How we met I started working at Reynolds Garden Shop when I turned 17. My best friend had been working there for a year and called me for a summer job. I knew Reynolds was someplace I would love to be. At the time, Luke had been working in the nursery of the garden center. I was briefly introduced to him and went on about my business as a shop girl. It wasn’t long until I noticed he happened to be wherever I was. We somehow always ended up having lunch at the same time. I tho

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KYLE GRONOSTAJSKI For 27 years, Stefano’s owners, Jane and Steve DiPietro, have strived to build a family business that is part of the Long Beach Island tradition for tourists and locals alike. The Stefano’s you see today has come a long way from the Stefano’s of the 1980s and 90s, evolving into an Island staple, boasting award winning chowders and elevated summer classics. About 15 years ago, the DiPietros expanded the Stefano’s family with the California Gril

Photos By Ann Coen When food arrives at The Old Causeway Steak & Oyster House, it’s fresh from the sea or farm. The now infamous “OC,” is the fourth restaurant collaboration between the Magaziner and Nugent families. The partnership started when Eric Magaziner and Bob Nugent decided to open a restaurant after Eric had worked for Bob at Ship Bottom Shellfish for over twelve years. Mud City Crab House, which is right next door to the OC, was opened in 1999, a successful enterpr

| Photography by Michael Ryan Architects | Photography by Halkin Mason Photography From the outset of my career as an architect, it became clear that my relationship with the fabricators of my work would be crucial to the success of any project. A designer’s ability to communicate intentions, priorities, and ideas develops not only through drawings and documents, but-more importantly through long-term working relationships with builders. In a successful project, the two aspec

WRITEN BY Chris Gaydos A little over 100 years ago during the early years of World War I (WWI), the New Jersey coastline was far removed from what Americans generally felt to be a foreign conflict. Even with a few shipwrecks, storms, and great white shark attacks, life along Long Beach Island and in its surrounding communities remained relatively unchanged. This time of innocence was not destined to last long. RADIO ESPIONAGE On Hickory Island (now Mystic Island) the German

Before there were waterslides and Almond-crusted brie appetizers, Warchelaus R. Pharo, a wealthy entrepreneur from Tuckerton, New Jersey, conceived the part of Long Beach Island now known as Beach Haven (“BH”) in the 1850s, while duck hunting from Bond’s Hotel. He and several wealthy sportsmen from Philadelphia loved the natural setting but craved more tasteful living quarters. Thus, in 1867, Pharo purchased, for $243, 666 acres of undeveloped sand hills, brackish ponds, tida

For those of us fortunate enough to live or vacation on LBI, its special places and breathtaking scenery can give us both joy and peace. Cathleen Engelsen captures these images and emotions in her artwork. She is well known for her historical pieces and coastal scenes of the Jersey shore, as well as many other Jersey locations, which she paints in watercolor, oils, or acrylics. Nestled within a small pine forest is the house that is both home and art studio to Cathleen, where

Hunger and food insecurity continue to be significant problems globally, nationally, and right here in our own community. In New Jersey, one in five children are not sure where their next meal is coming from, and approximately 165,500 elderly and disabled residents rely on food assistance. The Hunger Foundation of Southern Ocean (HFOSO.org) has a 20-year history of working in the community to provide much needed financial support to local food banks through fundraising events

It all began back in Alice Sutter’s North Beach living room on November 10, 1958, with 13 dedicated women. Concerned about rapid development on LBI and the disappearance of native trees and shrubs, the group called themselves “The Garden Club of Long Beach Island” (GCLBI) and the women set their goals: preservation, conservation, and beautification. Adopting the motto “Watch Us Grow,” the club has done just that for more than half a century, and now includes more than 140 mem

Photos By Kathleen Whittemore Photography & Photos by Diana Van Horn Photography We are Jeannine Errico and Erin Buterick; the savvy, intelligent, supermodel-looking owners of School of Vintage. What is a ‘School of Vintage’? It’s a handmade and vintage boutique that specializes in bridal gowns and accessories. As you may have guessed, we are not your traditional wedding vendor. We’ve listed some some of the most common inquiries we get about vintage bridal and beyond. (And t