This months Meet a Mom is the ultimate hype woman. She is a champion of local businesses, a mom, wife, author, editor, and host. You can see her around Westfield spreading positivity. Read more about Meaghan B Murphy.
Where are you from? Where do you live now?
My husband Patrick and I are originally from Bridgewater, NJ. Fun fact: He’s my younger brother’s best friend. We both went to Rutgers in New Brunswick; although I was a senior when he was a freshman. I lived in Red Bank after college and eventually we ended up in Hoboken where we started dating. We had our first two kids in Jersey City, but when we were pregnant with our third, we knew it was time for the burbs. We fell in love with Westfield for the downtown and have been here 12 years this month!
Do you have kids and what ages are they?
We have three amazing kids. Our daughter is 14 and is a freshman. Our boys are 13 (7th grade) and 11 (5th grade).
What is a surprising fact about you?
I like to think of myself as Snooki’s unofficial doula. I gave her unfiltered birthing advice on her show “Snooki and JWOWW” and it still goes viral.
What is your favorite restaurant in Union County?
I have celiac disease, so my go-to for safe, delicious gluten-free food is Ferraro’s in Westfield. The owners have a family member who is celiac, so they take food allergies very seriously. Your plate even comes with a reassuring sticker that says, “gluten free.” I can eat anything I want from fried calamari to chicken parm. Yay to the yum! Sweetwaters has the best spicy margarita, and the pork chop is to die for. Limani is another favorite! We just threw an unforgettable 75th birthday party for my mom there. Order the Shrimp Santorini!
What is your favorite local activity to do with your kids in Union County?
We spend A LOT of time on fields. My middle guy plays travel soccer for Union County Football Club and both of my sons are competitive lacrosse players. My daughter scoops ice cream at Rocko’s in Fanwood, so we will often pop in for a sweet treat after games.
Do you own a business and if so can you tell us about it? Tell us what you do for a living.
I don’t own a business, but I am a champion of small business owners. I created the @bestfieldnj Instagram to celebrate local entrepreneurs and personalities. I have been a magazine editor for 30 years—I love to tell YOUR stories. Currently, I’m the editor in Chief of Woman’s Day magazine. I’ve also held top jobs at Good Housekeeping, SELF, Cosmopolitan, Teen People and YM. I got my start at the Star-Ledger newspaper when I was 18! I appear regularly on TODAY Show as a lifestyle expert. I laugh when people say, “You’re a natural on TV!” I studied acting at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers and was an MTV host in the 90s. I have appeared on Live since it was Live with Regis & Kelly and recently, I got to host my own reality show called “My Perfect Day” streaming on VeryLocal. I’m also a proud Penguin Random House author. Oprah Daily called my debut “Your Fully Charged Life,” a book that will make you feel good at the turn of every page. I hope it does!
Advice for other moms?
That feels like a trick question for a self-help author. LOL. My best advice: Get good at saying NO so you can say YES to more of what truly matters and lights you up. Your kid doesn’t have to go to every birthday party. You don’t have to volunteer to count BoxTops for the PTA. Dinner with “couple friends,” but you don’t like the wife of your husband’s golf buddy? NO! Becoming a relentless no-sayer is a form of self-care.
What do you like to do as a mom in Union County to unwind?
I take classes at Bar Method in Westfield. I love the workout, the community, and the proximity to Trader Joe’s. I buy myself flowers on the walk home every Monday morning.
Please follow along on @meaghanbmurphy.