Page 28 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • November 24, 2010 Historical Skylands Manor in the New Jersey State Botanical Garden will be filled with an extravagant display of seasonal décor during NJBG�s Holiday Open House, set for Dec. 2 through 5. Skylands Manor, a 45-room Tudor-style country estate built in the early 1920s, is an elegant backdrop for this celebration. In keeping with the botanical surroundings, the lush décor features abundant live and dried plants and flowers, elegant appointments, and displays created with youngsters in mind. Each year, the manor has a very different look. This year’s “Home for the Holidays” theme will focus on the warm and festive feel of the season. Individual rooms are decorated by scores of volunteers from northern New Jersey garden clubs, Master Gardener programs, local companies, and NJBG members. NJBG/Skylands Association, the nonprofit member organization of volunteers that supports the garden, sponsors this annual event. Daytime tours of the NJBG Holiday Open House will be available Dec. 2 through 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 for children ages six through 12, and free for children under six. No baby strollers, please. Group tours are available by appointment. The last tour will begin at 4 p.m. Evening Champagne and Candlelight receptions will be NJBG Holiday Open House to be held available Dec. 3 through 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. During these special evening showings, the manor will be open for leisurely enjoyment with champagne, light refreshments, and valet parking. Tickets are $30 and reservations are required. For tickets, call (973) 962-9534 or visit www.njbg.org. NJBG is located on Morris Road in Ringwood. The NJ Botanical Garden is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission to the garden is always free. Call (973) 962-9534 or visit www.njbg.org for more information on NJBG events, directions, membership, and volunteer opportunities. Originally assembled from pioneer farmsteads of the 1890s, The New Jersey Botanical Garden has a venerable history. In 1922, Clarence McKenzie Lewis, an investment banker and trustee of the New York Botanical Garden, purchased the property and original Victorian mansion from Francis Lynde Stetson. Over the next three decades, Lewis built the current 45-room Tudor manor house and transformed Skylands into a botanical showplace, engaging prominent landscape architects to design the grounds and collecting plants from all over the world. In 1966, the State of New Jersey purchased the 1,117 acres of Skylands as the state’s first acquisition under the Green Acres preservation program. In 1984, then-Governor Thomas Kean designated the central 96 acres surrounding the manor as the state’s official Botanical Garden. ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 ARIES --Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, make up your mind to accomAries, make up your mind to accomplish something, then stick to it. You plish something, then stick to it. You can’t play both sides of the fence this can’t play both sides of the fence this week and expect to come out looking week and expect to come out looking like a hero. like a hero. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 TAURUS --Apr 21/May 21 Romantic aspirations fall flat, as a Romantic aspirations fall flat, as a work project puts a snafu in all of your work project puts a snafu in all of your plans, Taurus. Regroup and work up plans, Taurus. Regroup and work up a new strategy for next week, which a new strategy for next week, which looks better. looks better. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 GEMINI --May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, if variety is the spice of life, Gemini, if variety is the spice of life, then your plate is quite spicy this then your plate is quite spicy this week. You’re bound to dabble in just week. You’re bound to dabble in just about a million things and have loads about a million things and have loads of fun doing it. of fun doing it. CANCER Jun 22/Jul 22 CANCER --Jun 22/Jul 22 Unattached Cancers be on the look Unattached Cancers be on the look out because you’ve caught the eye of out because you’ve caught the eye of someone looking for a love connecsomeone looking for a love connection. Attached Cancers can look fortion. Attached Cancers can look forward to more intimacy this week. ward to more intimacy this week. LEO Jul 23/Aug 23 LEO --Jul 23/Aug 23 Anything can happen in the next few Anything can happen in the next few days so it’s best to be prepared for the days so it’s best to be prepared for the unexpected, Leo. Leave your calendar unexpected, Leo. Leave your calendar open and don’t make any plans that open and don’t make any plans that will take you out of town. will take you out of town. VIRGO Aug 24/Sept 22 VIRGO --Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, financial concerns still put you Virgo, financial concerns still put you short of reaching that goal. You’ll just short of reaching that goal. You’ll just have to shelve it again for the time behave to shelve it again for the time being. The end of the week could prove ing. The end of the week could prove promising. promising. LIBRA Sept 23/Oct 23 LIBRA --Sept 23/Oct 23 A rash decision puts you in over your A rash decision puts you in over your head, Libra, and it will be up to a close head, Libra, and it will be up to a close friend in Gemini to pull you out of this friend in Gemini to pull you out of this scenario. Look before you leap next scenario. Look before you leap next time. time. SCORPIO Oct 24/Nov 22 SCORPIO --Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, you may be surprised to find Scorpio, you may be surprised to find out this week that you don’t have all out this week that you don’t have all of the answers. Don’t let it make you of the answers. Don’t let it make you feel inadequate, however. It’s okay to feel inadequate, however. It’s okay to accept limitations. accept limitations. SAGITTARIUS Nov 23/Dec 21 SAGITTARIUS --Nov 23/Dec 21 While you won’t move mountains this While you won’t move mountains this week, Sagittarius, you certainly will week, Sagittarius, you certainly will make your mark in smaller circles. Comake your mark in smaller circles. Coworkers will be impressed with your workers will be impressed with your determination. determination. CAPRICORN Dec 22/Jan 20 CAPRICORN --Dec 22/Jan 20 A slow few days evolves into a rush A slow few days evolves into a rush of activity by the weekend, Capricorn. of activity by the weekend, Capricorn. You’d better save energy for the whirlYou’d better save energy for the whirlwind of activity that will take place. wind of activity that will take place. AQUARIUS Jan 21/Feb 18 AQUARIUS --Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, now is the time to plan a Aquarius, now is the time to plan a mini-getaway. You need a chance to mini-getaway. You need a chance to relax and break away from your usual relax and break away from your usual schedule. Take along a friend or famschedule. Take along a friend or family member. ily member. PISCES Feb 19/Mar 20 PISCES --Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, it will take a cool head to get Pisces, it will take a cool head to get through a situation at work. It may rethrough a situation at work. It may require actions over than words to make quire actions over than words to make your position known. your position known. DVDs (continued from Restaurant page) visual effects. “The Pillars of the Earth” is also available on DVD. “Fire and Ice: The Dragon Chronicles” (E-One Entertainment) takes place in Carpia, a peaceful kingdom in a fantasy world of dragons, knights, and magic ruled by King Augustin (Arnold Vosloo of “The Mummy” and “Blood Diamond”). With her kingdom besieged by dragons and warring neighbors who threaten to break the peace, Princess Luisa (Amy Acker) is forced to recruit Gabriel (Tom Wisdom), the skillful son of a dragon slayer, for help. Together they summon the Ice Dragon, the only thing capable of defeating the winged monster terrorizing the king- dom. This is a quick-paced flick that relies almost entirely on visuals. It is one thing when cleverly rendered images enhance the storytelling, as in the “Lord of the Rings” or the “Harry Potter” films, but when they constitute the sole attraction, the movie suffers. “Fire & Ice” is fun for a while, but viewers will tire of its insubstantial plot well before the dragons are grounded. “Brian Wilson Songwriter: 1962-1969” (MVD Visual) is a documentary that explores the music written and produced by Wilson for the Beach Boys during the 1960s. Included are historical musical performances, rare archival interviews, and exclusive contributions from Wilson’s fellow Beach Boys Bruce Johnston and David Marks. The Beach Boys were enormously popular and defined the California Sound of the ‘60s as they charted hit after hit. This well-deserved retrospective of Wilson’s work and its impact on the pop culture scene is long overdue. Answer to Last Week’s Puzzle Answer to Last Week’s Puzzle