THE BUZZ
38 Upper Montclair Plaza,
Upper Montclair
973-509-0111
LESS SPICE, MORE FLAVOR
Thai food can be so spicy that just thinking about it can be thirstinducing. But recipes from the north of Thailand are much less reliant
on spices for flavor, and are generally mild, says Mayji
Pattamasinghchai, a Thai native and co-owner, with her husband Paul,
of SLA THAI RESTAURANT in Upper Montclair. The couple’s new
eatery, which seats 30 and offers takeout, serves specialties such as
duck salad and gang hung ley—pork belly with curry and ginger –
and ice cream in flavors such as yam and Thai tea. Authenticity is
important to the couple, who import tiger shrimp from Thailand,
and Thai basil from a farm in Salt Lake City.
ALL THE RIGHT MOVES
NORTH
SOUTH BJJ
Karen Peterson dominates guys
7 Park St.,
who have 40 pounds and several
Montclair
inches on her. It’s all in a day’s work
973-855-1114
for the owner/operator, with her husband, Adam, of NORTH SOUTH BJJ (the
second-floor business is accessible via the entrance
next to Samba on Park Street). The Petersons hold
Brazilian jiu jitsu classes for kids ages 4 and up; at
15 years-old or so, they can join the adult instruction.
“Jiu jitsu is a grappling sport,” says Peterson, a black
belt. “It’s a lot like wrestling, but with joint locks and
chokes. You use a lot of leverage and body weight.
It’s very good for self-defense.” North-South is the
name of a jiu jitsu choke position, as well as a reference to the couple’s origins; Karen comes from
Atlanta, while Adam is a native Montclairian.
VANCE
WALL ART
EDUCATION CENTER
ARTFUL EXPANSION
The much-awaited VANCE WALL ART
EDUCATION CENTER at the Montclair Art
3 S. Mountain Ave.,
Museum is opening its doors this spring.
Montclair
Visitors entering the Nathaniel C. Harris, Jr.
973-746-5555
Entrance – formerly the Education entrance
off the parking lot – will see a new light-filled
studio with a glass wall, and more space for showcasing artwork by students and community group members. The Center also allows for more weekend programs
for families, and an expansion of the Creative Aging
Initiative for people with dementia and their families. At
the Free First Thursday Night program on May 5, the public
is invited to a 5 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by
museum-wide festivities including a drop-in drawing session with Stu [