Mask madness

Some of the many masks that were auctioned off.

The bar and dining room at Verve Bistro in Somerville, NJ, was packed on February 18, Fat Tuesday, for the kickoff of the restaurant’s Mardi Gras With Matheny celebration, which continued for four more days, from February 19 thru February 22. The festivities included a mask auction, which began with silent bids on Fat Tuesday and culminated on the final day, along with a gumbo cook-off. There were also plenty of flashy decorations and trinkets, along with the traditional Mardi Gras beads.

Mask sales on Sunday, February 22, totaled $1,200. That, combined with partial proceeds from all five days resulted in Verve making a $2,500 donation to Matheny. Matheny staff and students contributed to the effort by making most of the masks that were hanging for sale in the bar area. Verve owner Rick St. Pierre is well known as someone who gives back to the community. In fact, in 2011, he was Somerset County’s citizen of the year. Thank you, Rick!

Some of the Matheny mask makers, clockwise, from left: Donna Sykes, Center of Medicine and Dentistry clinic manager; Haeree Park, Arts Access project and event coordinator; Eileen Murray, Arts Access director; Burt Brooks, Arts Access performing arts coordinator; and Jodi Miguel, adult services instructor.

Rick St. Pierre with customer Frances Fago of Raritan, NJ, at last year’s Mardi Gras celebration.

Every year, the Verve Bistro in Somerville, NJ, raises money for Matheny as part of its annual Mardi Gras celebration. This year there will be a twist.

Usually the Verve Mardi Gras festivities begin on the Thursday preceding Fat Tuesday and finish with a mask auction on the evening before Ash Wednesday. This year, however, the Saturday before Fat Tuesday is Valentine’s Day, so Rick St. Pierre, Verve’s owner, has decided to start the Mardi Gras celebration on Fat Tuesday and have a special Matheny Mardi Gras party afterward, concluding on Sunday, February 22, with a gumbo cookout.

A portion of the proceeds, including funds raised from the mask auction, will go to Matheny. Many of the masks on display will be made by Matheny students, patients and staff members. Anyone wishing to donate a mask, however, should drop it off by February 14 at Verve, 18 Main St., in Somerville.

Last year, Verve raised $2,219 for Matheny. Since the restaurant’s opening in the late 1990s, St. Pierre has given back to the community. He was named Somerville’s Citizen of the Year in 2011 and was presented with the Somerset County Business Partnership’s Economic Vitality Award in 2008.

To make reservations during the Mardi Gras celebration, February 17–22, call (908) 707-8655 and be sure to mention Matheny.

Rick St. Pierre, left, with Matheny’s Sandy Josephson.

Rick St. Pierre, owner of Verve Bistro in Somerville, NJ,  presented Sandy Josephson, Matheny’s director of marketing and public relations, with an envelope containing $2,219—the fundraising proceeds from the restaurant’s recent Mardi Gras celebration. That total included $1,000 from a portion of Verve’s food and beverage business during the five-day period from February 27 through Fat Tuesday, March 4. The remaining $1,219 was raised from the sale of Mardi Gras masks, made by facilitators in Matheny’s Arts Access Program and patients in Matheny’s Adult Services program.

This was the third consecutive year that Verve designated Matheny as the recipient of its Mardi Gras fundraising efforts. St. Pierre is treasurer of the Downtown Somerville Alliance, which exists to promote, enhance and revitalize Somerville’s downtown as a thriving commercial district and community gathering place for residents, shoppers and visitors. He was named Somerville’s Citizen of the Year in 2011 and was honored with the Somerset County Business Partnership’s Economic Vitality Award in 2008.

Verve owner Rick St. Pierre and Frances Fago of Raritan.

A five-day party began on Thursday, February 27, as residents of Somerville, NJ, and surrounding communities kicked off the Mardi Gras Carnivale at Somerville’s Verve Restaurant.

The contemporary French restaurant celebrated what it calls “the funnest time of the year” from the opening night through Fat Tuesday on March 4 with a mask auction, “gaudy decorations and cheap plastic trinkets.” There were also food specials from the cuisines of New Orleans, Brazil and Venice and a Gumbo Cookoff on Sunday, March 2.

For the third straight year, partial proceeds from the celebration will benefit Matheny. And the walls were adorned with special Mardi Gras masks made by Matheny students, patients and staff. Thank you, Verve!

From left, Ernst Michel, owner of Tessuto Menswear, Somerville; Clarrisa Tanner, CEO of Tanner Financial Services, Bridgewater; and Chris Stamatavos, owner of Kyma Greek Cuisine, Somerville.

Every year, Verve, a restaurant and bistro in Somerville, NJ, celebrates Mardi Gras with its special Mardi Gras Carnivale. This year, the “Five Days of Fun” will run from the evening of Thursday, February 27, until “Fat Tuesday,” March 4. There will be music, bidding on Mardi Gras masks, prizes, gaudy decorations, cheap plastic trinkets and Verve’s food specials representing the cuisines of New Orleans, Venice and Brazil.

For the third year in a row, Verve will donate a portion of its Mardi Gras proceeds to Matheny. And the newest addition to the festivities will be a Gumbo Cook-Off on Sunday, March 2, 2–7 p.m. So throw your beads at 18 East Main St. in Somerville! But first, call (908) 707-8655 to make reservations, and be sure to mention Matheny.

Rick St.Pierre, right, presents a check for $2,100 last year to Sandy Josephson, left, Matheny director of marketing and public relations, and Steve Proctor, Matheny president.

For the third year, the Verve Bistro in Somerville, NJ, has selected Matheny as the recipient of funds raised in connection with its annual Mardi Gras celebration. This year, however, there is an added twist: On Sunday, March 2, two days before Fat Tuesday on March 4, Verve will hold a Gumbo Cookout. This will add a day to the celebration, which begins on Thursday night, February 27.

A portion of the proceeds from the five-day event, including funds raised from the auctioning of Mardi Gras masks, will go to Matheny. Many of the masks on display will be made by Matheny staff members, students and patients. However, anyone can contribute masks. Just drop them off at Verve, at 18 Main St., by February 19.

Last year, Verve donated $2,100 to Matheny. Since opening in the late 1990s, Verve owner Rick St. Pierre has given back to the community. He was named Somerville’s Citizen of the Year in 2011 and was given the Somerset County Business Partnership’s Economic Vitality Award in 2008.

To make reservations during the Mardi Gras celebration between February 27 and March 4, call (908) 707-8655 and be sure to mention Matheny.

Some of last year’s masks.

Verve owner Rick St. Pierre toasts with one of his customers, Eric Patton of Somerville.

The walls of the Verve Bistro Bar & Lounge in Somerville, NJ, were filled with hanging masks made by facilitators in Matheny’s Arts Access Program, students in Matheny’s Adult Services Program and members of the Junior Friends of Matheny. The occasion was opening night, Thursday, February 7, of Verve’s Mardi Gras-Carnivale celebration featuring, in the words of owner Rick St. Pierre, “food and libations of Venice, Brazil and New Orleans, baubles, beads, gaudy decorations and cheap plastic trinkets.”

The celebration was held over the weekend of February 8-9 and will culminate on Fat Tuesday, February 12, with a silent auction for the masks. A portion of the proceeds from the Carnivale will go to Matheny for the second consecutive year. There is still time to join the celebration tonight, by making a reservation. Just call (908) 707-8655; Verve is located at 18 East Main St.

One of two masks created by Arts Access facilitator Joe Matousek that will have an opening bid of $100 at the silent auction.

Arts Access drama facilitator Burt Brooks puts a new spin on comedy/tragedy.

The facilitators in Matheny’s Arts Access Program have immersed themselves in the Mardi Gras spirit, creating more than two dozen masks to be part of the silent auction on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 12, at Verve, a French restaurant in Somerville, NJ. For the second straight year, Verve has selected Matheny to be the beneficiary of its Mardi Gras-Carnivale celebration, which, according to owner Rick St. Pierre, will feature “food and libations of Venice, Brazil and New Orleans, baubles, beads, gaudy decorations and cheap plastic trinkets.”

On Feb. 7-10 and Feb. 12, a portion of the proceeds at Verve will go to Matheny. Last year’s Mardi Gras celebration raised $1,900.

Since opening in the late 1990s, St. Pierre has consistently given back to the community. He was named Somerville’s Citizen of the Year in 2011, and he is chairman of the Downtown Somerville Alliance events committee. In 2008, he was given the Somerset County Business Partnership’s Economic Vitality Award.

Verve recently received a 3½ star review in The Star-Ledger. The restaurant is located at 18 East Main Street. To make reservations, call (908) 707-8655 and be sure to mention Matheny.

Some of the many masks produced by the creative crew at Arts Access.

Chris Saglimbene behind his San Francisco 49ers mask.

Adult Services students at Matheny have gone all out to support the upcoming Mardi Gras-Carnivale celebration at the Verve restaurant in Somerville, NJ. Verve has once again selected Matheny as the beneficiary of its five-day celebration, and part of the proceeds come from a silent auction of masks, to be held on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 12.

The Adult Services students, working with their instructors, created more than a dozen masks from combinations of cardboard, construction paper, magazines, glitter, paint, ribbon and found objects. To learn more about the celebration, they also watched videos about the history of Mardi Gras and listened to jazz.

The Verve Mardi Gras Carnivale celebration will be held on Feb. 7-10, in addition to Fat Tuesday. According to owner Rick St. Pierre, it will feature “food and libations of Venice, Brazil and New Orleans, baubles, beads, gaudy decorations and cheap plastic trinkets.” To make a reservation, call (908) 707-8655 and be sure to mention Matheny.

Dion Alston working on his mask.

State Sen. Christopher Bateman at last year’s Mardi Gras celebration.

Verve, a French restaurant in Somerville, NJ, has once again selected Matheny as the beneficiary of its Mardi Gras-Carnivale celebration, to be held Feb. 7-10 and 12. The celebration, according to owner Rick St. Pierre, will feature Venice, Brazil and New Orleans-inspired food and libations, baubles, beads, gaudy decorations and cheap plastic trinkets. Partial proceeds from those nights will be donated to Matheny.

A special feature of the Fat Tuesday celebration, on Feb. 12, is the annual Mardi Gras silent mask auction, and a portion of the auction proceeds will also benefit Matheny. Want to donate a mask? Drop it off at Verve, 18 East Main St., by January 28.

Since opening Verve in the late 1990s, St. Pierre has consistently given back to the community. He was named Somerville’s Citizen of the Year in 2011, and he is chairman of the Downtown Somerville Alliance events committee. In 2008, he was given the Somerset County Business Partnership’s Economic Vitality Award.

In 2012, the Mardi Gras celebration raised $1,900 for Matheny. For reservations, call (908) 707-8655 and be sure to mention Matheny.

One of last year’s Mardi Gras masks.

Verve owner Rick St. Pierre, right, at the Mardi Gras celebration, with David Christiansen and Nancy Allegar of Stockton, NJ.

Matheny received $2,000 from the Mardi Gras celebration and mask silent auction held in February by the Verve Bistro Bar Lounge in Somerville, NJ.

On Fat Tuesday, February 21, 10% of all proceeds at Verve were donated to Matheny. In addition, Matheny received a portion of the money collected from a silent auction of Mardi Gras masks, many of which were created and donated by Matheny staff members.

In presenting the donation, Rick St. Pierre, Verve owner, said: “It was a pleasure working with the Matheny family to ensure a wonderful Mardi Gras event. I look forward to continuing our efforts with you for next year.”

State Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman purchased one of the Mardi Gras masks created and donated by Matheny staff members.