Mike Ham visits a business in his hometown, Morristown, NJ, to chat with the owner of Motown Fitness, Karianne Anthes! Mike and Karianne discuss how she found CrossFit, it's benefits, the strength of its community and even persuades Mike to take his first ever CrossFit class!

About Motown Fitness

A WORKOUT THAT WORKS.

We use varied, functional movements to keep your body guessing and mind sharp. Our professionally trained coaches ensure you’re moving safely while pushing yourself through every workout, and our community keeps you feeling motivated every step of the way. It’s fun, it’s effective, and it works.

The Workout of the Day is our traditional functional fitness class. Coach led warm-up, mobility and skill instruction to prepare you for the workout. Our coaches are engaged throughout the entire class to monitor your form and motivate your performance.

About Karianne

Some of her qualifications:

CrossFit HQ Trainer

“For the first time, I felt that my pursuit to change lives through fitness was possible. CrossFit connected all of the dots from the methodology to the community. I was hooked. What started small in a tiny space with a handful of housewives has grown to larger spaces and more members. But despite the growth from our humble beginnings, nothing has changed.

Every day I am grateful to be the part of someone’s day where things are possible. CrossFit embodies health, potential and the positive potential in all of us.”

Today in New Jersey History: Poet Joyce Kilmer, best known for his poem "Trees" was born on December 6, 1886 in New Brunswick, NJ.

New Jersey Fun Fact: New Jersey has a state fish, the brook trout!

Thank you to our sponsors: 

Albert & Whitney CPAs awcpasllc.com

PayPro payprocorp.com

Contact the show: [email protected]

Website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com

Follow us on Instagram: @greetingsfromthegardenstate

Music (used with permission): "Crazy" by Manny Cabo www.mannycabo.com

Mike Ham travels to Livingston to visit with Julie Schachter, Owner of Board & Brush - Livingston! Mike & Julie discuss what happens at Board & Brush, why she decided to open her own location, her connection to the community and more! Julie even gives Mike a quick demonstration on the process of completing a Board & Brush project!

About Board & Brush

Board & Brush Livingston is a place for creating fun and unique wood decor projects from scratch while enjoying a fun instructor-led atmosphere. We offers a wide variety of hands-on experiences including open workshops, private parties, bridal showers, bachelorette gatherings, children’s birthday parties, corporate events, and fundraisers. Our registration fee includes everything you will need to leave with a beautiful, customized wood piece for your home or a gift.

About Julie Schachter

Julie had a long career in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, working in many different therapeutic areas bringing new products to market. She loved her career as a Brand Manager but it was tough to balance with a growing family. In search of a better work/life balance, she made a huge change and began a career in the beauty industry. She loved the client facing work of the beauty industry and will miss her clients and colleagues whom are now great friends, but she is ready for the new challenge of Board & Brush! She has always been a DIY girl and all the tools in their home toolbox are hers! She has always dreamed of having her own business and knew as soon as she saw Board & Brush, that it was the perfect fit for her! Her daughters are getting older, making it a perfect time to take on something bigger. She looks forward to making Board & Brush a family business, incorporating her girls and teaching them responsibility and life skills.

She and her husband Craig have been married for 23 years and have lived in the Livingston area for more than twenty years! They have two girls, Olivia and Eva and a Golden Doodle named Yogi and a cat Delilah.

boardandbrush.com/livingston/  

@boardandbrushlivingston  

Today in New Jersey History: The first United States Senator from New Jersey, Jonathan Elmer was born on November 29, 1745.   

New Jersey Fun Fact: New Jersey's state motto is "Liberty & Prosperity"  

Thank you to our sponsors: Albert & Whitney CPAs awcpasllc.com   

Contact the show: [email protected]   

Website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com   

Follow us on Instagram: @greetingsfromthegardenstate   

Music (used with permission): "Crazy" by Manny Cabo www.mannycabo.com

Host Mike Ham travels around the state of New Jersey to talk with all of the businesses, people, brands, and more that make the Garden State great. Releasing brand new episodes every Monday, this is THE place for all things NJ.

About Mike Ham

In July of 2020, Mike Ham burst onto the podcasting scene with his original show, The Morning Spotlight which has posted over 100 episodes and received close to 10,000 downloads in its first year. An energetic, passionate, and curious interviewer Mike creates lasting and memorable bonds between his guests and his audiences. Mike was born and raised right here in the Garden State and has lived here for 28 of his 31 years of life. He loves everything New Jersey has to offer and wants to share it with all of you!

Contact the show: [email protected]

Website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com

Follow us on Instagram: @greetingsfromthegardenstate

Join Our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/540483717153471/

Mike Ham heads to Madison, NJ to visit with Matt James of Daddy Matty's BBQ! The two discuss finding his passion of cooking BBQ, opening the restaurant, the passion he has for contributing the community, and more! After a brief intermission early on in the episode caused by a local leaf blower, Matt made Mike a pulled pork quesadilla which was awesome!

About Daddy Matty's BBQ & Matt James

Originally launched in 2014 (pre-pop-up), Daddy Matty’s BBQ is the passion project of Madison dad/entrepreneur Matt James. A longtime partner in a financial services firm, James started out with a small-scale catering model—offering mouth-watering smoked brisket, pulled pork, baby back ribs, and more, which he tested out on friends and family. “I was working for myself and realized I had the time to pursue other things that I wanted to accomplish,” he explains. “In business terms, I wondered, ‘Can we create a community-focused business?'” From the start, the venture followed its motto “Everybody Eats” by creating a partnership with the Morris County Interfaith Food Pantry. The profits generated from the catering efforts went entirely to the food pantry for the first couple of years while James tested new recipes and learned the ropes of running the business.

Feeling ready to take the next step in 2016, James began investing a portion of profits into his operations but still maintained Daddy Matty’s core commitment to feeding people in need in the community by donating proceeds and meals throughout the year. “Giving back is part of the DNA of the business,” says James. “Every purchase you make helps to put a meal on [a] neighbor’s plate.”

As the catering picked up, Matt began bottling his signature BBQ sauce (made, he explains, by blistering and then pureeing peppers with “other great tasting vegetables, premium spices, and a little bit of sweet stuff”) and sought out a commercial kitchen to expand his services. Partnering with the owner of another successful local caterer, Mexican Spice, the two businesses began sharing a leased kitchen space and then, in April of this year, launched the pop-up model inside Main Street Wine Cellars. In 2018, Matt finally opened up his own brick-and-mortar restaurant on Elmer Street in the heart of Madison, NJ. 

Inspired by the kindness in our community we started Daddy Matty’s BBQ with a purpose: Feed our Community and help our Neighbors. Our Motto “Everybody Eats” captures our commitment to sharing. In New Jersey a quarter of our neighbors must choose between food and other essential costs. 1 in 7 struggle with hunger, a third of which are children. These statistics are heartbreaking but more importantly, they are our motivation.

Every purchase you make helps to put a meal on your neighbor’s plate. Since 2014 we’ve provided thousands of meals through our partnership with the Morris County Interfaith Food Pantry and we will continue to find ways to get food to our neighbors who need it most!

6 Elmer Street Madison, NJ

daddymattysbbq.com

@daddymattysbbq

Today in New Jersey History: Steven Van Zandt was born on November 22, 1950. 

NJ Fun Fact: NJ has more diners than any other state!

Thank you to our sponsors: Albert & Whitney CPAs awcpasllc.com 

Contact the show: [email protected] 

Website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com 

Follow us on Instagram: @greetingsfromthegardenstate 

Music (used with permission): "Crazy" by Manny Cabo www.mannycabo.com

Mike Ham travels to the Palace Theater in Netcong, NJ to talk with the Founder of The Growing Stage - The Children's Theater of New Jersey, Stephen Fredericks. Mike and Steve discuss the history of both The Growing Stage and the Palace Theater, educational programs the nonprofit provides, its connection to the community and more!

About The Growing Stage

The rich history of The Growing Stage is equally matched to its home, The Palace Theatre. It was founded by Executive Director Stephen L. Fredericks in 1982. The organization enjoyed its humble beginnings at the Black River Playhouse and the Williamson School in Chester, New Jersey.

Along with a small professional staff and dedicated corps of volunteers, Steve’s dream to bring professional theatre to children and their families grew. As the audience and our reputation for outstanding theatre grew, the company embarked on a journey to create the only performing arts center in the state dedicated solely to young people and their families.

The History of The Growing Stage is incomplete without The historic Palace Theatre. Built in 1919, it was a New Jersey entertainment landmark for over 50 years. Originally a silent movie and vaudeville house, it later featured talking movies, local plays and graduations, minstrel shows and other live entertainment.

In 1934, the Palace was leased by a prominent operator of theatres in Newark and the Oranges, and a period of major renovation began. The interior was stylishly redecorated in 1934, employing fabric wall covering and ceiling draperies. A marquee was added at the entrance, and the Colonial Revival façade was covered by an Art Deco-style front in 1938.

The Hopatcong Broadway Players, a summer troupe of nationally known actors, directors and writers who vacationed at Lake Hopatcong, were a featured attraction in the mid-1930s. Bert Lytell, Celeste Holm and Gale Sondergaard were among the actors who appeared on the Palace stage as the troupe tried out theatrical productions before taking them onto Broadway.

During the mid-1940s, the commercial storefronts in the Palace’s facade were removed, and the theatre served as a popular movie house until the 1960s. It then fell on hard times as competition from television and multiplex theatres led to a decline in attendance. In 1981, the venerable theatre was converted into a warehouse for a moving company, a purpose it served until 1994.

In May 1995, The Growing Stage purchased the Palace Theatre and began the process of restoring it to a regional center for the performing arts. Since then, we have raised and re-invested $3 million, and in September 2012, we celebrated the completion of our final major capital project, the restoration of the Palace’s front façade.

The Growing Stage is the only theatre-for-young-audiences company in the state of New Jersey that owns its own facility. The fully-restored Palace features a 240-seat theatre and balcony/art gallery graced with hand-painted murals by company artist-in-residence Perry Arthur Kroeger, a modern concession area, rehearsal space, classrooms and administrative offices.

growingstage.com

@thegrowingstage

Today in New Jersey History: Actress Tara Reid is born on November 8, 1975 in Wyckoff, NJ

New Jersey Fun Fact: The first submarine ride took place in the Passaic River.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Calandra's Bakery and Restaurants www.calandrasbakery.com

Albert & Whitney CPAs www.awcpasllc.com

TRJ Consulting Services www.trjconsultingservices.com

Contact the show: [email protected]

Website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com

Follow us on Instagram: @greetingsfromthegardenstate

Music (used with permission): "Crazy" by Manny Cabo https://www.mannycabo.com/

Mike Ham travels to Madison, NJ to visit with Tushar Patel, owner of Harvest Bistro. The two discuss the history of the business which has been open in the same location for 25 years, navigating the challenges of the last two years, Harvest Bistro's involvement in the community and more!

About Harvest Bistro

Harvest Bistro, a high-quality restaurant, and caterer in beautiful Madison, NJ, is known for its eclectic menu, inspired cuisine, and flavorful food.

What was once known as "On A Roll" for 21 years was rebranded to Harvest Bistro on October 27, 2017, to encompass and celebrate the changing of seasons for the owner, Tushar Patel, both professionally and personally.

With "Fresh To Table" as their motto, the Bistro strives to maintain an optimal level in food and in service with every seating. Using locally grown produce and the choicest ingredients available, quality is the most recognized trait of this town favorite.

About Tushar Patel

Tushar Patel was born in India in 1972 and raised in Irvington and Union, NJ. He grew up in a home where his parents frequently prepared meals together. These home-cooked meals, which encouraged everyone to get involved with the preparation, led Tushar to associate cooking with family, something that is evident in his business even today.

harvestbistronj.com

@harvestbistronj

Today in New Jersey History: Poet and author Stephen Crane was born on November 1, 1871 in Newark, NJ

New Jersey Fun Fact: More battles of the Revolutionary War were fought in New Jersey than any other state.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Calandra's Bakery and Restaurants www.calandrasbakery.com

Albert & Whitney CPAs www.awcpasllc.com

TRJ Consulting Services www.trjconsultingservices.com

Contact the show: [email protected]

Website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com

Follow us on Instagram: @greetingsfromthegardenstate

Music (used with permission): "Crazy" by Manny Cabo https://www.mannycabo.com/

Mike Ham travels to Recovr Acupuncture and Sports Rehab in Nutley, NJ to visit with Dr. Alan Genitempo! The two discuss the background of the business, the benefits of acupuncture, Dr. Alan's involvement in the community and more! 

About Recovr

RECOVR Acupuncture and Sports Rehab is a holistic and complementary alternative medicine practice specializing in orthopedic care and pain management. Acupuncture specialist Alan Genitempo, LAc, DACM, founded the practice in Nutley, New Jersey, in 2019 and continues to offer modern therapies and wellness products to adolescents and adults of all athletic backgrounds.

Dr. Genitempo has a doctorate in acupuncture and oriental medicine. He specializes in treating sports injuries and musculoskeletal conditions that cause neck pain, back pain, knee pain, or shoulder pain. He also treats trigger points with dry needling, which targets points of muscle tension directly.

RECOVR Acupuncture and Sports Rehab offers conventional and electric stimulation acupuncture as a primary treatment for musculoskeletal pain, headaches, migraines, and more. Acupuncture and other alternative treatments also work well to treat fertility issues, autoimmune disorders, and a diverse range of other health concerns.

Dr. Genitempo has an extensive background in holistic medicine and extensive education in orthopedics and sports medicine. Alongside acupuncture and dry needling, he offers patients at RECOVR Acupuncture and Sports Rehab advanced options like cupping therapy, sports massage, and instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation (IASTM).

Patients who want to improve healing and wellness have the option to purchase herbal supplements directly at RECOVR Acupuncture and Sports Rehab with guidance and recommendations from Dr. Genitempo.

https://www.recovrnj.com/

@recovracupuncturenj

Today in New Jersey History: The George Washington Bridge opened to traffic on October 25, 1931

New Jersey Fun Fact: New Jersey has the tallest water tower in the world, located in Union, NJ

Thank you to our sponsors:

Calandra's Bakery and Restaurants www.calandrasbakery.com

Albert & Whitney CPAs www.awcpasllc.com

TRJ Consulting Services www.trjconsultingservices.com

Contact the show: [email protected]

Website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com

Follow us on Instagram: @greetingsfromthegardenstate

Music (used with permission): "Crazy" by Manny Cabo https://www.mannycabo.com/

Mike Ham travels to The Wright Cut on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, NJ to visit with Owner and Founder Tim Wright. Tim is a Rutgers alumni who, after a 7 year career in the NFL that included a Super Bowl win with the New England Patriots, came back home to establish the first barber shop on the campus of any major University. 

About The Wright Cut

The Wright Cut was a vision that turned into a reality. Our model is built from the principles and sacrifices of our Owner/CEO and Super Bowl Champion Timothy Wright. Mr. Wright has a deep passion for art and have been cutting hair for the past 17 years. While attending Rutgers as a full time student and captain of the football team, he spent the little time he had left, cutting hair. He knew one day the sacrifices he made in college would amount to something special. He always had a vision to leave a Legacy, and now as a entrepreneur and professional athlete, The Wright Cut is his way of doing so.

Mr. Wright values every relationship he has with his clients and believes every service is more than just a haircut. During the time of a hair service, he believes the service provider is like a therapist to the client. The positivity that transpires from that single service is what inspired him to develop an entire operation based on his experience of what he calls, a service. He believes a service provider can make someone look good and feel good all from a single haircut.

Through his years of cutting hair, he developed a fine eye for the details and what it takes to produce a quality hair service that every client deserves. Quality is one of the core values for The Wright Cut but in addition to the service, he wanted to create a facility that would impress its customers the moment they walked through the door. Every detail of the look and aesthetic of the establishment was put in place with the Wright touch. Not only was the first impression important to him, more importantly, the people he selects to be members on his team and the environment that’s created stands out most. The Wright Cut is open for everyone so he wanted his team to be family friendly and be a place where people can enjoy a one of a kind experience. 

With our unique location being right on campus at Rutgers University, different from any other shop, our team has experience with servicing all different ages, races, ethnicities and hair types. Our team has the expertise to execute any service you ask for. We pride ourselves on doing things the Wright way. “Once you get Wright, you can’t go wrong”!

55 Rockafeller Road Unit 20, Piscataway, NJ, 08854

www.thewrightcut.net

@twcbs

Today in New Jersey History: A statue of Peter Stuyvesant is dedicated in Jersey City on October 18, 1913

New Jersey Fun Fact: The first game of baseball was played in Hoboken, NJ

Thank you to our sponsors:

Calandra's Bakery and Restaurants www.calandrasbakery.com

Albert & Whitney CPAs www.awcpasllc.com

TRJ Consulting Services www.trjconsultingservices.com

Contact the show: [email protected]

Website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com

Follow us on Instagram: @greetingsfromthegardenstate

Music (used with permission): "Crazy" by Manny Cabo https://www.mannycabo.com/

Mike Ham travels to the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, NJ to visit with General Manager Ed Kirchdoerffer. Mike and Ed discuss the history of the theater, its ties to the community, the educational programs it offers and more!

About Mayo Performing Arts Center

Mayo Performing Arts Center is where our community comes together to be inspired, entertained and uplifted by the power and the passion of the performing arts. With over 200 events covering the span of performing arts, MPAC brings the world’s greatest entertainers, New Jersey-based artistic organizations, and emerging and dynamic new performers to our region. Through arts education and community outreach programs, MPAC is committed to providing cultural enrichment for both young audiences and the public at large by increasing their exposure to the arts.

The Community Theatre was built in 1937 and was once the crown jewel of Walter Reade’s chain of movie theatres in New Jersey. Its success mirrored the love affair between America and movies during Hollywood’s Golden Age. It officially opened on December 23, 1937, with the showing of the movie Nothing Sacred. The Community Theatre was Morristown’s first first-run movie theatre and remained at the center of Morristown entertainment for four decades. By the 1980s, however, the Theatre had fallen into disrepair and sat idle and hulking for nearly a decade. Things changed in 1994 when an army of tireless volunteers, armed with a sense of civic pride and limitless elbow grease pulled together and saved the Theatre from its uncertain fate.

On September 29, 1994, after months of toil, the Theatre reopened as a performing arts center with a gala performance featuring the Kirov Orchestra of Saint Petersburg and Morristown resident and renowned pianist, Alexander Slobodyanik. Many volunteers openly wept as the Theatre’s renaissance finally came to fruition.

In January, 1995, the South Street Theatre Company, a nonprofit organization, was formed to purchase and renovate the theatre. Over the next several years, the level of programming increased. From 1997-2000, a capital campaign was undertaken to create funding for a comprehensive refurbishing and upgrade of the theatre. In 2004, The Community Theatre launched Art Upstairs Gallery, a co-initiative with Center for Visual Arts (now Visual Arts Center of New Jersey) to display artwork of New Jersey artists in upstairs lobby. In March 2005, it launched two Performing Arts School workshops as a precursor to the launch of an official school in September 2005, which now educates over 650 students (2016) in musical theatre and acting.

In May 2011, the Theatre officially changed its name to Mayo Performing Arts Center, completing a three-year transition. In July 2016, the Theatre earned the distinction of Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres.

Now in its 27th season, Mayo Performing Arts Center has become one of New Jersey’s preeminent arts and cultural organizations and now hosts more than 200 performances to more than 200,000 patrons every year.

100 South Street Morristown, NJ 07960

www.mayoarts.org

@mayopac

Today in New Jersey History: Joseph Bloomfield was born on October 18, 1753

New Jersey Fun Fact: Beemerville, NJ is home to a volcano that is no longer active.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Calandra's Bakery and Restaurants www.calandrasbakery.com

Albert & Whitney CPAs www.awcpasllc.com

TRJ Consulting Services www.trjconsultingservices.com

Contact the show: [email protected]

Website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com

Follow us on Instagram: @greetingsfromthegardenstate

Music (used with permission): "Crazy" by Manny Cabo https://www.mannycabo.com/