Readers, say this next word out loud as you read it: "spa." It's almost like saying, "ahhhh," and that may be by grand design. A trip to one of the many mani/pedi, massaging, and beautifying relaxation businesses in the area will yield the sensation of feeling good - and looking it, too.  Spa visits have come a long way; if this were the '70s, men wouldn't want to have anything to do with the concept of cutting cuticles, unless it was the name of an event at a tractor pull. Nowadays, men are a little more put together … and like women.  Here's a Patch-ified guide to local spa spots - make …

St. Patrick's Day is upon us, and that means the Irish soda bread will be plentiful, and green beer will be flowing like, well, like beer. Here is a Patch-compiled list of some local hotspots you can go to "get your green on." O'Neil's Restaurant and Pub: With a name like O'Neil's, you know St. Patrick's Day is a day they go all out. Head bartender Rich says it's one of the busiest days of the year for the Bloomfield Avenue pub, which has Irished up its regular menu to include everything you'd expect; from corned beef and cabbage to Irish chicken to bangers and mash. Piles of green hats, tee …

Readers rejoice: Wednesday, March 2 is national "Read Across America Day." It's a nice turn of the page put forth by the sometimes militaristic N.E.A. (that's National Education Association, and this writer is also a teacher - take my word for it). Reading is an amazing, engaging, life-skill building activity - and doing it is an  ongoing event, not limited to just one day. It's also just plain lo' fun. Sometimes it's nice to get a good reading recommendation - who better to turn to than the professionals? Here are some assorted picks from the staffs at the Verona Public Library, and more.  1…

There's a line in an older, rather obscure Ramones song entitled "Somebody Like Me" wherein Joey Ramone sings that if you want to find him, he's "out on the street," or "at the concert," and finally, "at the boutique." If those lyrics finished with "at Target" (even in 1983, where the reference would have been to a store chain being held at bay in the Midwest by the likes of Bradlee's over here) it wouldn't have been nearly as cool, for the Godfather of Punk knew (as well as the tune's writer, Dee Dee Ramone) that hanging out a boutique was a lot cooler than a big box store. Now, before you …

"It's the most romantic time of the year …" Wait - those aren't the lyrics to that song! Come to think of it, why aren't there any big Valentine's Day-specific songs? Well, there is John Paul Young's classic, "Love is In The Air" (and now it's stuck in your head, too), but it doesn't even mention the holiday by name. Ultimately Valentine's Day isn't about sound as so much scent. It's emphasizes the senses of sight and scent. Your loved one, roses, perfume … food. A good dinner in a great setting is quite the aphrodisiac … and way of getting off the hook for not forgetting the holiday. Another…

This Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Green Bay Packers in professional football's ultimate battle, Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.  On the day of the game, you will tap into your inner child by probably drinking something on tap and eating all kinds of fun food, while playing armchair quarterback. Where is the question, and somewhere in Verona or Cedar Grove is the answer. Here are a bunch of places with cool atmospheres, good food, and bunches of TVs. Over at O'Neils in Verona, Rich Luongo says "we're going to have a quite a nice time. There are quite a …