Trenton Cycling Revolution 2016

Trenton Cycling Revolution is a local Trenton organization dedicated to creating a safe and healthy environment for bicyclists and pedestrians in the greater Trenton area through education, advocacy and promotion. www.trentoncycling.org



2016 marked the 20th Anniversary of the TCR - Trenton Cycling Revolution Bike Tour of Trenton, aka Tour de Trenton.

This annual event was the idea of several people including Lisa Kasabach.  The inaugural ride had a theme of TREES.

Chair Wills Kinsley and other committee members thought it would be good to revisit the orgs. history and theme this years ride around trees as well.

This year marked the first time the Tour de Trenton started and ended in the Fredrick Law Olmstead designed Franklin Park, located in the Capital City's South Ward.

This family friendly event attracted ~100 people from Trenton and beyond including some new friends from NYC.

The morning began with a welcome announcement and free coffee from Abdul Qadir of Trenton Coffeehouse and Roaster

The ride was escorted by several Trenton Police Officers on ATV's, bicycles and in traditional vehicles as well as TCR Ride Marshals.  The leisurely paced ride of ~15 miles gave riders many different views of the City including Riverview Cemetery,  Route #29 Deck Park several neighborhoods, trails and the D & R Canal State Park Path.

SAG - Support and Gear was provided by Knapps Cyclery.  Since 1944 Knapp's has been a fixture and staple as an elite bicycle retail and service shop.

The midway rest stop took place at Cadwalader Park, another Olmstead designed park in Trenton NJ.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadwalader_Park

Returning to Franklin Park, riders and park visitors were met by Saeed's Food Truck owned and operated by Trenton resident Saeed Farraj and his family.

Sticking with the theme of the ride we planted a Blue Spruce tree provided by the Isles Inc. a community development and environment organization based in Trenton NJ and the City of Trenton.

Biking in the Trenton NJ Region is growing and TCR has ambitious plans to keep the momentum going!

Have a listen to several of my chats with members of the biking community in the Trenton NJ Region.

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/sets/biking-in-trenton-nj












































































Trenton 365Bike Ride, Bike tour, Franklin Park Trenton, Knapps Cyclery, Trenton Cycling Revolution, Trenton NJ, bikes, biking
Bethany House of Hospitality visit August 2016

Since I was a little person I remember gardening.  The feeling of having my hands in the soil and the grit under my fingernails still excites me.

The most basic of human needs - FOOD is often taken for granted.  Thank you to my family for teaching me how to plant and grow my own food.  In addition to sharing this with my daughter I have been fortunate enough to share this passion with others in the Trenton NJ region.

One of those people is Landscape Architect David Byers.  David and I have built several gardens in the Trenton area including the Community/Share Garden of the Bethany House of Hospitality.

Like most of my efforts, the garden at BHOH was the culmination of several partners looking to build a better community.

Recently I stopped by the former home of the Senior Paster of the Bethany Presbyterian Church to deliver some books to the #lbot Library Box and chatted with BHOH residents, David and Linda Konrad-Byers as they worked on expanding the garden.

Bethany House of Hospitality video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-In-A7LOnY

Bethany House of Hospitality Blogpost
https://bethanyhoh.wordpress.com/about/

Crisis Minstry of Mercer County Hanover Street Garden
http://www.trenton365.com/blog/2013/09/crisis-ministry-hanover-street-garden.html

Press
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2011/08/bethany_presbyterian_church_pa.html

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Destination-Trenton-Newsletter---Aug--15-31st.html?soid=1103001796315&aid=025fO7GNBEI

 http://www.iamtrenton.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/I-Am-Trenton-2012-Funding-Announcement-Press-Release.pdf


A few images of a recent visit to the BHOH









Trenton 365Bethany House of Hospitality, Community Garden, David Byers, Landscape Architect, New Brunswick Presbytery, Trenton NJ, Urban Agriculture
Henry J. Austin Health Center Intro


Portions of this post were taken from the Henry J. Austin Health Center Website www.henryjaustin.org

Earlier today I visited the Henry J. Austin Health Center in Trenton NJ located at 321 North Warren Street, across from the Trenton Battle Monument Park for an interview with Chief Executive & Medical Officer Dr. Kemi Alli and Executive Director of Development Raj Vora

The HJAHC is named after Dr. Henry J. Austin, an African-American, Princeton resident, who came to Trenton to practice medicine since Jim Crow laws prohibited this in his own home town.  Austin was born on February 23, 1888 in Tallahassee, Florida and was brought to Princeton as a young boy.  He attended Howard University Medical School and graduated in 1918 and completed his internship at Freeman’s Hospital (now Howard University Hospital) in Washington, D.C.  Some historians credit Dr. Austin with helping to integrate Trenton schools. 

Growing up in this region I thought of HJAHC as a “clinic” and with that I had some negative connotations.  Today those thoughts were changed!  The Henry J. Austin Health Center offers several Integrated Services such as:
  • ·      Adult Medicine
  • ·      Family Medicine
  • ·      Gynecological Services
  • ·      Pediatrics
  • ·      HIV Counseling & Testing
  • ·      Project ACCESS
  • ·      Dental Care
  • ·      Mental and Behavior Health
  • ·      Social Services
  • ·      Eye Care and Podiatry
  • ·      Pharmacy Services

And under the banner of Integrated Services, Adult Medicine provides:
  • ·      Preventative care including annual check-ups, immunizations and screening.
  • ·      Diagnose and treat acute illnesses and diseases.
  • ·      Provide care for chronic conditions such as Diabetes, Asthma and high blood pressure.
  • ·      Refer patients to specialists and facilities as required.
  • ·      As part of integrated care, all HJAHC patients are screened annually for substance abuse as part of the new “Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment” (SBIRT) program.
  • ·      Same Day or Next Day visits are accommodated.


Most forms of health insurance including Medicare and Medicaid are accepted and there is sliding fee scale for the uninsured.  Henry J. Austin Health Center provides care to approximately 13,000 individuals annually generating more than 50,000 visits from four locations.

Trenton 365 will be on location for the event on Tuesday August 9, 2016 and I hope to see you there, in the interim have a listen to our chat.

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/henry-j-austin-health-center-dr-kemi-alli-raj-vora








Trenton 365Dr Kemi Alli, Health Care, Henry J Austin health Center, Henry J Austin, Integrated Services, Raj Vora, Trenton NJ
Waterfire Sharon PA July 2016
WATERFIRE   JULY 16, 2016  THEME-THROUGH THE DECADES.

Waterfire is a festival that was started in Providence, RI and is only held in Columbus, Kansas City, Singapore, Rome and Sharon PA. This year was extra special for me because my neighbors Kathy, Jacque, and Kevin came to town to celebrate it with me.

They arrived later than expected on Friday. So we got right down to letting the good times roll. Everyone was hungry so we went to La Isla, a great locally owned Mexican restaurant.  We arrived at 7 o'clock and to my surprise there was music out on the patio. They had Yeunlings for a dollar and margaritas for $2.99. When all was said and done we had five beers, five margaritas, two appetizers and two main courses and the bill came to $60. My friends from Jersey were amazed. 

We then went up the street to another local bar and grill called “The Keg” which is owned and operated by George "Jigs" Warren. Jigs is one of the original founders of the now successful franchise Quaker Steak and Lube, which was just purchased by Travel America for $25 million. Once again my friends from New Jersey were amazed...four drinks $11.20. I think they were starting to get the picture why I like to go home to Pennsylvania to hang out with old friends to drink and have a good time. 

Next stop was the Apollo MaennerchorClub. This is a German home that's been around for over 100 years. In the last six years it's been taken over by the young people. The young people would be people in their early sixties.  Previous to that it was being run by guys in their eighties.  The exquisite architecture of the club is being refurbished by its members. This year an outside patio was added.  There is open mic night one Thursday, and bands on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon. Yes, we each had a couple of more drinks.  The comment made by Jacque at the end of the evening was…we still had not spent $100 for the four of us to have had dinner and to drink all night long. It was late we got back to my brother’s house.  Beds were inflated and we called it a night.

It's Saturday morning and the festivities do not start until 1 o'clock. We had two things to accomplish. One, breakfast…the other to go to Palumbo's Meat Market so Jacque and Kathy could buy their garlic pepper bacon, slice just the way they like it. I usually bring bacon back for them whenever I visit.
The question was...are you interested in French toast stuffed with cream cheese and strawberries. If so we were going Donna’s Diner in Sharon, Pa.  Kevin's answer was NO. They were looking for a Pats diner.  We have our own version of Pats diner.  It is a little more rural. We weren't disappointed. We pulled into a packed parking lot and 80% of the vehicles were pickup trucks.  This diner is about 2 miles out of town. What a difference two miles can make in our valley. Our waitress was a caricature from the movie Misery. Lol Breakfast was finally served.

The last time Jacque was in town, every time we talked about of place of interest, Jacque would ask how far away it was. The answer was always two miles.

Off we went to Palumbo's Meat Market. There is a guy who works there from Philadelphia. He now has Palumbo's Meat Market making pork roll.

Jacque wanted to go to Ohio. That's not a big deal. You guessed it… It is two miles away. We went up the West State Street hill. Kathy was getting a little sick because the hill is so steep. Ground finally leveled off on Stateline Road with the welcome to Ohio sign perched at the top. Everyone jumped out of the car to take pictures. Really?  It is a beautiful site looking down over the Shenango Valley. We went for a little ride looking for beer. As it turns out the cheapest and the best variety of beer was at the Milk Barn which is right there at the top of the west hill in Ohio.

It was 1 o'clock and the festivities were starting for Waterfire.  Music was playing continuously in three points in town. The artisans were setting up their booths, and Michael Long started his chainsaw carving. We had lunch at the Sharon Hotdog Shop which is famous for its chili dogs and gyros. The place is been around for over 50 years.

We continued through town and visited all the unique shops, and galleries. I pretty much know all the owners through my brother, who is considered one of the major art and theater aficionados in town.
It was 6 o'clock and we decided to head back to the house to shower, rest, and drink a few beers from the Milk Barn. At 8 o'clock we were refreshed and renewed and headed back downtown Sharon for the lighting ceremony at dusk. The one thing I miss about western Pennsylvania is an extra half hour of daylight in the evening.

The music can be heard throughout the city.  You hear the deep bass of the drumbeat as the procession of torchbearers arrives on the bridge. On the boats in the river below is a performer twirling fire at the end of two chains. There are 50 braziers anchored in the river loaded with wood. The lighting ceremony begins. There was an estimated 20,000 people lined along the river and across three different bridge spans. It is definitely a very cool site to behold.

Around 11 o'clock we realized we were hungry and thirsty. We went to Brewtus Brewing Company, which is a new brewery that opened last year.  We closed place, and when we walked outside all the vendors were gone, the fires were out on the river. I looked at everybody and said I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone.

… And a good time was had by all!

Mary Linda Perry aka MLP enjoys good times, good people and good conversations.


A few highlights from Jacque Pierre Howard

This was my second visit to Sharon PA for Waterfire and I had just as much if not more fun than my first visit.  Although we didn't get on the road as early as I would have liked, the ride was a pleasant one with Kathy and Kevin providing some quality entertainment along with the great views traveling West on I-80.

We arrived at our home for the next few days "owned and operated" by Sam Perry.  It was nice to connect with Sam in person again and to hear about the happenings about town.  Sam who is retired does plenty to keep himself busy; performing in theatre in the region, making multimedia art and sharing his expertise with others.

After a bit of discussion we settled on Mexican at La Isla for dinner.  The prices were amazing and the food very good.  Coming from a big family I am totally into sharing and most of my traveling partners are as well.  The Carñitas Kevin ordered were amazing, tender, moist, flavorful and a perfect complement to the "build your own" 3 Burritos myself, MLP and Kathy shared and washed down with Margaritas.  The band whose name I didn't get were very good playing covers of Earth Wind & Fire and a mix of 70's through today's current hits.

The stop at The Keg gave me a chance to reconnect with "Jigs" he's a seasoned pro in the Food and Beverage industry.  He's made some upgrade since my last visit and that's a good sign.

The night's final stop at the Apollo Maennerchor Club was also inspiring, seeing the additions of a deck and patio.  The one man band was entertaining it would have been nice to see him with packed house.

Saturday mornings breakfast was very entertaining.  The one floor, low ceiling (I would assume no basement) diner was just what we were looking for.  Locals, great prices, strong coffee and the kind of breakfast that sticks to your ribs. The coffee was not very good but the place was packed with locals, the prices GREAT - 2 eggs, 2 meats, short stack, potatoes juice ~$4.  Three out of 4 ain't bad!  Our server was indeed a caricature, 50's + woman standing well over 6 feet with very large hands and a soft tender voice.  She entertained us between her other tables with jokes about her abilities with deadly weapons.

When we arrived in Downtown Sharon Kevin and I decided to have a look around and stumbled into a small low ceiling smoke-filled bar near the train tracks.  Upon entering I was greeted by a very intoxicated man who appeared to be in his 60's who aggressively mumbled something and screamed "Lynyard Skynyrd!"  I have no idea what he meant but I don't think he was happy to see me in the establishment.  Anyway that will be story I will tell for a long time!

After walking around town for a bit capturing some images we made it to the Community Library of Shenango Valley to see the latest installation by Random Acts of Artists a "Literary Garden,"  I connected with Linda Brink and Terry Polonsky on my previous visit.  

Sam introduced me to Developer/Entrepreneur Jim Landino of Recon LLC who is rehabbing two historic buildings in Downtown Sharon.

I grabbed some audio with Constance of Urban Barn Sharon a Authorized Annie Sloan Stockist of Chalk Paint, Martha Bastecy of MJ's Woodworking, Michael Forney of Michael Anthony's and Karen Anderson Land Operations Manager of Waterfire.

My 2nd visit to Sharon was a good one and I expect to return and to tell more people about my wonderful times and people I met.

Have a listen to several tracks from my visits to Sharon PA

 https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/sets/waterfire-sharon-pa

These images captured by Kevin Duddy















































































   
Trenton 365Karen Anderson, Kevin Duddy Photos, MaryLinda Perry, Michael Forney, Ramdon Acts of Artist, Sam Perry, Sharon PA, WaterFire Sharon
Music at Snipes Farm "In and Out of The Garden We Go"
Music at Snipes Farm 

"In and Out of The Garden We Go"
June 10-11, 2016

I was really excited to cover this one, since I hadn’t been to a Grateful Dead anything since 1995. I’m not the type of person that likes to go out in 90°plus heat for 10 hours. However, this I was not willing to miss.

I guess I should tell you that I’ll be getting my Medicare card soon, along with a lot of other deadheads. So that fact was not deterring me. There were many others of my type at this festival, but the thing that really surprised me was...it was a family affair!
It was three generations of family affair!

There was a father who was wearing a full “Indian headdress,” that went right to the ground. He was bending over talking so sweetly with his four-year- old daughter as they walked off to buy ice cream. It was a wonderful thing to see three generations dancing, singing, playing, and just hanging out on a beautiful summer day for 10 or 12 hours to enjoy what for me…was a blast from the past.

There were food vendors and food trucks with what seemed to be reasonably price, if you did not bring your own faire. In addition, there were craft vendors: tie-dye, candles, incense and all those other cool things you would expect at an event like this.

It was a two-day festival and Snipes Farm had accommodations for camping out Friday night. There were people sleeping in anything from a pup tent…to pop up, pop out… air-conditioned campers. Ahhh those deadheads, that people said would never amount to anything. But I digress.

The lineup of music went from… can’t sit down, got to dance... to let me just sit here and stare at all the cool special effects lighting, as some obscure instrumental (to me anyway) is being played.

Also, in the tradition of any Grateful Dead festival there were no incidents.

And a good time was had by all!


MLP
(Mary Linda Perry is Trenton 365 Contributor who enjoys good food, good company and good conversations)

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/sets/music-at-snipes-farm

The following images were captured by Kevin Duddy































































The following images were captured by Amans Brindled










Have a listen to my chat with Patchwork Pandemic




















































Trenton 365Art Festival, Greatful Dead, Kevin Duddy Photos, Lifestyle By Amans Brindled, Live Music, MaryLinda Perry, Morrisville PA, Music Festival, Music at Snipes Farm
National Night Out 2016 Press Conference Trenton NJ
National Night Out 2016

https://natw.org/about

National Night Out 2016 takes place on Tuesday August 2, 2016.  Trenton NJ will again be a part of this national celebration.

 “National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live.”

Over 100 people gathered for this evenings press conference including members of Mayor Eric Jackson’s Cabinet, Trenton Police, Trenton Fire and Emergency Services, City Council, Civic Associations, supporting departments, various Faith Centers and a diverse population of residents from toddler age to our “seasoned” women and men.

Attendees heard brief statements from Trenton Police Director Ernest Parrey, Councilwomen Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Marge Caldwell-Wilson, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman and Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri.  Mayor Jackson encouraged all attendees to “be better by putting differences away and to work together to make Trenton an example of what a Capital City can be!”

A raffle/drawing and one participating organization from each of the four Wards won a an inflatable prize.  Det. Alexis Durlacher is the contact person and will have information for the winning organizations.

Light refreshments of water and cake were available as well as t-shirts for the registered participating organizations.

The press conference also included an impromptu singing of “Happy Birthday” to Mayor Jackson.

Franklin Park is a participating location and I encourage you to visit with your friends, families and neighbors.  More information is available on the City of Trenton’s website.

http://www.trentonnj.org/

http://trentonpolice.com/



Det. Vega-Medina

Trenton Police Director Ernest Parrey addresses the audience

Trenton Police Director Ernest Parrey




Congresswoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman

Mayor Eric Jackson



Councilwoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson


Det. Alexis Durlacher and Department of Recreation Director Fiah Gussin

Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri 






Trenton 365
Pork Roll Festivals Trenton NJ

What is Pork Roll?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pork_roll


My earliest memories of pork roll go back to my childhood growing up in Ewing Twp. NJ.  I remember the smell of sweet smokiness filling the air as my Mom, Dad or siblings fried the German Sausage in the black cast iron pan.  I remember asking why 3 to 4 small slices were placed around the perimeter.  “That’s to prevent the slice from bubbling.” In those days my sandwich was on white Wonder Bread with ketchup.

As I grew in age and responsibility my cooking efforts of pork roll included the addition of sautéed onions, peppers, carrots, topped with cheese on wheat bread.  This is what my Mom enjoyed.  I now call this the “Phoebe Lee.”

In college pork roll was a staple and enjoyed throughout the day; breakfast with eggs, lunch as a sandwich, dinner on a plate with sides and of course late night snacks making up any and all options.

2016 marks the 3rd Edition of pork roll festival(s) in New Jersey’s Capital City of Trenton.  During one of our many chats, brainstorming sessions etc., Scott Miller, Owner of Exit 7A Studios told me he was thinking of having a Pork Roll festival.  I thought the idea was awesome and encouraged him to move ahead with planning.  He did and held the 1st Pork Roll Festival at TC Nelson’s location Trenton Social.  The first event was very well attended and probably a bit overwhelming for all involved.

After the event Scott decided he wanted to take the event in another direction.  This led to a series of actions by both parties and now we have 2 Pork Roll Festivals.  That history is very public and easily accessible via an Internet search, if you have interest.

Scott Miller’s – The Original Pork Roll Festival (registered trademark)
http://www.porkrollfestival.com/

TC Nelson’s – Trenton Pork Roll Festival
http://www.trentonporkrollfestival.com/

Each festival offers plenty to see, do and enjoy, they are also quite distinct in styles.  I suggest you visit the websites of each festival for details. 

In the interim here are a few items I would like to highlight.

The Original Pork Roll Festival
  • ·      Located in a public park, which can easily accommodate 1000’s of visitors.  The park layout offers lots of space for attendees to walk around the location of the Battles of Trenton
  • ·      Pork Roll Queen competition
  • ·      Pork Roll Recipe Contest


The Trenton Pork Festival
  • ·      Takes place at Trenton Social, a thriving brick & mortar business that has become a hub for live music, art and various gatherings in Trenton NJ. 
  • ·      The Pork Roll Out Bike Tour
  • ·      VIP Area

I suggested and would like to see(n) a friendly competition between the businessmen where Pork Roll became(becomes) the official meat of Trenton NJ.  Think of Philadelphia and the cheesesteak competition between Pat’s and Gino’s.  I can see it now, “Pork Roll Purveyor’s Case and Taylor’s to decide which festival they will sponsor.”  “Pork Roll Festival Creators to announce this years theme at the Annual Pork Roll Event Announcement and Block Party.


In closing I consider Scott and TC my friends, I support the efforts of both men and know they want to have thriving businesses in Trenton NJ.  We have lots to see, do and explore in the Capital City of Trenton NJ and I encourage you to visit.  If you would like, get in touch and I will personally help you with the coordination.

trenton365show@gmail.com

























































































































































































Trenton 365Food Festival, Jacque Pierre Howard, Lifestyle By Amans Brindled, Pork Roll Festivals, Pork Roll Queen, Pork Roll, Scott Miller, TC Nelson, Trenton 365, Trenton NJ
Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival '16
Lifestyle By Amans Brindled at Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival 2016

Lancaster Blues and Roots


I haven’t been to Lancaster in decades.  I remember the trips when I was a youngster travelling with my Mom, Dad and Cousin Juan.  One of the highlights was the visit to Dutch Wonderland, more on that at another time.

I enjoy diverse offerings of music and art in general, however I've been feeling the Blues and Roots scene of late so it was perfect that I would be traveling to Lancaster for the Roots & Blues Festival ’16.

My traveling partners included Kathleen Capria and Kevin Duddy.  We left Saturday afternoon for the ~2 hour trip.  Leaving from Trenton NJ via US Route #1 South into Pennsylvania then the PA Turnpike and straight out to Lancaster.

The weather was gorgeous, with a feel of spring.  We laughed, joked, talked about current events and before we knew it we were upon our exit.

We decided to have a drive through the “countryside” hoping to capture images of the landscape, farmland and if possible a horse and buggy.

Entering the City Limits we passed a 20 something walking with his guitar case and immediately we thought he had to be one of the performers heading to one of the number of gigs for this years festival.  We came upon the Lancaster Brewing Co. and thought this would be a good time for some food and of course a pint or two.

The Lancaster Brewing Co. took some space and made a “rain garden” out front which in the spring/summer growing season provides a natural landscape, habitat for insects and helps the rainwater permeate the ground. 

The interior pays homage to the buildings past and offers many things for visitors.  They have a bar area with several TV’s, a small shop selling merchandise and the "house beer" as well as a number of tables that seat parties of 2, 4 and more.

We took a table and were served by Reagan who walked us through the menu, beer flight and Lancaster in general.  We shared some apps and a flight of everything they had on tap.  Kathy and I are “Hop Heads” we had several to choose from; Kevin on the other hand had been feeling the “Stouts.”

After a short a ride through some neighborhoods that gave us the feeling of Mill Hill in Trenton, NJ or Old City in Philadelphia, PA, we found street parking, which was free and headed to the festival HQ located in the Lancaster Convention Center attached to the Lancaster Marriott Penn Square.


The Convention Center had vendors and information available.  Have a listen and look at some of the vendors we chatted with.

Mark Marafioti of Music For Everyone (the 20 something we passed coming into town)

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/mark-marafioti-music-for

Austin Chocolate Moonshine Co

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/austin-chocolate-moonshine

We popped into the Convention Center main stage for a peak at the Lexus VIP display, thank you John Tucker.

Off we went heading to the Chameleon Club to catch Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials.  The walk was short and included image capturing of the sites, which included monuments, public art and some window-shopping.

The Chameleon Club has multiple floors, multiple bars and site lines.  Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials “rocked it” they are in rotation over both of my programs. 

Next we headed out looking for some dinner with the expectation of a late night.  A Police Officer offered us some suggestions and we headed to the Federal Tap House.  The two-hour wait wasn’t going to work so we headed to Yorgos Cafe, with multiple TV’s, a decent bottled beer selection and very good prices.  Besides that we were greeted by a 20 something female who is obviously a regular, suggested we have try the prime rib which was on special, of course I did.  The food was good, the service good and prices very reasonable.

Next we headed around the corner to Rabbit and the Dragonfly, self-described as “A beautiful café and bookstore that serves locally sourced, housemade food, and drinks.  We host a variety of weekly and special events in an atmosphere inspired by the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and The Inklings.”  Mark Marafioti the 20 something we saw carrying the guitar case hours earlier suggested we stop in to see him perform, glad we did.

We then headed back to the Convention Center to check out the main stage where we saw several songs from The Stray Birds.

https://www.facebook.com/TheStrayBirds/?ref=br_rs

We then headed to Tellus360 where we saw sets by The Banditos

https://www.facebook.com/BANDITOSBAND/?fref=ts

and the Ursula Ricks Project.

https://www.facebook.com/UrsulaProject/

The night ended at Tellus360 catching most of the Johnny Cash Jam featuring well over a dozen Artists performing tracks by the late great man in black.

The trip to Lancaster for the Blues & Roots Festival ’16 was a good one, dates have been set for ’17 I hope to see you there!

The following images were captured by Kevin Duddy Photos

























































































































































































































The following images were captured by Amans Brindled









































































































































Trenton 365Rabbit and the Dragonfly, Tellus 360, The Stray Birds, Yorgos Cafe
Library Boxes of Trenton NJ



On Friday May 6, 2016 in Trenton NJ the “Books On The Block 1.0” event took place at Championship Bar located at 931 Chambers St.

Several individuals and organizations committed to literacy efforts in Trenton, NJ participated.

Local Artists upcycled newspaper boxes into Library Boxes and painted Book Nooks that will be distributed through a network of locations throughout Trenton, including Barbershops, Businesses, Organizations and individual residents.

Partnering Organizations

Library Boxes of Trenton NJ
https://www.facebook.com/TrentonNJLibraryBoxes/

Trenton 365 founder and project coordinator Jacque Howard, explained that this project is an “adoption model” meaning that individuals, businesses or organizations will initially receive the repurposed newspaper boxes for free along with a load of used books.  The adopters will commit to manage the boxes and surrounding area. (Excerpt from Mercerme.com)

United Way of Greater Mercer County – Barbershop Initiative
http://www.uwgmc.org/

United Way of Greater Mercer County is a nonprofit organization that, among other goals, works to enhance and promote early childhood literacy.  We are proud to partner with our friends in Trenton and the Books on the Block program. Through these efforts, we know that we can help blanket the city of Trenton with books and increase access to literacy. Megan Kirschner

Trenton Free Public Library
http://www.trentonlib.org/

The Trenton Free Public Library wholly supports Books on the Block, which reflects our mission of being a bridge that connects the community to literacy, guides learning, and inspires curiosity. Rochelle Stern

Trenton Makes – Words
http://trentoncommunitymusic.org/trenton-makes-words/

Trenton Makes—Words! is a community initiative to foster the vocabulary development of Trenton children age 5 and under through parent-child engagement experiences with art, music, history, and science.  The partnership between The New Jersey State Museum, Trenton Community Music School, and The Children's Home Society is supported by PNC Grow Up Great and offers city-wide engaging educational programs and festivals for parents/caregivers and their young children.

Trenton Makes - Words! will be holding a Pop-Up at the Books on the Block event on May 6th, where there will be activities for parents and children including music, arts and crafts, and storytelling to promote fun and learning. Caitlin Fair

Code for Trenton
http://codefortrenton.org/

All of the change-makers part of Code for Trenton are excited to enjoy the honor of joining with others to make the library boxes and book nooks happen all over Trenton. We're excited about using mapping technology and social media to facilitate and support. This is profound stuff - putting the written word in the hands of every child and adult fosters a culture of knowledge, of literacy, and of a future that we build ourselves from the bottom-up rather than being told how to. Personally this matters so much to me; as a born and raised proud Trentonian, and as a person who feels that reading, writing, and knowledge is what will get the entire city moving forward, regardless of the craziness that is in our way. Adam Porroni


My Brothers Keeper
http://www.trentonnj.org/cit-e-access/news/index.cfm?NID=39398&TID=55&jump2=0

President Obama’s national My Brother’s Keeper initiative is a challenge to communities to come together in addressing opportunity and achievement gaps that young men of color face. With the White House’s guidance, the Capital City My Brother’s Keeper initiative is an effort to support existing and new community led initiatives that address issues of chronic absenteeism, early literacy, and employability.

The City of Trenton, through the Capital City My Brother’s Keeper initiative, is pleased to support a community led and driven initiative that will increase access to literacy resources for our children and the City at large. Early literacy is a critical component of Trenton’s continued revitalization. Alex Rivera



Refreshments were available for purchase from the WTF? Where’s The Food Truk”
https://www.facebook.com/wtffoodtruck2013/?fref=ts

DJ – Flea Market entertained the crowd with a mix of music.
https://www.facebook.com/FleaMarketTheDJ?__mref=message_bubble

Participating Artists included:

William Kasso
Leon Rainbow
Wills Kinsley
Tamara Ramos
Jonathan Conner
Jamaila Hernandez
Jesse Vincent
Billy MF Brown aka Roy Hames
Aylin Green
Lori Johannson
Bruce Lindsay
Antoinette Marchfelder
Jodi Walker
Chelsea Perron
Bayron Calderon
Jamie Peck

On Thursday June 2, 2016 the Library Boxes and Book Nooks were unveiled to the public.

To date ~10 boxes and nooks have been adopted and Library Boxes of Trenton is proud to announce that Prometheus Publishing has signed on as a sponsor! (More information coming soon)

If you have questions, would like to participate or have some words of encouragement please email


libraryboxesoftrenton@gmail.com

All images captured by Lifestyle By Amans Brindled - www.amansbrindled.com

Delivery of Lori Johansson's box to the Gregory School adopted by the Center For Child and Family Achievement ED Wanda Stansbury 




Linda Barton picking up a Book Nook 


Artist Tamara Torres

Artist Jesse Vincent

Artist Bruce Lindsay

Artist Will Kasso

Artist Jodi Walker of The Bat Factory

Artist Antoinette Marchfelder

Artist Jamaila Hernandez

Artist Lori Johansson

Artist Chelsea Perron

Artist Jonathan Conner





Adam Porroni of Code For Trenton and Rochelle Stern of the Trenton Free Public Library





Jacque Howard of LBOT and Prometheus Publishing's Bart Jackson





Kathleen Capria and Marylinda Perry of Franklin Parks NE Block Association 



Artist Bruce Lindsay







Artist Jules Muck

Artist Jules Muck and Champs Manager Nikki Nailbomb





































Artist Aylin Green


Tim McRae of the WTF? Wheres The Food Truk






Caitlin Fair of Trenton Makes Words









Trenton 365Bart Jackson, Bruce Lindsay, Champs Trenton, Code for Trenton, Jodi Walker Bat Factory, Leon Rainbow, Library Boxes of Trenton, Lori Johansson, Nikki Nailbomb, Prometheus Publishing, Will Kasso
Last Poet Standing by Neisha Kelly
Last Poet Standing

Neisha Kelly

Capital City Book Fair took place on Saturday, May 14, 2016; it was beautiful day that seemed to envelope the city with an illustrious mixture of sunshine, love, and support.


On Warren Street it was busy and bustling with authors sharing their work with the capital city. It was a book fair and tables were surrounded with books and people. Authors had a platform to showcase their talent, network with other authors and various movers and shakers in the industry. Good food and the trolley served as an amazing back drop.


The arts are really thriving in our community. Trenton is ready to take the world by storm whether musically, lyrically, and any other artistic ability we possess.


There was also Trenton’s 2nd Annual Poetry Slam taking place on Warren Street. The weather seemed to want to pour on our heads but the rain stayed away as poets left their all on stage. Todd Evans hosted this event with his lovely co-host Latrice Marianno. The judges were Shakur Towns, Marvin Lewis, Marisa Benson, and Marion Parish. The time-keepers were Yolanda “Landy” Robinson and Gregory Bell, Sr. (affectionately known as Ice).


The participants were, in no particular order, Janae Stewart, Stacey Williams, Margaret Brown, Ada Ugoma Opara, Raul “Polo” Cortes, Jr., Neisha Kelly, Logic Johnson, and last but certainly not least Judith “Aunt Judy” McKnight. Special guests included: Janelle T. Harvey, Unknown Poet and Queen, and Afro. They each shared a piece of themselves with us beautiful songs and verses soon followed.  Afro ended it with making you contemplate on the raisin in the sun and its fate.


It was quite the line-up yet it never felt like a competition. There were no big I’s and little U’s. We each cheered one another on. We are a tight knit family with an unbreakable bond. The 1 st round gave the audience a chance to wet their palette for a delicious variety of poetry. Each poet had a unique and innovative style that kept the audience informed, engaged, and of course entertained.


Up first was Aunt Judy with Christian values and wisdom. Next, there was a socially-conscious and very much aware Polo.  Then, there was me the quiet and unassuming poet. Ada tore the stage up with her special brand of love. Logic made you pause while his words permeated into your brain and made you reflect and also think of his interesting take on life. Stacey was reflective and his testimony was inspiring and uplifting.  Margaret was full of wisdom and her words not only resonated with you but they made you do some serious introspection.


As the rounds went on we started to become smaller in number. Although the group of competitors was decreasing the audience presence grew. In the end, three remained Stacey Williams, Raul “Polo” Cortes, Jr., and me. Stacey and I gracefully bowed out and applauded Polo on his win.


The top prize was $150 gift card and studio time with Exit 7A Studios. This is the second year Todd Evans has put on this remarkable event but each year the bar will be set even higher than the last. I anticipate next year I will see all of you there to see who is the Last Poet Standing?

Some audio captured during the Capital City Book Fair

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/chad-leisse-author-billy-bear


The following images were captured by Amans Brindled during the Capital City Book Fair 2016




















Trenton 365Capital City Book Fair, Last poet Standing Trenton NJ, Neisha Kelly, Poets, Spoken Word Artists, Todd Evans, Trenton NJ
A Mogul’s Mindset by Trenton 365 Contributor Neisha Kelly
A Mogul’s Mindset


Photo Credit Shawn Smith Instagram Shawnsy15



Neisha Kelly

We know that there are 24 hours in a day. How do you spend your time? What will you

accomplish? What will you chance and save for tomorrow?

We think of moguls as..."a person that is his\her own boss and makes executive decisions at

any second without any semblance of indecisiveness. It is done with assurance, confidence, and

with much built upon knowledge.

On Thursday, May 12, 2016, I had the pleasure of interviewing a mogul made from birth. One

would say his development into a mogul was innate there was no avoiding it. He comes from a

long line of moguls. Tim McRae wears many hats; he wears them with pride and courage. He is

not afraid to make an executive decision. Upon, meeting him one would notice his flair for

being unapologetically himself the mogul, the man, and there is no myth about the fact he is a

hard-working man.

Tim was born and raised in Trenton, Jersey where he learned about the value of money at an

early age. He also knew early on that he would not fit in at a nine to five. It was then he knew

he was born to stand out as a mogul. He has never been one to follow the trend he sets the

standard.

His family, the McRae’s, are known in Trenton since 1954 for their excellent business acumen,

knowledge, and prestigious customer service. The first black owned business in Trenton McRae

Brothers Laundromat, and/or McRae’s Oil Company. Like generations before and after him Tim

knew how to run a business from the ground up. He was taught at an early age the value of

money and how to attain financial longevity in an era where many are looking for a come up

and don’t really ruminate on a long-term stay in the bowels of success. He wanted his own

business one that was his baby, his own legacy, he wanted to stand on the shoulders of

generations past and carve out his own niche. He has McRae Management where he delves in

music; he himself has an eclectic palette for many flavors of sound. His ear is wired for an

indelible sound, one that etches itself on the memory bank and permeates it goodness deep

into your soul.

You may also be familiar with his food truck, WTF, the acronym stands for Where’s the Food

and trust me after sampling his food you will be repeatedly searching and longing to taste

WTF’s flavor. Little known facts you may want to know food trucks are inspected more

frequently than restaurants. Eating food from a food truck is completely safe.

To reiterate an earlier point Tim wears many hats and knows that a true mogul has multiple

streams of income. He values all of his businesses and works hard on all of them daily. Some

nights he is only surviving on five hours sleep. He is paving the way for his legacy. He is an

innovative thinker always thinking ahead of the next big thing coming. He is always focused on

long-term goals. He will always be relevant because he always ensures he is ahead of the curve.

Like some he became a parent at an early age, 21, and he had to make long-term decisions fast.

His son had no time for dad to be indecisive. His son in essence saved his life and he credits

fatherhood to shaping him into the man he is today.

Despite his love for many things his first love has always been music. He can find a hit in any

genre. He has an amazing ear for good music. He feels the current state of rap music is in the

hands of a generic generation void of real talent. The lyrics are both disingenuous and lack

depth. These artists lack empathy for their music and are not intimately connected with the

audience nor their respective genre. The current state of rap music is on the brink of extinction.

They need to be much more conscious of what they say and do. They have the opportunity to

reach the youth and let them know that black lives matter to them. This will serve as a

reminder to the youth that black lives matter is more than a movement it is something that

needs our empathy. Our lives need to matter to us. They need to be accountable for what they

say and do. Tim says that they need to watch what comes out of their mouth. Drug use is on the

rise among the youth and there is no more respect of man.

Tim is a man that is always focused on the horizon and beyond. He has three major goals to

achieve on his bucket list. The first one is to turn the WTF truck in a brick mortar in Virginia

where artists can perform live and give club goers true VIP treatment. He would like a new

wave Studio 54 type of ambiance. His second goal is for his artists B. Devinchi to win a Grammy

and his whole crew is there to receive it, with him. Speaking of B. Devinchi he will be

performing at “Art All Night” a half-hour set on June 18, 2016. The third and final goal is to own

his dream house and dream car. Since childhood he has had an affinity for cars. He was an avid

collector of Matchbox cars.

I will end this article with a few sage words from Tim, always know your worth. No one will

believe the hype if you won’t. For all you dealing with the financial woes, decrease your debt

and increase your income. For more info on Tim McRae check him out on:

@mcraemanagement (instagram)

@wtf_foodtruck (instagram)

WTF? FOOD TRUCK (facebook)

WTFFOODTRUCK@youtube.com

Twitter: WTFFOODTRUCK

Twitter: MCRAE MNGT.


Trenton 365Koy Magazine, Neisha Kelly, Tim McRae, Trenton 365, WTF Food Truck, Wheres The Food Truck
Lifestyle By Amans Brindled at Bachrach 2016
http://www.trenton365.com




On Saturday April 9, 2016 through my latest creation “Lifestyle By Amans Brindled” I coordinated a popup fashion event at Bachrach located in the Quakerbridge Mall.
This event was the second of its kind with Bachrach and I look forward to more Fashion related projects as I continue to expand the brand.
This year’s event brought together a group of “doers” and “achievers” making strides in various areas including Educators, Artists and Technology Entrepreneurs. 
Here is the list of ’16 Participants

Adrian Colon Comedian / Actor
Jesse Elliot Singer / Songwriter
James Freeman Educator / Jazz Promoter
Tony Goggles Filmmaker/Musician
Byron Marshall Jr. Performing Artist
Karey Maurice Artist of Red Balloon Studio
Adam Porroni Code For Trenton 
Rich Scannella Musician / Educator
Bobbi Skratch Performing Artist
Eric Thomas Educator / Percussionist

Music was provided by Ahmad Shakir aka DJ ITSJUSTAHMAD and photo documentation by Jeff Stewart and Will Foskey.
Store leaders Jason Jones and Allan Pechko exemplify Bachrach through service and style.

“Established in 1877, Bachrach is a tradition of fashionable clothing for the everyday man. We strive to be a customer first company, offering affordable prices on quality clothing and great customer service.”

“With 32 retail locations nationwide and growing, our mentality is that of a neighborhood clothier: friendly and considerate. We see ourselves as your neighbor and we’re always here to help.”

I look forward to seeing the progress of Bachrach making the everyday man look his best with a diverse collection of both dressy and casual fashion.

“Be Strong, Confident, and Sharp - Bachrach”

 Each Participant received a gift bag with items from;

 Hot Sauce 4 Good
Yards Brewing Co
Franks Cigars
Trenton Coffee House Roaster
Renaissance Beauty

The following images were captured by Jeff Stewart





































The following images were captured by Will Foskey



















































































The following images were captured by Amans Brindled
















































Trenton 365Adam Porroni, Adrian Colon Jr, Ahmad Shakir, Allan Pechko, Bachrach, Black Collar Biz, Bobbi Skratch, Eric Thomas, James Freeman, Jason Jones, Jesse Elliot, Karey Maurice, Rich Scannella, Tony Goggles
WWE Road to Wrestlemania
www.trenton365.com



As a kid of the 70’s my Pop Culture included Wrestling.  My favorites were 
Tony Atlas,
Mil Mascaras 
Superstar Billy Graham
Chief Jay Strongbow
and the Grand Wizard of Wrestling



I’ve lost touch with “WRASTLIN” but Trenton 365 Contributors Will Foskey and Dan Regan are connected. 

Will Foskey is a Content Provider of various disciplines, for Trenton 365 “Deshair” has handled the Artistic Direction for a fashion event, captured images and leads the MLK Day Social Clean Up.  Have a listen to some of our chats.

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/sets/will-foskey

            By Will Foskey

On the “Road to Wrestlemania”, the WWE brought their top tier Professional Wrestling Company to the

Sun Center in Trenton, NJ, to entertain an electrifying crowd. 8 Days away from the biggest event of the

year, WWE Superstars, Stardust, Sin Cara, Kalisto, Bray Wyatt, The Social Outcasts, Ryback, and more,

took this opportunity to strike fear in their opponents, while giving it to the crowd.

I’d like to take a moment to explain the difference between a WWE Televised Show and a WWE House

Show, and why fans should experience both.

On March 21st, I had the pleasure of attending WWE Monday Night Raw at the Wells Fargo Center in

Philadelphia. The show was televised, meaning you’ll see the most popular wrestlers they have to offer.

Televised shows have storylines to follow and directly affect their monthly PPV events.

On March 26th at the Sun Center in Trenton, NJ, this is what you’d call a House Show. House Shows

aren’t televised. Being entertained by the most popular wrestlers isn’t guaranteed. However, there’s an

advantage House Shows have over Televised Shows: Talent to Crowd Interactions. If you’re loud enough

to gain the attention of the wrestler you love or hate the most, chances are, they’ll stop wrestling and

address you. As WWE Superstar who wants to be fed more, Ryback, displayed.

Ryback has been plagued with being a doppelganger of WCW Legend, Goldberg. So Trenton let him have

it. “GOLD-BERG, GOLD-BERG,” they screamed. Please remember, when the WWE Universe makes this

chant at a televised show, Ryback ignores the chant, focusing on the match at hand. But on Saturday

night, not only did Ryback let the crowd know how he felt about their chants, he went on to perform at

least 4 moves from Goldberg’s move list, before winning the match and giving an audience member in

the front row, “The Bird.”

Did we receive top tier talent? No. But were we entertained? YES! Stardust versus Sin Cara opened up

the show with an excited match full of old-school grapples and high flying artistry. “The Bulgarian Brute”

Rusev versus Kalisto captured the crowd with its “David vs. Goliath” approach, cashing in on numerous

near falls (kicking out of a pin) and emotional reactions. And the headliner, The Wyatt Family (Bray and

Rowan) vs. The Big Show and Kane closed the show on a good note, playing towards the crowd, even

tagging in who the crowd wanted to see in the ring.

Overall, it was a good show that the WWE Universe in Trenton, made a great experience.

Dan Regan is a Comedian who shares his “Rants” with the Trenton 365 Audience.  You can expect to here him covering all segments of current events through his Twitter handle Social Mime.

Have a listen to some of our chats.

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/sets/dan-regan

This past Saturday March 26th I attended the WWE "Road to Wresltemania" event at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton. The 2 tickets were courtesy of Jacque Howard and WIMG 1300AM radio station. I took my wife who has never been to a wrestling match before but she endures my weekly wrestling shows of RAW & Smackdown and my commentary on it. The one thing that persuaded her to go was the chance of seeing her favorite wrestler Roman Reigns <see attached photo> (no idea why she likes such a puny, homely looking guy) but as you can see in the photos her face when she found out Roman wasn't there. I have to say the seats were fantastic and the show was entertaining, so much so that my wife agreed to go to a live taping of RAW when it comes around again, although I think she wants to go just to see Roman but hey I will take it. Thanks again Jacque & WIMG for a night of fun!




Trenton 365Deshair, Lifestyle By Amans Brindled, Social Mime, Trenton 365, WWE, Will Foskey
Fifth Annual Bierfest hosted by The German Society of Pennsylvania


Review of the Fifth Annual Bierfest hosted by The German Society of Pennsylvania

In the land of Benjamin Franklin, a stone’s throw from the statue of Edgar Allan Poe’s raven, a

wonderful, glorious event took place on a day which was just as magnificent. The German Society of

Pennsylvania’s Bierfest. For those of you who want a quick recap, here it is:

Atmosphere: There were four main rooms that were serving beer and had all the action, which explains

why they are the only ones I know of, and why I wouldn’t know of more. There were happy people in all

of them, and some of those people were even in lederhosen and wearing drindls, which definitely

helped get to get a person in the spirit. Also, maybe because they sold a limited amount of tickets and it

was a lovely day outside, none of the rooms were overcrowded. This is a plus, because there was less of

a chance of spilling the precious nectar of the Gods.

Entertainment: In the PA Beer Hall, there was a Bluegrass band playing. It’s not my favorite genre of

music, but it was good. It didn’t make me want to drink more to forget it, so that’s good. In the German

Beer Hall there was a (brass? Not an entire one, just a trombone and some other nice instruments) band

playing a nice variety of songs, some German and some not (they played Sweet Caroline and other songs

like that at one point). In my opinion, the German beer hall definitely had the better entertainment.

Variety of Beer: There was a room filled with local, Pennsylvania brewers. And then another filled with

German beers. There wasn’t an enormous amount of them, but there were more than me and my

stepdad could handle. Plus, who needs and enormous amount of names when the beer is unlimited?

After a once through, you could start at the beginning again and they’d all taste different because your

insides would be halfway through fermenting.

Quality of Beer: Excellent. Which is another reason why the variety and range of selection didn’t matter

as much. You could stick with one brand get way more than your money’s worth.

Food: The food was excellent. There were sausage sandwiches and potato pancakes and other delicious

treats. My only problem with it was that there was not enough. It was free, which is probably why they

were small servings. There was a food truck right outside of the main entrance, but it was a little

inconvenient, for me at least, to take time out of my tour of my PA and German beer sampling spree to

leave the building to go buy food.

Price: When I first saw the price of the tickets, I was on the fence. But then I arrived, and readers, the

beer was free. All of it. As much as you could drink. Even with that amazing caveat, I did not see one

person lying on the floor. The attendees were either actually pacing themselves, or were some special

breed. Or they were smart about their beer drinking and somehow made themselves stick to one type

and didn’t do an entire taste tour of PA and Germany.

Overall grade: B+

Not a perfect A, because it wasn’t a month-long celebration and there wasn’t obvious access to water so

I could drink more.

Samantha Jade Thompson for Trenton 365 / Lifestyle By Amans Brindled

www.trenton365.com

https://www.facebook.com/amansbrindled/?fref=ts








Coverage from the 2015 Philly Bierfest


Trenton 365Bier, German Beer, Lifestyle By Amans Brindled, Philly Bierfest, Trenton365
Wicked Faire 2016 UPDATED
Lifestyle By Amans Brindled

WICKED FAIRE ‘16

The website for Wickedfaire describes it’s Creator Jeff Mach like this:

Jeff’s heart was captured at thirteen by The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He was fascinated by how much you could change the seemingly ordinary world of a movie theatre, and create a strange, wonderful new home for people whose interests were outside the norm. He’s dedicated his life to creating those places.
As a singer-songwriter, Jeff’s work ranges from wry takes on Steampunk, tales of Faeries and their kin, and what happens when you get locked inside a dream factory. As a playwright, Jeff’s plays and musicals tend to take familiar subjects and look at them from odd angles.
Jeff was born January 27th, 1975. He’s a practicing Pagan whose chief patron is P’tah, who is either the God who created all things, or the inventor of miniatures – depending on which mythology you read. He’s also dedicated to Coyote, Eris, and Dionysus.
I met Jeff a few years ago at another event he Created, The Steampunk World’s Fair.  More on that in the near future!

The Wicked Faire billed as The Final Wicked Faire took place in Princeton, NJ at the Hyatt Regency.  As of November 15, 2015 more than 3 months in advance the hotel had completely sold out!  That alone should tell you a bit about a Jeff Mach Event and the loyalty he has of attendees, vendors and supporters. 

It’s pretty well known that I keep my eyes and ears open to new experiences and my first trip to Wicked Faire was no different.  On this excursion I was joined by Journalist Mary Linda Perry and Photographers Jodi Walker of the Bat Factory and International Photo Journalist Kevin Duddy.

Mary Linda had this to say about her experience.

Feb 19, 2016           Winter Faire

The moment we drove into the parking lot I knew we were not in

Kansas anymore. The Hyatt Regency in Princeton had been

transformed to another time…and another place. The first creature I

ran into was, Puck from Midsummer Night’s Dream, followed by

Professor Severus Snape, Darth Vader, and Joan of Arc. You get the

picture. We had stepped into the 11th annual Wicked Faire.

Each persona was more elaborate than the next. As I sat at the bar

drinking ale with these creatures I couldn't help but think that these

beings were probably managing my portfolio in their normal everyday

life.

Next we had the vendors.  High craftsmen leather goods including

long coats, capes, vests and more. The best as I have ever seen!

There was creative jewelry, include exotic earring wraps, cuffs

bracelets. In addition, there are elaborate copper masks, light S&M

toys, teas and absinthe shops and more.

There was minstrel singing, and Cirque du Soleil types of

entertainment. The evening ended with a burlesque show.

It was late. I was tired, and under the influence of some strange

alcoholic beverages. We walked back to the parking lot, got into the

car, and we were back in Kansas. The next morning when I woke up, I

thought… Did that just happen?

I often attend events and see people I know and this was no different.  Friends Kate Holster Ivchenko, Toni Kerschner McGovern and spouses Alex and William noticed me from the balcony.  We then connected for laughs, adult beverages and I learned the perspective from Veterans of Jeff Mach Events.

We strolled around the multiple floors chatting with people, capturing images and audio, viewing the items available for purchase from the numerous vendors and attended some live performances including a wonderfully done Burlesque Show, opening night was done for our crew.

Day 2
As Jodi and I walked into the Hyatt we were greeted by dozens of costumed people.  I was asked if I wanted to write or color on a lightly dressed bikini top woman, of course she was tagged with “Trenton 365.” 

Jodi a veteran of “Cosplay” helped to educate me on the scene, characters etc.  We connected with Kate, Alex, Toni, William and Photojournalist my “Buddy Kevin Duddy” to get started. 

Saturday was considerably more crowded and vibrant with more performances including Egyptian Belly Dancing from Audie and her troupe as well as Marylee Morinelli and the team she is a member of; Coveilance Dance Project led by Kimberly Dickenson.

In my opinion no event is complete without a live performance, “Frenchy And The Punk” are a new favorite!  They came highly recommended by Artist/Educator Kate Holster Ivchenko.

Made up of Samantha Stephenson (Frenchy) and Scott Helland (The Punk) this 2 piece is as lively as it gets, showcasing their varied musical interests to the delight of the crowd.  The performance included Vocals, Percussion, Drums, Piano, Guitars, Live Looping and more.

The music evokes movement and energy not only from progressions but the rhythms and vocals.  Frenchy encouraged the audience to dance and move as the rhythmic drums and electrified guitar guided us.

The song “Dark Carnival” reminded me of Siouxsie And The Banshees specifically “Peekaboo” from the inaugural 1991 lineup of Lollapalooza.

Add Frenchy And The Punk to the list of bands to see before you can’t afford to.

I neglected to mention Jessica Star.  We chatted briefly after her set and have since connected via social media and I look forward to hearing more from her and the 3 piece band which goes by her name.  

 I believe "Mystical" is a good word to describe Jessica.  Hailing from California and now residing in NYC.  To me her voice has undertones of Blues and Folk with a rock edge.  Listening to either her electric or acoustic songs it is apparent she is feeling and sharing a passion!

In closing Jeff Mach and his team have done it again, his effort continues to impress me and I look forward to his future events!

A list of vendors we connected with:

Utopia Armoury by Bill McCall (Audio)
www.utopiaarmoury.etsy.com

Tea & Absinthe by Daniel Myers & Pacita Prasarn (Audio)
www.teaandabsinthe.com

Industrial Dis-Ease Toys LLC (Audio)
“Keeping the kinky in sensation with one inclusive toy”
http://www.idetoys.com

Agreeable Agony (Audio)
“Toys for pleasure toys for pain”
http://agreeableagony.com

Horror Show Jack Fangs
https://www.facebook.com/HorrorShowJackFangSmith

Kest Schwartzman
www.vagabondmetalworks.com

Ian Randal Strock
www.fantasticbooks.biz

Father Evil
www.fatherevil.vom

Pendragon Costumes
“Custom leather clothing for men and women”
www.pendragoncostumes.com

Egyptian Belly Dance and Folklore by Audie
www.bellyrhythm.net

The Shoe Guy
www.theshoeguy.com

The following images are the property of Kevin Duddy Photos - kevinduddyphotos@gmail.com

Jessica Star

Jessica Star




































































The following images are the property of Jodi Walker - jodiwalker212@gmail.com




























The following images are the property of Amans Brindled - amansbrindled@gmail.com

















































Trenton 365Frenchy And The Punk, Horror Show Jacks, Industrial Dis-Ease, Jeff Mach, Jessica Star, Jodi Walker Bat Factory, Kevin Duddy, Lifestyle By Amans Brindled, MaryLinda Perry, Tea And Absinthe, Utopia Armoury