Professional experience
Mahjong teacher for new groups, 10 years
Livingston and Roseland groups, 2015 to now
Self-reported
All professionals
Board and card games in Livingston
Miriam Feldstein
Board and card games: American mahjong and canasta for new tables
Thirty years of Tuesday mahjong, and I still love teaching a brand new table
- 5.0 from 18 reviews
- Lives in Livingston
- All five checks passed
Ask a question before you book. Contact details stay private.
MahjongCanasta
- Mahjong: Needs 4 players. You set up the table, the pro brings the game.
- Canasta: Needs 4 players. You set up the table, the pro brings the game.
Mahjong and Canasta are booked as at least 4 visits.
Credentials
Training or degree
Master of Library Science
Rutgers University, 1993
Self-reported
About me
I learned mahjong from my mother in a split level in Livingston, with the radio on and a bowl of sucking candies in the middle of the table. I have played in a Tuesday game ever since, and for the last ten years I have been the one who gets called when someone wants to start a new group.
Mahjong and canasta both need four people, so I ask you to gather the players and set up a card table. I bring a full tile set, racks, the current card, and two decks with a canasta score pad. The first visit is slow on purpose. We build the wall together, I explain the hands out loud, and nobody is allowed to apologize for asking twice.
By the fourth visit most tables are playing on their own with me as the fourth or just watching. I retired from twenty eight years as a school librarian, so I am patient, I talk clearly, and I will happily repeat the Charleston as many times as it takes.
What a first visit looks like
- 1
Minute 0 to 10
Say hello to everyone at the table and hear who has played before and who has never touched a tile.
- 2
Minute 10 to 25
Build the wall together and walk through the racks, the dice and the card.
- 3
Minute 25 to 55
Play a slow open hand where everyone shows their tiles and I talk through each choice.
- 4
Minute 55 to 60
Agree on a time for next week and leave a one page cheat sheet for each player.
What to have ready
Nothing to buy before the first visit
- A card table and four chairs
- Three other players
- Good light over the table
- Something to snack on
Where Miriam goes
- LivingstonLives here
- Millburn
- Roseland
- Short Hills
- West Caldwell
- West Orange
Where in the home
Dining tableLiving roomCommunity room
Usual week
Mon
10am
to 5pmTue
Off
Wed
10am
to 4pmThu
12pm
to 5pmFri
Off
Sat
Off
Sun
Off
What families say
“My mother says it is the best part of her Tuesday.”
Raj E.
“My mother talked about it all through dinner.”
Omar L.
“Dad remembered how to bid after forty years. He was thrilled.”
Luis M.
“Second month now. Still the highlight of Dad's week.”
Mei R.
“Dad asked me twice when the next one was. That never happens.”
Susan J.
“Messages back fast and remembers the little things.”
Lisa M.
“Dad says it is the first real chess game he has had in years.”
Rachel R.
“Finally someone who would play Dad at chess and not let him win.”
James G.
“My aunt is picky and she wants this every week now.”
Kevin C.
“Left a note after each visit so I knew what they did.”
Anthony H.
“Dad told his brother about it on the phone. That is a five star review from him.”
Nancy E.
“I live in Ohio and this gave me real peace of mind. Mom loves it.”
Rachel D.
“Patient with my dad, who can be a lot. Worth every penny.”
Maria G.
“Gentle pace, good humor. Exactly what we hoped for.”
Denise G.
“Mom set up the card table an hour early.”
Nancy S.
“Booked it as a gift for my grandmother. She keeps asking for more.”
Omar G.
“Showed up with everything and left the kitchen cleaner than she found it.”
Karen L.
“On time, friendly, and Mom was smiling when I called that night.”
Greg M.
Checked and vetted
- Online search
- A real conversation with our team
- Signed provider agreement
- Criminal background check
- National sex offender registry check
$65 per hour
Plus a $2.50 booking fee and 10% service fee.
Free cancellation up to 3 days before.