Jersey City Magazine by Hudson Reporter Assoc., LP

SPRING | SUMMER 2018

HEIGHTS ARTS SCENE

HURLEY BROTHERS

HIGH SPIRITS

White Eagle Hall

CONGRATULATIONS to our 2017 NJARÂ® Circle of Excellence Sales AwardÂ® Recipients PLATINUM PLATINUM

Shawn RenÃ©eChaconas Condon

RenÃ©e Condon

Gerard Mattera

David DeVoe

Andrew Albert Sanderson Ngai

Darren Giordano

Erin Downs

Joachim AnthonyHorvitz Pinto

Steven Salzer

Joachim Horvitz

Brett Sikora

Andrew Sanderson

Judith Marciano

Giovanni Maramonte

Diana Sutherlin

Susan Maryanski

Jessica Williams

GOLD

We are so proud of our Circle Of Excellence winners & support their business and personal growth. KW City Life Realty: Where agents and clients come first!

KW CITY LIFE 100 WASHINGTON ST. HOBOKEN 201.659.8600

Jeffery Bonk

Pamela Kalmus

Steven Lewis

Darden Moorefield

Michelle Mumoli

Steven Rosado

Scott Selverian

Natalia Shuster

Lori Turoff

Brenda Wolfe

190 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS DR. JERSEY CITY 201.433.1111 EACH KELLER WILLIAMS OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED.

SILVER

Eric Dilone

Kevin Dowd

Denise Hodkinson

Brian Duck

Thomas Misuraca

Carey Finn

Christopher Pillari

Artyom Ghazaryan

Robert Sanchez

Stephen Gucciardo

Dalia Tole

BRONZE

Steven Betancurth

Joelle Chilazi

Andrew Crisara

Doris Diaz

Tara Duffy

Andres Garcia

Lisa TaraIancin Duffy

Tonya Keyes

John LiButti

Brian Anthony Lopes

Jamie Moreng

Kirollos Nasralah

Vivian Penha

Blake Pierce

Sally Reiter

Veronica Rosario

Dan Schoenbaechler

Phyllis Taylor

Lanie Von Ogden

Kevin Wilson

### "$ % ### ! $ "$

CONTENTS JCM

FEATURES COVER 14 WHITE EAGLE HALL Flying High Cover image Courtesy of WEH

20 LIBERTY STATE PARK Preserving the ecosystem

24 WOODWORKERS Tribeca Grain

28 NEW HEIGHTS Music and art scene

32 SPECTATOR SPORT Bird’s eye view

50 EDUCATION Frozen Treats

54 HOW WE WORK Small Businesses

56 HOW WE LIVE Regent Street

58 WATERING HOLE PJ Ryan’s Squared

60 EATERY Grove Square

DEPARTMENTS 10 CONTRIBUTORS 11 EDITOR’S LETTER 35 DATES 36 SPORTS Hurley Brothers

40 PEOPLE POWER Elizabeth Cain

44 ON THE JOB WITH JC’s Only Distillery

28 4 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

ó ó

ƌĞŵĞŵďĞƌ ĂŶĚ ƉĂǇ ƚƌŝďƵƚĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĂƚ ƐƉĞĐŝĂů ůŝĨĞ͘ /ƚ ĂůƐŽ ĂƐƐƵƌĞƐ ƚŚĞ ĚŝŐŶŝĮĞĚ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŽƉĞƌ ůŽŶŐƚĞƌŵ ĐĂƌĞ ŽĨ ůŽǀĞĚ ŽŶĞƐ ŝŶ Ă ƐĂĨĞ͕ ŚŽůǇ ƉůĂĐĞ͘ ĞƚĂŝůĞĚ ƌĞĐŽƌĚƐ ŽīĞƌ ĨĂŵŝůǇ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ĂƐƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ƚŚĂƚ ĨƵƚƵƌĞ ŐĞŶĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ ĐĂŶ ŝĚĞŶƟĨǇ ĂŶĚ ŐĂŝŶ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ƚŽ ƉƌĞĐŝŽƵƐ ĨĂŵŝůǇ ƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉƐ͕ ŚŝƐƚŽƌŝĞƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ǇŽƵƌ ĨĂŵŝůǇ ƚƌĞĞ͘

ŚŝůĞ ŵŽƐƚ ĂƚŚŽůŝĐƐ ƐƟůů ƉƌĞĨĞƌ ĨƵůů-ďŽĚǇ ďƵƌŝĂů͕ ƚŽĚĂǇ ƐŽŵĞ ĨĂŵŝůŝĞƐ ŵĂǇ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌ ĐƌĞŵĂƟŽŶ ĂƐ ĂŶ ĂůƚĞƌŶĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ ƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶĂů ďƵƌŝĂů͘ >ŝŬĞ Ă ƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶĂů ďƵƌŝĂů͕ ĐŚŽŽƐŝŶŐ Ă ƉĞƌŵĂŶĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ĚŝŐŶŝĮĞĚ ƌĞƐƟŶŐ ƉůĂĐĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ŚƵŵĂŶ ĐƌĞŵĂƚĞĚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ŽĨ Ă ĚĞƉĂƌƚĞĚ ůŽǀĞĚ ŽŶĞ ŝƐ ĞƋƵĂůůǇ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ͕ ĞƐƉĞĐŝĂůůǇ ĨŽƌ ůŽǀĞĚ ŽŶĞƐ ǁŚŽ ǁŝůů ǀŝƐŝƚ͕ ƉƌĂǇ͕ ĂŶĚ ƌĞŵĞŵďĞƌ͘

<ĞĞƉŝŶŐ Ŷ hƌŶ Ăƚ ,ŽŵĞ͍ /Ĩ ǇŽƵ ĂƌĞ

ŚŽůĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŚƵŵĂŶ ĐƌĞŵĂƚĞĚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ŽĨ Ă ůŽǀĞĚ ŽŶĞ Ăƚ ŚŽŵĞ͕ ǁŚĞƚŚĞƌ ƚŚĞǇ ĚĞƉĂƌƚĞĚ ƌĞĐĞŶƚůǇ ZĞĐĞŶƚ ŝŶƐƚƌƵĐƟŽŶ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ sĂƟĐĂŶ ƌĞƐƚĂƚĞƐ ƚŚĞ Žƌ ŵĂŶǇ ǇĞĂƌƐ ĂŐŽ͕ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌ ďƌŝŶŐŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŵ ƚŽ Ă ĚŽĐƚƌŝŶĂů ĂŶĚ ƉĂƐƚŽƌĂů ƌĞĂƐŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ŚƵƌĐŚ͛Ɛ ĂƚŚŽůŝĐ ĐĞŵĞƚĞƌǇ͘ dŚĞ ĚŝŐŶŝĮĞĚ ĂŶĚ ƉĞƌŵĂŶĞŶƚ ďƵƌŝĂů ƉƌĞĨĞƌĞŶĐĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĨĂŝƚŚĨƵů ŝŶƚĞƌŵĞŶƚ ŽĨ ŚƵŵĂŶ ĐƌĞŵĂƚĞĚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ Ă ŚŽůǇ ĚĞƉĂƌƚĞĚ͘ dŚĞ ŚƵƌĐŚ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞƐ ƚŽ ƉƌĞĨĞƌ ƚŚĞ ƉůĂĐĞ ƉƌŽƉĞƌůǇ ƌĞĐŽŐŶŝǌĞƐ ƚŚĞ KƌĚĞƌ ŽĨ ŚƌŝƐƟĂŶ ƉƌĂĐƟĐĞ ŽĨ ďƵƌǇŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ďŽĚŝĞƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĚĞĐĞĂƐĞĚ &ƵŶĞƌĂůƐ͘ ĐĐŽŵŵŽĚĂƟŽŶƐ ĂƌĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ƚŽ ďĞĐĂƵƐĞ ƚŚŝƐ ƐŚŽǁƐ Ă ŐƌĞĂƚĞƌ ĞƐƚĞĞŵ ƚŽǁĂƌĚƐ ƉůĂĐĞ Ă ůŽǀĞĚ ŽŶĞ ŝŶ Ă ŐƌĂǀĞ Žƌ ŶŝĐŚĞ Žƌ ŝŶ ĂŶ ƚŚĞ ĚĞƉĂƌƚĞĚ͘ EĞǀĞƌƚŚĞůĞƐƐ͕ ĐƌĞŵĂƟŽŶ ŝƐ ŶŽƚ ĞǆŝƐƟŶŐ ƌĞƐƟŶŐ ƉůĂĐĞ͘ ƉƌŽŚŝďŝƚĞĚ ƵŶůĞƐƐ ŝƚ ǁĂƐ ĐŚŽƐĞŶ ĨŽƌ ƌĞĂƐŽŶƐ dŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ǁĂǇƐ ƚŽ ŚŽŶŽƌ Ăƚ Ă ĂƚŚŽůŝĐ ĐĞŵĞƚĞƌǇ ĐŽŶƚƌĂƌǇ ƚŽ ŚƌŝƐƟĂŶ ĨĂŝƚŚ͘ ƚŚŽƐĞ ǁŚŽƐĞ ŚƵŵĂŶ ĐƌĞŵĂƚĞĚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ŚĂǀĞ

ƵƌŝĂů 'ƵŝĚĞůŝŶĞƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ sĂƟĐĂŶ͙

tŚĞŶ ĐƌĞŵĂƟŽŶ ŝƐ ĐŚŽƐĞŶ͕ ƚŚĞ ŚƵŵĂŶ ĐƌĞŵĂƚĞĚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ĚĞƐĞƌǀĞ ƚŽ ďĞ ůĂŝĚ ƚŽ ƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ Ă ƐĂĐƌĞĚ ƉůĂĐĞ ;ŝ͘Ğ͕͘ Ă ĂƚŚŽůŝĐ ĐĞŵĞƚĞƌǇͿ͘ dŚŝƐ ƐŚŽǁƐ ĚƵĞ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĨĂŝƚŚĨƵů ĚĞƉĂƌƚĞĚ ĂŶĚ ĞŶƐƵƌĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞǇ ĂƌĞ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĂǇĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ƌĞŵĞŵďƌĂŶĐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĨĂŵŝůǇ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ĂƚŚŽůŝĐ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇ͘ ,ƵŵĂŶ ĐƌĞŵĂƚĞĚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĨĂŝƚŚĨƵů ĚĞƉĂƌƚĞĚ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ŶŽƚ ďĞ ƐĐĂƩĞƌĞĚ͕ ŬĞƉƚ ŝŶ ŽŶĞ͛Ɛ ŚŽŵĞ͕ Žƌ ĚŝǀŝĚĞĚ ĂŵŽŶŐ ĨĂŵŝůǇ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ͘

ďĞĞŶ ƐĐĂƩĞƌĞĚ Žƌ ŽƚŚĞƌǁŝƐĞ ĂƌĞ ƵŶĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ĂŶĚ ƚŽ ĞŶƐƵƌĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞǇ ǁŝůů ďĞ ƉƌĂǇĞĚ ĨŽƌ ĂƐ ǁĞ ĚŽ ĨŽƌ Ăůů ƚŚĞ ĨĂŝƚŚĨƵů ĚĞƉĂƌƚĞĚ͘ tĞ ǁŝůů ĂƐƐŝƐƚ ǇŽƵ ŝŶ ŵĂŬŝŶŐ ĂĐĐŽŵŵŽĚĂƟŽŶƐ ƚŽ ŵĞŵŽƌŝĂůŝǌĞ ͞/Ŷ DĞŵŽƌǇ KĨ͟ ĂŶ ŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂů ƚŽ Ă ŶŝĐŚĞ͕ ŐƌĂǀĞ Žƌ ĞǆŝƐƟŶŐ ŚĞĂĚƐƚŽŶĞ ƐŽ ǇŽƵƌ ůŽǀĞĚ ŽŶĞ ǁŝůů ďĞ ƉƌĂǇĞĚ ĨŽƌ ĂŶĚ ƌĞŵĞŵďĞƌĞĚ͘

>Ğƚ hƐ 'ƵŝĚĞ zŽƵ͙ dŚĞ ƉƌŽŵŝƐĞ ŽĨ ĂƚŚŽůŝĐ

ĞŵĞƚĞƌŝĞƐ ŝƐ ƚŽ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ Ă ĚŝŐŶŝĮĞĚ͕ ƉĞƌŵĂŶĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƐĂĐƌĞĚ ƌĞƐƟŶŐ ƉůĂĐĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĐƌĞŵĂƚĞĚ ^ĂĐƌĞĚ͕ ^ĂĨĞ͕ ƚĞƌŶĂů͙ ŵĞŵŽƌŝĂů Ăƚ Ă ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ŽĨ ǇŽƵƌ ůŽǀĞĚ ŽŶĞ͕ ǁŚĂƚĞǀĞƌ ǇŽƵƌ ĂƚŚŽůŝĐ ĐĞŵĞƚĞƌǇ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐ ĨĂŵŝůŝĞƐ͕ ĨƌŝĞŶĚƐ ĂŶĚ ŶĞĞĚƐ͘ ^ƚŽƉ ďǇ Žƌ ĐĂůů ƚŽ ƐƉĞĂŬ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ĨƵƚƵƌĞ ŐĞŶĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ Ă ƉĞƌŵĂŶĞŶƚ ƉůĂĐĞ ƚŽ DĞŵŽƌŝĂů WůĂŶŶŝŶŐ ĚǀŝƐŽƌ ƚŽĚĂǇ͘

tĂƚĐŚ ŽƵƌ ǀŝĚĞŽƐ ǁǁǁ͘ ĞŵĞƚĞƌǇDŝŶŝƐƚƌǇ͘ŽƌŐ ϴϴϴ-ϰϵϴ-ϱϮϬϵ

A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Newark

CATHOLIC CEMETERIES

For Our Catholic Community

Jersey MAGAZINE

CITY

SPRING | SUMMER 2018 Vo l u m e 1 5 • N u m b e r 1 A Publication of The Hudson Reporter

PUBLISHERS Lucha Malato, David Unger

Mary Abed, MD FACC Mitchell Baruchin, MD FACC Preston Hupart, DO FACC Ravi Rathi, MD FACC Vladimir Znamensky, MD Ahsanuddin Ahmad, MD

EDITOR IN CHIEF Kate Rounds GRAPHICS STAFF Terri Saulino Bish Lisa M. Cuthbert Alyssa Bredin Quiros Ines Rodriguez Pasquale Spina COPYEDITING Christopher Zinsli ADVERTISING MANAGER Tish Kraszyk SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Toni Anne Calderone Ron Kraszyk ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Jay Slansky John Ward CIRCULATION MANAGER Roberto Lopez CIRCULATION Luis Vasquez

The Most Advanced Care in the Region for Preventing and Treating Heart Disease FLUENT IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, ARABIC, URDU, HINDI, HEBREW AND RUSSIAN

COMPREHENSIVE CARDIAC CARE Next Day Appointments and Evening Hours Available

www.totalcardiologycare.com 120 FRANKLIN STREET . JERSEY CITY, NJ . 201-216-9791 255 ROUTE 3 EAST . SUITE 215 . SECAUCUS, NJ . 201-601-3999 2035 HAMBURG TURNPIKE . SUITE L . WAYNE, NJ . 973-248-0200 6 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

ACCOUNTING Sharon Metro, Veronica Aldaz Jersey City Magazine is published two times a year by The Hudson Reporter Associates, L.P., 447 Broadway, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002 (201) 798-7800 | Fax (201) 798-0018. 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 JCMagazine Subscriptions, 447 Broadway, Bayonne, NJ 07002. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or other unsolicited materials. Copyright ©2018, Hudson Reporter Associates L.P. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Jersey City Magazine is a publication of The Hudson Reporter Associates, L.P. 447 Broadway, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002 phone 201.798.7800 • fax 201.798.0018 hudsonreporter.com

Getting you there

Make bold moves. Meet your Agents of Change at halstead.com Hoboken | 200 Washington Street | 201.478.6700 Montclair | 635 Valley Road | 973.744.6033

FREEMAN LAW CENTER, LLC OVER 30 YEARS OF FAMILY LAW & PERSONAL INJURY EXPERIENCE

Experienced New Jersey Attorneys

PRACTICE AREAS Divorce - Family Law - Child Custody / Visitation Domestic Violence - Child Support Landlord Tenant Disputes for Landlords Only - Personal Injury Contact us to set up a free initial consultation

www.freemanhugheslaw.com . bfreeman@freemanhugheslaw.com 26 Journal Square - Suite 1205 . Jersey City, NJ 07306 . 201.222.7765

TERRI SAULINO BISH N SUBRAMANIA LAKSHMI BALA

DELFIN GANAPIN

PATRICIA HILLIARD

BETH DICARA

KRISTIN J. DEANGELIS

ALYSSA BREDIN QUIROS

MAXIM RYAZANSKY

BETH DICARA

C O N T R I B U T O R S

JIM HAGUE VICTOR M. RODRIGU EZ

is a fulltime artisan working with clay. Check out her Etsy shop, eveningstarstudio or visit her studio at 11 Monitor St. in Jersey City.

LAKSHMI BALASUBRAMANIAN

DELFIN GANAPIN

is a former publishing professional who has worked at The Nation, Pearson Education, McGraw-Hill, and as a freelance writer. She is a NJ native who currently lives in Jersey City working on her own greeting card line, Love and Blues, and children’s books.

is an editorial assistant at the Hudson Reporter. In his spare time, he is immersed in contemporary geek and pop culture and has contributed to a small geek culture blog called We Are Geeking Out.

TERRI SAULINO BISH is an award-winning graphic designer, digital artist, and photographer, capturing many of the iconic images featured in print and online publications across Hudson County. You can view more of her work at tbishphoto.com.

KRISTIN J. DEANGELIS Has more than 25 years of art, marketing, and sales experience. She is owner, director, and curator at 107 Bowers Gallery & ArtSpace. She teaches her Young Masters Children’s Art class in several spaces throughout Jersey City.

10 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

CHARLES AYMAR HACK is a freelance journalist and writer. A former Jersey City resident, he has worked as a staff writer for daily and community newspapers in New Jersey, New York, and California.

JIM HAGUE is a Jersey City native, who landed a job with the Hudson Dispatch in 1986. He has been the sports columnist for the Hudson Reporter Associates for the last 22 years.

PATRICIA HILLIARD is Secretary of the Hudson Group of the NJ Chapter of the Sierra Club, cofounder of the Bayonne Nature Club, a birder and kayaker.

CHARLES AYMAR HACK

TARA RYAZANSKY ALYSSA BREDIN QUIROS is an award-winning designer and photographer. Her work is featured in numerous publications, including Hoboken 07030 and Jersey City Magazine. You can see her full portfolio at tbishphoto.com.

VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ has studied publication design, photography, and graphic arts. “I’ve been fascinated by photography for almost 20 years,” he says. One of his jobs as a construction project manager is to photograph job sites.

MAX RYAZANSKY is a photographer whose work has been exhibited in galleries and published worldwide. A recent transplant to Bayonne, he spends his spare time trying to figure out the best pizza place in town.

TARA RYAZANSKY is a writer who recently moved from Brooklyn to Bayonne. She works as a blogger for Nameberry.com and spends her spare time fixing up her new (to her) 100-year-old home.

PHOTO BY MARIE PAPP

EDITOR’S LETTER JCM

Booze, Box Seats, and a Bunch of Art

ome of our best story ideas come from just poking around town with eyes wide open. Passing the Saint Peter’s Prep ball field almost every day, I got to wondering if folks in the Lenox could watch games and scrimmages from their windows. In this issue you’ll find out. We’ve written stories about the proliferation of breweries around Hudson County. Now JC has its own distillery. When your city starts making its own hard liquor, does that mean it’s arrived or is see page 27

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 11

Shop, Dine, Live, Art, Work in Our Family Friendly Neighborhood

Your friendly neighborhood Central Avenue shopping district has over 240 storefronts offering a large variety of goods and services. From dining to clothing, you will get everything you need and find something new every time you visit. Shopping local supports many independent “mom and pop” businesses and over 1,200 jobs in the district. Also, shoppers pay only half the sales tax at participating UEZ Registered businesses. Winner of New Jersey Best Sub/Hoagie Shop Showdown!

ANDREA SALUMERIA

Best Imported & Domestic Cold Cuts Fresh Homemade Mozzarella Catering For All Occasions PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

201.653.1666

www.andreasalumeria.com 247 Central Avenue . Jersey City

Wood-Fired Brick Oven

CHARLES

SWENSEN

RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL RENTAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT APPRAISALS / CMA REPORTS NOTARY PUBLIC

Jersey City, NJ 07307

Tel: (201) 434-1188 www.pauliesbrickhouse.com

289 Central Ave. Jersey City, NJ 07307

201.795.1660

www.CBSwensenRealty.com

Pampita Meat Shop Prime and Quality Meats. Grass Fed Argentine and U.S. Cuts

393 Central Ave Jersey City, NJ 07307 (201) 656-5555 pampita@pampitameatshop.com www.pampitameatshop.com 12 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

OPE N

7D AY

CATERING FOR ALL OCCASIONS 201.659.5300 WE DELIVER

264 Central Avenue

BREAKFAST SALADS WRAPS PANINI SOUP

331 Central Avenue . Jersey City

Residential and Commercial Sales and Rental

LEAVE NO GARBAGE BEHIND BUT FOOTPRINTS ON THE STREET

Footprints REALTY

Rafael Orellana Broker of Record

SNKRROOM

HARDWARE

@S N EA K ERROOM

410 CENTRAL AVENUE JERSEY CITY, NJ 201.798.0658 OPEN: MONDAY - SATURDAY 11AM-7PM

201.724.5301

BENJAMIN MOORE DEALER

Central Paint of Heights

OPEN 7 DAYS 201-659-0044

bedinrafa@aol.com www.footprintsrealtynj.com 427 Central Avenue . Jersey City, NJ 07307

ovick

W W W . S N K R R O O M . C O M

302 Central Ave. . Jersey City

DAHLIA’S ICE CREAM SPOT

Homemade Ice Cream Cakes For All Occasions

Best Ice Cream In Town

290 Central Ave 201-963-1899

Art Classes for Children For more details on days, times and pricing, contact:

kd@107bowersgallery.com . 201.280.4821 www.107bowersgallery.com

107 Bowers Street . Jersey City Heights

TRY OUR DELICIOUS FLAVORS! Ice Cream Cones, Milkshakes, Sundaes, Smoothies, Banana Splits, Slushes, Yogurt and much more.

EVERY MONDAY IT’S Buy 1 Sundae get one FREE

Like us on Facebook and Instagram

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 13

Flying High with New Acts and New Artists BY LAKSHMI BALASUBRAMANIAN

the one-year anniversary of its restoration, historic White Eagle Hall (WEH) on Newark Avenue hosted the same band it opened with on inaugural night, May 5, 2017. Rye Coalition took the stage followed by a weekend of festivities, including Trekking Mexico: Interactive Theatrical Journey Through Mexican Culture, which featured original dance, music, and stories capturing the character of Mexico. “We not only fulfilled our goals, but exceeded expectations,” says Ben LoPiccolo, a real-estate developer and CEO of WEH. His wife, Olga Levina, is artistic head of the Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) and JCTCKIDS, a nonprofit, which uses WEH for its performances. “It’s a cultural revolution in Jersey City,” she says. 14 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

Artistic Avenue for All The hall has been cultivating a creative community for years. Blondie’s guitar player, Jersey City native Frank Infante, was discovered during a Battle of the Bands event at White Eagle Hall. Todd Abramson, Maxwell’s legendary music guru, is the talent buyer for WEH. “The design of the room has great atmosphere and is very welcoming,” he says. “It is big enough to attract well-known acts and small enough so it still feels intimate.” The hall has been equipped with the most modern sound and light systems, and Abramson has booked local and international bands, including Superchunk, Aimee Mann, Real Estate, Nick Lowe, and Paula Cole. Spring and summer performances included M.

Photos courtesy of White Eagle Hall

Ward, Russian Circles, King Woman, Paula Cole, Alejandro Escovedo, Rival Sons, Welles, Basement Citizen, The Psychedelic Furs, The Slackers, Ani DiFranco, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Connections, and UP10TION. (Visit whiteeaglehalljc.com for more information.) “Songwriting and original composition is what we look for,” Abramson says “As time goes on you will see good representation of quality in every genre.” The venue offers up-and-coming musicians a proper performance platform, in addition to clubs, bars, and weddings.

More Than Music “It’s a destination experience,” LoPiccolo says. The hall features two restaurants, Cellar 335 and Madame Claude

Bis, and three bars. The Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy honored the building with its 2017 Excellence in Preservation Award. “It was important for us in this project not just to preserve a historic building, but to make it a cultural institution that will continue to enhance the quality of life for today’s residents and future generations. I hope this project inspires other developers to pay careful consideration to not just their individual buildings, but what kind of city they are developing Jersey City into.” Levina, who has a BFA and MFA in Acting as well as a background in dance, stage, and performance, has showcased theater groups, dance companies, and poetry readings. They include Proliferate by Nimbus Dance Works, Now I Know by James Judd, Under the Umbrella of Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 15

WHITE EAGLE HALL STAFF

Movement with Carolyn Dorfman Dance and artist/mime Grigory Gurevich, Hamlet by Bedlam, Trekking Mexico, and JCTC Resistance Series. The JCTC series offers visual arts, as well as theater, dance, monologues, play readings, and other performances. This year JCTC will extend its reach to film and comedy. “When you bring diversity, diversity follows,” Olga says. “Art is power.”—JCM

16 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ 19

PHOTO BY PATRICIA HILLIARD

Preserving Liberty State Park Private interests pose constant threats BY PATRICIA HILLIARD

he children lean close and peer into the instructor’s hands. In a fistful of sand are the tiny green eggs of the horseshoe crab. During the full moon this prehistoric creature, still alive today, crawls out of the cold bay to deposit eggs as far up shore as it can, away from the crashing waves—on the beach of Caven Point Cove. Horseshoe crabs on their backs twirl their tails in an attempt to flip over and return to the deep water, away from the hot sun. “Let’s go help them,” says the instructor. Several students lift crabs with sticks and drag them to the cool waters of the bay. “We saved them, we saved them!” they cheer. This is one of those miracles that local kids could experience only at Caven Point Cove in Liberty State Park. Caven Point “is Hudson County’s best-kept secret,” Audrey Zapp tells me on that day. “You’ve got to come see it.” Zapp is the godmother of Liberty State Park because she helped transform an industrial wasteland into the park we enjoy today. 20 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

PHOTO BY PATRICIA HILLIARD

PHOTOS BY VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ

Fighting Private Interests

ter shells. Large blackand-white birds would glide over the water with their bills skimming the surface, snapping shut with a catch of fresh Atlantic sturgeon. They search under rocks for blue-claw crabs. Hundreds of egrets and herons dart about, catching smaller fish in the spartina marsh. Amid the clumps of beach grass, mussels cling to each other. In the shadow of eastern red cedar trees, among the bayberry and holly bushes, appear the faces of the Lenape, who

As Secretary of the Hudson Group of the NJ Chapter of Sierra Club, cofounder of the Bayonne Nature Club, and a birder and kayaker, I’ve been shocked by the constant threats to Liberty State Park. This huge public park has been staving off private encroachment for years. In 2016, billionaire Paul Fireman, owner of Liberty National Golf Course, tried unsuccessfully to build a casino next to the golf course clubhouse, which would have imperiled Liberty State Park. Due largely to a vocal public outcry, the plan did not go through. This winter, the public was again up in arms over plans to build a luxury marina on the south side of the park. Around the same time, Fireman also wanted to expand the golf course to the Caven Point peninsula. At press time, both proposals had been rejected by the DEP. What follows is a reminder for some or an initiation for others into the history, natural resources, and human enjoyment that would be lost if we abandoned Liberty State Park to wealthy interests and private developers.

enjoy the cove’s natural bounty. Today, rare Glaucous Gulls, Iceland Gulls, and Greater Black-backed Gulls are far from their nesting ground in the Arctic. Caven Point Cove is still a protective habitat for migrating ducks, hawks, and other birds, including rare winter migrants such as the Goshawk and the Snowy Owl, which prey upon the Canada Geese and the Ruddy Ducks. Harbor seals bask on the rocks in winter, and for the past five years Great White Owls have made Liberty State Park their winter home.

Four Centuries of History

Natural Protection

Caven Point Cove was originally preserved to show what the shoreline looked like in Henry Hudson’s time. Imagine sailing in 1609 on Henry’s Half Moon within a couple hundred feet of the beach ahead. You’d look below in the clear waters at oys-

Caven Point Cove is the barrier that keeps storms from rolling inland. Judith Weiss in her book “Salt Marshes, A Natural and Unnatural History,” writes, “Where marshes were strong, functional systems, the damage to the land and

PHOTO BY PATRICIA HILLIARD

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 21

to coastal communities was much less severe.” The cove is the direct target of storm waters flowing from under the Verrazano Bridge. The currents are treacherous at the bulkhead where the Hudson River flows outward and the tide comes in. After Superstorm Sandy, the picnic tables at the southern end of the park and the tiles of Liberty walk were lifted and carried across the lawns more than 25 feet away. Trees that had stood at the bulkhead for 30 years had been uprooted. After kayaking around the bulkhead one summer, I strongly believed that no ship could find safe harbor in this inlet along Caven Point Cove. The currents from the Verrazano Bridge meeting the currents of the Hudson River are very strong. Traversing the cove is Liberty Walk, which was designed to extend from the George Washington Bridge to Bayonne. It borders the park on three sides, affording views of New York Harbor, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty.

Down South On the south end of the park, Morris Pesin Drive runs from the Rotary to the river. It was named for the initiator of the park concept, who made an historic canoe trip in 1958 to the Statue of Liberty to impress upon the community how close the statue is to the Jersey side and how important it is for people to be able to visit from the western shore. Today, families from every culture in the world gather at the south end of the park under the dappled bark of sycamore trees for barbecues. These gatherings could challenge any lunchtime at the United Nations cafeteria. So popular is the picnic site that another one was created along Freedom Way across from Ellis Island.

PHOTO BY PATRICIA HILLIARD

Up North One of the oldest cobblestone streets in Jersey City, Audrey Zapp Drive, runs east from the entrance to the park to the river. Near the entrance are the Liberty Science Center and a Hudson-Bergen Light Rail stop. At the station, Citi Bikes are available, a great way to explore the park. On the right off Audrey Zapp Drive is one of two 9/11 memorials, the Grove of Remembrance, which features a simple rock etched with the names of New Jersey’s victims. The north end of the park offers a marina, two ferry slips, two restaurants, a marine store, the Empty Sky 9/11 Memorial, and the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRRNJ) train terminal. From here are spectacular views of lower Manhattan.

A Vast, Open Space Liberty State Park covers more than 1,000 acres of open space, perfect for biking, jogging, walking, dog-walking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing. Along Freedom Way, which bisects the park from north to south, is a path with exercise equipment. Huge fields that abut the river walk are great for kite flying, Frisbee tossing, soccer, baseball, or cricket. Along the boardwalk, fishers cast their lines. The CRRNJ terminal and the Interpretive Center, currently under renovation, offer historic tours. Nature walks are also available, where native birds, insects, plants, reptiles, and mammals can be seen. For several years, a kayak program has been offered, which takes you into the calm waters of Caven Point Cove. Which brings us full circle. Visit the Friends of Liberty State Park website at folsp.org for updates on protests against each new threat to this irreplaceable natural resource. As one of Henry Hudson’s men said, “They went on land and found goodly grapes and rose trees.” —JCM 22 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

Replica of Henry Hudson’s Half Moon

BCB Community Bank has been serving generations of families. From Brick and Mortar Banking to Digital, Mobile, and Online Banking, we have a product for every member of your family.

BCB - HOMETOWN - INNOVATIVE - BANKING

Contact your local branch today.

BCB JERSEY CITY 201.823.0700 Assistant Branch Manager ◊ Jose Figueroa x2921 Business Development Officer ◊ Christine Bridgelal x2682

211 Washington Street, Jersey City, NJ Call or visit our website for a full list of products and locations. 1.800.680.6872 l www.BCB.Bank

T R I B E C A

JOE CURADO

G R A I N

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRIBECA GRAIN

24 â&#x20AC;¢ Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

LUMBERJACK D R E A M S A Jersey City custom carpenter goes with the grain BY TARA RYAZANSKY

n 2011, Joe Curado and his cousins were clearing out two old warehouses in Tribeca that once housed their great grandfather’s paper company. They thought that they might find some scrap metal to cash in before the buildings came down. Instead they found a stockpile of wood in the basement: some 1,000 yellow pine beams. Curado saw the potential in that old lumber, and Tribeca Grain, his Jersey City-based reclaimed wood and custom carpentry company, was born. “There’s just so much endless possibility when it comes to wood,” Curado says. “Every piece can be transformed into anything. There’s the character of the wood, the color contrast and the years that you can see in the grain.” Curado has such a passion for lumber that people call him Joe Wood. “It’s a combination of a passion for wood and a passion for design,” he says. Curado and his cousins, AJ and Frankie Ponte, loaded up the wood beams and brought them back to their other family business in Jersey City, All American Recycling Corp. His family has been in Jersey City since the 1950s. Curado says that his family background was part of what inspired him to create Tribeca Grain. “That wood was either going to go in the garbage, or we were going to do something with it,” Curado says. “It’s almost like they were just waiting for someone to come along and build something with them. Our family business is recycling, so reusing materials is kind of in our blood.” Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 25

WOOD THAT HE COULD At the time that the inspiration for Tribeca Grain struck, Curado’s job was about as far from a rugged woodsman as you can get. “I did mortgage fraud research. I was in a little cubicle in Jersey City in Newport,” says Curado as he stands in his expansive Hope Road warehouse. “Sitting at a desk staring at the clock was never for me. It took me until I was 32 years old to find my place in the world. Creating and designing with the people I’m surrounded by, in the space we get to do it in on a daily basis, is a dream come true. I was a lumberjack at heart. I did a lot of woodshop in high school, so I had a good basic knowledge.” Curado showed such talent in his early years that he sold his first piece of furniture to his woodshop teacher when he was still a student. Once they got the word out about Tribeca Grain, custom projects came rolling in. “Our first commissioned piece was the hostess stand at Hamilton Inn,” Curado says. “They’re great friends and have been great clients over the years.”

CLIENTS WEIGH IN Curado gets a thrill from the design process. “It’s rewarding and completely addicting,” he says. “Most clients will come to me with something in mind: Pinterest boards, Instagram posts, blueprints or hand sketches. Then we have an open shop discussion with everyone on how we can best bring our client’s vision to life.” Many clients enjoy being part of the process. “I encourage clients to help us fabricate in any way they want,” Curado says. “It’s not uncommon for our clients to be on a first-name basis with everyone in the shop and to have worked beside them on some facet.” This customer input leads to word-of-mouth referrals. “So many come through the shop over the years,

who not only commission us, but help spread the word about the experience, which usually leads to our next project. We have been blessed to bring so many of our clients’ visions to life.”

WORK AROUND TOWN Tribeca Grain custom pieces can be found in Jersey City eateries such as Hamilton Pork, Atlas Public House, Cellar 335, and Zeppelin Hall Beer Garden. “We do a lot of restaurant work,” Curado says. “We’ve got a lot of great clients and a lot of cool projects.” He custom-fitted the exterior of a food truck with reclaimed wood for his brother Chris Curados mobile seafood restaurant, Angry Archie’s.

26 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

Tribeca Grain has also done work in the Cast Iron Lofts and the Lenox building as well as boutique fitness studio Jane Do. “We do a lot of custom projects, not just reclaimed wood,” Curado says. “We really enjoy working with live edge walnut, working with big slabs and bringing them to custom spaces,” Curado says, explaining that live edge is basically a slice of a tree with an unfinished natural shape along the edges. That doesn’t mean that Tribeca Grain is finished salvaging weathered wood beams to repurpose. “Most of our inventory is locally sourced from buildings coming down in the neighborhood, which is usually what our clients are looking for,” Curado says. “We try to reuse as much material as possible. It’s much better for the environment and provides our clients with completely unique materials that we handpick ourselves.” Tribeca Grain still has some of the wood from that first haul in Tribeca in their warehouse stockpile.—JCM

tribecagrain.com Instagram: @tribecagrain tribecagrain@gmail.com

EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LETTER JCM

(

from page 11

just having a hard day? If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for homegrown gin and vodka, go no further than Distillery Drive. Tara and Max were on the job with Corgi Spirits. We have a couple of stories about the arts in this issue. We take a look at the burgeoning arts scene in the Heights and check out the latest acts at White Eagle Hall. Not to mention the many artisans who are selling their wares in JC. One of these is Tribeca Grain, which does custom carpentry from reclaimed wood. Most of you have been reading about the continuing threats to Liberty State Park from developers, who want to build a marina and extend the golf course. Patricia Hilliard, a longtime nature lover, tells us exactly what would be lost. Water fowl, sea life, and the many animals that inhabit the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s woods and fields would be at risk. Development also encroaches on the vast playground that humans use for sports, jogging, biking, and walking. Keep your eyes peeled for great stories, and let us know what you find. Email krouunds@hudsonreporter.com. Meanwhile, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summer in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;my favorite time of year. No need to get out of Dodge. You can sail, sunbathe, fish, and take in festivals and fairs right here in JC.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;JCM

LOOKING FOR A MAKEOVER FOR YOUR HOME?

KENNEDY TILE AND MARBLE, INC. Sales . Installations . Tile and Marble Fabricators of Marble, Quartz and Granite Countertop

YOUR VISION ... OUR CREATION

COUNTERTOPS INSTALLED

CUSTOM FIREPLACES

PORCELAIN TILE

CUSTOM JACUZZI TOPS

CUSTOM VANITY TOPS

WE CARRY ITALIAN PORCELAIN AND MARBLE AND GLASS MOSAIC TILES

201-798-8666 FAX:

201-798-2956 . EMAIL: KENNTILE@AOL.COM . WWW.KENNEDYTILES.COM 725 TONNELLE AVE . JERSEY CITY, NJ 07307

OVER 30 YEARS IN SAME LOCATION SELLING HIGH QUALITY TILES & CUSTOM FABRICATION AT

DISCOUNT PRICES Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ 27

Santiago Cohen self-portrait

SCENE

THE

in Jersey City Heights B u i l d

i t

BY KRISTIN J. DEANGELIS

was walking through my neighborhood by Riverview Park on a warm February day. Two men sitting on a bench played beautiful rhythmic conga drums. Spring was in the air, and the park would soon come alive with art and music. I run an art gallery, 107 Bowers Gallery & ArtSpace, and teach art in the Heights, and I know that artists here have full-time jobs, secure significant grants, and work into the night to make things happen, often without traditional venues.

a n d

t h e y

A RAD IDEA The Heights was settled by the Dutch in the 1600s, but it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t belong to Jersey City until 1869. The area comprising most of the Heights was once an independent municipality, known as Hudson City. The Riverview Arts District (RAD) was initially proposed in the early 1980s by then Jersey City Councilman Tom Hart. In 2013, a city zoning amendment was approved, which created an Artist Overlay Zone covering a large portion of the eastern part of the Heights.

28 â&#x20AC;˘ Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

w i l l

c o m e

Among other things, it allowed artists to have studios or work/live units within the district. In April 2014, The Riverview Arts District Summit took place. Hosted by several Heights associations and sponsored by the City of Jersey City, local businesses, developers, realestate agents, as well as more than 100 residents, artists, and business owners attended. The community decided to repurpose existing structures for live/work, exhibit, event spaces, and affordable housing. Among their goals was the restoration of the Riverview gazebo, which

Jersey Statuary Company building to convert into a home. The goal, Walter says, is “to create a comfortable contemporary environment to consume and appreciate classical, jazz, and world sounds.” The Statuary is a hub for community meetings, play readings, and artists. It hosted a Mexican classical pianist, a musician from Senegal and one from Brazil, a German guitarist, a Spanish Flamenco trio, and a ragtime band. On a JC Friday, they showed the sculptures of the Gibelsi family.

BIG IDEA

Kristin J. DeAngelis at the Bowers Gallery. Photo by Alexis Rotter had been destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. In the cards is a vibrant commercial district on Palisade Avenue.

IN THE HOOD Kern Weissman has been president of the Riverview Neighborhood Association (RNA) for three years. Founded in 1983, the RNA provides free arts and culture to Jersey City and Hudson County. The RNA’s goal is to partner with the city and county to restore Holland Street as an outdoor arts and performance space. Partners and sponsors of RNA events include Guitar Bar Drum Den, Remco Press, Low Fidelity, Yoga in the Heights, The Palisade Fine Wine, Spirits and Beer, Fox & Crow, The Corkscrew Bar & Grill, and 107 Bowers Gallery & ArtSpace. The RNA is also involved in popup art venues at various bars, restaurants, and creative spaces; Live on the Palisades once a month in summer, where bands such as Bottomless Mimosas, The Sensational Country Blues Wonders, The Christine Santinelli Band, and GMJ Groove play for free. Other events include Backroom Broadsides: Live in the Parlour at The Fox & Crow, featuring James Bruggia poetry and a spoken-word series. Holland Street, adjacent to Riverview-Fisk Park, is the only

remaining cobblestone street in the Heights. Spanning the street is a granite bridge with a vaulted ceiling. Built in 1905, it is listed as a historic landmark in Jersey City. In September 2016, the RNA partnered with musician Walter Parks and his wife, Margo, to bring classical music, opera, modern dance, a light installation, art, spoken word, congas, and guitar/bass compositions to the Holland Street Vault during JC Fridays. Walter Parks toured New Orleans many years ago and played with Richie Havens. Walter and Margo bought the

Becky Hoffman, president of the RNA from 2006 to 2014, wanted to create an art-and-music program that would get on the JC Fridays map. In June 2012, the RNA rolled out a group art event called “Contrasts and Change,” at the then Trolley Car Bar & Grill on Palisade Avenue, with seven local artists, including John Crittenden, Cheryl Sylivant, and Alexis Rotter. A popup Gallery & Café, ”Revitalization, Transformation and Rediscovery,” was curated by Michelle Momuli and included local artists such as Jennifer Chapeau. Live music outdoors was presented at the Lumberyard on Palisade Avenue featuring The Benson Ridge Project and DJ Meghan of WFMU. The closing reception of the Distillery Gallery & ArtSpace’s “The Third Dimension” was curated by Gabriel Pacheco. Also featured were street-level video installations by Jason Burch, William

Bryan Benninghove. Photo by Alexis Rotter Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 29

Bowers Ribbon Cutting. Photo by William Spencer Lamson, and Erin Hudak, and a tour of ironworks in Greg Seliciano’s studio.

SPIDERWEB OF COMMUNITY

INNOVATIVE VENUES

Bryan Benninghove, who had been playing freelance gigs, starting his own bands, and waiting tables at Sweet Basils, the now defunct NYC jazz club, moved to Jersey City in 1999, playing at Uncle Joe’s, and was involved in the 111 First Street art scene. He’s known for his band, Manouche Bag, and heading up the Riverview Jazz Festival, which will run June 2-9 this year. The festival, which debuted in 2012, is now citywide and offers a week of free jazz. Bryan calls the Heights a “spiderweb of community.”

In 2012, Megan McKee, who was running popup art events around the city, joined forces with Tina Maneca to create a music event at the gazebo in Riverview Park during the annual Jersey City Art & Studio Tour (JCAST). ModCup Coffee and the Riverview Farmers Market have become gathering places, and music events in people’s homes have become popular. For example, the art show “low brau” at 107 Bowers Gallery & ArtSpace curated by Heights artist Ryan Bonilla was born at daily coffee meet-ups at Mod Cup.

EE-I-EE-I-O The Riverview Farmers Market is organized by the not-for-profit Farms in the Heights to promote a more sustainable Jersey City. Now in its ninth year, the market offers pie-tasting contests, fresh fish, local honey, and startup food trucks that have become restaurants, such as Mod Cup, Dark Side of the Moo, and Pizza Vita. The farmers market was the kickoff for the Riverview Jazz Festival, and in 2015, the Music in the Park series was launched. Margo Parks books the musicians, who come from the Jersey City and Hudson County area.

just pour you a cup of coffee,” he says. Philip knows this firsthand. “I had my first gallery show in the Heights just from complimenting someone on their wooden bracelets in a Stop & Shop,” he said. Santiago Cohen was living in Hoboken with his family when a flood damaged his artwork. He found a great house in the Heights with a fantastic studio that allowed him to create better and bigger work. “I created the props for the parade for the Day of the Dead and opened my studio for the Jersey City Studio Tour,” he said. Mexican artist Maria de los Angeles says, “I enjoy living among a very diverse community with a wide age range. There are still people here from many different countries, and I enjoy speaking Spanish.”

GRANTS AND FUNDS The Kresge Foundation, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, has selected RAD and New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC) for a technical assistance grant to facilitate Creative Placemaking in the Heights. The grant will be used to help RAD stakeholders and NJCC fuse arts, culture, and design with urban planning and community development to provide, among other things, affordable housing, arts community centers, and live/work artist spaces.—JCM

AMAZING NABES Jenna Firshein launched her blog “Growing in Jersey City” in 2016. “People now come from Hoboken and downtown to hang out at our bars and listen to the Heights musicians,” Jenna says. “We are part of a little revolution.” Maria Kosen, gallery director, PRIME Gallery, says, “I was raised into a family of artists, which probably explains why I collect, sell, exhibit, curate, stage, consult, obsess over, and why I can’t imagine a world without art.” Philip A. Robinson Jr., is a Heights sculptor/educator. “The Heights is alive with driven young professionals, weathered historians, knowledgeable mentors, and loving souls who can help create a foundation for your career or

30 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

jcheights.com/Community-Arts-District.shtml riverviewneighborhood.org/about-rna/ riverviewneighborhood.org/eventscalendar/upcoming-events/

OLC SCHOOL IS EXPANDING TO 225 MORRIS BLVD., JERSEY CITY! Applications now available for certain grades for the 2018-2019 school year. 248 Marin Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07302 201.434.2405 olcschool.org

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ 31

Spectator Sport A downtown couple has a bird’s eye view, but one game’s got them scratching their heads

32 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

MARGOT, MARC, AND DANTE THE DOG

BY KATE ROUNDS PHOTOS BY BETH DICARA

argot Henner and Marc Blom moved into their ninth-floor unit at the end of February. They’d always enjoyed Paulus Hook bars and eateries—Amelia’s, the White Star, Surf City, Zeppelin Hall—so the Lenox Luxury Apartments was a perfect choice. What they weren’t expecting was the view from their spacious windows. “You notice it immediately,” Margot says. “It’s the first thing you see through all the windows in the living room.” For years, I’ve been walking by the Saint Peter’s Prep ball field or viewing it from the light rail. When the Lenox started going up, literally on the sidelines, I couldn’t help but wonder if its tenants could watch Prep ball games from their windows. “All you see is the field, literally,” Margot says. “The entire field.” They don’t have favorite teams— they’ve deduced from frequent viewings that what they were usually watching was scrimmages rather than actual

games. “We figured out that what’s going on is organized practice,” Margot says. “They’re playing against each other, so instead of picking teams, we’re picking players, like ‘number 17 is tall and really good. Is he in high school?’ It took a while to figure out if it was high school, college, or a local league using the field.” They’ve watched baseball, lacrosse, football, and rugby. “We watched them practice running drills in baseball,” Margot says, “shortstop drills, foul-ball drills, and tagging-player drills.” If Margot sounds like a sports fan, she is. She’s been horseback riding since age 9. She loves football and fantasy football. She and Marc both grew up on Long Island. Margot’s dad had season tickets to the Mets. Marc is a Jets and Mets fan, plays golf, and, surprise surprise, “is getting good around horses,” says Margot.

Best Seats in the House They own binoculars, but, says Margot, “You don’t really need them. We have an unobstructed view of the entire field.” She uses them only to “look at new buildings in the distance.”

She says their viewing habits are not “an organized thing. If we hear a chant or a team cheer, it’s like, ‘OK, let’s see what’s going on.’ If you’re walking around the apartment, you can’t help but stop and watch. We don’t watch constantly for hours.” She confirms that it’s not a pizza-and-beer thing. They don’t order in for the long haul. One sport’s got them wondering. “We’re not familiar with rugby,” Margot says. “We thought, this is cool, let’s check it out. We tried to figure out what the heck they were doing and how it works. They’re running, kicking, all in a group, and huddling. We’ve watched practices, but to this day we don’t know the rules at all. It’s kind of funny. We have no idea what’s happening.” I wonder if fellow tenants have caught on to this particular brand of home entertainment. “I don’t know,” Margot says. “I hate to be stereotypical, but the majority in the building look to be the same age range as we are, 30-something couples with pets. If they’re young and fun and open to the lifestyle in the area, and if they have a view like ours, how could they not?”—JCM

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 33

D A T E S

$UH \RXU NLGV

:DWHU 6DIH "

0XOWLSOH \HDU URXQG LQGRRU ORFDWLRQV LQ +XGVRQ &RXQW\ -RLQ WKH WKRXVDQGV RI SDUHQWV ZKR WUXVW RXU \HDUV RI H[SHULHQFH %ULWLVK6ZLP6FKRRO FRP +XGVRQ:DWHUIURQW

STANDARD

"Today's Standards of Excellence"

TILE Est. 1920

3527 Kennedy Boulevard • Jersey City, NJ • 201.653.0566

Want your event listed? Please email us at jcmag@hudsonreporter.com and put “calendar listings” in the subject line.

ONGOING

20%

OFF

The Historic Downtown Farmers’ Market at the Grove PATH Plaza, 4-8 p.m. every Monday and Thursday from May to December. Featuring over 25 vendors serving up tasty treats from fresh fruits and vegetables to freshly baked empanadas to homemade mozzarella. Hamilton Park Farmers’ Market, 3-7:30 p.m. every Wednesday from May 2 to Dec. 19. Provides residents with fresh fruit and produce, fresh baked goods, frozen meals, pre-cooked meals and much more. Entertainment every first Wednesday, and every third Wednesday is Pop-Up Wednesday for vendors with non-food crafts, artwork and goods. Riverview Farmers’ Market, Riverview-Fisk Park, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. every Sunday from May to November.

PURCHASE

With this coupon. Not valid in combination w/any other discount, sale or promotion

www.standardtilenj.com www.standardtilenj.com

LARGE SELECTION OF SUBWAY TILE, STONE, GLASS, TILE & MOSAICS! Distributor of Florida Tile, Eviva Vanities and Century Shower Doors

see page 39

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS

Mon • Tues • Thurs • Fri: 8am-5pm • Wed: 8am-8pm • Sat: 9am-5pm Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 35

Bobby Hurley Photo courtesy of Buffalo and Arizona State

The

Fa m i l y

The Hurleys ’ storied tradition BY JIM HAGUE

t’s always been an American tradition, probably going back to our forefathers on the Mayflower or the first soldiers in the Revolution— fathers handing down the family business to their sons. The blacksmith turning over the hammer and chisel to his boy; the shopkeeper handing the keys to her children. To this day, accountants, funeral directors, and other business owners make sure that their offspring learn the tricks of the trade to keep the longstanding family business going long after the founder is gone. In the Jersey City royal family known as the Hurleys, the family business for the last half century has been the game of basketball. The son of a highly respected Jersey City police officer, Bob Hurley established the tradition. The Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer spent 50 years coaching basketball at the nowclosed St. Anthony High School, becoming the most famous highschool basketball coach in the country. Bob Hurley turned the family business over to his sons, Bobby and Dan,

who have carved out highly successful careers as coaches themselves. The elder Hurley, now 70, was forced to retire in June 2017 with the closure of the school he helped to keep open for decades. He now spends his days running The Hurley Family Foundation, teaching Jersey City youngsters the fundamentals of the family business on a hardwood floor appropriately named The Bob Hurley Court.

36 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

Bob Hurley Photo by Anthony Saint James

Dan Hurley Photo courtesy of Rhode Island Sports Information

SPORTS JCM

Photo courtesy of Buffalo and Arizona State

A DISTINGUISHED LEGACY Bob Hurley ended his coaching career at St. Anthony with 1,184 victories and just 125 defeats. His fabulous Friars won a national record 28 NJSIAA state championships and 13 NJSIAA Tournament of Champions titles. He sent more than 150 of his players on to college and seven of those went on to play in the National Basketball Association. His sons, Bobby and Dan, went on to play major college basketball. Bobby was the darling of college basketball in the early 1990s as the AllAmerica point guard for Duke University, leading the Blue Devils to two consecutive national championships. He then had a seven-year career in the NBA that was curtailed after a near-fatal car accident in December 1993 near Sacramento, where he was playing with the Sacramento Kings.

Dan went on to play at Seton Hall University, leading the Pirates to the NCAA Tournament three times, including one fateful evening in Philadelphia in 1992 when he had to face his older brother head-to-head, even guarding each other for a stretch.

FROM PLAYERS TO COACHES Now, the two are coaches at major colleges. Bobby, 46, logged two successful seasons as the head coach at the University of Buffalo. Now he’s in his third season as head coach at Arizona State University, where he has performed miracles, turning a moribund program into one that was ranked No. 3 nationally earlier this season, and ranked among the Associated Press Top 25. Dan, 45, has been in the family business longer. After graduating from Seton Hall, Dan turned down offers to play professionally in Europe to

become a basketball coach. His first gig was as an assistant at Rutgers University, then as head coach on the high school/post-graduate level at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark for 10 years, then Wagner College for two years before moving on to the University of Rhode Island, where he’s been for the last six years. Dan turned the Rhode Island Rams around; they are also ranked among the nation’s Top 25 this season. Dan just recently signed on to become the head coach at the University of Connecticut, signing a six-year contract with the prestigious basketball powerhouse, which has won three NCAA championships over the last 20 years. Bobby and Dan were All-State performers for their father at St. Anthony, playing on the famed 1989 team that went 32-0 and won the mythical national championship, a team that was recently ranked by scholastic website MaxPreps as the No. 3 high-school basketball team of all time. That 1989 Friar team was just recently inducted into the NJSIAA Hall of Fame. “Their summer jobs were working basketball camps with me,” the elder Hurley said. “I would take them to demonstrate drills. But still, I was pleasantly surprised that they both wound up coaching.” Dan said that he caught the coaching bug from his father while he was a member of the Seton Hall basketball program. “I took a leave for one year [after Bobby’s accident] and that year [1994] after everything happened, I spent with my father as an assistant at St. Anthony,” Dan said. “Being around a Hall of Fame coach every day was like living a basketball coaching clinic. I had to develop a passion for it.”

HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE

Photo courtesy of Rhode Island Sports Information

“Growing up in Jersey City helped,” Dan said, “seeing all the great players like David Rivers and Mandy Johnson play for St. Anthony. I knew then that I wanted to get into coaching. It was really something special, playing for my father, learning from him.” After four years at Rutgers, Dan went on to become head coach at St. Benedict’s, turning that program into Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 37

SPORTS JCM

Photo courtesy of Buffalo and Arizona State

a national powerhouse. Like his father, he sent several players to major college programs, three of whom went on to play in the NBA. After a successful stint at St. Benedict’s, Dan threw his name into the mix to coach at Marist College, got an interview, but wasn’t hired. “But it was like a perfect storm of events,” he said. “The athletic director at Wagner [Walt Hameline] called my Dad and asked him if I would be interested. I had to ask my Dad, ‘What should I do?’ But he [Hameline] reached out for me, so I had to listen.”

BIG BROTHER Bobby was destined to be an NBA All-Star after getting drafted in the first round, No. 7 overall (which became his uniform number) by the Sacramento Kings. He signed a sixyear contract and received $16 million. But that all changed on Dec. 12, 1993, when Bobby was returning to his apartment after a Sacramento Kings game. His vehicle was broadsided while making a left turn by someone driving a station wagon without its lights on, ejecting Bobby from his SUV. He landed in a drainage ditch, suffering a severed trachea, two collapsed lungs, a fractured left shoulder

blade, five broken ribs, a small compression fracture in his back, a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, a fractured right fibula, and a sprained wrist. One doctor said that the injuries Hurley suffered “would have killed 99 out of 100 victims.” But Bobby triumphantly returned to the Kings the following season, receiving the Arthur Ashe ESPY Award for the Most Courageous Athlete. But he was never the same player again and was out of basketball after the 1998 season.

A DIFFERENT TACK Bobby turned his attention to thoroughbred racing, becoming an owner and breeder in Florida for nine years, calling his Ocala horse farm Devil Eleven Farm (named after the uniform No. 11 he wore as a Duke Blue Devil). His most successful horse was Songandaprayer, which won the Fountain of Youth Stakes and Florida Derby and ran in the 2001 Kentucky Derby. However, in 2010, Hurley had to sell his farm after the bank foreclosed on it, moving his wife and family back to New Jersey. At the same time, Dan was taking over the program at Wagner in nearby Staten Island and had the idea of having his older brother join him as an assistant. “I had my own business, and I was able to spend time with my wife and my kids,” Bobby said. “But I could see how good Dan was with his team. I thought it would be fun for me.” Bobby, who became his brother’s assistant coach, had a sense he would join the family business. “I was doing stats at age six for my father,” he said. “I loved the way he conducted himself, how he organized practices.” But Bobby said that if it weren’t for his younger brother, he would never have become a coach.

BROTHERLY BOND

Photo courtesy of Rhode Island Sports Information

“Dan and I are best friends,” Bobby said. “He put a charge in me, and I drew off his positive energy. The competitive nature and toughness I got from Dan.” After spending three years with his brother, two at Wagner and one at Rhode Island, Bobby got the chance to coach his own team at the

38 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

University of Buffalo from 2013 through 2015 and took that team to the NCAA Tournament in 2015. That earned Bobby the job at Arizona State, where he suffered through two 15-win seasons before this year, when the Sun Devils exploded, winning more games this season than they did in either of the first two years. The Hurley brothers took their respective teams to the NCAA Tournament in March Madness this year. As a reward, Dan moved on to a big-time college basketball powerhouse with a multi-million dollar contract and Bobby recently had five years added to his existing contract. “I definitely take a lot of pride in what my brother is doing,” Bobby said. “I try to watch as many of his games on television as possible. We follow each other. I love getting another opinion from him.” Bobby’s top assistant coach is another Jersey City native, Rashon Burno, a fellow St. Anthony point guard. Dan said, “To have had the life we’ve had, and now we both have success. We’ve been at the right places at the right times.”

MARCH MADNESS “We’re ahead of [North] Carolina and Kentucky right now,” Dan said. “That’s just part of the amazing journey I’ve taken at this place. I know Bob is trying to do the same thing. There’s no greater joy than to be connected to my brother, that we’re coaching at a high level and doing well.” Meanwhile, back home in Jersey City, the Hall of Fame father is bursting with pride. He’s been to several of the Rhode Island games this season, but it’s a little harder to get out to Tempe. “Unquestionably, they were both good for each other,” Bob Hurley said. “I think Danny allowed Bobby to grow as a coach and give him an idea of what he was getting into. They were good together at Wagner and in Rhode Island. This year, not being involved, this has been like a refuge for me. To see what they’re doing is awesome.” As awesome as the family business.—JCM

from page 35

The New Journal Square Green Market, the Boulevard at Journal Square PATH, 2-7 p.m. every Wednesday and Friday from May 2 to Dec. 21. Exchange Place Farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market, Harborside Plaza 5, 185 Hudson St., 12:30-6:30 p.m. every Tuesday from May 1 to Dec. 18, and Dec. 28-29. WSCA Farmers Market at Lincoln Park, 10 a.m.3 p.m. every Sunday from June to October. Paulus Hook Farm Stand, Washington Street by the Korean War Memorial, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. every Saturday from April 28 to Dec. 22. Van Vorst Park Farmers Market, Montgomery Street and Jersey Avenue, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. every Saturday from April 21 to December. RJO All-Stars Jam Session, Brightside Tavern, 141 Bright St., 8 p.m. every first Monday of the month, riverviewjazz.org. If you can play, then come and play. Jazz for Lunch Concert Series, J. Owen Grundy Pier, 12-2 p.m., nearly every Thursday this summer, riverviewjazz.org. Take a midday music break down on the water at J. Owen Grundy Pier. Nearly every Thursday this summer, the City of Jersey City and the Office of Cultural Affairs and

Protecting the rights of the injured and their families in Jersey City and throughout the state since 1929.

+PVSOBM 4RVBSF +FSTFZ $JUZ /+ Chatham | Jersey City | North Bergen | Sea Girt ( ) - | njatty.com

see page 43

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ 39

kropic1 / Shutterstock.com

A Real Renaissance Woman

Photo by Charles Aymar Hack

Elizabeth Cain adds another title to her hefty resumé

BY CHARLES AYMAR HACK

utside one of Elizabeth Cain’s favorite downtown hangouts, Prato Bakery, the fourth nor’easter of the season is piling snow along Erie Street. Inside the Italian bakery and coffee shop, Cain takes some rare downtime to describe her mission to transform the Exchange Place waterfront. Cain, as director of the Exchange Place Alliance, aims to convert the Special Improvement District (SID) from a bedroom community into a bustling neighborhood where people eat, shop, and relax. “It’s a huge opportunity, and it’s beautiful,” Cain says. “We have this gorgeous waterfront,” with lots of potential. While she talks, Cain exchanges greetings with passing customers whom she’s gotten to know and local business owners. The owner of Carmine’s Italian Deli on Mallory Avenue asks after Cain’s baby. She tells him her son, Landon, is 6 already. “If you are around long enough you meet everybody,” Cain says. “That’s the beautiful thing about Jersey City. It is so friendly and supportive.” As an entrepreneur, real-estate agent, and mother, Cain manages multiple responsibilities, including owning pet and baby stores, Hound About Town and Hazel Baby & Kids, in three locations; she also founded a nonprofit. Her husband, Donovan Cain, who plays bass for the local indie band The Milwaukees, helps her run the businesses. Also being a real-estate agent allows him to go to viewings when his wife’s too busy with other projects. “I’ve tried to have a good balance between work and home life,” Cain says. “We support each other and have a good support system.”

40 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

ELIZABETH CAIN

Friendly Businesses Help also comes from folks like downtown developers Paul and Eric Silverman. The brothers gave Cain a job when she moved to Jersey City from Weehawken in 2002 at age 23. They also rent three storefronts to the Cains for their pet and baby businesses. Jersey City business owners are more collaborative than competitive, she says. After Superstorm Sandy inundated her first store, Hound About Town at 218 Montgomery St., she and another storm victim, Kristen Scalia, co-founded the nonprofit Jersey City Project. Scalia’s business, the nearby boutique Kanibal & Co., was also flooded. “There was a lot of damage, and there were a lot of people in need who also lost their livelihoods,” Cain says. “We decided to help each other.” They organized venues for displaced vendors to sell their products while rebuilding their storefronts. Many could not claim insurance for water damage.

Bokic Bojan / Shutterstock.com

ELIZABETH AND DONOVAN

Now the project promotes local businesses, with two annual events, Project Eats in June for roughly 40 food vendors, and Project Market in December for handmade furniture, jewelry, and clothing.

A Dog’s Life The Cains found that downtown Jersey City lacked a store to buy wholesome pet food and cute accessories for their adopted dog, Wiley. Enter Hound About Town, the shop they opened in 2011 in a 175-square-foot storefront at Montgomery and Grove streets, the one that suffered storm damage. “Your pets are like your kids; you feed them good food and find them cute stuff,” Cain says. She credits her entrepreneurial flair to her upbringing in Framingham, Mass., in a single-mother household, the youngest of three kids with five years between each sibling. “There were times when we would get food stamps, or the heat would be cut off,” Cain says. “My mom told us that we needed to take care of ourselves, so she would teach us how to fix the plumbing and plunge the toilet.” Looking at an early photo of her first store, Cain is struck by how empty it seems now. “I am very cautious,” she says. “I’m not going to take out a $500,000 loan on a wing and a prayer and then go bankrupt.” Still, she does take risks. In October 2011, she opened a second store, Hound About Town at 17 McWilliams Place on Hamilton Square. In 2012 she became a licensed realestate agent with Sawyer Smith and quit her job with the Silvermans to pursue other projects and care for her son, who was born in March 2012.

Baby Gear Now with her newborn, she found that downtown Jersey City needed a local eco-friendly baby store. So she added Hazel Baby & Kids to Hound About Town on Hamilton Square. The Cains opened their third store, a second Hazel Baby & Kids, in December 2015 at the new Charles & Co. building at 201 Montgomery St. across from City Hall.

Cain has expanded her business even with competition from online vendors by catering to last-minute shoppers and locals who drop in while taking a stroll in the neighborhood. “A lot of people love to walk in and touch things,” Cain says. “We are very specific about what we buy and what we offer. It has to be sustainable and holistic and preferably made in the United States.”

Creating Community Cain was well-prepared for her gig at the Exchange Place Alliance, building on several years’ experience with Jersey City agencies. In 2007 she became executive director of the Historic Downtown SID. After serving as the chair of newly elected Mayor Steve Fulop’s transition team for cultural development and tourism in 2013, she worked as director of Cultural Affairs for Jersey City for the next three years. During this time she founded the Groove on Grove music series to promote local bands and the Cinco de Mayo celebrations. She also implemented various beautification projects, helped create the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza, and established Restaurant Row. When she heard that Fulop and former Ward E Councilwoman Candice Osborne wanted to establish a SID for the waterfront, Cain raised her hand. The SID is bounded by Sixth Street to the north, Peninsula Park to the south, and two to five blocks west from the waterfront, but as far as Luis Munoz Marin Boulevard in places. Cain says that despite its prime real estate and unequaled views of Downtown Manhattan, Exchange Place has not lived up to its potential as a retail and restaurant destination. Few eateries and bars on the Exchange Place waterfront stay open after hours, and the area seems deserted during evenings and weekends.

Fun Stuff To attract visitors, the Alliance has been mulling some creative ideas, such as ziplines, a docked ship that is open for tours, and a carousel. But some problems need fixing right away. “There are a million ideas,” Cain says. “It’s about what’s feasible and what the priorities are.” Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 41

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cain

LANDON, ELIZABETH AND DONOVAN

These priorities include capital improvements such as fixing roads, installing restrooms, and landscaping as well as clearing out overgrown weeds and removing trash. Dozens of dead trees, a legacy from Sandy, need to be removed. “Nobody was really on it, and they just became part of the landscape,” Cain says. Cain says the Alliance can focus on the details more efficiently than the municipal government, which has to care for the entire city. Even planting some colorful mums was a huge hit. “We see people taking selfies in front of them,” Cain says. “It’s the small wins that you really feel good about.” An initiative by CEO Michael J. DeMarco of Mack-Cali, which owns the largest portion of the district, to place tables with umbrellas and seating for hundreds of people along the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway was “wildly successful,” Cain says. “At lunchtime you see people pushing strollers and walking their dogs while enjoying the view.” DeMarco is the board president of the SID. Property owners and developers Roseland Residential Trust, SJP Properties, and Hartz Mountain are also represented on the board. Other new amenities include signage, public restrooms, Citi Bike stations, and public Wi-Fi. The Alliance plans to convert the unused bus turnout at Exchange Place into a permanent pedestrian area for events and open an outdoor farmers’ market to support local sustainable farming. “I like to know where my food comes from and what’s in it,” says Cain, whose son has severe food allergies.

Browsing and Dining Developers and property owners are opening up more space for retail and dining. The Hyatt House at 1 Exchange Place opened a terrace bar and expansive rooftop bar with panoramic views. You can now get a bite on weekends at eateries like the Piggyback Bar on Hudson Street, and the Potbelly Sandwich, Starbucks, and Gregory’s Coffee on Exchange Place. 42 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

Photo by Charles Aymar Hack

Mack-Cali, owners of the Harborside Terminal, are renovating the building and lobby to create event and exhibition space with a glass atrium, waterfront restaurants as well as a high-end grocery store, coffee shop, and food pavilion. Spear Street Capital, which owns twin buildings at 70 and 90 Hudson St., is leasing out retail space on the waterfront. Buildings under construction like the 99 Hudson Condominiums are adding hundreds of residential units and retail space. “You have all these new residential buildings going up,” Cain says. “Those are the people who make this about a community. It’s our job to get the word out with events, social media, newsletters, and advertising.” A longer-term challenge for the Alliance will be to create Colgate Park and renovate Peninsula Park at the southern boundaries of the district. Negotiations are continuing among stakeholders that include the State Veterans Affairs, which owns most of the land; Liberty State Park; Colgate, which leases and maintains the area around the Colgate clock; and the city, which holds just a small corner. Cain believes the city will get the political support to issue bonds to finance a new bulkhead and rock barrier to prevent the peninsula from eroding further. She just doesn’t know when. Says Cain, “Everybody wants Jersey City to be the best it can be.”—JCM

from page 39

Riverview Jazz are welcoming a range of jazzy artists for two full hours of groovy tunes. All events are free, family-friendly and barrier-free. In the event of rain, concerts will be held in the Harborside Atrium, 34 Exchange Place.

Pinch-Hitter Pinch-Hitter Professional LLC. Professional Organizer & Personal Personal Assistants, L LC.

Magnolia Landing at Journal Squared, Magnolia Avenue and Summit Avenue, 12-5 p.m., every first and third Saturday of the month from April to November. Each market day you’ll be able to pick up some amazing crafts and try out delicious food from various vendors and food trucks. Each market will be different, so make sure you pop on over during your weekend travels. Liberty Science Center After Dark, Liberty Science Center, 222 Jersey City Blvd., 6-10 p.m. every third Thursday of the month, lsc.org, (201) 253-1310. Bring your friends to an after-hours adventure at Liberty Science Center. Guests 21 and over can enjoy cocktails, food, music, dancing, laser shows, and more.

201.618.0278 201.618.02 78 646.891.7394 6 4 6.8 91.73 9 4 h-hitter.com pinch-hitter.com jpaige@pinc

Pinch-Hitter We Organize Lives for Success!

New Heights Toastmasters Club, 855 Bergen Ave., 6:30 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesday of every month, (201) 424-9090. We provide a safe and supportive environment where you can develop your public speaking and leadership skills. Participation is optional, but it’s always encouraged. Guests are always welcome to walk in and have a firsthand experience of our club.

see page 48

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 43

HIGH SPIRITS JC’s only distillery makes homegrown gin and vodka

BY TARA RYAZANSKY

PHOTOS BY MAX RYAZANSKY

wner Robert Hagemann greets me near the loading area of his vodka and gin distillery. Corgi Spirits is hidden among the warehouses near the Garfield Avenue light-rail station. Just follow the signs with the corgi dog. Against a mostly gray backdrop, the distillery’s brightly colored murals stand out. Corgi Spirits is the only distillery in Jersey City. Hagemann has lived here for four years. Hagemann, who has an MBA in marketing, is a one-man operation, playing many roles, including everything from production to sales and marketing. “I was very interested in going into spirits marketing because I always loved cocktails,” he says. “I thought that it would be a really cool career move for me to combine my job in marketing with my passion for spirits.” Because Hagemann had no experience marketing spirits, he was having trouble breaking into the field. “I’m not the type of person to let somebody else tell me what I can and can’t do, so I was like, OK, let me figure out how to launch my own spirits brand,” he says. “I had seen some small distilleries popping up in Brooklyn and some on the West Coast and I was like, ‘I think I can do this.’”

COURAGE OF HIS CONVICTIONS Corgi Spirits opened in October 2017. Walk into the bar area, which is open to the public Thursday through Sunday, and it’s clear that Hagemann has pulled it off. The space has the vibe of a cozy, old library with antiques and leather couches. The décor is elegant, but through

44 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

Robert Hagemann

a picture window just off of the bar is a view of a vast industrial space. That’s where the magic happens. The gin and vodka cocktails that bartenders are mixing are made on premises. It’s in the distillery area that Hagemann begins his day at 6 a.m. by firing up the still to start a batch of vodka. Hagemann spent three and a half years researching and perfecting his recipes. “I had to learn how to distill,” he says, leading me to a large piece of machinery. “That’s the sexy piece of equipment that everyone likes to see.” The shining copperdecked still has an antique look, though it’s brand new. “We had it manufactured for us,” he says. “It’s a traditionalstyle still made down in Kentucky. The other still is its opposite, a modern, cube-shaped one called

the iStill. It has software so you’re able to very closely control what you’re doing.”

CONCOCTING THE COCKTAIL In a distillery, you start with the process of fermentation. Like a brewer, the distiller starts the same way a brewer would make beer. You basically take your starch or sugar base and cook it down in a big pot of water and add yeast just like a brewer, but a brewer, after fermentation, would have a finished beer. But a distiller takes it a few steps further. Everything goes into the still, which separates the alcohol from the liquid. Out comes vodka, which Hagemann again runs through the still to reach the purity level he desires. “It’s basically just following the rules of chemistry,” Hagemann says.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 45

A run in the still takes about eight hours, so Hagemann bottles during that time, hand-corking a caseload of bottles that he’ll deliver himself later in the day. Once this batch of vodka is made, Hagemann will run it through the still six more times for purity. To make gin, Hagemann infuses the vodka with botanicals, letting it steep overnight. “Gin is simply vodka that’s been flavored with botanicals,” he says. “Juniper berries have to be one of those botanicals in order for it to be classified as gin.” He opens a giant bag of the aromatic dried berries. “Most people don’t know that. They think that gin is this mysterious creature.”

ALCOHOL OFFERINGS Corgi Spirits makes three main products: Saddlecoat Vodka, Pembroke Gin, and Earl Grey Gin. “The Earl Grey is sort of our signature product,” Hagemann says, noting that gin drinks infused with bergamot tea are a cocktail trend. He was surprised there wasn’t a product on the market to simplify the process of preparing them. “That’s something that, if you are a bartender, it takes a little bit of attention,” Hagemann says. “The tricky part is that you can’t infuse it for too long or it gets very bitter.” There’s a delicate balance between making a weak batch and steeping it too long, which releases tannin in the tea. “If you for-

46 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

get about it, that batch is ruined, then that’s a bottle of gin that you can’t use. It makes sense to have a commercially available version.” Corgi Spirits’ Earl Grey Gin streamlines the process. It’s now available in various Jersey City bars and restaurants as well as liquor stores. These include Barcade, Mathew’s Restaurant, Pint, Talde, and White Eagle Hall. Visit corgispirits.com for a full listing. Or you can try some at the distillery. At the bar, Hagemann mixes the Corgi Cuppa, a specialty cocktail that includes Earl Grey Gin, lemon, honey, and bitters. The drink, which comes in a teacup, is delicious, and the space is the perfect setting to enjoy it.

It’s easy to forget that you’re in a distillery and not in the pages of a design magazine. Hagemann had help from his mom; his boyfriend, who’s a graphic designer; and Kristen Scalia, owner of Kanibal & Co., who sourced some of the décor items, including the mismatched teacups.

WORD OF MOUTH “We’ll have people come in just to check out the place, having heard about it either through social media or our advertisements on the PATH, and then they’ll come back with friends who they think will appreciate it, and then those friends will come back with other friends,” Hagemann says. “It’s nice to be able to see repeat faces when people come back as regulars.”

Corgi Spirits also has a private event space thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s available for parties. Weekly events include live music and food trucks. Hagemann offers a limited-run seasonal gin, and as the weather warms up he releases his spring offering. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called our Bee Blossom Gin,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspired by the flowers that pop up in spring and the bees that come around. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have some honey in it, but then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also have some elderflower, some lavender, and there will be a little bit of a rose flavor in it as well.â&#x20AC;? Corgi Spirits has an outdoor, petfriendly courtyard. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had corgis growing up, so thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the inspiration for the name,â&#x20AC;? Hagemann says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m an animal lover in general. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been a volunteer with See Spot Rescue here in Jersey City. We donate a portion of the profits from every bottle we sell to See Spot Rescue and Liberty Humane Society.â&#x20AC;? Corgi Spirits supports other local organizations such as Jersey Art Exchange, Jersey City Parks Coalition, and Hudson Pride Center, where Corgi Spirits was a Pride sponsor last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We plan on releasing a limited-edition vodka with the colors of the pride flag on the label,â&#x20AC;? Hagemann says, noting that sales of that vodka will benefit the center.

PRESENTED THROUGH THE COURTESY OF

FALLON FUNERAL HOME 157 Bowers Street . Jersey City, NJ

201.659.0579

FallonFuneralHome.com Mark S. Fallon MANAGER N.J. Lic. No. 3630

William J. Fallon DIRECTOR N.J. Lic. No. 2379

Funeral Home Parking Lot on Summit Ave. Between Browers St. & Charles St.

Do you have a case for Jersey City lawyer Anthony Carbone?

GETTING THE GRAIN Hagemann loads his vehicle and heads out to deliver a few cases of Corgi Spirits to Jersey City bars. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only way weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to succeed here is if we have the support of the community, and if we support the organizations that we think are making this a great place to live and work and play,â&#x20AC;? Hagemann says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of who we are.â&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D;JCM

TEXT

CASE4CARBONE

797979

Corgi Spirits info@corgispirits.com corgispirits.com @corgispirits on Instagram and Twitter facebook.com/CorgiSpirits

201-963-6000 ODZRÍŚFHVRIDQWKRQ\FDUERQH FRP

2DNODQG $YH -HUVH\ &LW\ 1Transportation Available!

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ 47

Law Offices of

201.963.8822

www.padinlaw.com

286 First Street Jersey City, NJ 07302

Evelyn Padin

from page 43

Serving New Jersey Clients for over 25 years

ADVERTISE WITH US

hoboken

Personal Injury . Divorces Child Support . Domestic Violence Family Law . Custody Disputes & Visitation College Tuition, Relocation Cases Business Law . Workers Compensation Landlord / Tenant Disputes

201 798 7800

Welcome to

SALON ST. JOHN FULL SERVICE HAIR SALON Salon St. John is your one-stop destination for all your beauty needs including haircuts, facial and make up with a unique old world charm and touch to all our services.

FlorYoga in the Park, Van Vorst Park, 6:307:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Sundays. Come join FlorYoga this summer for yoga in Van Vorst Park. Classes through Labor Day weekend. $10 suggested donation. All donations go to Friends of Van Vorst Park Association. Please bring a yoga mat, a small towel, some water, and a friend! Groove on Grove, Grove Street PATH Plaza, 6-9 p.m. every Wednesday from May to September. This family-friendly event is a free weekly music series featuring a wide variety of musicians, performers, local businesses, and sponsors to celebrate Jersey City and its diversity.

HAIR CARE

SKIN CARE

LET US GIVE A NEW LOOK FOR THE SUMMER 3023 John F Kennedy Boulevard Jersey City, NJ 07306

Call for an appointment

201. 653.0545 COLORING KERATIN

20% OFF ON CHEMICAL SERVICE WITH THIS AD

www.salonsaintjohn.com www.facebook.com/salonstjohn

48 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

Artist and Maker Market, 5-9 p.m. every first and fourth Wednesday and 3-10 p.m. every first Friday of the month from May to September. Join us for an open-air bazaar featuring locally created fine art and premium hand-crafted goods. Jersey City Slam’s Open Mic and Poetry Slam, Tea NJ, 262 Newark Ave., 6:30 p.m. every second and fourth Thursday of the month, jerseycity slam.com. Jersey City Slam invites you all to check out our poetry slam. This slam is an Open Slam, meaning anyone can compete. There is an open mic beforehand open to music, stand-up comedy, poetry, and bar tricks.

from page 48

Indiegrove Free Coworking Fridays, 121 Newark Ave., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. every Friday, (201) 589-2068, indiegrovejc.com. Come experience coworking and see why it has become the most popular way for entrepreneurs and independent professionals to work. Hudson County Animal Leagueโ s Downtown JC Adoptions, Fussy Friends, 148 Newark Ave., 12-4 p.m. every Saturday. HCALโ s adoption team will be available to introduce you to our fabulous adoptable felines. Bring some joy into your heart and give a deserving cat a fresh start in life. Pacific Flea Antique and Artist Market, 149 Pacific Ave., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. every second Saturday, April to October. Features fine craft, antique and vintage items, live music, curated art shows, outdoor street art, and rotating food trucks.

รท SULYDWH SHW รท SULYDWH SHW FUHPDWLRQ FUHPDWLRQ รท 6DPH GD\ YLHZ ZDLW รท 6DPH GD\ YLHZ ZDLW UHWXUQ KRPH QR H[WUD UHWXUQ KRPH QR H[WUD IHH E\ DSSRLQWPHQW

IHH E\ DSSRLQWPHQW

:DUP PRGHUQ รท :DUP PRGHUQ QYLURQPHQW H HQYLURQPHQW 8UQV SHQGDQWV รท 8UQV SHQGDQWV PDUNHUV P PDUNHUV PRUH PRUH

JUNE 23 Yoga Fest Jersey City, Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza, 119-158 Newark Ave., 7 a.m.-4 p.m., yogafestjerseycity.com. Yoga Fest Jersey City is designed to celebrate unity through yoga in see page 52

Ani Baran L.Ac

Diplomate of Acupuncture Board Certified by Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

NJ ACUPUNCTURE CENTER

www.njacupuncturecenter.com

201.668.0343 550 Newark Avenue . Suite 201 . Jersey City, NJ 930 Kennedy Boulevard . Bayonne, NJ Most Insurances Accepted For New Patients, Receive A Complimentary Therapeutic Massage

PARKING AVAILABLE AT BOTH FACILITIES

CONDITIONS Pain Management Stress Relief Migraines . Fertility Anxiety . Weight Loss Digestive Issues Autoimmunue Disorders

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 โ ข 49

CHEF LUCI BRASIL

PHOTOS BY VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ

one of the first beautiful spring days in late April, most folks are outside, biking, jogging, and just enjoying the buds and blossoms of spring. But not the 16 kids and parents who gather in a humongous kitchen at the Hudson County Community College’s Culinary Arts Institute. After all, they are there to make ice cream, an iconic ingredient of summer. The kitchen is awe-inspiring with its huge wood work spaces, larger-than-life appliances, and sheer number of mixers, bowls, and some more mysterious tools of the cooking trade. Before the students arrive, it’s uncharacteristically silent, but once they file in, it’s abuzz with fun and organized chaos. Spencer and his mom, Julie, are repeat customers. “It’s fun to do,” says Spencer, who has no plans to be a chef, though he’s attended a number of cooking classes.

50 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

Leon and Claudio are a brother-sister team whose family owns the Green Pear Café in Hoboken. “We come here to get ideas,” says Claudia, a student at McNair Academic. The entire four-member Kumar family of Jersey City is on hand. They’re laughing, which usually means they’ve found themselves in a sticky situation. Angelina from Bayonne says she loves cooking, and eightyear-old Alexandra says she loves learning how to do it. Brandon Parra, a 13-year-old seventh grader, is here from West New York with his mom. “I’m excited about learning how to make ice cream,” he says. And, by the way, the kitchen looks about evenly divided between males and females.

The Frozen Treat Track

What better time of year to learn how to make your own ice cream, gelato, and sorbet from scratch. This is just one of many courses offered by Hudson County Community

College’s Continuing Education and Workforce Development program. A range of options is available, according to Chastity Farrell, the program’s assistant director. You can retool your resume to advance your career, take classes for fun in the arts or writing, or take advantage of occupational training or certificate programs. Students who enroll in continuing-ed classes span an age range from the late 20s to the 50s. “Boomers who are not done working and looking for a different career can explore different fields,” says Farrell, “something new in a later stage of life.” Students can learn everything from how to write grants and improve their computer skills to how to become a veterinary assistant. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are very popular because of Hudson County’s extremely diverse communities. “People who speak all these different languages come here to speak English together,” Farrell says. “The professors speak only in English, so the students learn quicker.” Some classes are taught in tandem with local businesses. Hudson Kitchen, for example, runs food business boot camps. Katie Pea Studio is run by a Jersey City illustrator and designer, who

EDUCATION JCM

creates editorial illustration, paper goods, invitation design, and portraits. A Guttenberg screen printer instructs students in how to screen-print Tshirts. The Department of Continuing Ed also has a Summer Youth & Teen Program, which runs from July 9 to August 30. Register at hccc.edu/ summeryouthprograms.

What’s Cookin’?

HCCC’s Continuing-ed students take advantage of the Culinary Arts Institute’s many offerings. “People like to cook,” Farrell says. “It provides relaxing me-time, and it’s something mom or dad likes to do with the kids instead of kids playing games on the internet.” On the Sunday afternoon we visit, Chef Luci Brasil, part-time chef instruc-

tor, shares her secrets for making frozen treats. She’s young and energetic, instilling her enthusiasm in her students. “The class is tailored for fun,” she says, “not only for kids but for their parents.” Students learn how to make ice cream, gelato, ice cream cakes, and popsicles, all in refreshing flavors, such as watermelon, lime, lemon, and strawberry. “It’s not an uptight environment,” Brasil says. “It’s not like a college class where you have to sit down and listen. It’s hands-on.” The kids range in age from 8 to 12 and bring both parents, a parent, or grandparents. “It’s easy for people to do it at home and have fun with their families,” Brasil says. The best part? At the end of class, they eat what they’ve made.—Kate Rounds

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 51

from page 49

Jersey City as well as to establish Jersey City as a yoga destination. The event will include Yoga classes, meditation, live music, vendor booths, and more. This event is free to the public.

JULY 4 5th Annual Freedom & Fireworks Festival, Exchange Place, Montgomery Street at the Hudson River, 12-10 p.m., freedomandfireworks.com. Enjoy a full day filled with live music, super-fun amusement rides, and a mouth-watering myriad of eats and drinks. The festivities will culminate with an amazing fireworks extravaganza by Grucci set against the New York City skyline.

7 Magnolia Landing at Journal Squared: Multicultural Day, Magnolia Avenue and Summit Avenue, 12-5 p.m.

AFTERSCHOOL & SUMMER PROGRAMS 2018 We provide programs in 5 core areas including Education & Career Development; Character & Leadership; Sports, Fitness & Recreation, The Arts; and Health & Life Skills. There is something for every group to experience and enjoy, from cooking to basketball, from coding apps to theater, from lyricism & hip hop music to video production, from homework assistance to field trips to special events. The Boys & Girls Club has something for everyone to learn, including making friends that will last a lifetime. Program Locations: 225 Morris Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07302, 201.333.4100 123 Jefferson Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, Tel: 201.963.6443

7R (QUROO <RXU &KLOG LQ WKH 6XPPHU 3URJUDP %*&+& 25*

52 â&#x20AC;˘ Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

“Prep didn’t just help me on my path to excellence – it was my path to excellence.”

from page 52

– Dimas Sanchez, ’16

11 The Jazz Series at Harborside featuring Lezlie Harrison, Harborside Atrium, 34 Exchange Place, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

16 Street Fair Ready Workshop with the HDSID + Creative Enabler, THISLEARNING, 165 Newark Avenue, 6-8 p.m. This live workshop is designed to equip street fair, festival, and market vendors with social media tools and strategies to hit the ground running for this season’s big events. Space is limited. Reserve online. Tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis at http://bit.ly/streetfairready.

That’s why it’s

25 Outdoor Movie Night - “Coco,” The Newport Green, www.newportrentals.com/life-at-newport. Stop by the Newport Green for a screening of “Coco.” The movie tells the story of Miguel, a young aspiring musician who must overcome his

Saint Peter’s Prep New Jersey’s Jesuit High School Since 1872

144 Grand Street | Jersey City, NJ 07302 | spprep.org see page 64

ROFLCOPTER

Toys oys & Gifts Gi

An Old School Toy Shop in Historic Downtown own Jersey City

298 Newark Ave . Jersey City NJ 07302 (201)659-3414 1)659-3

Open: 12pm-7pm Mon-Fri. 10:30am-7pm Sat. & 11am-5pm Sun.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 53

BUSINESSES MAKE JERSEY CITY WORK

HOW WE WORK PHOTOS BY ALYSSA BREDIN QUIROS INTERVIEWS BY KATE ROUNDS

NJ ACUPUNCTURE CENTER 550 Newark Ave., Ste. 201 (201) 668-0343 info@njacupuncturecenter.com ni Baran, who is just 30, owns and operates two successful businesses, one in Bayonne and one in Jersey City. Both opened in June 2016. NJ Acupuncture Center offers a full range of services to help our stressed-out society get healthy and stay healthy. Treatments are customized to each patient, with emphasis on a well-balanced body and mind. Services include treatment for pain management, infertility, and stress, anxiety, autoimmune, and weight issues. Visit njacupuncture.com for a complete list. Acupuncture once seemed strange and exotic to many Americans. “In the 1970s, acupuncture was still underground,” Baran says. “But in the past decade it’s been booming.” And why not? It’s a 3,000-year-old medical system that diagnoses and treats illness, prevents disease, and improves wellbeing. Now that fitness and sports are part of most people’s lives, weekend athletes often turn to acupuncture for relief from nagging sports injuries. While acupuncture treats physical, psychological, and emotional problems, it also helps thousands to find harmony, a word that evokes peace, tranquility, and balance. The acupuncture needle is familiar to most, but now there are additional forms of stimulation, including herbs, electricity, magnets, and lasers. “Five or six years ago, medicine solely concentrated on prescriptions to treat fertility and pain management,” Baran says. “Neck pain is epidemic, with body mechanics and job stress contributing to pain. Now more people are realizing that you can treat it naturally with acupuncture and massage and not rely on pain medications alone.” Western medicine, she says, doesn’t have all the answers. And our stressed-out culture is taking advantage of what many no longer consider alternative medicine. “Some patients know they’re stressed and ask to be treated for it,” Baran says. “They have to reflect on what they’re going through and their feelings. If they’re Type A personalities, they can’t relax, but they need to relax. They’re treated for anxiety and depression and seem to respond well to it.”

ANI BARAN The Jersey City center offers acupuncture and therapeutic massage. Located in the same building are chiropractic and physical therapy services as well. “Some people have excruciating pain, and you wouldn’t do massage,” Baran says. “When you bring down the inflammation, then it’s safe to relax muscles with massage.” Acupuncture and massage have also been successful for fertility. “Patients are very happy when they get a positive result,” Baran says. Cosmetic acupuncture is another service. It’s hard to imagine anyone not interested in this treatment. It sounds like

54 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

those ads on TV, but Baran says it really can help with “fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Acupuncture needles stimulate collagen blood flow,” she says, “and people are happy with the all-natural results.” Some patients become hooked on acupuncture. “They may be reluctant to start,” Baran says, “but once they do, they’d come every day if they could.” In the future Baran hopes to open more locations. “I was brought up in a natural way,” she says. “I always had a vision to help people with dietary advice and lifestyle changes.”

HOW WE WORK JCM

ROBERT STAPF AND TEAM

BRITISH SWIM SCHOOL Basement PS16, Paulus Hook 96 Sussex St. (201) 676-3630 goswimhudsonnj@britishswimschool.com robert.stapf@britishswimschool.com britishswimschool.com/hudsonwaterfront

uh? A British Swim School in Jersey City? What the heck’s going on here? Turns out it’s a franchise started 35 years ago by Brit swimmer Rita Goldberg. Now headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, it operates 200 schools in 20 states. Hudson County towns with BSS franchises include Bayonne, Jersey City, Secaucus, and Weehawken, which serve more than 1,000 kids. The Jersey City franchise operates out of the basement of PS 16 in Paulus Hook. As we look toward the summer Olympics, don’t get all starry-eyed about grooming the next Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky. British Swim School is all about safety, full stop. And BSS students start early, as young as three months. Jersey City franchise owner Robert Stapf says that Goldberg “developed a method of teaching kids how to survive in a very special way, how to float in the water and not drown.”

Stapf is shocked by the CDC statistic that drowning is the number-one cause of accidental death for children under the age of 5. The second is car accidents. “Parents buy car safety seats for their kids, but they don’t always think about swim lessons, which are even more important,” he says. “We are here to raise awareness and change that. Our mission is to make sure that every child is safe in the water, not to teach the butterfly.” All instructors are former competitive swimmers. “The earlier you start them with professional swim lessons, the less likely they are to develop a fear of the water,” Stapf says. “Swimming lessons are important for everybody, not just towns with water access.” In fact, he says, most accidents occur in swimming pools. The British Swim School curriculum, which also serves adults, offers water safety, survival skills, and swimming skills development. While parental supervision is essential, Stapf says that research shows that formal swim programs reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children most at risk for drowning deaths.

The BSS method prohibits floaties, promotes classes no bigger than four students, encourages year-round learning, and believes that learning safe swimming should be fun and goal-oriented. BSS operates on the premise that children progress at different rates. Each child, regardless of his or her skill level, is given certain achievable objectives. Classes start at the Tadpole level and go on to Swimboree, Seahorse, Starfish, Minnow, Turtle 1, Turtle 2, Shark 1, Shark 2, Barracudas Swim Team, and adult classes. Robert Stapf has no aquatics background, but feels so strongly about water safety and survival that he decided to become a BSS franchisee. “I was a corporate executive in the perfume business for 16 years,” he says. “It was not related to swimming at all.” The British Swim School often fills the gap left by schools. “Swimming is not mandatory any more,” Stapf says. “Nobody makes sure kids can swim. In phys-ed, often the first thing that goes is swimming.” The British Swim School puts swimming first.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 55

how we

LIVE

REGENT STREET PHOTOS BY VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ

ROSS BRILL (front) AND SCOTT SABLAN

ou know you’re in the company of a couple of chic guys before you even set foot in this fifth-floor apartment—the wreath on the door is made from colorful green-and-blue peacock feathers. The first thing you see upon entering is a sizable bank of windows overlooking a charming urban landscape: To the right, an aerial view of the light rail, with cars worming through the Liberty Harbor hood. To the left, the popular Taqueria Downtown restaurant, where the tenants of this unit often go for Mexican fare. Straight ahead, a large parking lot and a ubiquitous Jersey City crane. If you think a parking lot may not provide the most beautiful view, think again. The open space clears the way for views of Manhattan, including the Empire State Building. The guys can also keep an eye on their gray Ford without leaving the building. The 18-foot ceilings leave plenty of

56 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

room for a 12-foot Christmas tree. Kira Dudley of Grand Street Property Management turned us on to Ross Brill, a freelance visual designer, and Scott Sablan, an assistant general manager at Whole Foods, Bryant Park. They’ve made good use of this contemporary, though fairly small, space. Off the short entranceway are the bathroom and kitchen. Through a glass case in the kitchen you can see Ross’s collection of Jadite dishes. In fact, Ross, a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, is largely responsible for the couple’s “curated design aesthetic.” They love antiques and old English pottery. They go to estate sales and have been known to find things on the street, such as a fine coffee table, plucked off a Hoboken sidewalk. A unique touch is a large crystal punchbowl that Scott, who has a green thumb, transformed into a terrarium. Ross and Scott share a love of wine and have a half-wall-sized wine rack to prove it. They also love to travel and admit to having stashed 17 bot-

tles of the stuff in their luggage on the way back from France. They also love Jersey City, especially after getting a taste of Brooklyn, which was not to their liking. Aside from Taqueria, they also frequent Pasta Del Cuore, Grand Sichuan, and Abbondanza Trattoria. Some of the furniture is directly from IKEA, and a beige wall-to-wall carpet gives the upper space a hushed, muffled feel. Scott, who hails from California, is accustomed to wall-to-wall carpeting, while Ross, a native Pennsylvanian, had to get used to it. The carpeted stairs lead to the bedroom, which also offers a small lounge area, where you can snuggle up with a blanket and watch the Oscars or the Super Bowl. The most interesting feature of the upstairs? Scott’s fishing-rod collection, which occupies the corner in a kind of fishing-rod kiosk. Scott says he fishes on party boats in Point Pleasant and Brielle, and although bunker are used for bait, he’s been known to catch a bunker or two (among other more significant fish). In the complex of new residences where they live, they have access to a pool in a nearby building and a gym in their own building, which they admit to not using that much. Ross and Scott were married at Liberty House in September. Watching these two in their comfortable home, you get the sense that they will be life partners. This may be their starter home, but what a great start—Kate Rounds Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 57

PJ RYAN’S s q u a r e d PHOTOS BY PABEL DEJESUS

t’s a little weird to observe that a place as centrally located as this Irish pub is a best-kept secret, but if you’re not a Journal Square habitué you might not know about it. I’ve been on PATH Plaza tons of times but never noticed it, though it occupies pretty much one side of the plaza. Before you enter you’re greeted by large statues of Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty. A breath of warm air was welcome on the blustery March day that I visited with a Jersey City friend who does volunteer work in Journal Square. About 5 p.m. on a Thursday, the bar was busy—it can hold 25 at full capacity—but the dining room, which holds 65, wouldn’t fill up for about another 40 minutes. We ordered a pinot noir and a Stella. The bar is fully stocked with all the beer, wine, and spirits you’d expect from an Irish-American pub. And as for the sports? American favorites. No soccer or rugby. Just behind us was the stage with a drum set at the ready. The pub, which bills itself as “Jersey City’s Irish-American Sports Bar, Grill, and Live Music Club,” features live music on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

58 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

WATERING HOLE JCM My friend ordered shepherd’s pie, which, along with fish and chips, is considered a signature dish. It was great for warming up on a cold day. I ordered an (enormous) and tasty Cobb salad with fried chicken. Speaking of chicken, the pub offers about six varieties of chicken sandwiches, about eight craft burgers, and five kinds of grilled-cheese sandwiches. Think comfort food! If you have a big appetite, go for the 28-ounce porterhouse steak. Manager Steve Guzman says that on Monday through Friday, they do a brisk business in power lunches. The friend who accompanied me now says that when she is volunteering in Journal Square, she will definitely think of PJ Ryan’s Squared for a sit-down snack or a power lunch. This spring and summer, be sure to visit the outdoor patio, which seats up to 75—a great way to enjoy Irish pub fare while taking in the lively, ever-changing ambience of Journal Square.—Kate Rounds

PHOTO BY JULIE NADEL

PJ Ryan’s Squared • 4 PATH Plaza • (201) 222-1600 • pjryansjc.com

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 59

Grove SquAre IMAGES BY TBISHPHOTO

on’t think of Grove Square as a restaurant. Think of it as an experience, a happening, a five-ring circus. That’s right, Grove Square is the umbrella for five fabulous eateries: the Bistro, Favia Pizza, Grove Corner Bar, the Underground, and the Wine & Whiskey Lounge. And, yes, the address is 116 Newark, but in reality it’s at the Grove Street stop on PATH Plaza. Even if you haven’t experienced it, you’ve seen it a million times. Talk about convenient! The Bistro could be considered its flagship venue. I’ve been there many times, in winter enjoying the outdoor holiday market, packed with shoppers under a canopy of festive lights. In warm weather, sitting outside enjoying the passing parade. We visited on a Thursday night in March. Owner Jeff Favia requested Thursday because that’s when comedy night takes place in one of the venues. More about that later. The Bistro features a wide range of good, not-too-fancy food.

Favia, a former self-taught chef, has strong views on the matter. “I like fresh, simple, realistic food,” he says. “I like clams to taste like clam juice, not wine, and not too many ingredients.” He swears by garlic and basil and lambastes the kind of frou-frou “plating” that’s more design than dinner. To that end, he brought out a veritable conveyor belt of dishes that definitely fit this

60 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

Owner Jeff Favia

GROVE SQUARE 116 Newark Ave. (201) 332-7454 grovesquarejc.com

Mike Liegel

Gerard Haran

description: French onion soup; baked littleneck clams; steamed PEI mussels; tacos; Bistro salad; crab cakes with mustard sauce; sliders with homemade chips; roasted half chicken, herb-rubbed with Brussels sprouts; lamb shank with mashed potatoes; linguini with white clams in a light broth; burger and fries; and probably something we forgot!

With so many venues, I came armed with two photographers, Terri and Alyssa of tbishphoto. Between shoots, we dug in. Everyone had her favorites. I went for a cold Peroni (every venue has a bar); the Bistro salad with poached pears, almonds, goat cheese, tomatoes, red onion, baby greens, and citrus vinaigrette; the tacos; and I stole the homemade chips from the sliders as a perfect accompaniment to a cold draft beer. Terri especially loved the linguini with white clams in a light broth; she can attest that it met Jeff’s requirement of “good, realistic food” that tasted of clam broth, not wine. Alyssa swore by the roast chicken and sliders, and we both loved the oldfashioned chocolate cake that came with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Another pet peeve of Jeff’s is chocolate cake that looks like a brick instead of an old fashioned cake that mom or grandma might have made. This was no flourless brick; it was scrumptious. On the off-chance that we weren’t chocolate people, out came a beautiful, delicate crème brulee.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 61

From the Bistro, you can view the Wine & Whiskey Lounge, a reddish, moody space, where you can also get sushi, but no beer. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cozy with a quiet ambience, as keyboardist Mike Liegel plays softly in the background. To the left of the Bistro is Favia Pizza, which serves a goodly selection of flatbread offerings and 16inch hand-stretched pizzas. In addition to the usual suspects with a range of toppings, you can get a whole-grain lite with part-skim moz, fresh tomato, and no added oils.

62 â&#x20AC;˘ Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

To the left of Favia’s is the Grove Corner Bar, a great place for a date, to watch sports, or enjoy brew, wine, spirits, and light fare in a lively milieu that looks out on one of the liveliest corners in JC. The Underground is (surprise!) downstairs. This is a dark—in the old days they would say smoky—club where Gerard Haran presents Comedy Night at the JC Underground every Thursday at 8 p.m. Here you can eat and drink while watching a lineup of great comics. Among the comics on the night we showed up were Kevin Israel and Linnette Palladino. Bottom line: How can you go wrong?—Kate Rounds

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 63

from page 53

family’s strange ban on music. Join Miguel as he journeys to the Land of the Dead, meets his great-great-great-grandfather, and uncovers the secret of what really happened so many years ago.

AUGUST 4 Magnolia Landing at Journal Squared: Pet Day, Magnolia Avenue and Summit Avenue, 12-5 p.m.

8 The Jazz Series at Harborside featuring Abelita Mateus, Harborside Atrium, 34 Exchange Place, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

15-19 La Festa Italiana, Holy Rosary Church, 344 Sixth Street. La Festa Italiana began in 1902 as a street festival in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption & St. Rocco, two feast days which were venerated by thousands of parishioners at Holy Rosary Church in Historic Downtown Jersey City. Today, the festival continues to draw thousands of people from all across the country as they make their annual trip back to their home parish. see page 65

AMERICAN CRAFT BEER & CLASSIC ARCADE VIDEO GAMES BROOKLYN, NY

NEW YORK, NY

JERSEY CITy, NJ

PHILADELPHIA, PA

D OWNLOAD OUR FREE

NEW HAVEN, CT

APP!

BARCADE .COM

64 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

NEWark, NJ

from page 64

SEPTEMBER 1 Magnolia Landing at Journal Squared: LDW Women in Business, Magnolia Avenue and Summit Avenue, 12-5 p.m.

7 JC Fridays - Quarterly Citywide Arts Celebration, jcfridays.com. A full day of arts events in Jersey City! This quarterly citywide celebration of the arts is organized by Art House Productions. Events include art, performances, music, film, and education. All events are free and open to the public.

EVERY Saturday & Sunday 11am-4pm Bottomless Mimosas Available!

SPORTS BAR AND GRILL WOOD-FIRED BRICK OVEN PIZZA & PUB 9 TV’s Fired With DirectTV - 16 Beers on Tap

Happy Hour Every Weekday (Monday-Friday) 4pm - 7pm

15 Annual All About Downtown Street Fair, Newark Avenue between Grove Street and Coles Street, 12-8 p.m. This event features over a hundred vendors selling all sorts of products ranging from see page 66

HOURS: Monday 11:00am - Late Night Tuesday & Wednesday 4pm - Late Night Thursday - Sunday 11:00am - Late Night

264 Central Avenue . Jersey City, NJ 07307 201.434.1188 . www.pauliesbrickhouse.com

W: ZǇĂŶ͛Ɛ ^ƋƵĂƌĞĚ ϰ WĂƚŚ WůĂǌĂ͕ :ĞƌƐĞǇ ŝƚǇ͕ E: ϬϳϯϬϲ ϮϬϭ-ϮϮϮ-ϭϲϬϬ 'ƌĞĂƚ &ŽŽĚ͕ 'ƌĞĂƚ ƌŝŶŬƐ͕ >ŝǀĞ DƵƐŝĐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ tĞĞŬĞŶĚƐ Ϯϱ dĞůĞǀŝƐŝŽŶƐ ƚŽ tĂƚĐŚ ůů ƚŚĞ 'ĂŵĞƐ >ŽĐĂƚĞĚ ƌŝŐŚƚ ŝŶƐŝĚĞ ƚŚĞ :ŽƵƌŶĂů ^ƋƵĂƌĞ WĂƚŚ WůĂǌĂ

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018 • 65

HARD GROVE Cuban Cuisine

FINE DINING AT ITS BEST

Patio Seating

Full Service Bar

Tuesday Night Cuban Mojitos 1/2 Off Wednesday Night Margaritas $6 Happy Hour Weekdays 4-8PM $15 Pitchers of Mimosas & Bloody Mary’s during Brunch Saturday & Sundays NOW OPEN FOR LUNCH ON FRIDAYS

www.hardgroverestaurant.com 284 First Street

Jersey City

201-659-6100

AUTHENTIC MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE

from page 65

handmade jewelry to one-of-a-kind artwork, top food trucks in the tri-state area, and all sorts of fun for the family.

OCTOBER 4-7 28th Annual Jersey City Art & Studio Tour, various locations, thejcast.com. For four days, visit hundreds of art exhibition spaces, enjoy immersive creative experiences, take in awe-inspiring performances, and more!

6 Magnolia Landing at Journal Squared: JC Art & Studio Tour Edition, Magnolia Avenue and Summit Avenue, 12-5 p.m.

New Age American The Jewel of Historic Downtown Jersey City The Essence of Class with Great Taste

Catering For All Occasions ONLINE ORDERING AT

www.gypsygrillnj.com

201-839-5115

Fax 201-839-5039 187 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ (Near Grove Street Path & Jersey Avenue)

Shawarma

Falafel . Hummus Open 7 Days

FREE DELIVERY UPON LOCATION Minimum $20

Downtown Jersey City, Heights & Hoboken 66 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2018

NOVEMBER 3 Magnolia Landing at Journal Squared: Vintage Bazaar, Magnolia Avenue and Summit Avenue, 12-5 p.m.

YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE HOME

Harrison Urby 777 S 3RD Street Harrison NJ

Jersey City Urby 200 Greene Street Jersey City NJ

Staten Island Urby 7-8 Navy Pier Court Staten Island NY

@URBYLIFE

You can measure hope. 72% IVF delivery rate.* At Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey, we measure everything— because everything matters when you’re trying to have a baby. With IVF success rates about 20% higher than the US average, our expert team has helped hopeful patients from New Jersey and around the world become parents. Award-winning scientific advancements, financial options such as our new CareShare 100% refund program, and success rates are just some of the ways we measure hope.

Have hope. Connect with us today: rmanj.com • 973-656-2089

*SART 2014 Final Live Birth Per Egg Retrieval Cycle (72.4% under 35 years; N=723). This is your chance of achieving a live birth for each cycle started for an egg retrieval. This includes all transfers performed with fresh and frozen embryos derived from this cycle. Please note a comparison of clinic success rates may not be meaningful because a patient’s medical characteristics, treatment approaches and entrance criteria for assisted reproductive technology (ART) may vary from clinic to clinic. Visit www.sart.org to learn more.