Montclair Magazine Spring 2020 | Page 10

BUZZWORTHY To be considered for Buzzworthy, contact Cindy Schweich Handler at [email protected] Montclair CHOCOHOLIC HEAVEN Montclair ADAPT PT COMES HOME TO MONTCLAIR Montclair native Cody Plofker and his girlfriend, physical therapist Payal Patel, enjoyed working with high-performing youth and professional athletes in a Lawrence, New Jersey, sports com- plex, except for one detail: It wasn’t in Montclair. So Patel and Plofker, the son of cosmetics mogul Bobbi Brown and real estate developer Steven Plofker, corrected that discrepancy by moving back to Cody’s hometown and opening ADAPT PHYSICAL THERAPY. “Our entire goal is to help people live with confidence, knowing they are in control of their health and physical bodies so they can do whatever it is they love doing,” says Plofker. “We aim to actually have our clients love going to physical therapy.” Sweetening the deal, Adapt PT offers clients hot beverages and free organic snacks. • 8 Lackawanna Plaza, Suite A, [phone], adaptptnj.com 8 SPRING 2020 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE Montclair GELATI BY MIKE WINS INTERNATIONAL PRAISE Chef Mike Guerriero made dessert history in January when GELATI BY MIKE was crowned the No. 1 Gelato in North America and ranked No. 7 worldwide at the Sigep international expo in Rimini, Italy. Guerriero’s team came out ahead of more than 1,000 others. “This is huge news for New Jersey, our home- town of Paterson, and Caldwell, Montclair, and Randolph, where our shops are,” says Guerriero. “Chefs from Italy, Japan, Argentina, and beyond already plan to visit New Jersey to see what we are all about.” Guerriero will represent the United States in 2021 in the Gelato Festival World Masters, which will see representatives from 20 countries and more than 30 chefs compete for the title of World Champion. • 571 Bloomfield Ave., [phone], gelatibymike.com Montclair BOOKS BONANZA Alert to voracious — and civic-mind- APRIL ed — readers: The semi-annual USED BOOK & MUSIC SALE sponsored by the College Women’s Club of Montclair is being held from April 15 to 26 at Booksale Headquarters (opposite the Park Street YMCA). Bibliophiles can choose from roughly 100,000 books (including a large selection related to politics and the Civil War), as well as LPs, CDs, DVDs, audio and video tapes, sheet music and other items. Proceeds go towards scholarship funds for girls graduating from Montclair, Glen Ridge, Cedar Grove and Verona High Schools. This past year, the Women’s Club distributed $36,000 to 18 senior girls. • For more information about admission fees and times, go to cwcmontclair.com. 26 Park St., lower level, [phone] 15-26 COURTESY VESTA CHOCOLATE is the new destination for chocoholics in Upper Montclair, offering hand-made, bean-to-bar choco- late, caramels, marshmallows, bonbons and other sweets. The chocolate is made on-premises with beans from the Dominican Republic and other pure ingredi- ents, says Roger Rodriguez, a Dominican Republic native who owns Vesta with his wife, Julia Choi Rodriguez. That chocolate is then molded into bars, drizzled over fillings, swirled into ganache, boiled into hot chocolate and baked into moist, rich brownies flecked with sea salt. Espresso, drip coffee, lattes topped with swirls of foam, teas, cappuccinos and — of course — mocha coffees are also offered there. A small table by the window affords customers a view of the passing show on Valley Road. The Rodriguezes plan to hold wine and chocolate pairing classes as well as chocolate-making classes. • 598 Valley Road, [phone], vestachocolate.com