HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy in Alpha, NJ

Sara Carlesimo and Elizabeth Roseman met in a moms group with their newborns. Now the fitness-passionate lawyers are opening Alpha Fit Club.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Alpha Fit Club(AFC) Basking Ridge has officially opened in Riverwalk Village on the border of Bridgewater.

The boutique fitness group is owned by Sara Carlesimo of Fanwood and Elizabeth Roseman of Florham Park, who met in a moms' group.

The pair had much in common. They were both mothers of newborns, both attorneys, and both had a passion for fitness. It was only natural for Carlesimo and Roseman to open Alpha Fit Club.

"Fitness has always been a passion and high priority of ours," said Carlesimo and Roseman.

Carlesimo, who is a lawyer and senior manager within the financial services industry, was a two-sport college athlete.

"I learned early on the importance of fitness training, both from a mental and physical standpoint. I carried my dedication and interest in fitness post college, training for triathlons as a release during and after law school," said Carlesimo.

Roseman is an executive compensation attorney that is now responsible for global HR compensation and benefits strategy for a financial services company.

"I’m also a former gymnast, personal trainer and documented super taster that loves food and happy hour," said Roseman. "Love challenging anyone to a walking handstand!"

Both said they wanted "to demonstrate to their children the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and habits, including a consistent fitness routine."

Discussions to open a franchise location with AFC started about a year ago.

"When franchising discussions began last year, it was an immediate yes for us. To dedicate the time, equity, and trust in a business venture, having a mission and program that you believe in is critical. Alpha Fit Club has always been special to us and opening one of the first franchises has afforded us the opportunity to be a part of an exciting growth and expansion of a business that has been such an influential and important part of my life the last couple of years," said Carlesimo and Roseman.

A grand opening of the newly designed 4,000-square-foot studio in Basking Ridge was held this past Saturday. Constructed by Shoreline East Construction Corp, the studio is accompanied by full-service locker rooms, a collaboration space, and juice and snack bar.

This is the first franchise for Carlesimo and Roseman, their second AFC location is set to open in Princeton Shopping Center in February 2023.

Alpha Fit Club is a premier group fitness training program for all fitness levels. The circuit-style concept features a blend of total body strength training, coupled with high-intensity cardio. Members rotate through six stations in accountability packs of four people, challenging themselves for six minutes at each station.

Each station varies between cardio and strength, or a combination of the two, which can be scaled for any fitness level.

Members can access class schedules for booking via the alpha fit club app. More information on memberships, packages and class schedules can be found at alphafitclub.com/locations/basking-ridge or facebook.com/alphafitclub.baskingridge or instagram.com/alphafitclub.baskingridge.

View full sizeExpress-Times | BILL ADAMS

Something unique is on tap at a new Alpha restaurant.

The Hops & Barley Restaurant, located at the former site of Charlie Brown's Steakhouse, has 10 beers on draft -- including its own brew, Harbour Red Lager.

The German-style beer is brewed exclusively for the Alpha restaurant and its sister location at Patriots Crossing in Titusville, N.J. The beer has been a work in progress for owner Paul Louie and is brewed by Butler, N.J.-based High Point Brewing Co.

“It’s my recipe,” Louie said Monday standing in the comfortable dark-wooden bar, noting it took roughly 17 weeks to create. “We would go back four times a week to experiment with the formulation.”

Down the road, there are plans for the restaurant to brew onsite.

Hops & Barley's menu centers on new American cuisine and sushi.

“There is a good variety for the style of food,” Louie said, noting the various fish and meat choices. “Items are from various parts of the world’s culture and are prepared in a style of French cooking.”

The restaurant, which opened Aug. 8, offers sushi Wednesday through Sunday and intends on converting Charlie Brown’s salad bar into a sushi bar in a month. The 240-seat restaurant also plans a grand opening the third week of September after its second-floor renovation is complete.

The second-floor space, which can seat 60, will be used for banquets and parties and will turn into a lounge on nights it is not booked.

View full sizeExpress-Times | BILL ADAMS

“It will give people the opportunity to mingle and have a conversation without shouting,” Louie said. “We are in the process of booking entertainment as well.”

Outdoor seating is also available.

Michael LaCorte, the restaurant’s executive chef, has worked in New York City, most notably The River Café in Brooklyn, N.Y.

“The response has been good,” LaCorte said. “It’s not a destination restaurant but it gives people a different option than what’s in the area.”

Everything is made in house, except the bread, Louie said.

Louie, a 52-year-old Chatham, N.J.-resident, said he quit his Wall Street job of 30 years in 2011 to pursue his restaurant dreams. He looked around for awhile before stumbling upon the old Charlie Brown’s, which had been vacant for nearly two years.

“What’s nice about this location is there’s not much like this in the entire area,” said Louie, who is co-owner with his brother at both restaurants. “The closest place to something of this size and style of food is in Clinton.”

Since opening, Louie said the top sellers have been gourmet sandwiches, wings, sushi and burgers.

Hops & Barley Restaurant, 1603 Springtown Road, is open Sunday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.; and Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. until late.

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SPECIALS

Happy hour is Monday through Friday 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. All light draft beer pints are $2 and every other drink is $1 off during happy hour.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the restaurant offers 1-pound prime rib for $19.95.

The Mugger Chugger Club allows guest to have a lifetime membership of their own personal 22-beer ounce beer mug. The one-time $25 fee will allow club members to fill up the mug for the same price as a pint.

The allergic reaction occurs when an infected person eats beef, pork, venison or other meat from mammals - or drinks milk, researchers said.

Michelle Rotuno-Johnson, Patch Staff

NEW JERSEY —The number of people in New Jersey who may be living with a meat allergy triggered by tick bites is likely greater than official numbers suggest, according to a pair of studies released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The first study estimated as many as 110,000 Americans developed an allergy to red meat between 2010-2022 because of alpha-gal syndrome, or AGS. But, the CDC says the true number of Americans who have developed the allergy may be closer to 450,000.

That would make it the 10th most common food allergy in the country, Dr. Scott Commins, a University of North Carolina researcher who co-authored both papers, told The Associated Press.

The number of people testing positive for alpha-gal antibodies rose from about 13,000 in 2017 to 19,000 in 2022, according to one of the studies. The highest prevalences of suspected cases were in Southern, Midwestern, and some Mid-Atlantic states, data shows.

During that period in New Jersey, people in every county tested positive for the antibodies, CDC data shows. The highest concentrations were in Central and South Jersey.

Find out what's happening in Across New Jerseywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Scientists discovered in 2011 that the alpha-gal sugar could be spread through tick bites, tying it to the lone star tick, which is common in the eastern and southern United States, including in New Jersey.

The increases are due in part to the expanding range of lone star ticks, but also because doctors are testing more for the antibody.

But many aren’t. In a survey of 1,500 health care workers last year, 78 percent said they had little or no knowledge of the syndrome, and only 5 percent said they felt very confident they could diagnose it.

Dr. Ann Carpenter, an epidemiologist and lead author of one of the papers, called alpha-gel syndrome “an important emerging health problem, with potentially severe health impacts that can last a lifetime for some patients.”

“It’s critical for clinicians to be aware of AGS, so they can properly evaluate, diagnose, and manage their patients and also educate them on tick-bite prevention to protect patients from developing this allergic condition,” Carpenter said in a news release announcing the studies.

Health officials said they aren’t aware of any confirmed deaths related to the allergy.

The AGS reaction occurs when an infected person eats beef, pork, venison or other meat from mammals — or ingests milk, gelatin or other mammal products. It’s not caused by a germ but by a sugar, alpha-gal, that is in meat from mammals — and in tick spit. When the sugar enters the body through the skin, it triggers an immune response and can lead to a severe allergic reaction.

People who have been infected usually notice symptoms within two and six hours after eating food or ingesting other products containing alpha-gal, including gelatin-coated medications.

Symptoms include hives or an itchy rash; nausea or vomiting; heartburn or indigestion; diarrhea; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; drop in blood pressure; swelling of the lips, throat, tongue, or eyelids; dizziness or faintness; or severe stomach pain.

CDC officials urged anyone who thinks they may be infected to see a doctor or allergist and also emphasized the importance of preventing tick bites.

Patch's national desk and the Associated Press contributed reporting.

alpha borough pool - express times

Alpha Borough Pool: Express-Times file photo

(Express-Times file photo)

ALPHA —Despite voter approval through referendum in November to work toward rehabilitating and reopening the Dolak Pool, Alpha Borough Council approved a motion to demolish the pool at tonight's regularly scheduled meeting.

The vote was 4-2, with councilmen Louis Cartabona and Mike Schwar dissenting. Mayor Ed Hanics Jr. was absent from the meeting due to illness, Councilman Tom Seiss said.

The motion was made during the second public comment portion of the meeting after resident and former Councilman Mike Savary requested an update on when the borough would be voting after receiving the pool committee's 38 page report and a rehabilitation estimate of $150,000.

Councilman Millard Rooks, who was absent prior to public comment due to a stomach virus, made the motion to vote to demolish the pool during Savary's comment.

Rooks left the meeting before closed executive session, but in a phone interview after the meeting explained that he made the motion to end what he believes is a "dead issue."

Thanking the committee, specifically Tracy Grossman, for their time and effort, Rooks said that "past precedent had shown that the pool could not be self sustaining now," adding that he will now begin the process of reviewing other options for the property including tennis courts or baseball fields funded through Open Spaces.

Councilman Harry Zikas was last to vote, and publicly explained his decision with the small crowd in attendance.

In an interview after the meeting, Zikas said he voted in favor of demolition because it was his tie-breaking vote as mayor in 2005 that led to further problems with the pool and voter disappointment at the time.

Councilwoman Carol Schwar said before voting that she doesn't believe the borough could afford to maintain and run the pool after renovating it, explaining that she believes there is more maintenance to be done than was addressed in the estimate given by contractors such as possible repair if the pool cannot hold water.

Requesting council wait for Hanics to be present and for a final report from the pool committee to account for further financial questions, Cartabona said voting now "is a smack in the face to everyone who worked diligently" on the report.

Following the vote, Grossman said during public comment that she was "incredibly disappointed" in the decision.

"Residents here spoke and you chose not to listen," she said addressing council.

In an interview after the meeting, Grossman said that if borough residents are upset with this decision then they need to attend the next council meeting on Tuesday, June 10.

Both Rooks and Zikas agreed that the motion would likely move forward to an agenda item resolution for a second vote. A cost for demolition to the pool was not discussed.

Stay with NJ.com for more on this story

Tom Robins, also known as "The Balloon Man" is the owner and chief inspector of SkyTec Balloon Repair Station in Alpha, New Jersey.

ALPHA, New Jersey (WABC) -- Tom Robins, also known as "The Balloon Man" is the owner and chief inspector of SkyTec Balloon Repair Station in Alpha, New Jersey.

Robins' passion for flying and inspecting hot air balloons began 34 years ago after going on his first balloon ride and instantly falling in love with the experience.

He quit his job and began flying, repairing and inspecting hot air balloons as a profession.

"It's a very basic system but very important," says Robins who inspects aircrafts that can fly up to 13,000 feet in the air.

The aircraft must undergo an annual FAA certified inspection to ensure they are airworthy and that everything is safe for flight.

Robins starts his inspections by testing the fabric of the balloon with tester clamps pulling them to certain poundage. If the fabric doesn't tear then it passes that step of the inspection. He later inspects the basket and fuel system, which includes the burner, to make sure there is no damage.

Once all the parts of the balloon are inspected, Robins completes the paperwork indicating that the balloon is airworthy for another year or 100 hours of flight time.

"There's not a lot of balloon repairing stations in the country so it's a nice little niche that I have here. I really get to meet a lot of great people who are my friends too not just my customers," says Robins.

On average, a hot air balloon inspection can cost from $400-$500, unless there are additional maintenance or repairs necessary.

"People ask me: How do you describe what a balloon ride is like? There are literally no words... If you've never done it my words won't do it justice. When you're in the balloon it is very dreamlike. It's pretty awesome. You got to do it!" says Robins.

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