What You'll Find at the Women's Expo This Weekend at Brookdale

Last year at this time, Hurricane Sandy's tidal surge dunked two of Marilyn Schlossbach's Jersey Shore restaurants in watery brine. Her Normandy Beach home was also wrecked, and she and her husband Scott had to find a new place to live with their five-month old twins while carrying on the business of running several other restaurants.

The entire experience was "discombobulating," Schlossbach says. 

So when she was invited to give a cooking lesson at the two-day NJ Women's Expo at Brookdale this weekend on the storm's anniversary, she knew right away that she would present good old-fashioned harvest soup.

"Soup, for me, is a very loving and comforting meal. It just brings to mind friends and families," said Schlossbach, the owner of the Kitschens Hospitality company, who has since settled in Asbury Park. "Soup also became a staple after the storm because you had a lot of ingredients you had to use up."

The third annual NJ Women's Expo will run Saturday Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Brookdale Community College Collins Arena. Adult admission tickets are $10, but there are two-for-one discounts available if you register online, or cut the coupon in today's Asbury Park Press. 

There will be 120 vendors presenting home shopping opportunities, travel services, home goods, cosmetics, accessories and more. Swag bags will be available to early fair-goers, and many booths will be offering raffles and giveaways. Expo sponsor Meridian Health is providing the tote bags. 

Here is the schedule of presenters. 

Saturday, November 2

12:00 noon Meridian Health Physicians’ Panel : Women’s Health and Life Balance     

Moderated by Sheila Hill (Meridian Momtourage blogger)      

Jorge Corzo, M.D., Medical Director of Rehabilitation Services      

Denise Johnson Miller, M.D., Medical Director of Breast Surgery     

Asaad Samra,  M.D., Medical Director & Plastic Surgeon for Wound Healing     

Karl Strom, M.D., Medical Director, Bariatrics

12:45 p.m. Body Combat presentation by Meridian Fitness & Wellness

1:00 p.m.  Meridian Health Physicians’ Panel : Caring For Those You Care About     

Moderated by Shelia Hill (Meridian Momtourage blogger)      

Dawn Calderon, D.O., Chief of Cardiology & Director of Adult Congenital Heart Center     

Stephanie Chin, M.D., Pediatric Cardiology     

Brett Sealove, M.D., Medical Director of Vascular Lab & Angioscreen Program     

Susan Schnell, Manager, Valve Program at Meridian Health

2:00 p.m.  Harvest Baking : Not Your Average Pumpkin Pie presented by Zhanna Kobesove, Pastry Chef, Dearborn Market

3:00 p.m.  Fashion Show presented by Premium Outlets®: Jackson, Jersey Shore & Liberty Village and modeled by Barbizon of Red Bank

3:00 p.m.  Meet and Greet with Christie Rampone, Olympian and US Women’s National Soccer Team Captain in the Meridian Momtourage Lounge until 5pm

4:00 p.m.  Empowering Women: Entrepreneurs Speak Out     

Moderated by Laurel Bernstein, Laurel Bernstein & Associates     

Jackie Berman, Cartridge Renewal

Lisa Bullard, On Point Event Planners     

Elizabeth Milio, Innovative Computer Services, L.L.C.

Gerri Burns, IDT Secure

Sunday, November 3

12:00 noon BBX/Boogie Box presentation by Meridian Fitness & Wellness

1:00 p.m.  Three Steps to Finding & Keeping Love : Special Guest Rachel D'Alto, Relationship Communications Expert, best-selling author & NBC Today Show featured guest

2:00 p.m.  The Benefits and Comforts of Soup : Cooking Demo presented by Marilyn Schlossbach, Jersey Shore restauranteur *Enter to win a $100 gift card to any Kitschens restaurant*

3:00 p.m.  Fashion Show presented by Premium Outlets: Jackson, Jersey Shore & Liberty Village and modeled by Meridian’s Momtourage mom bloggers & their children