BARD OF THE BACK ROOM
THE END OF CIVILIZATION BY PETER WALDOR
MORE MEX, LESS TEX
Buzz
the
WRITTEN BY
DEBORAH SCHAPIRO
To be considered for THE BUZZ, contact Millburn @ Northjersey. com
PETER
WALDOR Waldor’ s new book of poems is available on Amazon. His previous books are available at Words Bookstore, 179 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, 973-763-9500, www. wordsbookstore. com.
BARD OF THE BACK ROOM
Local insurance broker and award-winning poet, PETER WALDOR, won a2013 National Jewish Book Award for Who Touches Everything, acollection of poems about children and families. His new volume of verse, STATE OFTHE UNION, was published in January. Currently available on Amazon, it deals with a vastly different subject but one that is equally familiar to Garden State residents: corruption.“ In my business activities, I haveencounteredencountered lots of strange situations at the intersection of business and politics,” Waldor says.“ A friend suggested I write a book of poetry about New Jersey’ s pay-toplay culture. I told him he was crazy, but over the next few years, the poems startedtoto come out.”
Waldor grew up in South Orangeandand has lived in ShortHills forthe past 15 years and is well-versed in NewJersey’ s political culture. The poems are state-specific, with references to landmarks such as Newark’ sBelmont Tavern and the late Pal’ sCabin in West Orange. Several poems areset in Atlantic City, and at least one local politician is mentioned by name.“ It’ svery challenging to write lyric poetry about corruption in business and politics,” Peter says. For more information, email Peteratpwaldor @ pwains. com.
THE END OF CIVILIZATION BY PETER WALDOR
is just the sound of awhiteenvelope sliding across whitetablecloth
at Pal’ sCabin – bycoincidence, two old governors at other tables …
the glue un-licked, the counting will happen afterwards,
MORE MEX, LESS TEX
Summit ROSALITA
MEXICAN 10 Maple St., Summit 908-598-9200 www. rosalitamexican. com
After 20-plus visits to Mexico, longtime Millburn resident Allan Luftig learned the difference between authentic Mexican cuisine and the food that is offered in fast-food chains. His Summit restaurant ROSALITA MEXICAN reflects his knowledge:“ We serve the kind of food my wife and IenjoyedinMexico – traditional dishes made with fresh ingredients.”
Open sinceJanuary 2016, Rosalita Mexican( the name is anod to Bruce Springsteen’ s song,“ Rosalita”) is not Luftig’ sfirst restaurant; he owned and operated Monster Sushi, also inSummit, from 2002 until it closed in2015.“ The last couple of years at Monster Sushi, we added some Mexican touches, such as spicy tuna tacos and alayered shrimp-tomato-guacamole dish,” Luftig says.
Both dishes are onthe Rosalita Mexican menu, along with native dishes such as TacosalPastor, slow-cooked pork marinated insalsa and pineapple juice and served with pineapple; and chicken mole poblano, cooked inablend of spices and ahint of chocolate. Tex-Mex fans need not worry, though: the restaurant also serves avariety of burritos and quesadillas.“ Burritos are great,” Luftig says.“ But we also want to show our customers that not all Mexican food needs tobeserved with rice and beans.”
in the SUV, hoping for the best. Bracelet
beyond cuff and appraised Roman pinkie ring.
Whiteonwhite, a polar bear crossing snow.
Even the waiter gets modestly lucky this morn.
Inside, hundreds tight as pages Of a closedbook, enough to stop abullet.
The conversation, of course, boring. After the contract is let the one
without the envelope must now perform withthe skill of any true winner.
PETER WALDOR COURTESY OF GINNY TWERSKY; ROSALIA MEXICAN: COURTESY OF ALLAN LUFTIG
12 SPRING 2017 MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE