BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS: Last minute Mother’s Day ideas

By Bradley Koltz
   Still looking for something special for Mom this Mother’s Day?
   Celebrate Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 13, with Grammy Award-winning R&B singer-songwriter Brian McKnight in an intimate, solo-acoustic performance at The State Theatre in New Brunswick.
   For tickets and more information call the theater at 732-246-7469 or visit them online at www.statetheatrenj.org.
   Celebrate Mother’s Day at the Rocky Hill Inn with a great prix fixe from 1 to 5 p.m. It includes a champagne toast and three courses for only $49. A children’s menu is also available.
   They are located at 137 Washington St. and Route 518 in Rocky Hill. Call 609-683-8930 to make reservations.
   Charmed by Claire is having a special Mother’s Day offer through May 13. If you buy any Brighton necklace and bracelet you can get a free pair of earrings to go along with them.
   For more information, visit their website at www.charmedbyclaire.net. They are located at 33 North Main Street in Cranbury. You can call them at 609-409-6077.
Open house
   On Saturday, May 12, the public gets to take a peek inside the region’s newest, state of the art medical facility. University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro will be hosting a public open house from noon to 6 p.m.
   Meet the staff and enjoy tours, screenings, entertainment, refreshments and more. All cars with a visible handicapped or ambassador parking sign can park at the new hospital. All other guests will park at nearby lots and travel to and from the hospital on large, comfortable buses — and enjoy door prize drawings during their short ride.
   Look for Event Parking signs in Plainsboro. If using a GPS, please use: 600 College Road East, Plainsboro, as the address. However, please note that some GPS devices may require you to enter Princeton instead of Plainsboro.
   RSVP at princetonhcs.org/openhouse or call 1.888.897.8979. When you pre-register, you’ll be entered to win a 36-inch flat-screen TV.
Happy birthday!
   Palmer Square in Princeton is celebrating it’s 75th birthday later this October, but you can get in on the fun starting now.
   Any reader of this column who emails me before Monday, May 14, with the answer to this trivia question will get a buy-one, get-one-free coupon for a classified ad. See the end of this column for my email info.
   Okay, so here’s the trivia question: Name a business that opened in Palmer Square in 1937 and is still in the same location today. Need a hint? Check out www.palmersquare.com.
Girls night out
Gentlemen, if you notice the ladies are all missing on Thursday, May 17, from 4 to 9 p.m., they’re probably at Palmer Square’s Girls Night Out event. They’ll experience an evening of exclusive promotions and discounts brought to you by the shops and restaurants of Palmer Square in downtown Princeton, enjoying food samplings, live music, raffle prizes and more. RSVP at www.palmersquare.com/events/girls-night-out.
   Creped crusaders?
   On Friday, May 18, Gotham Princeton will be holding their monthly luncheon at Mediterra Restaurant in Princeton from 12:15 to 2 p.m. Members and guests will discuss marketing strategies and numerous other challenges in running one’s own business, and there is plenty of time to socialize as well.
   In order to attend the lunch program, guests must register in advance. To register online, visit www.gothamnetworking.com/events/eventDetail.php?eventId=2140. Cost of the lunch and program is $35.
   Gotham City Networking Group consists of 40 affiliate groups and has close to 800 members. Gotham, which was founded in 1997, is a unique networking/social group in that it supports and benefits members both personally and professionally.
   Members extend business leads, and collaborate and assist each other on many levels through the web, a Gotham listserv, and interpersonal exchange. Gotham Princeton has monthly meetings that include educational sessions and discussions of both local issues and broader business trends.
Calling all foodies
   The Princeton Farmers Market is opening on May 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Hinds Plaza.
Welcome!
   Have you ever indulged in a Liege waffle from Belgium? Now you can. Nina’s Waffles brings traditional Belgium waffles to New Hope. The Liege waffles are made from dough rather than a batter. The waffles are made with a special imported Belgium pearl sugar.
   When the dough is placed in the waffle iron, the sugar caramelizes and creates a crispy coating. This amazingly sweet and dense waffle is like nothing you have ever tasted.
   The grand opening for Nina’s Waffles will take place Sunday, May 20, at 31 West Mechanic St. in New Hope. Currently, Nina’s is open Thursday through Sunday. After May 10 they will be open 7 days a week with extended hours on weekends. Call 215-862-1660 for further information.
Grub Hut wins
   The Grub Hut in Manville recently won “Best Burger” at the Taste of Hillsborough Burger Cook-Off. They’re located at 307 N. Main Street in Manville. Call them at 908-203-8003.
   On Sunday, May 20, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., the Princeton YWCA will hold a memorial celebration in memory of Patti Preston, a nursery school educator for 23 years who recently passed away. The YWCA invites the town to join them for a family event that will include many family activities, the unveiling of a memorial garden, and a new outdoor classroom.
Hopewell bank results
   Patrick L. Ryan, chairman, and James Hyman, president and CEO, of Hopewell Valley Community Bank jointly announced that the bank started 2012 posting a profit for the 44th consecutive quarter, with total assets moving above the $400 million mark.
   The bank’s net income for the first quarter of 2012 came in at $490,255 or $.14 per share, as compared to the 2011 equivalent period total of $542,138 or $.17 per share. Branch expansion as well as bringing on additional skilled personnel also drove an 8.6 percent increase in operating expenses.
   HVC Bank’s total assets for the first quarter of 2012 ended the period at $415,899,591, a 13.7 percent increase over the corresponding 2011 quarterly figure of $365,961,709.
   For those of us who hold accounts there, this is really no surprise. Tellers and bank managers alike greet customers by name. Heck, they even remember my kids names and ask how they’re doing. They really make good customer service look easy.
Roma Bank results
   Robbinsville’s Roma Financial Corporation, the holding company of Roma Bank and RomAsia Bank, announced its results of operation for the three months ended March 31.
   Net income attributable to Roma Financial Corporation for the three months was $1.4 million, or $.05 per common and diluted share, compared to $1.9 million, or $.06 per common and diluted share, for the same period of the prior year.
   The consolidated assets were $1.9 billion, unchanged from Dec.31, 2011; deposits decreased 1.8 percent to $1.5 billion and equity increased to $219.4 million from $218.0 million at Dec. 31, 2011.
   If you’re a local business doing something new, interesting, good for the community, or just want to let our readers know about a new product or service, please contact General Manager Brad Koltz at [email protected].