Battle of the Beer: The Best Brews on Tap

A journey to five local bars, sampling 20 different beers.

Editor's Note: In the spirit of the steamy season, we're running this piece again. It's hot out there and cool brew might bring down the temperature... at least for a while. Summer is upon us and there's only one appropriate way I can think to herald the tolerable weather: a frosty glass of beer on tap at a local bar. Just thinking about it puts a smile on my face and I can't help but let out a content little sigh. Warm weather and beer are a fair maiden and her perfect match, a milkmaid and her heifer, a bearded lady and her beard... Yes, I could go on, but I'll spare you. In the name of journalism, I hit up five local bars in one night to see who offered what and how they compared. Alas, I'm only one person, so I had to limit the testing…

•  12 Comments
• Photos (1)

Local Businesses Bank on Spring after Snow

After a mixed holiday season and a lot of snow, South Orange retailers are hoping spring comes soon

This winter has been a mixed bag for local businesses – first the holidays, which were great for a few and weak for others, and then they got hit with snow storm after snow storm – with more looming in the forecast. The snow has not only made parking in the Village difficult, it has kept some people home, thinking that if they have milk in the refrigerator and other essentials in the pantry, there’s no real need to get out. It has hit some of the high-end boutique retailers especially hard. “This year was one of my worst years ever during the holidays, and now the snow is killing me,” said Kimberly Grant, who owns Cheeks Boutique. “It’s really, really hurting the business. We are just hanging on.” Because it’s so tough for an independent …

• Photos (18)

About Town

From Kitchen Kitsch to Birth Preparation

Funky gifts, united knitters, yoga for labor, and a letter of intent for Seton Hall

Looking for something kitschy or just for the kitchen? In either case, you can find it without going into the city or to a mall. Kitchen a la Mode has some great gifts for that person on your list that has everything. Or perhaps for the hostess with the mostess. Between now and Christmas we'll publish fun items you can find shopping locally this season. And don't Hannukkah sneak up on you; it's early this year (starts Dec. 1). Check out the 1940s-style Gangster Grater (the car door is riddled with holes for grating cheese. Or some little kitchen-themed Christmas tree ornaments (my personal favorite is the rice bowl and chopsticks) but there are also pots and pans, a rolling pin, whisk and others. What if you could make your ice shaped like…

• Photos (12)