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Taking care of your Loved One Is What We Do BEST!

It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always

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Home Care In Collingswood, NJ

Home Care Collingswood, NJ

They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.

However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Collings-Knight Homestead gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.

Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Collingswood, NJ is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.

 In-Home Care Collingswood, NJ

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The Always Best Care Difference

Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.

Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.

The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.

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“Always Best Care is a great co host to a beautiful summer celebration at Artis Senior Living of Evesham”

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“Very easy to work with and set up care plan for my mother.”

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“The service is excellent. The staff is really great. I love Working with Always Best Care because they take care of their employees. They work with you to see what hours you could work. When ever I have a emergency and I can not make it they find coverage. They give cases that are most of the time good with you. They work around my schedule. I love Working with ABC.”

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“Fabulous team to work with. The best care senior service to work with. Especially Kendra, she is always available and always willing to help anyway she can and will go out of her way to make the patient and family’s experience 100x better. When our families are looking for additional care I know I can count on Always Best Care, to always give their very best. Big thank you to Kendra, Kerry and staff.”

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“Always Best Care has provided 24 / 7 Live in care for my mother. They have taken very good care of my mother and I look forward to them continuing my mother’s care.”

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“Always Best Care is a great co host to a beautiful summer celebration at Artis Senior Living of Evesham”

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“Always Best Care is a great co host to a beautiful summer celebration at Artis Senior Living of Evesham”

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TESTIMONIALS

“Always Best Care is a great co host to a beautiful summer celebration at Artis Senior Living of Evesham”

Korrine A.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Always Best Care is a great co host to a beautiful summer celebration at Artis Senior Living of Evesham”

Korrine B.
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“Fabulous team to work with. The Best of the Best...... We know that when we refer our families to this "Wonderful" Company that they will take exceptional care of our clients.... Thank you Tammi, Kerri, Kendra and staff..”

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“They are phenomenal!! Took great care of my not so easy Mom. They have ur back!!”

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“Great team to work with!!”

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“I would like to recommend Always Best Care Senior Services of Greater South Jersey.. a Veteran and Woman owned Company.”

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What is Non-Medical Senior Care in Collingswood, NJ?

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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.

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When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.

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The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.

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At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.

 Senior Care Collingswood, NJ

Types of Elderly Care in Collingswood, NJ

To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:

Personal Care

Personal Care Services

If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.

Common personal care services include assistance with:

  • Eating
  • Mobility Issues
  • Incontinence
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Grooming

Respite Care Collingswood, NJ
Home Helper

Home Helper Services

Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.

Common home helper care services include assistance with:

  • Medication Reminders
  • Meal Preparation
  • Pet Care
  • Prescription Refills
  • Morning Wake-Up
  • Walking
  • Reading
 Caregivers Collingswood, NJ
Companionship Services

Companionship Services

Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Knight Park Playground with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.

Common companionship services include:

  • Grocery Shopping
  • Transportation to Appointments
  • Nutritional Assistance
  • Conversation
  • Planning Outings
  • Completing Errands
  • Transportation to Community
  • Events and Social Outings
Home Care Collingswood, NJ
Respite Care

Respite Care Services

According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Hearthside or visit Stokes-Lee House, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.

At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.

If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.

 In-Home Care Collingswood, NJ

Benefits of Home Care in Collingswood, NJ

Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:

Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.

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Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.

In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.

Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:

How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?

A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.

With the help of elderly care in Collingswood, NJ, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.

Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.

Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.

For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.

More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.

In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.

With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.

 Elderly Care Collingswood, NJ

Affordable Care

In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.

Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.

At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.

In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:

If your loved one qualifies, Medicaid may help reduce in-home care costs. Review your NJ's Medicaid program laws and benefits, and make sure your senior's financial and medical needs meet Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.
Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.
Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.
 Senior Care Collingswood, NJ

Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers.

When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.

Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.

At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Collingswood, NJ understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.

Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.

Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.

Assisted Living Referral Services

While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.

Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.


Respite Care Collingswood, NJ

At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.

Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:

  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Recreational Activities
  • Social Outings
  • Emergency Medical Response
  • Medication Monitoring
  • Family Visitation
  • Personal Care
 Caregivers Collingswood, NJ

At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.

Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.

Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:

  • United Methodist Communities at Collingswood
  • Collingswood Manor: Carnes Harry MD
  • Love In Home Care Services
  • How We Roll
Home Care Collingswood, NJ

For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.

 In-Home Care Collingswood, NJ

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:

A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way

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A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive

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Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider

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Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.

If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.

At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Collingswood, NJ 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.

When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.

 Elderly Care Collingswood, NJ

Latest News in Collingswood, NJ

Irene’s Place Brings Family Recipes, Home Cooking to Collingswood

In their new Haddon Avenue restaurant, Kim Diggs, her brother Matthew, and sister Trudy Pegues honor the legacy of their mother, Irene, whose passion for food connected a community in downtown Camden.For years, downtown Camden City was home to Irene’s 2nd Street Terminal, a friendly eatery where locals knew they would be well fed, even if they were down on their luck.A place where, Kim Diggs said, the beat cops knew whether her mother was in the kitchen by the smell of her turkey wings on the win...

In their new Haddon Avenue restaurant, Kim Diggs, her brother Matthew, and sister Trudy Pegues honor the legacy of their mother, Irene, whose passion for food connected a community in downtown Camden.

For years, downtown Camden City was home to Irene’s 2nd Street Terminal, a friendly eatery where locals knew they would be well fed, even if they were down on their luck.

A place where, Kim Diggs said, the beat cops knew whether her mother was in the kitchen by the smell of her turkey wings on the wind; where many in the neighborhood simply called her “mom.”

“Anything she did, she put her best foot forward,” Diggs said.

“Got her master’s in theology at 65. She took in so many kids that she had an impact on.

“[Irene] was ambitious, resilient; she never let anybody be hungry,” Diggs said.

“She fed the neighborhood. Everybody loved her.”

Although the matriarch passed on in 2013, her children are rekindling their beloved mother’s memory at Irene’s Place, a seafood and soul food eatery that opened in the former Amber Grain Bakery at 325 Haddon Avenue this summer.

The new Collingswood eatery is inspired as much by Irene’s presence in the community as her recipes that nourished it.

While Irene was famous for her soul food recipes, like turkey wings and sweet potato pie, her daughter specializes in seafood — and crabs are her favorite. After she gets the restaurant on its feet, Diggs even plans to market the seasoning blend with which she prepares them.

“I’ve been doing crabs for years in different bars and kitchens,” Diggs said. “I’ve been picking crabs so long I know a Delaware Bay crab from a Virginia crab from a Maryland crab or a Louisiana crab. That’s what I bring to the restaurant.”

Irene’s Place is built around seafood — fried fish, sautéed shrimp, salmon balls, fish tacos — including the salmon cheesesteak, or “seasteak,”, a Camden City favorite that enjoys a place of prominence alongside the more traditional beef and chicken cheesesteaks.

But Diggs is equally excited for guests to sample her soul food, and as the weather turns colder, she plans to cook more of it.

For now, customers can order her honey garlic and barbecue hot wings, but hearty dishes like stuffed salmon, collard greens, and potato salad are on the way, too.

“We’re going to slow-walk it,” she said.

“We’ve just got to do a little bit at a time.”

Diggs comes to the restaurant business after years of working union labor jobs and hustling crabs on the side.

The family spent two years restoring the former Amber Grain storefront to use as a seafood eatery, replacing “everything from the roof to the bottom of the floor,” Diggs said.

Her brother, Matthew, led the construction efforts; her sister, Trudy Pegues, helps in the kitchen.

Kim Diggs, who is a cancer survivor, calls the restaurant her “last lap” of work after years of hard physical labor. She credits her family for helping breathe life not only into their mother’s memory, but her own transition into self-employment as well.

“I’ve been through journeys,” she said. “I just keep on moving with the help of my family. All of us work together to make sure that we put out healthy food, give back to the neighborhood, and help out the family.

“God gave me this gift, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do with my last breath: give back,” Kim Diggs said. “My brother and sister got this place for me, and gave me a purpose to get up in the morning.

“Mom raised us to stay together,” she said. “Whatever you do, give it to God and stay your course. If you’re passionate about something, keep doing it.”

Irene’s Place is located at 325 Haddon Avenue in Collingswood. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 856-240-7047.

Indigo Girls: Look Long Tour – Two Amazing Nights!

Presented by the Camden County Board of Commissioners in association with BRE and the Borough of Collingswood, the Scottish Rite Auditorium welcomes Indigo Girls: Look Long Tour – Two Amazing Nights! on December 8th and December 9th. Doors open at 6:30 PM, showtime at 7:30 PM.Tickets go on sale October 13th at 10AM and are available at Ticketmaster and at the Scottish Rite Box Office in person or by phone at 856-858-1000.Tickets are $79, $69, $59 and $45Tickets Available From: ...

Presented by the Camden County Board of Commissioners in association with BRE and the Borough of Collingswood, the Scottish Rite Auditorium welcomes Indigo Girls: Look Long Tour – Two Amazing Nights! on December 8th and December 9th. Doors open at 6:30 PM, showtime at 7:30 PM.

Tickets go on sale October 13th at 10AM and are available at Ticketmaster and at the Scottish Rite Box Office in person or by phone at 856-858-1000.

Tickets are $79, $69, $59 and $45

Tickets Available From: www.ticketmaster.com

About the Artist:

Released in 1989, Indigo Girls’ eponymous major label debut sold over two million copies under the power of singles “Closer to Fine” and “Kid Fears” and turned Indigo Girls into one of the most successful folk duos in history. Over a thirty-five-year career that began in clubs around their native Atlanta, Georgia, the Grammy-winning duo of Emily Saliers and Amy Ray has recorded sixteen studio albums (seven gold, four platinum, one double platinum), sold over 15 million records, and built a dedicated, enduring following.

“We joke about being old, but what is old when it comes to music? We’re still a bar band at heart,” says Saliers. “We are so inspired by younger artists and while our lyrics and writing approach may change, our passion for music feels the same as it did when we were 25-years-old.”

On their 16th studio album, Indigo Girls tell their origin story. Look Long is a stirring and eclectic collection of songs that finds the duo reunited in the studio with their strongest backing band to date as they chronicle their personal upbringings with more specificity and focus than they have on any previous song-cycle. “We’re fallible creatures shaped by the physics of life,” says Sailors. “We’re shaped by our past; what makes us who we are? And why?”

Produced by John Reynolds (Sinéad O’Connor, Damien Dempsey) and recorded in the countryside outside Bath, England at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, these eleven songs have a tender, revealing motion to them, as if they’re feeding into a Super 8 film projector, illuminating a darkened living room. “When We Were Writers” recounts the flying sparks and passion Saliers felt as a young college student when the duo first started performing together.

“Shit Kickin’” is a nuanced love letter to Ray’s Southern heritage. “I’m a little bit left of the ‘salt of the earth’ / That’s alright, I’ll prove my worth,” she sings.

Amidst our often-terrifying present, Look Long is a musical balm for those of us in search of a daily refuge, an hour or two when we can engage with something that brings us joy, perspective, or maybe just calm.

“People feel lost in these political times,” explains Saliers. “Let’s lament our limitations, but let’s also look beyond what’s right in front of us, take the long view of things, and strive to do better. As time has gone on, our audience has become more expansive and diverse which gives me a great sense of joy.” Crowd singalongs that often overpower the band itself are a trademark of Indigo Girls concerts. The duo has returned to the road and amphitheaters across the country are once again filling with the sound of those collective voices raised in song. The phenomenon epitomizes the sense of community and celebration that defines Indigo Girls’ music. As one bar band once put it, “We go to the doctor, we go to the mountains…we go to the Bible, we go through the work out.” For millions, they go to the Indigo Girls. On Look Long they’ll find a creative partnership certain of its bearings, forging a way forward.

Artist Website: https://www.indigogirls.com/

Mercantile 1888 Launches Dedicated Zero-Proof Cocktail Bar in Downtown Collingswood

Stephanie Kinney and Amanda Lewis believe they’ve got the first full-time zero-proof cocktail bar in South Jersey.Since moving from Haddonfield to Collingswood this spring, retailer Mercantile 1888 has expanded its offerings to include what cofounders Stephanie Kinney and Amanda Lewis believe is the first full-service, zero-proof cocktail bar in New Jersey....

Stephanie Kinney and Amanda Lewis believe they’ve got the first full-time zero-proof cocktail bar in South Jersey.

Since moving from Haddonfield to Collingswood this spring, retailer Mercantile 1888 has expanded its offerings to include what cofounders Stephanie Kinney and Amanda Lewis believe is the first full-service, zero-proof cocktail bar in New Jersey.

The core business at Mercantile 1888, which occupies a portion of the former DePace Sports Museum on Haddon Avenue, is a curated selection of gifts and goods rooted in local and regional brands.

Growing with the space, which was approved for café service by former tenants Willam Penn Bank, Kinney and Lewis have found just as much interest from customers popping in for an alcohol-free bar experience as for their retail shopping.

It started with flights of canned, zero-proof drinks during a soft launch at Collingswood May Fair, Lewis said — and then questions started pouring in.

“People were asking, ‘Is this going to be a real bar?’” she said. “We were getting e-mails and text messages from people who said, ‘I haven’t been able to sit in this kind of an atmosphere for 30 years.’ We’ve even had people in tears.

“So we said, ‘Let’s go all the way.’”

After acquiring a kegerator and a three-stage sink from a shuttered restaurant in Philadelphia, the duo began to evolve their bar program from kombucha and cold brew kegs to mixed drinks and cultivated alcohol-free brands.

Zero-proof spirits are designed to offer a sensation that approximates the taste and mouthfeel of alcohol using botanicals like cayenne, cracked pepper, caramel, capsaicin, lemongrass, and bergamot. The bar at Mercantile 1888 stocks brands like Ritual, Seedlip, and Lyre’s, as well as canned beverages, craft sodas, and non-alcoholic beer.

“Most people are used to mocktails that are all juice and sugar, and we’ve tried to make it more of what you can get at a nice bar,” Lewis said.

Kinney, who has been sober for more than a decade, said that, in addition to the curiosity around watching a bartender work, the zero-proof bar allows people who don’t drink to “enjoy the taste without the lasting effects.

“It’s been cool to meet other people in the same situation who’ve been looking for a safe space,” she said.

Kinney and Lewis said the experience has been popular among restaurant-goers killing time before their reservations or extending their evening after dinner. But it’s also given Collingswood visitors and residents another dry gathering space in which to socialize. They also hope to create more live entertainment experiences to accompany the interactions.

“We enjoy hanging out, music, and an atmosphere where you can relax like this,” Lewis said. “If you’re in a bar, I think it intimidates some people.”

The popularity of the zero-proof bar also has inspired Kinney and Lewis to expand in-store and al fresco seating at the shop, the better to accommodate more guests.

“We always had a vision to do something like this,” Lewis said. “We’re vibe people,” she said. “To us, everything is an experience.”

Mercantile 1888 is located at 765 Haddon Avenue in Collingswood. The shop is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, although service hours may be extended to facilitate demand.

Look for Kinney and Lewis to make their HGTV debut August 15 at 10 p.m. on the new season of What’s Wrong With That House?

Paloma: Modern Flavors of Mexico in Downtown Collingswood

Inside the former Tortilla Press on Haddon Avenue, Chef Jorge Reyes presents a contemporary Mexican menu that draws inspiration from modern and classical recipes in an updated setting.Chef Jorge Reyes hasn’t been this excited to go to work in Collingswood since the days when he was heading up the kitchen at Casona (now OBA Mediterranean Grill).However, with the...

Inside the former Tortilla Press on Haddon Avenue, Chef Jorge Reyes presents a contemporary Mexican menu that draws inspiration from modern and classical recipes in an updated setting.

Chef Jorge Reyes hasn’t been this excited to go to work in Collingswood since the days when he was heading up the kitchen at Casona (now OBA Mediterranean Grill).

However, with the launch of Paloma, which replaces the long-tenured Tortilla Press at the corner of Haddon and Collings Avenues, Reyes believes his take on contemporary Mexican fine dining will stand out among alternatives in the region.

“I’m super-happy to be back to Collingswood,” Reyes said. “I love this town. We always have big expectations and big dreams, especially in Collingswood, and we’re bringing new flavors; breaking the rules from other places.”

“Opening the doors here is a big challenge,” Reyes continued. “We’re taking Tortilla Press from what Mark [Smith] made, and keeping things at that level, so people can try to taste something different and see what happens.”

Reyes, whose popular Blackwood taqueria, Orale, offers authentic Mexican fare, is eager for guests at Paloma to experience Mexican flavors with which they may be less familiar.

“Right now there’s a lot of fusion from everywhere to get Mexican flavors, but we never lost the roots: modern techniques the traditional way,” he said. “That’s the main idea of the concept we want to create here.”

To that end, the menu at Paloma features recipes built around fresh seafood, like the tuna tostada with peanut-salsa macha, a dried chile oil that hails from Veracruz.

Or the ceviche tatemado with recado negro, a char-flavored seasoning paste from Yucatan.

Shrimp aguachile is served Sinaloa style: cooked quickly in a highly acidic chiltepin water bath, and served with cucumber, avocado, red onion, and cilantro.

There’s fresh guacamole, but for those who want to delve a little deeper, there’s also sikil pak, a Mayan pumpkin seed, tomato, and habanero hummus, served with homemade blue corn and yellow corn tortillas.

Among the entrees, seafood paella, a favorite from Reyes’ Casona days, lands alongside Norteño-style steak, street-style rotisserie chicken, and salmon chino-poblano: pan-roasted with chilies, vegetable stir-fried rice, and squash salad.

In a nod to the Chinese influence present in the fare of the Mexicali border regions, Chef Tim Dedja of Boiling House in Cherry Hill, Reyes’ partner in the business, also brings some of his most popular recipes to Paloma. Shrimp, fried rice, and noodle dishes get a special shout-out here.

For the less adventurous diner, there’s also a taqueria menu with seven different preparations, from the crowd-pleasing birria (a standout at Orale) to chicken barbacoa, carne asada, cauliflower, tempura fish, bang-bang shrimp, and slow-roasted pork. Any dish can be prepared vegan or vegetarian style, Reyes said, and several are gluten-free, as well.

Although Paloma is BYOB, the kitchen serves alcohol-free versions of popular cocktails, including margaritas, ninas frescas, and Palomas, plus Mexican favorites like mangonada.

Desserts will change seasonally, and include traditional flan, tres leches with blueberry sauce, and cheesecake buñuelo, a fried dough reminiscent of a stuffed fritter.

“The main idea is to get contemporary Mexican cuisine,” Reyes said.

“We want people to try the flavors and really love the food.”

Dedja said Paloma has received an instant welcome since opening its doors last week.

“I’ve never been on a main street where people support the restaurant immediately,” Dedja said. “In other places, it’s been a lot harder.”

Dedja said his vision for Paloma is not only to stand shoulder to shoulder among the eateries on Restaurant Row, but to join the ranks of elite Mexican restaurants in the state. His fiancée, entrepreneur Aurora Vojnika, who designed the interior at Paloma, said the couple, which grew up in Albanian restaurant families in Maple Shade, toured top-tier dining destinations throughout New Jersey and New York City as they refined their concept for the Collingswood space.

“We didn’t want very standard things you would see anywhere,” Vojnika said. “I wanted a lot of textures and depth into the space.”

To that end, she outfitted Paloma with details that would set it apart not only from the brightly colored interior of the Tortilla Press, but from other Mexican restaurants in the region.

Gone are the festive magentas, oranges, and yellows that once colored the walls.

(As Reyes said, “no sombreros, no pinatas.”)

In their place, Vojnika selected a muted, dusty color palette, with softer hues drawn from a recent trip to Tulum. Where she wanted to add depth and texture, Vojnika selected three-dimensional artwork, like the hand-woven palm bread baskets that appear over one wall in the main dining room. Other surfaces were given over to greenery, whether in the form of the succulents that top the benches in the party room, or a faux ivy offset wall in the main dining area.

A previously closed-off server station was retooled into a cat’s eye wall fashioned from wooden panes of different heights, and the same pattern was repeated on one of the walls in the main dining room with comparable effect. Ceiling lights in the same room are suspended from a floating wooden beam framework anchored to the ceiling.

Taken together, these choices — like the menu itself — represent a dramatic departure from the typical atmospherics found in most of the taquerias and cantinas throughout South Jersey. Vojnika hopes it will help Paloma to stand out in the Instagram era of fine dining.

“We wanted to be super-different,” she said. “We want people to share pictures of their experience; we have to think what people want to share.”

With seating for 75 guests, Paloma offers dine-in service for dinner six days a week, with brunch on weekends; Reyes said lunch will be added as the restaurant finds its footing. Takeout and delivery options are immediately available through all major third-party services.

Paloma is located at 703 Haddon Avenue in Collingswood. Hours are 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 856-869-0890, or visit palomanj.com.

Collingswood's Porchfest has neighbors rocking out from the comfort of their front lawns

COLLINGSWOOD, N.J. (CBS) -- Collingswood Porchfest is not your typical concert. Instead of having to go somewhere to hear music, the music, in a sense, just comes to you.All Saturday long, performers have been setting up shop on people's porches to play at their designated time slots. There were more than 100 bands all playing throughout the town. The genres ranged from indie folk and electro-pop to alternative rock and hip hop.This particular band, Los Campeones from Northern Liberties, entertained a large crowd on Lawnside Av...

COLLINGSWOOD, N.J. (CBS) -- Collingswood Porchfest is not your typical concert. Instead of having to go somewhere to hear music, the music, in a sense, just comes to you.

All Saturday long, performers have been setting up shop on people's porches to play at their designated time slots. There were more than 100 bands all playing throughout the town. The genres ranged from indie folk and electro-pop to alternative rock and hip hop.

This particular band, Los Campeones from Northern Liberties, entertained a large crowd on Lawnside Avenue.

Some people stood on the sidewalk or in the street. Others sat on chairs in their neighbors' front lawns.

"This is my third Porchfest. So, they always amaze and they always deliver, and I am so thrilled that it's a thing, and that I'm in the middle of it right now. It's great," said Katrina Mansfield, who was there with her sister to hear the band play. "There's a million people out walking around with strollers with kids and there's kids playing. You know? So it's anybody and everybody. So everybody gets to shine today. It's great."

The last performance of the night was at 9 p.m.

Madeleine Wright

Madeleine Wright is a bilingual general assignment reporter for CBS News Philadelphia. She joined the team in January 2022.

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