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Lauren Due

103NJluaren6_2024-10-03-06-21-47

Well, we're falling back into News 12 this morning from Rutherford. Yeah. Lauren do is live downtown highlighting some local businesses there right now. She's at an Italian restaurant. Lauren. It's never too early for some pasta. Yeah. Exactly. And there is so much going on here in Rutherford. We have to get right to it. You see, we have a lot of people with us, Anthony. Thank you for having us in your restaurant this morning. You're new to the Chamber of Commerce. And what's it been like? What's your experience been like? I've had a wonderful experience in Rutherford. It's an amazing growing community that's super highly supportive of the changes that are going on now. So we're all growing together. Exactly. And I say your restaurant looks brand new, but you've been in business for eight years here. Here's this come November and what's going on next door? We are recently expanding probably in about the same anniversary of November to promote more of a grab and go quick concept. So it doesn't always have to be a formal dining experience. Perfect. That's great. And we have the mayor here and I've been to Rutherford growing up right. You know, that we've hung out before when we did that main street segment and the downtown, it's just growing. It's so good to see. It's very much expanding. We have some credible restaurants. We have some credible chefs that have come to town. Um You know, we have a lot of good events. We have our uh small business coming up. Uh That's on the 30th of November. We have a lot of events, a lot of events going on. We have our library that's their anniversary. Um It's our Chamber of Commerce has done a phenomenal job trying to help us make this town grow. Yeah, let's talk to the secretary here. So what's going on for small business Saturday and for the parade that the mayor is talking about so small business Saturday is the day we ask everyone to come out and support the local businesses. Um And then right after, towards the end of that day, at about 4 p.m. we kick off our parade um which is our biggest event. It's their 72nd. And this year our grand marshal is the library as well as all their joint organizations did not know a library could be a grand marshal, Gretchen. How cool is that? We're so excited. We are grand marshals along with our two support arms, which are the friends of the Library of Rutherford and the Rutherford Public Library Foundation. And this is a great year for us to be doing this because it is our 130th anniversary and we're also Commemorating, being named Best Library and the best of Bergen Awards from 201 magazine. Ok. A lot of hype around Rutherford this morning and we cannot wait to show you all around the downtown today. We're in Rutherford, Lauren de News, New Jersey.

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103NJLauren630_2024-10-03-07-33-14

We are falling back into News 12 this morning from rather for Lauren do live downtown highlighting some of the local businesses there. And Lauren, the next business has a whole lot to see. Simon loves this so much, so much. This is country whimsy. It is like a department store, Barbara, the owner here, right? Like everything you see here is for sale. Yes, good morning. Thank you for coming. We appreciate it. Amazing in country whimsy. How did you come up with that name? Well, 27 years ago, I wanted this to be an all American made store and it did not work out. So, um but the name whimsy, we wanted something whimsical, not serious country and we stuck with the name all these years. We keep the whimsy in here. I think it worked out by the way. This is amazing. So take us around because you have and this, by the way, I just to say for Christmas too, that's going to be amazing. Right? Yes. 22 trees. I decorate and it's a wonderland but you know, come on down and see us. This is an attraction. This is not only a department store. Ok. Now let's go on the tour. Ok. So on the tour we have, we tried to categorize it. So we have our cat section. Um, we have a little bit of everything in here. Our floral wreaths. We come over to our nutcrackers. This is the Alice in Wonderland Nutcracker. But at Christmas time we bring in 50 more nutcrackers of different kinds. Good to know. This is our wedding section. We've got the bride and the grooms and the scary people. Right? And then do you have anything to add? No, you can, you can press the button. Oh, really? A lighter. Oh, look at that. But these are all very loud and noisy. And then we have what I call the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful and the dead that this section here. Our homage, Barbara. This is great. Thank you so much for having us in here. Everyone needs to come down and just walk around and come chit chat with you too. I think you, you make it so easy because you're just a pleasure. Thank you. So we're all done, Barbara. You did. Good, good job today coming out in Rutherford. Where is this? Right? There we go. Lauren do News. 12 New Jersey.

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103NJLauren7_2024-10-03-07-33-54

Well, we're falling back into News 12 this morning from rather for you learn to live downtown downtown, highlighting some local businesses. And she's that another Italian restaurant or what's on the menu for you now? Ok. This one, I am so excited to share with everyone here. This is Fiorentini. We have chef D Antonio here. Everything is sustainable on your menu. I love that. Yes, we are. We are very focused on local and sustainability. Our menu change every three months completely every season. And right now we are showcasing some of our dishes here from the full menu just started a couple of weeks ago and our sustainability reflects also on our material inside the restaurants. We are recognized by the State of New Jersey as a sustainable restaurant. So we're very proud of that. That is amazing. And so everything that you have served today is in season, this is absolutely and it changes, of course, depending on what's in season, obviously. Correct. So, right, we have a on a lotto without a squash inside. This is typical from this season. Actually, it doesn't even finish the season. These arrive until Novem, middle of November. Uh butter, sage sopressata with the smoked uh cheese. And here we have, our turkey was more full than turkey. It's our turkey roll with the spicy lentils, green, uh mustard greens. And then we finish with our sauce. Beautiful. That looks so good and it smells so amazing in here as well. And you are from Italy and you born and raised in Italy, then New York City, a chef there for some pretty amazing facilities and people. And you also were on TV. I mean, just brag about yourself for a little bit. Thank you so much. Yes. So I moved from Italy. I moved directly to New York and I spent there many years between Lair and Leota Jean Daniel Boulud Sigrid Rockfeller Center and my last jobs as a jetty chef for the opera house in Lincoln Center. So I was managing the entire house there, the restaurant, the cafe, the private dining room. And then during COVID, I just look at my wife and said, I think it's time now to, to go on our own. And that's when we opened Fiorentini and uh we start our concerts and uh it's been honestly a big success. We've been very blessed. We say, knock on, knock on what I'll do with you. Last question real quick. How does compared to the Food Network being on News? 12? Well, it's uh it's always a pleasure being there for our followers has always been our biggest dream and we're very happy to be in any, any show. I really appreciate your time. Thank you so much. We can't wait to dig and this is an amazing spot. Guys. We're falling back on news 12. We're in Rutherford this morning, Lauren De in East 12, New Jersey. Those dishes look amazing.

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103NJlauren730_2024-10-03-08-20-42

Oh, we're falling back into news of this morning from rather for LA do has been out there highlighting their downtown area. It's so nice and she's outside the first Presbyterian Church of Ruford Lauren. It's been in the community for more than 100 and 60 years. That's incredible, incredible Asia. And you know what, it's really an icon when you drive through Rutherford, you just notice it. So, Pastor Justin, you're fairly new here a couple of years, but you know so much about the history of this place. Yeah, absolutely. So, thank you so much for being here. This is, this building was built in 1890 but this church has been around for 160 years. We just celebrated last year. And so we're just so excited to continue to share in the ministry in this community and just to be such an icon in this space. Congratulations on that. And you know, and these stained glass windows, this is everything right and this one's pretty famous. Yeah, absolutely. So the Tiffany Angel there is just absolutely stunning. We are so blessed to have that. The sketches are featured at the Metropolitan A Museum. Of art and it just really, especially at 10 o'clock on Sunday mornings, the light just shines through and it is just, just a breathtaking piece of artwork. I know. And you wish that today was a sunny day too, so we can see it. But if it is a sunny day you're offering church tours too. Right. Yeah, absolutely. So, we're offering church tours in October, November and December. We're going to have it paired with the Rutherford tree lighting in November. And we're also, and have it all decorated for Christmas. So, right before on, uh, December 20th and so we're really excited to welcome and to keep our doors open for our community and for anybody who wants to see this beautiful and you want to do, uh, community events as well. Right. No, absolutely. So, we had, um, we were just talking before and just had the, we have a lovely yoga program that's continuing in our chapel. So, uh, we have it on Tuesday evenings, Wednesday mornings and we also have Sunday morning ones as well. We have youth programming just so many, so many ways to get involved. And so we're, we also have blessing of the pets that's coming up. So I am so excited. I've got to purchase some dog treats too before one in October. Amazing. Well, thank you for letting us here and I think they look the windows look absolutely beautiful even though it is not sunny out today. Unfortunately not. So, but you could come down and see them. We're in Rutherford this morning, Lauren De in East 12 of New Jersey.

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103NJlauren8

Well, we're falling back into News 12 this morning from Rutherford. Yeah, Lauren de is live downtown. She's highlighting some local businesses and a lot is going on around town. So your final stop. Lauren is a thrift store. It is Mia's Thrifty and I have the most stylish Mia right here, Michaela. How does it feel to have a boutique named after you get good mom, Sarah over here, Michaela is your inspiration. She is, she's an amazing little girl and this is how the business got started. How did it start it? I was just clearing out her stuff and selling it and it kind of grew from there and then we went to garage sales and estate sales and here we are today and here you are winning big awards. We want to bring in Dan from the Chamber here. And uh yeah, what award did they win? Well, Releford Chamber is very proud of its small businesses and Mia's Thrift Teak opened up last year and they attracted so many people to their front door that they won the best new business of 2023 and they're celebrating their one year anniversary right now as we speak. So that's amazing. And we're so honored to be here, Sarah. This is so cool. So why do people love your store so much? We are a retail store that a lot of people flock to for bags, discounted name brands and clothing and jewelry and everything in between. Amazing. And I want to bring in your husband real quick because you started thrifting as a young kid. And how cool is it that your daughter is here? I mean, this must be a full circle. It's great. It's great. I grew up with my dad doing antiquing and getting up early in the mornings and now I get to see Michaela doing it and it's a great come, you know, thing that Sarah and I do together now. So it's, it's a great family, what a great family business. And so Michaela, I gotta ask you, what is your favorite thing in this store? And the kids, the kids area, you have a great kids area. There is everything here, Sarah. Thank you so much. This is amazing. Everybody come down here, there is something for everyone here. We're in Rutherford Lauren do. He's from New Jersey. We love that. We love the Hounds Tooth on her outfit. All right, Lauren, thank you.

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Mayor of Rutherford Frank Nunziato and Rutherford Chamber officers will be taking us around town.

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Fall Back into News 12: Highlighting downtown Rutherford

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