Tag Archives: food

Vineland Historical Society 108 South Seventh Street Vineland, NJ 08360

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Historic Cumberland County, NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New Jersey, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Exploring Vineland, NJ, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Small museums in New Jersey, Smile! Your Visiting New Jersey!, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New Jersey, Walking Downtown Vineland, NJ, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vineland Historical Society

108 South Seventh Street

Vineland, NJ 08360

(856) 691-1111

https://discovervinelandhistory.org

https://www.facebook.com/discovervinelandhistory.org

Open: The third Saturday of each month from 1:00pm-4:00pm

Admission: Free but donations are appreciated

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46890-d28176052-r1078896843-Vineland_Historical_Society-Vineland_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The front of the Vineland Historical Society Museum at 108 South Seventh Street in Downtown Vineland, NJ

On my off time from the Firemen’s Convention after voting, I decided to visit a group of small museums in Cumberland and Glouster Counties in New Jersey. Most of the small ones were closed or had changed their hours online but the Vineland Historical Society was open for touring and was having a speaker that day. I had been invited to come by the President of their Board of Directors about a year earlier so I was glad that I was able to visit this weekend where the schedules matched up.

What an interesting museum with its focus not just on the history of the Town of Vineland but of the surrounding communities and the impact that Vineland had and has on Urban Design, Farming, Manufacturing and Inventions that contribute to the whole country.

The museum had been designed as a Historical Museum for community leaders who wanted to share their love of historical objects and the past history of the community. This is what built the collection over the years. Each section of the museum tells a different part of Vineland’s history from the community events like its “100th Anniversary” of the town, the history of the Police, Fire and Veterans of Foreign Wars, members of the community who contributed to Women’s Suffrage and to the number of everyday products we use like Grape Juice and Marshmallow Fluff that were invented here. Each section of the museum tells an interesting story.

About the Museum:

The museum is a stop on the Woman’s Suffrage Tour

The Mission of the Museum:

The Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society is the oldest local historical society in New Jersey and its museum is the oldest purpose-built museum in the State of New Jersey. The Society is dedicated to collecting and preserving artifacts and records related to Vineland and the South Jersey region, and to sharing that material with visitors through exhibits, programs and other appropriate venues. Vineland has a rich, culturally-diverse past that is reflected through our collections. To learn more, please contact us or make an appointment to visit. 

The Rain Garden outside the museum

The Rain Water Garden sign

The Rain Water Garden outside the museum was in full bloom at the Summer and you could see that the garden was trying to attract butterflies and other insects that would help pollinize the garden. It must be very colorful during the Spring.

The first floor of the museum is the lecture room, the library and the gift shop along with local artifacts and the Glass Manufactured Gallery

The main gallery was set for a lecture later that afternoon. On all sides of the museum tell the story and the timeline of Vineland and the surrounding communities. There is the City of Vineland and Vineland Borough and Landis Township in 1952. So you see the artifacts of the farming communities and those of the developing City (Wiki).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vineland,_New_Jersey

The early views of the museum with the original heating unit and turn of the century shell art

Historical community information

The First floor collection of artifacts

The bust of Charles K. Landis, who founded the town

The display of the early Women’s Suffrage Movement in town, which helped women earn the right to vote. New Jersey was an early pioneer in the Movement.

The photo of Portia Kellogg Chase, an early leader in the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Vineland, NJ

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

The artifacts on the start of the early creation of a local family business. Putting shovel to the ground.

Early musical instruments that were part of both home and social life

The portraits of early leaders of the community and artifacts related to their families

The portrait of Charles K. Landis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_K._Landis

https://www.cumberlandcountynj.gov/Charles-K-Landis

https://atlanticcityweekly.com/the-complex-life-of-charles-k-landis/article_ab932703-da12-5ee7-aa26-a1c425eb347d.html

The portrait of Portia Kellogg Chase as a young bride

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

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/206936062/portia-gage

The portrait of John Gage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gage_(19th-century_landowner)

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/236816796/john-gage

The Gage Family

Made in Vineland: A Celebration of Local Inventors and Their Creations:

The exhibition highlights the remarkable people and ideas born right here in Vineland. From everyday household items to groundbreaking innovations in transportation, food, tools, and telecommunications, this special 2026 exhibit tells the stories of local inventors whose creations shaped daily life far beyond our city. Visitors are invited to explore these inventions and the fascinating individuals behind them during our Open House held every third Saturday of the month.

The ‘Made in Vineland’ exhibition:

The inventions of the Flower vase, the Woodruff Train Car and the Self Adjusted Plane

The inventions of Angel Food Cake Marshmallow fluff

The inventions of the Grape Juice industry and Skee-ball game

The post office desk from the turn of the last century

Just off the side of the main room is the Blown Glass Room. The area is known for special sand that is used for glass making. This made the State of New Jersey one of the leading manufacturers of glass in the country at the time.

https://www.beachcombingmagazine.com/blogs/news/new-jersey-the-birthplace-of-the-american-glass-industry?srsltid=AU7gw4VmSsTWgq56VQaUU1IgBpYBhNDyFzMGxARg4JFXY0pb6nKkrDiF

The Blown Glass Room

Each of the cases displays glass for different purposes and for different industries made by different companies. The museum has a very extensive collection of glass.

The Blown Glass Room

The Blown Glass Room

The Blown Glass Room

The Grape Juice industry glass and advertising display

The founding of the Welsh Grape company

https://www.welchs.com/en-us

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welch%27s

The photo of Thomas Bramwell Welsh, the founder of the company

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

https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/raise-a-juice-box

The medical glass display

The Kimble Glass Company display

The display of the artwork of glass ends and tests. These items are made what is left over after production.

The displays on the way to the second floor galleries were the early photography display and the Vineland High School display.

The early photography display

The Vineland High School display of photographs and memorabilia

https://www.vineland.org/o/vshs

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

As you walk up the stairs to the second floor, you pass the Portrait Gallery of prominent family members of the community.

The family Portrait display leading to the second floor galleries

The Second floor gallery and glass display

The display on the immigrant contributions to the Vineland Community.

The Italian immigrant contributions to Vineland

The Italian immigrant artifacts

Individual display cases

Farmhouse cooking equipment

Formal wear and accessories

The Vineland Egg industry

The Vineland ‘100th Anniversary’ exhibition

The Vineland’s Veterans display

The Vineland Fire Department display

https://www.facebook.com/vinelandfire

The Military, Vineland Police and Fire Department displays

https://police.vinelandcity.org

https://www.instagram.com/vineland_police/?hl=en

The Charles K. Landis Room:

The Landis family continues to add to the Charles K. Landis Room with family furnishings and heirlooms so there are items from many different eras.

The entrance to Charles Landis Family Room

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_K._Landis

https://www.cumberlandcountynj.gov/Charles-K-Landis

The Landis Room display of Indian Artifacts

The inside of the room of the Landis family mementos and heirlooms donated over the years by family members

At the end of the tour by the first floor entrance were the museum library where researchers and residents can find family records.

The museum Research Room and Library

The Museum Gift shop on the first floor of the museum

Looking at the historic map of Vineland by the door as I was leaving

It was a really interesting visit to the museum and I learned not just about the history of the community but its place in New Jersey as well.

Touring historic Downtown Vineland after the tour

https://www.facebook.com/mainstreetvineland

https://www.instagram.com/mainstreetvineland

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The Ravioli House & Pastry Shop 102 East Bennett Avenue Wildwood, NJ 08260

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Cape May NJ, Exploring Historic Cape May Country, NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New Jersey, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the Jersey Shore, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Food Products made in New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, Interesting Bakeries, Interesting Bakeries in New Jersey, Little Shop on Main Street in New Jersey, Little Shop on Main Street in New York City (LittleShoponMainStreet), My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Smile! Your Visiting New Jersey!, Uncategorized, Walking the Wildwood NJ Boardwalk, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Ravioli House & Pastry Shop

102 East Bennett Avenue

Wildwood, NJ  08260

(609) 522-7894

https://theraviolihousewildwood.com/

https://theraviolihousewildwood.com/menu-n-bar

Open:  Sunday-Saturday 10:00am-10:00pm (Seasonal)

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46931-d393862-Reviews-The_Ravioli_House-Wildwood_Cape_May_County_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The Ravioli House Restaurant and Pastry Shop at 102 East Bennet Avenue.

* I wanted to note that since COVID all the prices have changed so please check the website as my prices enclosed were reflective at the time of the visit.

Sometimes a shop does not fit the traditional pattern of establishments that  I include on this site. They fall into a category that is more restaurant than a traditional store. Ravioli House & Pastry Shop is a combination of both where quality and service separates it from other restaurants and bakeries that I have visited lately.

The Pastry counter at the back of the restaurant

I came across the Ravioli House when I was attending the Firemen’s Convention every September. I was walking around Wildwood to see what the town was like after our main meeting and came across the Ravioli Pastry Shop which is the back part of the restaurant. It had an inviting entrance with the words “fresh Italian desserts” and that was for me. What a great surprise inside!

The sign for the Pastry Shop in the back.

The pastries here are amazing and are very innovative. There is a combination of traditional and modern Italian desserts to choose from. The eclairs are larger than their French versions and full of creamy vanilla filling. They are topped with a thick layer of chocolate frosting and this confection is a pleasure in every bite.

The Pastry Shop and Bar in the back of the restaurant.

They bake a usual cookie called a “Deliciousioso”, which is a type of Linzer Tart but instead of jelly it is filled with almond cream and then the sides are rolled in nuts. It has a subtle sweetness to it and you can taste the richness in the cream filling.

Having a Deliciousioso on a recent night

They are so delicious

Don’t miss these sweet treats

It is hard to choose from all the delicious pastries

All the delicious pastries I enjoy: the Peach dessert, The St. Joseph’s Puff, the Deliciousso and the Chocolate Cake dessert.

The St. Joseph dessert with Vanilla Cream

The St. Joseph Puff Pastry differs from a Cream Puff only in that it is filled with a combination of Cannoli cream and vanilla filling rather than a traditional whipped cream or vanilla filling. It large, dense and you can taste the sweetness in both the Cannoli Cream and in the pastry itself.

On another recent trip, I had the St. Joseph Puff Pastry with the Vanilla Cream, and it was amazing. Creamy and sweet on the inside and the same crisp outside. Both versions are worth a try.

The St. Joseph’s Pastries with both Vanilla Cream and Cannoli Cream are both delicious

The Cannoli’s here are filled to order and made in house. The Cannoli Cream is thick, rich and delicious and studded with chocolate chips. The outside shells are crisp and well baked.

The Ravioli House Restaurant:

The restaurant section is just as good as the Pastry Shop, with all sauces, pastas and dressings that are made in house and the quality of the food and service is top notch. It is a real home town restaurant as it has been owned by the same family for almost 50 years and the daughter of the owner still guards over the dining room and her mother, the owner still works in the kitchen and supervises the staff.

The Dining Room at the Ravioli House.

The Dining Room in the late evening

The new outdoor addition of the restaurant is seasonal

The best start to the meal: the salad with homemade Creamy Italian Dressing with their freshly baked bread

The homemade Ravioli here is excellent and was the meal of my choice on my visit in 2023. Little pillows of fresh pasta that are filled with Cheese, Meat and Spinach. Order the Ravioli House Trio with a side of meatballs and you will get to sample all three. The marinara sauce here is made with fresh tomatoes and garlic and is full of flavor.

Their homemade Ravioli is excellent

The Manicotti here with meatballs is very good. They are made with light as air pasta pancakes filled with a ricotta and Parmesan cheese filling and topped with their fresh marinara sauce.

The Manicotti with Homemade Meatballs

The pasta was light as air

The side of pork meatballs were amazing. So rich in the sauce.

All their entrees come with a freshly tossed salad along with their homemade creamy Italian dressing that is so good you will need extra bread to sop it up with when finished.

You always need plenty of their freshly made in house breads to soak up their sauces. When really hot, there is nothing like it.

Their fresh tossed mixed salads come with the entree and are topped with their homemade creamy Italian dressing

Another dish I can recommend is the Linguine in White Clam Sauce, which is made with fresh in house linguine and studded with fresh baby clams and steamers in a light white wine and lemon sauce which enhances the freshness of the seafood and not overwhelming. I had this on a recent trip for dinner.

The Linguini with Clam Sauce has two different types of clams in the dish

The pasta was perfectly cooked and the clams were sweet and tender

The Linguine is also good with their Bolognese Sauce, which is topped with a rich and flavor packed meat sauce of ground beef and chopped vegetables.

The Linguini with Bolognese Sauce

They must have given me a pound of pasta

The sauce was full of lots of meats and vegetables

When visiting for the 2021 Convention, I made my annual visit to Ravioli House again and this time because of COVID, they used the parking lot next to the restaurant for outdoor dining. So I had a nice table facing New Jersey Avenue and ordered my meal. The waiter could not have been nice enough and the service here is always top notch.

For dinner, I ordered the Chicken Pastina Soup, which was a rich chicken stock with chunks of chicken, carrots and tiny pastina pasta cooked to perfection in the soup. Each spoonful had a nice combination of flavors of the cooked chicken and the chopped fresh vegetables. It was the perfect way to start a meal on a early summer evening.

The Chicken Pastina Soup with its rich broth.

As part of my dinner, it included a house salad with crisp green leaf lettuce, tiny cherry tomatoes and chopped cucumber in a zesty house creamy Italian dressing that is also made inhouse. The dressing was just enough to add some zing to the salad. Each bite was crunchy and sweet.

The Tossed House salad

The entrée was a real feast when I ordered the ‘Trip Around Italy’, which was a sampler of the restaurant’s fresh pastas. The entrée included two large stuffed shells, two fresh cheese ravioli, a large portion of homemade Gnocchi and Spaghetti covered with a rich red sauce that was topped with a large meatball and a nice piece of sausage. The meal could have feed two people comfortably.

The “Trip to Italy” can feed two people

All the pastas were delicious and so well prepared. The Spaghetti was perfectly cooked and was a meal in itself. The Gnocchi was perfectly cooked and each piece of pasta was nice sized. The pillowy Ravioli and Stuffed Shells were filled to the brim with a nice cheese mixture of Mozzarella, Ricotta and Parmesan. The red sauce had a nice combination of spices that accented the fresh tomatoes used in the sauce.

I was completely stuffed when I finished the meal that I could not eat dessert. I had been eyeing the Napoleons when I was in the pastry shop before dinner, but I could not eat another bite. It was another excellent meal at the restaurant.

In 2022 and in the summer of 2024 (a month before Convention), I returned to the Ravioli House for dinner on my traditional Saturday night at 8:00pm meal and it was ‘same time next year’ with the owner who l left in the same spot last year this time. We even laughed about it.

I wanted something totally different this year and I had the Chicken Picante, which is thinly sliced chicken breasts sauteed in butter, wine and lemon and then was served with a side of spaghetti in a red sauce. It also came with a small house salad with oil and vinegar. This was the perfect meal.

The delicious home made rolls served with the meal.

Most of the entrees start with a fresh tossed salad with homemade Italian dressing

The tossed salad with a side of the homemade bread is the best way to start a meal at Ravioli House

The chicken was so tender, and you got two nice sized pieces with the order. The sauce had such a nice flavor, and you could taste the lemons and capers in every bite. Their red sauce is made from scratch, as all their sauces and pastas are and you could taste the spices, they added to it. The spaghetti was cooked perfectly and had a nice bite to it.

The Chicken Piccante at Ravioli House is a real treat

The full dinner comes with two large chicken breasts with a side of homemade spaghetti and homemade red sauce

When I came for dinner during the convention in 2025, it was picture taking time and I revisited the dishes I had before like the Manicotti and the Pasta Bolognese. This time though I tried the Fried Mozzarella for an appetizer and it was delicious.

The Fried Mozzarella with Red Sauce

The pastas here are all homemade

This includes all the stuffed pastas, ravioli and stuffed shells

On a recent trip to the Ravioli House during the Firemen’s Convention, I dined there for dinner and ordered the Lasagna dinner which came with bread and a House Salad. The meal was excellent.

The House Salad with fresh bread that I enjoyed before my Lasagna dinner

The Lasagna at Ravioli House is the type you might find in the Emilo-Romano section of Italy. It is layered with two different types of meat, two different types of cheese and slices of hard-boiled eggs baked between the homemade lasagna sheets and then topped with their homemade red sauce. It is decadent and delicious.

The Lasagna dinner also came with two homemade meatballs

They give you a sizeable slice of Lasagna loaded with meats, cheese and sliced hardboiled eggs

Yum!

I was so happy with dinner the night before, that I decided to have dinner there again my last night at the shore. The restaurant closes for the season on October 13th, so there will be no more trips until next year.

What I really enjoy about the restaurant is starting with their house salad with homemade dressing

The salads are so crisp and fresh

Dinner was the Shrimp Scampi with homemade linguine

After several days of fried foods and heavy sauces, I decided to order something lighter and ordered the Shrimp Scampi, which came with a lemon and wine sauce. It blended in wonderfully with the fresh cooked pasta. The sauce had a creamy consistency.

The jumbo shrimp were perfectly cooked and were sweet and tender

The meal was delicious and the seafood was so fresh

For Dessert and Visiting the Bakery behind the restaurant:

For dessert this time, I had one of the St. Joseph pastries with the vanilla cream. Talk about heaven in each bite. The pastry was sweet and tender for each bite and the vanilla cream had a sweet and luscious taste to it. I love all their pastries as I work my way through it every year.

The St. Joseph’s pastries come in both Vanilla and Cannoli Cream.

The Saint Joseph dessert is so special

Even the Whipped Cream that it was served with tasted homemade

All the desserts are made in house in the pastry shop next door

The service here is always very friendly and when it is not too busy can be very personal. Their wait staff has been very well trained and handle a busy dining room like an artist. Everyone is made to feel at home here.

The Chocolate Éclair was the star dessert in 2023

The restaurant is opened seasonally and will close in October until the beginning of April.

The Peach Pastry has been a favorite of mine for years. This was the dessert of choice when I visited during the Firemen’s Convention in 2024. I found out from the waiter that this dish was the creation of the restaurant owner, Teresa. It is one of her signature desserts.

The Peach doughnut

The Peach dessert up close

The inside of the dessert is filled with rich cream and is soaked in maraschino cherry juice. It is heavenly!

Take time to visit the pastry shop in the back of the restaurant where an assortment of delicious Italian baked goods are available.

The bake shop has a wonderful assortment of bakery treats

The assortment of cookies and puffs

The assortment of cakes and pastries

The seating area in the pastry shop allows people to talk amongst themselves

I stopped in for a late breakfast snack and tried one of the Delishioso cookies.

My dessert that morning

The Delishioso cookie

The delicious crème filled cookie

It was delicious

I stopped in for breakfast on my last morning of the Convention in 2026. I was getting tired of Pancakes, Bacon and Eggs and wanted something different. Since my dinners were so filling, I never got a chance to try two of the desserts I had wanted in the last two visits to the restaurant so I stopped in the bakery and had breakfast here ordering a Cassata Cake and a Napoleon with fruit. I could just about finish the Cassata Cake because the pastry was so large and very sweet that I brough the Napoleon home.

The Napoleon and the Cassata Cake with some hot tea with lemon

The Cassata Cake at Ravioli House is very dense and rich and should be shared

The dessert is filled with a mixture of cake, nuts and liquors

The Napoleon I saved for later

It is fun after a day at the beach to come in for a piece of pastry. The selection is wonderful and very creative.

It is nice to come to a restaurant where quality still matters and everything is made from scratch. That is very rare these days.

My Life as a Fireman: The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association Barbecue and Entertainment August 15th, 2026

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Bergen County Firemen's Home Association, Brothers of Engine One HHFD, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Boonton, NJ, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My life as a Fireman Justin Watrel, My life as a Fireman: FF Justin Watrel, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), MywalkinManhattan Experiences, Smile! Your Visiting New Jersey!, Uncategorized, Walking in Downtown Boonton, NJ, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It was another sunny and warm day in Boonton, NJ and the perfect day for a barbecue.

The link to our blog site:

https://tbcfha.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/494463336387386

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association at the August Barbecue

The picnic grounds

The grounds of the NJ State Firemen’s Home were in full bloom and the lawns were perfectly groomed for the afternoon. The skies were blue and the temperature at 80 degrees. Perfect for an outdoor event.

The barbecue grill

We had a wonderful menu planned for the residents and their guests. We were serving Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers, Hot Dogs and Bruck Wurst, Barbecue Ribs and Chicken, Baked beans, Mac and Cheese, Fresh Watermelon for dessert along with home baked desserts made by a member’s wife. A wonderful menu that residents and their families enjoyed.

The front gardens in the morning

The memorial fountain

The grounds in front of the home

Setting up the grill for lunch

Chef Prince working his magic at the grill that afternoon

Our Grill Master today was Chef Prince from the NJ State Firemen’s Home, who created this feast for all of us down to the homemade mac & cheese and the baked beans with honey and cinnamon. Everything was delicious!

The food was amazing that day

After we finished eating, the men of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association took our annual group picture. I wanted to thank this very dedicated group of men for making this event possible.

The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association after a job well done

A big ‘Thank You’ goes to our dedicated Executive Board who works so hard to make this organization what it is today. Hats off to Tom Simpson, John Kinner and Roy De Young Jr. for everything they do to make this organization the success it is today.

The Executive Board of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home after the picnic was over Tom Simpson, Justin Watrel, John Kinner and Roy De Young Jr.

Jolly Nick’s Famous Hot Dogs 31 East Madison Avenue Dumont, NJ 07628

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New Jersey, Exploring Dumont, NJ, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, Hot Dog, Hamburger & Fries for the budget minded., My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Sandwich and Deli's for the budget minded, Smile! Your Visiting New Jersey!, Uncategorized, Walking Downtown Dumont, NJ, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jolly Nick’s Famous Hot Dogs

31 East Madison Avenue

Dumont, NJ 07638

(201) 501-0889

https://www.facebook.com/p/Jolly-Nicks-100054249801176

Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Friday 11:00am-6:00pm/Saturday 11:30am-5:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/photo/873865997?m=19905

Jolly Nick’s is a small local restaurant in Downtown Dumont, NJ with a menu of deep fried hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and cheesesteaks. They have other deep fried treats like French Fries, Onion Rings and Mozzarella sticks.

The front of Jolly Nick’s at 31 East Madison Avenue

The inside is like a step back in the 1970’s and 80’s with classic chairs and tables and menu prices to match. The menu is so reasonable at a time when everything is getting so expensive. The owner keeps the prices with reach of his customers.

The inside of the restaurant

The menu is varied and very reasonable

What I love about the hot dogs here is that he deep fries them so they come out crackled and crisp. Then he puts them in a soft bun and you can choose from a variety of toppings

The hot dog and French Fries lunch special with a drink

I chose to keep it traditional and chose mustard and relish. It was loaded on top and I liked the combination of spicy and sweet in the taste.

The special meal

The deep fried hot dogs

The French Fries

Lunch was so good!

It was nice to sit back and talk to the owner while I was eating. He really loves what he is doing and the food he makes brings back a lot of memories of high school and summers.

On my last day of class at the college, I stopped in for lunch to try more of their delicious and very reasonable menu.

I was in the mood for a Cheeseburger with a side of Onion Rings and a Dr. Brown Black Cherry soda. It was the perfect meal at the end of the semester.

The Cheeseburger and Onion Rings

The burger was perfectly cooked and had a nice caramelized flavor to it. It was topped with lettuce, tomato and a pickle.

My burger and Onion Rings

The Onion Rings were perfectly fried and crisp and had nice slices of onion in every bite.

The Onion Rings

I really enjoyed my lunch out!

What I like about lunches here is they are reasonable, filling and well cooked. You can a nice meal for a fair price.

Joe’s Pizza 1938 Washington Valley Road Martinsville, NJ 08822

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New Jersey, Exploring Bridgewater, NJ, Exploring Historic Somerset County, NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New Jersey, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Gourmet restaurants for the budget minded, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, Interesting Pizzerias in New Jersey, Little Shop on Main Street in New York City (LittleShoponMainStreet), My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Pizzeria's and Italian Restaurants for the budget-minded, Smile! Your Visiting New Jersey!, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Joe’s Pizza

1938 Washington Valley Road

Martinsville, NJ 08822

(732) 469-3356

https://www.joespizzamartinsville.com/

Open: Monday-Saturday-11:00am-9:30pm/Sunday-4:00pm-9:30pm

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46604-d3395400-Reviews-Joe_s_Pizza-Martinsville_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

Joe’s Pizza at 1938 Washington Valley Road

*The blogger wants to note that the prices have gone up a few dollars but the quality and portion sizes are well worth it.

This iconic pizzeria has been open since 1970 and has been serving the Bridgewater, NJ community and beyond since then. I have been coming here since I was kid and have rediscovered again when travelling in the area. On only its third owner since its opening, the pizza and their amazing tomato sauce has not changed since then.

Their iconic sign

The original Joe sold the business to Joe II in 1984 and this year after 35 years of ownership, Joe II retired and his family did not want to take over the business and sold it to Sal, who I met recently who said he is keeping all the original recipes.

The longevity of this restaurant is the food and their prices. The mozzarella is always stringy on every bite, especially when a fresh pie comes out for slicing at lunch. The tomato sauce has a wonderful spicy tomato-y flavor to it that really brings out the sweet flavor of the fruit.

The pizza sauce recipe has been passed down through three owners!

The bottom of the pizza has a crisp consistency to it and you can taste the caramelization in every bite. The best thing to do is order a large and really enjoy it.

The pizza is really good!

Joe’s sandwiches are always consistent and delicious (See review on TripAdvisor). The half meatball hoagie comes with four rather large, freshly made meatballs. Joe’s meatballs are made fresh every day and are loaded with garlic. On a crusty fresh roll and lots of their tomato sauce each bite is special.

The meatball sandwiches here are amazing! (They no longer serve sandwiches)

Their half Italian hoagie is loaded with freshly sliced Italian cold cuts including ham, salami, provolone cheese with shredded lettuce and tomatoes with a vinegar and oil dressing. The combination of flavors of meats and vegetables really works.

Add a half dozen mozzarella sticks with fresh sauce on the side or garlic knots to a slice and it will give you the perfect afternoon lunch or dinner. In the almost fifty years I have been coming to Joe’s, I have never had a bad meal through the three owners.

The calzone was excellent

On a recent trip after a Michigan State versus Rutgers football game I decided to stop for dinner. I had the most delicious Sausage and Cheese Calzone that was made by the current owner. The calzone was huge. It was about the size of a small pizza that had been folded over.

Where the pizza magic happens

The calzone was filled with a combination of ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses with a big handful of fried sausage tucked into a soft pizza dough that was baked golden brown. It was accompanied by a bowl of their delicious tomato sauce that is based on the original Joe’s special recipe. Each bite was wonderful.

I went to Bridgewater again in 2026 to go to the 4H Fair and when a storm brewed during the fair, the organizers kicked everyone out before I could eat, so I decided to stop by Joe’s for a sandwich. They no longer make them so I ordered the Sausage and Pepperoni Roll. When it came out, it looked like a small pizza folded over. They made it fresh for me.

The Sausage and Pepperoni Roll with a side of red sauce

The roll was stuffed with a half pound of sweet fried sausage and spicy pepperoni, tucked in a pizza dough shell and baked to perfection.

It was the perfect meal for me covering both lunch and dinner. This could have been shared by two people.

The food here has been excellent since I started to come here in the 1970’s and has not changed since.

The dining area has not changed much since I was a kid

It’s nice to know that somethings never change. The restaurant has always been consistent and it’s nice to know that some things don’t change.

The outside of Joe’s Pizza in Martinsville, NJ

I am glad some things don’t change a lot!

West Place Chinese Restaurant 1288 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10027

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West Place Chinese Restaurant 

1288 Amsterdam Avenue

New York, NY  10027

http://www.west-place-indy.com/

Telephone: (212) 932-9390 and 9376

Open: Sunday-Saturday 11:00am-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d5065901-Reviews-West_Place-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

(*Blogger wants to note that the prices have gone up over the years.)

West Place Chinese Restaurant at 1288 Amsterdam Avenue

I came across West Place Chinese Restaurant when I was walking the neighborhood in Morningside Heights (MywalkinManhattan: Day Sixty-Nine Visiting SoHA, Morningside Heights last March). It was packed with Columbia students during the lunch hour and when I returned, people from the housing the complexes that surround it replaced them.

The inside of West Place Chinese Restaurant.

One afternoon towards my walk of the neighborhood, I went in for lunch and they have the nicest selection of lunch specials that are each priced at $10.00 (prices have changed over the years). This runs from 11:00am-3:00pm and the entree is served with Pork Fried Rice and a choice of either Wonton, Egg Drop, Chicken Noodle or Rice Soups. There is a dish from all over their menu and the few times I have eaten there, they have been excellent (see reviews on TripAdvisor).

The Wonton Soup is excellent

On the first trip there, I tried the General Tso’s Chicken, a combination of fried chicken pieces served in a tangy sweet/sour sauce served with a large portion of fried rice. The serving size was large enough for two people to easily share. The sauce coated a sizable portion of chicken that was perfectly cut and fried. There is a lot of flavor to their sauce and has a nice tartness to it. The fried rice is pretty standard but still tastes good. Not much as way of ingredients except bean sprouts.

The General Tso’s Chicken with Fried Rice is excellent

It was on this trip I noticed that at lunch they also have a small lunch buffet that is priced at $6.95. That is a combination of popular dishes and rice and noodle dishes as well. It seems to very popular with the locals and students alike. You might want to call the restaurant to ask what the hours of this buffet and if it is offered on the weekends.

The Roast Pork Lo Mein here is excellent!

The second time I ate here, I came for dinner on a rather cold night and the meal warmed me right up. At night, the restaurant offers a Special Combination Platter, a choice of sixteen popular dishes served with Pork Fried Rice or White Rice with an egg roll.

I tried the Chicken with String Beans with fried rice and an egg roll. The portion size of chicken with string beans was very large and even myself who has a large appetite could just about finish it. The string beans were fresh with a crisp snap and cooked perfectly with just the right amount of chicken where one did not dominate the other. It was served in a spicy garlic sauce that mixed well with the rice.

The Chicken and String Beans is really good

Their egg rolls are filled with roast pork and vegetables and were perfectly fried out. With a little sweet sauce, made a nice accompaniment to the dish.

The service here is very friendly and helpful and they get the food out quickly.

On a recent trip uptown, I stopped in for dinner and this time I tried the Boneless Spareribs with Fried Rice and an Egg Roll combination platter and the meal was excellent as usual. I had not eaten here in months and the food is consistently excellent. The portion size was larger than I remember from the last time. They really piled the food into the container.

The Boneless Spareribs with Fried Rice and an Egg Roll.

The Boneless Ribs were overflowing on the platter.

These sweet and juicy bites are full of flavor and piled into this small dish. There was enough food for two people.

The Egg Rolls are amazing.

When I revisited Harlem again to explore changes in the neighborhood, I stopped in for a late night dinner and had the Beef and Broccoli with Pork Fried Rice and an Egg Roll.

The Beef and Broccoli Combination meal

I had forgotten how good the food was here. The meal was excellent. The beef was so tender and the brown sauce had such a rich flavor to it. The Pork Fried Rice has lots of ingredients including nice sized pieces of roast pork.

The Beef and Broccoli was delicious

Their egg rolls are some of the best in the City with slices of cabbage and roast pork and fried to perfection.

The egg rolls were cooked to perfection

The dinner was delicious and hit the spot. If you are on the Columbia campus and have a yearning for good Chinese-American cooking, this is the perfect place for you.

Please call the above number for delivery. It is free in the area with the minimum of $8.00.

D’ Lili Bakery 526 West 207th Street New York, NY 10034

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D’Lili Bakery

526 West 207th Street

New York, NY 10034

Open: Sunday 6:00am-8:00pm/Monday-Saturday 6:00am-9:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d20300446-r1062933750-D_Lili_Bakery-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

D’Lili Bakery at 526 West 207th Street

D’Lili Bakery is a small neighborhood bakery that stands out because of the quality, selection, service and prices. The bakery is extremely reasonable, the portion sizes are enough for a meal and the ladies that work there are very nice but you had better know some Spanish.

Their Beef and Chicken Pastilitos are delicious

You can buy a complete meal here and not go over budget. The pastilitos, which are the Dominican version of the empanada, are generously filled with either cheese or meat and make the perfect meal on the run. I love their Chicken and Beef Pastilitos and two of those are more than enough for a quick lunch.

The Beef Pastilitos

Both the Chicken and the Beef are very well spiced and I enjoy eating these on my walks around the neighborhood.

The Chicken pastilitos

Where D’ Lili Bakery really shines is there baked items. Everything I have tried there was wonderful. From their fruit filled pastries to their donuts, everything I have bought there has been fresh and delicious.

The Sugar doughnuts

The sugar doughnuts here are fried and loaded with sugar. They are soft and chewy.

These are pillowy and chewy

What I really love is their fruit filled pastries. Their Guava pastry comes in both fruit filled and fruit cheese filled and they give you a generous slice. The fruit filling has a tangy taste and makes the perfect end to the meal.

The flaky Guava pastries

D’Lili Bakery is one of those neighborhood bakeries that every block should have around. The food is very reasonable, the service is very nice and the prices in this economy are very fair.

840 United Deli 840 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11238

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840 United Deli

840 Washington Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11238

(718) 789-9250

https://www.mapquest.com/us/new-york/840-united-deli-365045176

Open: Sunday-Saturday Open 24 Hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60827-d27668782-r1065255943-840_United_Deli_Corp-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

New York City is loaded with bodegas and delis sometimes a couple on each block. Brooklyn has many of them and when I walk through neighborhoods here, I try to eat locally and support small businesses. I came across 840 United Deli when I was visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and wanted a sandwich instead of pizza.

The menu at 840 United Deli

The place was busy in the late morning with people ordering breakfast sandwiches. The guy next to me was raving about a Bacon, Egg and Cheese hero that the breakfast cook made for him.

The ingredients to make those great sandwiches and wraps

The selection of sodas and snacks

I wanted lunch and was in the mood for something that would get me through the afternoon and I went for a Cheeseburger Deluxe. Great Choice!

The Cheeseburger Deluxe

The cheeseburger was perfectly cooked and caramelized. The burger was oversized and was more than enough for lunch.

The Cheeseburger

The French Fries

They gave me more than French Fries on the side. This could have fed two people comfortably.

What a great dinner before the show

On another trip to Brooklyn for an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, I stopped in for a sandwich and ate on the steps of the Brooklyn Museum again. It is the perfect place to people watch. This time I ordered a Cheesesteak. You have to be pretty clear with these guys on ordering a Philly Cheesesteak. While it is delicious, the guy asked me if I wanted lettuce and tomato on it with mayo. That would make anyone from Philly either pissed or cry.

The Philly Cheesesteak

The hero was loaded with meat and cheese

I felt like I was back in Philly

When I was visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for “Members Movie Night”, I stopped in for another hero sandwich. I ordered the “All American Hero” with Hot Pastrami, Turkey and Swiss Cheese heated on the grill and then tucked into a chewy bun. It was really good on a cool night.

This made the perfect dinner on the cool evening in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The sandwich was loaded with meats and cheeses

Yum!

Don’t miss the friendly bodega cat as he travels around the store keeping watch

You know the food will be safe

480 United Deli is one of those bodega/deli’s that every neighborhood should have on its block.

Closter Farm & Livestock Company 681 Closter Dock Road Closter, NJ 07624

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Closter Farm & Livestock Company

681 Closter Dock Road

Closter, NJ 07624

(201) 777-1393

https://www.closterfarm.com

Open: Sunday-Saturday 9:00am-6:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46367-d34451672-r1063918109-Closter_Farm_and_Livestock_Company-Closter_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The farm logo

I thought I knew all the farms in Bergen County, NJ and where Trey were located. I recently went to Alpine, NJ to visit an old cemetery for another blog I was writing and as I arrived at my destination, I passed the Closter Farm & Livestock Company. It was almost closing time so when I finished back at the cemetery, the gates were closed and I had to make the trip another day.

The entrance to the farm

The entrance to the farm

What I discovered was a small picturesque farm tucked in between a suburban development offering wonderful organic produce and meats. The farm even supplements what they don’t grow or produce by working with other organic farms in the area.

History of the Farm:

(From the Farm’s website)

Jon Friedland and his family spent many weekend afternoons driving from their home in Manhattan to the movie theater in Closter. They loved Closter and the community reminded Jon of the Ohio suburb where he grew up. When the farm became available they saw the opportunity to have a direct hand in creating the food, health and environmental practices they have long believed in, and to learn and participate directly as a family in the labor and care required to operate an Organic farm. It has been a massive learning experience to get the farm up and running and we are grateful to have the opportunity to continue learning and growing with the Closter community (Closterfarm.com).

The farm stand store

The Closter Farm

The fields are not just beautiful to look at but produce an assortment of produce that is organic and sustainable. On a warm Spring or Summer day, walking next to the fence and below the shade trees, you can a glimpse of the upcoming crops that will line the farm stand a few weeks in the future.

The Philosophy:

(From the Closter Farm website)

We believe that the healthiest, best tasting, most beautiful vegetables and livestock are grown when they are a symbiotic product of whole farm health. Every action we take is focused on fostering a diverse, resilient, verdant ecosystem whose natural byproduct is intense soil fertility and natural pest resistance (Closterfarm.com).

The fields of fresh vegetables growing

Equally important to us is that our approach follows sustainable environmental best practices by sequestering carbon in our soil and minimizing or eliminating the water and air pollution associated with conventional agriculture and its reliance on synthetic chemicals (ClosterFarm.com).

The fruits and vegetables grown in the farm

The selection of fresh fruits and vegetables available for sale

The Products carried by the Farm:

(From the Farm’s Website)

What the Farm grows:

Salad mix, heirloom tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, summer squash, winter squash, kale, Swiss chard, carrots, radishes, turnips, beets, potatoes, onions, garlic, arugula, spinach, chicory, cucumbers, fresh herbs, broccoli, cabbage, Asian greens, kohlrabi, celery, peas, beans, pasture raised, Organic chicken, and more!

The plant selection

From the Farm’s business partners:

(From the Closter Farm website)

Honey, cut flowers, grass-fed and grass-finished beef, pasture-raised and heritage pork, Organic mushrooms, Organic and pasture raised eggs, Corn and soy-free eggs, Organic milk, cheese, kefir, as well as heritage breed turkeys for Thanksgiving.

The selection of plants for sale

The flower selection

The farm barn

The barn and the fields that support the farm

The Farm Store:

The Closter Farm store carries a selection of freshly grown products seasonally, from other organic farm proveyors and vendors who supply similar products that meet the farm’s standards.

The entrance of the farm store with a selection of fresh flowers and organic seeds

The flower sign

The selection of farm grown products

The outside meat cooler

The outside cooler of organic beef, chicken and fresh eggs

The inside of the store carries a more of the same products, nicely packaged and reasonably priced quality products. These are the type of quality you would expect from fine dining establishments in the area, which you can prepare at home.

The selection of meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products

The selection of fruits and vegetables from the farm’s fields and partner farms

A selection of fresh vegetables and flower ms and fresh pies from Noble Pies of New York State.

A selection of farm fresh products like fresh honey and organic products

What is nice about the Closter Farm is the picturesque environment tucked in a suburban environment. You drive through entrance and are taken back to a world of Bergen County before WWII when the County was an agrarian society.

Places for children to play without cellphones

The property reminds me of the farms in the more rural parts of Southern and Western New Jersey with their corn mazes and decorated barns. Here they have small cut outs for children’s pictures and from a distance you can see the farmhouse.

The farmhouse on the property that some of the farm hands live

The farm offers families not just quality products and welcoming service, but a chance to step back for an afternoon to a time when things were much slower and afternoons were about appreciating the experience without trying to record every moment of it.

Day Three Hundred and Eighty Two Bergecco-Parc Consulting presents “Breakfast at Primo Pizza at Bergen Community College (Late Morning) April 29th, 2026

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Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.

This semester I taught two sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience. The Spring semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.

In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.

The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus campus where I work.

Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.

Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:

Additional Resources

In the Spring of 2026, I partnered with American Dining Creations, our on-campus leasee of our dining outlets with both the main cafeteria on the second floor and the coffee shop and pizzeria on the first floor.

We created a project three years ago in my Spring 2023 class entitled ‘Feasting at Bergen Community College-Breakfast , Lunch and Dinner’ when they were finding that the students did not know we had a cafeteria. The project was a huge success and gave the company insights to the identity problems the students had on on-campus dining.

The project ‘Feasting at Bergen Community College’ Spring 2023:

Day Two Hundred and Sixty-Five Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. presents: “Feasting at Bergen Community College-Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner” April 26th, 2023

The Video Presentation:

This semester we tackled the issue of options for early morning quick dining. The coffee shop offered two options, egg bites and breakfast sandwiches plus pastries and bagels. I thought it could offer more by opening the pizzeria three hours early and offering a selection of breakfast themed pizzas, calzones and desserts that could transition to lunch. So I partnered with Jack, the manager, again and had the students create a new menu, set up the Social Media, create a new logo for the breakfast menu and plan an Opening Party to promote the new menu. The results were very interesting.

The Project Presentation Proposal:

BCC-Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. 2026 Primo Pizza ProjectDownload

Next I had a mandatory field trip to the pizzeria where Jack described the current business and sales of Primo Pizza, our pizzeria on the Bergen Community College campus.

Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Field Trip:

Jack, the manager of American Dining Creations, on the morning of our tour

My 11:00am Team:

The Team Field trip to Primo Pizza

My Teams at the end of the tour

Our Team picture on the Field trip

I broke the class up into five teams and for the next six weeks we worked on the Team project, creating a new breakfast concept that would work for the college.

Being in Corporate does come with its difficulties. Teams disagreed, team members disappeared and balances were shifted throughout the six weeks. It is amazing how much of the true Corporate experience they really have on this project.

On April 29th, 2026, the students presented their ideas to Jack and myself. There were some very interesting ideas on how to grow the business at an earlier hour and how to transition breakfast items into the early lunch menu.

I really liked some of the creative ideas that the groups came up with pizzas topped with eggs and various meats and vegetable toppings, the variety of cheeses and sausages and their use of spices. Some came up with Korean, Spanish and Italian themed flavors both as toppings and fillings. The parties they planned for the Opening went from simple to a little to elaborate with budgets that went into the thousands (this would not work). I liked all of their logos and though their ideas for the menu were very clever.

The PowerPoint of the Presentation:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#starred/FMfcgzQgLjNNCvWKnxrNwctSvpRZdBkB?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1

The Website of the Project for “Breakfast at Primo Pizza”:

https://consultingbergecco.wixsite.com/professional-web-sol

The YouTube Presentation of the Project Proposal:

Each Executive Team has to find our Divisional Corporate Headquarters, and plan the Division’s Corporate party. One of the items of the party is the Corporate gift which is given to each Team Member at the party.

After the Presentation was over, we had a Q& A on the ideas the students had and Jack seemed very impressed with what the students had to say. This was a great way to get feedback from the audience the company was trying to reach.

The Presentation Reception

After every Presentation, I have a reception for my students with homemade cookies and brownies that I bake for the students, chips, waters and sodas. I do this after every presentation for a job well done.

Our Team picture on Presentation day

We finish each Presentation with our Team Corporate picture. My well dressed and polished future executives ready to conquer the big city. Then the final exam and then they move on to the next class.

Another successful project and another semester complete.