Jersey City Uncovered

Made With Love Organic Bakery & Cafe

Wed, 3 Dec 2008 15:07:43 -0500

I couldn't resist. Just like a bee finds a flower, I was drawn to the table of baked goods at last Saturday's Van Vorst Park Farmer's Market. I hovered around the table brimming with breads, cookies, and muffins, alternating my attention on each. Celeste Governanti, owner of Made With Love Organic Bakery, broke my trance as she smiled and handed me information on her store's new opening and classes. Throughout the summer she's been a staple at the Van Vorst Park Market. But as the market closes down for the winter, she'll have a new, warm location to sell at just down the street. The new storefront at 530 Jersey Avenue should be open this Saturday, December 6.
In addition to selling tasty treats, she will also be offering cooking classes at the new location. Governanti has a list of classes set for December, including "Organic Holiday Pies" and "The Art of the Tart" that would be perfect for anyone looking to get into the holiday baking mood. The classes run for two hours and cost $50 per adult per class and $25 for children under 12. According to Governanti, class size will be limited to not more than 12 people. All ingredients are provided and students will take home the goodies they have made. Gift certificates are also available for the baker on your holiday shopping list.
Governanti plans to offer classes three to four times per week. "That will be a big part of my business as well as offering a wonderful space in my kitchen to have children's birthday parties, showers etc. There is nothing more special than to have a party that involves all your guests sharing food that is fresh, simple and deliciously prepared."

In addition, Governanti looks forward to Friday and Saturday nights as "lovely dessert nights" where she envisions customers savoring desserts and their favorite BYOB wine. And branching out from sweet treats, she plans to once a month prepare a three course organic dinner for an intimate seating of twelve.

"It is my intention to offer my customers the very best organic food- artisanly prepared and made with love," Governanti concluded. And later as I let the pumpkin cranberry bread I had chosen from the market melt in my mouth, I tasted exactly what she meant.

Shop hours:
Sunday: 8:30 am- 2:00 pm (Classes 3:00 pm- 5:00 pm)
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed (Classes 7:00 pm- 9:00 pm)
Wednesday: 8:30 am- 4:30 pm (Classes 7:00 pm- 9:00 pm)
Thursday: 8:30 am- 4:30 pm ((Classes 7:00 pm- 9:00 pm)
Friday: 8:30 am- 9:00 pm
Saturday: 8:30 am- 9:00 pm

A Day in Wildcat

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:41:23 -0500

"Do you know the difference between a cave and a mine?"

"Of course I do."

"Tell me."

I proceeded to recall some obscured information from the back of my brain—caves occur naturally, and mines are man-made. Our impromptu tour guide, John Gumbs, a SAR (search and rescue) volunteer, was impressed.

The gorgeous Sunday weather had taken us to the Wildcat Ridge Wildlife Management Area in Rockaway Township. We were up for a long and interesting hike. However, we noticed a Search and Rescue truck perched right in front of the hibernaculum (a shelter for roosting animals—in this case, bats). Two volunteers were tending to the bat monitoring program. John, along with his partner Mitzi (also a SAR volunteer) and two dogs, Sara and Kalamity, had let us approach the entrance, based on my plea that I was from Jersey City and I had trekked out here just to see the hibernaculum. We stayed with him for a while—and had a mini-lesson in the local history and ecosystem.

Northern New Jersey—home to foundries and refineries that supplied the Continental Army (and militias) to the most recent of World Wars—has mining in the state blood, and iron ore has been harvested and produced into integral technologies and supplies. John made the point that the iron in the area is magnetized—good luck with a compass—and that the geologic statistics that occur in the northern region of the state are still under investigation because no one can quite put their finger on the reason behind the uniqueness of New Jersey's rocks. (On another field trip, I plan to go up to Ogdensburg for a mine tour—the rocks actually glow, that is, flourese!)

John reinforced the way that the area has come to be: Caves are naturally occurring formations. You can find them all over the world. Mines are man-made shafts that go (sometimes vertically, sometimes horizontally) down into the earth. Miners are responsible for "harvesting" the bounty in the earth. Now, the bats, spending their summer in the hibernaculum, make the best of nature's amenities, carved out by man. And the area is protected because of them.

The bats are migratory creatures, moving by the season, and hibernate through cold temperatures. People come to see "the bat cave"—a treat, especially when they fly out at dusk—but it's only a name. The hibernaculum houses a fundamental tier to ecosystem (the area's insect protection); bats eat mosquitos; larger creatures eat bats. The ecosystem is balanced.

Up, down, up, down. When the hibernaculum lesson came to a close, we wandered up the trail (steep in the beginning) to see what else we could find in the woods. The area was once inhabited, and the earth worked upon, but now, you wouldn't know the forest from the breeze. There are remnants of foundations (from the buildings that stood when the area was a mining boom town), stone walls erratically placed throughout the trees, and large rocks (some precariously balanced on one another.) The hike through the woods (albeit steep at first and confusing without maps or clear markings) is brisk and invigorating. The area of land is multi-use. I wished a biker luck as I descended—he was only at the beginning of the trail, pushing his mountain bike ahead of him. We certainly satiated our fix for wandering through the beautiful fall leaves and air.

And that's what the Wildcat range is about—watching as nature and history balance their coexisting systems together.

Photos courtesy of Rachel Thiel

The Brunswick Community Garden

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:56:59 -0400

Nestled between the Embankment wall and row housing, the Brunswick Community Garden is a blooming oasis for members and visitors. Located on a plot of leased city land, it feels a world away from the normal hectic bustle of Jersey City. Here green foliage replaces gray concrete, the predominant sound comes from clanging church bells instead of car honks, and the fastest movement belongs to the gray kitty that darts occasionally from it’s lounging position on the gravel walkway.

According to co-director Zach Feris, the garden has approximately 80 members. A portion of the members have one of the 25 individual plots to grow the flowers and vegetables of their choice, while others have general membership and can get their hands dirty in the front community plots. And even those who want to keep their hands clean can join and enjoy an afternoon at the picnic table in the shade, snacking on peaches from the tree above. Annual dues for all cost $15 and afford members a key to the garden.

The garden has been at its current location on Brunswick Street since 2000. Each year the group renews their lease with the city, which is through the Adopt A Lot Lease Program. Last year, members faced a scare by almost losing the land. A former co-director had cancelled the renewal application process, assuming that the city would get in touch with the rest of the garden members. The city didn’t contact the other members and the lease application was cancelled. Within a few days the city had taken off the group’s lock and replaced it with their own, locking the gardeners out for two weeks. Though the land was almost auctioned off, through the help of the city’s Parks Maintenance Division and strong community support, the lock eventually came off and the lease was renewed. Feris says that the buzz generated by the news-making incident helped the garden grow even stronger. Interest in the garden increased, with the waiting list for individual plots now 40 names long.

Looking at the compact individual plots, it becomes clear that the growers are just as unique as each flowering plot. Feris points to one area full of vegetables belonging to a husband and wife who are dancers. Another belongs to a couple that works in the New York City business sector. Though the gardeners come from different backgrounds and have different interests, inside the community garden they have a commonality in their love for plants and the appreciation of the garden.

“As a community gardener you’re part of a collective conscious of people who share a vision of how things could be,” says Feris. “This is the common place for you to come together and draw what that would look like. It’s challenging in such a concrete environment for some people to feel comfortable. This offers a place of respite and of connection of people of like minds. It’s an incredibly powerful tool that can be harnessed and used to improve communities.”

Feris’s own interest in gardening stems from his experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras. He not only met his wife, a fellow Peace Corp volunteer, through the experience, but also grew to love gardening. He worked in water and sanitation there, but inspired by the more agrarian community he lived in, gardening became his respite.

While on the garden tour with Feris, a woman who lives nearby the garden stops outside of the fence to enquire about the peaches that hang temptingly from the center of the garden. Feris chats fluently in Spanish and invites her in to have a look and sample for herself. Though the garden doesn’t currently have official open hours for the public, they do open the garden the first Sunday of every month from 9 a.m.- noon. Visitors can stop in, help out in the community plots, or sign up to become a member. These First Sundays are also a time when members all come together for general garden clean up.

Members also contribute to the compost system in the back of the garden that keeps everything flourishing. The 3-tiered compost system starts with members bringing scraps from the kitchen (barring meat, cheese, and bread). After a process that takes about 6 months, the scraps become rich, fertilizing soil that help nourish the multitude of flowers, vegetables, and trees.

For gardeners looking to join, there are still a couple months left of gardening this year since the garden doesn’t usually close down until November. While there aren’t any available plots at the moment, there are all those delectable peaches waiting to be plucked soon. For anyone interested in the Adopt A Lot Lease Program, Feris explains that for $25 people can purchase a list from the City Hall Real Estate Division that lists city properties that will be auctioned and an application for adopting. Feris isn’t aware of any land available in downtown, but one never knows. There could be another lot just waiting for other Jersey City gardeners to help flourish with flowers and fruit.

Field Trip: Palisades Park

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:55:58 -0400

On a recent Sunday, rays of sunshine beckoned from outside of the apartment window. They called us to come out. It didn’t take much cajoling. But where to maximize a sun-filled Sunday? We through out some possibilities. Liberty State Park? Nice, but too close, and normal for a Sunday excursion. The beach? Also nice, but too far. Governor’s Island? I’ve wanted to visit- but the idea of transferring through Manhattan seemed like too much effort. Palisades Park? Perfect.

I had driven through the Palisades Park, but hadn’t spent much time actually enjoying the hundreds of acres of wooded retreat just north along the Hudson. So with bikes in the back, we headed out, leaving Jersey City in the review mirror. The Palisades has several areas to stop and park. We stopped at a lot towards the southern end of the park, hoping it would offer bike trails from there. Groups of families and community groups picnicked and played. The Hudson River, George Washington Bridge, and Northern end of Manhattan all combined to offer impressive views.

We biked through the parking lot to the map of the park. Though we studied the multitude of lines meandering through, mostly hiking trails, we couldn’t find or figure out if we were close to a bike trail. We wheeled over to the parking attendant. From his wooden box he informed us we in fact were quite far from the trail we hoped to ride. We attempted to join the handful of road bikers zipping along the narrow street, sharing the road that winds through the park with the fast-moving cars. But after barely making it up the steep hill, and realizing we didn’t really have an inch between where our bike tires were and where the cars tires were supposed to be, we opted to drive again in search of a bike only path.

A few more minutes up the road we came to the State Line Lookout area, which is near the NJ/ NY border. Here, the park sat high up on the cliffs rather than right next to the river. So the Sunday revelers that meandered along the walkway looked out and down for the splendid views. Some picnicked here also, but more seemed to be heading out in both directions along the trail. On our bikes we headed north on the paved, vehicle-free trail, Old Route 9W. The gently sloping decent soon became quite steep. I kept my hands on my handle bar breaks, still speeding down. Being in a forest, a multitude of small twigs and tree limbs were scattered on the ground. Letting up a little, the exhilaration and wind in my face let me temporarily forget my worries of getting tripped up by the little limbs. After a breath taking, but very short ride, we came to the end of the road. The trail is only about a mile and half. With nowhere left to go, we turned around. After approximately .2 seconds trying to ride up the hill, I changed to walking the bike. Though not exactly the ride I had hoped for, the shaded environs still offered a nice, cool path to enjoy.

Though the biking aspect of Palisades Park didn’t turn out to be exactly as we had hoped, we thought we might as well go for a hike since we were there. Heading out along a trail we first walked through flat forest, marveling at the design of a decaying tree and guessing as to whether the raspberries were in fact raspberries or some poisonous cousin. We even spotted what we guessed to be a salamander hanging out on a rock.

We soon came to the part of the trail that goes down the cliff to the river and the “Giant Stairs,” a collection of massive boulders on the shoreline. Entering the heavily wooded forest, we began down a staircase of stone steps. Looking both down and up through the leafy boughs, we realized how steep and far the trail must be. Though I was slightly daunted by the prospect of the return trip, we journeyed on and down. The smooth, dark gray stones led the way. Halting momentum every so often, I stopped and looked up to take in the peaceful path.

After walking for quite a while down hairpin turns and even across a small creek, we came to the bottom of the hill. Soon we were at the river level again and walked a little slower, not carried as much by gravity. Another lovely scene greeted us as we came upon the large boulders stacked along the bank of the Hudson. I climbed and sat upon one, gazing out onto the river and enjoying the warmth of the sun.

I resisted getting up to start the return trip, not only because I enjoyed relaxing on the rock, but also because I was not looking forward to the massive number of stone steps required to reach the top. Though I walk up the mountainous escalators at the Exchange Place PATH station, it didn’t seem adequate training for what lay ahead. I anticipated needing to stop every two minutes- and was glad it was still late afternoon, giving plenty of time in case the return took hours.

But my fears of the uphill trek were exaggerated. Though I did stop every so often—to catch my breath in addition to enjoying the views— it was not as bad as I anticipated. We passed a couple of families heading down on our way up; the family with older kids rather than preschool age definitely seemed to be faring better.

Back on flat ground, both the beauty of the trail and the accomplishment in completing the climb left me fulfilled. And though incredibly thirsty and bit sweaty now in the bright, unshaded light, I was glad those same rays of sun had beckoned me out.

All Points West

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:53:51 -0400

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your hip, rocking masses yearning to breathe free...” 

Check out the Photo Gallery of the All Points West Festival that came to Liberty State Park August 8-10. Thousands of concert-goers flocked to the three stages where more bands than we can count jammed all weekend. Hopefully we’ll see great line ups here next year as well.

Post Card from Bend, Oregon

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:46:51 -0400

My friend Heidi recently got married in beautiful Bend, OR. Traveling out west offered not only the opportunity to witness the wedding, but also to explore the natural wonders of central Oregon. So you can imagine my surprise at venturing to the western corner of the country only to be greeted by Lady Liberty at the entrance to my Inn.

It turned out that the proprietor of the Mill Inn, Carol, is a native New Yorker. The miniature Statue of Liberty was a gift from a friend- a reminder of her roots. Between the fruit cup and waffle course of the extensive complimentary breakfast, Carol collected my information card and remarked at the address I had written down. “Jersey City,” she exclaimed, before delving in to her own Jersey City days. She had worked in Jersey City for several years before making her way westward.

She took us back twenty years to when high rises were few and far between. She explained about the incentives Jersey City offered business people so they’d set up shop in the not yet bustling downtown. She had a dress making business near the Powerhouse and marveled at how things have changed since then.

Later, after I’d finished my second cup of coffee and sat back full from the meal, Carol offered her suggestions for what to see in Bend. The Mill Inn, located at the edge of the compact downtown, was a good starting point to explore the many outdoor shops, restaurants, and microbreweries. She also pulled out a guidebook and pointed to a place called Tumolo Falls. “You definitely should see Tumolo Falls while you’re here,” she advised.

So with the borrowed guidebook in hand we set out for one of Bend’s not to be missed destinations. Even before we made it out past the houses and stores extending from the downtown area, the landscape offered awe-inspiring views. What a beautiful and welcomed site to see the snow-capped mountains peaking behind buildings. And being a “high desert” climate meant clear blue skies, an intense sun, and warm temps, though the climate also means cool temps at night- down to into the 40s after a 90 degree day.
The houses along the road to Tumolo Falls gradually became replaced with a multitude of bicyclers making their way along the hilly stretch. While there was a bike race taking place the next day in town, Bend also seems to be a permanent mecca for all kinds of outdoor activity—including biking. After about a half hour drive we made it to the small parking lot in the park. The hum of the falls greeted us as soon as we emerged from the car.

Just a short walk down the trail, as the roar of the rushing water became louder, the falls came into view. The white water flowed between the deep pine tree green offering a stunning picture post card view. We walked along the observation area and then headed out on a trail through the forest that took us along the river where we then encountered other smaller falls along the way.
At one point the trail gave easy access down to the river, and the icy cold shallow water offered fast relief from the intense midday heat. I had read at the entrance to the park that the unfiltered spring water is the town’s drinking water. And I couldn’t help tasting it directly from the source here. Cold and clear, it tasted like the snow it recently had been.

After exploring for a couple of hours past wildflowers and striking rock faces we returned to the park entrance. And as we drove back to the Mill Inn to get ready for the wedding ceremony, it didn’t seem that hard to see why Carol had traded in for a smaller Lady Liberty.

Calling All Jersey City Artists!

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:18:29 -0400

Do you have a collection of beautiful photographs from your travels? Or do you like to dabble in watercolors? Now is the time to showcase your talents and work! The Jersey City Artists’ Studio Tour is for ALL artists—so professional or hobbyist—get your work together and be a part of the tour! But first, you’ve got to fill out the application, which is due July 30. Then you’ll have a few months to get your creations in order since the Artists’ Studio Tour isn’t until Saturday October 4 and Sunday October 5.

The tour, which will be from noon to 6 p.m. on both October 4 and 5, highlights artwork at artists’ studios and other venues. Pro Arts of Jersey City and the Jersey City Department of Cultural Affairs sponsor the tour. Rebecca Feranec of Pro Arts, in her third year as coordinator for the event, has been working since March to get everything together. In addition, seven members of Pro Arts volunteer on the Exhibition Committee and work with the division of Cultural Affairs to ensure a successful art-filled weekend.

According to Feranec, artists have as much freedom as they need. They can have an individual show, an exhibit with a friend, or be part of a group show. The same is true about location: it could be at your apartment, a studio, or at a local business. If you want to display your work in a group show, like the ones at the Beacon and Canco, contact the curator first, and then fill out the application. Feranec realizes that since the deadlines for curators to have their shows lined up also July 30, she’s giving some leeway for artists to get their application in. So if it reaches her in the beginning of August, you should still be fine.

Feranec anticipates they’ll have 400 to 500 artists at between 70 and 100 venues, though she’s not sure of the exact number since people usually wait until the last minute to turn in their applications. The tour will be large this year, but it started out big 18 years ago with 70 artists the first year. One way it’s grown is the amount of group shows. “It’s a coming together to make one big event happen. Every arts group puts on a great show. We just put it on the map.” The mini grants mentioned on the Pro Arts website are for curators who put a show together with at least four artists. At this point, Pro Arts doesn’t have mini grants available for artists.

Once the artists and sites are determined, a map with all of the artists and venues will be printed. During the tour weekend, maps will be available for free at City Hall and the Grove and Journal Square PATH stations. Balloons and a number will also mark each site.

Canco Lofts will be the site of the kick off party on Friday October 3 from 6 p.m. -10 p.m. With 10 curator exhibitions featuring 200 artists, people will get a taste of the artwork and then be able to see the artists’ studio the next day at their own show. “It’s a portal,” Feranec said, referring to the opening night kick off party and exhibit. Besides the multitude of artwork, there will also be live music and refreshments. Another highlight of the Artists’ Studio Tour will be the Fourth Street Art and Music festival on Saturday. The street will be closed with artists and a stage featuring performances and a fashion show taking center stage.

So now is the time to mark your calendar and get that application in. “We’re really looking forward to the vibrancy of downtown and getting the whole city involved,” said Feranec.

A Conversation with Councilman Steve Fulop

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:32:59 -0400

At an outdoor café in the shadow of City Hall, Councilman Steven Fulop talked with us over glasses of iced tea and lemonade. The location fit not only as a backdrop for our conversation about current events and politics in Jersey City, but it also made for a convenient stop for Fulop since he planned to head into City Hall to work for a few hours afterward. And that’s exactly why we wanted to speak with him. From what we’ve seen, he works tirelessly on behalf of the residents of Jersey City.

I wouldn’t consider myself a very political person. I make sure to vote in presidential elections, and this year even for the primary, but overall the scandals of political figures seem to draw me in more than the actual business going on. I’ve lived in Jersey City for almost three years, but I fit the profile of a lot of young newcomers—uninformed and inactive about city politics. Not until I learned about the City Council’s flip flop 6-2 vote on allowing Toll Brothers to build three high rise towers in the Power House Arts District, against strong citizen opposition and not even four years after unanimously voting to make the area a historic district with low rise buildings, did I realize the power they wield and to wonder who they are. The two opposing votes belonged to City Council President Mariano Vega and Councilman Steven Fulop, who represents the Downtown “Ward E” neighborhoods in Jersey City.

I then continued to see Fulop’s name in subsequent discussions about different initiatives, from the Connect the Parks initiative to make a new park around the Morris Canal, to his attempt at changing the city’s harsh booting policy. After writing about all of the interesting things people in Jersey City are doing through this magazine, I also started to see how the City Council could have an affect on most anything in the city. For example, a May article on the kids who skateboard in Jersey City: they’re looking for a new skate park- the city council has the power to make this a reality. A June review of Skinner’s Loft on Newark: the restaurant fits in with the city’s redevelopment plan for downtown. Suddenly city politics didn’t seem so removed from day to day life, but instead a pretty big influence. These two realizations, the City Council’s role in Jersey City and Fulop’s reputation as a true representative of residents’ desires, led us to seek him out.

As we order our ice teas and lemonade, and a plate of hummus for Fulop, on a recent Sunday evening, the first thing we want to know is whether he always had an interest in politics. At age 31 he has the unique background of having worked on Wall Street and serving in the Marine Corps, which he signed up for after September 11.

“No,” says Fulop. “What happened was, I was a first generation American, grew up in Edison, my family is Holocaust survivors and after 9/11 I actually wasn’t even registered to vote around here. I looked into the Marine Corps, but I was apolitical. I was thankful and I saw this country affords people a lot of opportunity, especially my family who came here with nothing. And I was a single guy at that point, 25 years old, there was a lot of patriotism and then I joined and was deployed.” Fulop spent six months serving in Iraq. “Then the mayor at that time, Mayor Cunningham, got me involved in the congressional run against Bob Menendez. And after you get involved with it, it’s the opportunity you see to make a difference and you get bitten by the bug. From there it’s built on to the whole council thing.” After Fulop lost the congressional race, he went on to win the Downtown Council seat in May of 2005.

I ask Fulop about the role of the City Council. “The City Council is the legislative body of government and the mayor is the executive, similar to the congress and the president.” He explains that there are nine members, with six representing certain wards and three at large members technically representing all citizens. “Our role is constituent services, everything from police to open space to garbage cans to lead testing.”

I had read about the fact that the City Council positions are paid, but not full time, and ask him to explain. “Part of the history has been that they’re not full time. It’s an escalating salary. It’s paid today at the rate of the lowest union contract, roughly $30,000.” Fulop decided to waive his salary when he ran and have it donated to various nonprofit organizations, though he admits he spends as much time at his council position as he does at his full time job as a trader.

Talk of the council salary leads to a discussion on one of two referendums for the November ballot. One referendum would address multiple government jobs and incomes.

“Part of the criticism has always been that we’re a city of 250,000 people and historically most of the council has had multiple government jobs.” Currently seven of the nine councilmen have other public salaries.

“In a city like Jersey City, there are multiple layers of taxing on residents,” explains Fulop. “You’re taxed on the municipal level, Jersey City sends you a tax bill, you’re taxed by the board of education, you have taxes from the county government and you have taxes tied into the schools, which is from the state. Part of the issues and complaints have been that the different taxing entities have divergent interests. A lot of people on the council have multiple government jobs, where the majority of their compensation comes from the county government. When the county’s interests diverge from the city’s interests, what you see a lot of times is those people who have jobs in the county, their voting tends to align with the county’s.”

Fulop goes on to explain how the City Councils of other large cities operate in comparison to Jersey City’s. “Newark doesn’t technically have a full time Council, but their salary is what a full time council would pay, I believe it’s $80,000. It’s more of a staff in place. New York City Council is paid $120,000. So we’re sort of grossly under compensated for the workload.” While some members of the Jersey City Council in the past have had it as their full time job, he explains that when it’s not a full time job and people have multiple government jobs, it breeds skepticism and distrust for government overall. “So even if someone is honest and is not voting in the county’s interest it still breeds that distrust.”

“The goal for the multiple job referendum is to take away the second salary on the council level.” He explains that though the state permits the two jobs and salaries, it would take away the incentive some people have to serve the second job on the council. “The goal is to create a full time council that is fairly compensated.” If someone is already collecting a public salary, the person could still hold the second council position, but the council salary would be zero.

The second referendum for the November ballot is banning the practice of “Pay to Play.” Being the nonpolitically minded person, when he first says this, I have images of the lottery. When I ask for clarification about who exactly is paying to play he explains. “A developer, or contractor, is paying or contributing to a politician to receive contracts and preferential treatment.” The council originally voted against this campaign finance reform ordinance by 6-2 in 2007.

“The mayor is adamantly opposed to the Pay to Play concept. His argument is that by restricting these people from giving money you would only allow wealthier people to run for office. But he’s basically saying that the only time he can fundraise is when he’s holding a contract or something to give them. The common person can’t run, because they have no ability to give someone a contract. People should be giving to the elected official because they actually believe or view what he’s doing as favorable, regardless of whether or not they’re going to be able to benefit or they’re engaged in city business. But this is going to go to the voters. Nowhere in the state when this has gone to the voters has this lost. It’s not going to lose this time. We’ll win. It’s just a lot more difficult. It’s a lot of work. “

As to why the other council members would vote for the Toll Brothers development when it was clear the residents were adamantly opposed, Fulop says, “They’re engaged in fundraising, and relationship building with Toll, and the mayor wanted it.” Fulop has only seen one time in the last three years in which the council opposed something the mayor didn’t want. He says, “It’s counterintuitive to the checks and balances in power.”

I ask Fulop what has been most frustrating and rewarding since being on the council. He mentions the old time politics as being most frustrating. “You have something that’s clearly in the best interest of residents but it reaches stumbling blocks purely based on trying to change the culture and history here of politics. Hudson County is very political. Our history goes back to Hague who was the mayor here for twenty years. He was attributed in a lot of ways with getting FDR elected. He was running the biggest machine politics in the country at this point.”

“What’s been rewarding is that you can do things and see a positive impact day in and day out. I don’t think I would have had as much enjoyment being in Trenton for example. It’s harder to see tangible change. Here, after something’s done you can see you it five days later or a month later. You put in a dog run, or renovate a park, or put garbage cans where they’re needed and you can actually see it.”

He mentions the different initiatives he’s been a part of including the dog run in Van Vorst Park, upcoming Hamilton Park renovations, and the Newark Ave streetscape, which will start at the end of the year. He also talks about new lead testing legislation. “That will save children’s lives, undoubtedly. That piece of legislation will catch lead poisoning early. And it’s reversible if you catch it early.” He explains how most urban areas, including Jersey City, have higher concentrations of lead. Lead affects development and affects the brain. He says that recognizing the fact that there is reason to be concerned, a mandatory education and notification process to parents at day care centers has been put in place. Children will be engaged in testing through all day care centers in Jersey City. The testing will then catch children with elevated levels and parents will be able to address and reverse the problem. This legislation means a lot to Fulop since it will tangibly affect children’s health and futures.

While the council all supported the lead testing legislation, one piece of legislation without as much support from other councilmen is an amendment to the current harsh car booting policy. Currently, the parking authority boots cars the first time they’re parked in zone parking downtown and by the college for over two hours. Fulop says part of the problem is that they’re booting more people, not just those specific areas, on the first offense.

Fulop goes on to say that our country is based on the premise that you have the right to due process, which includes taking the issue to court. But with booting, people don’t have the right to due process first; they have to pay to get the boot off. Then, even if a person is found innocent in court, he still has to pay an administrative fee. Fulop says there is a committee to address the booting policy and he hopes it will be able to change aspects of the current booting policy and make zone parking a little more comprehensive, with changes beginning next month.

“They (Proponents for the current policy) use the argument that New York City will tow you on the first offense. But they’ll tow you to free up the spot because they need access to it. If the goal is to free up the spot, they shouldn’t be putting a boot on you because that’s just going to keep you there. The argument doesn’t make any sense. They’re just using it as a tool to make more money. The goal of the parking laws is compliance, not to make more money and have a back door tax. Most cities have three FTPs (failures to appear) before booting or towing.” A booting is very aggressive; the punishment needs to fit the crime.”

Fulop also talks about the redevelopment plan and goal of making Newark Ave Restaurant Row. Part of this will involve a new entertainment ordinance that will make it easier for restaurants to have live entertainment. Another change will be to sell the Employment Training Building, which is going to go out to bid this year. He hopes the plan will lead to redevelopment along the street and give residents more shopping options. The area on Columbus where the mural is, is also targeted for pedestrian friendly streetscape and retail.

As the waiter comes to take the empty dishes and glasses away, I get in the last of my questions. I ask Fulop what people can do to make the changes they want to see in the community. “The biggest area where we lack is that we need to get people engaged and voting and recognizing that this stuff very tangibly affects them day in and day out.”

And what are Fulop’s hopes for Jersey City? “If you look in the Northeast, there probably isn’t a city with as much potential as Jersey City.” He mentions our proximity to New York City, one of the greatest cities in the world, that we have Liberty State Park, which is underutilized and bigger than Central Park, and that we have the PATH and Light Rail. He says, “You live here, I live here; we live here because we know how great the city is and that it has the potential. But outside of this area the city doesn’t do a good job of promoting itself. We have the resources here that you can’t recreate. A lot of people would say we’re not really maximizing as far as what the city’s potential is. And the goal is that the city would realize that.” While Fulop recognizes that he differs from the mayor on a lot of things, one thing he does agree with him on is that the city would recognize it’s potential and achieve it’s potential. “And that takes a lot of government interaction,” says Fulop. “Good government interaction.”

I ask him his own professional goals. Fulop says he’s read that he’s on the short list of mayoral hopefuls. “I struggle with this. I don’t know if I’m ready to make that jump entirely. I got involved viewing this as public service for the amount of time involved and then you move on with your life. It is tremendously time consuming.” In regards to the time and energy he dedicates already, he doesn’t know how sustainable it is in terms of personal life balance. He realizes he’s rapidly approaching the intersection of whether he does this full time, continues doing it part time, or not at all. “I struggle with a lot, “ he says.

At the end of the conversation, I tell him my experience of emailing the mayor’s office about getting a library drop box a couple of years ago. It’s been a normal part of every library I’ve known in other towns and would be especially nice since the library is closed on Sundays. I relayed how I had been told it was a security issue as to why there isn’t one. As we sit outside amongst a post box and several newspaper boxes, I wonder if we could argue for one. Fulop mentions that at City Council meetings there is a section allotted for people to come put forth their concerns. He suggests we take the issue up. Later after a quick perusal online, I see that a recent City Council meeting had fifteen such citizens voicing their concerns (though it doesn’t say if anyone else has tried for the library drop box).

As the check comes we end our Sunday evening conversation with Steve Fulop. He’s clearly a wealth of knowledge regarding issues in Jersey City. But outside of that, I leave feeling more educated and energized also. Perhaps I’ll see him again soon at a City Council meeting where I might just try my hand at finally getting that library drop box.

Another Man’s Treasure

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:30:59 -0400

As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure; and Meika and Warren Franz sure have found the treasures to fill their downtown Jersey City vintage store, Another Man’s Treasure. Though the space isn’t huge, it’s brimming with a bounty of colorful goods. The store is a treat for the eyes, with the rainbow of clothing, shoes, jewelry, hats, bags, books, and records begging investigation.

Two years ago the couple started their business while both working other jobs. It began as a two-day a week enterprise from their original location on Brunswick St. Word of mouth spread about the store and it soon became a destination shop for those looking for unique, affordable clothes. They gradually expanded and now both work full time running all operations from their new location at 353 Grove St., the former location of Janum Tea, where they moved in April. As a recent Thursday visit proved, the store is still a destination for regular customers as well as an inviting find for people who happen to pass by.
Meika, a New Jersey native, always wanted to have her own store and had various experiences that lead her to it. At thirteen she was into fashion and music and making her own clothes. She later worked at other vintage stores and also spent time as a seamstress in the theater and at a bridal shop. In addition, she performed in a band, which is how she met her husband Warren, a native of England. They met in New York City while they were both performing in bands.

Warren’s entry into vintage clothing began with music. He bought clothes from second hand stores to emulate certain styles made popular by musicians. He also realized that music is a good excuse to dress up.

When the couple moved to Jersey City three years ago both began working full time in fashion, Meika as a fashion buyer and Warren at a store in the East Village. As their own business expanded to three days a week and then gradually to more both cut back hours at their jobs. Now, as they focus all their energy on Another Man’s Treasure, they admit it’s more than a full time job. But it’s one, by all appearances, they couldn’t be happier about.

Their days are a collage of various activities, all of which are necessary for maintaining the store. They travel throughout the East Coast hand picking the items that make it into the store. While most of the items come from nearby, they always have their eyes open for just the right pieces. For example, on a trip to Belgium they found room in their suitcases to fit a few items they couldn’t pass up.

They search for items approximately three times a week with between 100 and 500 new pieces added to the store’s collection every week. Things move fast due to the affordable prices. Sometimes they search for clothes they know regular customers will like; they even have a request book to catalog specific items customers are looking for. Other times they look for certain styles to round out the store’s current collection.

They carry both women’s and men’s fashions and occasionally kids. The Franzes have noticed that kids are drawn to their brightly outfitted space in the same way that adults are. Kids generally gravitate to the $5 jewelry bin, which is the perfect level for them to rummage through. Often the pieces make perfect additions to dress up collections.

Though some youngsters may find items to add to their dress up collections, or adults for that matter, for the Franzes, the clothes aren’t about being costume-y. Their wares allow people to mix pieces and make them modern. “It’s about being unique and creating your own look,” says Warren. Whether it’s adding a men’s hat or a piece of jewelry to a favorite outfit, or a wearing a vintage dress that looks like the “newest” styles in the magazines, customers like being able to create their own style.

They mention that vintage clothes also are an affordable way to get quality pieces in the more disposable society we live in today. As things are made faster and cheaper, it’s rare to find affordable clothes made with the same care that those from decades past had. A lovely evening dress here has a price tag of $75, a price one would be hard pressed to find elsewhere for a formal dress. At Another Man’s Treasure, fancy dresses are $60 and up, with day dresses ranging from $30- $45. Separates are between $15-$30. They also point out a sale section that has dresses and tops for only $5- $10.

Sometimes the pieces the Franzes find for the store need a little TLC. Meika puts her seamstress background to work repairing and sprucing up. Both Meika and Warren love seeing beautiful clothes have a new lease on life. They also like that recycling the clothes is good for the environment. But what they love most is seeing people really happy when they find just the right item. They like when customers leave smiling, loving their purchase and knowing that nobody else will be wearing it.

According to Warren, Meika also has a knack for helping customers, as diverse as Jersey City itself, find just the pieces they’re looking for. Both familiar with all of the clothing and with a good eye for fitting, she can help locate the perfect piece. While many people think that all vintage clothing is small sizes, the Franzes say that’s a myth. Though it may take a little perusing since the clothing is arranged by color and not size, it comes in all sizes.

The shoppers on a recent Thursday evening seem more than content exploring the racks of clothes for themselves, though. Two friends pull pieces, exclaiming about the treasures they’ve uncovered. Shopping here is like going through a wonderfully unique closet. As 8 p.m. rolls around and the last shoppers head out, Meika and Warren close for the night, and get ready to do it all over again tomorrow.

Dedicated JC Runners

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:30:23 -0400

This past week when it was a humid 92 degrees, I laced up my sneakers and hit the sidewalk for a 4-5 mile run that would take me through Liberty State Park. It's a short run down Grand St. to Jersey Ave. At the end is the foot bridge that crosses over Mill Creek giving easy access to Liberty State Park.

The humid, moisture saturated air held the stench of the Mill Creek combined sewage outfall perfectly. You could almost see it hanging like a curtain in midair. Smell being the powerful memory trigger that it is, I flashed back to last year at this exact spot where I observed what appeared to be researchers in a boat. Their white space suit looking outfit came complete with a face shield. Their full protective clothing made me contemplate the lack of defense my tank top, shorts and sunscreen provided from whatever foul demon lives in the water and air here.

Despite this being my routine route, the olfactory shock never lessens. And as I once again started across the bridge, gasping and perhaps a little light headed from the impending hypoxia I humbly realized, I must be the most dedicated runner in JC to face this stink. But before I could finish that thought, while crossing the bridge I realized I wasn’t the only daring one. Another runner zipped past me! Pushing a stroller! Talking about stocks on a bluetooth earpiece! Well maybe I’m exaggerating, but it was then I realized all the runners in JC that brave this fortress of foul smell just to gain access to Liberty State Park are what make JC runners the most dedicated runners around.

So in an effort to find out what motivates this most dedicated group, we set up an impromptu survey at the base of the sewage bouquet and asked JC runners just what motivates them. The first person to stop urgently insisted we move upwind. Then from underneath a makeshift breathing mask he constructed from his handkerchief he told us he was running to keep from getting fat.

Here’s what the rest of the JC runners braving the abhorrent aroma have to say:

The Iron Monkey Refocuses on Food

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:01:59 -0400

Thirteen years ago Stephen McIntyre opened the Iron Monkey, near Exchange Place in Jersey City, with a focus on food. After the original chef left, it became more of a bar than a restaurant. But with the addition of chef Ian Kapitan in March, McIntyre is returning the Iron Monkey to its food roots. It’s a fitting change considering the iron monkey sculpture at the corner of the four-story structure holds a fork, not a glass.

Though McIntyre owned the Iron Monkey all along, he’d been more of a hands-off owner. Not until he had lunch there last year, and ended up sending the food back twice, did he realize how far the food quality had slipped. Soon he began to envision and execute changes.

McIntyre decided to return to a focus on food, and did away with bands on the weekends, hired chef Kapitan to create a new menu, and began plans for a complete renovation and addition to the building. The renovation plan includes gutting the adjoining two buildings and changing around the current design of the building to create a whole new structure and atmosphere. Construction will begin in the fall.

Kapitan says the new construction will create a gastropub on the expanded first floor, with chefs creating the dishes right there. He references the Spotted Pig in the West Village as a prime example of a gastropub, or a pub with higher quality food. Each of the floors will have its own identity and look. They plan to remove the bar on the second floor and keep the area solely for dining, turn the third floor into another eating space, perhaps for private parties, and keep the bar on the roof for the space to remain for both drinking and dining. They hope to work out a plan to keep everything running during the renovations.

While Kapitan is new to the Iron Monkey, he’s not new to Jersey City. He started the restaurant Marco and Pepe on Grove Street and then worked as executive chef at the Lighthorse Tavern in Paulus Hook for three years. After working for a year as a private chef, McIntyre lured him to the Iron Monkey by offering him unlimited possibilities. Kapitan would have creative freedom and would not have to work within a parameter or box. Since signing on in mid March he has gradually added his selections to the menu, even creating a brunch menu in May. Brunch starts at 11:30 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Sunday diners can enjoy the weekly Jazz brunch featuring George Coleman that goes from noon to 4 p.m.

While eating earlier at the Iron Monkey is new with the addition of brunch, customers will also be able to eat late. From Thursday through Saturday nights the kitchen will be open to 1 a.m., providing the full dinner menu. During the week it will stay open until midnight. Kapitan plans to continue updating the menu, keeping entrees $25 and under and adding a dessert menu. And for those who enjoy the drinks at the Iron Monkey, don’t worry. They plan to keep many of the current beers on tap and add more microbrews.
After talking with Kapitan, who had the night off, we perused the menu. While it still listed a burger, a standby on the old menu, it also included many more choices. (Surprisingly, there wasn’t a main vegetable or pasta dish that didn’t include meat or fish though). But from the striped bass to the roasted chicken breast, overall the choices were much more varied, without the fried food focus it used to have. I found that the new menu varied some even from the one they currently have online, with the price of many of the new items bumped up to around $20.

We settled on the striped bass and the fish stew. The striped bass came in an herb butter sauce and was nestled on top of a base of fingerling potatoes and spinach. The mild bass was made even more succulent in the sauce and small pieces of chorizo, spicy bits of thicker bacon, added a kick. I enjoyed the mix of flavors, but found myself reaching for my Allagash beer with greater frequency. The seasoned potatoes and spinach along with the herb butter sauce together became a bit too salty for me.

The fish stew had a medley of shrimp, clams, and scallops in a light tomato broth. It was topped with thin slices of toasted white bread. While the toasted white bread soaked up the broth well, we longed for a heartier brown bread instead. Overall, the two dishes were a definite improvement over previous meals from the old bar menu. As the evolution of the menu continues and the expansion begins this fall, surely more patrons at the Iron Monkey will join that fork holding monkey statue and hold their own as well.

Skinner’s Loft: Subtle, Classy, Delicious

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 11:56:52 -0400

A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of uncovering Skinner’s Loft. Located on Newark Avenue in downtown Jersey City, Skinner’s Loft is a fast favorite. The exterior exudes a classic pub charm, which is matched on the inside with a beautiful bar. The classic features one hopes for in “a place to eat and drink” (their tagline) are dressed up here in Skinner’s Loft, with fine wood finishing and exposed brick walls. The renovations are thoughtful and intuitive, highlighting the best of the old building and introducing modern sophistication in subtle ways.

There are three levels of eating and drinking in Skinner’s Loft. The first floor, as previously mentioned, features an impressive bar which offers a welcoming haven from rush hour crowds.

The second floor boasts a delightful combination of a laid back atmosphere and a more formal dining area. The wood features and brick walls transition elegantly from the first floor and are accented by large windows with touches of stained glass overlooking the street.

The rooftop is the third option for eating and drinking. It is small and casual, with classic wrought iron patio furniture and pleasantly mismatched chairs and tables. Potted herbs occupy a small corner of the rooftop, with diners sometimes lucky enough to have them make it into their dishes. On a breezy summer evening, the rooftop provides an ideal setting for a unique and charming dining experience.

The menu features many creative small plates, a few thoughtful salads and a handful of larger plates. Many of the small plates are fancier versions of bar-food classics, such as filet mignon sliders, layered macaroni and cheese cake, and spicy rubbed BBQ baby back ribs. The larger plates offer a variety of meat, poultry, fish and vegetarian options. Although they publish their menu online, it appears that Skinner’s updates their menu seasonally. There were about six featured cocktails, all summery and tempting. There were standard beer options, spiced up with several imports and microbrews. The wine list had many interesting and reasonably priced wines. Most wines were offered by the glass or the bottle, with a decent percentage of the latter falling in the $20-$30 range.

I ordered the fettuccine with dill and a light cream sauce. The sauce was slightly heavier than I’d anticipated, but the dill (and I think a touch of lemon) cut the heaviness and freshened the whole dish. The spices were in perfect proportion to the rest of the ingredients, and there were sumptuous pieces of pan seared salmon throughout.

Another member of my party ordered a roasted eggplant plate, served with a side of greens. Slices of eggplant were topped with roasted tomatoes, couscous and a sharp cheese. This dish was the most impressive to me, because it made roasted vegetables feel like a proper restaurant meal. It was gorgeous and cleverly composed. The vegetables were perfectly roasted, prepared with a nice olive oil, and dressed with a surprising vinegar marinade.

The final dish enjoyed by my party was a salmon filet with a citrus glaze and roasted potatoes. Although the citrus glaze was barely perceptible, the salmon was cooked perfectly and thrived without it.

I would definitely recommend Skinner’s. It’s a classy yet casual restaurant, with a thoughtful menu and deliciously prepared food. I would order any of these items again, and I can think of at least three other dishes I am eager to go back and try. Skinner’s is a welcome addition to Jersey City dining!

Grooving on Grove

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:18:56 -0400

The band’s name is Any Day Parade, but a more fitting name last Wednesday would have been Rainy Day Parade. The band performed outdoors, even as the rain came down, at the Grove Street PATH Plaza as part of the Groove on Grove Series. The series, which runs through June, highlights Jersey City bands on Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. Any Day Parade’s performance on June 18, was the second of three groups’. The Bryan Beninghove Trio was on June 11, and the final performance, by WJ and The Sweet Sacrifice, will be on June 25.
Before the umbrellas started popping up, a crowd had gathered at the Grove Street PATH Plaza to enjoy the toe tapping music. A few babies bopped in their moms’ arms as they danced along to Any Day Parade’s Indie/ Country sound. Commuters emerging from the PATH’s escalators slowed their harried pace or stopped, suddenly transported away from the rush of the workday.
As the band came into their second hour of the performance, the sky darkened more and pinpricks of rain turned to bigger drops. But the band kept going, moving the speakers and then themselves under a green tent. Though some folks headed home to get out of the rain, others remained huddled under their umbrellas to continue enjoying the music, including one aptly named song, “Water Bucket.”
The Groove on Grove Series is put on by the HDSID, which stands for Historic Downtown Special Improvement District. According to Elizabeth Young, director of the HDSID, the goal of the music program is to help create a buzz for the district. The HDSID hopes that people will stop on their way home, or come out especially for the event, and then see what the downtown district around Grove Street has to offer in terms of entertainment, food, and shopping. “We hope that people will see that our downtown has everything they need,” she said.
The new plaza outside of the Grove Street station makes for the perfect location for the music series. It’s a highly trafficked area with 12,900 people going through there daily. And it’s the only area in the district large enough to accommodate big groups of people.
The music series is funded by the HDSID, as well as by the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone and other local sponsors. They hope to continue the Groove on Grove series every June. Though the music will only be for one more week, residents will have the new Farmers Market at the same location to look forward to the rest of the summer. The Farmers Market, also put on by the HDSID, will be Monday evenings starting June 24 and will run through October.

A Farmers Market Foray

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:10:18 -0400

Just as farmers rise early, it's not a bad idea for shoppers at farmers markets to rise early also. On the first Saturday Farmers Market at Van Vorst Park, much of the stock had sold by the noon hour. But the three vendors, Asprocolas Acres, Hoboken Farms, and Made with Love Organic Bakery, still offered enough fresh selections for shoppers to pick out items for a delicious lunch.

The vendor from Asprocolas Acres noted that he left the farm at 4:30 in the morning, a time when the latest Friday night revelers would have been making their way home. Though the market officially runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., he was in Jersey City setting up the tent and unloading produce by 6:30 a.m. The early morning shoppers nabbed the fresh blueberries from the farm; but there was still locally grown radishes, lettuce, and kale later in the day. Since it's still early in the season, the fruit and vegetable selection was rounded out with additions such as tomatoes, grapes, and nectarines from out of state. Locally grown produce, such as watermelons, sweet corn, peas, peaches, and pumpkins, will all make their appearance as the season progresses. Containers of herbs and flowers lined the sidewalk and added additional color and fragrance as shoppers perused the stand. The herbs are grown on the farm, while the flowers come from nearby growers.

Next to Asprocolas Acres, Hoboken Farms' tent offered mozzarella cheese, breads, and an array of fish, chicken, and beef. Owner Brad Finkel of Hoboken has been running his business since 1992. He explained that the fresh mozzarella tastes so good because the milk curd comes from a small farm in upstate New York and has three times the butterfat than curd normally used. It makes for a luscious final product so flavorful they end up selling literally a ton a week.

Hoboken Farms only uses bakers and meat sellers from New Jersey. "We try to make it as local as possible," Finkel said. Besides selling their mozzarella at Whole Foods, Finkel sells his goods exclusively at farmers markets, up to twenty a week. "It feeds my soul," he said. "There's no better way to get a sense of a neighborhood on a day than when the town's people come to buy food." Having sold at the same farmers markets for almost twenty years, he's seen the growth of children to teens, from teens to adults, and then as adults bringing their own children to the market. For Finkel, the cycle of the seasons, arriving at the markets in spring and leaving in fall, is a natural and rhythmic way to live life.

Continuing down the line, the third tent was Celeste Governanti's new organic bakery, Made with Love. It's clear right away that Governanti shares the same passion about her new line of work. She made the leap to owning her own bakery just this year after having worked in the fashion industry for thirty years. Earlier this year she began her recipe development and then started selling via the web. She will sell at ten local markets this summer. She explained that everything is organic and also local when possible. She uses local dairy and as local fruit comes into season she plans to create more fruit tarts and pies. Pointing to the large cookie bursting with chocolate, she mentioned that the chocolate also comes from an organic, fair trade plantation in Ecuador. The array of delicious treats, packaged, by the way, in cellulose rather than plastic, includes all manner of cookies and non-yeast breads. There are even tasty treats for dogs. Governanti offered a sample of the Good Morning Sunshine breakfast cookie; it had a refreshing citrus flavor full of orange zest, raisins, and almonds. The sunny name and flavor seem to match Governanti's warm disposition.

After surveying the offerings it was time to decide what to get for lunch. We chose to make a pizza with the focaccia bread and mozzarella from Hoboken Farms. We picked veggies from Asprocolas Acres to add on the pizza and to put together for a side salad. And we rounded out the meal with bread and dessert from Made with Love. Finkel, from Hoboken Farms, explained that the bread we chose comes from Dom's bakery in Hoboken, one of the only coal-fired ovens left in the city. It has a chunky tomato herb sauce on top. We picked up two of the locally grown ingredients from Aspocolas Acres for the salad, lettuce and radishes. And we bought a couple of zucchinis to add for the pizza topping. The coconut cookies from Made with Love, looked like a refreshing dessert. Since we couldn’t resist the jalapeno cheese bread either, we picked that up as well.

Back from the market, lunch preparations soon commenced with the slicing of mozzarella and vegetables. The radishes were a spicy, bitter addition to the salad I normally wouldn't have thought to grab at the grocery store. And the first sampling of mozzarella, creamy and melting in my mouth, made me understand its popularity. We layered the cheese and veggies onto the focaccia crust and baked in a toaster oven at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Looking at it in the oven, it was hard waiting until the white cheese has turned golden brown in spots before taking out.

The end result was delicious. The thick crust tasted rich with it's coal fired, olive oil origins. The combination of tomato sauce, zucchini, and a few thin slices of radishes for kick, came together for a rustic, flavorful pizza. The crisp, fresh lettuce salad was the perfect accompaniment. We also munched on the jalapeno cheese bread. The hotness of the jalapenos hit the taste buds first and the white cheddar came into clearer taste moments after. At the end of the meal, the coconut cookie, chock full of shredded coconut, was the perfect sweet treat to finish with. This farmers market foray just might become a new Saturday lunch tradition, though perhaps next time I'll try to rise a little earlier to have a choice of the complete offerings. Anticipating the Good Morning Sunshine breakfast treat might be just key needed to get me going.

Sail Into Summer

Sun, 8 Jun 2008 14:15:30 -0400

Here traffic doesn’t mean cars. In the New York harbor, traffic is the floating kind: ferries, motorboats, sailboats, and the occasional kayaker. I’m sitting on an Offshore Sailing School boat as Travis Johnson, an instructor, pulls out the buoys he’d set for the sailing club’s races. Besides being slightly concerned about the water quality just sprayed up, I’m mostly struck by how otherworldly it feels to relax on the open water amidst landmasses brimming with millions of people. I thought it would be fun to find out more about the Offshore Sailing School that offers sailing lessons out of the marina at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. But secretly, the idea of getting out on the water myself seemed even more fun. And I was right. It was really fun.
I first found out about Offshore two years ago when looking into different places that offered short sailing lessons. Then I realized that the sailboats with the red logos dotting the water landscape I’d see from Liberty State Park were also part of their fleet. I’d narrow my eyes, following their path. Biking amongst the expanse of green at the park offered an escape; but not as much as I imagined being on a sea of blue water would.
So last Sunday morning I went to find out who inhabited these floating vehicles of fun and escape. And how exactly does one join their ranks? Tyler Pierce, the director of Offshore’s Northeast Region, greets us. The school, founded by Steve and Doris Colgate, also has outposts in Florida and the Caribbean. Pierce is an accomplished sailor having sailed all his life including literally around the world. He’s been with the Offshore team for 18 years and explains that they first offered sailing in Jersey City in 1995 from the area by the Colgate clock. Coincidentally, there is a distant relationship between Steve Colgate, an award-winning sailor, and the founders of the Colgate brand. Today, however, the main connection is the people who mistakenly call the school’s offices looking to complain about their toothpaste.
Offshore moved it’s Jersey City location to the marina when it was completed in 1997. Today they teach roughly 300 students how to sail and cruise boats out of the location. (They also teach classes out of Chelsea Piers). Most of the students live nearby. “This location is more of a commuter course location where people drive here,” Pierce explains. Though people do come from Boston and Pennsylvania, people go to more tropical locations for destination sailing. People won’t find many palm trees up this way, but they will still temporarily escape on the open waters, without having to go far. The school offers three different courses from Jersey City, a Learn to Sail Class, a Performance Sailing Class and a Cruising Class (how to man a larger, sleep-aboard sailboat).
To find out how one goes from novice to sailor, we’re tagging along on the first day of the Learn to Sail Class. The class will go for three full days over two weekends and costs $995. (FYI, a new 50% discount has recently been added for college students in the tri-state area). According to Johnson, a range of people sign up for the Learn to Sail course. Some have never stepped on a boat while others have sailed occasionally. The six students in this particular class represent the range of students. Kim Espinosa and Annie Sykes, coworkers in Newport Tower, signed up together. Espinosa has always found the water relaxing and freeing though she hadn’t been on a sailboat before, while Sykes has sailed some with her husband who is a member of the Offshore Sailing Club. The class was perfect for both: Espinosa would fulfill a long held desire to learn to sail and Sykes would know how to handle the sailboat on her own without her husband’s explanations. The average per class is about six to ten students, though only four students go on a boat with an instructor.
The students spend the first two hours of the day in class learning the basics before spending six hours sailing. The classroom is in the red lightship in the marina, which was once used as a floating lighthouse off the Outer Banks. Our eyes soon adjust from the bright morning sun to the dimmer interior of the boat. Though it’s a windowless room, what could be more fitting of a classroom location than a decommissioned boat? The students all have out the textbook they received prior to class (and which they should have read beforehand) and instructor Matt Cross begins the day’s lesson.
We had planned to perhaps sneak out during this part, the lecture part of sailing, after all, was not the perk of this assignment. But between the PowerPoint slide instruction and referencing the model boat set up in the front, the class breezed by pretty fast. They first cover the sailing lingo, like deciphering what it means to “Trim the sheet until the luffing stops.” Or what someone means when they yell, “Jibe ho!” I could go on referencing the old English sailing slang still used today, but you get the point. After learning about other necessary things like how to use the wind, and steer, and how to tie knots, the group is prepped enough to emerge from the Lightship and put their new knowledge to work.
The six students divide themselves into two groups of three and an instructor goes with each group. The students stand on the dock next to the boat, the Colgate 26 designed by Steve Colgate, as the instructor explains its parts. They’ll sail until about one o’clock, break for lunch and then sail again for another four hours in the afternoon. The next two class days, over the following weekend, will follow the same schedule. The last day’s afternoon, however, the students will have the opportunity to take the boat out together sans instructor. That, along with a 40-minute written test that will grant them basic keelboat certification, is the real test of their newfound skills.
This first Sunday morning, as they step onto the sailboat, the instructors lead every step. The first group embarks, distancing themselves from the marina and venturing into the open water. We hop on a boat with Johnson, the instructor helping out with the sailing races, so we can see the new sailors in action without getting in their way on their boats. Johnson explains that Offshore also has a sailing club, which recent graduates can choose to join. After completing the class one is prepared to be able to take one of the Offshore’s fleet of nine sailboats out with another member- at least two club members are required per boat.

Members can also compete in the races Offshore sets up on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. Membership in the club, which is opened from May through October, isn’t cheap at $1,475. But compared to the price of a boat, the cost of maintaining it, and paying for a slip- it begins to seem like a deal for sailors in the area. Graduates finishing their courses this summer also have pro-rated options for joining. People with a basic keelboat certification or who can demonstrate proficient knowledge of sailing can also join the club without having to take the class.
This morning, two boats compete in the races. They navigate the wind and loop around the orange buoys set a distance apart. A longer race had the boats sailing around Governor’s Island and back. Members can take the boats up as far up as the George Washington Bridge and as far south as the Verrazano bridge.

Eight Great Ways to Summer Fun

Sun, 8 Jun 2008 14:07:30 -0400

Summer once meant freedom from school, bare feet, and catching fireflies past bedtime. Now, the daily routine doesn’t always allow for the same glorious acknowledgements of the season. But it can still be a time to relax and rejuvenate. With Memorial Day having already snuck past and the first official day of summer, June 20, just around the corner, it’s time to take advantage of some warm weather activities!

Sava Polish Deli

Sun, 8 Jun 2008 14:07:29 -0400

I have to admit that I have only been to one other Polish restaurant, and only once. But if it’s any consolation, the food at Sava Polish Deli makes me feel like I’m eating dishes made by my Grandmother or Great Aunts- children of Polish immigrants.

I also have to admit that Polish food didn’t always have me jumping for joy when I came across it at family gatherings such as graduation parties, Christmas dinners, or even the occasional wedding. I’d add a pierogi or golabki (a cabbage roll pronounced as gawumpki) to a plate of food with fewer syllables, like bread, ham, and fruit. But more recently the food appeals not only because of a maturing pallet, but also probably as a way of connection—to memories, family, and ancestors I know only from photos and recipes.

My family was in town visiting recently. Since an afternoon rain shower washed out our plans to visit Liberty State Park, we instead made our destination Sava Polish Deli on Grove St. With no Polish restaurants near my hometown in Michigan, we all wanted to check it out. Besides, it had been awhile since our last extended family gathering included the traditional fare. And I think my Mom enjoyed being able to tell my Grandma over the phone about our destination.

After a wet walk to get to Sava’s, the steaming buffet at the back of the restaurant was a warm, welcomed sight. We made our way to the food, passing several tables set up near the front, a magazine rack full of Polish magazines, and displays of both Polish dry goods and refrigerated items. The grandmotherly proprietress then kindly waited as we all stared alternately at the menu board and at the items in the buffet as we tried to decide what to get.

Most of us settled on the Polish platter. She ladled onto each plate a cabbage roll, link of kielbasa, sauerkraut, and three pierogies. The pierogies- like the rest of the food on the buffet- was homemade. The day’s pierogi options were potato filled, meat filled, and sauerkraut and mushroom filled. We all opted for the more familiar potato filled. I did notice that the menu lists fruit filled, so I’ll have to travel into the world of sweet pierogies during my next visit.

Generous ladles of the thin tomato broth that covered the cabbage rolls were added over all of the contents. Next time I think I’ll have the pierogies on a separate plate (or else ask for not so much sauce). While extra broth added flavor to most of the items, it also made the dough on the outside of the pierogies a bit softer than their normal firmer texture. The creamy mashed potato filling inside was still tasty.

The generous portion of kielbasa, with its delicious smoky flavor paired nicely with the sauerkraut. And the stuffed cabbage roll, boiled cabbage leaves filled with rice and ground beef, tasted just like my Grandma’s. The whole platter of warm, solid food went well with this rainy Sunday.

I was doubtful of what the one vegetarian in our group was going to be able to eat. All of the food listed on the menu seemed to include meat. But by simply asking for any items without meat, he was served a plate brimming with a surprising diversity of food. It was lighter looking than the Polish platter and was eyed with jealousy by the rest of us.

The meatless items not only looked good, but tasted good as well. Small potato dumplings, made with the potato pierogi filling, tasted similar to Italian gnocchi. A cooked mixed vegetable dish and a pasta dish added substance. And sliced cucumbers with onions, sour cream, and dill added a delicious freshness to the mix. All of the vegetable dishes were flavorful without having as much heaviness as the Polish platter items.

The best option for two omnivores might be to share the regular Polish platter at $8.50 and a plate of meatless dishes for $7. The two platters together would provide the best of both worlds—a sampling of the traditional fare with lighter additions to complement.

Though my family enjoyed the meal in part because of ethnic familiarity and connection, anyone looking for a homemade meal won’t go wrong at Sava’s. And going for the meatless options is a delicious way to lighten up for summer.

Field Trip: Newark Bears Baseball

Sun, 8 Jun 2008 13:00:21 -0400

Somewhere around the fourth inning, Jimmy Buffet’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise” played over the loudspeakers as employees of the Newark Bears baseball team tossed cheeseburgers up into the crowd. Nothing gets people standing up and waving their arms like the possibility of catching a give-away. Perhaps the only time I’ve seen this done more interestingly was at another minor league baseball game, the Michigan Battle Cats, when employees shot hot dogs into the crowd with some sort of hot dog gun to the tune of “Who Let the Dogs Out?” The cheeseburger toss brought me back to that oddly fun/ funny moment at the diamond. Maybe that’s part of the appeal of minor league teams, including the Newark Bears. It’s an inexpensive, and surprisingly fun, way to enjoy the All-American past time.

Attending a Newark Bears game is not only an extremely reasonable night out, with box seats costing $10 and reserved seats $7, but it’s also just a close drive or PATH train ride away from Jersey City. I went to my first Newark Bears game last summer. I was taken aback by how nice the actual stadium was, and also by the lovely view, especially at dusk, of the green field with the river behind. This year I was excited to go back for another game, especially because my six year-old nephew has become a baseball expert within the year, or at least as much as a t-baller can be. He watches MLB (that’s Major League Baseball) with the same enthusiasm once reserved for Thomas the Train cartoons.

Other kids (and adults too) showed their enthusiasm and wore their mitts, prepared to catch any fly balls that might come their way. The Bears hosted several little league teams that evening, so many youngsters sported their jerseys and groups even came out on the field to help sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Other kids were there as part of birthday parties that the Bears also facilitate. And a face-painting stand, opened on Fridays throughout the summer, offered intricate designs for $5.

Fans also enjoyed the Bears’ mascot, Rupert, who spiced things up between batters and between innings. Though he didn’t have a little car to drive out on the field (as I saw the Bull for the Durham Bulls of NC tool around on along the outfield), he did add entertainment to the night.

In addition, spectators snacked on reasonably priced food and beverages as they took in the game. Here one can enjoy a hot dog and drink without major league prices. With Miller beer and Heineken’s at $4.50 and $5.00 it’s cheaper than prices at many bars.

And the actual baseball was pretty good too. The Bears put up a good fight on this particular night, going into extra innings before eventually winning against Somerset. We didn’t get a chance to stay for the Friday fireworks finale as we had hoped, due to the lateness of the extra innings. But I guess that’s just reason to check the calendar for another home game.

Gear Up for JC Friday

Sun, 1 Jun 2008 15:16:41 -0400

On Friday, June 6, several venues in Jersey City will showcase visual artwork, performances, musical groups, and films as part of the JC Friday event. With so many options here are a couple of possible itineraries to get you started, and inspire you to create your own.

Itinerary #1: Savor the Samples
Of course immersing yourself amongst great art is wonderful in itself, but what could be better than sampling free food and drink too!

4 p.m.: Kitchen Café, 67 Green Street
Head out of work a little early and get a jump on the day’s festivities. Partake of the complimentary snacks at Kitchen Café where Daylight Gallery is presenting visual art and musical groups. There’s even a Children’s Art Workshop from 3 p.m.- 5 p.m. Perhaps they’ll let those young at heart join in?
6 p.m.: Art House Productions and Cosi Café, 545 Washington Blvd.
Enjoy the view along the Hudson River as you stroll to Pavonia Newport. Stop in at Cosi’s for a wine and cheese reception celebrating the art of Gina Marr who blends “elements from Japanese manga, fashion illustration, and pop surrealist art.”
8 p.m.: Kim’s Mediatronics, 88 Pavonia Ave
Relish the complimentary refreshments as you enjoy the live Indian dance and music workshops.

Itinerary #2: Party in the PAD
What better place to enjoy art than the Powerhouse Arts District?

6 p.m. Habib Ayat Studio, 360 Marin
Start the party off right. Enjoy refreshments, music, and the studio’s newest art.
7 p.m. Ian F Hinangan across from 140 Bay St.
See Ian’s performance “Kilometer Zero: Counter-Colonization at the PAD”—which addresses the upcoming Toll Brothers Development at the soon to be developed sight.
7:30 p.m. D.E.E.N., 140 Bay St.
Cross the street and enter D.E.E.N- a new boutique that will be hosting the band 1&9’s.

Itinerary #3 Clown Around with the Kids
Here are fun options for kids of any age.

4 p.m. Jersey City Museum, 350 Montgomery St.
Stop in at the Jersey City Museum where they’re offering free admission all day (11 a.m.- 5 p.m.).
5 p.m. Grigory Gurevich Art and Design Studio, 282 Barrow St.
Enjoy the pantomime demonstration from 5-6 amidst the artwork in the studio.
6 p.m. Duck Duck Goose, 16 Erie St.
Head over to this children’s consignment and specialty store where the kids can get their faces painted and then put their new pantomime moves to work. Enjoy snacks during the face-painting event.
7 p.m. Torico’s Ice Cream Parlor, 20 Erie St.
Though the sundaes won’t be free, poets, musicians, and visual artists will offer their kid-friendly art to enjoy while eating!
8 p.m. World of Style Vintage and Balance Salon, 18 Erie St.
After all the clowning around with the kids, end the day with a little complimentary wine for yourself! The kids should enjoy the intriguing “Welcome to the Funhouse” described as: “…a surreal circus fashion show celebrating the kaleidoscopic kraziness of spring.” There will also be a series of self-portraits and light sculptures to enjoy.

Itinerary #4 Evening Events
Or choose to attend one of these evening performances.

7-8:30 p.m. Imagine Atrium, 528 Jersey Ave.
See the recent book you’ve read turned into a dramatic performance as local actors present dramatic readings and performances of current popular fictions novels.
7:30-10:30 p.m. Lincoln Inn, 13 Lincoln St.
Savor the sounds of songwriter Carol Lester, who along with Peter Moffit, will be performing at the Lincoln Inn restaurant.
8-9:30 p.m. Nimbus Dance Works at Grace Van Vorst, 39 Erie St.
Enjoy “Live Dance Downtown” by Jersey City’s premiere dance company. Though not free, the dance and live music surely are worth the suggested $12 donation. Reservations can be made at 201-377-0718.

Check out www.jcfridays.com for a complete listing of events and locations so you can get started on your own itinerary! Maps of JC Friday events and locations will also be available on Friday at the venues.

Connecting More Than the Parks

Sun, 25 May 2008 10:33:49 -0400

“You take a look at what’s across the river near the World Financial Center,” says Ron Smith, referring to the walkways, lawns, gardens, and playgrounds along the waterfront in Manhattan, “and you think, why can’t we have that on this side?” Smith is a member of the Jersey City Waterfront Parks Conservancy, a nonprofit group formed in 2007 to spearhead the somewhat complicated process to make community desires for a waterfront park in Paulus Hook a reality.

“What we’re doing is trying to bring awareness to the whole process,” says Smith. The JCWPC has initiated the process of connecting the parcels of land owned by the city, the state, and private businesses to form one park and also is trying to figure out how to connect the funds to make it happen.

The Light Horse Tavern, co-owned by Smith, will be hosting a Clambake and BBQ fundraiser for the JCWPC on Sunday June 1 from 3-7. The money raised will go towards hiring a landscape architect to design the plans for the park. The tickets for the Clambake are $100 for adults and children under fifteen are free. Half of the ticket price will be donated to the JCWPC. If it’s nice weather, the event will be held outdoors on a closed portion of Morris Street between Washington and Warren. In addition to food and drinks, there will be games for kids, live music, and a silent auction. Smith hopes it will be an event the whole family will enjoy. Tickets can be purchased on June 1 or before.

The group wants a world-class architect to design a world-class park. According to Smith, having a visual idea of what the park can look like is the first step to getting the landowners and those controlling city and state funds, on board.

Many residents support a new waterfront park for several reasons. They think it would be a beautiful gathering place for the community and the design would address the current erosion of the land. Keeping the land as a park would also prevent it from high-rise development. The area offers views of lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, and the Verrazano Bridge. “The vista is so spectacular. It would be a shame to lose, or to not maximize it,” says Smith. Currently, Peninsula Park is the main parcel available for public use. The other large section of open land, Veterans Park where the large Colgate Clock is, has fencing blocking public entrance.

Several questions remain about how to make the vision a reality. Different sections of land around the Morris Canal are each owned by different city, state, and private groups. Each group would maintain ownership, even though the land would all be part of one park. Understanding what funds are available to make the park a reality, and how to access them, is a main question. There is possible city and state money that had been earmarked for other projects such as a retaining wall and for the completion of the waterfront walkway from Hoboken to Bayonne. But what part of that money the new park could share in is unknown.

Besides government funding, another possible source of funds for the park is money from Goldman Sachs. The company had put money aside to be used for green space development along the waterfront when they built in Jersey City. But accessing that money is several steps away in the park development process.

The very first step in the process of creating the park is to create the design. The efforts of which will be made possible by the support of the JCWPC, including those who come out for the June 1 Clambake and BBQ.

In addition to trying to connect the parks, the nonprofit is connecting residents concerned with keeping and improving the green space in their neighborhood and giving them a voice. Smith has been in Jersey City for the last two decades and has seen the transition Jersey City, and especially the Paulus Hook neighborhood, has made. “It used to be so transient,” he says, referring to the neighborhood. “But now there are more families, and people are buying and placing a stake. We have our children here and we want to see the neighborhood grow and be all it can be.”

Top Ten Tips for Urban Gardeners

Sat, 17 May 2008 15:29:06 -0400

Happy belated plant day! May 15 has been designated the official safe date to plant your new flowers, veggies, and herbs outdoors. With the threat of frost past, it’s time to dig out the garden gloves and get planting!

But wait. What do all of the city-dwellers without land do? The answer: container gardens. There are options for anyone with a stoop or fire escape, or even just a window.

Mike Giordano, owner of 14th Street Garden Center at 793 Jersey (located right past the Holland Tunnel Exit) passed along some useful information for all those interested in making their thumbs a little greener. Here are the top tips.

A Look at What’s New in the Powerhouse Arts District

Sun, 11 May 2008 14:46:03 -0400

“We really look at the space as art itself,” says Joseph Lopez, referring to the loft space that’s the site of his new store d.e.e.n. Lopez, along with his wife, Shez Zamrudeen, celebrated the grand opening of their new boutique at 140 Bay Street in the Power House Arts District (PAD) on May 3rd. A closer look at the store not only highlights an artful addition to the neighborhood, but also the challenges the neighborhood faces with the approved construction of the Toll Brothers high-rise development.

“The space itself meant a lot to us,” says Lopez. They left the original beams above and have designed and built the rest of the store themselves with help from family. Lopez and Zamrudeen are reaching out to local artists, including students at Hudson Community College, to feature their work throughout the store. As a store within the Powerhouse Arts District, a neighborhood dedicated to the cultivation of artists and galleries, it’s fitting that the designer clothes and goods have a backdrop of local artists’ work.

The store is the perfect marriage between Zamrudeen’s fashion design background and her husband’s accounting and real estate experience. In terms of the goods they carry Lopez explains, “We have a little bit of everything for everyone.” They have men and women’s designer label fashions as well as an organic line for pets and one for home goods.

The price point at d.e.e.n. is a little higher than nearby Newport Mall’s, with prices going up to $240 for dresses and down to $30 for men’s shirts. But they hope to appeal to shoppers who enjoy a boutique experience. They want to ease the sore arms of people who carry their shopping bags back from stores in New York by offering a closer alternative.

They’re also looking forward to customer relationships. “That was the whole point in choosing this area,” says Lopez. He explains that even before opening the store, which is on the lower level of Bay Street Loft Condominiums, people in the building stopped in, excited about the addition.

They also wonder about the addition of the proposed Toll Brothers Building across the street from their store. On April 9, the city council approved by a 6-2 vote the building of a 950-unit complex. Lopez and Zamrudeen recognize the eventual addition of the Toll Brothers building will probably be better business-wise since they’ll have so many new potential clients. But they currently like the relationships with their customers and the friendly area where they know the customers by name.

Lopez and Zamrudeen wonder about being able to maintain these kinds of close relationships with customers. They are also empathetic with residents and artists in the PAD who object to the development for a number of reasons. For one, historic warehouses and a cobblestone street will be demolished and replaced with three skyscrapers that will block light and go against the aesthetic of the PAD. Second, there will be a reduced number of artists’ live/work spaces in the proposed buildings compared to the original Powerhouse Arts District Redevelopment Plan. Proponents for the Toll Development note, however, that the design includes a 550-seat performing arts theater and extensive gallery space.
The redevelopment of the Powerhouse Arts District takes its name from the Hudson and Manhattan Powerhouse, the large brick structure that powered the original PATH train at the beginning of the 20th Century. In 2001 the Powerhouse was put on the National Register of Historic Places and became the driving force behind the neighborhood’s redevelopment.

In 2004, Jersey City designated the area of warehouses and cobblestone streets, roughly a 6-block radius northeast of the Grove St. Path station, the Powerhouse Arts District. The original PAD redevelopment plan called for low-rise buildings that maintained the integrity of the historic industrial neighborhood, in addition to guidelines concerning affordable housing and artists’ live/work space. The demolition of warehouses, and the construction of the new towers, goes against the original guidelines.

Many residents feel that the building of skyscrapers and disregard for the original PAD guidelines is a blow for the neighborhood. For PADNA(Powerhouse Arts District Neighborhood Association), a group that opposes the new construction, the next move will be a legal challenge.

Despite the PAD’s growing pains, some things in the PAD will stay the same, such as JC Fridays. The event, started in the spring of 2005, is a day of arts and culture held at the beginning of each new season. The quarterly event allows residents and visitors to enjoy artwork and cocktails as they mingle with artists in different venues around Jersey City, including several locations in the PAD. June 6 will be the next JC Friday, and d.e.e.n. will be one of the hosts. Lopez and Zamrudeen hope people will stop in for a visit on June 6, if not before.

Editor's note: We see that the NYT has a new article on the PAD in the N.Y/ Region section.

Sri Ganesh’s Dosa House

Sun, 11 May 2008 13:50:09 -0400

Sri Ganesh’s Dosa House is a no-frills South Indian restaurant located on the glitzy stretch of Newark Avenue known as India Square. These blocks are populated by a plethora of South Asian groceries, clothing, video, and sweet shops. Mannequins in storefront displays model vibrantly colored outfits encrusted with hundreds of gemstones and stare vacantly out over a street busy with evening activities. Some people, arms loaded with groceries, head home to prepare dinner, but everyone else seems to pour into Sri Ganesh’s Dosa House ready for a South Indian feast.

From the restaurant’s blue awning hangs a garland of dried mango leaves arranged like upside-down flower bouquets framing the large front window. Inside, patrons sit on nondescript black chairs, using their fingers to nimbly tear and fold pieces of dosa to dunk into bowls of sambaar. For, as the restaurant’s name suggests, that savory South-Indian staple, the dosa, and all its permutations, is the draw at Sri Ganesh’s Dosa House.

Dosas are thin and crispy high-protein crepes made from a batter of rice and lentil or rice and whole wheat flour. They can be as delicate and long as a roll of wrapping paper- a paper dosa- or lacy with holes – a rava dosa. One can simply order a plain dosa to eat with sambaar, the lentil-based, vegetable studded stew and the chutney, the milky, coconut dip that always come as sides, but dosa fillings are where the fun comes in. Sri Ganesh’s offers over 65 combinations of fillings and it’s easy to see why each table in the restaurant is taken. There’s a dosa for every taste here and, chances are, it’s excellent.

To place our orders, we lined up at the counter that enclosed an open kitchen where we could see women in saris spreading dosa batter in a circular motion. It was difficult to pick only one dish; each option seemed better than the previous, the first seemed better than the last, and the indecisive circle continued. Of course all the standard options were there: Masala Dosas, featuring a pile of soft, turmeric-tinged potatoes fried with onions, mustard, ginger and chilies; Onion Rava Dosas, polka-dotted with holes and liberally sprinkled with sautéed red onions, and Mysore Dosas, smeared with fiery red chili powder.

There were also varieties I’ve rarely spotted outside of India including a Spring Dosa, a Chinese fusion in which a dosa is tightly wrapped around shredded onions, peppers and noodles, and many varieties of cheese dosas that are wildly popular in India but surprisingly infrequent menu additions at South Indian restaurants in America.

We finally settled on a Rava Butter Onion Chili Coriander Dosa and a Paneer Mixed Vegetable Uttapum, a type of savory pancake, for our dinner, and a Masala Tea, a Madras Coffee, and a platter of Jalebis, syrup-soaked, pretzel-shaped confectionaries, for dessert. We grabbed table number 16- each table has a number which is used to identify the order- and sat to wait.

“Number 16.” After collecting our dosa and uttapum from the counter, we headed over to a corner where a large hot pot full of sambaar was placed next to napkins, spoons, and disposable bowls. We scooped out sambaar with a deep ladle and grabbed an excess of napkins. Eating dosas is a joyously messy experience with all the dipping involved.

Our Rava dosa was crispy and slightly sweet from the butter (dosas are usually cooked with ghee, or clarified butter) and speckled with dashes of dark green cilantro. It was presented like a gift, folded into a neat rectangle, and so we opened it a bit until we could easily access the savory potatoes at its center. Spicy from the thinly sliced chilis and juicy from the glossy, sautéed onions, our dosa was delicious. In addition to dunking small parcels of dosa enclosed potato into the coconut chutney and warmly spiced sambaar, we dipped them into the other chutney, which was saucier, with hints of garlic in its sesame base.

The Paneer Mixed Vegetable Uttapum, while a little bland on its own, was a suitable counterpart to the more flavorful dosa. Also made with a lentil and rice batter, uttapums are fluffy underneath a very thin crust, and, if made well, as Sri Ganesh’s was, are wonderfully grease-free.

Our meal ended on a saccharine note: the masala tea had extra sugar; the Madras coffee tasted like the too-sweet instant coffee I am familiar with from visits to India, and the jalebis, those deep-fried confectionaries soaked in syrup, were soft and crunchy with sugar particles instead of crisply dripping with golden sticky syrup. Yet, while sweets might not be their forte, Sri Ganesh’s Dosa House has certainly mastered the savory art of the dosa, and I can picture myself returning again and again, sixty-five times in all, to sample each one.

Field Trip: The Cloisters

Sun, 11 May 2008 13:46:03 -0400

Last weekend I visited a magnificent 12th Century French monastery. The trip didn’t involve an expensive overseas flight to get there though. For $1.75 on the PATH train and $2.00 on the A train, my friend and I were transported not only across the ocean, but also back in time. The Cloisters, a building that is part of the Metropolitan Art Museum, includes parts of actual medieval French monasteries. It’s located in Fort Tyron Park at the very top of Manhattan. The building is the perfect setting for the museum’s European medieval art collection. A visit to the Cloisters is well worth the short trip from Jersey City.

My best friend from home, Kristin, flew in from Michigan on Tuesday night. She had less than a week to explore the Big Apple (and of course the highlights of Jersey City as well). She took in various Manhattan neighborhoods and even two Broadway shows, but the one place we reserved for Saturday when I could go along was the Cloisters.

I had heard the Cloisters, reconstructed from five medieval French cloisters and from monastic sites in southern France, was beautiful. The name cloister refers both to the monastery where monks live, as well as to a covered walkway with columns along the wall. I’d seen pictures of the tan-colored estate, which made it look more like a postcard from Italy than one of New York City. But I had never been there myself. It seemed like the perfect place we could explore and both feel like we were some place different.

So last Saturday, with the clouds gray and thick with the possibility of rain, we carried our umbrellas with us on the PATH train as we made our way into Manhattan. We connected quickly to the A train from the World Trade Center. Unfortunately, the A train was running local, so we settled in for a bit longer ride than we expected.
Due to train construction, we couldn’t make it all the way to the 190th St. stop as we had planned. With the last stop being 168th St, we waited with a crowd of others to take the free shuttle bus up to 190th. I had read beforehand about taking the M4 bus from there. But once we got off the bus at 190th, we saw that we were right at the entrance to Fort Tyron Park, which houses the Cloisters. After sitting for about an hour between the trains and the bus, we were ready to stretch our legs. We opted to walk through the park instead of taking the M4.

A map at the entrance showed that the Cloisters was situated at the northern end of the park. A sign also explained that much of the reconstruction of the Cloisters was a gift of John D. Rockefeller.

“The result is not a copy of any particular medieval structure but an ensemble of spaces, rooms, and gardens that provide a harmonious and evocative setting in which visitors can experience the rich tradition of medieval artistic production. Just as cloisters provided sheltered access from one building to another within a monastery, here they act as passageways from gallery to gallery.”
-Metropolitan Museum of Art

Besides funding the building, Rockefeller also donated much of the medieval artwork, financed the conversion of 66.5 acres of land into Fort Tyron Park, and even, in 1927, donated seven hundred acres of land to the state of New Jersey across the Hudson River. This was done in order to make sure the view from The Cloisters remained undisturbed. The Cloisters was dedicated in 1938.

After having learned a bit more about the Cloisters, we started along the paved path. Entering the park felt a little like stepping into an enchanted forest. Flowering trees had bouquets of blossoms on their limbs. And beds of flowers burst with tulips and azaleas. We meandered along, inhaling the sweet fragrance in the air. As we walked west, the panorama of the Hudson River and Palisades Park in NJ came into view. Rockefeller had the right idea to make sure the forest stayed undisturbed. The scene was lovely and seemed to belong more to the country than the city. The traffic on the West Side Highway below was even transformed to sound like the hum of ocean waves. Well, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch of the imagination- but overall the setting was extremely peaceful.

After about a half an hour of leisurely strolling through the park, we spotted the estate up on the hill. It was hardly a view of NYC I’d seen before. It seemed unbelievable that this towering building- complete with mature trees and expansive lawn surrounding it- had been given a new life in the most populated city in America. I couldn’t believe it had taken me so long to visit.

The park and view of the exterior building would be reason enough for a visit. But there was even more to explore inside. Since the Cloisters is part of the Met, the same pricing applies. They have a suggested donation of $20 for adults. But giving just a $1 donation enables one to enter without question as well.

The building’s structure makes the perfect home for the artwork inside- especially since so much medieval artwork has Christian themes. Stained glass windows, wall-sized tapestries, ivory sculptures, and illuminated manuscripts all fit seamlessly. We even saw an original set of playing cards from the middle ages- the larger, embroidered cloth cards bore a striking resemblance to those we still use today.

We wandered from room to room, entranced as much by the artwork as by the setting. The interior structure of the Cloisters was art itself. The open courtyards, with their marble columns along the outside and geometric plantings in the middle, left me breathless. Enjoying a cup of coffee at the Met’s café, located in one of the courtyards, allowed me to soak up the setting and feel truly transported.

After our coffee we finished exploring the inside. We took our time, pausing at the sculptures. Standing in a reconstructed chapel, sounds of monastic chanting echoed throughout the vaulted room.

Eventually we found our way back to the entrance of the building. We reclaimed our umbrellas and bags that we’d checked in. And feeling rejuvenated with the pleasure of travel, without the feeling of jet lag, we made our way out and later, back to Jersey City.

Skateboarding in JC

Sun, 11 May 2008 13:00:03 -0400

Maybe you’ve seen kids flying on their skateboards over the steps of the Post Office. Or just seen them walking with skateboards under their arms. The surge in the sport’s popularity can probably be attributed to a few pop culture factors- but if you talk to local skaters, they’ll tell you that Joshua Dillon has a lot to do with it here. Jersey City Uncovered stopped in with him for a chat at his new skateboarding shop- the only in town- on Newark Ave.

20 Questions for the crew at Nine Lives Skate Shop

What’s your name? Joshua Dillon, and I opened the store with my wife Gia Sarmiento.

How long has the store been opened? 7 months

What does the name Nine Lives mean? You’ve got to be cat-like to skate. You’ve got to be crazy.

Any serious injuries yourself? I haven’t been skating that long. So thank God I haven’t experienced anything serious. Little ankle rolls now and then, but I haven’t broken any bones. Snowboarding has a lot more injuries. I snowboard too and my shoulder is still sore from this winter.

How has business been? It’s picking up. We opened at the beginning of the winter, which is pretty tough. Most of the kids I’ve put on a skateboard are in the park (the outdoor rink at Roberto Clemente Sports Park) now and their parents are coming out and supporting them.

Do you go out to the park and help the kids learn? Well, I’m a father with a 6 year-old son, so I used to be out in the park everyday with him. It went from skating with him in the park to having the shop and those same moms and dads we used to see in the park are coming and supporting the store now.

How young can kids start? I would say 4. My son started at 4. If they can walk they can push a skateboard.

What was the reason for opening here? There was a need. I was sick of going elsewhere to buy my products, Manhattan mostly.

Where are the best skating spots in Jersey City? We have a few underground spots, but the most popular are the Post Office, which has a couple of stair sets. Then there’s the park.

So a stair set is? The number of stairs you try to jump.

Think it’s too dangerous for people to skate on the street with all the traffic? That’s part of the fun.

Any hopes for a skate park? The city has promised to give us a skate park under the Turnpike. It’s in the works now. So hopefully within a year or two we’ll get the park. Hoboken has a park, but that’s because their Mayor’s son skates. (Editor’s note- does Healy have any kids?)

Have you seen an in increase in skateboarding? Definitely- I think it has a lot to do with MTV.

Do people come in here just for styles, and they aren’t skateboarders. Yeah, you get that a lot. Skateboarding has blown up now, it’s not just the boards it’s the clothes now. A lot of the urban kids probably used to wear back in the day an XL or XXL and now they’re a medium or a large. It’s a lot more fitted clothes. It’s definitely the fashion now.

What would you recommend for people interested in actually trying it? Skating is all about trying different things until you see what works for you. Keep riding; keep trying to figure out what board works for you.

What are the price ranges for the skateboards? A complete board with the trucks and wheels is about $150-$170.

Roller Derby Returns

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:46:03 -0400

The names on the back of the jerseys: Lady Vengeance, Punchy Brewster, Sandy Hook-Her. These ladies have monikers that rival those of professional wrestlers'. But they compete in a rink, not a ring. They don their roller skates 3 to 4 times a week to skate with the Garden State Rollergirls, a roller derby league comprised of two teams, Jersey City Bridge and Pummel and the Northern Nightmares. In the process, these women temporarily leave their normal lives behind. "Everybody has an alter ego," explains Jessica Olejar, aka Punchy Brewster. "Everybody has a day job. But they're someone different on the rink than what they are to everyone else."

On this unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon, about fifteen women practice at the outdoor rink at the Roberto Clemente Sports Complex in Jersey City. Some wear looser shorts and t-shirts and others don the more form fitting tanks and hip-hugger shorts the sport is known for. In addition to the trademark knee socks and roller skates, all are outfitted with helmets, and knee, wrist and elbow pads. A few skid to the ground as they skate and block each other. It becomes clear this sport is not just about how you look.

Today's practice is for the league's travel team. It's comprised of members from both Jersey City Bridge and Pummel and the Northern Nightmares. The Garden State Rollergirls League is hoping to add a third team this year. They’ll be having a recruitment party on Saturday, May 3 at 9 pm at Hell's Kitchen Lounge in Newark. Tryouts will follow on June 2 and 4. The season runs February through November, with a game every month either at the home rink, Branch Brook Roller Skating Center in Newark, or an away game.

Jersey City Bridge and Pummel played their second season opener against their close rivals, the Northern Nightmares, on April 11. Though they lost 118-105, the Jersey City team has gotten better. "Last year in the two games where Jersey City played the Northern Nightmares it was sort of a blowout. Jersey City lost both times. So this year was a big improvement," says Olejar.

During a bout (the name for a match) five players rotate out onto the track at a time. Each team sends out a jammer that starts farther back than the rest of the skaters. Their objective is to lap the rest of the pack. They get a point for every skater they lap. The other skaters try to block them out. Or hit them and knock them down. This period of play, called a jam, lasts for two minutes. There are thirty-second breaks between each jam. The bouts consist of two 30-minute halves.

"It's been the past 2 or 3 years that Roller Derby has exploded across the country," explains Olejar. The resurgence of the sport, which hit its height of popularity in the 1970s, can be traced to Austin, Texas. The women there did a couple of things that aided in the recent growth. First, in 2001 a league started that played on a bank track. That's the elevated, sloping track with railings, where the players can knock each other over. Then, a group of girls broke off and formed a flat track league.

"From there flat track derby really spread across the country," says Olejar. "Bank tracks cost about $30,000 and then teams still need a place to house it and a place to have their games. Flat tracks, on the other hand, can be played almost anywhere. A lot of teams play in roller rinks or roller hockey rinks."

A 2006 reality TV show on A&E featuring the Austin roller girls from the bank track league further popularized the sport. According to Olejar, "It was about strong women with a punk rock attitude and a lot of women saw that and said, oh, I want to do this." Some women then either started their own league or they decided to seek out an existing league.

Jersey City Bridge and Pummel currently has twelve players. It consists of women from Jersey City, as well as from other areas of NJ and all five boroughs of NY. The league is open to anyone as long as they can make the practices in Newark.

"Most roller derby leagues, and they're all over the country, are skater owned and operated," Olejar explains. "The girls who skate do all the business side of it. We do the marketing, and solicit sponsorships. We design uniforms. We decide how the league is going to be run."

The team practices Monday and Wednesday in Newark at the indoor rink, where they also play their games. It's recommended the women make either the Saturday practice at the Jersey City outdoor rink or the Sunday practice in Nutley.

During a recent Saturday practice a few girls skid to the ground. "We've had two girls that broke their ankles pretty badly." Olejar says. "Lately, we've had more girl get pregnant than girls with serious injuries." Though the team practices with intensity, they also take precautions. To make sure that skaters stay safe, they all have to take and pass a skills test before they can bout. "They have to be proficient enough to be safe. If you're skating and flailing around you become a danger to the other girls," she says. In addition, the league also has EMTs at every game.

Spectators can check out the games when the team plays in Newark. The next home game will be July 18. On average, the league gets about 300 fans at each game. They hope to get more this year since it’s their second season. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $12 at the door. All of the money goes back into the league to pay for practice time at the Newark rink and the costs associated with putting on a bout, such as hiring the DJ, chair and table rentals, and marketing for the bout. Each bout requires around 15 referees, some of whom skate and call penalties and some who are on the sidelines. Any men interested in roller derby can participate as referees (and get their own skate names too).

Radiohead Remix

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:37:52 -0400

To celebrate the release of their most recent single, Nude, the band Radiohead offered their fans the opportunity to remix the song. By releasing the individual instrument tracks anyone with a computer and a limited knowledge of audio editing could have a go at it. For those of you unfamiliar with the original song you can check it out here. Listeners can vote for their favorite remix. To hear more and see voting results check out Radioheadremixed. Jersey City Uncovered is proud to host the D.J. Mills & Tron remix of Nude.

The concept for this remix was not go in the more common direction of adding more beats and synths, but to make it sound less electronic. Don’t forget to vote!
-D.J. Mills & Tron

Lady to Host Green Expo: How Promoting Green Can Mean Seeing Green

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:20:56 -0400

Green and Gorgeous. The canvas tote bag, emblazoned with thick green lettering announcing “Green and Gorgeous” prominently hung in the window of the store Scoop NYC on Broadway next to the newest clothing styles. As showing one’s green side has increased in popularity among people, businesses are also becoming interested in showing their green sides. For businesses, it can mean cashing in on an increased level of environmental consciousness.

Consumers and companies can see what’s new in everything eco-friendly this weekend at the PSEG Global Green Expo being held at Liberty State Park. The belated Earth Day event will be April 25, 26, and 27. People will be able to learn about eco-friendly products and services. There will be exhibits, entertainment, and a food court. Tickets are $15 for one day, $25 for two days, and $35 for the three-day pass.

Two Green Models

Companies are realizing that promoting their green practices is also way to attract business. Whether the environmental aspect began in the creation of a small business, such as Build A Green Bakery in New York City, or is being added, as in the case of behemoth Wal-Mart, businesses are banking on the idea that showing their environmental concern will increase support for the business.

Build A Green Bakery on 1st Avenue in Manhattan, constructed in 2006, sells cookies, cakes, and pies in its small store made of completely recycled materials. From recycled paper countertops to the wind power that supplies the power to the bakery, all efforts to reduce impact on the environment in this store have been made. Its large selection of cookies (made with organic ingredients) retails for $2.50 a piece. An employee at the store estimates that “20% of the business is a result of people who want to support an environmentally conscious store.”

Wal-Mart, who most would consider to be on the opposite end of the business spectrum from a small, Eco-friendly cookie store, does have something in common with Build A Green Bakery. It recognizes the financial impact, in addition to the environmental impact, that can be had from focusing energy on its sustainability practices.

Adam Werbach, 34, once the youngest president of the Sierra Club, joined forces with Wal-Mart last year to help with the company’s environmental and sustainability goals. Werbach broadly defines sustainability as “having enough for now, while not harming the future.”

Werbach wants Wal-Mart to be known for environmental sustainability, which in turn would be good for business. In an interview for Fast Company Magazine, he says, “Our goal is to have Wall Street look at Wal-Mart’s green performance, and say, ‘Wow, do more of that.’”

Wal-Mart’s new environmental efforts include energy saving stores that use motion-activated LED lighting, more efficient refrigeration systems, and windmill power in the case of one new store. Another hallmark of Wal-Mart’s new aim is a program for personal sustainability by Wal-Mart’s employees. Through workshops and in-store training efforts, employees are encouraged to find a way to become sustainable in their own lives, which will then improve his or her life and benefit the planet. Biking to work would be one example. The aim with the personal sustainability movement is to show employees how sustainability relates to their lives, who will then support it within the larger corporation.

While Build A Green Bakery and Wal-Mart highlight the range that businesses have taken to shown their environmentalism, they might be just the tip of the iceberg. Businesses recognize the potential for growth by branding themselves sustainable. A conference was held in New Orleans at the end of September called Sustainable Brand ’07. It had such sessions as “Eco-strategy to Build Competitive Advantage.” As increased revenue begins to go hand in hand with environmental practices, surely, other businesses will follow suit.

While increased profits as a reason to go green may make one wary of a company’s goals, ultimately, it’s a win-win situation. Whatever place being green falls on a company’s priority list, by choosing environmentally friendly practices, businesses are not only doing something good for themselves, but doing something good for Earth as well. And consumers have the option to vote green with their money, even before election time rolls around.

From Wall St. to Warren St.

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:03:08 -0400

“Hi folks, how are you?” asks Vecdi Bilgin, owner of the café Two Aprons. The older couple he addresses has just entered the small, sun filled café, the yellow walls of which become even brighter in the morning light. “You’re still wearing heavy jackets,” Bilgin comments. The warmth promised later in the day has yet to arrive.
The couple sits at one of the two small tables in the café and the conversation flows between them and Bilgin to the woman’s recent leg surgery before getting to talk of coffee.
A little over two years ago, Bilgin left his job on Wall Street, where he worked in IT, to take over ownership of the Polish restaurant, Tania’s, on Grove St. “I think I worked enough in Wall Street and I needed to have something different,” Bilgin says in regards to the reasoning behind his transition.
He closed Tania’s in January of 2007 and opened Two Aprons in March. The small storefront Two Aprons occupies is nestled among brownstone apartment buildings on Warren Street in the residential Paulus Hook neighborhood. Living in the area, he recognized the need for more eating options, especially a few years ago.
He originally started Two Aprons with a business partner who once managed the well-known West Village eatery Moustache. Together the two crafted the menu for Two Apron’s, inspired by both the Middle Eastern fare at Moustache, as well as by favorites from Bilgin’s homeland of Turkey.
Now, Bilgin is the sole owner. The name, Two Aprons, alluding to the two original owners, remains. Though Bilgin doesn’t often don an apron, he does make the pita sandwiches and cappuccinos with care. He shows his concern with creating quality food, such as the Egyptian sandwich that has grilled feta, tomatoes, and olives in a pita. He also enjoys friendly conversation; no traces of the hurriedness and brusqueness of Wall St. can be seen here.
It’s clear Bilgin relishes the communication that the slower paced world of Warren St. affords. “There are great people in the neighborhood and interaction with them is really wonderful, and that aspect in itself outweighs everything else,” he says. Bilgin currently communes with customers over a variety of Middle Eastern inspired sandwiches, toasted bagels, baked goods (including Turkish baklava) and coffee creations. He’s looking forward to expanding his menu soon to include both seasonal and brand new items. Strawberry lemonade has just been made available since summer is at the door and organic roasted chicken, slow roasted in-house, is even in the works.
If the seats are all taken inside the café, head two blocks south toward the water. There you can enjoy your sandwich and coffee in the peaceful harbor setting. The benches along the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway make for great, extended seating.

Two Aprons is on Warren St. between Morris and Sussex. Hours are 8-7 Monday through Friday, 9-7 on Saturday, and 9-3 on Sunday.

Van Vorst Park: Volunteers Make It Grow

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 06:00:00 -0400

“You wouldn’t go in this park ten years ago,” says Marc Wesson, a resident of the Van Vorst Park neighborhood. A decade ago, drug addicts and homeless people populated the park; it's been a process to make it the blooming centerpiece of the neighborhood that it is today. Wesson, a twenty-year resident of the area, is part of the group Friends of Van Vorst Park (FVVP) and a main volunteer caretaker of the gardens in the park today. Most people don’t realize the renovation of the park and current maintenance is volunteer-driven, he says.

On May 3rd from 9-3 residents can join in the efforts to keep Van Vorst Park looking beautiful. Anyone interested in helping to get the gardens ready for summer are welcomed to join in with employees from Goldman Sachs that will also be volunteering. At noon, FVVP will be having a meeting at the gazebo.

At the FVVP meeting, the group will be looking for suggestions for the park and volunteers will learn how to stay involved with the gardens, whether giving a few hours or taking responsibility to care for a garden plot. Volunteers only need to bring their enthusiasm; FVVV keeps tools in the park for volunteers to use and can provide any additional annual or perennial plants (the plots have established perennial flowers already growing). Anybody interested in volunteering but unable to make the May 3rd meeting can contact Marc Wesson at 201-965-0632.

“What has happened in the park in the last nine years is truly an example of what can be accomplished with cooperation between community input and city agencies,” Wesson says. A handful of neighbors formed Friends of Van Vorst Park (FVVP) and in 1993 it was incorporated into a 501 C-3 non-profit. After several years of planning and procuring funds, the park was renovated in 1999. Today, the park is full of flowering garden plots, a dog run, a gazebo used for theatrical productions, and playground equipment that neighborhood children enjoy. Van Vorst Park is part of the umbrella group Jersey City Parks Coalition; it is one of eleven city parks in the group.

Marc prepares the gardens for spring.

Many of the original neighbors who had a hand in the renovation of Van Vorst Park have moved. So now much of the responsibility for caring for the gardens falls on Wesson, who along with Cliff Waldman, volunteer their time to make sure it stays looking nice. “I’ve always loved to do the work,” Wesson says. He laughs, “It’s just gotten worse.” His passion for gardening even led him to a yearlong master gardener program through Rutgers. For Wesson, the most satisfying part of all his hours spent working in the park is the beautiful result. He’s hoping other Jersey City residents will want share in this rewarding work by agreeing to care for a garden plot throughout the summer.

A lot of plans are in the works for Van Vorst Park, including a brand new pet-free lawn on Barrow Street that will have an underground sprinkler system. This will be the second such lawn in the park; the first new pet-free lawn was planted last year on the York Street side of the park (and included the first underground sprinkler system for a Jersey City park).

An area pets are welcomed in is the dog run, which celebrates its one-year anniversary on May 3rd. The Van Vorst Park Dog Run Group and a Mother’s Group (a group of Moms who frequent the playground equipment with their children) will also be holding meetings in the park on May 3rd. Volunteers maintain the new dog run in the park so any dog owners interested in helping with this area are encouraged to come by.

A rose blooms near the dog run.

Movie Nights
During the summer, Van Vorst Park transforms into an outdoor movie theater. Free films are shown every other Wed. evening when the sun goes down. Check out Films in Van Vorst to find the 2008 schedule. Attendees only need to bring chairs; free popcorn is provided.

An Afternoon Stroll

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 05:00:00 -0400

I had wanted to go away last weekend. I didn’t really know where, just some place warmer, where things were starting to bloom. Though spring officially came March 21, I’ve been wearing my green scarf still, and even my winter hat in the mornings. It just hasn’t felt very spring-like here. But last Saturday was different. It felt like spring had finally sprung. Birds chirped, the sun shone, and since it didn’t work out to go away, the streets beckoned for a stroll.

It must have something to do with it actually feeling like a new season, because walking around Jersey City seemed exhilarating and new too. Others seemed to exude this same spirit also; couples walked hand and hand and children played outside, unencumbered by their winter jackets.

Walking through Van Vorst Park, the daffodils and magnolias announced with their colorful petals that they could thrive despite the recent chilly temperatures. Other plants, and the roses especially, seemed primed to make their appearance soon.

A father and daughter take a stroll.

A quick stop off at the Jersey City Library to drop off books led me down Jersey Avenue. The grand brownstones looked dressed up with the trees beginning to add their decorative blossoms.

Farther down on Jersey Ave the Polish meat market and delicatessen, Europa, called my name. I’m Polish on my mom’s side of the family so I thought perhaps there would be something small I could find to give to my Grandma in Michigan, whose parents came to America via Ellis Island in the early 1900s. Stepping into Europa, I was transported to my grandparent’s kitchen as the smell of smoked sausages wafted through the air, reminding me of delicious Christmas breakfasts. A quick scan of the shelves that were lined with packaged sweets and many kinds of pickled things led me to the freezer case, and varieties of fresh perogies. I settled on cheese filled; the half moon shaped dough bulging with cottage cheese.
A tree blossoms on Jersey Ave.

Waiting in line to pay, I admired the breads and sweets in the windows. A small, unassuming sign listed: Paczki $1.10. The delicious, round baked good (pronounced punch-key) outwardly resembles a powdered sugar donut. The inside, either plain or filled, tastes richer and yeastier, like freshly baked bread. I had searched all over New York City on Fat Tuesday of this year to find one. It’s a Polish tradition, and also a Michigan tradition, to eat these delectable treats the Tuesday before Lent. My search had come up empty handed on Fat Tuesday. But now I’ll know where to go. According to the girl behind the register, they sell paczki every single day (except Sunday when they’re closed). Unfortunately, the man in front of me in line bought the last half dozen of them. At least I know they must be good to have sold out. I’ll just have to stop back by Europa soon to taste test them for myself.

Europa sells Polish goods.

Crossing Montgomery, I came to Newark Ave where shops line both sides. A walk down the street calls to mind an earlier time before shopping malls and giant retail stores. While some might bemoan the lack of chain stores, and the profusion of discount stores, investigating these shops can lead to surprising deals. A stop in Valu-Plus led not only to a $1.99 picture frame, but also fantastic finds on stationary (24 blank greeting cards and envelopes for $1).

A little ways down on Newark, the store Tender Shoot Farm, stood out with it’s profusion of brightly colored plants lined up outside. I stopped briefly to smell the hyacinths and marvel at the color explosion.

Turning right onto Grove St., people sat outside to dine for the first time this season, basking in the warmth of the sun. And as my walk came to an end, I was happy it hadn’t worked out to go away.

Boots! Good For Your Feet: Bad For Your Car

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 04:00:00 -0400

New boots for yourself: a good thing. A new boot for your car: an expensive lesson (approximately $110 to get the boot off and another $45 for the parking ticket). And Jersey City Parking Authority likes boots, the latter, not the former.

On residential streets with zone parking, the Jersey City Parking Authority will boot anyone without a valid permit parked longer than 2 hours. This includes cars with expired permits. Neighborhoods in downtown Jersey City have zone parking to deter commuters from parking and taking the train into New York City. These zone parking areas have 2-hour parking 8-5 Monday through Friday except for residents with the zone permit (a small sticker that’s supposed to be placed in the back left window). Nights and weekends are fine for anyone to park for any length of time.

It’s understandable why cars with out-of-state tags get boots (the bright yellow metal boot locks onto a tire, making it impossible to drive). A visitor from another state might not be inclined to pay a $45 dollar ticket he or she received for parking in Jersey City. The boot, however, forces people to pay in order to be able to drive. This seems like a valid reason to boot. It makes people pay, who might not otherwise. Putting boots on residents’ cars with expired permits seems unnecessary- and unnecessarily mean.

Residents, protect yourself from the parking authority’s overzealous use of boots and be sure to have a valid permit, and remember to renew your permit in order to avoid the hassle.

Here’s what you need to know:
• To qualify for a permit, you need to have your license and registration match the address where you live (and want to park). Bring these.
• Go to the Jersey City Parking Authority at 394 Central Ave. Hours are 8:30-4:30, Monday-Friday.
• Remember to bring your checkbook. The permit is $15- and can only be paid with a check or money order. They don’t accept cash or credit cards. If you forget your checkbook, you can get a money order from the post office next door. It’s convenient enough, though it also means an extra dollar to pay for the money order and more time waiting in line.
• Waiting in line can be a test of patience. Being mentally prepared for this may help.
• Even if you have a current parking permit, and were sent a parking permit renewal in the mail in 2007, do not expect a renewal form this year. According to an employee at the Parking Authority, that was a courtesy last year. That means don’t wait for one to come. Go renew it yourself (all of the above applies even for renewing). Save the new boots for your feet, not your car.

And if you get a boot…
Freeing your tire from the 15-pound boot, and therefore being able to drive, involves calling the number provided, paying over the phone for a code, and then typing the code into the little keypad on the boot. Boots have to be taken back to the Parking Authority at 394 Central Ave.

Municipal Parking Lots
Some Jersey City neighborhoods (none downtown, however) have municipal parking lots. Anybody can apply for a permit to park there, not only residents of Jersey City. There are twelve lots in the city, though most are currently full. Prices for municipal parking permits vary by lot from $60/ month to $90/ month. Call the Parking Authority at 201-653-6969 for any more information.

In Lady Liberty’s Shadow

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0400

She’s a beauty, especially up close. While New York City and some neighborhoods of Jersey City offer nice views of Lady Liberty, perhaps the best place to take in her towering presence is from Liberty State Park. The 1,212-acre state park is just a short drive, light rail ride, or bike ride away. And though the park isn’t technically part of Jersey City, unless you arrive by boat, getting there means going through Jersey City. So the park feels like an extension of the city.

The sprawling park offers not only a stunning view of the iconic symbol of American Freedom, but also provides things in short supply in urban areas including huge, open fields for playing ball or flying a kite, and paved, traffic-free trails perfect for biking or skating. The park also offers quiet. One of the most remarkable things about Liberty State Park is the peacefulness, the lack of traffic and horns. And combined with the presence of so much water, one feels far removed from the bustling city-life brimming amongst the high rises beyond.

Liberty State Park makes for a perfect picnic location. Enjoy a meal in one of the designated picnic areas that have grills or bring a blanket and choose your spot amongst the expanse of green grass. Bring a heavier blanket since the grass can be a bit prickly. The park allows small grills to be set up anywhere, the only prohibited item in the park is alcohol; however, though the park rangers monitor the area, they aren’t known for prying into picnic baskets.

Liberty State Park is a sea of green grass.

The park is also a launching point to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Ferries from Liberty State Park go to Ellis Island first and then to the Statue everyday from 9 am until 3:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the Central Railroad Terminal Building in the park.

You can drive to Liberty State Park, and pay a few dollars to park, or take a shorter route not accessible by car. Bike or walk (it’s a bit of hike if you walk) south on Jersey Ave past the Jersey City Medical Center. The road becomes a dead end, so while it may look like you have gone the wrong way into an industrial wasteland, you’re on the right path. Continue down the gravel area past the abandoned warehouses and over the small bridge. Turn left down Audrey Zapp Dr. towards the waterfront and you’ll reach roads and trails that will lead into the Park.

The paved path goes along the Hudson River.

Summer Concert
The All Points West Music Festival will be held in Liberty State Park Friday August 8th- Sunday August 10th. Headliners Radiohead will be performing Friday and Saturday, and Jack Johnson on Sunday, along with dozens of other artists.