Extraordinary!!! The James Ward Mansion has CLASS!!…read moreWhen your at the James Ward Mansion you are the STAR! One event at a time. It's all about YOU! Your friends and family will never forget this experience with you!! Truly unreal!

Beautiful Venue, Disappointing Experience While the James…read moreWard Mansion is undeniably a unique and beautiful venue, our overall experience was unfortunately disappointing. Leading up to our wedding, the owners were uncooperative and made the planning process more stressful than it needed to be. Since the venue claims that my concerns are unfounded and an anomaly of their 5-star reviews, here are the specific examples of our less-than-favorable experience: The week before our wedding, during our pre-event walkthrough, we discovered that the owners had made several cosmetic changes to the venue that were not communicated to us in advance. While we were notified of larger renovation changes, some major cosmetic changes were neglected--such as white-washing the exposed brick in the atrium area. This change, while likely done to expand the appeal of the venue, should have been communicated to a bride ahead of time and not discovered a week before the wedding. This lack of transparency was unsettling and frustrating. Adding to this frustration, the day before our wedding, the venue allowed us an hour to set up our chuppa for the ceremony. While my husband and his brothers were there, the owners stood with their arms crossed, watching them put together the chuppa, claiming my husband was damaging the floor (which was not true), asking for ID and proof of insurance, and generally exhibiting intimidating tactics. This added unnecessary tension during an already stressful time. The owners admittedly thought my husband was a vendor, but this does NOT justify nor dismiss their behavior and attempts to intimidate him. This behavior was unprofessional and left a negative impression on us and our families. During setup on the day of our wedding, our florist was placing flowers on the fountain in the atrium. My planner was called by the venue's coordinator and questioned about the flowers. However, at our pre-event walkthrough the week before, the venue had a representative present who knew that we planned to have flowers on the fountain and never mentioned that it wasn't a possibility. Lastly, the morning of the wedding, I paid extra to arrive early to use the bridal suite to get ready. The owners reside in the building next door and there is a hidden door between the two buildings. This access point leads to a catwalk directly outside the bridal suite. As we arrived and were getting ready with hair, makeup, and dressing, the owner came from his next-door residence right onto that catwalk outside the bridal suite. The owners were well aware that we rented the space that morning and should not have accessed the venue while my bridal party and I were in the bridal suite. After how they treated my husband the day before, it is easy to interpret this surprise visit as more intimidation by the owners. Most disappointing was the venue's response after the wedding. I asked my planner to arrange a time for me to directly discuss some of these issues. My planner was told that they refuse to address my concerns and feedback, claiming instead that my issues lie at the feet of her, my planner, and our caterer, and that their plethora of 5-star reviews speak for themselves. I, too, reached out directly to discuss these issues with the venue's coordinator and was met with the same resistance; my text message was ignored. This unprofessionalism and disregard for our concerns were extremely disappointing and added to our overall negative experience. Here is my response to their claims: My specific concerns are with the management of the venue and their treatment of us and our vendors. No venue should rest on their laurels of 5-star reviews and ignore a less-than-favorable experience by a customer.

My daughter just had her 9th bday party there. It's such a beautiful space and they painted, had…read morepizza and a fun dance party! I liked the host very much and they were very attentive to the kids. We will definitely have more events there like team building or adult paint and sip.

Best time ever!!! Such sweet workers and helpful! Brought the girl I babysit for and it was…read moreawesome!! Highly recommend as a fun activity!

Had a wonderful experience at the Cranford Social. We hosted our Broadway gala event there and…read morefound John, Trish and their entire team to be super accommodating and easy to work with. They generously allowed us to rehearse on two separate evenings before our event which made a HUGE difference in helping everything run smoothly. The food was delicious, the staff were warm and friendly, and the room setup was absolutely lovely. Everything can together perfectly and we truly appreciate the care and attention to detail. Highly recommend for anyone planning a special event!

I attended a baby shower at the Cranford Social this weekend. The venue was perfect, Michael and…read morehis team were very attentive and accommodating and the food was amazing.

Drifting Back to Lions Roar for Sure!…read more We ended the night at Lions Roar Brewing in Westfield and what a way to cap off an evening. The service was excellent -- friendly, attentive, and on point all night. The craft beer selection had some real creativity on tap. We were disappointed to hear the mango brew had run out -- that one sounded like a winner -- but the Mexican and lime brew more than made up for it. Bright, flavorful, and refreshing, it was a great pour that kept us coming back for more. But the real showstopper of the night? Drifting Back. This four-piece band was absolutely exceptional -- tight, talented, and packed with great tunes. They had the room in the palm of their hands all night. If you ever see them on the schedule here, don't miss it. A minor gripe about the sold-out mango brew aside, this was a fantastic night out at Lions Roar. We'll absolutely be back.

First time coming here and this is definitely a smaller brewery than I was expecting. Downside is…read morethere is paid parking or you can try to find parking in the residential area behind and walk the two blocks to the brewery The location itself has a small indoor area, this was taken by a private party. They also have a small covered beer garden out back. Prices on their beers were very reasonable and pours came in an assortment of sizes. We had two IPAs and both were different but good in their own way.

Everything was great - food, entertainment, hosts. I would absolutely hold my event there in the…read morefuture.

Great space for special events!! Came here for a trivia night, and had an amazing night. The space…read moreis adorable and so charming. The owner is super friendly and an amazing chef. We had a three course meal and each was absolutely delicious. My personal favorite was the Caesar salad, the dressing was so good, I wish he would bottle it and sell it. If you come here for trivia nights, be prepared to laugh and have an amazing night. Everyone was cheering by end of the night. Can't wait to come back soon.

Stumbled in here during one of the coldest days of the year, primarily just to warm up. Had no…read moreexpectations because, like I said, it was cold, they were the closest place to take shelter and I saw a coffee bar. Anyway, since then I've been back 3 more times; once for breakfast and twice for brunch. And while I'm confessing, the two times for lunch were on subsequent days. Yeah, they're that good. Actually, their chicken salad on a croissant is the best I've ever had and in my advanced years I've had a crapload of chicken salad. The have a nice sized coffee bar, decorated beautifully with some pretty delicious looking pastries. I'm on an anti-sweet phase so I'm basing my opinion on only on appearance. Then there's a seating area when you can eat, served by a friendly attentive staff and an adjacent boutique area where you can purchase housewares, clothing and other cool stuff. I'm not in Maplewood all that often, generally when I'm shopping at the equally awesome City Workshop but when I do, I always make sure to hit up Perch. You should too. 1/2 star deduction because they don't offer fake sugar, just that Stevia crap which is gross.

Whenever I'm in Maplewood, I always stop into Perch Home. It's a quaint Cafe surrounded by…read morebeautiful merchandise (jewelry, apparel, home decor), historical furniture, and very good coffee. The wall frames and Christmas decorations are gorgeous and there are tables, with comfortable seating, on one end of the Cafe. I ordered the following: Matcha White Hot Chocolate (a traditional matcha latte blended with white chocolate sauce), Snickerdoodle Latte (A traditional latte, blended with brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla syrup). Both of these were served at the perfect temperature, were richly creamy, and served in large mugs. I also ordered a Carrot Cake Muffin and it was very good. It was moist, each forkful had a decent amount of walnuts, and the frosting was exquisite. Once you're finished with your food, don't forget to stroll through the entire cafe. You'll probably find something that will pique your interest. Either way, try to make time to enjoy it all.

We held a Baby Shower at Olden Hall last Saturday and it was a wonderful experience working with…read morethe team there. They were responsive to our requests as we planned our party and that carried through to the setup and event itself. Our decorator had ample time to decorate the space. Everyone enjoyed the food and drinks. The staff is attentive and friendly and our guests felt welcome. Thanks for making our party a success.

From the owner: Olden Hall by Dowlings offers the ideal venue for your next celebration. Our space is perfect for…read moreshowers, communions, birthday parties, and more, offering fully customizable menu packages designed to meet your unique tastes and preferences. Enjoy the luxury of a private space that is seamlessly connected to our full-scale restaurant, allowing you to experience comfortable dining in an intimate setting. Our talented culinary team is dedicated to ensuring every meal is a memorable experience. To complement your event, we provide a full bar, featuring a diverse selection of beverages to cater to every guest's preference. Whether you envision a lively party or a sophisticated gathering, Olden Hall is here to make your event unforgettable. Book your special occasion with us today and let our team help you celebrate all your events.

Such a lovely venue for a party. A large Victorian home. Celebrated a bridal shower here. The main…read moreliving room fit about 8-9 large tables with 10 around them. The dining room was set up with our buffet. It was lovely.

Hey there adventurers! This this is such an amazing place…read moreto have a wedding reception or possibly an anniversary party; though I wouldn't rule out a cute engagement or birthday party. You can play the music pretty loudly overall plus the space creates such intimacy. Not sure who actually catered the reception however phenomenal food palette ! You can take such wonderful photos outside on the front steps or in the small walk in garden. We had an easy load in making the experience much more enjoyable because we were able to interact a lot more easily with them. Hope to book more events here or possibly my own engagement!