Charmed by Chester

One of my favorite things about traveling to all of the fairs and festivals is getting to discover (or rediscover) some of the lovely locales around New Jersey.

A few weeks ago we were at the Chester Wine & Food Festival in Chester, NJ. When I was telling my mother how delightful I thought the town was, she reminded me that we used to go there fairly frequently. There were some restaurants  that my parents liked and we would go, walk around town, and then go to dinner. Keep in mind, this was a very, very long time ago (maybe even very, very, VERY). I had totally forgotten about that, so I got to discover Chester all over again.

It's the kind of town I love. There are many small shops filled with interesting and unusual treasures. The main street fits the bill for a movie or TV show about small town America. And it's all in the backyard of our very crowded but lovable state.

Not far from our booth at the wine fest was the Black River Candy Shoppe. Oh my goodness! What a treasure trove of sweet delights. They had Jelly Bellys packed in plastic bags - all the same flavor in a bag! And those wonderful fruit slices I love. They also had Bonamo Taffy Bites that are covered in chocolate. The store is packed in every corner. The staff was friendly, charming, and helpful.

Another place I must stop on my return visit is The Stained Glass Boutique on Main Street. It was a brightly sunny day and the whole place sparkled. Thank heavens I didn't bring my credit card in or my whole house would be sparkling, too. There were ornaments and sun catchers, boxes and bottles, and all types of beautiful, colorful glass bobbery.

The downtown area of Chester isn't huge, but there's plenty to see and do. I didn't have too much time to wander around since I had to get back to our booth. It was Cindy's turn to go explore. I could have easily gotten lost in Midnight Owl. I couldn't manage to look at everything that was packed into this charming small shop.  Clothes, accessories, handmade items, garden art, jewelry and so much more. I could have spent hours (and a small fortune) in there. 

Of course all that walking and shopping will stir up your appetite. There are many places to try. Looking to keep it on the healthy side? Try The Robin's Nest. Excellent pannini's there, and an energizing juice bar. Maria's had some wonderful chai tea, perfect for a chilly afternoon. Most folks in the shop were getting coffee, but I'm a tea girl. For an even broader tea selection, try Sally Lunn's Tea Shop. For dinner, I enjoy The Publick House. Good, solid, yummy food.

I intend to head back to Chester soon, just to go shopping and soak it all in. Small shops filled with unique items. Small businesses that gather or make things that they love to share with us. Can't wait to discover the further charms of Chester.

Last Fairs of the Season this Weekend

It's hard to believe the Season of Merriment is upon us. It's even harder to believe we're at the last weekend of our fair and festival season.

We've got two great events this weekend. Stop by and find out all about the wonderful ways to take care of your skin - sugar scrubs, lotion bars, body butters, toners, face masks and so much more.

Make sure to sign up for our newsletter or like us on Facebook. Because if you can't get to these shows, you'll still be able to order through our website. We'll even have some specials and new items coming next week!

Celebrate the Heart of Summer in the Garden....................................... Rutgers Gardens that is

Colorful flowers, butterfly's, shade trees, wine tasting, yoga demonstrations, food, shopping and tours. What a marvelous way to celebrate the heart of the summer season.

We hope you'll join us this Saturday, July 28th at the Rutgers Gardens Annual Open House and Wine Tasting.

Admission is $5 per person. Children under 17 are free, as are Rutgers Garden members. To partake in the wine tasting is an additional $10. 

Personally, I can't wait for the Yoga Demonstration from Inner Light Yoga Center, and the Aromatherapy for Your Senses seminar by Gwenn Fried. The tours are always so informative and there are plenty of experts around to help solve some of your pesky garden problems. 

Cindy and I will be spending time at our booth as well! We'll have lots of Gardeners Salve and Dó Gréine Sunburn Spray on hand, and maybe even a few new surprises.

Mention this Rutgers Garden Blog post and we'll take 10% off your order of $5 or more.

Getting a Little Jolly

The Halloween pumpkins are buy being roasted. There's a definite nip in the air. It's already November!? Must be time for 

27th Annual Jolly Mouse Craft Fair 

10 am to 4 pm 

Lloyd Road School, Aberdeen 

All proceeds from this Holiday kick off event benefit the H.A.M. (Hazlet, Aberdeen, Matawan, Therapeutic Recreation Program). 

There will be over 106 crafters both inside and outside the school. We'll be in the gym with our full array of skin care products: lotion bars, body butters, lip balms, Mela Taes, Dream Mists, toners and a grand assortment of other goodies to get you in the spirit of the season. 

 

Join us at the Wonderful Sea Girt Holiday Craftmarket!

This weekend we run full on into the holiday season. One November 22 & 23rd, you can find Celtic Chairde Creations at the Sea Girt Holiday Craftmarket. Although relatively small, there are over 50 crafters presenting unique hand made items suitable for any holiday shopping list.

The event is held at the Sea Girt School on Route 71 and Bell Place in Sea Girt. One of my favorite parts of this show is the cafe. Eighth graders serve as waiters for some of the finest craft show food I've ever had.

We hope you'll come by and visit. There are only 4 more events that Celtic Chairde will be participating in before the Christmas. So stop by and select the perfect gifts for teachers, co-workers, family and friends.