New Jersey – Griffey's Great Adventures

Lolita’s Mexican Cantina, Westwood, NJ

Have you ever had a craving for some good old fashioned street tacos? We call that Tuesday in our house. Always looking for new adventures, we were excited when our neighbors suggested a new taco hot spot- this local suburban NJ Mexican Cantina called Lolita’s in Westwood (Bergen County).

Stepping into Lolita’s felt like stepping into an old family friendly Mexico City eatery with the brick walls, wooden tables, and vibrant colors complete with a full 360 degree bar as the centerpiece. There is a range of Mexican beers and the premium tequila collection sets the stage for some delicious margaritas. After all, what’s a taco without a margarita to wash it down?? Those who know me understand my love affair with spicy margaritas and Lolita’s did not disappoint with the “El Barrio”- a margarita concocted with jalapeno infused tequila!

Both times that we visited Lolita’s (Yes, we liked it so much we went back a few weeks later!) , we decided to make our own “family style” meal. The dishes come complete with 4 tacos, so we ordered multiple different flavors and them divvied them up!

Needless to say, our craving was satisfied! The food was fresh and delicious and the servings were the perfect amount- we felt full but not regretfully overstuffed. Here is what we ate:

Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Aioli and Avocado

Beer Battered Fish Tacos with Mango slaw

Carne Asada Tacos with Guacamole and Pico de Gallo

Crispy Chicken Tacos with Avocado and Pico de Gallo

And I wouldn’t be doing our visit justice if I didn’t mention the Mexican Street Corn, which was AMAZING!

*Also pictured: Mexican Meatballs, Handmade Guacamole, Rice and Beans, and* *Flautas.*

Tacos are not the only food served at Lolita’s- the menu is complete with empanadas, quesadillas, paellas, enchiladas, and more! So if you are in NJ and looking for a night out with some delicious Mexican food, check it out!

For more information visit Lolita’s Website www.LolitasMexicanCantina.com

Buen Provecho!

Budweiser Clydesdales Celebrate the Repeal of Prohibition in Local Towns

Budweiser Clydesdales riding down Washington Street in Hoboken, NJ

On December 5, 1933 Prohibition was repealed in the United States of America after a long 3+ years of alcohol drought (well, except all that illegal booze!). This was the day the Budweiser Clydesdales made thier debut. They paraded down Pennsylvania Avenue with their red wagon to deliver the first case of post prohibition beer to Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the White House. Since then, they have gained popularity through the memorable Budweiser commercials, appearances at events, and of course at the St. Louis Cardinals baseball games.

To commemorate this day, the Clydesdales saunter down main streets all over America in December to recreate that first post prohibition gig and deliver beer in the signature wood Budweiser cases to local establishments. These beauties are a sight to see.

Fun Fact: Riding shotgun in the wagon next to the drivers is their mascot, the Budweiser Dalmatian. Why the Dalmatian? Years ago, they were known as coach dogs who ran between carriages or coaches and became companions for the horses.

So next December, look for Clydesdales near you! To see these beautiful creatures in person other times of the year, you can visit 1 of the 5 locations in the United States where they are kept and cared for:
*San Diego, CA
*Merrimack, NH
*San Antonio, TX
*St. Louis, MO
*Menifee, CA
You can also visit the Budweiser website for the “Hitch Schedule” at www.budweiser.com/en/clydesdales/hitch-schedule.html.

As beautiful as they are to see, I wanted to know if the horses are cared for properly. After some research, here is what I have found:

*Travel is limited to 500 miles or less per day.
*When traveling, the driver must stop every 2-3 hours to ensure the horses are drinking and eating the appropriate amount
*Drivers have cameras in the cabs to be sure that the horses are doing ok during travel
* Each Hitch has its own designated veterinarian
*The team exercises the horses at every stop
*More times than not they stop at local stables during travel so the horses can rest peacefully
*They are fed a diet ich in grass hay and given supplements for joint health. Some horses also receive chiropractic care as needed!
*All horses receive regular Farriery Care

Om Sweet Home Specialty Bakery

708 Anderson Avenue, Cliffside Park, NJ

Feeding your sweet tooth is a challenge when you have a gluten allergy. Luckily, if you live near the Bergen County, NJ waterfront, this bakery will come to the rescue! Om Sweet Home in Cliffside Park is Celiac safe and 100% vegan and gluten free. All products are also dairy free, soy free, wheat free, palm oil free, non-GMO, organic and made with non dairy butter alternative. It’s like the unicorn of bakeries! I’ve been to gluten free bakeries that fell short of satisfying but these delicious treats were nothing but delightful!

So, without further ado, here are our favorites from this yummy allergy free establishment:

Spiked Eggnog Donuts made with Sailor Jerry Rum:

Whoopie Pie made with Spiced Nut Cookie with Chocolate Beet Cream Filling:

YUM!!!

For more information, visit www.om-sweethome.com.

Enjoy this secret New Jersey Treasure!!

Palisades Interstate Park

Running, walking, biking, relaxing- Palisades Interstate Park provides a picture perfect backdrop for all activities. During the summer you will find boaters boarding their vessels at the marina, family picnics at the BBQ grills on the park grounds, or hikers enjoying the 30 miles of trails. The view from across the Hudson can be enjoyed from high up on the cliff or on the waterside paths. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the 2500 acres of park land! Trails are shaded in the summertime and from time to time you can catch some wildlife wandering about. Waterfalls will surprise you around various corners but the view of the George Washington Bridge is among the most beautiful scenes. My favorite time to visit is in the fall- the park is fairly quiet and the foliage is breathtaking. Get out in nature and clear your mind at Palisades Interstate Park!

Helpful Tips: This park is just on the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge, making it an easy trip from NYC. Parking is free from Labor Day to Memorial Day. There is a pavilion at Ross Dock with bathrooms and vending machines.

Fun Facts: Palisades Interstate Park is a National Historic Landmark and the Palisades Cliffs are a National Natural Landmark. Illustrated talks can be given if arranged in advance to provide information about the park, the history and the wild life.

For more information, trail maps, parking information, park events and more, visit www.njpalisades.org.

George Washington Bridge from Palisades Interstate Park

Ross Dock Entrance of Palisades Interstate Park

The Green Pear Cafe- Hoboken, NJ

Having a gluten allergy, I am always looking for allergy friendly restaurants. This gem on the back streets of Hoboken was a great find. Located between Newark and 1st on Grand, you can stop by for a coffee to go or sit at one of the tables to enjoy a full breakfast or lunch (outdoor seating also available). There are many gluten free options available on the menu, including a variety of gluten free pancakes, gluten free crepes, and gluten free arepa sandwiches. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is relaxing. Make this your next stop for breakfast or lunch!

My Gluten Free Menu pick:

Italian Arepa: Gluten Free cornbread Arepa with Fresh Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Greens, Prosciutto, and Pesto.

This is perfect combination of sweet and savory!!

For the full menu and hours visit www.greenpearcafe.com

Vinnie’s Mootz- Lyndhurst, NJ

Southern Italians have been hand making fresh mozzarella since Roman times. This mild cheese was originally made from the rich milk of water buffalos in Naples. It was created when cheese curds accidentally fell into a bowl of hot water in a cheese factory, thus, Fresh mozzarella was born, or “mootz” as it is so lovingly called. Today, fresh mozzarella is found in most grocery stores or food outlets. However, like with all things, quality plays a role.

I have had my fair share of Fresh Mozzarella in my life, including in Italy itself, however few to none compare to Vinnie’s Mootz in Lyndhurst, NJ. Vinnie Morelli, the Fresh Mozzarella Chef at Vinnie’s Mootz, spent his summers in Italy as a child. This is where his mother and grandmother taught him how to make the perfect mozzarella that he sells today in his Lyndhurst store. Vinnie is a winner of Hoboken’s “Mutzfest” for homemade recipe. He combines high quality ingredients with the perfect amount of love and time, creating the yummiest, creamiest most delicious mozzarella this side of Italy.

Vinnie sells basic fresh mozzarella, as well as his specialties including burrata (to die for!!!), and his signature “Spicy Mootz” which is sundried tomatoes and sriracha sauce rolled into his fresh mozzarella, making a flavorful combination of melt-in-your-mouth goodness. For the fall season he has cooked up a special pumpkin burrata, with just a subtle hint of pumpkin creaminess. Other specialties include strawberry burrata, pepperoni mozzarella, and roasted peppers and prosciutto mozzarella. If you love mozzarella (and who doesn’t??), you need to make time in your day to drop by Vinnie’s Mootz. It’s the only place we purchase our Mozzarella and I promise you won’t be disappointed. Vinnie also holds mozzarella making classes on Monday nights (by appt). For more information, visit the website below. Happy cheese eating!

265 Ridge Road
Lyndhurst, NJ 07071
201-697-0203
www.vinniesmootz.com

Cheese curds
The Process: just the right amount of love
Preparing to bring it all together with the Prosciutto

Pumpkin Burrata and Roasted Red Peppers with Prosciutto Mozzarella

The River Palm Terrace- Edgewater

The River Palm Terrace in Edgewater has been THE top Bergen County, NJ steakhouse since 1983 and is visited by celebrities and locals alike on a nightly basis. With an old school, elegant vibe and white table cloths The River Palm is perfect for a romantic date with a shared Porterhouse for 2, dinner with the guys to share the Tomahawk Steak, or a girl’s night with sake and world class sushi (I’ve heard the chef’s special rolls are the best!).

If it isn’t the food that brings you back, the service will. The staff rolls out the red carpet to guarantee that you have an exceptional experience. The servers are well educated and able to provide in depth information from the wine list to the steak cuts to the cooking styles. Steaks are prime and dry aged in the restaurant.

The River Palm Terrace has won many awards over the years, including “Top 50 steakhouses in America”, “Best of Bergen County” (multiple years), and Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence” (multiple years), just to name a few. While the Edgewater location is the original, they have expanded their business to Mahwah and Fair Lawn as well. Reservations are recommended and Valet parking is complimentary. You can visit The River Palm Terrace of Edgewater at:

1416 River Road, Edgewater, NJ
Phone: (201) 224-2013

For more information, visit their website at: https://riverpalm.com

Prime Porterhouse Steak for 2 with Broccoli and Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy

The Turning Point- Hoboken

Turning Point has been a steady Hoboken breakfast spot for several years now. We have never had a bad experience here and the food is always fresh. Turning Point originated in Little Silver, NJ and its success has grown to over 15 locations, even expanding into Pennsylvania.

Breakfast options range from french toast and pancakes to their popular “skillets” to healthy dishes such as the “Garden Frittata”. Their extensive list of coffees, teas and juices is also impressive.

GLUTEN FREE OPTIONS!

Restaurants everywhere are starting to provide gluten free or gluten sensitive menus; Turning Point has joined the club! They have a separate menu for gluten sensitivity, just ask your server, or you can check out the website.

My GLUTEN FREE pick (from the “Fall Specials” Menu):

Cali Flatbread: Cauliflower crust topped with grilled chicken, chopped bacon, caramelized onions, spinach, diced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, and chipotle drizzle.

Walk on the Beach Juice: carrots, golden beets, apple, lemon and digestive aid ginger

You can visit the Turning Point Hoboken location at:

1420 Frank Sinatra Dr.
Hoboken, NJ 07030
(201) 222-3797
7:30am to 3pm 7 Days a Week

For more information, visit their website at www.theturningpoint.biz

Apples, Crisp Air That is Nice, and Everything Pumpkin Spice

It’s almost Halloween and we are deep into the fall season, which means apple and pumpkin picking is in full swing! Believe it or not, they call it the “Garden State” for a reason. You are never too far from farm land. Growing up in Northwest New Jersey we frequented Mackey’s Orchard in Belvidere, NJ. Although I have moved from this part of the state, we are sure to make a trip back here every fall for apple cider doughnuts that are unmatched. Functioning from their 96 acre farm for over 100 years, Mackey’s has an onsite bakery offering items such as apple crumb cake, pumpkin bread, apple pie, apple cider doughnuts, and my old favorite apple crumb pie, each made in house with love. Homemade pumpkin ice cream is offered from their ice cream stand throughout the fall (but only on weekends!). The Greenhouse holds hundreds of mums and pumpkins for purchase and the farm stand is loaded with locally grown produce (apples, tomatoes, squash, peppers, and much more!). On fall weekends, regular tractor rides take you into the orchard where you can pick your own apples. Lastly, it would be a sin if I didn’t tell you about their homemade apple cider, which is still the best I’ve ever had!!

Assortment of pies offered at Mackey’s onsite bakery

Visit Mackey’s for delicious fall family fun!

For more information, visit Mackey’s website at www.mackeysorchard.com

The Farm Stand is open 9am-6pm daily. Mackey’s is located at:

284 South Bridgeville Road

Belivdere, NJ 07823

908-475-1507

Purchase your fall mums and pumpkins at Mackey’s Greenhouse

A collection of salsas and sauces inside the Farm Stand

Large selection of locally grown produce

Tractor “Hayride” that takes you into the Apple Orchards

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Happy Birthday George Washington Bridge!!

If you live in the Bergen County area, it is likely that you pass by or over the GWB on a regular basis. If you don’t live in the area, you are probably familiar with the iconic George Washington Bridge from movies, TV shows, or art work. Opening at the beginning of the Great Depression, the GWB is a double decker suspension bridge with 14 lanes that connect Fort Lee, New Jersey to Washington Heights, Manhattan. The bridge itself sits 212 feet above the Hudson River and spans 4760 feet in length. At the time of its opening in 1931 it was the largest bridge in the world, but would be outdone in length when the Golden Gate Bridge opened in San Francisco in 1937. With over 103 million vehicles crossing the GWB each year, it is the world’s busiest motor vehicle bridge. It may be difficult to appreciate its beauty and magnificence if you sit in the daily traffic associated with the bridge but it is rich with history.

The GWB was named for George Washington, First President of the United States. During the American Revolutionary War in 1776 General Washington attempted to deter occupation of New York City. He would eventually evacuate and cross the Hudson River with his troops between Fort Washington and Fort Lee, now the site of the G.W. Bridge.

Today, the GWB is home to the largest free flying American Flag in the United States, which is flown from the steel towers on National Holidays. On special occasions each suspension tower comes to life with 380 lighting structures and illuminates the night sky. On the New Jersey side of the Hudson River great views of the bridge can be accessed from Fort Lee Historic Park or at the bridge’s base in Palisades Interstate Park (close to the Ross Dock Entrance). The GW Bridge has pedestrian and bike sidewalks on the North and South sides and offers stunning views. This creates a one of a kind back drop for a walk or jog, and is particularly beautiful in the early morning shortly after the sun rises.

Take a leisurely walk on the pedestrian sidewalks and wish this beauty a Happy 87^th Birthday!

For more information on visiting the George Washington Bridge, visit www.panynj.gov !