We did a lot of walking…

we took photos while waiting for the walk light…

we read maps over and over again…

walked in and out of museums…

stared covetingly at priceless Stradivarius violins…

took more pictures…

…of the expansive Washington Mall from our hotel window…

(took more pictures) while resting our feet…then took pictures of…

…a duck…

…memorials…

..the hotel bathroom…

…dorky looking uniformed servicemen…

We did more walking…

HHWW…Held Hands While Walking…

Accidentally joined a black rally…

Waited for Sonia Sotomayor…

Listened to music while walking…

Looked at people…

…and birds…

Pointed at funny looking people…

Gushed shamelessly at Julie Child’s original kitchen…

Stared at intricate architecture…

Pretended we were Senators reporting for work…

Walked up and down the stairs of a library…

Stared inside a giant room…

Looked up a lot of ceilings…

Joined a tour group…

Stared at southern belles…

Watched numerous video intros…

AND learned about things.

We had so much fun and did so much stuff, we jumped for joy!

Next year again DC, ok?

At 5:30 in the morning, we punched in Solberg Airport into our car GPS and got our collective heads psyched for a day of ballooning. We wanted to be front and center to the ‘mass ascension’ at 6:30 am at the 28th QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Balloning. Waking up before dawn on Saturday mornings isn’t really really what you might call a tradition in our family. We decided though that this year isn’t going to be another year we ignore this festival in nearby Readington.

We thought arriving early enough would save us from the long lines for the parking lot. We were wrong. It took us some time to get to the lot and to park our car we needed to hand over $5. A short walk later, we were greeted by a ticketing lady asking us to hand over $70 to enter! Two adults at $25 each and $10 each for our two kids. The organizers were also very clear that they don’t allow bringing in any kind of food or beverage. Okay then.

The entrance fee is essentially what it is, an ENTRANCE FEE. Think you can watch Disney’s Emily Osment in a concert a 2pm? Guess again. That’s another $35. How about the Air Supply concert? Nope, that’s another $50. Or $60 if you want to be seated at the first 10 rows.

So what do you get from the $25 entrance fee? Well, you get to see the balloons. And they were spectacular! Made specially breathtaking by the glow of the sun at 6:30am. Fantastic, yes! Worth $25 to see? We’re still debating that one.

Our drive to the Balloon Festival took 25 minutes from Metuchen. After the balloon ascension, it only took us only a couple of minutes to realize it wasn’t worth staying another minute. Did we have fun from 6:30am to 7:15am (time it took for all the balloons to fly high and away)? Yes we did. Though I must contend the it shouldn’t have cost $25 (plus $5 parking) to see this. Maybe $10.

Okay now that I’ve let everyone know how cheap I am, here are the photos from this morning’s festivities. The festival runs until Sunday June 25, 2010. Like I’ve mentioned, it’s only 25 minutes away from Metuchen. But if that’s still too far away for you, then just sit back and enjoy the photos below. I’ll save you the $25 entrance fee AND the $5 parking fee.

View complete gallery

I really love shooting night/indoor events like concerts, plays and the like. As a photographer, you feel like all the lights have been prepared beforehand for you and all you need to do is show up and capture the moments. I was fortunate enough to have been invited by our community theater to capture this season’s offerings and even though rehearsals could run up to 4 hours, I don’t mind it at all. As I told the producer, tell me what time and I’ll be there!

Here’s another reason why I love living in Metuchen…Plays in the Park! It’s right in our backyard (so to speak). The wonderful, talented and dedicated people of Plays in the Park kicked off their 2010 season with the Musical 1776 Wednesday night. And Metuchen Living was there front and center. What a wonderful fun show it was. The set was a feast for the eyes, the costumes exquisite and the singing! Oh the singing. With shows like 1776 from Plays in the Park, there’s little reason to hop on the train to see a Broadway show.

For those of you curious about the “history” of the show itself, below is from Wikipedia:

The musical was produced on Broadway in 1969, running for 1.217 performances, and was made into a film of the same name in 1972. The show was nominated for five Tony Awards and won three, including Best Musical, Sherman Edwards, a singer of pop-songs with several top ten hits in the late fifties and early sixties, developed lyrics and libretto for a musical based on the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Edwards recounted that, “I wanted to show (the founding fathers) at their outmost limits. These men were the cream of their colonies… They disagreed and fought with each other. But they understood commitment, and though they fought, they fought affirmatively.”

Producer Stuart Ostrow recommended that librettist Peter Stone collaborate with Edwards on the book of the musical. Stone recalled, “The minute you heard (“SIt Down, John”), you knew what the whole show was…. You knew immediately that John Adams and the others were not going to be treated as gods, or cardboard characters, chopping down cherry trees and flying kites with strings and keys on them. It had this very affectionate familiarity; it wasn’t reverential. Adams, the outspoken delegate from Massachusetts, was chosen as the central character, and his quest to persuade all thirteen colonies to vote for independence became the central conflict.

Stone confined nearly all of the action to Independence Hall and the debate among the delegates, featuring only two female characters, Abigail Adams and Martha Jefferson, in the entire musical. After tryouts in New Haven and Washington, the show opened on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre on March 16, 1969. Peter Hunt, previously known as lighting designer, directed Scene Three of 1776 holds the record for the longest time in a musical without a single note of music played or sung – over twenty minutes pass between “The Lees of Old Virginia” and “But Mr. Adams,” the next number.

On the DVD commentary, Peter Stone says that he experimented with adding various songs in this section, but nothing ever worked. During the scene, dubbed “Big Three” by cast members, musicians were allowed to leave the pit, reportedly the first time in Broadway history that they were permitted to do so in the middle of a show. Stone also notes that people often told him that, because of the subject matter and the large amount of dialogue, 1776 should have been a conventional play rather than a musical. Stone believes that the songs create a playful, irreverent tone that helps bring the historical characters to life.

Gary Cohen
Producing Director

For the complete set of photos, click here.

The reorganization of the Metuchen Public School District to provide a true middle school experience has been beneficial to middle level students. The opportunity to learn and grow in an environment that is responsive to the needs of this unique age level has been rewarding for all involved.

It was a fun filled day which celebrates what has been accomplished over the past ten years. There were activities and events on Edgar Field from 11:00 – 4:00 with past and present students, teachers and staff having fun and coming together as a school community.

The good weather and varied musical numbers provided for a wholesome backdrop where visitors dined to local food vendors who participated in the event. Food vendors included La Rosa’s Pizza, Hailey’s Harp and Pub, What’s the Scoop, and Meiying’s Chinese Restaurant.

Here’s to more fruitful years Edgar Middle School!

Sentinel

Community gives school an ‘A’ on first 10 years

It was only 10 years ago when Edgar Middle School in Metuchen truly became a middle school.

“We opened a few days late, and some classrooms weren’t ready. Classes were held in the gym, but as the year went on, classes became right on line,” he recalled during the school’s 10- year anniversary celebration June 12. “Every time I come and visit, with [current Principal] Kathy Glutz’s leadership, the building looks better and better. The original structure lasted 80 years, and with periodic maintenance, I see no reason why this new building cannot be around for 100 years.” Full Story