Deborah Carter

1 month ago | njmonthly.com | Deborah Carter

Turquoise drops dangle with pale blossoms on these earrings by Joanna Buchanan; $248 at joannabuchanan.com. This line is called Boy Smells, but the appeal of these fresh, floral and fruity candles is enchanting to all; $48 at nordstrom.com. These bright cutting boards are artful enough to hang; $43 at beanandbemble.com. A Disney-inspired meadow of wildflowers, birds and a doe decorate these pastel boxes; $17.99 for the set at hm.com.

2 months ago | njmonthly.com | Deborah Carter

A curved maple-and-walnut wooden chess set and its companion pieces put a new spin on keeping your eyes on the board; $300 at umbra.com. In this Jersey-centric drinking board game, players pay tolls, take sobriety tests and make rules along the way; $29.99 at truejersey.com. Game night has never been prettier than when these William Morris wallpaper-inspired playing cards are in the mix; $16.91 at vam.ac.uk. This backgammon set is handsome enough for display.

2 months ago | njmonthly.com | Deborah Carter

Boxing promoter Larry Goldberg Photo: Courtesy of Stephanie TrappThe bell will ring in championship boxing in Atlantic City this weekend with a card of local fighters, including local resident Justin Figueroa, for the main event at the Tropicana. Larry Goldberg, founder of the popular sports site boxinginsider.com, stepped out of the media ring and into another aspect of the boxing world when he became a promoter.

2 months ago | njmonthly.com | Deborah Carter

Seafood paella at Cuzin’s in New Brunswick. Photo: Courtesy of Cuzin’sHub City—New Brunswick’s nickname because it stands at the crossroads of the Northeast Corridor train line, the Raritan River and the New Jersey Turnpike—has a burgeoning restaurant scene and is a cultural center and college town. With all that liveliness, typically, come parking woes. Cuzin’s is located on a busy corner downtown, and my first thought as I approached was, How much is parking going to run?

2 months ago | njmonthly.com | Deborah Carter

Bring your Hogwarts pride to a magical Harry Potter-themed getaway. Wizard Weekend at Cape May’s La Mer Beachfront Resort—happening Friday, March 21 through Sunday, March 23—will pay homage to the much-loved imaginary world created by author J.K. Rowling almost 30 years ago. Reserve your spot for any or all three events. There’s the TriWizard Bar Trivia Tournament on Friday, the Screen to Table: Wizarding Dinner on Saturday, and a future-predicting Divinations Tea Leaf Reading Class on Sunday.