Cultural Renaissance in Saddle River
for West Bergen Mental Healthcare and The Bishop House
The weekend before Thanksgiving a cultural renaissance took place at the Bishop House in Saddle River, hosted by the Saddle River Valley Junior Woman’s Club and sponsored by Bergen Jaguar, Steinway & Sons, Greenland Landscapes and Hartgers Jewelers.
On Friday, the cool night air outside the heated barn and tent was filled with the lyrical voices of the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players, Wandrn’g Minstrels performing a musical review (photo). A dessert reception with the cast followed. Saturday evening found the barn alive once again, while Steve Cohen, Ten Dizzy Fingers, played background music on a Steinway concert grand piano during a wine tasting hosted by Chuck Russo’s Wine and Spirit World of Ho-Ho-Kus. During the festive soiree, guests nibbled on delectable cheeses served by Trader Joe’s of Paramus and appetizers compliments of Aldo’s in Wyckoff. The party was topped off by a delightful jazz concert of Gerry Mulligan standards performed by the Ron Vincent Quartet featuring Warren Vache.
On Sunday afternoon, Bookends attended to Mary Higgins Clark as she graced the Bishop House with her presence and signed many books for her adoring fans.
Saturday and Sunday the house was alive with early holiday shoppers meandering through the quaint rooms purchasing gifts from the likes of Hartgers Jewelers and Eurica of Wyckoff, Levato and Gaudiomonte Opticians, JMcLaughlin and many other local merchants.
Two lucky attendees were winners of a “Jaguar for the Weekend” while a third won a Steinway Essex Player Piano in her home for 6 months.
Steinway & Sons provided music inside as well, with a beautiful baby grand playing in the background while visitors browsed and shopped, some stopped by to have silhouettes created by a silhouette artist while others made arrangements to have pen and ink portraits done of their homes. While guests shopped and browsed inside the Bishop House, outside on the grounds Bergen County Mounted Police watched over the festivities.
All this happened because the Saddle River Valley Junior Woman’s Club firmly believes in supporting the local merchants within a healthy well-rounded community. The event gave many a chance to mingle with artists, writers, musicians, and singers. The weekend also gave residents a chance to connect and reconnect with many local merchants.
West Bergen Mental Healthcare and the Bishop House Foundation were the recipients of what looks to become an annual event and a Saddle River tradition to benefit the community while holding the past and future in the best light.