I started with the Yellowfin Tuna & Hamachi appetizer and chose the Roasted Griggstown Chicken as my entree.  Rex started with Braised Veal Ravioli and had the Forty Eight Hour Short Ribs as his main course.  London gave Rex her Greenhouse Lettuces appetizer and dug right into the Roast Loin of Lamb entree, and Maddie just wanted plain old noodles.  Maddie’s only adventure was trying (and loving) the Natirar Poached Egg with toasted brioche appetizer.

One of our waiters looked like Nick Jonas, and the girls were wondering how he would make it in to Times Square in time to sing with his brothers.

For dessert, we tried three different treats, complete with sparklers: Maddie and I each enjoyed a White Chocolate Souffle, London went with the classic Brownie Sundae, and Rex had a delicious Pear Almond Trifle (roasted pears, brandy & mascarpone cream).

We will be back…

If you’d like to join us (or dine without us and let us know all about it), here are the details:
For reservations phone: (908) 901-9500
Open for Dinner. Tuesday through Thursday, 5:30pm - 10:00pm; Friday - Saturday, 5:30pm - 11:00pm; Sunday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm.

The theme is “Tributaries,” and features:

“The Brooks” (Omelets)

• Hollow Brook:  an omelet filled with carmelized shallots and onions, roasted mushrooms (not for Roxy!!) and gruyere
• Middlebrook:  an omelet filled with your choice of cheese (cheddar, gruyere, goat’s cheese, fontina, mozzarella, brie, American, Roquefort)
• India Brook:  an omelet filled with diced red & yellow peppers, onions, diced black forest ham, cheddar 
• Peapack Brook:  an omelet filled with baby spinach, sauteed onions and shallots, goat’s cheese (Rex’s choice)
• Minebrook:  an omelet filled with roasted “grape” tomatoes, asparagus, sauteed onions and brie

All omelets are served with rosti style home fries, choice of breakfast meat and toast

“The Lakes” (Benedicts)

• Ravine-Blair:  Benedict’s Benedict, the original one, two poached eggs over Canadian bacon on an English muffin, with hollandaise
• Mt. Kemble:  Poached eggs over a crab cake and asparagus ona toasted pepper brioche round with hollandaise
• Shiff-Pleasant Valley:  Poached eggs over seared and pan roasted duck breast with both a bit of ligonberry demi and hollandaise over toasted pepper brioche rounds
• Twin Lakes:  Poached eggs with New York Strip cooked to your order, served over potato rosti with a tomato scallion hollandaise

“The Rivers” (Eggs many ways)

• Musconetcong:  For the traditionalist, two eggs any style, served with your choice of breakfast meat, rosti home fries, toast
• Black River:  Skillet eggs, a bed of crispy potatoes, onions and peppers in your own cast iron skillet topped with two sunnyside eggs, bacon spirals and cheese, served up with a fresh biscuit (If Roxy were allowed to have two Mother’s Day brunches, one at 10am and one at noon, this would be my first Limestone Cafe meal of the day)
• Raritan:  Steak and eggs, a 6 ounce portion of New York Strip cooked to order, served with two eggs, any style, served with rosti style potatoes and toast
• Passaic:  Mike’s fabulous Corn Beef Hash, topped with two poached eggs, hollandaise and toast

“Big Streams and Ponds” (From the Griddle)

• Rockaway:  Big French Toast, yes we make it, bake it and slice it thick ourselves from Brioche loaves, dipped in vanilla egg custard, dipped in rice crispies, griddle finished for a crunchy finish, served with your choice of breakfast meat, whipped butter and Vermont maple syrup (This is the one for Roxy’s Mother’s Day sweet tooth!!  I think I will convince London or Maddie to get this one and share it with me, in exchange for a taste of my Lemon Ricotta Pancakes… see below)
• Hoopstick:  Kylie’s favorite Homemade Batter Pancakes, fluffy, griddle cooked, served with your selection of breakfast meat, whipped butter and Vermont maple syrup (available with blueberries too)
• Liberty Pond:  Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, zippy batter cooked up, served with some fresh raspberries and homemade lemon curd, choice of breakfast meat (YES! YES! YES!  “I’ll have what she’s having…”)
• Copper Springs:  Lobster and Brie Crepes, tender crepes filled with tasty lobster meat and brie, carmelized onions and shallots, spring herbs, paired with a small salad with roasted tomatoes, toasted pecans, and sherry vinaigrette
• Duck:  Quiche Lorraine, the traditional bacon, gruyere and carmelized onion favorite, served with a small salad with roasted potatoes, toasted pecans, and sherry vinaigrette

Mother’s Day Brunch Pricing and Other Details:

For all:  an assortment of mini muffins, sticky buns, croissants, scones with whipped butter  (extra basket for 4 for $5.00)

Choice of juice:  fresh orange juice with pulp (Maddie just says no to pulp), pulpless orange juice, pink grapefruit, apple or cranberry

Meat sides, where applicable:  spiral bacon, Canadian bacon, big breakfast sausage links

Coffee, tea or decaf (or milk for the little ones)

All adult meals inclusive as listed $22.00 plus 7% tax and 20% gratuity

Children’s menu available for $12.00 plus 7% tax and 20% gratuity 

Limestone Cafe is located at 89 Main Street, Peapack, New Jersey. Phone (908) 234-1475 to make your Mother’s Day Brunch reservations.

Michelle McGonegal is a Gladstone, NJ, resident with a shop just one mile from her home.  Her 10-year-old son, Liam, can even ride his bicycle to Urban Cottage to visit his mom after school.  A gifted painter and graphic artist, McGonegal views old furniture as art, and has a lifetime love for scouting estate sales to satisfy her appreciation for vintage treasures.    After years of collecting vintage pieces from all over Pennsylvania and upstate New York, McGonegal began taking appointments in her home and held a few open houses for friends and the community to show off her vintage furniture finds.  The positive feedback inspired her to rent her current space in Gladstone and open the Urban Cottage shop.

What makes the Urban Cottage merchandise unique and desirable for today’s customers?  McGonegal believes, “People are less formal today.  The vintage and cottage-like furniture is appealing.  Maybe it is more casual.  Personally, I’m interested in something with history, and the idea of reusing something old is so beautiful.  Nothing is made today the way it used to be.  People love the thrill of hunting for that unique piece.”  McGonegal, who has a fabulous eye for vintage, tastefully chooses the merchandise for Urban Cottage.  Like the words to the country song, “still got a couple of good years left,” McGonegal’s positive outlook and clever eye allow her to give new life to something others might see as “past its prime,” creating that next piece of “recycled vintage” that fits just perfectly in a client’s home.  Her passion for architectural pieces offers customers great ideas on how to use her vintage items, like antique doors and recycled barn wood, on mirrors, frames, and birdhouses.

For those of you who don’t live in the Greater Roxiticus Valley (Mendham, Bernardsville, Chester, Peapack-Gladstone, Far Hills, Bedminster, Basking Ridge, Morris and Somerset Counties), or even within New Jersey and the tri-state area, there’s good news.  You can visit the Urban Cottage web site and call Michelle McGonegal at (908) 719-2200 to discuss any of her vintage treasures in greater detail.  On the Urban Cottage web site, you’ll find organically made gift items, handcrafted by local artists and products that are locally crafted.  McGonegal is also available by appointment for in-home decorating, and provides rental items for special occasions or as props for TV and film production.  Guiding Light, the daytime soap opera, has expressed an interest in some of her pieces.  Keep an eye on Roxy’s Best Of… Peapack-Gladstone for future Urban Cottage events featuring local jewelry designers, potters and doll makers.

Urban Cottage, 271 Main Street, Gladstone, NJ 07934.  Phone (908) 719-2200.  Web Site:  http://www.urbancottagegoods.com.

“Your blog is fun…I am new to these things…I have a new shop in Gladstone called Urban Cottage…Come on in and visit and tell me what you think….Bye!”

While I haven’t had the chance to visit Urban Cottage in person, I did check out their web site and learned a bit about the vintage furniture store:

Michelle, the owner, has “always been crazy for old houses and old house stuff…a particular weakness for cottage style furniture and garden things, architectural items and anything metal/industrial…please help our beautiful planet by re-using the beautiful objects of the past.”

Urban Cottage, 271 Main Street, Gladstone, NJ.  Phone:  (908) 719-2200.

Limestone doesn’t seem to have their own web site, but you can call them for reservations. Phone number is (908) 234-1475.

Limestone Cafe is located at 89 Main Street, Peapack, New Jersey.

Hours:  Lunch: Weds - Fri, 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; Dinner: Weds - Thurs, 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Fri & Sat, 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Sun, 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.; CLOSED MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

Attire:  Casual

Alcohol:  BYOB.

Cafe Azzurro. Italian bistro. BYOB. Open 7 days a week for dinner from 5pm to 10pm, Monday-Friday for lunch from 11:30am to 2:30pm. Private rooms available for parties of up to 80 people. 141 Main Street, Peapack, NJ. Phone: (908) 470-1470.

CocoLuxe is like a taste of Paris right here in Peapack-Gladstone, New Jersey.  Yum…you’ll find cakes, cookies, crumb buns, croissants, and lots of other baked treats at CocoLuxe. Click through to their web site, or you can reach them by phone at (908) 781-5554.