North Hunterdon, NJ February 2026

HEART OF A TEACHER

Where Love Meets Community

Happy Valentine’s Day, North Hunterdon!

February is already known for hearts, flowers and chocolate. It is the month of love, and it is especially meaningful for us. Jake and I celebrate 17 years of marriage this month, and yes—we got married on Feb. 14, exactly six years after our first date. We like to joke that marrying on an actual holiday was strategic— giving Jake one less date a year to remember. Seventeen years later, I’d say the strategy paid off.

That idea—connection, intention and showing up for what matters—runs through our Love Local issue.

Our February cover feels especially fitting. Charmed Encounters (page 24) introduces Readington residents Stefanie Mandelberg and Kelsey Di Meglio, two local moms whose chance meeting resulted in the opening of Charmed & Bound, Hunterdon County’s newest romance bookstore. Built around friendship, storytelling and community, their Flemington storefront is proof that sometimes the best love stories begin in the most unexpected ways.

Community connection looks different depending on where you are—and sometimes, it comes with a lot more noise. You’ll find us in the Scarlet Lot in our Rutgers tailgate feature on page 20, where Garden State City Lifestyle brings the energy for Rutgers vs. Penn State. Hosting there always feels personal—Jake and I met at Rutgers, and being back where it all began, surrounded by friends, football and Jersey pride, never gets old.

We also spotlight the small businesses shaping Hunterdon County’s food scene. In Sugar, Spice & Small-Town Charm on page 10, D’Serve turns a simple doughnut wall into a day-to-night destination in downtown Flemington. By pairing artisanal doughnuts with an intimate, farm-to-table dining experience, Andrew and Shannon Mercado create a space that feels cozy, creative and deeply rooted in the community.

Creativity continues in High Bridge’s Creative Spark on page 30, where artist and “artrepreneur” Sam Matthews builds inclusive, eco-conscious spaces through Propagate Studio. Her work empowers people of all ages to explore their creativity while fostering connection and sustainability across the region.

This issue is a love letter to the people and places that make North Hunterdon feel like home. Thank you for continuing to support local businesses, local creatives and this magazine.

With love and gratitude,

TIFFANY & JAKE SLOWINSKI, PUBLISHERS @NORTHHUNTERDONCITYLIFESTYLE

PUBLISHER

Jake Slowinski | jake.slowinski@citylifestyle.com

CO-PUBLISHER

Tiffany Slowinski | tiffany.slowinski@citylifestyle.com

PUBLICATION DIRECTOR

Carly Mac Manus | carly.macmanus@citylifestyle.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Christopher Raisin | christopher.raisin@citylifestyle.com

PUBLISHER ASSISTANT

Kristin Kowalewski | Kristin.Kowalewski@citylifestyle.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Jessie Fernandez | jessie.fernandez@citylifestyle.com

INTERNS

Emily Foti, Sadie Brown

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Patti Zielinski

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jersey Sunshine Photography, Andrew and Shannon Mercado, Christopher Sztybel - That Werks, Propagate Studio February 2026

Corporate Team

CEO Steven Schowengerdt

President Matthew Perry

COO David Stetler

CRO Jamie Pentz

CoS Janeane Thompson

AD DESIGNER Andrew Sapad

LAYOUT DESIGNER Jamie Housh

QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Hannah Leimkuhler

Sugar, Spice & Small-Town Charm

How D’Serve turned a simple doughnut wall into Flemington’s most delicious

Hometown Game Day

Garden

Charmed Encounters

How Two Local Moms Turned a Chance

Into Hunterdon County’s Newest Romance Bookstore

High Bridge’s Creative Spark

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Visit our large showroom in Hunterdon County for displays, expert advice, and inspiration our team is here to help you upgrade your home, hassle-f ree.

city scene

WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN

1—3: Inspiring conversations and valuable connections at Hunterdon County Biz Fest, where local businesses, entrepreneurs, and community partners gathered to collaborate. 4—5: Clinton came alive with Victorian magic—carriage rides, crafts and festive cheer made this year’s Dickens Christmas celebration truly unforgettable. 6: Congrats to NHHS Cheerleading for being Regional Champions! 7: The Hunterdon Chamber’s Women in Business Forum recently gathered an inspiring group of women farmers at Farmhouse Flowers in Kingwood!

Sugar, Spice & Small-Town Charm

HOW D’SERVE TURNED A SIMPLE DOUGHNUT WALL INTO FLEMINGTON’S MOST DELICIOUS DAY-TO-NIGHT DESTINATION.

ARTICLE BY PATTI ZIELINSKI PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW AND SHANNON MERCADO

D’Serve is where sweet and savory meet.

Launched last August by Andrew and Shannon Mercado, the concept—artisan doughnut shop by day and four-course, farm-to-table prix fixe by night—has quickly become a community hub amid downtown Flemington’s renaissance.

The married owners bring complementary skills: Andrew is a chef; Shannon is a pastry chef. Their résumé includes restaurant and catering ventures, most recently Yard Tacos in High Bridge. The idea for D’Serve took shape after the couple catered a wedding with a doughnut wall.

“Something clicked,” Andrew Mercado says. “I had a background in pizza, so I understood dough, and Shannon makes really good doughnuts. She’s the sweet; I’m the savory. We decided to put our talents together—she focuses on the doughnuts and I focus on the dinners.”

“Really good doughnuts” may be an understatement. Shannon’s artisanal yeast doughnuts are light and fluffy, with rotating seasonal flavors that go far beyond the classics. Recent offerings include London Fog (Earl Grey and vanilla glaze with blue cornflower petals and crispy wafer crumbs), Remixed Jersey Cream (chocolate pastry cream–filled with vanilla glaze and chocolate cookie crumbs), Salted Maple Miso (maple-white miso glaze with brûléed maple sugar and Maldon salt flakes) and Ferrero Rocher (crunchy dark-chocolate hazelnut base with chocolate glaze and hazelnut-praline drizzle). Vegan and gluten-free options are available.

A Flemington native, Shannon returned in 2020 and created pastries for the former Factory Fuel in the Stangl Factory as well as for the couple’s catering

company and taco shop. Serving her hometown is part of the draw.

“There’s a strong sense of community—a driving force to make this town come alive and thrive,” Mercado says. “It’s different to be a business that grows with a neighborhood, when you can be part of the change rather than arriving after it.”

D’Serve is designed for flexibility: grab doughnuts with the kids, meet friends for coffee or lunch, or settle in for a cozy, farm-to-table tasting menu. Seats are limited—about 24—so reservations are recommended.

A three-tier membership program ($100 to $500 quarterly) offers credits and bonus credits toward future purchases. Perks include a free doughnut for every 12 purchased, invitations to special events, private-event discounts and access to a text concierge line for sneak peeks and last-minute reservations.

The monthly changing tasting menu, with vegan and vegetarian options, highlights ingredients from local producers such as Misty Acres Farm, Sweet Valley Farms, Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse, Ironbound Farm and Stanton Valley Farm. D’Serve is BYOB, or guests may choose a bottle from Beneduce Vineyards in Pittstown.

Dinners run up to 1 hour, 45 minutes and aim for a dinner-party feel.

“It’s alive, it’s buzzy, it’s fun,” Mercado says. “You wind up making friends with the tables next to you.”

D'SERVE

Address: 32 Main St, Flemington, NJ 08822

Phone: (914) 467-9327

Menu:  dserveonmain.com

“I had a background in pizza, so I understood dough, and Shannon makes really good doughnuts. She’s the sweet; I’m the savory.”

- Andrew Mercado

SMART COMFORT, SMARTER PAYMENTS

Backed by over 20 years of experience, Protocol Electric delivers trusted comfor t with Carrier and Rheem’s reliable, energy-efficient systems. Our team makes it simple to keep your home cozy in the winter and cool in the summer, with skilled technicians who treat every client like family We install only the latest technology designed for long-lasting performance and effi ciency From fast service to guaranteed satisfaction, we handle every detail so you can relax and enjoy peace of mind

BUILDING Beauty

How AM Salon built a drama-free zone of creativity, connection and confidence—one client at a time.

ARTICLE BY CARLY MAC MANUS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER SZTYBEL - THAT WERKS

When you walk into AM Salon in Flemington, the first thing you notice isn’t the shimmer of blonding foils or the lineup of color bowls—it’s the sense of calm teamwork. Stylists move with an ease that feels rare in an industry often marked by competition. For salon owner Amanda Maddalena, that atmosphere is entirely intentional.

“I never wanted drama or competition in my space,” Maddalena says. “I wanted a true team culture—stylists helping stylists, clients feeling at ease, and everyone supporting each other.”

AM Salon has become just that: a warm, community-rooted studio specializing in blonding, extensions and innovative scalp treatments, with a reputation for both artistry and authenticity.

A LIFELONG CALLING

Maddalena’s path to entrepreneurship traces back to childhood. She was the friend who braided everyone’s hair on the bus and experimented with cutting friends’ ends at age 10. By high school, she was already enrolled in the cosmetology program at Hunterdon Polytech, finishing her hours as a postgraduate and entering the industry at 18 as a salon assistant.

Her career spanned salons in Clinton and Flemington, where she rebuilt her clientele during the recession—a time long before social media made marketing easier. “Back then it was postcards, phone calls, and word of mouth,” she says.

Flemington remained home through it all. She grew up in nearby Pittstown and never considered leaving the area. “We plan to build our forever home here,” she says. “Flemington has always felt like my hometown.”

THE LEAP TO BUSINESS OWNERSHIP

In 2019, Maddalena finally acted on the dream she had debated for years. With encouragement from her husband and confidence in her own skills, she founded AM Salon—named simply after her initials to keep the brand clean and personal.

Finding a space proved challenging. “A lot of landlords hesitate when they hear the word ‘salon’—we require plumbing, electrical, laundry, a whole build-out,” she says. One vacant unit finally stood out: a blank concrete shell she could envision turning into a warm,

“I wanted a true team culture—stylists helping stylists, clients feeling at ease, and everyone supporting each other.”

modern studio. She signed the lease and spent four and a half months building her dream.

In October 2019, AM Salon opened—with Maddalena as its sole stylist.

WEATHERING A PANDEMIC

Just months later, the world shut down.

“In a strange way, opening alone was a blessing,” she says. Many salons with larger staffs struggled through closures. Maddalena reopened stronger, hiring the two stylists who remain with her today. “We’re small but mighty,” she says. “And we’re very intentional about the culture we’ve built.”

Her team works on an hourly pay model, not commission— an uncommon structure in the beauty industry. “It removes competition. No one is fighting over clients. Every client who walks in is our client,” she says.

SPECIALTY SERVICES AND INNOVATION

AM Salon has become known for two specialties: blonding and extensions, particularly Maddalena’s customized installation techniques. “Extensions are never one-size-fits-all,” she explains. “I tailor every install to the client’s density, goals and lifestyle.”

Most recently, she trained with Hairdreams, becoming the only certified stylist in the region offering its MicroLines system—a life-changing option for clients with thinning hair or medical hair loss. “There aren’t many solutions for thinning at the top of the head,” she says. “This gives people confidence back.”

Another standout service is their Japanese head spa, led by stylist Tina. Quiet, soothing and highly therapeutic, the treatment blends scalp analysis, massage, water therapy and a full blowout—an elevated self-care ritual that has exploded in popularity. “People walk out asking what day it is—they’re that relaxed,” Maddalena says.

EDUCATION AT THE HEART OF THE SALON

Maddalena invests heavily in continuing education—for herself and her team. They partner with Strategies, a business coaching company for salons and spas, and regularly train in new techniques. “The industry changes constantly,” she says. “If you’re not learning, you’re falling behind.”

Her stylists also bring diverse strengths: Shirley specializes in everything from vivid colors to perms (yes, they’re back), while Tina focuses on scalp health and spa services. “We’re not cookie cutter,” Maddalena says. “We each have our own passions—and that means we offer something for everyone.”

RESILIENCE AND ROOTS

Surviving a recession, launching just before a pandemic and navigating the ever-changing beauty landscape has shaped Maddalena into a business owner with grit.

“I grew up on a farm—work wasn’t done until it was done,” she says. “Quitting has never been an option.”

WHAT’S NEXT FOR AM SALON

Looking ahead, Maddalena plans to continue pioneering new treatments, expanding educational opportunities and keeping AM Salon at the forefront of innovation.

“Staying on top of trends is everything,” she says. “And as long as we keep learning and supporting each other, we’ll keep giving our clients the best.”

For this February’s Love Local issue—a time when self-care takes center stage—AM Salon also recommends seasonal treatments like deep-conditioning rituals, luxe blowouts, Japanese head spa sessions and facials to refresh dry winter hair and scalps.

“February is when people really treat themselves,” she says. “We love being part of that.”

For more information visit amsalonnj.com

AM Salon

A bright, modern salon offering haircuts, color services, blonding, extensions, balayage and keratin treatments. Known for its team-based approach and specialty services including Japanese head spa treatments and customized extension work.

Address: 8 Main St., Flemington, NJ

Phone: (908) 483-5128

Hours:

• Tuesday–Friday: 10 a.m.–8 p.m.

• Saturday: 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

• Sunday & Monday: Closed

Instagram: @amsalonnj

GARDEN STATE CITY LIFESTYLE BRINGS COMMUNITY SPIRIT TO RUTGERS–PENN STATE SEASON FINALE TAILGATE

HOMETOWN GAME DAY

There’s nothing quite like Big Ten football—the roar of the crowd, the river of school colors, the crackle of energy that builds long before kickoff. On a freezing November afternoon, Garden State City Lifestyle turns the Rutgers vs. Penn State tailgate into one of the warmest, loudest and most memorable spots in the Scarlet Lot.

Call it adrenaline, call it community, call it Jersey grit—but the season-closing tailgate delivers all the makings of an instant classic. For Garden State City Lifestyle, hosting at Rutgers feels personal. Publishers Tiffany and Jake Slowinski first cross paths on campus, making this matchup a fitting way to close out the season.

Just steps from SHI Stadium, the scene comes alive in a swirl of wood-fired pizza smoke, puffer-jacket fashion moments and music pulsing through the parking lot like a heartbeat. Fans arrive early and stay late, determined to squeeze every last moment out of the Scarlet Knights’ final home game. The cold doesn’t stand a chance.

A PARKING LOT TURNED PARTY SCENE

Clusters of friends and families move between artisan pizza, local craft brews and a buzzing photo booth capturing the day’s boldest, funniest and frostiest moments. The scent of blistered crust mixes with DJ beats, while laughter carries across the lot in clouds of chilly breath.

It’s more than a pregame—it’s the unofficial kickoff to winter, wrapped in scarves, gloves and pure Big Ten energy.

“This tailgate has everything we love—community, great food and an incredible game,” Publisher Jake Slowinski says. “We’re grateful to everyone who bundles up and joins us. The atmosphere is unbeatable.”

ARTICLE

A powerhouse team of New Jersey partners brought the heat—literally and figuratively—and turned an ordinary game day into the kind of event people repost for days.

VA FA NAPOLI PIZZA

Wood-fired, piping hot, and completely irresistible—these pies became the must-have tailgate bite.

Phone: (908) 303-1951

JERSEY GIRL BREWERY

Craft pours that kept spirits high even as temperatures dropped. A fan favorite, every time.

Phone: (908) 591-4186

FLIRT WITH LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY –PHOTO BOOTH

Endless pics, endless laughs. The booth drew a line all afternoon long.

Phone: (732) 844-9986

PHOTO + VIDEO COVERAGE

Every angle captured, every moment documented. TAMAS Photography: tomsolymosi.com/ Madrids Media: madridsmediamarketing.com

DJ – JJ ENTERTAINMENT

A high-energy set that turned the tailgate into a full-blown block party.

Together, they created something that felt less like a tailgate and more like a shared celebration of New Jersey pride.

ALREADY LOOKING AHEAD

As Rutgers faced Penn State in one of the season’s most anticipated matchups, the tailgate set the tone for a day packed with connection, camaraderie and pure Scarlet energy.

For Garden State City Lifestyle, it wasn’t just the perfect sendoff to the season—it was a reminder of everything that makes college football culture unbeatable.

ARTICLE BY PATTI ZIELINSKI

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JERSEY SUNSHINE PHOTOGRAPHY

CHARMED ENCOUNTERS

HOW TWO LOCAL MOMS TURNED A CHANCE MEETING INTO HUNTERDON COUNTY’S NEWEST ROMANCE BOOKSTORE

Once upon a time, two women met and forged an instant connection. It was as if they had known each other their entire lives— which they had, but not really.

Charmed, they quickly formed a tight bond, making up for lost time. They found themselves bound by the parallels of their life arcs and by their mutual passions, especially the books they devoured.

Readington residents Stefanie Mandelberg and Kelsey Di Meglio met in a completely ordinary way: at their children’s back-to-school night in 2024. A casual classroom conversation revealed they both loved Disney. A spark.

As they swapped stories, they realized they were a missed connection from childhood. Mandelberg, who grew up in Clinton and attended North Hunterdon High School, and Di Meglio, who grew up in Whitehouse Station and attended Hunterdon Central Regional High School, danced at the same studio as kids but never met. Even their children overlapped: Mandelberg’s son, Owen, and Di Meglio’s daughter, Siena, both 7, were in the same class. Mandelberg’s daughter, Lainey, 5, and Di Meglio’s daughter,

Emma, 4, were in ballet together. (Mandelberg also has a daughter, Della, 2.) Their birthdays are even two days apart.

“It was an instant ‘soul sister’ connection,” Mandelberg says. “We instantly knew that we were destined to be best friends forever.”

Then, fate intervened.

“Stef had a Disney trip planned, and I asked if she had heard of New Romantics, a romance bookstore in Orlando that I followed,” Di Meglio says. “We started texting about how there is nothing like that up here—and, kind of joking, how we should open a similar store. We couldn’t stop thinking about this idea.”

Di Meglio loves contemporary romance (think Emily Henry), historical fiction and what she calls “romantasy” (think Fourth Wing). Mandelberg gravitates toward darker, edgier stories, having grown up “idolizing authors like Jodi Picoult, who showed me that stories can be both emotionally powerful and beautifully told.” Together, they cover a broad spectrum of the romance genre.

From that spectrum came the perfect name: Charmed & Bound.

“It’s a complementary duality,” Mandelberg says. “Kelsey represents Charmed—contemporary romances, rom-coms, beach reads and lighter romances. I represent Bound—the darker romance novels, like the Fifty Shades of Grey world.”

The pair decided to create a space where readers like themselves could gather. Before opening their storefront in December on Main Street in Flemington, the friends built the Charmed & Bound community through monthly curated subscription boxes in Charmed or Bound themes. The boxes featured author-autographed items, exclusive art prints, bookmarks, cocktail or mocktail recipes and playlists to complement the books.

“It’s an immersive experience, putting subscribers in the frame of mind to be fully engulfed in the book,” Mandelberg says.

Over the past year, the subscription boxes built a loyal fan base both locally and nationwide. Through pop-ups and social media, the pair laid the foundation for an inclusive community. “We want Charmed & Bound to feel like you’re stepping into a friend’s house. There’s something for everyone,” Di Meglio says. “We have an extensive [inclusive] section and a section called ‘Little Lovers’ with board books and inventory for preteens and teens.”

The fun doesn’t stop there. The shop hosts author meetand-greets, book-themed crafting parties and private book club events.

“I WANT MY KIDS—ESPECIALLY MY DAUGHTERS—TO SEE THEIR MOM BUILDING SOMETHING MEANINGFUL AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY HERS.”

“Book clubs can rent the entire store,” Di Meglio says. “There’s a comfy area with couches, a kitchenette and custom cocktail mixers, coffee and tea.”

They also know how to keep reading spicy. Their “Blind Date With a Book” experience wraps books in paper with genre clues written on the outside. They frequently partner with local

businesses as well. Nex Level Ninja hosted their “Train for the Threshing” Fourth Wing–inspired event in February. Alkemy Coffee Co. roasted an exclusive Charmed & Bound blend, and ZipA-Dee Tees created custom merchandise.

As in every romance, there are supportive heroes behind the scenes: Mandelberg’s husband, Corey, and Di Meglio’s husband, Anthony, have championed their dream from the beginning. But the friends say the biggest impact is on their daughters.

“My girls are the reason I do everything I do,” Di Meglio says. “I want to show them, not just tell them, how important it is to follow your passions and to dream big.”

Mandelberg agrees. “I want my kids—especially my daughters—to see their mom building something meaningful and unapologetically hers.”

Browse the latest titles at charmednboundbooks.com .

CHARMED & BOUND

Address: 150 Main St Store 2, Flemington, NJ 08822

Phone: (609) 874-5839

Website: charmednboundbooks.com

realty report

HIGH BRIDGE’S CREATIVE SPARK

Artist and “artrepreneur” Sam Matthews builds a community where everyone can explore their creative side.

If there is one thing Sam Matthews knows, it’s how to unlock the creativity inside everyone.

Since childhood, the artist and educator has been creating with whatever materials were at hand. Through travels in the U.S. and abroad she discovered a passion for sharing her enthusiasm that everyone has a creative side that just needs the right environment to flourish. “I was raised by a family of artists and entrepreneurs, which empowered me to be creative,” she says. “I believe that the process of art making opens up doors that can truly change a person’s life.”

After Matthews earned a bachelor of arts in fine and studio arts at Gordon College in Massachusetts in 2015, she put her mission into action, directing mobile art classes and workshops in various towns, including at High Bridge Grounds for Art and Scout’s Coffee Bar & Mercantile in High Bridge.

“People in High Bridge have seen me driving Flo, my Volkswagen bus, around,” she says with a laugh.

Matthews—a self-described “artrepreneur”—loves creating a variety of art, including murals and mini pottery. But moreover, she loves empowering and connecting people through their creativity.

“I love helping people tap into their own creative juices and be their own creative person,” she says.

Four years ago, she launched Propagate Studio in a former motorcycle shop in

Stewartsville, which offered a vibrant dedicated space where she offered workshops and art classes.

In September, Matthews opened a satellite location on the ground floor of the High Bridge United Methodist Church where she and her team hosts classes, events and community projects, primarily for teens and adults.

Propagate is more than a communal art space: It’s a movement promoting sustainability and an inclusive, eco-conscious art studio committed to making creative experiences and materials accessible to all. Over the years, the Stewartsville location—and now the one in High Bridge—has diverted thousands of pounds of art supplies from landfills by accepting donations of new, gently used and unwanted art materials from community members. The studio makes these supplies available to the public through its “pay-what-youcan” art supply thrift shop, which removes financial barriers to creativity.

“People often don’t make the time or have the space or the materials to be creative or to express themselves. I always wanted to create a space for people to feel safe and explore their creativity,” Matthews says.

“High Bridge has been a huge supporter of mine since I started my professional creative career in 2016. We are excited to support the creatives that are here grow their creativity.”

Learn more at propagatestudionj.com

ARTICLE BY PATTI ZIELINSKI PHOTOGRAPHY BY PROPAGATE STUDIO

PROPAGATE STUDIO

Studio for classes in crafts and pottery plus an art thrift shop. Located in RRP Cycle Stuff Address | 2546 NJ-57, Stewartsville, NJ  Phone | (908) 235-6821 Website | propagatestudionj.com

Makes 2 loaves — one to keep, one to give.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

LOVE LOCAL TIP:

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup chocolate chips

• Optional: ½ cup chopped nuts or ½ cup mini chocolate chips for topping

Pair your gifted loaf with a handwritten note... Because when you bake for someone, you’re not just giving food—you’re giving warmth, nostalgia, connection… and in this case, some chocolate.

For more recipes like this make sure to follow @gardenstatecitylifestyle.

Friendship Bread, REIMAGINED

ARTICLE BY CARLY MAC MANUS

There are some recipes that stay with you—handwritten on index cards, tucked inside family cookbooks, or passed between friends at school or troop meetings. For me, one of those treasured heirlooms is Friendship Bread , a sweet, comforting loaf I first made in Girl Scouts and somehow still have the original recipe for today.

This month, as we celebrate love in all its forms— romantic, neighborly, and the friendships that carry us through—there’s no better time to revive this nostalgic favorite. Consider it a delicious excuse to spread a little kindness (and chocolate) throughout your community.

And because it is February, we’ve upgraded the classic recipe with melty chocolate chips. Think: warm hugs, shared slices, and a reminder that sometimes the sweetest gifts are homemade.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat and prepare.Heat oven to 325°F and grease two loaf pans—or line them with parchment for easy gifting.

2. Mix the memories.In a large bowl, whisk oil, sugar, and eggs until smooth. Add the buttermilk and vanilla. This is the moment I always think back to mixing the batter with my Girl Scout troop, all of us taking turns with the wooden spoon.

3. Blend the dry ingredients.In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

4. Bring it all together.Add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring just until it comes together. Fold in the chocolate chips—this is your love-note swirl.

5. Bake the joy.Divide the batter between pans and bake 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and your kitchen smells like the coziest bakery in New Jersey.

6. Share the sweetness.Keep one loaf for yourself (mandatory). Wrap the second in brown paper or a ribbon and drop it off to a friend, neighbor, teacher, or someone who could use a little extra love this season.

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events

A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

FEBRUARY 3RD

Dr. K’s Motown Revue at Hunterdon Hills Playhouse

88 Route 173 West, Hampton | 11:30 AM

Enjoy live music and Motown hits performed by local artists at Hunterdon Hills Playhouse. Tickets and showtimes vary by day. More information is available at hunterdonhillplayhouse.com

FEBRUARY 6TH

Sterling Hill Mining Museum & Skylands Museum of Art Van Trip

120 West Woodschurch Road Flemington, NJ | 8:30 AM

Take a guided underground walking tour of historic Sterling Hill Mine, exploring tunnels, geology and mining history. After a bagged lunch on-site, continue to the Skylands Museum of Art to view a global collection of sculptures and paintings. Bring your own lunch and drinks. More information is available at co.hunterdon.nj.us/Calendar

FEBRUARY 7TH - 14TH

Sweetheart Week in Clinton

The Guild of Clinton, Clinton, NJ | 10:00 AM

Celebrate the season of love in downtown Clinton during the annual Sweetheart Week. Local boutiques and restaurants offer unique prizes and special promotions. Shoppers can fill out entry forms at participating businesses to win gift baskets and local vouchers while enjoying the historic riverfront charm. Business hours may vary. For more information visit visitclintonnj.com/events-1/2026/2/7/sweetheart-week

FEBRUARY 14TH

Mathnasium Valentine’s Game Night – Parents’ Night Out

Mathnasium of Flemington | 5:00 PM

Kids enjoy an evening of games, food, drinks and prizes while parents enjoy a Valentine’s night out. Open to all students; friends welcome.

FEBRUARY 17TH

Advocacy for Business & Government Committee Meeting

Unity Bank Center for Business & Entrepreneurship, 119 Main Street Flemington, NJ | 8:00 AM

The Advocacy for Business & Government Committee meets to discuss legislative issues affecting the Hunterdon County business community. This event offers business owners an opportunity to engage with local officials and stay informed on upcoming policy changes. Registration is required. More information is available at business.hunterdon-chamber.org/chamber-calendar

FEBRUARY 24TH

Flemington

DIY Classical Music Jam

26 Stangl Road Flemington, NJ | 7:00 PM

Flemington DIY hosts an inclusive Classical Music Jam for musicians of all skill levels. String, brass and woodwind players are invited to bring a piece and perform alongside local musicians. This all-ages event fosters a creative, supportive community for classical enthusiasts. More information is available at flemingtondiy.org/event/classical-music-jam-6/

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