The Bergen County Homes Blog

Come out this Tuesday for terrific Mexican food and fun at all 3 Blue Moon Mexican Cafe restaurants.  You’ll have a great time, enjoy wonderful Mexican food and support the Tenafly Nature Center.  What could be better?

The Blue Moon Mexican Cafe is one of the most popular local restaurant chains in Bergen County.  With 3 locations – Englewood, Woodcliff Lake and Wyckoff – no matter where you are in Bergen County, you’re near a Blue Moon restaurant.  This Tuesday 20% of all dinner bills is being donated to the Tenafly Nature Center for food ordered from 11 am through 9 pm.  You must bring a donation flyer with you and give it to your waiter.

So come out on Tuesday and have a 2nd Cinco De Mayo at a Blue Moon Mexican Cafe and support the Tenafly Nature Center.  Maybe I’ll see you there!

Have you been enjoying this winter? I have! There is so much to do right here at home in Bergen County for winter sports. You never have to leave home, or take an expensive vacation. Skiing, hockey, ice skating – it’s all here!

Probably the top winter attraction for this area is Campgaw Mountain in Mahwah. Just a short drive from Tenafly and eastern Bergen, this mountain resort is on the New York State border, and it’s very popular. Take a look!

Campgaw Mountain Reservation is open year round and in warmer weather is a favorite hiking and camping retreat.  But, in the winter, it becomes a snow park where you and your family can come for “in your backyard” winter sports.  Campgaw is just another reason why it’s fun to live in Bergen County and why our Bergen County homes are so valued.  I bet you didn’t expect a ski resort only 30 minutes from Manhattan!

It’s a fall tradition – pumpkins and Halloween.  Despite all the news lately about problems with the pumpkin crop this year, there are plenty of places right in Bergen County where you’ll find a pumpkin patch and maybe a hayride or two. 

No matter if you live in Englewood, Teaneck, Paramus or Franklin Lakes or anywhere in Bergen County, you’re not far from a local pumpkin patch.  Here’s a list of places to go to get your own pumpkin and have a fun day -

Abma’s Farm – 700 Lawlins Rd in Wyckoff  (Pumpkins, pony rides, farm tours & they even do parties)

Demarest Farm – 244 Werimus Rd in Hillsdale (Pick your own pumpkins, apples, corn maze, famous for their home cooked pies, breads, great gift & produce shop, this is the “Big Kahauna” of them all)

DePieros Farm – 300 West Grand Ave in Montvale (pumpkin patches for different ages, hay rides, cider mill, haunted house, farmer’s market, gift shop)

Fresh & Fancy Farm – 575 River Rd in New Milford (pumpkin patch, corn maze, straw maze, face painting, farm stand)

Secor Farms – 168 Airmont Rd in Mahwah (pumpkin patch, corn & hay mazes, child sized maze, hay rides)

Spend a day outdoors enjoying this fall tradition and if you have children, make sure you bring your camera.  The kids will have a blast!

On Saturday September 10th, hundreds of people will come to Memorial Park in Dumont, New Jersey, to celebrate together at the annual Dumont Day Extravaganza.  From 10 am through 6 pm there will be all sorts of activities, rides, vendors, food and entertainment from tap dancing to music.  Although this is a family oriented event, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

One of the annual highlights is the 5K Dumont Day Run that begins and ends at Dumont High School.  There’s also a walk, Kids Run and Kids Sprint.  Proceeds from the 5K Run go to Dumont Cares (a local organization that helps Dumont families in need).  Other fun events are the chili cookoff which is judged by the Dumont Fire Department and the pie contest judged by the Dumont Police Department.  And let’s not forget the local band contest which gives young musicians a chance to be heard.

In the evening there is a 9/11 Memorial Service at 7:15 pm, a concert at 8 pm and fireworks.  It’s a wonderful annual event that Dumont residents look forward to all year. 

Dumont is a town with a strong community spirit and Dumont Day epitomizes this.  People who buy a Dumont home soon learn what a special community Dumont is.  A true suburban town with tree lined streets, owning a Dumont home gives you a wonderful environment in which to raise your family.  Dumont Day is just one of the many advantages its residents enjoy and another reason why Dumont homes are in high demand.

If you’re in the area, come to Memorial Park and join the fun.  You won’t want to miss it!

Rainy weather forced the Borough of Cresskill to move it’s Annual Spring Festival to this Saturday and the weather in town will be perfect – low 80′s and sunny all day! 

Started only a few years ago, the Cresskill Spring Festival has become a major event of the year with thousands of people coming out for an entire day of fun.  Food, all sorts of vendors, rides, games, contests, music and more will take place from 10 am through 5 pm on June 18th at the ball field and new Recreation Center at 3rd and Madison Avenue.  Run by the Cresskill Recreation Department, this is a very well organized event that’s enjoyed by everyone from the very young to senior citizens.

If you own a Cresskill home you know how great it is to live here.  This is a family friendly town where people get to know each other and make lifelong friendships.  A real small town with the heart of a lion, Cresskill homes are always in strong demand not only because of it’s  proximity to NYC and great schools, but also because of the town spirit.  The Annual Spring Festival is only one of several town wide events that bring people together in a fun atmosphere.

If you want to get an idea of what it’s like to live in Cresskill, come on over to the Annual Spring Festival this Saturday and experience the Cresskill spirit yourself!

If you know me then you’ll know that pets and animal rescue are important to me.  You’ll also know that I got started with animal rescue through the abused boxer puppy my son saved and everything we went through with her.  Our nearly 18 month adventure with my fabulous vet, Dr. Harriet Lederman, turned this terribly sick little puppy into a vibrant boxer filled with all the fun and mischief of it’s breed and led me to New Jersey Boxer Rescue who found Samantha the home she needed.

One of my best friends, Laura Latrenta, who’s a fellow associate at our Weichert Realtors Tenafly Office, is also involved in animal rescue.  Laura told me about the Start II Animal Rescue dinner coming up this Thursday – she’s working on getting people to come.  It’s their biggest fund raiser of the year so please join us - there’s room for more!  All the information you need is on the flyer below:

Englewood, NJ, is a vibrant community in no small part because of the diversity of it’s population. A walk along Palisade Avenue through the Englewood business district is almost like a walk through the United Nations.  In fact, a large advantage of owning an Englewood home is the diversity of it’s people.  One of the largest enthnic groups in this area of Bergen County is the Korean community and this week’s club meeting at The Woman’s Club of Englewood featured a most special program – senior Korean women performing traditional Korean dances with Korean music including live drum music.

 The dancers were extremely graceful and seemed to glow with happiness and  pride as they performed their dances.   What was quite impressive was to learn that their average age is 67.  Many different dances were performed some of which used beautiful, brightly colored fans and one used drums which was very exciting. 

  After the program was a tea and dessert reception where the Korean dancers joined the club members which gave everyone a chance to meet one on one.  It’s not every day that you can meet the performing artists you’ve just seen.   

 The Woman’s Club of Englewood is a century old organization that is a progressive force in the Englewood community and an important philanthropic force as well granting hundreds of college scholarships over the years.   I have to say that as a guest of one of their members, I was extremely impressed by not only this special program of Korean dances but also by all the good works done by The Woman’s Club of Englewood.  Organizations such as this help to make Englewood the special place it is which only serves to make Englewood homes among the most sought after in the New York City area.

  Alpine New Jersey is well known as one of the world’s most affluent communities where magnificent estate residences are hidden in heavily wooded settings only 15 minutes from New York City.  While Alpine is certainly one of the most exclusive and highly prized locations, it also has a rich history dating back to before the American Revolutionary War.

New Alpine residents soon discover a spectacular nature preserve that hosts a boat basin and a 17oo’s pub – The Kearney House.  This 18th century establishment has a colorful past and is the scene of  many dining and other events.  Open to the public from May through October, there are also special events during the colder months.  In fact, November is a busy time at the Kearney House with “Short Stories for Long Nights” on the 21st and Thanksgiving Time on the 27th and 28th. 

Kearney House activities are so popular that they are often sold out;  it’s a good idea to plan early.  Located along the Hudson River by the Alpine Boat Basin, you are transported into another world the moment you drive down to the river.  Imagine taking your children out to a candle light dinner in this historic tavern only 10 minutes from your Alpine. home.   It’s a wonderful way to teach them about how people lived during the past.  General Cornwallis is said to have stayed there in 1776.

Listed on the National and New Jersey Historic Registers as the Blackledge-Kearney House, you can keep on top of what’s happening at Mrs. Kearney’s house through a calendar of events or by calling the Palisades Interstate Park at 201-768-1360.

 Bring your children or yourself this Saturday or Sunday night to the Tenafly Nature Center for their special event – the Haunted Forest.  It’s a fun and educational tour that is absolutely not scary.  After all, this is primarily created for children but animal loving adults will also enjoy it.  This program is both a lot of fun and educational as are all the programs at the Tenafly Nature Center.

If you come early, you”ll get to meet some live forest animals and when the sun goes down, you’ll go on a guided tour of the nature center forest where you’ll learn how the animals adapt to the night.  Once your walking tour is over, you and your family can enjoy refreshments and crafts around the campfire.  This is a fabulous family fun evening and one your children will remember.

 The Tenafly Nature Center runs many excellent programs for children as well as adults.  Very often they are sold out although there are still spots available for the Haunted Forest right now.  Call the Tenafly Nature Center now at 201-568-6093 to reserve your spot for the Haunted Forest.  When my son was little, the Tenafly Nature Center was a large part of our life in Tenafly.  It’s a great place and only gets better.  For a complete list of their public programs, click here.