Teak dining furniture from the Kingsley Bate Essex Collection

Summer means a shift to patio and backyard living

For those of us who love spending time outdoors in the summer, there are some great new products that can spruce up our decks and backyards and add to the overall enjoyment of the season.

The trend of “bringing the inside outdoors” remains strong as people continue to install outdoor kitchens and create seating areas that are not only comfortable but look great as well. According to Michael Belforti of Better Housekeeping in Red Bank, with today’s vast selection of outdoor appliances, virtually anything that you do in your indoor kitchen can be brought outdoors. Home­owners in this area are willing to invest in outdoor kitchens that can be used in every season but winter.

Outdoor kitchen by Lynx with 42-inch grill, utility drawers and side burner

“Specialty outdoor kitchen products enable people to enjoy cooking and entertaining without ever having to venture indoors,” said Belforti, who owns the appliance store with his wife, Diane. “We’ve seen everything from very elaborate outdoor kitchens that include stainless steel cabinetry with granite tops, a sink, dishwasher, oven, refrigerator, icemaker and built-in barbecue, to a free-standing barbecue with a grilling space and burners for conventional cooking.”

In terms of grills, the latest enhancements include halogen lighting and searing burners – particularly in higher-end models. Better Housekeeping carries a broad selection of vendors – including Viking, Lynx and Wolf – but Belforti singled out Weber grills as a “great product at a fantastic price, with the company offering everything from stand-alone small units to built-in gourmet grills.” In addition, outdoor icemakers are becoming a major convenience purchase (and not too expensive) for people who entertain a lot, while fire pits of all sizes and price points remain extremely popular as a place for family and friends to congregate.

Kingsley Bate Sag Harbor Collection all-weather wicker furnishings

When it comes to outdoor furniture, one of the hottest trends this year is faux wicker, which looks like the real thing but has a sturdier construction and is more weather resistant, said Donna Bain, who owns Bain’s Outdoor Living in Rumson with her husband, Tom. Also gaining in popularity is teak, which Bain said has always been a favorite near the coast because it weathers so well. “When left untouched, it weathers to a gray finish, which is very popular right now,” she said.

Bain’s carries a selection of teak outdoor furniture from Kingsley Bate, an upper-end line whose prices range from $850 for a lounge chair to $1,300 for a settee and $1,998 and up for a sofa (depending on the choice of cushions). “It’s an investment more than buying an aluminum patio set,” said Bain, who likes the fact that Kingsley Bate adds collections each season but keeps certain styles in the line from year to year.  “You don’t have to outfit the whole patio in one season. Get one or two pieces at a time.”

Also trending is the Sunbrella, made from a heavy, woven fabric that’s extremely durable, water repellent and resistant to fading, Bain said. In terms of color, the previously mentioned trendy gray works well with other popular exterior colors such as navy blue, natural/canvas, green and orange, Bain said. “These can be used in cushions to spruce up the look of a sitting area and add to the overall enjoyment of your backyard space.”

Lutyens Collection teak bench

Some homeowners are also adding awnings to their homes to give yet another dimension to their outdoor space, while saving energy and adding sun protection. One of the biggest awning manufacturers in the area is Opdyke, a third-generation-owned Wall-based business that sells everything from retractable awnings to fixed-frame canopies with roll-down zippered side walls at an average cost of between $4,000 and $10,000.

“People are trying to put more value into their homes and they want to utilize their patios more,” said Jim Opdyke, whose grandfather started the business in 1914. “An awning can cool down a room in your house and prevent fading of hardwood floors and furniture and, when added to the back of the house, can provide shelter from the environment, whether it be sun, wind or rain.”

Chair and ottoman from the Kingsley Bate Nantucket Collection

Colors are all over the spectrum when it comes to awnings, but navy blue and green remain the most popular in many beach communities. Also gaining traction are subtle earth tones, and stripes make a nice fashion statement, particularly in the area’s beach communities, Opdyke said. “An awning gives some dimension to the house and adds curb appeal. It also makes an additional living space outside without going to the expense of adding a room with a roof.”

The county’s community forestry program is rooted in the Division of Shade Tree, which is responsible for overseeing care and maintenance of the county’s many trees. The division employs 22 staff; there is also a Shade Tree Commission comprised of five appointed and voluntary members.

Monmouth County is the only county in the state to receive a Tree City USA designation this year.
“We are proud of our Tree City USA designation because it reflects the pride we take in our beautiful county and the care we give to the trees in our parks, gardens and arboretum,” said Freeholder Serena DiMaso, liaison to the county Shade Tree Commission. “Trees provide shade, beauty and provide many environmental, economic and social benefits. We share this award with residents in all 53 towns because they also take pride in their local parks, well-manicured gardens and tree-lined streets.”

The Tree City USA program, sponsored by The National Arbor Day Founda­tion in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in 3,400 towns and cities that more than 135 million Americans call home.

“We applaud Monmouth County’s elected officials, volunteers and citizens for providing vital care for its suburban trees,” said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation.

Gaining Tree City USA recognition is an award to the tree workers, managers, volunteers, tree board members and others who work on behalf of better care of a community’s trees.

“Residents, too, can take pride in the fact that Monmouth County is a Tree City USA destination,” said John W. Tobia, director of the county’s Department of Public Works and Engin­eering, which comprises the Monmouth County Division of Shade Tree. “Being a Tree City USA helps present the kind of image that most people want to have for the place they call home.”

The Monmouth County Division of Shade Tree plants many trees, plants or shrubs each year, which improve the visual aesthetics of the county’s roads. Workers also survey and remove hazardous trees and prune thousands of others. The staff also provides technical information to municipalities on proper tree selection, placement and care. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene last September, Shade Tree crews spent weeks clearing downed trees from the roadways.

Monmouth County has met the four standards to become a Tree City USA community. Tree City USA communities must have a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

The Arbor Day Foun­dation is a nonprofit, environmental and education organization of nearly 1 million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the foundation and its programs can be found at www.arborday.org.

To play it safe, homeowners might want to plan their gardens with the possibility of a hot and/or dry summer in mind.

A selection of sun-loving plants, top row from left, lilium (butter pixie), nepita (walkers low), amsonia, blue-eyed grass and lilium (peach pixie); bottom row, blue fescue grass.

“We really should have a crystal ball to predict this summer’s behavior,” said Gotti Kelley, a board member of the Garden Club of New Jersey’s Central Atlantic Region and past president of the Navesink Garden Club. “I am tempted to say that it will be a challenging summer.”

What can a gardener do to prepare for this?

“If you are fortunate to have mature trees that have weathered many difficult years, you are assured of shade, which is ideal for shade-loving native plants,” Kelley said. “These perennials can endure tough periods and should be a mainstay in every garden.”

Kelley recommends durable, tough perennials such as Monarda, Artemisia, Sedum, Coreopsis, Achillea, Liatris and Rudbeckia.

“These plants will fare well during a hot dry summer,” she said. “Divas that require constant watering attention should not be considered.”

Kelley warned that gardeners should not allow themselves to be lulled into complacency because the area recently had several inches of rain during the past few weeks.

“Extended dry periods during this summer are to be expected,” she said.

For this, Kelley suggests Vinca, Lysimachia and Ajuga – ground covers that are durable, undemanding and perennially reliable.

“They do very well in dry conditions,” she said.

Kelley said that graceful grasses could easily weather a drought. They provide four seasons of interest, mix well in borders and have great hardiness and longevity. They are also largely deer-resistant and a haven for birds and wildlife.

“They range from very small, such as Mondo grass, to giants of 16 or more inches, making a dramatic exclamation point,” Kelley said. “Landscaping with ornamental grasses should be of interest to any gardener.”

For those who prefer colorful annuals on a scorching patio, be aware that they must be watered daily, preferably in the early morning or evening to prevent evaporation.

“When annuals let their pretty heads hang down, they signal ‘water me,’ ” Kelley said.

She recommends Supertunias, which come in spectacular color groups and are very heat- and drought-tolerant.

“They look great mixed with Helichrysum and Coral Bells,” she said.

Nancy Schmaltz, a Monmouth County Master Gardener and member of the Shrewsbury Garden Club, is already preparing for the possibility of a dry summer. Her garden club recently held a workshop during which participants made their own rain barrels.

“Generally I think it would be good to be prepared for water restrictions by starting to conserve water, especially rain water,” she said.

Schmaltz has some advice on which plants would thrive best if the summer is indeed dry.

“Specifically, I think using native plants in the landscape is a clever way to work with Mother Nature,” said Schmaltz. “Instead of planting water thirsty plants, choose those that are suitable for the long haul and, once established, will thrive on less water. The colorful annuals that are out now are hard to resist but are definitely water hogs, especially if planted in containers instead of in the ground. So use them judiciously and water them with the water collected in a rain barrel.

Whether the summer will be hot and dry is anybody’s guess. Even New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson doesn’t know for sure.

“We have been warm in New Jersey for quite some time now,” Robinson said. “The last 15 months have been above average and summers have been on the rise in terms of temperatures. But there’s no way I can say we’re in for a hot summer. Given what we’ve seen in recent months and summers, the odds are in our favor that it would be warmer than average. But there’s not a lot of success forecasting weeks and months ahead, despite what some people might say. Two weeks ahead is about all you can get a good feel for.”

While predicting temperature far in advance is difficult, forecasting rainfall is even harder, Robinson said.
According to Robinson, 2011 was the wettest year on record in New Jersey. “But so far, the first four months of 2012 have been the fourth driest start to a year since 1895, the year they started keeping records,” he said. “While past temperatures might be an indicator of what to expect this summer, precipitation is not so easy to predict. There’s a lot of inherent randomness in terms of how the atmosphere behaves.”

Campania pot

Looking to put a pig in your petunias? A fountain amongst the forsythia? Maybe an angel to accent the aster daisies or an urn in which to plant ursinias?

Stone, concrete, steel or cast iron, architectural pieces, those with whimsy and stationary pieces or ones that move with the breeze are among the wide range of decorative items available at garden centers, landscapers and specialty stores throughout Monmouth County.

The appeal of decorative pieces, said Jane Sudler Black, owner of Church Street in Little Silver, is that homeowners “want things they don’t have to water or talk to… and it gives their gardens another dimension.”

Sudler Black has been seeing a trend toward more “architectural salvage” pieces in the garden this year. She has been selling glazed vases with an Egyptian motif that were made in England during the 1920s after King Tut’s tomb was discovered and those designs were all the rage. “They look great in the garden,’’ she said.

Metal windcatcher

Jane DiMisa, owner of Entertain with Jane at 114 East River Road, Rumson, said her clients often ask for classic, traditional pieces, liked the large Campania pots she sells which she then fills to overflowing with a variety of flowers in an English-garden style. “I like things that bloom at different times,” she said. “I don’t want something to look good in June but not in August.”

DiMisa’s clients also have been looking for a varied décor for their gardens, a “more eclectic look that’s not so matchie-matchie.”

When it comes to whimsical pieces, DiMisa has found that a trend this year is frogs in the garden. “They are really big this year. Last year it was bunnies… It’s cyclical,” she said. Last year also heralded the year of the garden gnome, perhaps to coincide with the release of the animated film “Gnomeo and Juliet.”

Over the years, Sudler Black has seen her clients enjoy setting stone or concrete pigs in their greenery and flowers. “Pigs are probably No. 1. I don’t know why, I don’t. Maybe it has something to do with Homer from ‘Charlotte’s Web,’” she said.

Church Street, located at 50 Church St., also sells a lot of turtles and stone or concrete rabbits. “People like other animals, too. I am now trying to find vintage animals,” Sudler Black said.

Natale Sichare of Sickles Market looks at stone birdbath

Natale Sichare, garden center assistant manager at Sickles Market in Little Silver, calls decorative pieces for the garden “hardscapes,” something around which homeowners can plan their gardens. “Statuary and statues are the focal point of the garden. Your home doesn’t stop at the windows…it expands beyond the glass, beyond the window treatments,” he said. “Once you have that hardscape, you do the soft, the garden.”

Decorative pieces in the garden are “something to catch your eye,” Sichare said.

Among the items that are popular with customers are fountains, which Sichare said “romances the garden and brings in birds and wildlife.” Fountains also add a calming feature and the sound of the water tripping over rocks or flowing into a pool often blocks out other undesirable sounds, like traffic. “It’s like white noise, it detracts from the noise.”

“Organic and Zen are the trends of these last couple of years,” he said.

Sickles has a wide variety of items including reproductions of classic sculpture, birdbaths, stone owls for fun and metal windcatchers that move in the breeze like pinwheels of palm fronds. There are Buddhas and large pottery vases, stone flip-flops for stepping-stones and urns.

Classic sculpture called "Summer"

For new homeowners looking to locate statuary and focal pieces in their garden, Sichare recommends that they observe their property for a full year so they will know what each season will bring and how the yard will look under a variety of conditions, light and weather. “A lot of people run to get landscaping done. I think you need to be in your home for a year so you’ll know things like which window you’ll be looking out of after you put your furniture in,” he said. “Try it on for size and see where the light is and where the sun comes up and sets.”

Horticulturalist Mame Green from Gold Coast Landscape and Garden Center.

There’s just something about a Jersey tomato and picking one of those juicy fruits from your own garden only makes it taste better.

New Jersey is a perfect place to grow tomatoes and the fame “the Jersey Tomato” has gained is justified.

“We have the ideal climate,” said William Sciarappa, the Monmouth County agent for the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service. “We get consistently warm days – in 85 to 90 degree range – and cooler nights so the plants can recover (from the heat). We get the right amount of rain, about an inch a week… We have well-drained sandy soil.”

Those conditions mean that home gardeners in New Jersey are able to grow very flavorful fruit, much better tasting than the types grown by commercial farms that consumers buy in supermarkets. “A lot of varieties today are designed to be shipped long distances. They have thicker skins and are grown to travel,” Sciarappa said. “If you are a gardener, you can look for more thinned skinned, better tasting tomatoes.”

Better tasting is the name of the game in the Garden State where Rutgers University has been testing and researching tomatoes for more than 75 years. For the past 10 years the state university has delved into heirloom tomatoes, varieties that have been passed down through the generations and have stood the test of time.

During the past five years, New Jersey residents have been asked to play a part in finding the best varieties. Huge gatherings of tomato aficionados have been held in August at the research stations in Pittstown and Bridgeton. More than 60 varieties of the fruit, picked at its peak, is consumed and then rated by the crowd.

“We tabulate and rate that information,’’ Sciarappa said. “We look for good flavor.”

This year’s tomato fest will be held from 3 p.m. until dusk Aug. 29 at the Rutgers Snyder Research Extension Farm in Pittstown.

Among the two biggest favorites from those tests continue to be the Rutgers Tomato, developed in 1934, and the Ramapo Tomato, which has been grown since 1968. The Ramapo was developed by a New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station researcher and is known for its quality, reliability and production. Sciarappa described the Ramapo as having “a nice balance of acid and sugar.”

Now is the time to plant tomatoes.

The county agricultural agent said a good tomato garden should have a variety of types. When picking plants, gardeners should check to be sure there is no disease and no white flies. Once the soil is tilled and fertilized, tomato plants should be dug deeply into the soil. Leaves on the lower part of the plant can be removed. A deeply planted tomato plant will “develop a good root system to support large fruit and more fruit,’’ he said.

Area garden centers are filled with favorite varieties and, when it comes to picking the type of tomato to grow, everyone has an opinion.

“Everyone has their own personal preference for tomatoes and people in New Jersey know tomatoes,’’ said Mame Green, a horticulturalist at Gold Coast Landscape and Garden Center in Long Branch. “They know what they want. They know what works best in their garden and they know what they like to eat.”

Gold Coast, located at 264 Branchport Ave., has a wide variety of tomato plants – including Big Boy, Better Boy, Beefsteak, and of course, the Rutgers and Ramapo.

When choosing plants, “most everyone also gets a cherry or grape tomato,” Green said. Both are small, pop-in-your-mouth types. The difference is the size and shape. Grape tomatoes are shaped like grapes while cherry tomatoes are a little bigger but round like a cherry.

“During the past year or two, people have also been looking for yellow cherry tomatoes,’’ Green said. “They are very sweet.

“We carry them because people want them to add a certain aesthetic to the foods they are preparing. Many times cherry and yellow tomatoes are used as décor for food… They are used like confetti, a garnish,” she said.

Green believes that everyone with a family should grow some type of vegetable or have a full vegetable garden. “So few children have an idea where food comes from,” she said. A garden “gives them the knowledge …of where what they are ingesting comes from.”

Her tomato preference is sweet cherry tomatoes. “I can satisfy myself while picking them…You can have a meal while picking them from your garden,” Green said.

Green’s boss, Kyle Purcell, owner of Gold Coast whose livelihood revolves around plants and gardens, also has a favorite garden-grown tomato. “It’s anything I don’t have to prepare, slice or cook…It’s a New Jersey tomato,” he said. “How bad can it be?”

“This season reflects our ambition to make Two River a home for a family of artists and a community of audiences,” said John Dias, artistic director. “Many of the great theater artists who have made this current season so fulfilling will be returning, along with other great writers and directors who will be working at Two River for the first time. We’re thrilled to have so many theater luminaries and exciting new talent here, working on exceptional plays and musicals, and participating in the vital cultural life of Red Bank.”

Lori Parks

Topdog/Underdog will be staged Sept. 8-30 in the season in the Rechnitz Theater. It is a darkly comic tale of two brothers, Lincoln and Booth – names given to them as a joke by their father. Obsessed with a street con game, three-card monte, the brothers are haunted by their own pasts and our country’s history. Topdog/Underdog contains adult language and content and is recommended for mature audiences.

Parks most recently adapted the book of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, which received 10 Tony Award nominations including Best Revival of a Musical for its current Broadway production.

No Place to Go, written by Ethan Lipton and directed by Leigh Silverman and with music composed and performed by Ethan Lipton + His Orchestra, will be offered Oct. 6 –Nov. 4 in the Marion Huber Theater.
The corporation where he’s worked for the past 10 years is moving to another planet, and Lipton doesn’t want to go. Commissioned and originally produced by Joe’s Pub, No Place to Go is Lipton’s irreverent, deeply compassionate musical ode to America’s workforce – and a love letter to friends, family, and country. The songs of Ethan Lipton + His Orchestra are steeped in American musical traditions (including jazz, blues, folk, country, and lounge) but his subjects are thoroughly contemporary, winning him acclaim as a modern troubadour.

Shakespeare’s Henry V, directed by Michael Sexton, will be presented Oct. 20-Nov. 11 in the Rechnitz Theater.

Having inherited the throne, Henry must live down his wild adolescent past and unite his people. A young, vital, and ambitious leader, he commits his troops to war – and must then examine the cost of glory. Brimming with intrigue, battles, comedy, and romance, Henry V will feature some of New York’s most accomplished young Shakespearean actors.

A Wind in the Willows Christmas, directed by Amanda Dehnert, will be presented Dec. 8-30 on the Rechnitz Theater stage.

Commissioned by the Two River Theater, A Wind in the Willows Christmas, is a world-premiere musical based on the classic of children’s literature by Kenneth Grahame. The beloved tale of one Mole’s search for a place to call home follows the adventures of the Water Rat, Mr. Toad, and Mr. Badger as they discover that home is where your friends are.

The musical will be the fifth collaboration from the team of Grammy Award-winning composer Mike Reid and lyricist Sarah Schlesinger; their musical In This House had its world premiere at Two River this season. Bookwriter Mindi Dickstein wrote the lyrics for the Broadway musical Little Women, which toured the U.S. after its run in New York.

Present Laughter will be presented Feb. 16-March 10 in the Rechnitz Theater. Michael Cumpsty, a 2012 Tony Award nominee for his performance in the Broadway production of End of the Rainbow, returns to Two River to star in this classic Noel Coward play.

Michael Cumpsty

Acclaimed for his performance as Benedick last season in Much Ado About Nothing, Cumpsty will star in this sparkling, sophisticated comedy as the debonair matinee idol Garry Essendine, the center of a vortex of friends, lovers, producers, and playwrights – all of whom invade his glamorous, 1930s art-deco style London home, demanding his attention. This valentine to the theater is the third Coward play produced by Two River Theater, following Blithe Spirit and Private Lives.

The Electric Baby, by Stefanie Zadravec and directed by May Adrales, will be presented April 6-May 5 in the Marion Huber Theater.

Folk tales and folklore infuse this moving, powerful, and hopeful story about damaged people, unexpected relationships, and what it means to live in the center of your own life. A group of lost souls are brought together by an accident, and form unlikely connections that will change all of their lives. At the center of this new play is the magical child of a Romanian mother and Nigerian father, who glows with an unearthly light. The Electric Baby contains adult language.

Lisa Kron

The Rechnitz Theater will be the venue for 2.5 Minute Ride from April 20-May 12. Lisa Kron has written the drama and will star solo in the performance that interweaves her father’s history as a child of the Holocaust with her family’s annual trip to an amusement park in Ohio. 2.5 Minute Ride is a poignant, funny, complex meditation on tragedy, grief, and family.

Kron’s plays include Well, which opened to critical acclaim on Broadway in 2006 and received two Tony nominations, and In the Wake. Mark Brokaw will direct the play.

August Wilson’s Two Trains Running, will be the final offering of the 2012-13 season and will be presented June 1-23 in the Rechnitz Theater.

Ruben Santiago-Hudson will direct the 1960s play from Wilson’s 10-play cycle about the African-American experience in each decade of the 20th century. Two Trains Running illuminates the personal stories of ordinary people against the backdrop of social change and political upheaval. Santiago-Hudson’s production of Athol Fugard’s My Children! My Africa! is now running at New York’s Signature Theatre.

Plays, artists and dates are subject to change. For additional information, visit www.trtc.org.

Discount ticket packages, ranging from three to seven productions, are on sale now. Individual tickets and, for a limited time, a discount four-pack for A Wind in the Willows Christmas are also available.

Tickets are available from www.trtc.org or by calling 732-345-1400. Single tickets for all other productions will go on sale July 1.

Two River Theater Com­pany is supported in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a division within the Depart­ment of State and a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, The Hickory Foundation, The Geraldine R. Dodge Founda­tion, The Shubert Founda­tion, The Stone Foundation of New Jersey, Monmouth Uni­ver­sity, Durso Wealth Man­age­ment Group at Mor­gan Stanley Smith Barney, Ocean­First Foundation, Springpoint Senior Living Foundation, and many other generous foundations, corporations and businesses.

The role being cast is a small, but pivotal one. The play deals with a family torn apart by a heinous act and the philosophic questions “Is it possible that someone can forgive the unforgiveable? Is there a place at the table for those who have done great harm? Is there truly the possibility of redemption for us all?”
A father (Pollard) and daughter (Vallancourt) confront these issues and more while trying to mend their relationship through the one thing that connects them, baseball.

For additional information or to schedule an audition email njrep@njrep.org or call 732-229-3166 and ask for SuzAnne at Ext. 101.

Director John Madden opens with short shots of seven retirees who need, for various reasons, to get away from England. In the words of the proprietor of The Marigold Hotel, the Brits are “outsourcing their retirement” in much the same way as the world has come to outsourcing customer service to Indian phone banks.

Mrs. Greenslade (Judi Dench) is newly widowed and short on funds; Mr. Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) wants to return to India in search of his first love; Mrs. Donnely (Maggie Smith) is looking for a new hip at a low price. Mr. and Mrs. Ainslie (Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton) are miserable together and need a change; Mr. Cousins (Ronald Pickup) is searching for a final one-night stand, and Mrs. Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) is sick of family life. They have settled on “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Old and Beautiful” in Udaipur.

The exotic qualities of the once grand hotel, exist now only in the mind of Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) who has inherited from his father both the hotel and dreams for its refurbishment. As the seven settle in to the new culture, they all become involved in small dramas of their own making. India is “an assault on the senses,” according to Mrs. Ainslee. “Yes, of color and light, of smiles and kindness, of crowds, and smells and food,” Mr. Dashwood replies.

When several complain of the dilapidation, proprietor Kapoor replies that he had “a vision of the future which I hoped would by now be the present.” Mrs. Ainslie, who makes even the beauty something to hate, refers to the experience as “a gap year.”

Is there anyone who can better convey humanity and decency than Judi Dench? Even when she sits startlingly still, saying nothing, just listening, she draws every eye in the house. Dench, Tom Wilkinson, and Bill Nighy all have certain sadness in their insights and regrets, and we care about them.

So what then are the problems? The tone of the movie is sometimes at odds with itself, a kind of awkward confusion between comedy and anger. There is an underlying sadness that is natural to endings, but there is also a nasty xenophobia that infects several of the negative characters – the ugly tourists in a foreign land. Two of the fine actors are asked to throw these one-step-too-far grenades into the gentle, graceful comedy we thought we were watching.

Should you go? With this cast? Of course.

Joan Ellis’ address on the Internet, which contains her review library, is JoanEllis.com.

Rated PG-13

The combination of determined, practical Taurus and the free spirited, intellectual Gemini is the joy of dealing with anyone born this week. Birthday people are officially Taurus until Sunday this year, then they become Gemini.

Celebrating a birthday this week means you were born on the cusp of Taurus and Gemini. These two signs of the Zodiac are totally opposite. The Taurus is fixed in every way, while the Gemini is flexible and changeable.

Gemini is actually known, by some, as the “Butterfly of the Zodiac,” because they are able to quickly float from one theme to another in a matter of minutes.

So here we have a personality that is flexible one day and determined the next day. This naturally leads to a challenge to understand anyone born on the cusp of Taurus, Gemini.

And Gemini just loves it when they are considered unique. They love being different and, of course, they can talk the birds from the trees. Taurus is patient, calm and, if nothing, else stubborn.

People born this week: Sugar Ray Leonard, May 17, 1956; Tina Fey, May 18, 1970; Malcolm X, May 19, 1925; Cher, May 20, 1946; Raymond Burr, May 21, 1917; Naomi Campbell, May 22, 1970; Jewel, May 23, 1974; Bob Dylan, May 24, 1941.

There will be a solar eclipse on Sunday along with the new moon in Gemini. Emotions will run high this week and as we lead up to the new moon. Mars remains in Virgo and will be there until the beginning of July. Just in case you are planning ahead, Mercury goes retrograde on July 12 for three weeks. If you can, schedule the vacation time around the retrograde period; you don’t really want to be away during the three retro weeks.

Aries (March 21 to April 20) Concentration on your latest project could bring you rewards in the way of improved finances. So for your very own benefit try patience and perseverance when it comes to getting the job done. Also a new BFF is around the corner. The more self-control you can use now, the better for you.

Taurus (April 21 to May 20) If you are not getting a good portion of your heart’s desires on your plate now you are doing something wrong. Start again, but this time make a checklist and follow it. With Jupiter in Taurus there is no way your life isn’t getting better with each passing day. You have confidence. Now all you need is a new love of your life.

Gemini (May 21 to June 20) Your feelings should intensify and once that happens look for some new BFF to appear on the horizon. The energy headed your way should make you happy with a glorious vision of your future. New job ventures should put a smile on your face also. This is serious business time. So deal with it.

Cancer (June 21 to July 20) If you want to know what is happening around you, take some time this week to find out. Any passive-aggressive behavior by a pal should no longer be tolerated. It is too unnerving for you to handle. So put a stop to it or move on with your life and find another good BFF. It is time.

Leo (July 21 to August 20) If you are able to keep moving about without getting caught up in the nonsense that others toss your way, you will win the game. But if you start reacting and playing into the drama then you will be the loser. So keep moving in the right direction and you win the prize, which could be a new cool relationship.

Virgo (August 21 to September 20) There is no need to be defensive right now unless you are looking for arguments. If you are looking then expect them to occur. Try keeping your eye on the prize and in your case it should be a better job and the money to go with it. Friends should be out and about with you and all you need do is take your pick when it comes to a serious pal.

Libra (September 21 to October 20) The time has come to find new ways and means to relax. If you are into new relationships then it is time to start the big push for unique pals to grace your life. No more wasting time. The eclipse on Sunday will make good aspects to your sun. So get yourself busy and discover someone in need of a new pal.

Scorpio (October 21 to November 20) If you have started in a new and vibrant direction then all is well. If you are still headed down the same lane then start to make the necessary change. You are ready to begin a new role and next week is the time. If there is no serious love interest in your life now, get out there and make it happen.

Sagittarius (November 21 to December 20) If you have been questioning some relationships then it is time to get serious and take some steps to correct things. Either way you need a new direction, a new agenda and certainly a new and lively meaning to your lifestyle. Look for some good career opportunities and you won’t be disappointed this week.

Capricorn (December 21 to January 20) This is a time when you want to be as dependable as possible, because the more dependable you are, the more stabilized you will be. The results will be a prize financial situation. So keep lists, call pals and above all stay in charge. This is also a time of meeting a person who will be important to your future life.

Aquarius (January 21 to February 20) If you can maintain the attitude you have now, your life will turn totally around. Your new slogan should be “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change,” a Wayne Dyer saying. Look for new faces in your life that will come with the new outlook on life.

Pisces (February 21 to March 20) Mystical feelings should start to appear in your life as Neptune continues its journey in Pisces. Stay away from the negative aspects around you. If you can do that, you will find bigger and better opportunities moving into your path. An old friend could come back into your life and it will be fun.

Flo Higgins is an Astrologer. Her email is floh1@comcast.net.

The sale, hosted by the Little Silver Business and Professional Association, features local shops around Little Silver including Women’s Exchange, Little Silver Family Pharmacy, the Little Silver Library, WellsFargo Bank and Byford & Mills.

The sale, which usually takes place every summer in July, was moved to May this year, said Lori Saybot, president of the Little Silver Business and Professional Association. “It was too hot before,” Saybolt said. “People would just want to go to the beach so we moved it to May and we are hearing great things.”

Little Silver business owners, even those who do not have storefronts, were invited to promote their businesses and introduce themselves to potential customers and other vendors, she said.

Saybolt, also manager of Woman’s Exchange, said the sale has not only drawn new customers but has also brought new volunteers to the store.

The Woman’s Exchange, a nonprofit volunteer-based novelty store, has several tables set-up front filled with decorations and crafts from past holidays at a discounted rate, Saybolt said.

Byford & Mills is offering Le Jacquard Frances linens at 40 percent off and other items, such as Simon Pearce glassware and jewelry, at 50 percent off, said Sue Germain, a retail floor manager of Byford & Mills. “Everyone loves a deal,” Germain said. “In July, it was hot and people just wanted to hit the beach but the kids are still in school and the weather is beautiful. It’s a great deal.”

Marsha Craig, president of Friends of the Little Silver Public Library, said the sale was going “very well” with hardcover books selling for $2.50 and multiple DVDs for $1. All proceeds from the Little Silver Sidewalk Sale are going toward the interior renovations of the Little Silver Public Library, Craig said.

Coleen Otto, a Tinton Falls resident, said she plans on taking advantage of the early season deals and bought a wooden trinket box with a boat on it from Little Silver Family Pharmacy. “It’s great and the weather is beautiful,” Otto said.

Little Silver Family Pharmacy employees Nick Angelucci, an Oceanport resident, and Patrick Noble of Red Bank said many sidewalk sale customers have been their usual customers but sales have been consistent since Thursday when the event began. The pharmacy is offering a 10 percent discount throughout the store and has holiday and pool items at a discounted rate on the sidewalk, Angelucci said.

Mayor Robert C. Neff Jr. said shoppers should be able to find what they need in borough shops.
“The excellence and diversity of our businesses are remarkable. You can indeed find that needed item or service right in Little Silver, so come join the fun,” Neff said.