Schnack Time Frank Raia The Cobbler Scott Delea Hoboken Hurlers
ic ao
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07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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CONTENTS 07030
14
FEATURES 14 SCHNACK TIME Schnackenberg’s Redux
DEPARTMENTS 10 CONTRIBUTORS
34 ARCHIVES AND ARTIFACTS Sybil’s Cave
18 HURLING YOU SAY? A Wild Irish Sport
11 EDITOR’S LETTER
22 COOL AND DRY Chartier Redevelopment Group
29 DATES What’s Goin’ On
26 COMMUNITY COBBLER Heart and Sole
30 POINT AND SHOOT
42 WORKING OUT WITH— Scott Delea
32 ON THE WATERFRONT Fund for a Better Waterfront
46 WEST SIDE STORY Jubilee Center
38 HANGING OUT WITH— Frank Raia
52 HOW WE LIVE House Proud
COVER Cover Photo of the Caracappa family by Alyssa Bredin / tbishphoto 62 HOW WE WORK Small Businesses 66 WATERING HOLES DC’s Tavern 68 EATERIES Leo’s Grandevous
34
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72 DISH 07030 Restaurant Listings
The future of healthcare has come to Hudson County CarePoint Health is bringing quality, patient-focused healthcare to Hudson County. Combining the resources of three area hospitals — Bayonne Medical Center, Christ Hospital in Jersey City, and Hoboken University Medical Center — CarePoint Health is a new approach to delivering healthcare that puts the patient front and center. With a focus on preventive medicine, disease management and healthcare education, CarePoint Health provides patients with 360 degrees of coordinated care, delivered by the area’s best and most dedicated doctors, nurses, hospitals and medical staff.
Bayonne Medical Center 29th Street at Avenue E, Bayonne, NJ 07002 Christ Hospital 176 Palisade Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306 Hoboken University Medical Center 308 Willow Avenue, Hoboken, NJ 07030 carepointhealth.org 1.877.791.7000 twitter.com/CarePointHealth facebook.com/CarePointHealth CarePoint Health System
HOBOKEN
SUMMER 2014 Vo l u m e 3 • N u m b e r 1 A Publication of The Hudson Reporter
PUBLISHERS Lucha Malato, David Unger EDITOR IN CHIEF Kate Rounds GRAPHICS STAFF Terri Saulino Bish Lisa M. Cuthbert Alyssa Bredin Mike Mitolo Pasquale Spina COPYEDITING Christopher Zinsli ADVERTISING MANAGER Tish Kraszyk SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Toni Anne Calderone Ron Kraszyk ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Joseph Calderone Jay Slansky CIRCULATION MANAGER Roberto Lopez CIRCULATION Luis Vasquez
07030 Hoboken is published by the Hudson Reporter Associates, L.P., 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (201) 798-7800, Fax (201) 798-0018. Email 07030@hudsonreporter.com. Subscriptions are $10 per year, $25 for overseas, single copies are $7.50 each, multiple copy discounts are available. VISA/MC/AMEX accepted. Subscription information should be sent to 07030 Hoboken Subscriptions, 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or other unsolicited materials. Copyright ©2014, Hudson Reporter Associates L.P. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
07030 Hoboken is a publication of The Hudson Reporter Associates, L.P. 1400 Washington Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030 phone 201.798.7800 • fax 201.798.0018 e-mail: 07030@hudsonreporter.com 07030hoboken.com
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TERRI SAULINO BISH
GILBERT AGUON
SEAN ALLOCCA
MELISSA ABERNATHY
CHRISTIAN DIAZ LANA ROSE DIAZ DEAN DECHIARO
C O N T R I B U T O R S
0 7 0 3 0
ALYSSA BREDIN
AMANDA PALASCIANO
VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ
AL SULLIVAN
MELISSA ABERNATHY
ALYSSA BREDIN
AMANDA PALASCIANO
is a Hoboken-based communications consultant, who serves as communications and volunteer coordinator for the Hoboken Historical Museum. She began her career as a reporter and editor with a business travel magazine.
is a graduate of Saint Peter’s University, Jersey City, with a degree in graphic arts. She is pursuing a career in photography. Her work can be seen at tbishphoto.com.
is a former staff writer for the Hoboken Reporter. In addition to her many writing gigs, she has also held jobs in acting, modeling, music, and public relations.
GILBERT AGUON is an aspiring photojournalist living in North Bergen. He likes cats and biking around Hudson County. He can be reached at gilbert.aguon@ gmail.com.
SEAN ALLOCCA is the former arts and entertainment editor at the Hudson Reporter. He receved a bachelor’s degree in literature from Loyola University, Baltimore, and a master’s degree in public communication from Fordham University.
TERRI SAULINO BISH is a graphic designer, digital artist, and photographer. Her work has appeared in many publications, including Best of Photography. Her art currently includes digital paintings and photos that can be viewed at tbishphoto.com.
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CHRISTIAN DIAZ
VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ
was born and raised in Hoboken and studied communication, psychology, and family development/social work. A freelance writer, he lives and works in Hoboken, enjoys dining in Hoboken, and getting lost in new places.
has studied publication design, photography, and graphic design. “I’ve been fascinated by photo graphy for 18 years,” he says. One of his jobs as a construction project manager is to photograph job sites.
LANA ROSE DIAZ
AL SULLIVAN
is a freelance writer, Jersey girl, and paramour of concrete and trees. A graduate of Lehigh University and former staff writer for The Hudson Reporter, she lives, works, and plays in her beloved Jersey City. For more info, visit lanarosediaz.com.
has been a staff writer for the Hudson Reporter newspaper chain since 1992. He was named journalist of the year in 2001 by the New Jersey Press Association, and photographer of the year in 2005 by the Garden State Journalists Association. In 2001, Rutgers University Press published a collection of his work, Everyday People: Profiles from the Garden State.
DEAN DECHIARO is a Hudson County native who covers Hoboken for the Hudson Reporter Association. He became a journalist because his friends all went into law and business, and he figured they’d be worth keeping an eye on.
PHOTO BY MARIE PAPP
EDITOR'S LETTER 07030
Hoboken and Jersey City’s Hottest New Addresses
Old and New In an ever-evolving town like Hoboken, it’s a real challenge to embrace new development, new trends, new businesses, and new neighbors, while maintaining the traditions and charm that have put Hoboken on the national map. The folks who bought the legendary Schnackenberg’s Luncheonette—Eugene and Joyce Flinn—were brilliant at doing just that. Walk into the new Schnacks, and you’re enveloped by the flavor and feel of the old soda shop, with just enough modern upgrades to enhance your dining experience. Check out Alyssa Bredin’s images of this Hoboken institution. That gorgeous family on the cover? They, too, embody old-world customs and contemporary lifestyles. It’s the Caracappa family, owners of CaraBella Olive Oil. The olives are grown on a family farm in Italy, where the oil is processed, and then sent over here to be sold in Hudson County shops and farmers’ markets. Hoboken has always been known for its generosity, philanthropy, and caring citizens. In this issue, Christian Diaz works out with Scott Delea, a mover and shaker on Hoboken’s charitable scene. And Amanda Palasciano hangs out with developer Frank Raia, who has given back big time to his Hoboken community. Hurling, you say? No, not curling, but it is a sport, and a pretty wild one at that. Dean DeChiaro looks at this ancient Gaelic game, played right here in Hoboken. Nothing is better than summer in Hoboken—especially after the horrendous winter of 2014. And it’s the best time to enjoy the waterfront. In this issue we catch up with the folks at a Fund for a Better Waterfront, who are working to preserve and protect our most important natural resource. To keep informed on what’s happening around town this season, check out our “Dates” section, a calendar of upcoming events. Hoboken continues to embrace natives and newcomers, longstanding traditions and cutting-edge trends. In our everpopular “How We Live” feature, Carlos Cesta says of his adopted town, “It’s interesting to see old and new clashing together … we’re happy here.”
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07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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Schnack
time
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PHOTOS BY ALYSSA BREDIN
SERVER FADI YOUSSEF
IT WAS A DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN EVOCATION AND RESTORATION The layer cakes on the countertop. The vintage milkshake machine. The bow-tied waiters. Yes, this is the legendary Schnackenberg’s— with some subtle changes. To spot them is sort of like spotting the monkey in the rainforest in that classic children’s game. How do you maintain the charm of an iconic luncheonette while meeting the needs of the contemporary customer? That was the challenge facing Eugene and Joyce Flinn, who bought what’s known as Schnackie’s in 2012 and reopened it for business in December 2013. “We were conscious of wanting to do a respectful renovation,” says Joyce. “We wanted to keep the flavor of Schnackenberg’s because it would be silly to fritter away an 81-year-old Hoboken institution. It’s
an iconic part of so many people’s childhoods. We wanted to preserve as much as possible, but we didn’t want to be frozen in time.” To wit: The original cash register is on display, but today that job is done by computer. The milkshake machine is new but looks old. The seltzer machines are original but refurbished. A vintage radio dates to the early 1900s. The Formica countertop was replaced with longer-lasting marble. The old tiled floor is original but repointed. The louvered back windows were replaced to bring in more light. The front window that bears the Schnackenberg name has been preserved, but the rest of the window has been replaced. The original Coca-Cola sign that hangs out front was given a new coat of paint. 07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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JOYCE FLINN
The swivel stools were retained but the chrome cleaned and the seats reupholstered. The booths were refinished except for one which had initials carved into it. There is modern air conditioning and contemporary appliances in the basement kitchen. Original pieces that are not on display or being used in the restaurant have been donated to the Hoboken Historical Museum. Historic preservation is a subtle and sometimes counterintuitive enterprise. Paul Somerville, a member of Hoboken’s Historic Preservation Commission, says, “Additions and alterations to a historic site must represent their own time, and must not be a false representation of an earlier era.” This stipulation made for some interesting renovation decisions. The Flinns, who also own the Elysian Café and Amanda’s, wanted to bring back the look of Schnack’s 1931 façade. “During the 1950s there was a bastardization of the beautiful façade of the ’30s,” Joyce says. “But the Historic Commission said we could not revert to 1931.” It may seem weird to the uninitiated, but they had to cleave to the 1950s look because that lasted longer—some six decades—as opposed to the two decades of the ’30s look. The food is just as much of a historic-preservation exercise as the store itself. Hamburgers, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, BLTs, tomato soup, egg salad, chicken pot pie, and ice cream sodas are all on the menu. But it would be hard to attract and keep 21st century
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customers without “giving a nod to the way people eat,” Joyce says. “We have gluten-free breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and vegan options.” They have something called eggs-tzel—herbed scrambled eggs with a pretzel crust—and mascarpone-filled doughnuts, which were definitely not on the original menu. Another thing you won’t see is the old “diet plate” with iceberg lettuce, cottage cheese, a pineapple ring, and a maraschino cherry. “That’s punishment food,” Joyce says. “We’re not being true to the old menu just for the sake of it.” Schnacks was and still is famous for its candy counter, and Mark Novak, grandson of the original owners, still helps out with the chocolate-making. And what about our nation’s most essential beverage? “Coffee is important in a coffee shop,” Joyce acknowledges. “We have good coffee. People like espressos and cappuccinos, but no triple latte macchiatos. We’re not Starbucks.” Which brings us to one of the most important aspects of the new Schnack’s: ambience. “People from all walks of life sit at the lunch counter over a grilled cheese and tomato soup, and talk to their neighbor and share stories,” Joyce says. “We don’t want people sitting in a booth with a laptop and headphones. There’s no Wi-Fi. Conversation is as much a part of the menu as any food item.”—Kate Rounds
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PHOTO BY PETER MARNEY
Hurling You Say? The most famous sport you’ve never heard of BY DEAN DECHIARO
I
f you were to ask 10 Hobokenites which sport was famously played here for the very first time, nine would tell you that, of course, it’s baseball. But if you put the same question to David Cosgrove, or one of the other 23 local members of the Hoboken Guards Hurling Club, you’d get a different answer. In 1858, 30 Irishmen from Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland,
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took a ferry across the river from New York City and played the first recorded game of hurling on American soil. It’s a blip on the radar compared to baseball, but hurling, a Gaelic sport dating back nearly 3,000 years, is today one of the most challenging sports on earth. Yet almost nobody in Hoboken knows about it, despite the city’s rich Irish heritage. “It’s really a sport that represents the best of what it means to be Irish,” said Cosgrove, the president of Hoboken’s team, which has competed in the New York Gaelic Athletic
PHOTO BY PAUL SCHUELER
Association since 2010. “In order to be good at it, you have to be skilled, smart, fit, and brave.” The sport is an adrenaline rush to watch, let alone play. Teams are composed of 15 a side on a pitch about 30 percent bigger than a football field. The game is reminiscent of lacrosse, rugby, and hockey, and has historic ties to all those sports. Played with sticks called hurleys and a stitched ball known as a sliotar, it is thought to be the fastest-paced team sport. The objective—to score more goals than the opposing side—is simple, but it’s easier said than done. Hurling was played in Hoboken throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, though the city didn’t have its own team until four years ago. Hobokenites along with other New Jerseyans typically formed teams and traveled to Gaelic Park in The Bronx to compete. This is where Cosgrove learned to play, traveling from his boyhood home in Edison up to Gaelic Park every weekend to watch his father, an Irish immigrant, play the game.
PHOTO BY PETE SOUZA
President Obama with Enda Kenny, the Prime Minister of Ireland. 07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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PHOTO BY KURT GARDINER
PHOTO BY PETER MARNEY
Mayor Dawn Zimmer and David Cosgrove (Far Right) at the Irish Cultural Festival, 2013.
You don’t have to be Irish Hoboken’s Irish community isn’t what it once was, but there’s still a dedicated hurling fan base that shows up at Mulligan’s Pub on First Street every Saturday to watch Irish
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league games on satellite. It was there in 2010 that Cosgrove floated the notion of forming an all-Hoboken side, an idea that was originally laughed off. But with persistence, and some help from Mayor Dawn Zimmer, the team officially formed and began practicing at Frank Sinatra Park. Four years later, the team of about 40 (24 Hobokenites plus other Hudson County residents, not all of whom are of Irish
descent) has competed in two of the biggest tournaments in the United States, sponsored by the New York Gaelic Athletic League—its North American parent league—and has vied for the top spot in both. It’s got a new home field, the recently opened 1600 Park in uptown Hoboken, and is looking to expand its ranks, beyond both the Hoboken and the Irish communities. “I don’t like the perception that it’s closed to people who aren’t Irish,” said
In order to be good at it, you have to be skilled, smart, fit, and brave. Cosgrove. “The sport itself is about unity, like any team sport, and so we’ll take anyone. The worst that could happen is that you get a great workout and make a few new friends.” But when it comes to Hoboken’s Irish history, the city is at a crossroads: Older Irish residents often feel slighted politically as more young professionals move in. And in 2011, the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade was cancelled indefinitely, replaced by what some say is a farce of a festivity known as LepreCon, arguably an excuse to get plastered without celebrating anything truly Irish. In the Guards, Cosgrove said, Hobokenites have something to root for that celebrates the city’s Irish past without endangering its present. “Playing hurling ticks all the boxes— you get to know your neighbors, you’re giving your town something it can be proud of, and you’re competing for something that Hoboken can celebrate,” he said. “But for fans, it could be even more special. Hurling isn’t the Holy Grail here, citizen participation in community events is.” —07030
HOBOKEN HANDYMAN 201.683.6000 727 Monroe St. Commercial Unit A Hoboken, NJ 07030 w w w. h o b o k e n h a n d y m a n . c o m
07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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Keeping Hoboken
COOL
and
PHOTO BY CHARTIER REDEVELOPMENT GROUP
PHOTO BY CHARTIER SUSTAINABILITY GROUP
118 Madison Street Rendering
Building at 118 Madison Street
BY SEAN ALLOCCA
W
hen real-estate developer Thomas Chartier talks about green building technology, it’s like something out of a sci-fi movie—solar-thermal arrays that turn sunlight into heat, and geothermal systems that pipe coolant 350 feet into the ground. His newest project, a seven-unit residential building at 118 Madison St., uses some of these advancements to help alleviate city flooding, and even to generate its own electricity. “Our goal after living through Hurricane Sandy and without power for a week was to make 118 Madison sustainable by reducing the carbon footprint,” he says. “But we also wanted to make it much more resilient.” Instead of installing a traditional water heater, Chartier, owner of Chartier Group, chose a machine that creates both heat and power from a single fuel source. Called a combined heat and gas system, the
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d
DRY
Developer advocates for green construction technology
PHOTOS BY CHARTIER SUSTAINABILITY GROUP
Tribeca West Project, 930 Jefferson Street
707 Willow Avenue Project, Red Bridge Homes
unit burns natural gas to produce hot water and collects the excess heat to create electricity that can be used in a generator. “Once the water receded, there was the gasoline shortage,” Chartier says of the days after the hurricane. “We never want our residents to have to experience that again.” Another environmentally friendly system installed at 118 Madison is storm-water retention tanks. These large underground tanks hold and use excess rainwater during storms to do things like flush toilets and water indoor plants. The retention tanks allow the standing rainwater to be reused, which keeps the water bill down. But, more important, the water stays out of the city’s sewer system until the storm passes. “Because of our city’s outdated infrastructure,” Chartier says, “keeping water out of the sewer systems becomes really important.” By keeping the water bill low, retention tanks usually pay for themselves in under a decade and could “significantly reduce” flooding in the future, Chartier says.
Planting more trees, building green roofs, and replacing old vegetation can all help to keep Hoboken dry.
07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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Thomas Chartier
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Of the seven condos under construction at 118 Madison, the largest are 2,900 square feet and have a two-car indoor garage, outdoor space, and a green roof. The government program called LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, rated the building as Gold Certified.
Going Green, Saving Green
While all this sounds expensive, Chartier says the cost of the condos is actually very competitive. “The green bells and whistles don’t add a huge premium,” he says. “I’ve learned where to spend the extra money.” One way that Chartier can keep the price of new homes down is by making sure the building is completely airtight. By installing exterior insulation and triple-pane windows, he can save money by using smaller and less expensive heating and cooling equipment. “All this basically shrinks the size of the boiler you need,” he says. “There is a much smaller heating load, but the heat produced is used more effectively.” In fact, Chartier renovated his home and office on Monroe Street and ended up reducing his heating bill by more than 75 percent. He installed exterior insulation, a state-of-the-art water boiler, and new windows. “I used to pay almost $600 a month,” he says. “Now I pay $150.”
Hoboken’s Green Initiative Chartier, who is a board member of the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce as well as the Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition, hopes that the city will continue to adopt building practices that encourage the use of green technology. “We’ve had really productive meetings with the mayor to incentivize new green buildings,” he says. Things like putting in low-flush toilets to conserve water, or ripping up old concrete and replacing it with new pervious materials help Hoboken’s overburdened infrastructure cope with storm water. “Mainly because the infrastructure is over 100 years old, it’s so important to develop green,” Chartier says. Planting more trees, building green roofs, and replacing old vegetation can all help to keep Hoboken dry. “Unfortunately, flooding is near and dear to our hearts,” Chartier says. “But the rainwater retention systems cut water consumption by 40 percent. It takes a lot of pressure off overburdened and old sewer systems.” The building at 118 Madison St. was slated to open for occupancy by early summer.—07030.
Chartier Redevelopment Group chartier-group.com
07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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PHOTOS BY TERRI SAULINO BISH
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GIOVANNI AND KATE
Heart and Sole S
o, I buy this cool-looking pair of retro penny loafers. The problem? The leather is so stiff that a year later, I still haven’t been able to break them in. I’m no Emelda Marcos, so when I have a shoe problem, I can’t just open the closet. This is a job for Giovanni Perrupato of Giovanni D’Italia, a shoemaker who has been in Hoboken for more than 50 years, first at 700 Garden St. and then at 266 Seventh St. The place is bustling. Bags of shoes hang from hooks along the walls. There’s a work room in the back, and Giovanni is up front on the phone. I ask him if he can distress my shoes, bang them up, make them look like they’d been worn in the Battle of the Bulge. What’s great about Giovanni is that he doesn’t pull his punches. He’s honest. He tells it like it is. “No,” he says. Seeing my distress, he explains, “It’s the leather. It can’t be done.” What he means is that this is not a nice, soft Italian leather. In fact, the shoes look more like plastic. They’re shiny. You can see your reflection in them. He does, however, agree to stretch them and asks me to come back in two days. Giovanni, 69, was born in Cuba to a Cuban mother and Italian father. His mother died when he was 3. He was raised by a couple from Italy who came from the same hometown as his father, Saracena. At age 15, in 1960, Giovanni’s father, Vincent, moved to Hoboken and brought Giovanni back from Italy. Vincent had been a shoemaker in Cuba, and they decided to open a store in Hoboken. They lived at 628 Garden in a $50-a-month apartment. “We couldn’t even make the rent,” Giovanni says. They needed to augment their earnings from the store with factory work. Giovanni’s father worked in the Tootsie Roll factory. “Everybody worked in the Tootsie Roll factory, Giovanni says. Everybody except Giovanni. He worked in a coat factory. “I was a floor boy,” he says. “I did everything, bring the coats over here, bring to the presser, run around all day long. I hated it. In the summertime we were busy making heavy coats with no air conditioning. The heat, oh my gosh.” Things were a lot different in Italy. “When I left Italy I was living like a king,” he says. “My grandparents, who lived near us, were retired farmers. You’d grow whatever you wanted to eat. Everybody was a farmer there.” 07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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Giovanni worked in the store on weekends. “I liked the store better than the factory,” he says. “I learned from my father and enjoyed the work, making shoes. People in the neighborhood got to know me and came around to see me working. At that time Hoboken had 1,000 shoemakers and no dry cleaners. Now it’s all dry cleaners and no shoemakers.” When I go back two days later to pick up my pathetic shoes, it’s pretty early on a Friday morning. Kenin, who is upfront, has my shoes, ready and waiting. Each shoe is jammed with an Inquisition-era rack-like contraption made of metal and distressed wood that is doing its job to stretch my shoes. I can tell just by looking that they are bigger. When I try them on, I can feel the difference. The cost for 24 hours of stretching is $10. Now it’s up to me to do my part. I wear them around the office all day. Giovanni got me started, and now I think I can go the distance breaking in my shoes. Obviously, a cobbler’s work has changed in more than 50 years. “At that time, kids had no sneakers,” Giovanni says. “I remember when school opened, oh my gosh, we fixed kids’ shoes. It was a family town. You came here, you got married, you lived here, and raised your family here. Not like now.” One thing hasn’t changed: Women still wear high heels, and those heels still need to be fixed, and Giovanni D’Italia fixes them. “That’s why I say we are King of the Heel,” he says. The cost for heel repair is between $8 and $18. But they also fix “you name it,” Giovanni says, “bags, zippers, coats, suitcases.” Currently, all the employees are men. “We could use a woman’s touch up front,” Giovanni says. “A lady would be fantastic.” The store’s biggest problem was that it was flooded by Hurricane Sandy. The shop had previously been a drug store, and many of the fine wooden drawers had rotted from the water. “We got completely destroyed,” Giovanni says. “The shoes and the machines were destroyed, but we fixed the store in three months.” Giovanni hopes that one of his sons will take over the business. “But if you think I will leave, you are wrong,” he says. “I enjoy it. I will be here forever.”— Kate Rounds Giovanni D’Italia 266 7th St. (201) 420-1639
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ONGOING Hoboken Spoken Open Mic, bwè kafe, 1002 Washington St., (201) 6830045, bwekafe.com. 8:3010 p.m. Family-friendly night of poetry, music, and other forms of soulful expression.
D A T E S Want your event listed? Please email us at 07030@hudsonreporter.com and put “07030 calendar listings” in the subject line.
Connect Night, Mogul Exchange Centers, 38 Jackson St., fourth floor, (201) 942-0518, themogulexchange.com. Last Friday of the month, 8-11 p.m. A monthly open mic and networking evening for
artists, entrepreneurs, and all interested in promoting creativity and positive artistic expression. $5. WOW Comedy, The Shannon, 106 First St., (201) 656-9820, theshannonhoboken.com. Third Wednesday of the month, 8:30-10:30 p.m. Seating starts at 7 p.m. Featuring specials and door prizes. RAW Jersey Mixer, Boa Hoboken, 90-92 River St., (201) 942-9300, boaaahhoboken.com. Every first Tuesday of the month at 8 p.m. A monthly artist mixer.
Please bring some artwork, accessories, clothing, musical instruments! Movies Under the Stars, Pier A Park, First and Sinatra Drive, (201) 4202207, hobokennj.org. Wednesday nights. Movies start at 9 p.m. in June and July, at 8 p.m. in August. For best seating, come early. In case of heavy rain or high winds, film presentation will be cancelled. Family Fun Nights, Shipyard Park, 13th and Constitution Way, (201) see page 45
Where Future Scholars Have Been Nurtured Since 2002
07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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POINT&
SHOOT
PHOTOS BY AL SULLIVAN AT RIGHT, DETAIL ON A DOWNTOWN CHURCH. BELOW, A STATUE ON THE STEVENS CAMPUS.
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PHOTO BY DAVE UNGER CRANES AT THE PARK PLACE PROJECT, 1415 PARK AVENUE
see more page 50
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ON THE WATERFRONT 07030
More Parks
PLEASE!
Fund for a Better Waterfront advocates for open space along the Hudson BY SEAN ALLOCCA
A
ccess to the Hudson can certainly ease the monotony of city dwelling—the honking horns and clanging of passing trucks. The Fund for a Better Waterfront (FBW) was formed around the simple idea that the waterfront should be free and open to the public. Almost a quarter century later, the organization is still advocating for public parks along the water’s edge. “Essentially, we are advocates of proper planning,” says Ron Hine, the executive director of the FBW. “We can’t overstress the importance of great design.” Hine believes that through open communication—especially discussions at city council meetings—the city and its residents can create exemplary riverside parks like Pier A and Pier C on the southern waterfront. “When waterfront industries left, a golden opportunity presented itself,” says
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Hine. “That was to develop highly spectacular public parks.” Many features can turn a waterfront development project into a truly vibrant and integral part of the community, Hine says. The most important are creating ground-floor storefronts, extending street grids to the waterfront, hiding parking garages inside city blocks, and having plenty of shade trees. But creating the perfect design for a public waterfront park is what Hine and his organization really want. “People who live in the city have a distinct need for these kinds of spaces,” Hine says. “Spaces that suit their needs.” Currently, the FBW is advocating for the redevelopment of the central waterfront, in particular, an area of city-owned space on Sinatra Drive between Fourth and Fifth Streets. “The term of the day is ‘complete streets’,” Hine says. Not just designed for cars, these new roadways allow for more
spacious bike lanes and safer crosswalks for pedestrians. Roads, not “thoroughfares,” he says. While a plan is in the works to upgrade that stretch of road and streamline traffic at the intersection, Hine says that more can be done: “The street is too wide, which invites speeding. It’s really just wasted open space.” The FBW would ultimately like to extend the waterfront walkway and park space from Pier C past the intersection at Fourth Street. “Public parks are critical to having a healthy, satisfying lifestyle,” Hine says. “Recreation for your health but more importantly for your peace of mind.”
What Was Almost Lost
Pier A is one example of a successful waterfront project, with long promenades and grassy inlays. But back in 1990,
when the FBW was founded, a plan was proposed to build a 33-story office building on Pier A right about where sunbathers bask today. After two referenda, the FBW won, and the project was quickly abandoned. “It was a pretty amazing feeling,” says Hine, recalling the unlikely victory. “We fought against these big-time developers. When Pier A was finally built, it was like opening up a floodgate.” On any fine day, the park is a sunny space to read a book, throw a Frisbee, meet up with friends, or make new ones. According to Hine, the park has won numerous awards from organizations like the NJ Chapter of the American Planning Association and has become a model for waterfront development. “People flock to that part of the waterfront,” says Hine. There is an “obvious need” for more waterfront parks today, and that’s exactly what the FBW is advocating for. Funded by private grants and personal donations, the organization hosts a number of events to spread the word about preserving waterfront space. “Take Me To The River,” the FBW’s annual fundraiser, has been growing in recent years, and is a great way to get involved with the organization. “It brings everyone together to talk about our
goals,” says Hine. “The communication is what really matters.” Although details are still being worked out, last year’s event was held at the Elks Club in November, and hosted more than 100 people. In addition to the fundraiser, this year’s events include “The Storm Next Time: Will Hoboken Be Ready?” which was held in April, and “FBW Open House” to be held in the fall.—07030 FBW: betterwaterfront.org To volunteer: betterwaterfront.org/get-involved/ volunteer/
Ron Hine
Pier A Park
ves o r p m I e nc e i r e e p c x n E e i r e Our p x Yo u r E
TECHNOLOGY T E C H N O L O G Y STRATEGIES S T R A T E G I E S FOR F O R BUSINESS B U S I N E S S GROWTH GRO W T H
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What the Heck is Going on with
Sybil’s Cave? At one time, hordes of tourists swarmed Hoboken to drink… the water? BY MELISSA ABERNATHY
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE HOBOKEN HISTORICAL MUSEUM
S
ybil’s Cave, a natural spring carved into the base of the greenish stone bluff known as Castle Point, is one of Hoboken’s best-known landmarks. Anybody
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who wants to can view its locked entrance on Sinatra Drive. And though m uch has been written about it, a lot of folks are wondering, what’s its current status? Will it ever be open to the public? The cave, which was excavated around 1832 by Hoboken’s founder, Col. John Stevens III, and adorned
with a gothic-style stone arch, was originally Hoboken’s biggest tourist attraction, for the magnesium-laced water that flowed from a natural spring inside. From the mid- to late1800s, thousands of glasses were sold daily at a penny apiece to visiting New Yorkers, who took Stevens’s ferr y to the bucolic getaway of
ARCHIVES AND ARTIFACTS 07030
Sybil’s Cave and River Walk, 1880 Hoboken
Hoboken, for the famed water, the beautiful River Walk, and to watch cricket and baseball on the Elysian Fields. Sybil’s Cave was named after the ancient prophetesses devoted to var ious Greco-Roman gods and rumored to possess divine wisdom, while the Elysian Fields alludes to the area of the underworld reserved for the virtuous and heroic. In 1841, Sybil’s Cave made national news when the body of a beautiful young cigar-shop worker, Mar y Cecilia Rogers, washed ashore nearby. The incident inspired Edgar Allan Poe’s The Mystery of Ma rie Rogêt, one of the first true-crime detective novels. Sybil’s Cave was rediscovered in 2004 by developers Daniel Gans and George Vallone, working with Hoboken Historical Museum director Bob Foster and then-Mayor David Roberts. In 2007-2008, the cave was carefully cleared of rubble
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and debris, and a new decorative arch, reminiscent of the or iginal stone arch, was placed at the entrance, with a small landscaped park. In 2009, the Hoboken Historical Museum secured a grant from the New Jersey Historical Trust to hire archaeological historian Lauren J. Cook to perform an assessment of Sybil’s Cave and research its history. His research indicates the cave may have been originally excavated as part of an exploratory mine, since the Stevens family owned mining interests elsewhere in the state. His full report is published on the museum’s website. (www.hobokenmuseu m . o r g /s e l f - g u i d e d - w a l k i n g tours/sybils-cave-history). According to Cook’s sur vey, the cave’s entrance today measures 8.83 feet wide at the floor and 5.5 feet high. Traces of brickwork, probably from the entrance arch, are found at the east side of the entrance. The
interior floor of the cave measures 20 feet by 17 feet. The ceiling is fourand-a-half to five-and-a-half feet, and there are four columns near the center of the cave, surrounding a cistern of about 2.4 feet by 2.6 feet carved into the floor. This reservoir reportedly collected groundwater that filters into the cave through cracks in the bedrock, and appears to be permanently filled with water. An arch has been carved into the bedrock above and between the two columns closest to the entrance, echoing the arch that formerly stood outside the cave’s entrance.
Cheers
Sybil’s Cave was closed at some point in 1880, due to health-department concerns about water quality. A heavy iron door was placed across the entrance, and the cave was used as a cool storage locker for a nearby eating and drinking establishment,
Sybil’s Cave
opened in the 1880s by Fred Eckstein. The restaurant eventually devolved into a seedy waterfront tavern, and finally closed in the 1930s, when the cave was filled in with dirt, concrete, and rock fragments. Today, the exterior gate to the park is generally open 24 hours a day. In nice weather, folks can enjoy a picnic lunch on tables with benches, but the gate to the actual cave is locked. The water was tested and found to contain too many impurities to be drinkable, and the interior is rocky and slippery. Currently, there are no plans to open the cave on a regular basis. But you can visit Sybil’s Cave virtually, via the Museum’s website, where a 360-degree, high-resolution image has been archived through Gigapan technology. Happy virtual spelunking!—07030
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HANGING OUT WITH—
FRANK RAIA
FRANK AND AMANDA BY AMANDA PALASCIANO TBISHPHOTO
O
kay, let’s be frank. We should all be so lucky. Noted builder, philanthropist, dual board member, father, husband, rock-and-roll enthusiast, and workaholic, Frank “Pupie” Raia is a born-and-raised Hoboken institution. Yet few people know the story behind the name. I sat down with the man, the myth, and the legend at Dino & Harry’s restaurant, and while I think there is a certain inherent charm that comes with all conversations with Baby Boomers, talking with Frank Raia is like reading five biographies in one sitting.
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One tip: Never go somewhere crowded; this man knows everyone. You will be interrupted at least 25 times before you even order drinks.
MOTHER’S LITTLE HELPER Frank Raia’s is a real-life rags-to-riches story. Born at 612 Grand St., he started his first job at the age of 8 to support his mother, a single mom with six kids. He delivered milk locally for a whopping $21 a week. “I kept one dollar and gave my mother 20,” says Raia. From there, he began washing cars in Union City and then built his own shoeshine box, to shine shoes at bars in Hoboken. Raia was willing to take on any odd job to keep his family afloat. So how did he go from milk trucks to a million bucks? By high school, Raia was working in a textile factory. “I was one of the smaller kids in high school, so I couldn’t play ball,” he says. That “small” fact may be what changed Raia’s life. Having been “skipped three times,” Raia graduated from high school at age 16. From 14 to 16, he cut samples in the textile factory to sell to international chains. “I made $1.25 an hour,” he recalls. But he wanted to do more. “I pushed to pack the orders and then I wanted an opportunity to sell to the West Coast,” he says. “I told my boss, ‘You pay the sales guys 3 percent, I’ll take 1 percent.’” He began calling a small 35-store chain. You may have heard of it, a little store we know today as Wal-Mart, which started as Walton’s Five and Dime. Unfortunately for little Raia, no one was returning his calls. And just like that, he approached his boss with yet another plan. This one was far bigger than his prior plans and practically unheard of for a 16-year-old. “I told my boss I needed $4,400,” Raia recalls. “I told him, ‘I want to buy 400 shares of stock. If I lose I pay you back, if I make money, you keep it.’” Yes, Walmart at the time was about $11 a share. The second part of Frank’s plan was to fly to Bentonville, Ark., the home office of Walton’s Five and Dime, Wal-Mart’s flagship store. “If he didn’t see me, I was going to jump on his desk,” Raia says. Raia did fly to Arkansas, with “dungarees” on. He wound up screaming in the office of Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. “A man came out and asked what the problem was. I told him, ‘I’ve been calling this guy and he won’t see me. [The company] is losing money. I can get you .50 a yard cheaper,’” Raia said. “I’m a shareholder of this company, and I want the business.” The “man” was Sam Walton. Raia got the account. And Sam Walton became Raia’s mentor. Raia became one of the most successful sales managers in the country, and he was only a teenager. He continued to promote the integrity of his brand and insist that it wasn’t cut with cheaper fabric. “The rule of thumb for success was if you can turn your inventory four times. I was turning inventory 29 times,” Raia says. Luckily, his boss was stashing his commission checks in the bank for him, and his Wal-Mart stock splits didn’t hurt either.
RICHARD FOX STOPS TO SAY HELLO.
MIMI PARK WAS CELEBRATING HER BIRTHDAY THAT NIGHT.
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I CAN’T GET NO … SATISFACTION “In life you get to the point where you are the best at what you do and you ask yourself is this it,” Raia says. “I wanted to do something else.” A property soon went up for sale on Hudson Street for $92,500, and Frank and a partner each put $25,000 down. From there, Frank bought buildings—a lot of them—and later even brought ShopRite and Bow Tie Hoboken Cinemas to town. “Then my school [The Citadel at 450 Seventh St.] went up for sale at auction,” Raia says. “At the time it was the highest-priced building at a million two. Everyone thought I was crazy. I wanted to live in my school.” From then on, Raia has been paying it forward, giving back to his hometown. In 1983, former mayor Steve Cappiello needed to fill a vacancy on the board for H.O.P.E.S, a local nonprofit that provides social and educational programs. Raia is still on the board, serving as chairman. He has sponsored recreational teams, served two terms on the Board of Education, is a current board member of HoLa, the Dual Language Charter School, filled interim seats on the city council, sponsored Hoboken kids for a goodwill baseball tour to Russia, and served 22 years and counting on the North Hudson Sewerage Authority. He continued reinvesting in real estate and learned what it took to build and provide affordable housing. Today, Raia has built 500 affordable-housing units in New Jersey, 115 of those in his hometown. Raia is a husband and father, and somehow juggles it all. His all-star son, Ryan, recently graduated from Rutgers. But Ryan isn’t the only child Raia has raised. He also raised his nephew, Nicholas, and two other children.
IT’S ONLY ROCK AND ROLL But the absolute best thing about Frank Raia? How down to earth he is. Notorious for stealing the mic from any band when any Rolling Stones song comes on, Raia has seen the Rolling Stones in concert 82 times. “Music is my hobby,” he says. He belonged to New York nightclub Galaxy 21 with David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix. He frequented Studio 54 in “elephant bells, snakeskin platforms, a maxi coat, and a brim hat.” He’s held birthday parties yearly since 1988 in Sinatra Park with national acts. He went to Woodstock. Raia’s rock rolodex goes on for days, and he will gladly share his tales. The only thing he may not share is where the name “Pupie” comes from.—07030
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SCOTT AND CHRISTIAN
Working Out With— Scott Delea BY CHRISTIAN DIAZ PHOTOS BY TBISHPHOTO
“W
ork Hard, Play Hard, Give Hard!” is the motto that Scott Delea, chairman and founder of Party With Purpose, lives and works by. Delea founded the
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not-for-profit organization shortly after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, which deeply moved him. The silhouette of the Twin Towers is still in the logo of the organization. “It was a time when I knew I wanted to give back but didn’t know how,” says Delea. “Why don’t I come up with a way for my friends and I to contribute and have fun doing it while staying connected with the
WORKING OUT WITH 07030
community.” To date, Party With Purpose has donated $500,000 through its various annual events, such as its Winter Benefit and 5k races and Kids’ Fun Run. This year marks 11 years of service to the community. The organization gives what is called a restricted grant, which must be earmarked for a specific local children’s charity for a specific purpose. Delea is adamant about donations going to local charities where you can see the impact of your contribution within the community. “We vet local children’s charities and scrutinize them,” he says. “The organizations have to be a nonprofit itself and have to be willing to allow us to come visit them and report the impact of the grant.”
chatting up the owners whom he admires because of their dreams to open their own places rooted in rich Hoboken history. “It is true to Hoboken,” says Delea of the Turtle Club on 10th and Park Avenue, which takes its name from a former Hoboken social club. Delea is a fan of famous Hoboken resident Eli Manning, though Delea admits to also supporting the Buffalo Bills. But supporting local charities is his passion. He announced this year’s new donation recipients at the Winter Benefit held at the W Hotel on Feb. 27. They are: Emmanuel Cancer Foundation, Hoboken Boys & Girls club, Hoboken Museum, Hopes Cap Inc, Jeremy’s Heroes, Jin-Che-Fway Karate School, Julibee Center, Mile Square Theater, Rock’n 4 Autism
PARTY WITH PURPOSE IS JUST ONE OF MANY HATS THAT DELEA WEARS IN HOBOKEN Party With Purpose is just one of many hats that Delea wears in Hoboken. He is also founder and CEO of a digital marketing agency, Inflexion Interactive, which is based in Hoboken. He is a member of the board of the Boys and Girls Club in Hoboken and sat on the board of the Hoboken Historical Museum for a few years. Delea is as motivated as they come and a real mover and shaker in the city he has called home for 15 years. Delea lives and works in Hoboken and is currently single with no children (in case anyone out there is wondering). When he has free time you can see him supporting local Hoboken businesses by shopping in town as much as possible. He also can be found at Madison Bar & Grill and the Turtle Club
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Awareness/ASAT, Soldiers Against Child Abuse, St. Matthews, Team Walker, The Hoboken Shelter, True Mentors Program, Wrap for a Smile, Hygiene Project, and YCS Foundation. Contributing to the charities Party With Purpose sponsors is as easy as attending an event, sponsoring an event, donating, or volunteering. “As America is, Hoboken is a story of change,” Delea says. “It is an American story rooted in a respect for family and understanding change.” He has watched Hoboken evolve into the city it is today and will continue to make a difference and contribute.—07030
DATES 07030 420-2207, hobokennj.org. Tuesday evenings 7-8 p.m. in June, July, and August. Free outdoor performances and fun for the whole family. Bring a blanket. Sinatra Park Concert Series, Sinatra Drive between Fourth and Fifth streets, (201) 420-2207, hobokennj.org. Thursday evenings 7-9 p.m. Free outdoor performances featuring a variety of musical acts. Concerts in Church Square Park, Church Square Park, Garden Street between Fourth and Fifth streets. 7-9:30 p.m. Live music every Wednesday night in from June through August. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sinatra Park, Sinatra Drive between Fourth and Fifth streets, milesquaretheatre.org. 8 p.m. Performances on July 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 26, 27. Hoboken Gallery Walk, various locations, hobokengallerywalk.com. 2-6 p.m. Third Sunday of every month. Ten Hoboken Art Galleries invite you to enjoy special receptions and exhibits of work by local, regional, and international artists. Participating galleries include Barsky Gallery, 49 Harrison St.; Hoboken Historical Museum: Upper Gallery, 1301 Hudson St.; hob’Art Gallery, 720 Monroe St., E208; Right Angle, 320 Washington St. and 1108 Washington St.; Tresorie, 1108 Washington St. Downtown Farmer’s Market, Washington and Newark streets, hobokenfarmersmarket.com. 37:30 p.m. Tuesdays June 26 through Oct. 26. Uptown Farmer’s Market, Hudson and 13th streets, hobokenfarmersmarket.com. 3-7:30 p.m. Thursdays, June 26 through Oct. 24. Garden Street Mews Farmer’s Market, 14th and Garden streets, gardenstreetfarmersmarket.com. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, June 1 through Nov. 23. Free Kayaking Days, Hoboken Cove Boathouse, Maxwell Place, hobokencoveboathouse.org. 2014 Schedule TBA. Guitar Circle, Symposia Bookstore, 510 Washington St., (201) 963-0909, symposia.us. Every Thursday at 8 p.m. Come jam with local guitar players in a casual, friendly atmosphere. Share your favorite songs and learn new ones. All playing levels and styles welcome.
MAY 4 Hoboken Spring Arts & Music Festival, Washington Street between Observer Highway and Seventh Street, (201) 420-2207. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Over 300 artists and crafters, photographers, food vendors, local businesses and restaurants. Three stages of live performance. Special kids zone on Third Street in Capital One parking lot.
17 Relay for Life, Pier A Park, 100 Sinatra Drive, 11 a.m., main.acsevents.org. All are invited to join the 11th annual event supporting the American Cancer Society. see page 51
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JULIE CERF
An after-school home
THE JUBILEE CENTER
for Hoboken kids
STORY AND PHOTOS BY GILBERT AGUON
W
hat started as a bunch of volunteers offering homework help has blossomed into one of the most valuable assets for Hoboken families. In 1996, the nonprofit All Saints Community Service and Development Corporation started an afterschool program in the Hoboken Housing Authority’s community room. The nonsectarian agency provided a safe and supportive environment where they helped children develop both physically and mentally. Fast forward to 2014, and a 9,000-square-foot building on the west side is now home to a true educational gem.
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The Jubilee Center, on the corner of Sixth and Jackson streets, handles 100 children on any given weekday. On entering the building, you can hear the sounds of kids, aged five to 12, laughing and talking. They sit at tables in a large room, ready to start their homework assignments after being picked up at school by the Jubilee Center staff. The staff also tutors children who need extra help. “It’s an incredibly valuable service for parents who are struggling to raise their children,” says Julie Cerf, interim executive director of the program. After the homework session, they are ushered upstairs for one of many recreational activities, including dancing, karate, and art. As I open the door to an art class filled with
WEST SIDE STORY 07030
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WEST SIDE STORY 07030 five-year-olds, they jump onto their seats. “We have a guest!” one girl shouts. “Sit down, we have a guest!” The walls, filled with pictures from Dr. Seuss stories, demonstrate the center’s commitment to building on school curricula. It was mid-March and schools across the country had been celebrating Dr. Seuss Day. After rec time, the kids eat dinner in the main room. Every night, the children are served meals from one of five local restaurants that donate to the center: ZYLO Tuscan Steak House, Zack’s Oak Bar & Restaurant, Black Bear Bar & Grill, Madison Bar & Grill, and the 10th & Willow Bar & Grill have been donating meals for more than six years. The center’s services don’t end with primary-school kids. “The teen program grew out of the fact that a lot of the students, when they would graduate from our afterschool program, would want to keep coming,” Cerf says. “They needed a place to go, they needed a home.” The program, which focuses on career exploration and financial literacy, currently has 18 students who come in twice a week. The center also offers a sevenweek summer camp that helps children retain the knowledge gained from the previous school year. It features academic enrichment in the mornings followed by a full day of activities. Once a week the children are taken on field trips to local points of interest, such as Liberty Science Center or a trip to the city pool. The children are also taken on an overnight trip to Refreshing Mountain in Lancaster, Pa. “Some of the children have never been in nature,” Cerf says, “and for the first time they get to sleep outside and swim in a lake.” Parents can also take classes. “Eat Smart, Move More” educates them on how to make healthy decisions. The program includes trips to farmers’ markets, fitness classes, and grocery stores with dieticians who teach them about healthy alternatives. This is one of the most popular programs, according to Cerf. The center also caters to local businesses. Companies can rent rooms at the center for everything from Zumba classes to business meetings. The rentals are a valuable source of extra income, in addition to the fundraisers held throughout the year. “The Jubilee Center is a very special place,” Cerf says. “It’s got an incredibly vibrant, positive atmosphere, and I just hope many more people will find out about it and realize the value that they have here.” —07030
DEVELOPING ;/E FOUNDATION FOR A LIFETIME OF SC/OOL SUCCESS!
Family Owned & Operated since 1972
www.AppleMontessorischools.com 201-963-4949 4H_^LSS 3HUL /VIVRLU
Unique Phonics Reading Program t Hands on Math Curriculum Foreign Language/Music t Fastrackids taught on Smart Board Full days 7am-7:00pm t 3 or 5 Half Days t 6 weeks – 6 years
07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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POINT & SHOOT 07030
PHOTO BY DEAN DECHIARO HOBOKEN’S OWN CAPED CRUSADER WAS SPOTTED GETTING DOWN AT SEPTEMBER’S ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL.
SEND YOUR HOBOKEN PHOTOS TO 07030@HUDSONREPORTER.COM. BE SURE TO WRITE “POINT AND SHOOT” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.
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DATES 07030
JUNE 1 Hoboken Secret Garden Tour, Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St., (201) 656-2240, hobokenmuseum.org. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Guided two-hour tours of up to 10 hidden horticultural gems. Tours depart every 15-30 minutes from museum. Rain date: June 8.
7-8 OLG Fun Fest, Church Square Park, Willow Avenue between Fourth and Fifth streets, (201) 659-0369, olgfunfest.com. Entertainment, rides, games, crafts, food, and several family-friendly activities including face painting and pony rides.
12 Sinatra Idol Contest, Sinatra Park, Sinatra Drive between Fourth and Fifth streets. 6:30 p.m. 15 contestants strut their stuff. Prizes are awarded to the best Sinatra-style vocalist. Rain date June 13.
14 Storybook Theatre: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, Elysian Park, 10th and Hudson streets. 1-3 p.m. Enter a magical world where stories come to life through song, dance, poetry, and drama. Designed for all ages. Free.
14, 21 & 22 Silly on Sixth, Hudson Theatre Ensemble Children’s Series, Hudson School Performance Space, 601 Park Ave., (201) 377-7014, hudsontheatreensemble.com. Performances held each day at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Show details TBA.
15 Spring Family Fun Day, Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St., (201) 656-2240. Noon-4 p.m. Hours of hands-on fun through arts, crafts, games, entertainers, and history. Free.
16 Shakespeare in the Park: Twelfth Night, Sinatra Drive between Fourth and Fifth streets, hudsonshakespeare.homestead.com. 7 p.m. In case of rain call (973) 449-7443.
19 New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Concert, Pier A Park. 100 Sinatra Dr. 7 p.m. Bring a picnic basket and blanket or lawn chair. Free.
21 Historic Baseball Game, Stevens’ Dobbelaar Baseball Field, hobokenmuseum.org. 1 p.m. A re-creation of the famed 19th century game which took place on June 19, 1846. All ages are welcome, admission is free.
see page 60
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How we
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HOW WE LIVE 07030
EDGE LOFTS PHOTOS BY VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ
B
ruce Goodrich really took a chance on Hoboken—launching a new business and finding a new home within the last couple of years. And he has no regrets. Two years ago, he and his brother launched RushCycling, an indoor cycling and spin studio across from the Pilsener Haus and Biergarten. And last July he moved from Rockville Center, N.Y., to Edge Lofts. One of the things Goodrich likes about the building is its LEED Platinum Certification. “I’m passionate about the green part,” he says. “The showers and toilets and sinks are set up environmentally, so I don’t waste water. It’s a unique living environment.” Goodrich was looking for something completely different from the 100-year-old, Tudor-style house he had been living in. “It was a lovely home and great to raise a family in,” he says, “but I wanted something bright, airy, and modern, and I get all that here.” He lives on the top floor of the sixth-floor, luxury-rental building, which houses 35 residences. The two-bedroom unit is 1,100 square feet with
Bruce Goodrich
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HOW WE LIVE 07030 10-foot ceilings. “There are floor-toceiling windows in two of the rooms,” he says. “It’s the corner unit, so there is no one above me or near me.” The building’s amenities and services include a virtual doorman system, landscaped common terrace, and residents’ lounge with Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, kitchenette and wet bar, and kids’ play area. He didn’t bring any furniture from the old house. “It’s modern and sparse,” he says. “Everything is brand new. My brother did the decorating for me. When I turned the key, it was all set to go.” Goodrich says he is still finding his way in his new town. “I go out to eat, but I don’t go to clubs and bars,” he says. “I go to Anthony David’s, Bin 14, and Johnny Pepperoni.” And he’s loving the transition from the burbs to the city. “This is the first time I’ve lived in a city environment, where I can walk everywhere and go down to the waterfront and look at Manhattan in lovely weather,” he says, “and you have access to the city within minutes.”
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t I g n i t t Pu
u o Y r o F r e h t e g A l l To
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How we
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SATORI LOFTS
HOW WE LIVE 07030
PHOTOS BY VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ
T
his is the second time we’ve chatted with a Carlos from Brazil who has found a home away from home in Hoboken. The first was the film director Carlos Saldanha, a Rio native. And now Carlos Cesta and his wife Adriana have made their way from São Paulo to a loft space on Madison. They’d been renting at the Shipyard but wanted to buy. Enter their real estate agent, Coldwell Banker’s Jill Biggs. “She’s honest, on point, and knows her clients,” Carlos says. “She said she didn’t want to waste our time with a ton of places we hated, so she narrowed it down to five or six. This was the last one.” What were they looking for? Adriana, who has a background in architecture, says, “New construction, something with a modern design—high ceilings and open spaces.” She says, “If the finishings are not up to par or the material is cheap, I will catch it Adriana and Carlos Cesta
HOW WE LIVE 07030
right away. One look and I can tell if it’s comfortable and worth the money.” They gave up the great waterfront views at the Shipyard, but their new condo on the third floor of Sapori Lofts seemed to have everything else. “It was very light and comfortable,” Adriana says. “It had a calmness about it.” The unit has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Adriana was pleased that the new kitchen appliances were Bosch, and the bathroom fixtures were Kohler. “It had a loft look with 11-foot ceilings and bamboo floors,” she says.
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The décor is contemporary. “We combined very modern furnishings with hints of the city we grew up in— São Paulo,” Adriana says. Carlos and Adriana had lived in Tribeca before coming to Hoboken. Carlos says he likes the city feel of Hoboken but he can still have a car, which is necessary because he commutes to Basking Ridge. Adriana commutes by bus to Port Authority. Hoboken is a great compromise,” Carlos says. “Young couples like us go out to dinner, take long walks. It’s almost Manhattan but it’s quiet, and you don’t feel the stress of the city.” Some of their favorite spots include Fig Tree, Bin 14, City Bistro, Elysian Café, and La Isla. “It’s interesting to see old and new clashing together,” Carlos says. Both Adriana and Carlos have Italian roots. Adriana’s mother, who speaks Italian, felt very comfortable in Hoboken. They love the town’s Italian social clubs and festivals. “We’re happy here,” Carlos says. – Kate Rounds
Norma De Ruggiero President/Broker
Robert De Ruggiero Inc. Realtors 210 33rd Street, Union City, NJ 07087 Mobile: 201.615.8976 Office: 201.617.7111 Fax: 201.902.9177 E-mail: norma@deruggiero.com
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DATES 07030
23 Shakespeare in the Park: Twelfth Night, Sinatra Drive between Fourth and Fifth streets, hudsonshakespeare.homestead.com. 7 p.m. In case of rain call (973) 449-7443.
29 Hoboken Baby Parade, Sinatra Park to Pier A Park. 1 p.m. Dress up your toddlers and festoon your strollers to compete for the cup in this 100-year-old tradition. Rain date: July 6.
JULY 4 Independence Day Celebrations, along the waterfront, (201) 420-2207, hobokennj.org. Check city website for details TBA.
10 Hoboken Summer Bash, Time and location TBA. (201) 420-2207. Food, beverages, and entertainment. Hosted by Frank Raia.
12 Storybook Theatre: The House on East 88th Street by Bernard Waber, Elysian Park, 10th and Hudson streets. 1-3 p.m. Enter a magical world where stories come to life through song, dance, poetry, and drama. Designed for all ages. Free.
14 & 21 Shakespeare in the Park: Cymbeline, Sinatra Drive between Fourth and Fifth streets, hudson shakespeare.homestead.com. 7 p.m. In case of rain call (973) 449-7443.
AUGUST 9 Storybook Theatre: Something Whistling in the Night – Folktales from Other Lands, Elysian Park, 10th and Hudson streets. 1-3 p.m. Enter a magical world where stories come to life through song, dance, poetry, and drama. Designed for all ages. Free.
11 Shakespeare in the Park: Pericles, Sinatra Drive between Fourth and Fifth streets, hudson shakespeare.homestead.com. 7 p.m. In case of rain call (973) 449-7443.
18 Shakespeare in the Park: Cymbeline, Sinatra Drive beween Fourth and Fifth streets, hudson shakespeare.homestead.com. 7 p.m. In case of rain call (973) 449-7443.
69 Years And Still Innovating!! 60 • 07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014
DATES 07030
24 Heirloom Tomato-Tasting Festival, Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St., (201) 656-2240, hobokenmuseum.org. 1-5 p.m. Savor the best flavors of traditional tomatoes in nearly every color of the rainbow. Free.
28 Spaghetti Dinner Block Party, Sinatra Drive Walkway (between First and Second streets), (201) 420-2207, hobokennj.org/spaghettidinner-block-party. 5-8 p.m. Includes four types of pasta, eggplant, salad, sausage, meatballs, and Italian pastries and cookies. Tickets available at City Hall.
Custom Framing Since 1983 DOWNTOWN HOBOKEN
320 WASHINGTON ST., 201.420.8262 UPTOWN HOBOKEN
1108 WASHINGTON ST., 201.942.9220 www.rightanglehoboken.com
SEPTEMBER 28 Hoboken Fall Arts & Music Festival, Washington Street between Observer Highway and Seventh Street, (201) 420-2207. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Over 300 artists and crafters, photographers, food vendors, local businesses and restaurants. Three stages of live performance. Special kids zone on Third Street in Capital One parking lot.
OCTOBER 12 Heirloom Garlic-Tasting Festival, Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St., (201) 656-2240, hobokenmuseum.org. 1-5 p.m. Savor the pungent flavor of more than a dozen varieties of “the stinking rose” trucked in Jersey-fresh. Free.
18 Harvest Festival, Pier A Park, First Street and Sinatra Drive. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Hay maze, pony rides, face painting, moonwalk, petting zoo, balloon art, craft activities, live music, dance, soccer, dance and gymnastics demos, and more.
26 Hoboken House Tour, various locations, (201) 656-2240, hobokenmuseum.org. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Historic or mod, Hoboken’s homes have an individual style. See up to 10 beautiful brownstones and condos in a two-and-a-half-hour, self-guided tour.
31 Rag-A-Muffin Parade, 13th and Washington streets. 3 p.m. Lineup starts on 13th Street and heads down Washington Street, followed by a costume contest at the Little League Field. Prizes awarded for the best costumes.
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BUSINESSES MAKE HOBOKEN WORK
THE CARACAPPA FAMILY
CARABELLA OLIVE OIL (201) 683-0287 carabellaimports.com
I
PHOTOS BY ALYSSA BREDIN
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n real life, it’s hard to be an extra virgin. But not in the world of olive oil. And the Caracappa family knows a thing or two about this increasingly indispensable food item. You can buy CaraBella Olive Oil online and in local stores and farmers’ markets. James Caracappa’s grandfather emigrated to the States years ago, but his wife Bombina came from southern Italy only six years ago, arriving in Hoboken from a little town in Calabria called Corigliano Calabro. She landed a job as a hostess at Tutta Pasta, which has since closed. It was there that she met James—or “Jimmy”—Caracappa. “Her father in Italy owns an organic farm,” Caracappa says. “Her family members plant the trees, process the oil in the field, bottle it in a facility right there, and send it direct to us.” CaraBella prides itself on excellence. How does the company achieve it? Through the use of olives native to Italy; organic farming methods in a climate ideal for growing olives; manual, selective picking; immediate crushing;
an extraction process using the ancient stone carving method; natural decanting; and filtering and bottling in hygienic conditions. The store features a number of flavors besides organic extra virgin, including chili, garlic and chili, lemon, and basil. Bombina says her family also grows oranges and tangerines, but mostly olive trees. “While my family is in the olive oil business,” she says, “Jimmy’s family is in the import and fish business.” Caracappa says he gets fish from the Fulton Fish Market (now in the Bronx), Port Newark, and other markets in the tri-state area. At press time, he was expecting to open a fish store and restaurant called Tutta Pesca at 155 Third street. Bombina, 29, feels really at home in her new town. “I love Hoboken,” she says, “because I am a mom, and there are a lot of things to do with my son, who is 4. I like to go to the parks, and the people are so nice.” But, she says, it is “night and day” compared to her hometown in Italy. “Hoboken doesn’t remind me of Italy,” she says. “In Italy it was the country with trees and trees and trees.”
HOW WE WORK 07030
PALLAVI DONDE AND SON
MATH WIZARD 1200 Grand St. (201) 253-5522 mathwizard.net/hoboken.aspx
“A
passenger train leaves the station two hours after a freight train.” Uh-oh. Sounds like a word problem. You’re not alone if you have terrible memories of standing frozen in front of the blackboard, trying to solve a math problem. The fact that phrases like “math phobia” and “math anxiety” have entered the lexicon means that it’s time for— MATH WIZARD! Math Wizard is a national chain. Pallavi Donde is the owner-operator of the Math Wizard franchise in Hoboken. She’s a mathophile with an MBA in finance who wanted to ensure that her own kids—a nine-year-old and six-year-old twins—were getting a strong foundation in math. “My kids were a little advanced, and the school was catering to the average,” Donde says. “I wanted to make sure they did well in math by doing a very good math program off to the side. This program works better than others that only do mental computation skills.” Mental computation skills, you say? Apparently this involves doing 700 problems a week. “You know how to add and subtract, but you don’t want to do more,” Donde says. “It’s memorizing. It’s very boring, kids don’t like it, and there’s a lot of crying involved.” Well, of course.
Kids between the ages of three and a half and high-schoolage can study with the Math Wizard. And about those word problems? The trick, says Donde, “is to define the steps in the word problem and learn how to frame the problem to find a solution.” Among the other topics covered are fractions, equations, division, addition, subtraction, and applied math. Offerings include an algebra boot camp as well as prep courses for the PSATs, SATs, the New Jersey state standardized test, and the national 2014 common core standards. The Math Wiz currently has 13 students, plus seven more from an after-school math enrichment program at one of the charter schools in town. So, that would be 20? Math is not drudgery for these kids. “It’s a fun learning center,” Donde says. “Kids love to write on the whiteboards.” With only three to five kids per class, they get individual attention. The Wiz also offers private tutoring. “If a child is advanced or behind, we customize the curriculum,” Donde says. “The program works really well,” she says. “A student came to us in the summer. She was in the sixth grade and didn’t even know fractions. After two months, she aced the test for two levels of fractions.”
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HOW WE WORK 07030
NEW JERSEY BARIATRIC CENTER 79 Hudson St. (908) 481-1270 njbariatriccenter.com
H
ere’s a scary factoid: Obesity is the number-one cause of death in the United States, overtaking cigarette smoking. Enter New Jersey Bariatrics, a medical practice that treats obese people. The word “bari” comes from the Greek meaning weight or pressure, which pretty much describes patients suffering from this condition. The practice, which was founded by Dr. Ajay Goyal in 2004, now has a staff of physicians and nutritionists. Folks looking for a quick surgical fix may be unhappy to learn that the words “diet” and “exercise” will always be part of any legitimate weight-loss protocol. Our own governor, before he became famous for traffic tie-ups on the George Washington Bridge, is famously overweight and was famously treated, using lap-band surgery. “TV people were saying that it was an easy way out,” Goyal says. “But that’s a myth. Surgery is a big commitment. You still have to eat less food and exercise to maintain adequate weight loss.” If you are 100 pounds overweight, you are considered morbidly obese and qualify for surgery. “But patients have to go through a psychological evaluation to make sure that they are making the right decision before surgery,” Goyal says. The cause of obesity can be genetic or psychological. Goyal says that people who are unhappy, depressed, anxious, or angry may overeat. And we live in a food culture. “There’s a social reason to eat food,” he says. “You can’t name an event that doesn’t revolve around food.” Economics can also enter in.
KAREN KELLY, RD, AND DR. AJAY GOYAL “Cheaper food is much higher in carbs,” Goyal says. And just as people have gotten bigger, so have portions—and even plates, according to Goyal. Goyal started doing bariatric surgery at St. Mary Hospital in 2001, now Hoboken University Medical Center, and liked Hoboken, which is where he now lives with his family. He chose the specialty because of its
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tangible benefits. “We are able to change people’s lives,” he says. “It’s a very, very rewarding experience. The resolution of medical problems is phenomenal. We improve the quality of life and people’s ability to do certain simple things like tying their shoelaces, wearing high heels, wearing a regular seatbelt on a plane, and shopping in a regular store. It’s very impressive to accomplish these goals.”
MICHAEL AND SOHEILA SOBSEY
SOBSEY’S PRODUCE 92 Bloomfield St. (201) 795-9398 sobseysproduce.com
T
his specialty gourmet market, tucked behind City Hall, has been going strong since the 1990s and has received rave reviews, not just from Hoboken people and press but from the New York Times. A family-owned business, it’s run by Michael Sobsey, his wife, and brother in law. “It’s just something I have an aptitude for,” Sobsey says. “I started working in a fruit co-op in the mid-seventies in Maryland and took a liking to fruits and vegetables. It was the beginning of the organic movement.” Sobsey knew that it wouldn’t be easy finding good-quality produce. He wanted to open a “small place to provide an outlet for choice, healthy, tasty fruits and vegetables.” He buys locally grown produce in New York and New Jersey and is a regular at Hunt’s Point in the Bronx, the largest such outlet in North America.
“I go there personally twice a week,” Sobsey says. “I handpick everything. I have relationships with people there who will work with me. It’s a painstaking process. You have to know what’s coming around at a certain time—what’s in season, what variety is due up next, and when to bring it in.” He says he will also “rendezvous with people in the Union Square green market. It’s easier than going to the farm, and I can arrange to buy wholesale from them.” Sobsey acknowledges that “the better stuff is expensive, but you can’t get a BMW for the price of a Kia.” The kind of organic, natural gourmet market that his family runs has gone mainstream. “A lot more people are offering these things than in the old days,” he says. “It’s a bigger, more crowded market.” As evidence, Sobsey’s has expanded from 500 to 1,250 square feet. Currently, there are five full-time and one part-time worker. “It’s a team effort,” Sobsey says—“my wife, my brother-in-law, and the other workers.” A lot of their customers come from within a five-block radius, but folks from New York, Weehawken, and Jersey City have also discovered this Hoboken gem.—Kate Rounds
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tavern T
he sign of a really authentic watering hole is no sign of food. That’s what you won’t find at this little neighborhood crowdpleaser on the west side. But you’ll find tons of ambience, great booze, and great conversation. Larry Nieroda has been a bartender here since 2003. “To call it a rock-and-roll dive bar is selling it short,” Nieroda says. “It’s more than rock and roll, but I’ll stick with dive bar.”
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And that’s a dive bar in the coolest sense. The first time I went in, a youngish co-ed crowd was drinking and chatting while a band was setting up for that night’s performance. “We have zero food here,” Neiroda says. “We have no basement, no attic, no back room. We’re limited in terms of property.” But not in terms of good cheer, good sounds, and good vibes.
WATERING HOLE 07030
“It’s a music bar all the time,” Nieroda says. “You can watch sports but not with the sound on. It’s a tiny bar with a great juke box. It’s a great mixed jukebox. We play everything but dance and pop. We play a lot of things, old blues, old records that you aren’t going to hear anywhere else in Hoboken anymore.” As for the clientele? “It’s wide as can be,” Nieroda says, “and it’s people who ‘get’ this kind of bar, a divey music bar. It’s kind of all walks of life, all ages. We have people who are 21, and a gentleman in his seventies comes in frequently.” The bar has weathered Hoboken’s changing demographics. “Hoboken has a lot of young people with a lot of money who show off in bars, and other people are struggling with work and school, and they need something too. We’re the corner bar for the working young man or woman.” The Ninth Street light rail stop, only a couple of blocks away, has been a boon for business. “That’s worked for us,” Nieroda says. “We’re really in the middle of nowhere without that train.” The bar, he says, “has a warm feel to it. It’s not corporate people, simply real people, who helped each other through the flood. It’s a real place, part of the community, where you hear about jobs, meet your girlfriend, wife, or husband. It’s almost family. We want it to be like that.”
BY TBISHPHOTO
You might be surprised to hear, as I was, that one night a month, they have a certified mixologist who makes really nice high-end cocktail specialties. And if you really want to go to DC’s but you’re hungry, not to worry. The bar offers a restaurant-menu book, and you can have pizza or Chinese food delivered. The bar proudly hosts art openings, though “we cram in live music whenever we can,” Neiroda says. All are welcome, he says, whether you wear a “suit, a leather jacket, or a priest’s collar, as long as you understand who we are.”—Kate Rounds DC’s Tavern 505 Eighth St. 07030 HOBOKEN ~ SUMMER 2014 •
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If
Leo’s
you refer to this legendary eatery as Grandevous, you’re going to sound like you’re out of the loop. Everyone calls it Leo’s, and that’s the way it’s been since 1939 when Leo and Tessie DiTerlizzi opened this classic Italian restaurant at 200 Grand. The walls are charmingly cluttered with framed pictures. Leo’s love for Frank Sinatra is fabled. Most of the pictures are of Frank, and the jukebox is famous for its Sinatra selections. The restaurant is proud that William Bunch, author of “Jukebox America,” dubbed Leo’s machine “The world’s greatest Frank Sinatra Jukebox.”
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PHOTOS BY TERRI SAULINO BISH
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EATERIES 07030
The bar has also won kudos. Men’s Journal named it one of the 50 greatest bars in the United States. I didn’t sample all the booze but I can certainly vouch for the ambience. It’s spacious and light, with artistically curved blond wood and a huge mirror. We do know that they serve a mean Cosmo and a wicked cold beer. Other pictures on the wall are of the DiTerlizzi family, including Leo and Tessie and their daughter. The restaurant is still family-run. Chef Sergio Denichilo is Leo’s grand nephew. Waitresses Meghan and Kathy were on board that night. The minute we walked in, Kathy said, “I’ll put the bread in the oven.” Nothing is better than fresh Italian bread, warm enough to melt the butter. I had to be careful to save room for the massive feast to follow. We started with an appetizer of roasted peppers, smoked mozzarella, and tomato. It looked like a little Leaning Tower of Pisa. The peppers were tastily marinated in balsamic vinegar, and the tomatoes were summer-fresh. The restaurant is known for its bar pizzas, so Sergio sent out a small margherita pizza, which was a perfect appetizer. I counted 21 varieties of pizza on the menu, including one— the gluten-free offering—that I bet Leo never made. Another house specialty is “Leo’s Famous Mussels”—Prince Edward Island mussels prepared with “your favorite sauce,” which could be marinara, garlic white wine, or Fra Diavolo. A nice gentleman sitting at the bar was the recipient of our mussels. We knew we couldn’t eat everything, and offering them to a fellow diner seemed to fit well with the restaurant’s friendly, neighborhood atmosphere.
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Leo’s features a number of daily specials not on the menu. Sergio suggested pulled pork with butternut squash or grilled salmon over green lentils. We selected the salmon. The green lentils added just enough flavor to accent the fresh, perfectly grilled fish. Instead of the pulled pork dish, Sergio brought over a veal Saltimbocca, which means “jumps in the mouth” in Italian. It consists of veal with prosciutto and sage, marinated with oil, saltwater, or wine. The portions were very generous. If you can’t eat it all, be sure to take the rest home for some lucky member of your family. Speaking of wine, Sergio offers a nightly wine special, ranging from $23 to $27. He says it encourages diners who may not be well-versed in wines to take a chance. “They can give it a try and learn and understand wines,” he says. If you still have room for dessert—and you should definitely save room—selections include cannoli, Italian cheesecake, tartufo, and tiramisu, among other happy endings. Having a party? You can eat in at Leo’s or they can fix you a tray to go. This is a restaurant that epitomizes what Hoboken is all about—history, family, friends, and good, authentic food.— Kate Rounds Leo’s Grandevous 200 Grand St. (201) 659-9467 leosgrandevous.com
Photo: Alan Schindler
Savor the Waterfront
RESTAURANTS AT NEWPORT
From casual to fine dining—café latte on the run to cocktails under the stars—Jersey City’s Hudson River Waterfront is the perfect setting to ignite your senses and satisfy your palette. Conveniently situated close to the Newport PATH and several New Jersey Light Rail stops, this picturesque promenade offers a tempting array of culinary delights, many with equally enticing views of the Manhattan skyline. If life is meant to be savored, the Restaurants at Newport is a great place to start.
201-963-4900 loradellas.com
201-386-8898 confucius558.com
201-798-1798 battellojc.com
201-610-9610 fireandoak.com
201-533-8989 skylarkonthehudson.com
201-533-8888 komegashi.com
201-626-6646 bocagrandenj.com
201-626-6660 dorrians.com
201-222-8088 bertuccis.com
201-963-0533 getcosi.com
201-626-6006
201-533-0111 raaz.us
newportnj.com
DISH 0 7 0 3 0 BAJA
“Mostly young, hip and serious about food...” - THE NEW YORK TIMES
212 Washington Street Paulus Hook, Jersey City (201) 435-5151 www.satisbistro.com
www.bajamexicancuisine.com
104 14th Street (201) 653-0610 bajamexicancuisine.com Baja offers a new experience in char-broiled Tex-Mex specialties. With mojitos and margaritas fin abundance and Happy Hour every day, it’s a fun place with a happening bar.
BIGGIE’S 36-42 Newark St. (201) 710-5520 BiggiesClamBar.Com At the former site of the legendary Clam Broth House, just seconds away from the PATH train, Biggie’s brings its own history and tradition to its new downtown locale. It has the same menu that has been enjoyed in our Carlstadt location, with 22 beers on tap and 20 televisions. Biggie’s is ready to serve a new set of Hobokenites with a fun, casual, and quality dining experience.
EDWARD’S STEAK HOUSE
Offering a new experience in Charbroiled Tex-Mex specialties... And with the best Mojitos and Margaritas around and Happy Hour every day, it’s truly a fun place with a happening bar! Baja 104 Fourteenth Street, Hoboken 201-653-0610
239 Marin Blvd. Jersey City (201) 761-0000 www.edwardssteakhouse.com Edward’s Steak House offers steak, seafood, and other sumptuous fare with an elegant bistro flare. Tucked into a historic townhouse in downtown Jersey City, Edward’s is comfortably upscale. The menu includes all the classic steaks and chops—aged prime sirloin, porterhouse, filet mignon, and more. You’ll enjoy the atmosphere whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or stopping by for a steak sandwich at the bar.
THE HEALTH GRILL
Lunch . Dinner . Brunch . Catering úõüƋ /$%*#0+*Ƌ 0ĊċƋ + +'!*ƋƋĐƋƋöôõĊúü÷Ċýø÷õƋƋĐƋƋ) 00 * )!!. Ċ +) ,! % (Ƌ ñ!.ČƋ0!40Ƌė) 00)!!. ĘƋ0+ƋƋööüöü
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150 14th Street (201) 683-8554 The Health Grill brings healthy food, reasonable prices and superior service together to provide the total solution for the health-conscious consumer without sacrificing great taste and freshness. The food is selected and prepared to include a balance of vitamins, minerals, fiber, fats, and carbohydrates. A variety of drinks, protein shakes, and juice blends are offered.
KOMEGASHI 103 Montgomery Street Jersey City (201) 433-4567 www.komegashi.com Located in Jersey City’s financial district, Komegashi offers fresh, wellpresented sushi along with traditional Japanese favorites and an extensive selection of fresh shellfish. Locals and visitors from around the world find this a perfect spot to dine in casual elegance. Open seven days.
KOMEGASHI TOO Town Square Place Jersey City (201) 533-8888 www.komegashi.com Komegashi too offers an authentic Japanese dining experience with a spectacular view of the New York Skyline. The menu includes perfectly prepared sushi and sashimi, kaiseki, teriyaki, and tempura. Located on the river at Newport Financial Center, Komegashi too is open seven days.
LEO’S GRANDEVOUS 200 Grand St. (201) 659-9467 leosgrandevous.com Since 1939, this Hoboken landmark has been tantalizing guests with old school Italian standards and contemporary specials. A variety of pasta, fresh fish, veal, and chicken dishes keeps the emphasis on great taste and homey charm. You haven’t been to Hoboken until you have eaten at Leo’s!!!
LOUISE & JERRY’S 329 Washington St. (201) 656-9698 Since 1958, Louise and Jerry’s has been a favorite family-run neighborhood bar. It prides itself on great bartenders, great beer, a busy pool table, and an amazing jukebox. If you’re looking for the perfect watering hole to share a drink with old friends or meet new ones, this Hoboken institution is the place for you.
MATT & MEERA 618 Washington St. (201) 683-9431 mattandmeera.com East meets Hoboken at Matt & Meera, where you’ll find popular cuisine with an Indian flair. BYOBs are welcome. At Matt & Meera, you can grab a quick lunch in the middle of a busy day, get together with friends and unwind over a selection of our small plates, or reconnect with family while enjoying a meal from our Tandoori grill. On the weekend enjoy a leisurely brunch.
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DISH 07030 HOBOKEN OB OK E
THE RESTAURANTS AT NEWPORT
Sullivan’s BAR & GRILL
2 01. 42 0 . 9 8 4 9 6 0 0 WA S HIN G T O N S T R E E T
ADVERTISE WITH US 201 798 7800
J.C. Waterfront District newportnj.com Overlooking the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline is the most diverse dining destination on the New Jersey Gold Coast—The Restaurants at Newport. Located among the luxury apartments and office towers in the Newport section, The Restaurants at Newport include 12 fine establishments: Komegashi too, Dorrian’s, Raaz, Cosi, Confucius, Bertucci’s, Babo, Fire and Oak, Boca Grande Cantina, Michael Anthony’s, Skylark on the Hudson, and Loradella’s.
SATIS BISTRO 212 Washington Street Jersey City (201) 435.5151 satisbistro.com Tucked away in the Paulus Hook neighborhood, Satis is Jersey’s City’s best-kept dining secret. Satis is a foodie haven with a fantastic wine bar that serves dinner daily and brunch on weekends. The cuisine is modern European with an emphasis on French, Italian, and Spanish specialties. Menu changes are made seasonally, and specials are run weekly. Reservations are recommended.
SMOKIN BARREL®
36-42 N Newark ewark St.
1313 Willow Ave. Smokin Barrel® is our brand barbecue sports bar. Coming soon to Hoboken, the BBQ bar is the perfect choice for patrons seeking old-fashioned Southern comfort food paired with mouthwatering beer and liquor. If you’re in need of some down-home comfort, you can come satisfy your craving at Smokin Barrel®.
SULLIVAN’S 600 Washington Street (201) 420-9849 Sullivan’s Bar & Grill has a neighborhood-bar vibe and excellent food. These qualities have made it a Hoboken staple. Stop by and enjoy a pint.
Happy Happy Hour: Hour: 3:00 - 7:00 pm pm Mon.-Fri. Mon.-Fri. Mon.Mon.- T Thurs. hurs. 10:00 p pm m - Midnight Midnight
201-710-5520 www.BiggiesClamBar.com www.B www .BiggiesClamBar.com
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