buzzworthy
West Orange
BLOWN AWAY
Right now, it’s hard to imagine that shops will reopen
and life will return to normal —or at least normal
enough that it’s possible to go out for aquick blow dry
at a salon. But BLO BLOW DRY BAR in West Orange is
already planning on the good works they’ll deliver during
that happy time with this promotion: Buy a$50 gift card
now, and the shop will donate ablow out to amember
of the RWJ BARNABAS HEALTH team when the business
reopens. Health care workers will be treated to the
complimentary blow outs on a first come, first served
basis. For more information, call (862) 252-6521 or
email [email protected].
Summit
DOCTOR HELPING
DOCTORS
DR. FARROKH SHAFAIE, aplastic
surgeon in Summit, has offered his
office as a place where health care
practitioners can treat patients who
haven’t contracted COVID-19, in
the hopes of alleviating the burden
on overcrowded hospitals.
“Allowing for separate examination
rooms as well as waiting areas
between regular patients and
possible coronavirus patients
could help flatten the curve,” he
says. Shafaie has also donated
masks and gloves to his patients,
as well as to health care professionals
working on the virus.
Maplewood, Summit
ANI RAMEN BECOMES
ANON-PROFIT
ANI RAMEN, the North Jersey ramen
chain, is relaunching as a nonprofit
restaurant to help feed the hungry and give a paycheck to
about 25 percent of its employees during the coronavirus
SARABHAYAVANIJA
pandemic. On April 24, the Jersey City location became the
first to transition to the new business model, to be followed
by the Montclair restaurant in May, and those in Maplewood
and Summit in June.
Described as“temporary, nonprofit popups,” they will
offer two special menus, one for Bang Bang chicken (“Thai
comfort food”) and the other for Rock City Pizza. The former
includes rotisserie chicken for $15 to $19; $8 more will
buy someone a free meal. The latter includes Detroit-style
pizzas for $11 to $13, with $6 sponsoring afree pizza pie
for someone in need.
The donated meals are offered at a large discount. All
profits, says owner LUCK SARABHAYAVANIJA, go to fund
more meals. Sarabhayavanija recognizes that there is still
work to be done. He launched a Kickstarter campaign to help
cover the costs of restaurant equipment. He also partnered
with his childhood friend Mark Bustos, a Nutley native and
high-end hairstylist, to help raise funds. Bustos, who founded
the charity Be Awesome to Somebody —@BeAwesomeFeeds
—spends his days off giving haircuts to the homeless in New
York City.
Sarabhayavanija admits that this venture is not completely
altruistic. “We in the hospitality business are at home, and
we’re not getting the smiles, the thank you’s now. We are
going through withdrawal,” he jokes. “This is a selfish way of
keeping busy and giving back.” • 149 Maplewood Ave.,
Maplewood; (973) 996-2694; 427 Springfield Ave., Summit;
(908) 679-8157, aniramen.com.
BLO BLOWDRY BAR: COURTESY OFBLO BLOW DRY BAR; DOCTOR: COURTESY OFTOM PANICO; ANI RAMEN: COURTESY OF LUCK SARABHAYAVANIJA
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MAY 2020 MILLBURN &SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE