange for participating in EB’s food drive by bringing a non-perishable food item (can or box) to the Turkey Trot for distribution to needy families during the holiday season. For more information, please click here.

Sat. Nov. 14
Wall Township: 9am-12pm.
Pancake Breakfast to Support the Wall Community Alliance. Wall Municipal Bldg. 2700 Allaire Rd., downstairs. All you can eat pancakes, sausage, eggs, juice, and more. Adults $5, Seniors and kids $3. For information call 732-820-4792 or click here.

Sun. Nov. 15
Chester/Flanders: 7:30am-12pm.
The Knights of Columbus, Blessed Mother Seton Council 5410, Chester/Flanders, New Jersey, is sponsoring a Fall Pre-Thanksgiving Day ‘all you can eat’ Pancake Breakfast. The location is the Council Hall, 3 Schmidt Lane, Flanders, NJ; across the railroad tracks from the Flanders Fire Company, off Main Street. The breakfast includes pancakes, French toast, eggs any style, sausage, donuts, cupcakes, coffee, tea, milk, hot chocolate, and orange juice. Donation: Adults $6.50, children 6 through 12 $4.00, 5 and younger are free. Proceeds from the breakfast will be used for charitable and scholarship programs.

High Bridge: 7:30am-12pm.
Includes eggs, pancakes, French toast, bacon, sausage, home fries, waffles and beverages. Adults $7, children 6 to 12, $4, children under 5, free. At the Masonic Center on Dennis Avenue in High Bridge. Call 908-735-5523 for more information.

South Brunswick: 8am-12 noon.
Pancake Breakfast sponsored by South Brunswick Lions Club. Adults $6, Children $4. Held at: Crossroads Middle School South. Major Rd. & Kingston Lane, South Brunswick. Call Barbara at 732-297-1107 for more information.

Sun. Nov. 22
Toms River: 7am-12pm.
Eatin’ Good At The Firehouse Pleasant Plains Volunteer Fire Dept. 53rd All You Can Eat Flapjack Breakfast on 40 Clayton Ave. Holiday gifts and orders to go. Adults $5, child $4. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Call 732-349-0808 or 732-363-5296 for more information.

Every second Sunday of the month
Bound Brook: 8am-12pm.
Breakfast includes pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, crumb cake, and assorted hot and cold beverages. At the Holy Family Academy on 120 East Second Street, downstairs cafeteria, in Bound Brook. $7 for adults; $5 for seniors and children younger than the 8th grade. Call 732- 356-1151 for more information.

Carteret
There will be a service at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Carteret Park on Wednesday at 11 a.m.

East Brunswick
The township will hold its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Veterans Park by the East Brunswick Municipal Complex at 1 Jean Walling Civic Center. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held indoors in the library. There will be a reception following the ceremony. East Brunswick would like to include in the ceremonies veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and asks that these veterans, or anyone who knows one, to contact Recreation Supervisor Karen Kecskes at (732) 390-6797.

Edison
Veterans Day services will be held on Wednesday at the following locations: 8 a.m.: a service at all veterans post homes; 8:30 a.m. at the Korean Vietnam Monument at Grove Avenue and James Street; 9 a.m. at the Menlo Park Soldiers Home; 9:30 a.m. at Roosevelt Park on Grandview Avenue West; 10 a.m. at the Fireman’s Monument on Woodbridge Avenue; 10:15 a.m. at Bonhamtown Monument (senior citizen building) on Woodbridge Avenue; 10:45 a.m.: a street dedication in honor of veteran Frank Priam at Jefferson Boulevard and Plainfield Avenue; 11:15 a.m. at the Edison municipal complex and the police monument at 100 Municipal Blvd.

Highland Park
The annual Raritan Valley Veterans Alliance Veterans Day parade is on Wednesday at 11 a.m. The parade starts at the Doughboy monument on Raritan Avenue in Highland Park and goes to George Street in New Brunswick. For more information, call (732) 819-0052.

Jamesburg
Veterans Day ceremonies will be held at Veterans Park in Jamesburg and at the American Legion post in Milltown on Wednesday. The 11 a.m. Jamesburg event is sponsored by American Legion Star Post 127 of Jamesburg and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 262 of Monroe Township.

Metuchen
Wreaths will be laid at the following locations: 8:30 a.m. at Grove Avenue between Metuchen High School and James Street; 9 a.m. at Menlo Park Soldiers Home; 9:30 a.m. at Roosevelt Park; 10:15 a.m. at Bonhamtown Senior Center.

Monroe
There will be two Veterans Day services on Wednesday. The first will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a services and a wreath laying at the Veterans Monument at the Triangle Memorial on Spotswood-Englishtown Road and Monmouth Road. A similar service will follow at 9:15 a.m. at the Veterans’ Monument at the Monroe Township Municipal Complex, 1 Municipal Plaza. For more information, call (732) 521-4400.

Old Bridge
American Legion Post 177 on Emerson Street will host a service at 7 p.m. Wednesday. For more information, call (732) 254-9690.

Perth Amboy
Several Veterans Day activities and events are being planned, including a musical salute and an unveiling of a mural dedicated to veterans. On Wednesday at 11 a.m. a Veterans Day ceremony will be held at the Veterans War Memorial along Sadowski Parkway. At 2 p.m. in council chambers at city hall, a mural honoring Perth Amboy’s military veterans will be unveiled on the front wall by local veterans.

See this link for a music video by Perth Amboy residents Brett and Kacy Epps to honor American veterans and to donate to the Disabled Veterans Fund.

Sayreville
A service will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at borough hall.

South Amboy
A memorial service will be held by the American Legion on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at city hall.

South Brunswick
The municipal building at 540 Ridge Road will hold a Veterans Day service on Wednesday at 11 a.m. and will feature members of American Legion 401 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9111 of Kendall Park. Refreshments will follow at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post at 11 Henderson Road. For more information, please call (732) 297-9823.

South Plainfield
On Wednesday at 11 a.m., a ceremony honoring all veterans will be held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6763 (VFW Hall) at 155 Front St.

Spotswood
A ceremony will be held at the Spotswood Veterans for Foreign Wars post at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

A presentation for Woodbridge active older adults
Learn steps Middlesex county is taking in the area of energy efficiency and transportation. Freeholder James Polos and Caroline Ehrlich, Chief of Staff for Mayor John McCormac, will be speaking on going green and building a sustainable Woodbridge. Learn ways to save money and about county rebates you may be eligible for.

Friday, November 13th, 2009
Time: 11AM -12pm
Place: The YMCA at the Woodbridge Community Center
Coffee, tea, and light refreshments will be served
Call Lois Griffin at (732) 596-4053 to RSVP today.

Please click here for more information.

Experience the excitement of Rutgers football as the Scarlet Knights, currently 6-2, take on the University of South Florida Bulls this Thursday night, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m. at Rutgers Stadium. Rutgers is 3-1 all-time against South Florida. You can buy tickets online here.

Woodbridge township’s annual “Salute to our Veterans Parade” will begin on Nov. 8, at 1:30 p.m. at St. James Church and will proceed down Main Street to Town Hall, before concluding at 2:45 p.m.

Veteran’s Day will be observed nationally on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009.

Metuchen’s Earthsongs Studio at 242 Amboy Ave is getting a complete makeover, and the entire ceramic works studio must be emptied before December. To help prepare, they are having a one-day only “At-Least-Half-Price” sale on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. The studio has decorative as well as functional ceramic works available. You can purchase items on sale on Nov.14 either in person at the store or online via its website at www.claysongs.com.

How can access to trails and open spaces be improved? How can Metuchen be more green and sustainable? Is there interest in community gardens & sustainable agriculture? What sort of pedestrian and bike trails are needed in Metuchen?

Help answer these questions by shaping Metuchen’s vision for the Middlesex Greenway.

OPEN HOUSE MEETING
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Metuchen Senior Citizen’s Center
15 Center Street • Metuchen

Come discuss improvements and design possibilities for the proposed Greenway extension with the Environmental Commission, planners and ecologists.

Help brainstorm ideas on:
- Pedestrian and Bike Connections
- Open Space Design
- Sustainable Stormwater Management
- Community Gardens
- Sustainable Agriculture

Ready to get a head start on picking up some awesome hand-made holiday gifts and support local artists? Come on down to the first annual Arts and Crafts show at The Raconteur in Metuchen, New Jersey. The show, “Arts & Crafts, Knick-Knacks, & Baubles” will be hosted by Carolynn DiOrio. There will be seven tables of original artwork and handmade crafts and treats.

Also, a silent auction will be held during the show with ALL proceeds going to The Children’s Hospital of New Jersey.

So please stop by and support local artists on Saturday, November 7th from 4:00 to 7:00pm at The Raconteur Book Store, 431 Main Street, Metuchen NJ.

Artists include: Tom DiFazio, Carolynn DiOrio, Jason DiOrio, Courtney Doherty, Natalie Holt, Matt Holt, Paul Ng, and Martha VanEtten.

For more information on the charity, please visit www.childrens-specialized.org. For more information on the show, please visit www.raconteurbooks.com or www.littlestarzcrafts.blogspot.com

This Halloween, be prepared for Grimlock Manor, a local, professionally-designed haunted house attraction that has been six months in the making.

“It has been a long process of development – over six months – and we will be opening up on Friday Oct. 30 and go through Nov. 1, said Jason Diorio, who is overseeing the event. “I work full-time Monday through Friday as a designer in the city, and so it has been all long nights and weekends since March, with a few hours each weeknight and then Saturday and Sunday all day.”

The attraction, to be held at 1 Safety Place in Metuchen off Route 27, is expected to be on the level of Disney’s Haunted Mansion, with 25 percent of the proceeds going towards supporting Metuchen EMS. It has been a labor of love for Diorio, 29, who works as a graphic designer in New York. The majority of the props are custom-made, and almost nothing is store-bought.

“You are not going to walk into the attraction to see something that you can get from any of the Halloween stores,” said Diorio, who also has extensive work experience in the entertainment industry, having worked with MTV and Nickelodeon. “It is pretty close to being all-original, and hopefully it will be something new that people haven’t seen before. We are hoping for 500 people each night of the run, and so far response has been good.” Continue Reading

This Sunday at 6 p.m., the Metuchen-Edison area Interfaith Clergy Association will show a film at the Centenary United Methodist Church that will serve as a unique opportunity for local Christians, Jews, and Muslims to begin a conversation with each other.

The film is called Footsteps: A Journey in Faith and is the story of 12 senior religous leaders of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Unitarian faiths who make a trip together to Israel and Palestine. Pizza and salad will be served, and a discussion will follow the film. The evening, which will end by 8:30 p.m., is free for all participants, although those planning to attend are asked to RSVP by today’s end.

Israel is one of the most fought over places in human history, says the film’s director, Dennis Mahoney. Continue Reading

Local Link is a recurring series by The Central New Jersey Guide which profiles notable people in the local community.
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Turn to the business section of Sunday’s edition of the New York Times, and you just might see the published work of a local resident.

“I do one cartoon every other week for the Times, and there is no typical day,” said cartoon illustrator Chris Reed, who lives just over the Metuchen border in Edison with his wife and three children. He works out of his home as an independent freelancer.

Reed’s cartoons appear regularly in a New York Times column called Career Couch, which he describes as an “Ann Landers advice column for the business world.” He says he enjoys his work with the Times because it allows him to be creative.

“My clients include the New York Times, Scholastic, BusinessWeek, McGraw-Hill, and many others,” he said. “I am at my desk most of my day or at my computer doing artwork. For a New York Times assignment, I will first draw the picture before scanning it into the computer as an image file. I then alter it there, add a black and white tone, and then email it directly to the paper’s art director. But it usually all starts with a drawing on a piece of paper.” Continue Reading

There has been progress in solving the problem of cloudy water in the borough’s pool from this past summer, officials say.

“This week before our regular pool commission meeting, we had a meeting at the pool to discuss and evaluate the filtration issues that we had during the summer,” councilman Peter Cammarano said at the Borough Council’s Oct. 5 meeting. “The meeting included the mayor, our business administrator, our public works director, the manufacturer of the filter, the installer of the filter, the aquatics services company that provides ongoing maintenance, as well as pool management and some others. It was a very good meeting because what we were able to do was bring together all of the parties and try to pinpoint the issues and problems.”

The pool was closed on at least two separate days this year due to the problem, although there were more closures in the summer of 2008. In the off-season between the two summers, more than $100,000 was spent on the pool’s filter system in an effort to fix the problem.

Although he did not go into detail, Cammarano said that they had found two issues with the pool. Continue Reading

As early as next year, Metuchen could stand to lose $166,000 in tax revenue, borough officials say. The money represents revenue from the Business Personal Property Tax (BPPT), which up to now has been paid each year by telecom company Verizon to the borough.

“Most of you are probably aware that there have been some concerns about the potential of loss of the Business Personal Property Tax from Verizon,” said Business Administrator William Boerth at the Oct. 5 Borough Council meeting. “There is a potential the borough may lose this money, which amounts to $166,000, though we don’t know this yet. Obviously, that would impact us considerably. It is fairly technical, and I don’t understand it all, but I have met with a representative from Verizon to be brought up to date in terms of what is happening and what the potential could be for the borough.”

Verizon plans to soon notify fifty to sixty municipalities around New Jersey that the company will not pay them this tax in 2010, which is an increase from five municipalities that Verizon stopped paying in 2008. By the end of 2010, Verizon plans to stop paying these fees to up to 150 municipalities for the following year.

The tax is substantial, with Verizon paying municipalities around the state a total of $47 million in 2007. Continue Reading