Every year Hawthorne High School takes a winter break. This year the school will be closed from a half day of school on December 23 until we return on January 5. This break is a great time to enjoy holiday presents, see family and friends, and explore ways to ease the boredom that’s bound to set in after a while. Here are a few places in the area that can cease your boredom with food and other activities.
Hawthorne Eateries
Puzo’s Family Restaurant [4 Garfield Avenue, Hawthorne] Puzo’s family restaurant is a great place to find semi-fine dining with exquisite foods that are made straight from the oven. This restaurant offers authentic Italian food that you may not find anywhere else. Puzo’s has amazing mussels and a thick pasta called gnocchi, which is hard to find around this area.
Hot Diggity [204 Diamond Bridge Avenue, Hawthorne] Hot Diggity is a fairly recent addition to Hawthorne’s family of restaurants and has traditional American food such as hot dogs, hamburgers, and milkshakes. The restaurant also offers soups and chili of the day that counters the freezing weather.
Andy’s Corner [438 Lafayette Ave, Hawthorne] Located on a familiar corner that many students pass on their walk home from the high school, it is a delightful place with a peaceful and friendly atmosphere. The restaurant has a very broad menu starting with pancakes for breakfast to a hamburger for lunch or dinner.
Cuban Flavor Cafe [197 Diamond Bridge Ave, Hawthorne] This Cuban-based restaurant is a great way to taste American-Cuban food. The restaurant offers a great American breakfast such as homemade waffles, French toast, and a variety of pancakes that suit everyone’s liking.
Kirker’s Inn [237 Diamond Bridge Ave, Hawthorne] Try some traditional German food at the award-winning Kirker’s Inn. The restaurant won an award for its wonderful sauerbraten. It also serves a delicious well-known German food called wurst.
Zheng Garden [550 Lafayette Ave, Hawthorne] This traditional American-Chinese food restaurant has food that kicks and adds excitement to the mouth. It has a large menu of options and offers delivery.
Eateries Out of Town
Railyard Tavern [14-24 N. Plaza Road, Fair Lawn] This is a new restaurant that has a modern atmosphere but is based after the old rail yard. Flat screen televisions light up the walls with multiple channels and there is a brick oven pizza for those who like a dark crust. The Tavern’s owner, Bob Piccoli, is always coming up with new specialties that everyone enjoys.
Blue Moon [327 Franklin Ave, Wyckoff] Blue Moon is a Mexican restaurant that makes its food come together very well. The taco and rice combination has an exquisite taste that tingles every taste bud.
Matthew’s Diner [4 Franklin Turnpike, Waldwick] Matthew’s Diner is a great place to enjoy a meal away from home with its warm and friendly atmosphere. The food has amazing tastes that are a little pricey but worth the money and could be a great place for a Christmas outing with your lover.
Winter Activities
Sledding: Hawthorne is home to many great sledding areas that can promote physical activity while trudging your sled all the way up a hill. Goffle Brook Park has some intriguing sledding areas with hills that make the sled go into the air and slam down. Near the high school, there is a great sledding area; however, the new bike path may have ruined the sledding but the scenery is as amazing as ever.
All Star Paintball: For all sharp shots out there, All Star Paintball is an indoor arena that is about an hour away at 12 American Way in Spotswood. This arena is 13,500 square feet and is open the whole break except Christmas Day. Rentals start at $5 so it is a cheap way to have some fun.
Styker Airsoft: Styker Airsoft indoor field is on 12 Route 57 in Hackettstown. Stryker airsoft, which offers a realistic and challenging layout and games for all experience levels, is open for ages 10-18 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There is a store associated with it if you want to purchase anything before playing that is open from noon to 10 p.m. except on Saturdays. Styker Airsoft closes at 8 p.m.
Nail Salons: If you want to pamper yourself and get your nails done then go to either Snoopy’s (580 Lafayette Ave.) or VIP Nails (206 Diamond Bridge Ave.) or Nail Chateau (1103 Goffle Road).
Nothing can beat hanging with your friends though so make use of it. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
