Christmas List

Jon suggests Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie

Party With Santa & Snowy

The Princeton Shopping Center will host Party with Santa & Snowy on Saturday, December 3, from 12:30 to 3:00 pm at the outdoor courtyard. Santa Claus and Snowy the snowman will arrive by fire engine at 12:30, driven by the Princeton Fire Company. Children may visit with Santa and Snowy, and parents are welcome to take a photo of the visit. There will be a live concert performance by Rhythm 'n Balloons. The Princeton Shopping Center is located at 301 North Harrison Street in Princeton. Click here for directions.

Christmas List

PUBLIC Bikes

Cyber Monday 1-Day Sale: up to 25% off select bike models, 20% off non-sale gear through November 28 (Promo Code: 20PERCENTOFF)

Christmas List

Masterpiece Classic: Downton Abbey Season 1 DVD (Original UK Unedited Edition)

Downton Abbey is the Emmy Award-winning series from Julian Fellowes starring Dame Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Brendan Coyle and Dan Stevens. Season 2 will premiere in the US January 8, 2012, on PBS. Click here for "Countdown to Downton Season 2."

Christmas List

Paul suggests Fitbit Ultra

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day

by L. Maria Child

Over the river and through the wood,

To grandfather's house we go;

The horse knows the way

To carry the sleigh

Through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river and through the wood—

Oh, how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes

And bites the nose,

As over the ground we go.

Over the river and through the wood,

To have first-rate play.

Hear the bells ring,

"Ting-a-ling-ding!"

Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!

Over the river and through the wood,

And straight through the barn-yard gate.

We seem to go

Extremely slow—

It is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the wood—

Now grandmother's cap I spy!

Hurrah for the fun!

Is the pudding done?

Hurrah for the pumpkin-pie!

Palmer Square Holiday Events

The Palmer Square Annual Tree Lighting will be held on the Green on Friday, November 25, 2011, beginning at 4:45 pm. Santa Claus will be on hand to help light the tree, a 65-foot Norwegian spruce that holds over 32,000 lights. The event will feature music by Holiday Brass and the Princeton High School Choir and a reading of the poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Before the tree lighting, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm, you can meet the characters from the American Repertory Ballet production of The Nutcracker.

On Friday, December 9, the Princeton University Holiday A Capella Jam & Toy Drive will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 pm in Palmer Square. Bring an unwrapped new toy to donate to the YMCA St. Nicholas Project or purchase a toy for the toy drive at JaZams for 20% off.

On Tuesday, December 20, the Annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony will take place at North Plaza on Hulfish Street in front of Mediterra restaurant at 5 pm. The Odessa Klezmer Band will perform traditional Klezmer and Polka melodies rain or shine.

From noon until 2 pm every Saturday and Sunday from November 26 through Christmas Eve, musicians and carolers—and Santa—will stroll throughout Palmer Square. Click here to go to the official Palmer Square website.

November 22, 1963

Photo: Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs.

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Secret Meeting

We met secretly with Dasher to discuss the best delivery route for Santa in Princeton Landing.

Visit the PSO's New Website

Photo: Princeton Symphony Orchestra

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra has redesigned its website—click here to check it out. While you're there, you can also view their upcoming events, including the PSO Holiday POPS! which will be held at 4 pm on Saturday, December 17, 2011, at Richardson Auditorium.

Christmas List

Jon suggests The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco

Christmas List

Did you see Diane Sawyer's moving interview with Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly last night? We can't think of anything more inspiring to lead off this year's Christmas List than their new book Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope.

Happy 30th Anniversary, Jordan's

Jordan's in the Princeton Shopping Center is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month. Anyone in our area looking for greeting cards, gift wrap, candles, stationery, party goods, office supplies, custom printing, photo albums and frames, holiday items—and much more—knows Jordan's will have exactly what they want. And irrepressible, exuberant, entertaining, engaging owner Lewis Wildman and his team are always ready to help.

Princeton Landing's connection with Lewis goes back to its earliest homeowners. As the community was built, residents would go to Jordan's to have cards printed announcing their new address. As more and more homeowners came in with their Sayre Drive addresses, Lewis decided that Sayre Drive was "the longest street in America."

Happy Anniversary, Lewis!

Tomorrow evening Jordan's will be holding an anniversary celebration for local merchants, Hometown Princeton and the store's loyal customers at McCaffrey's 2nd floor Bistro from 6 to 9 pm.

Tarra and Bella

Eight years ago a small white dog wandered into The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee. She befriended an elephant named Tarra, one of twenty-four elephants who have found sanctuary there since it opened in 1995. The dog, Bella, and Tarra became inseparable and the story of their close friendship was covered by CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman in 2009. Sadly, a few weeks ago Bella was found dead, probably attacked by coyotes. Again, Steve Hartman covered the story for CBS News. You can view his piece below. Tarra's devotion to Bella will touch your heart.

Princeton University — 12:03 pm

Fall Back

Remember to move your clocks back one hour tonight. Daylight saving time ends at 2:00 am on Sunday, November 6.

Two Neighbors

About a week ago when I posted a picture of a man and his best friend kayaking down on the canal, I had no idea I had photographed two Princeton Landing residents. Cecilia Byrne, whose parents Jessica and Kevin read our blog, wrote and told me the photo was of her dad Kevin and their beagle Ellie. What we thought was a seriously cute shot turned into a wonderful surprise!

Dorothy Rodham

Dorothy Rodham

1919 – 2011

November Recycling Dates

The recycling dates in Princeton Landing for this month are November 7 and November 21. There is also a link to these dates in the right-hand column under Popular Posts.