Inside Essex

Inside Essex By Stefanie Jackowitz Explore South Mountain D iscover the beauty of nature on foot at the South Mountain Reservation in West Orange this summer. Explore the winding trails on these free Reservation hikes, organized throughout the season by the South Mountain Conservancy. Hike leader Dave Hogenauer, a Maplewood resident for 45 years, helped organize the group hikes in 2003. "I enjoy introducing people to the park," says Hogenauer. "And I'm always happy when regulars tell me that I've shown them something they've never seen before." Parents and children as young as three can participate in one of the hikes—an exploration of Turtle Back Rock and its connection with the Lenape Indians on July 3. Dog lovers can stroll through wooded roads and back trails with their canine companions on July 5, and families with children eight and older will love the two-hour Rahway River adventure on July 18. ose seeking more of a challenge can try the five-mile Great Circle hike on August 22, featuring a stop at Hemlock Falls. Group hikes run through the beginning of December and range from simple strolls and children's events to highly demanding adventures. For more information, including meeting locations and times, visit www.somocon.org. New Website Channels Memories an Karcher—Montclair High School class of 1983—is on a mission. He recalls a time when students shared laughs between classes at the Montclair High School's outdoor amphitheater— meeting face-to-face to talk and, of course, gossip. e amphitheater, the very site where thousands marched to the tune of "Pomp and Circumstance," has touched many hearts. Today, Karcher recreates that warm feeling with theAmphitheater.org, a website dedicated to Montclair High Alumni. "In all its years, the amphitheater has not changed one bit," says Karcher, now a resident of Pattenburg. "But no matter what we're doing, we can enjoy each other's company once again, in the environment Amphitheater at Montclair High School where we all first met." Karcher, a visual effects designer and radio host at Jazz 88 in Newark, dreamed up the idea for the virtual amphitheater after old friends contacted him on Facebook. With nearly 2,000 hits per day, the website features 3D views of the amphitheater and an opportunity to write a message on the virtual wall. Alumni can visit theAmphitheater.org and click on "Series" to watch interviews with graduates from all over the country, including a Q&A with Karcher's mother, class of 1953. What's next? A picture link, where visitors can peruse historical photographs of the amphitheater being built. 10 SUBURBAN ESSEX MAGAZINE Summer 2009 D T he Manor in West Orange was honored with its 21st consecutive AAA 4-Diamond Award on May 4, as the restaurant and banquet facility hosted the 2009 AAA 4-Diamond Awards Dinner. Owned and run by the Knowles family for 53 years, e Manor is the longest, consecutive-winning NJ restaurant to take home this honor. Other winners of the 2009 AAA 4-Diamond Award included Il Capriccio Ristorante of Whippany and e Bernards Inn of Bernardsville. e nationwide award program rates more than 60,000 hotels and restaurants each year. "We are thrilled to be recognized for doing what our family loves to do, providing an elegant dining experience for our guests," says Kurt Knowles, Sr., owner of e Manor. "Congratulations to everyone who received the award this year." The Manor Glitters in Diamond Awards Walter Luberto Photography

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