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Arts & Entertainment

Selecting the Ideal Christmas Tree For Your Home

HAPPY HANUKKAH!

Stevie Nicks (1948)

ARTIST OF THE WEEK

Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks — her voice is unmistakable, her stage presence is ominous, her lyrics are legendary and her legacy has shaped the world of rock music and styles of current musicians forever.

Stephanie Lynn Nicks was born on May 26, 1948 in Phoenix, Ariz. Because she had trouble pronouncing her name, she called herself Stevie.

Heavily influenced by her grandfather, Aaron Jess Nicks, Stevie began crooning country songs with him at the age of four. In 1965, she joined the folk band, The Changing Times.

She met Lindsey Buckingham, a fellow classmate, when the Nicks family moved to Atherton, Calif. This relationship would affect her membership in Fleetwood Mac and her personal life.

Although she originally planned to become an English teacher, Stevie pursued her love for music by performing with a string of bands like Fritz, which also featured Buckingham.

However, on New Year’s Eve in 1974, Stevie received a telephone call from Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, which made her an indelible part of music worldwide.

“Silver Springs,” “Rhiannon,” “Dreams,” and “Landslide,” are just some of the songs that have influenced rockers like Sheryl Crow and Courtney Love, shaping their love and admiration for the Arizona native. She began a highlysuccessful solo career in 1981.

Stevie currently resides in Phoenix where she journals, works on an autobiography, and music. She has cited Janis Joplin, Natalia Makarova, Greta Garbo and Isadora Duncan, as having the greatest influence on her stage performances.

Park Middle School Singers To Take Broadway by Storm

In A Christmas Carol

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has provided a helpful guide on selecting, cutting and maintaining the ideal Christmas tree. For a free copy of the guide, please send a selfaddressed, stamped envelope to John E. Perry, Executive Secretary, New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers’ Association, 805 Brookside Drive, Toms River, 08753.

Selecting the Ideal Tree

Select a tree with the height, shape and density that best suits your needs. Consider where it will be located in your home and the kind of ornaments you will use. For best needle retention, select a pine, Douglas, concolor or Fraser fir. Colorado blue spruce holds needles very well.

Setting Up the Tree

Before bringing the tree indoors, cut off an inch from the bottom to help the tree take in the water more readily. Use a tree stand that holds one to two gallons of water and fill it as soon as you set up the tree.

Maintaining Your Tree

Keep the stand filled with water to prevent needle drop and prolong the tree’s freshness and color. Check the water level a few times a day.

Christmas Tree Trivia

The first Christmas tree dates back to 16th century Germany.

The first commercial tree lot opened for business in 1851 in New York City.

Topselling trees include the Balsam fir, Douglas fir, noble fir and Scotch pine.

One acre of Christmas trees produces the daily oxygen requirement for 18 people.

For each harvested Christmas tree, two to three seedlings are planted in its place. Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, was the first to display a tree in the White House.

The Most Local Places to Purchase Trees

Williams Nursery, Westfield

Parker Greenhouses, Scotch Plains

Allen’s Christmas Tree Farm, Cranbury

Barclay’s Tree Farm, Cranbury

Bryant Nursery, Jamesburg

Giamarest Farms, East Brunswick

W. V. Griffin Nurseries, South Brunswick

Dixiedale Farm, Chatam Simonson Farms, Cranbury

Dower Tree Farm, Peapack Wolgast Tree Farm, Somerset

Continued on Page 20

ALL THE WORLD LOVES A CLOWN... Although there was fog and drizzle in the air, it did not rain on the parade of Scotch Plains resident, Barbara Ostroff. Ms. Ostroff fulfilled a lifelong wish of participating in the Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on November 25.

NBC’s ‘Law & Order’ to Feature Westfield Actor, Teddy Alvaro

A TALENTED ACTOR AMONG US… Westfield resident and Westfield High School student, Teddy Alvaro, will portray Leo Clayton in an upcoming episode of NBC’s “Law & Order” scheduled to air in midDecember. The episode is entitled, “In Loco Parentis,” and deals with violence in the schools and the issue of parental culpability. Pictured above, Teddy poses with “Law & Order” actor Jerry Orbach.

WESTFIELD – An upcoming episode of NBC’s “Law & Order” will feature Westfield actor Teddy Alvaro in a featured role. Scheduled to air in midDecember, the episode is entitled, “In Loco Parentis,” and deals with violence in the schools and the issue of parental culpability.

Teddy, who will play the character of Leo Clayton, is a teenager who is victimized and tortured by a fellow student who goes on to murder another one of their peers.

Teddy performed with Law & Order actors Jerry Orbach, Angie Harmon and Sam Waterston.

Presently a sophomore at Westfield High School, Teddy is studying drama under Joseph Nierle. He has been

acting since the third grade and has appeared in numerous local and school productions.

Professionally, Teddy has several commercial and voice over credits, has appeared in New York City productions, including The Rose Tattoo, A Christmas Carol and The Elephant Man.

Teddy is currently starring in the PBS series, “Connect with English” as Alex Mendoza.

He is represented by J. Mitchell Management and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity and AFTRA.

Pen and Ink

By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN

Though Issue is a Dung Deal, Giuliani Thanks A& E Editor for Support in Museum Dispute

In the business of journalism, especially editorial writing, many people think they can tell you how you should word things differently, be more polite, more sensitive. In other words, lose your backbone by sacrificing your views and principles. Sorry, I don’t work that way. My credo was upheld after I received a response to a letter I wrote to New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani when the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the city went head to head regarding an exhibit portraying the Virgin Mary adorned with dung.

After discovering an email address for the Mayor, I wrote, “I don’t know if this email will actually reach you, but I wanted to express my 100 percent support of your stance regarding the painting at the Brooklyn Museum of Art… Mr. Ofili (Chris Ofili, the artist whose picture created the controversy) does not seem to know the true definition of art.”

One day before The Leader and The Times broke for Thanksgiving, I turned on my computer that morning only to find a response from the Mayor himself under the title, “Re: 100 Percent Support.”

“Dear Friend, I write in response to your correspondence regarding the Sensation exhibit on display at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. I appreciate your support of my stance on the issues surrounding this exhibit and I thank you for taking the time to write and share your thoughts with me. Sincerely, Rudolph W. Giuliani, Mayor.”

One phrase echoed in my conscience when I reread that letter: “share your thoughts.” No matter what your views, it is always rewarding to voice them and give them wings. Melissa Miller Plays

Role in Production At Vassar College

WESTFIELD – Melissa Miller, a sophomore at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., played the role of Niobe in the recent production of Timberlake Wertenbaker’s

The Love of the Nightingale.

The play was presented by The Experimental Theatre of Vassar College on November 17 and 19 at the Powerhouse Theatre at Vassar.

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Miller of Westfield, Melissa is a graduate of Westfield High School.

Downtown Winter Decorating Prepared by Fanwood Committee

FANWOOD – The Fanwood Cultural Arts Committee and its Winter Decorating Committee will host a family winter celebration to decorate the downtown on Sunday, December 5, from 2 to 5 p. m.

Festivities will begin with downtown decorating at 2 p. m. Additional activities will be held from 3 to 5 p. m. on the north side of the Fanwood Train Station, including games, “reindeer” rides for children, photos with Santa Claus, refreshments and entertainment by New York City guitarist and soloist

Billy Populus. Mr. Populus grew up in Fanwood and will return to his hometown for this special celebration. He has performed in several musical arenas and venues.

His performance of his own personal compositions and wellknown favorites will begin at the Train Station at 3: 15 p. m.

The afternoon will conclude with a candlelight community procession from Fanwood’s Millennium Clock to the traditional tree lighting ceremony with Mayor Maryanne S. Connelly.

Admission is free. The public is invited to attend. For more information, please call Winter Committee Chairman, Mark Annese, at (908) 8897529 or Cultural Arts Director, Adele Kenny, at (908) 8897223.

NEW JERSEY’S OLDEST COMMUNITY THEATER

The Cranford Dramatic Club Children’s Theatre Proudly Presents...

“See Aladdin as you’ve never seen it before... with sets and props from the original

Prince Street Players Production!” Free, lighted, onsite parking Box Office (908) 2767611 Now accepting Mastercard and Visa Sat., December 4 10: 30, 1: 00 & 4: 00

Sun., December 5 1: 00 & 4: 00 $7 Adults • $5 Children under 13 & seniors •

• • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

book and lyrics by Jim Eiler music by Jim Eiler and Jeanne Bargy Aladdin Meet The Authors Saturday, Dec. 4th

THE TOWN BOOK STORE

255 East Broad Street, Westfield • 9082333535 www. townbookstore. com

11am to 1pm

Tova Novarra signs her pictorial history

Seton Hall University

Makes A Great Gift!

Can’t Make It? Call Us & We’ll Have The Author Autograph a Copy For You. 2pm to 4pm

Peter McCarty signs his children’s book

Little Bunny On The Move

Chosen as one of 1999’s Best Illustrators by the New York Times

SHOP EARLY WITH

$ 10 OFF Purchase of $50 or More

$ 20 OFF Purchase of $100 or More

Celebrate the Season...with

beautiful things Glass ornaments by Roger Parramore Photo by: Susan Topper beautiful things

1838 East Second Street, Scotch Plains (908) 3221817

Holiday Hours: MonFri 10am7pm • Sat 10am5: 30pm • Sun 12pm5pm Valid Thru December 5th

Sale items, special orders and layaways excluded

By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

SCOTCH PLAINS – There are angels among us and they are raising their voices with glory and gusto in the auditorium of Park Middle School in preparation for their performance in A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Under the careful direction of Mary Lu Farrell, 30 cherublike students at Park School comprise the choir that performs a haunting and ethereal version of “God Bless Us Everyone” with wide smiles of innocence and awe.

Six choir members recently sat down with The Westfield Leader

and The Times to discuss their upcoming performance, musicians they admire and the fact that they are all very confident that they will pull off a flawless performance.

Seventh grader, Jennifer Roth, beamed, “It’s an experience you can only experience once and it is an honor to be in it.”

Karel Chaves, a sixth grade pupil is following in his brother’s footsteps as a member of the cast. Karel revealed that when he would visit his brother in a previous performance of A Christmas Carol, he became inspired to perform in a production of his own. Karel admires singer and actor Will Smith from Independence Day and “The Fresh Prince of Bell Air.”

Fellow sixth grader, Justin Hensal, told The Leader and The

Times that he is also following in a sibling’s footsteps – his sister’s – who performed in a past production.

“You never forget it for the rest of your life,” confided Justin, who enjoys singing at home and has relished a performance as The Wizard in The Wizard of Oz.

Jackie Tumoll, an eighth grader who admires the singer, Brandy, participated in a performance of

A Christmas Carol as a sixth grader because she was short enough for the part.

“It’s my first time in a Broadway show,” revealed seventh grader, Heather Vitollo who looks up to pop star Britney Spears. Heather would like to perform in the Broadway musical, The Lion King, and added, “I really have to want to do it.”

“It’s a once in a lifetime chance,” Alyssa Robak said of the Christmas Carol opportunity. The seventh grader also admires the pop star Spears.

All of the students, who believe themselves to be Broadwaybound beyond this season’s performance, cited “great acting” and “good organization” as components of being ready for the Great White Way.

“She’s really good,” the choir members said of their instructor and professional musician, Ms. Farrell, adding that she always

WINTER WONDERLAND... Postcards of Mindowaskin Park in Westfield are sold by the Friends of Mindowaskin Park as a fundraiser to continue the group’s work toward preservation and restoration of the park. These postcards, and others depicting seasonal landscapes, are available at William’s Nursery, Periwinkle’s Fine Gifts, MillerCory House Museum and The Town Book Store.