Jersey City Magazine by Hudson Reporter Assoc., LP

SPRING 2015

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CONTENTS JCM

FEATURES

18 MEMOIR TO MOVIE Five-Finger Discount

22 HAPPY ANNIE-VERSARY! On location

26 TEAMWORK Jerry Walker

30 FICTION FANS Genre Night

38 BOOK TOUR Library renovations

70 FRANKLY SPEAKING Boulevard Drinks

DEPARTMENTS 10 CONTRIBUTORS 12 EDITOR’S LETTER 14 PEOPLE POWER Magro the magnificent

28 DATES What’s goin’ on

34 EDUCATION Parents pitch in

42 BODY AND MIND Yoga beat

46 THE HOOD

COVER 58 HOW WE WORK Small businesses Cover Photo by Alyssa Bredin | tbishphoto

Western Slope

60 HOW WE LIVE

50 ARCHIVES AND ARTIFACTS

House proud

Sharp pencils

64 EMERGING

54 THE STUDIO

Tee time!

Cathleen Parra

69 POINT & SHOOT Vinyl legend

74 DINING OUT Rustique

78 RESTAURANTS Listings

4 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

Jersey MAGAZINE

CITY

SPRING 2015 Vo l u m e 1 2 • N u m b e r 1 A Publication of The Hudson Reporter

PUBLISHERS Lucha Malato, David Unger EDITOR IN CHIEF Kate Rounds GRAPHICS STAFF Terri Saulino Bish, Lisa M. Cuthbert, Alyssa Bredin, Mike Mitolo, Pasquale Spina COPYEDITING Christopher Zinsli ADVERTISING MANAGER Tish Kraszyk ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Melissa Bridda, Toni Anne Calderone, Ron Kraszyk, Jay Slansky CIRCULATION MANAGER Roberto Lopez CIRCULATION Luis Vasquez ACCOUNTING Christine Caraballo

Jersey City Magazine is published two times a year by The Hudson Reporter Associates, L.P., 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (201) 798-7800, Fax (201) 798-0018. Email jcmag@hudsonreporter.com. Subscriptions are $10 per year, $25 for overseas, single copies are $7.50 each, multiple copy discounts are available. VISA/MC/AMEX accepted. Subscription information should be sent to JCMagazine Subscriptions, 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or other unsolicited materials. Copyright ©2015, 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. 1400 Washington Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030 phone 201.798.7800 • fax 201.798.0018 e-mail: jcmag@hudsonreporter.com jerseycitymagazine.com

6 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

The future of healthcare has come to Hudson County CarePoint Health is bringing quality, patient-focused healthcare to Hudson County. Combining the resources of three area hospitals — Bayonne Medical Center, Christ Hospital in Jersey City, and Hoboken University Medical Center — CarePoint Health is a new approach to delivering healthcare that puts the patient front and center. With a focus on preventive medicine, disease management and healthcare education, CarePoint Health provides patients with 360 degrees of coordinated care, delivered by the area’s best and most dedicated doctors, nurses, hospitals and medical staff.

Bayonne Medical Center 29th Street at Avenue E, Bayonne, NJ 07002 Christ Hospital 176 Palisade Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306 Hoboken University Medical Center 308 Willow Avenue, Hoboken, NJ 07030 carepointhealth.org 1.877.791.7000 twitter.com/CarePointHealth facebook.com/CarePointHealth CarePoint Health System

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ADRIANA RAMBAY FERNÁNDEZ

TERRI SAULINO BISH CAREN LISSNER

STEPHEN MCMILLIAN VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ

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

J C M

ALYSSA BREDIN

AL SULLIVAN

ANNE MARUSIC

TERRI SAULINO BISH

CAREN LISSNER

VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ

began her career as a graphic designer and digital artist. Expanding into the area of photography, she not only creates images but captures them with her camera. Her work has appeared in many publications, including Best of Photography. Her art currently includes digital paintings and photos that can be viewed at tbishphoto.com.

is a writer whose 2003 novel, Carrie Pilby, is being made into a movie. She’s the editor and former Hoboken beat reporter at the Hudson Reporter newspaper chain. Her writing has also appeared in the New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer.

has studied publication design, photography, and graphic design. “I’ve been fascinated by photography for 18 years,” he says. One of his jobs as a construction project manager is to photograph job sites.

ALYSSA BREDIN is a graduate of Saint Peter’s College, Jersey City, with a degree in graphic arts. She is pursuing a career in photography. Her work can be seen at tbishphoto.com.

ADRIANA RAMBAY FERNÁNDEZ is a freelance writer and yoga teacher. Happy to call Jersey City home, she finds it is an endless source of creative inspiration. You can find her online at: http://adrianarambay.com/

10 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

STEPHEN MCMILLIAN was born and raised in Jersey Cit. He is a graduate of Henry Snyder High School and received his Bachelor’s Degree in English from Morgan State University in Baltimore. He is a journalist, actor, and filmmaker. He formerly danced on the long-running television show, “Soul Train.”

ANNE MARUSIC Is a writer, publicist, and social media professional who is proud to have called the Jersey City waterfront home for the past eight years.

AL SULLIVAN has been a staff writer for the Hudson Reporter newspaper chain since 1992. He was named journalist of the year in 2001 by the New Jersey Press Association, and photographer of the year in 2005 by the Garden State Journalists Association. In 2001, Rutgers University Press published a collection of his work, Everyday People: Profiles from the Garden State.

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EDITOR'S LETTER JCM

SAV E T H E DAT E S

JUNE 05 SEPT 11 2015

2015

12 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

PHOTO BY MARIE PAPP

PR E S E N T

JC on the National Scene

ow, Jersey City is really hitting the big time. In this issue we touched on a number of undertakings that are reaching a national audience. The new, much-ballyhooed movie Annie, which came on DVD in March, has many Hudson County locales. Caren Lissner gives us the rundown, which includes Hudson Catholic Regional High and the Beacon condo complex, both in Jersey City. Jersey City writer Helene Stapinski, who made the big time 13 years ago with her memoir Five Finger Discount is back in the limelight with a documentary of the same name. Our writer Adriana Rambay Fernández caught up with her on location in Liberty State Park. Adriana’s story about yoga studios employing chanting and live music highlights yoga instructor Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies fame. And finally, the General Pencil Company stars in AOL’s multimedia platform, “This Built America.” Meanwhile, JC writers are scribbling away, and in “Finding Fiction Fans,” Adriana takes a look at one of their most popular events— genre night. Coming down to earth a bit, the brother/sister combination of Jerry and Gloria Walker make an appearance in two different stories. Stephen McMillian takes a look at what Jerry is doing to help community youth, and I talked to Gloria about the wonderful work she is doing making fashionable turbans for women who are suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy. We’ve got a photo essay on the renovations of the main branch of the public library by Al Sullivan Al also covered something that I can’t wait to experience: the opening of the Hudson County public golf course near Lincoln Park. I don’t know how to play, but you can bet that I am going to learn. Just waiting for the 19th hole! — Kate Rounds

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ovick HARDWARE

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 â&#x20AC;˘

The Magnificent Journey of

KERRY MAGRO Turning a disability into an ability PHOTOS COURTESY OF KERRY MAGRO

BY KATE ROUNDS

ersey City native Kerry Magro, who is now 26, was diagnosed with a condition called Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) when he was four years old. “Growing up I had a lot of difficulties, socially and with communication,” he says. He also had problems with sensory integration and motor skills. “I was able to really overcome a lot of obstacles,” he says, “and because of that I’ve tried to help future generations of kids.” Since PDDNOS is a form of autism, he’s focused his considerable energy on autism awareness. For the past four years, he’s been giving motivational talks around the country. Magro received a Masters degree in strategic

communication and leadership from Seton Hall University. “I want to go out into the community and hone my craft,” he says, “and become more of a motivational speaker and spread more knowledge about autism.” His own early experiences resonate with audiences. He moved around a lot in the school system until his mother found a comfortable fit for him at a community high school in Teaneck for kids with special needs. Overcoming so much adversity and becoming a college freshman were formidable accomplishments. “I realized in college,” he says, “that there wasn’t a lot of support for kids with special needs.” That’s when he knew he wanted to become an advocate for disability awareness.

14 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

In college when he had to give a presentation for his oral communications class, he chose autism as the subject and told his peers for the first time that he was on the autism spectrum. “I told them it didn’t make me any less of a person,” he says. “I had my own unique story to share in the hope of spreading awareness.”

THE WRITTEN WORD Magro is using a number of communications platforms to spread the word. In July 2013 his self-published book, Defining Autism from the Heart: From Nonverbal to National Speaker, was released. A short book of poems and essays that he wrote in college, it addresses what autism has meant to him. It made the Amazon bestseller list for special-

needs titles. This was an especially big deal because he was running neck and neck with Temple Grandin’s The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum. Grandin, who has autism herself, is a widely known authority on the condition. At one point, Magro was number one and Grandin number two on the list. “It was a complete surprise,” Magro says. “I didn’t expect much to happen at all, so it was definitely an interesting experience.” In his book, “Autism and Falling in Love,” published in December, 2014, and available on Amazon, Magro discusses his personal experience of being in love and the challenges of finding a partner. Magro is a columnist for “Autism After 16,” and he consulted on the film Joyful

Noise and worked on the indie film Jane Wants a Boyfriend. He also finds time to be a life coach.

THE SPOKEN WORD Magro was selected to be among 15 speakers at the Nov. 8 TEDx talk at the Frank R. Conwell School complex here in town. TEDx is an offshoot of the everpopular TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talks that attract big names and big audiences to address a wide range of hotbutton topics. Magro spoke on “The Will of Opportunity: The Path of Autism to College.” Among the topics covered were time management, managing independence, and advocating for your needs. He is one of the first people with autism to be accredited by the National Speaker Association. His day job is working for the nonprofit Autism Speaks. He started volunteering there in 2007. In 2010 he was hired as an intern while still in college, focusing on social media. After graduating from college, he got a fulltime job there working as its social media coordinator. “It’s been a win-win for me,” he says. “I’m obsessed with Facebook and Twitter. I couldn’t ask for more.” But, wait, there is more.

Magro credits his parents, Suzanne Mack and Robert Magro, for much of his success. “Mom has been my coach ever since I was four years old,” he says. “She went above and beyond to help me and give me support. She went out of her way to join the Board of Education. She came on the board to help her kid but stayed to help everyone else’s kids. She’s an incredible role model.”

PHOTO BY VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ

SUPPORT SYSTEM

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

Robert Magro was also a role model and coached him in his development. “When I was growing up I didn’t have many friends,” Magro says. “He was not only a father but one of my best friends. To have him there, supporting me, talking to me, it helped me overall to become more social and to get myself out there to make friends.” Magro has a passion that also helped him make friends: sports. “I love sports,” he says. “I’m totally obsessed. I watch everything. I wake up watching ESPN. It started when I was a kid and I was fixated on sports. Basketball is my favorite and helped me to make friends in high school.” PHOTO COURTESY OF KERRY MAGRO

Magro says his mother, Suzanne Mack, is an incredible role model.

Magro says his father, Robert Magro, was one of his best friends growing up.

PHOTO BY VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ

16 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

PHOTO COURTESY OF KERRY MAGRO

When he was a freshman he was five-foot-eleven and weighed more than 230 pounds. He tried out for the junior varsity but didn’t make it. “That summer I took it upon myself to get in shape,” he says. “I did cardio six times a week. I lost 60 pounds, grew three inches taller and was one of the last selected for the JV team.” By senior year he was captain of the varsity team. “I’ve gained a lot of confidence in my social abilities,” Magro says, summing up his incredible journey thus far. “I got into college, learned about relationships, how to make friends, and how to bond with people.”—JCM

Mayor Steven Fulop attended the TEDx talk.

PHOTO BY VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

From Memoir to Moving Picture A bestselling book about Jersey City’s corrupt past is set to become a documentary BY ADRIANA RAMBAY FERNÁNDEZ

Helene Stapinski

hen I met author and former resident Helene Stapinski in Liberty State Park, she was about to tour the waterfront with Director Steven Fischler and Director of Photography John Miglietta. The crew had assembled to shoot footage of Jersey City from the Hudson River for the documentary Five-Finger Discount: A Crooked Family History, which is based on Stapinski’s bestselling 2001 book by the same name. “It just seems like the next step for the book,” says Stapinski, who is very involved in the documentary as a writer and producer. “The documentary is taking it to another level.” The film will offer a new visual journey of the political history of Jersey

City as seen through the eyes of Stapinski and through the lens of her family’s experiences. Stapinski says that the documentary has become its own creature now, in part because of how much Jersey City has changed since Five-Finger Discount hit the stands almost 13 years ago. “It is not just the book being thrown into the film,” she says. “The places that I grew up in aren’t ugly anymore. It is hard to find an ugly street downtown … now it is prime real estate.”

Evolution of an Author In her memoir, Stapinski explores how crime and political corruption influenced regular citizens throughout Jersey City, including several family members, who stole, gambled, and

Stapinski and her film crew at Liberty State Park. Photos by Katalina Studio.

18 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

committed murder. While Stapinski has received overwhelming support for the documentary, her book managed to stir up negative reactions from some longtime residents who felt it painted the city in too harsh a light. “It’s almost like I am not the same person who wrote the book,” Stapinski says. When she’s gone back to reread it, she says, “I forgot how sad it was …wow, I was in a bad place … I am really not that person anymore. I’ve evolved in a lot of ways.” Stapinski currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children and frequently writes for the New York Times. She recalls that she harbored hatred toward her grandfather, “Beansie,” most of her life. “He almost killed us,” she says, “but as you get older you understand things a little bit better. … As you get older you get a little more compassionate.”

Revisiting the Past Beansie experienced the oppressive rule of Mayor Frank Hague from 1917 to 1947. Stapinski writes in her memoir that Beansie was arrested for

armed robbery, did time in Trenton for murder, and was known to be a bully and a thief. It was around the time that Stapinski was five years old in 1970 that Beansie attempted to murder her family. “It is tough to look at this stuff and to go through it again,” Stapinski says. “I kind of exorcized it and now I am back in it.” Stapinski provides first-person narration for the documentary and returns to a number of sites that helped shape and define her childhood—a bittersweet experience. “It is just weird when places aren’t there,” Stapinski says. She recently stood in front of the building on Montgomery Street that once housed the Division of Motor Vehicles where her mother worked and where Stapinski and her friends played in the backyard. “Just being there and looking in the window, you are just reliving it again and again,” she says.

Film Extras and Snapshots The documentary moves beyond the book and includes still photographs, home movies, vérité footage, and stories that aren’t in the book.

Beansie on the right.

Beansie (far right) and “friends.” Photos courtesy of the New Jersey Room, Jersey City Free Public Library. Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

“There are all of these things I came across since the book came out,” Stapinski says. “We have footage of Beansie walking my mother in to church on her wedding day. You can actually see him moving.” Stapinski says that including such footage and photos gives people a little

“

Pacific Avenue during the 1930s. Just like the DMV, that tavern is long gone and in its place is a hairdresser. The Bergen-Lafayette area where the tavern was located is undergoing change with new development, as are other parts of Jersey City. When the crew went to shoot footage at the site of

It is tough to look at this stuff and to go through it again.” - Helene Stapinski

extra detail, especially those who complained that there weren’t enough pictures in the book. Her mother recently gave her a bunch of pictures of a relative named Kunegunda. Originally from Poland, Kunegunda married Stapinski’s Uncle Andrew and ran a tavern on

Kunegunda’s bar, Stapinski learned that many of the hairdresser’s customers have had to move out because of rising rents. “The Jersey City I grew up in is quickly disappearing, for better or worse,” Stapinski says. “That is part of the doc-

umentary now … that this place is no longer the same.”

Bringing the Past to the Present “Part of the whole documentary process is trying to recreate a picture of a world that really doesn’t exist anymore,” says Fischler, who was brought on as the director and a producer a year ago. He has known the Executive Producers Roseanne DeLuca Braun and Charles Hobson for a number of years. “It is kind of an archeological dig,” Fischler says. “Cities don’t remain static, they change. … Jersey City is heralding its reawakening.” Fischler was drawn to the project for a number of reasons including his appreciation for the book and his love for

Beansie experienced the oppressive rule of Mayor Frank Hague.

20 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

Stapinki’s voice—her wry sense of humor and sarcasm. “I hope people will get to know her through the course of the film,” he says. As someone who grew up in Brooklyn and lives in Teaneck, Fischler has always been fascinated by the complexity of urban corruption. Through his work with Pacific Street Films, which he helped found in 1971, Fischler says he has worked on films that tell undiscovered stories or cover important aspects of history that have fallen through the cracks. “That is also true about Jersey City,” Fischler says. “It will be interesting to explore the history in a little bit more detail … doing it through one person, one family.”

Stapinski has received an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the documentary; Mayor Steven Fulop has been very supportive of the project, as have immediate family members, including her mother, who will be featured in the film. According to Fischler, WNET has shown interest in airing the documentary. He hopes that it will be screened at film festivals and a variety of other venues. They plan to complete the documentary by next year. In the meantime, the producers hired a researcher and finished a Kickstarter campaign. To donate go to fivefingerdiscountfilm.com. “I thought this story was told,” Stapinski says. “But it is not done by a long shot.”—JCM Young Helene

Our Gang: a bunch of Stapinskis hang out on the stoop in Jersey City. Photos courtesy of the Stapinski Family.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

Happy ‘Annie’-versary!

PAINTING BY SCOTT NICKERSON

BY CAREN LISSNER

f you or your kids are a fan of the 1982 movie Annie, you may have made an effort to see the various remakes that have been released since. And you might want to catch the new, big-budget version produced by Will Smith and Jay-Z that stars Jamie Foxx and Quvenzhane Wallis, which came out on DVD in March. But for some real fun, step away from your television and take a local tour of the various Jersey hotspots that have some relation to the original film phenomenon. You’ll be surprised to find that the original movie, even though it’s set in New York City, has a host of connections to the Garden State. While critics gave mixed reviews to the 1982 film, directed by John Huston, audiences lapped it up, paying a total of $57 million at the box office. The story of a plucky orphan girl who befriends a billionaire during the Great Depression first captured the hearts of readers when it premiered as a comic strip in 1938, then as a Broadway musical in 1977 at the Alvin Theater (now the Neil Simon). The movie version released in 1982 contained famous songs like “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life” and starred a hilarious Carol Burnett as orphanage manager Miss Hannigan and Albert Finney as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks. Here are some of the places to check out if you decide to take a selfguided New Jersey Annie tour.

22 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

PHOTO COURTESY OF MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY

AS A NEW VERSION IS RELEASED, TAKE A TOUR OF JERSEY HOTSPOTS USED IN THE ORIGINAL 1982 FILM

HUDSON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, JERSEY CITY

PHOTO BY MELISSA BRIDDA This parochial high school has molded many fine young men and women since it was established in 1964. In 2009, Aileen Quinn taught drama and dance here. Quinn had a lot of experience to draw from. At the age of 9, she beat out 8,000 other girls from across the country to win the coveted role of Annie on screen in 1982. After that, she went on to perform in plays in Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, and around 2005 she worked in Hoboken waitressing at Trinity restaurant. Then she went on to teach at Hudson Catholic. (She is from Pennsylvania but earned a degree from Drew University in Madison in 1994.) Today, Quinn performs rockabilly music with a group called “The Leapin’ Lizards.” Leeeeeapin’ lizards!

AILEEN QUINN, PHOTO COURTESY OF MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY

THE BEACON CONDO COMPLEX, JERSEY CITY

PHOTO BY VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ This new residential development at Baldwin Avenue and Montgomery Street was created from the eight art deco-style towers that made up the old Jersey City Medical Center. The style of the towers is so distinctive that through the years, the buildings have served as a backdrop for films set in prior decades such as Quiz Show, The Impostors, and Titanic. It may be urban legend, but it’s been said that the style lured Annie cinematographers as well, who reportedly used the historic structures as background for some of the Depression scenes. Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

THE NX BRIDGE, KEARNY

PHOTO BY AL SULLIVAN When Annie finds out her “parents” are really two con artists, she escapes and gets chased to the top of an old railroad drawbridge. It’s actually an out-of-service Erie Railroad bridge in Kearny called the “NX Bridge,” built for the Newark branch. It was taken out of service by Conrail in 1977 and left locked in its upright position. For the 1982 filming, the crew painted it black and silver. It’s listed as the “Annie Bridge” in Wikipedia, which notes, “The townspeople of Kearny lovingly call it the ‘Annie Bridge’ because this small town and forgotten bridge had national attention, or its five minutes of fame.” To check it out, park along Passaic Avenue in Kearny near the East Newark border, and walk over to the Central Avenue Bridge in East Newark, which runs parallel. The “Annie Bridge” is in an industrial district that’s delightful to photograph.

WOODROW WILSON HALL, WEST LONG BRANCH

WASHINGTON STREET, HOBOKEN:

PHOTO BY AL SULLIVAN In another Hudson County connection, billionaire Warbucks takes Annie in and launches a worldwide search for her parents. Con artists Rooster (Tim Curry) and Lily St. Regis (Bernadette Peters) show up to claim her (and the $50,000 reward), saying they live above a hardware store in Hoboken. Where would that store have been in 1920s Hoboken? Could be anywhere, but likely on the main drag, commercial Washington Street. (In the script for student productions of Annie, Lily St. Regis sometimes says she’s from Jersey City.)

PHOTO COURTESY OF MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY Next time you’re “down the shore,” take a look at the massive Woodrow Wilson Hall on the campus of Monmouth University in West Long Branch. That’s where the interior scenes in Daddy Warbucks’s mansion were filmed. The hall is at 45 Elm Road, near Route 71. University spokesman Michael Maiden says, “You’d be surprised how many folks do come by to see Wilson Hall because it was where Annie was filmed. Sometimes alumni bring their children or grandchildren and sometimes it is just members of the public. Wilson Hall is open to the public, and we have a brochure for visitors that guides them on a walking tour throughout the building. You can almost always tell by the look on a child’s face whether they have just watched the movie. Most kids are drawn to the grand stairway where Annie sang. ‘I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here.’” Maiden also noted that Aileen Quinn taught theater appreciation at the school as an adjunct professor in the fall of 2008, and received an honorary doctorate in 2009. Oh my goodness! Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

Team Walker Means Teamwork STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEPHEN MCMILLIAN

ome successful people give back to the communities that nurtured them, and some don’t. Jerry Walker is one of the former, making it his mission to help kids in his old hometown. Walker, who was born and raised in Jersey City, runs Team Walker, which he founded in 1996 with his brother Jasper. The Team Walker Learning Center opened on May 17, 2014 at 373 Communipaw Ave., a three-story state-of-the-art building which has a cafeteria, kitchen, multi-purpose room, conference room, and office space. Team Walker offers afterschool programs as well as a safe atmosphere for students to learn and be tutored by qualified instructors. Its educational staff consists of 12 education students from Saint Peter’s University, 10 teachers, five recreation aides from the Jersey City Department of Recreation, one social worker, and other role models. Walker also supervises gym activities for children at P.S. 22. The center receives funding from the city and state, but Walker also holds fundraisers. Walker and his brother wanted to give Jersey City children the same afterschool programs that the brothers enjoyed while growing up. But Walker says the seeds for Team Walker were sown by his grandfather James “Pop” Curry, renowned for his work with the community. Curry was inducted into the Jersey City Hall of Fame and had a street named after him. “My grandfather managed to do all of this work while raising 16 kids,” Walker says. Walker was a basketball standout at St. Anthony’s High School, propelling the Friars to win a national championship. He later attended Seton Hall University and helped to lead the Pirates to three NCAA tournaments. He has played with the Nets and also professionally in France, Lithuania, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey. Can he still hold his own on the basketball court? “I can still do a little

26 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

Jerry Walker, Second from left, at Dr. Lena Edwards Park.

Seniors line up at the farmers market.

something, but not like I used to,” he jokes. Walker’s inspiration was the legendary Earvin “Magic” Johnson, with whom he played one on one at an eastern invitational basketball camp. “Magic Johnson was my hero,” Walker says, not only for his basketball skills, but also for his philanthropy. “He is someone that is caring and gives back to the neighborhood and creates a lot of jobs throughout the whole country.”

Learning, Not Loitering Walker realized early on that children need to have activities to keep them off the streets and away from drugs and crime. “Team Walker has a host of activities that keep our youth going in the right path in addition to keeping them healthy and productive,” he says. “We’re looking to save a lot of lives.” The afterschool program follows the STEM model: science, technology, engineering, and math. Team Walker’s academic coordinator, Lewis Spears, grew up in Jersey City’s Booker T. Washington projects in the BergenLafayette section of Jersey City and received his teaching certificate from Harvard. “He gets the whole spectrum of the program,” Walker says. Recently, Team Walker held its first Literacy Night in which students visited the center’s library and were given more than 150 books to take home. One of Walker’s goals is to teach children not to fear academic excellence. “It’s cool to be smart,” he says. “This is what we’re trying to promote within our youth.” When Walker ran for mayor in 2013, he wanted to bring attention to educational issues and help reduce drug abuse and crime. “The reason why there are so many violent crimes is that there is this one drug called dip (the neighborhood name for PCP) that is really messing with the kids’ minds and nobody is really talking about it,” he says. His research revealed that 85 percent of the crimes were due to children being under the influence of dip. “We’ve got to start paying attention to these kinds of things,” he says.

for the betterment of Jersey City. “It’s not just about African Americans, it’s about everybody in the community,” Walker says. “If we start getting more engaged, we’ll have a better community.” On the day I met with Walker, he and his team were holding their weekly

“

My grandfather managed to do all of this work while raising 16 kids.” – Jerry Walker Seniors Farmers Market at Dr. Lena Edwards Park at Johnston Avenue and Pine Street which is sponsored by America’s Grow A Row, based in Pittstown, N.J. “The reason I started the farmers market is to promote healthy eating and living,” Walker says. Gail Albright volunteers at the market every Saturday morning. “The seniors look forward to coming every week because it gets them out of their homes,” she says. “They come here with so much love.” Susan Currie, a senior citizen who comes to the market, says, “A lot of us on this line are on a fixed income and

we’re only able to buy fresh fruits and vegetables the first of the month when we receive our checks. So being that Jerry Walker brings the farmers market here every week gives many of us who suffer from diabetes in the black community an opportunity to eat healthy.” Kathy Rowe, an America’s Grow A Row worker, says, “I am a lifelong diabetic myself so I know how important healthy eating is, and I love seeing people getting fresh food and the chance to live healthier lives.” Walker recently took about 105 seniors to a farm in Pittstown, so they could pick their own fruits and vegetables. “There’s a lot of positive and wonderful things going on in Jersey City,” Walker says. “At Team Walker we emphasize the three Ds: dedication, determination and discipline. I believe if we apply those three traits to our lives, we’ll be model citizens.” Walker also believes in the old saying, “It takes a village.”—JCM

Resources For more information about Team Walker, visit teamwalker.org. For more information about America’s Grow A Row, visit americasgrowarow.org.

Leadership and Good Living Walker has also formed a new organization called P.L.O.T. (Progressive Leadership Opposition of Tomorrow)

“I started the farmers market to promote healthy eating and living,” Walker says.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

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

ONGOING Hard Hat Tours, Liberty State Park’s new 90-minute guided tour of select areas of the 750-bed Ellis Island Hospital Complex. $25 for ages 13 and older. Call Statue Cruises at (877) 523-9849.

Indiegrove Women’s Group, 121 Newark Ave., (201) 589-2068, indiegrovejc.com. Monthly meetings for women who are currently in business or planning a pursuit of a project or venture. Non-profit and social entrepreneurs welcome.

Open Mic Comedy, The Dopeness, 332 Second St., (201) 963-4277, or contact DopenessJC@gmail.com. Comics featured every other Wednesday, with five- to eight-minute sets. Signups begin at 7:30 p.m.; show starts at 8 p.m. BYOB. Free. Friggin Fabulous Open Mic, Trolley Car Bar, 328 Palisade Ave., (201) 360-3233. Every Wednesday. Signups begin at 8:30 p.m.; show starts at 9 p.m. Musicians, poets, comedians welcome. Free. Grassroots Community Space, 54 Coles St., (201) 500-LIVE (5483), grassrootscom munityspace.com/wp. Various dance, pilates, yoga, zumba, martial arts, Bollywood funk classes and more offered throughout the week. PMJAMNITES, Dorrian’s Red Hand, 555 Washington Blvd., (201) 626-6660, pmjam nites.com. Happening on the second and last Fridays of each month at 9 p.m. Multigenre singer, songwriter, and

band showcase. Open mic after midnight. Free. JC Slam, The Dopeness, 332 Second St., (201) 870-7698, facebook.com/jerseycityslam. Every Thursday. Signups start at 7:30 p.m.; show starts at 8 p.m. Slam and open mic. Poets compete for points and and then for a publishing prize in April. BYOB. $5 cover charge. Art House Live Music Series at Two Boots, 133 Newark Ave., (201) 209-1250. arthouseproductions.org. Third Tuesday of every month. Free. Art House Open Mic, 136 Magnolia Ave. in Journal Square (in the old Verizon building) (201) 915-9911, arthouseproductions.org. First Thursday of the month from 8-10 p.m. Five-minute open mic slots for poets, musicians, and performance artists. $5 cover charge.

Wordsmithing Wednesdays, Gia Gelato, 281 Newark Ave.,

(201) 216-0555, word smithingweb.com. Third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. Open mic, poetry, song, spoken word, and creative explosions of all kinds. Free. Gypsy Jazz, Madame Claude Café, 364 1/2 Fourth St. (201) 876-8800, live music every Thursday at the café from 7:30 – 11 p.m. BYOB. Free. SJC Monthly Eat, Meet, Talk 2015, City Hall Caucus Room 204, (one block from Grove Street PATH, 280 Grove St.), sustainablejc.org. Discussions on sustainability and urban initiatives. Tuesday evenings of the month from 7 – 9 p.m. Suggested donation $5 for food provided by Razza Pizza Artigianale. Modern Sage Living Well Workshops, various locations and dates weekly,modern sage.com. Living-health educator Leah Guy presents workshops covering a variety of topics concerning organic health, alternative wellness and green living.

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28 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

Free Coworking Fridays, Indiegrove, 121 Newark Ave., (201) 589-2068, indiegrove jc.com. 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Come experience coworking and see why it has become the most popular way for entrepreneurs and independent professionals to work. Plenty of Wi-Fi, coffee and beautiful views. Motivation Mic, Simply Feel Better – Self Health Space, 436 Central Ave., (201) 9132864. Inspiring stories, speeches and poetry. Each person gets eight minutes on the mic. Every third Friday of the month. Doors open at 7 p.m.; show starts at 8 p.m. Light refreshments served. $8 cover charge. Grassroots Community Space, 54 Coles St., (201) 500-5483, grassrootscommunityspace.co m. Various arts workshops, fitness events, dance classes held weekly. The “space for hire” also features special events monthly. Community Drum Circle the third Thursday of every month 3 –9 p.m.

The Infinity Climber, Liberty Science Center, 222 Jersey City Blvd., (201)200-1000, lsc.org. Featuring a new permanent installation, a suspended multi-story play space that dares guests to climb, crawl, and balance through pathways as high as 35 feet above the atrium floor. With multiple routes to explore across 64 platforms, it is surrounded by 19 miles of hand-threaded wire that forms a protective mesh to prevent climbers from falling to the ground below. Friends of Liberty State Park is seeking volunteers for gardening on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. No experience necessary. For specific park location info, please call Maria, (201) 915-3418 mid-week; or on Saturdays at (201) 915-3400, ext. 101. Friends of Loew’s, friendsofloews.com/events. Various art shows, community events and classic films, schedule TBD for spring.

Sesame Street Presents: The Body, through May 3 at Liberty Science Center, lsc.org, (201) 200-1000. Kids ages 2 – 8 can learn about their insides, outsides, and how to stay healthy as they spend hours playing in this fun Sesame Street setting. Elmo will make live appearances at specific times

APRIL 1 Indiegrove with Freelancers Union After Hours, indiegrovejc.com. From 6 – 8:30 p.m. “Getting paid, not played – What every freelancer needs to know about client nonpayment” a discussion on how to protect yourself with contracts and strategies for dealing with errand clients.

2 Mondern Sage’s How to Use Crystals in Your Home & Life Free workshop from 7 – 8 p.m.

3 Art House presents the opening of “After Image: Contemporary Artists and Photography,” 7 – 9 p.m. 136 Magnolia Ave. in Journal Square (in the old Verizon building), arthousepro ductions.org, (201) 915-9911.

Weekdays: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Weekends: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

11 20th Annual Salt Marsh Shoreline Cleanup, Liberty State Park, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., at the South End. folsp.org.

4 Art House presents Rockasorri. Live music concert and fun indoor activities. Kids 3 years and under: 10:15 – 11:15 a.m.; Kids 3 – 6 years: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (201) 915-9911, 136 Magnolia Ave., arthouseproductions.org. Fee: $5. Parents attend free. Modern Sage’s Walking Meditation, Van Vorst Park, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Fee $10. modernsage.com.

4-30 Korean Artists Group Exhibit, City Hall Rotunda Gallery, 280 Grove St., cityofjersey city.com/culturalaffairs.

Cathedral Arts Festival, Grace Church Van Vorst, 39 Erie St. 12 – 7:30 p.m. Silver anniversary celebration and formal champagne gala. gracevanvorst.org. Art House presents The Laughing Tour, with nationally recognized headliner comics at 8 p.m. arthouseproductions.org, Modern Sage’s Health Fair Block Party various tents, reiki, food, and sales of items from about 12 – 5 p.m. More event details TBD. modernsage.com

see page 45

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

A JC writers’ group gets rave reviews with ‘genre night.’

Meg Merriet as “Jane the killer” and Dmitry Feller as “slender man”

STORY AND PHOTOS BY ADRIANA RAMBAY FERNÁNDEZ

ane the Killer greeted me near the entrance to the backroom of The Dopeness restaurant on Second Street wrapped in a red shawl, her eyes black and sunken, her lips blood red against a

ghostly white face. She stood next to the featureless Slender Man who collected cash with his long, skinny fingers. Typically relegated to the wiki pages of online horror micro-fiction, both characters were out for the Jersey City Writers (JCW) genre night in October, which featured Creepypasta.

30 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

Creepypasta originated from the term “copypasta,” which refers to Internet material that has been copied and pasted many times over—in this case scary stories. It was the fifth theme in a series of genre nights organized by JCW that included science fiction, paranormal, western, and erotica.

“I feel like genre fiction doesn’t get the credit it deserves,” says 26-year-old Meg Merriet, the woman behind the Jane the Killer mask, who coordinates genre night. “People always think it is not as elevated as literary fiction. I disagree. Genre fiction can be fun and you can learn something profound from it.”

EXPLORING GENRES I had never heard of creepypasta until the open call for submissions through JCW. My family is in the pizza-and-pasta business, and it brought up images of a penne gone bad. A number of writers at the event agreed that part of the fun of genre night was exploring and learning more about a particular writing niche.

Writers Shafiq Quoraishee and Angelica Schreyer

“For a lot of writers they are testing it out and seeing if it is their genre,” Merriet says. Shafiq Quoraishee, who had his piece “Hell Awaits” read by writer Angelica Schreyer, says genre night allows him “to get out of my comfort zone. … I get to flex my creative muscle … to write something new and spontaneous.”

Actress and writer Yvonne Hernandez

JCW co-chair Rachel Poy Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

JCW gets on average 20 submissions per genre night. Active group members judge and select stories for the public reading. Authors can choose to read their own work or have their pieces read by an actor or someone else. Some events have featured guest speakers such as science fiction writer Jeff Somers and awardwinning novelist Leanna Renee Hieber. “We have been trying to find bigger and bigger venues each time,” Merriet says. “At erotica night they were turning away throngs of people at the door because they couldn’t fit them.”

SETTING A LITERARY VIBE More than 40 audience members gathered around small tables over nachos and burritos. Macabre music played in the background; art featuring skulls, astronauts, and robots lined the walls; and guests helped themselves to free wine in the back. After a five-minute writing prompt to create a two-sentenceor-less horror story, the evening kicked off with the first selections. “Oh my god! That was so nervewracking,” Kevin Singer, a local writer, says after he steps off the stage. “I’m not a public speaker.” Singer read his story “Pan” about an evil Tinker Bell. A medical writer by profession, he joined JCW eight months ago. Other local writers included Rachel Poy, who read her story “Dirty Great Monster,” and Allison Goldstein, who was inspired by the rabbit in Donnie Darko to write “Rolph” about a big puppy that walks around like a human. Between readings, JCW members and their guests mingled and socialized.

Writer Mercedes Kobrim

SHOWCASING LOCAL WRITERS

(left to right) James DeAngelis, actress and writer Yvonne Hernandez, and Adriana Rambay Fernández.

32 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

When I first joined JCW years ago, it was no more than a small social gathering with just a few writers. It has grown to include 75 active members and more than 500 people in its network, according to chairs James DeAngelis and Rachel Poy.

“We went from meeting once per week to 16 meetings per month,” DeAngelis says. “The group has become more active and more focused on writing.” The group hosts writing workshops, writing “prompts” to jumpstart ideas, nonfiction, and marathon nights, as well as a special subgroup for novelists called “The Full Story.” JCW has also held workshops related to self publishing, yoga and writing, and submitting stories for publication in literary journals. “There are few places in Jersey City where you can meet local authors, talk about their genre, and then hear amazing new creative work,” DeAngelis says. “The group attracts all types of people including novelists, flash-fiction types, journalists, filmmakers, and poets.” He hopes that people who come out to events like genre night will one day read a piece in The New Yorker or a literary magazine and remember that they heard it first at one of the JCW events.

BECOMING A NONPROFIT When asked what’s next for JCW, Poy says, “Bigger, louder, faster, more. We look to our members to tell us where to go next.” The group has just begun exploring nonprofit status. “A nonprofit will give us the foundation to build upon and grow our group,” DeAngelis says. While the group looks to establish itself in a more formal structure, events like genre night will continue. The schedule has been mapped out and includes a fantasy night devoted to female protagonists, girls and women who would make terrible princesses, romance around Valentine’s Day, and steampunk. “I am actually surprised by how many people will come out and listen to short stories being read,” Merriet says. “Because I thought the written word was dead, but it is coming back.”—JCM

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

STUDENTS AND PARENTS OF PS5 ATTEND THE RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY OF MARY BENSON PARK WITH THE MAYOR. THE RESTORATION OF THE PARK WAS JUST ONE OF THE GOALS REACHED BY THE PTA OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN VALDEZ.

Pitching In JC PARENTS MAKE THE GRADE BY ANNE MARUSIC

espite their own busy schedules, parents are more involved than ever in their kids’ schools. The number of parent-teacher associations grew sharply— from 3,475 in 1995 to 11,453 in 2010, according to Social Science Resource Network. And money raised by these associations spiked from $197 million to $880 million within the same time frame.

Learning Community Charter School (LCCS) Full disclosure: Both my sons have attended LCCS, which has a strong parent/teacher organization with many dedicated volunteers. LCCS is one of the top-performing and most underfunded charter schools in town. It has almost 600 students, and it’s estimated that about 250 parents volunteer. LCCS depends on volunteers’ time and money to fund such things as field trips, building projects, performances, and technology. Forty volunteers staff the Annual Spring Gala; more than 100 run June-A-Palooza, the Annual Summer Festival; 30 come together for Pie Day (a combined Math and Culinary Event) at Liberty Science Center; and about 50 run each of two annual Scholastic book fairs. Every class trip has about three or more parent volunteers, and each class has two class parents.

34 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

Another 15 assist at smaller events, and 15 help with office administration. A handful of volunteers help in other ways, for example, parent and professional photographer Ken Chen shoots photos, and parent and professional landscaper Emma Lam tends the gardens. Jennifer Hughes, LCCS’s director of development, who has two children at LCCS, says, “It’s amazing how many parents volunteer in so many ways. We have parents who clean and fix things, we have those who have highly specialized skills like accounting, photography, or computer programming, and they bring those skills to make the school better. We have people who do the fun things like work a cupcake booth at the street fair and the grunt work like counting out little box tops. It all makes a huge difference, and it’s a wonderful way that people feel part of the school community. Everyone’s contribution is so important, and we are so lucky to have such dedicated people.” Charter schools receive less governmental funding than traditional public schools. To make up the difference, LCCS raises about $100,000 each year. A good portion of that is for basic operating expenses. When kids see their parents involved in their school, it reinforces the message that education is important. Shira Tavor, Book Fair co-leader for the past two years, class parent for five years, as well as parent of first and third graders at LCCS, agrees: “Kids view school as an extension to their home when they see their parents are involved, and parents

MEGAN MALOY OF LCCS CHAPERONES A PRESCHOOL FIELD TRIP. PHOTO BY JENNIFER HUGHES view the school more positively since they are part of the creative thinking of how to improve the school.”

Our Lady of Czestochowa School (OLC) OLC, pre-K through eighth grade, has a Parent School Association (PSA) as well as at least two class parents per grade, who volunteer to chaperone field trips and other activities. The PSA board spearheads fundraising initiatives, such as Target’s Take Charge of Education in which Target donates one percent of participants’ credit or debit REDcard purchases. Another fundraiser is Boxtops for Education, in which participants clip box-top coupons on popular items to earn funds for the school. The largest and most recent fundraiser has been Operation Playground, a tangible result of parents’ fundraising efforts. OLC has broken ground and phase one is well underway. The post-Irene and post-Sandy needs were vast and transparent, so wrangling volunteers was easy. “Parental involvement absolutely has a positive effect on the kids’ education and overall school experience,” says Kathy Hendrickson, parent, volunteer, and artistic director of Jersey City Children’s Theater. Her son is in first grade and has been at OLC since pre-K 3. “Kids intrinsically care about things you care about,” she says. “Everyone talks a big game about community, but it is up to you to build it, to do your part.”

PS 5 At PS 5, PTA President Claudia Rosario’s goal is to get more parents and teachers involved. Parents are glad to help with events, especially those on weekends or after work. There are not too many opportunities for parent chaperones on class trips since many classes have aides. Rosario says that they have had a few successful fundraisers over the past two years, including “dress down days.” They also did well with a catalog that sold eco-friendly products,

KEYIA FAIR AND HER SON KHALID OF WATERFRONT MONTESSORI READ TOGETHER. PHOTO BY TEACHER TATIANA HIRSCH

silent auctions, and selling chocolate lollipops on the holidays. “This year, we are looking for different ideas that will help bring people together and grow the PTA,” Rosario says. “A few years back, we helped put air conditioners in all the classrooms, but we mainly fundraise to offer affordable afterschool enrichment programs. This year we are proud to have programs such as art, ballet, soccer, yoga, and breakdance. With the help of fundraising, we can grow the programs and expand the participation by offering scholarships.” Speaking as a parent, Rosario says, “My kids love that I’m an active parent. They get a kick out of me being the PTA president, especially my little one. As far as she’s concerned, I’m like the President of the United States, even though it is in her own little world. The overall goal for many of us is to have a great working relationship with our children’s teachers and administration to gain insight on what’s going on in the classroom and help us better understand all the new standardized testing and evaluations.” Tine Pahl, NYU research professor and parent of a boy who has attended the dual-language program for the past four years, has been very involved in the PTA. Pahl and other parents realized that the district afterschool programs were not invigorating, so they organized and recruited parents to lead affordable yoga and sports programs. Pahl acknowledges that parental participation in an urban, low-income setting can be challenging because there are not many stay-at-home parents. However, in the past several years, middle-class and professional working parents have donated additional resources and money. “Although we have a solid attendance with our PTA, you can’t measure parent involvement by the number of people showing up at meetings,” Pahl says. “For example, in November 2012 following Hurricane Sandy, our PTA organized a coat drive and family event where people could come and get hot food and warm clothes, and this event was extremely well attended.” Though the school has 700 kids, it feels small, Pahl says. “The principal knows most all the children’s names, and Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

EDUCATION JCM

children know that their parents are welcome. Parents work with teachers and administration, and there is a sense of community and belonging. These are good things.”

Stevens Cooperative School

NANCY PERLS OF STEVENS COOPERATIVE WITH SON HUDSON AND DAUGHTER ELEXIS. PHOTO BY WENDY EATON

Nancy Perls, the parent of both a lowerand middle-school student, says that Stevens does not have a PTA, but there are many opportunities to interact with the staff and other parents. Parents volunteer as chaperones for class trips and other events. Perls says that everyone wants to go, so it’s first come, first serve. Each family also gets a crack at “helping parent day,” during which they spend a day in the classroom. Parents are involved in fundraising because tuition covers only 80 percent of expenses and since Stevens is a cooperative, all parents are assigned to a committee. Parents might call on local businesses asking for auction donations, they might donate items of their own to auction off, or they may organize the event. “Parents whose children are enrolled in the pre-K through eighth-grade program are part of the cooperative aspect of Stevens,” says Sergio Alati, Ed.D, Head of School. “Membership meetings allow families to learn about academics, events, and operations. Parents can be elected to board positions where they are responsible for fiscal, financial and real estate management, as well as strategic planning. “When parents are involved in their children’s education, they are more engaged in the life of the school. Our parents have a better sense of our curriculum, the role of the teachers, and in turn demonstrate a greater connection to our school. For students, discussion about school is more prevalent at home, and we see high levels of achievement.” Says Perls, “My children love that I am involved, helping to organize our Annual Harvest Festival. They know that in addition to helping raise money for the school it’s a wonderful way to give back to the community. I hear them talking with their friends about it with pride in their voices and it makes me smile. They feel a stronger connection to the school because it lets them be involved on another level.”

Waterfront Montessori Fahima Andersen, parent of a second grader and president of the Waterfront School Foundation (WSF), says the foundation was organized in 2012 to provide

36 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

EDUCATION JCM L.-R. YEON BENKOVITZ, BARBARA PETERS, KATHY HENDRICKSON, SARAH O’ DONNELL, NATASHA MOHAN, JAIME LIN-YU OF OLC. PHOTO BY HANNAH MAGARBAN parents a vehicle to participate in the school. WSF, which gives parents social, creative, and interactive activities to extend the academic curriculum, is the intermediary between parents and school, allowing parents to get to know one another. This year, activities will include coffee socials, food drives for local charities, December holiday events, a winter carnival in January and an Annual Spring fundraiser. The year will conclude with a PTA-sponsored celebration of Waterfront Montessori’s second round of graduates. Funds are used for such things as inhouse assemblies (think in-house traveling planetarium for the Pre-K 3 and 4) and a community garden, which families plant in the spring and tend all summer. “We put the garden beds down so kids could enjoy growing their own cucumbers and tomatoes, realizing that vegetables can be grown, not just purchased in a store,” Andersen says. The children will use the gardens to study zoology and botany throughout the school year, providing an interactive science lesson. The foundation works with teachers to determine what activities best supplement the rigorous curriculum. The group also arranges for speakers. One speaker will address the Montessori and International Baccalaureate educational systems. A second speaker is a reading expert and scientist who studies education’s effect on the brain. “I feel that a parent should be very actively involved in the school,” Andersen says. “My involvement has allowed me to appreciate the tremendous amount of cultural diversity and also develop a network of families who depend on us and who, in turn, we can depend upon.” Prior to being on the board, Andersen ran her community moms group, which convinced her of the importance of families interacting with one another in an urban setting. “Many of our immediate families live far away, so for our own sanity, we need to develop a network of friendships and have a support network/system within Jersey City,” she says. This year, WSF plans to publish a quarterly newsletter as well as host a membership drive.—JCM

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

One for the Books The historic main library is undergoing a facelift

PHOTOS BY AL SULLIVAN

ver the next five years, JCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 115-year-old main library will be undergoing renovations, which should keep it in business for at least another century. On Jersey Avenue, across from Van Vorst Park, this historic

New stacks will offer a climate-controlled environment.

38 â&#x20AC;˘ Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

structure, which opened in 1901, was designed by architects Brite and Bacon. The improvements will help the library comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Phase one of the renovation will create barrier-free access for patrons who use wheelchairs. First-floor public and staff restrooms will be upgraded, and a new elevator

Vintage card catalogs are still in evidence.

Public spaces will be upgraded. Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 â&#x20AC;˘

The library’s second floor

“At Prep, everyone was my teammate.”

That’s why it’s

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

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

40 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

The stairways feature ornate details. will accommodate people with disabilities. New restrooms will be built on the fourth floor. The lending and New Jersey Room departments on the second and third floors will also be renovated. New wood window frames, which are historically correct and energy-efficient, will replace the library’s aluminum window frames. During phase two of the project, the reference department and remaining public spaces will be upgraded. New stacks will offer a museum-quality, climate-controlled environment for the New Jersey Room’s priceless archival documents and maps. To keep up with library happenings, visit jclibrary.org. The main branch of the Jersey City Public Library is an architectural masterpiece. Check out Al Sullivan’s images of Jersey City’s treasured institution.—Kate Rounds

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

Tuning in Through Mantra

On the

YOGA

Beat

LIVE MUSIC AND MANTRAS ACCENTUATE THE SPIRITUAL AT TWO LOCAL YOGA STUDIOS BY ADRIANA RAMBAY FERNÁNDEZ

ive music and chanting can take yoga beyond the physical practice to a more profound spiritual experience. I decided to check out a new

Friday-night chanting class at Yoga Shunya on Grove Street and the live music class on Wednesday nights at Jivamukti Yoga Center on Newark Avenue.

A class at Jivamukti

42 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

I settle in deeply to child’s pose as I listen to Brad Roberts chanting in the background during a Friday-night yoga class at Yoga Shunya. That’s Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies fame, whose ’90s hit song, “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm,” is part of the soundtrack of my high-school years. “What I did for so long being a musician didn’t seem that far away from what yoga teachers do,” Roberts says. “They go up in front of a group of people just like I did when I performed, and they guide people through an experience.” A yoga practitioner for 10 years in the Anusara tradition, he became certified to teach in 2014. Originally from Canada, Roberts lives in Manhattan and started traveling to Jersey City in October to teach yoga. He leads a gentle, relaxing class.

Roberts’s baritone voice is set against the drone of a tanpura, a traditional Indian string instrument, which plays throughout the class. He leads students in a Bija mantra chanting, “Ah Hum,” which he tells the class is one of the most basic mantras we can link to the breath. “When people are all in the same room and there is reverberation going on, the sound of the mantra is very captivating,” Roberts says. “It is like being in a sonic bath.”

A Healing Practice “Brad’s an artist. He’s into yoga in its many forms, and he’s experimenting with reviving some of the forgotten traditions that bring deep healing to everyone,” says Elaine Hansen, director and founder of Yoga Shunya, where I

occasionally teach. She’s incorporated chanting in her yoga classes for the past 18 years and had been looking for a way to bring more chanting to the studio. She met Roberts in September during a workshop at Twisted Trunk Yoga, a new studio in Manhattan. She felt his background as a professional musician and his study and practice of mantra and tantric philosophy offered the right combination. Roberts learned the practice of Rajanaka mantras from Douglass Brooks, a professor of religion, arts, sciences, and engineering at the University of Rochester in New York. Roberts has released an album, “Rajanaka Mantra,” and says that another one is in the works. “I feel the mantra deeply, it has a really soothing effect on my con-

BODY AND MIND JCM

Brad Roberts

Roberts leads a class at Yoga Shunya Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

MIND AND BODY JCM sciousness, and I hope to be able to make people feel that in the class,” Roberts says. “And when I looked around today, everyone felt pretty blissed out.”

Yoga to Live Music Jivamukti Yoga was cofounded by Sharon Gannon and David Life in New York City in 1984. On Newark Avenue in Jersey City, the Jivamukti Yoga Center offers a vigorous, energizing Vinyasabased flow set to live music on Wednesday nights. Each week a new musician comes and sets the mood for the class. One week Matt Wiviott played a Guzheng, an ancient Chinese musical instrument with strings, which made for a sweet ambiance, while the next week vocalist and guitarist Stephanie Carlin sang in an ethereal voice. “Live music in yoga classes has become popular recently,” says Austin Sanderson, studio co-owner and director. “The first time I went to a live-music class, I remember thinking, ‘This is taking it back to its purest form.’” Sanderson, who is an advanced certified Jivamukti yoga instructor, opened the studio February 2014 with his life partner Robert Hranichny. Sanderson has lived in Jersey City for nearly 20 years

and has spent decades working as a designer in American theater. He compared the live yoga-music experience to having a live orchestra play during a theatrical performance. “Having that live music there brings such a ‘bhava,’ or divine mood, that it is so much more powerful than playing from your music playlist,” Sanderson says.

Sound Body and Mind Sanderson says the live-music experience is very much linked to Nada Yoga, one of Jivamukti’s five tenets. “Nada yoga is the yoga of listening for the un-struck sound—meaning the sound in its purest form—the sound of om,” Sanderson says. “The sound of om is the sound of God.” He opens the live-music class with chanting from the Upanishads, ancient Vedic texts. Students follow along with a chant book in a call-and-response format. The music begins, and Sanderson gets his cues on what type of class to lead from the tone and tempo the musician sets and vice versa. “It is really a practice of presence. … It is all improvisation. It is all feeding off of the energy at the moment,” Wiviott says. “Which for me is the same kind of disci-

Stephanie Carlin at Jivamukti.

44 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

pline that the physical practice of yoga nurtures.” Originally from Montreal, Wiviott has accompanied yoga classes for six years. He played beautiful harp-like cascading sounds, as we rose up from a forward fold. Later I noticed the sound of a heartbeat pulsing, which had a calming effect. “Music can send a very specific message to a class. It can uplift a class or it can bring them down,” Sanderson says. Sanderson lowers the lights as the class progresses, and the mood shifts along with the sounds. When Carlin sang, she left spaces of silence between her songs and mantras, which created a feeling of openness. “They know something very special is happening even if they can’t put their finger on it,” Sanderson says. “I think that they all of sudden surrender a little bit to it. … It opens their heart.”—JCM

Resources Yoga Shunya, at 275 Grove St., offers chanting for all levels Fridays at 6:30 p.m. Jivamukti Yoga Center, at 171 Newark Ave., offers a live-music yoga class Wednesdays at 8 p.m.

Austin Sanderson, co-owner and director of Jivamukti.

DATES JCM from page 29

The French American Academy

19 Community Rhythm, Grassroots Community Space, 54 Coles St., (201) 500-5483, grassrootscommunityspace.com. Family-friendly drum circle from 7 – 9 p.m. 10th Annual Friends of Liberty State Park Luncheon, folsp.org. All park supporters welcomed. Hors d’oeuvres 12 – 1 p.m. and luncheon from 1 – 4 p.m. at Liberty House Restaurant. Awards and updates from LSP Superintendent Robert Rodriguez and Greg Remaud, Conservation Director of NY/NJ Baykeeper.

A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES, BEYOND WORDS

• Bilingual, accredited, academic program • Well-rounded and challenging curriculum • Low teacher-student ratio • Private, safe, nurturing, multi-cultural environment

22 Modern Sage’s Earth Day Celebration, modernsage.com. With special Meditation and Earth Energy.

25 Jersey City Earth Day, City Hall Plaza, 280 Grove St.,cityofjerseycity.com/ culturalaffairs.

see page 67

SCHOOL TOURS FOR 2015-2016 ADMISSIONS JERSEY CITY CAMPUS PRE-K THROUGH 3RD GRADE 209 Third Street | Jersey City, NJ 07302 201 459 6462 faacademy.org | admissions@faacademy.org

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

Western Slope A unique and evolving community STORY AND PHOTOS BY AL SULLIVAN

ld timers living on the Western Slope claim they can smell the scent of coffee in the heat of summer, recalling when coffee grounds from Hobokenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Maxwell House coffee plant were used to fill in some of the

swamps that border Tonnelle Avenue in Jersey City. They also remember the swarms of mosquitoes that hovered over the stone lions and bears at Leonard Gordon Park near Manhattan Avenue and JFK Boulevard. Many still call it Mosquito Park. A draw for many bird species, the area is sometimes called Sparrow Hill. Along the lower western portion of the slope, opossums, skunks, ground-

THE HOOD JCM hogs, squirrels, and birds can still be seen, but with the spread of new development, many are vanishing. The park also commands stunning views of the Hackensack River valley and the Meadowlands. Part of the Jersey City Heights, the Western Slope is bounded on the north by Fifth Street (Secaucus Road), on the west by Tonnelle Avenue, on the south by Carlton Avenue (some call it Beach Street), and on the east by Kennedy Boulevard. The slope forms the western edge of Jersey City’s Palisades, more easily seen from the Hudson River or New York City. Also visible is the very distant Orange Mountain,

carved out from retreating prehistoric glaciers. The Lenni-Lenape stopped over on the Western Slope on their way to hunt and fish in the nearby Meadowlands.

Times Have Changed When older residents talk about Tippy’s Charcoal Hearth on Kennedy Boulevard, newcomers scratch their heads, since the iconic eatery was replaced two decades ago by a fruit-and-vegetable stand. Still popular is St. Anne’s Feast at St. Anne’s Roman

Catholic Church on JFK Boulevard, designed by architect Louis Giele with magnificent stained-glass windows. Equally iconic is the White Mana Diner on the corner of Tonnelle and Manhattan avenues at the foot of the slope. This classic diner features signs boasting of its origins in the 1939 World’s Fair. In the late 1800s, the Western Slope became a destination for German families; it retains a few small shops along Nelson Avenue owned by descendants of those immigrants. While old timers are German and Italian, many new families are Latino or Indian. Small church on North St. and JFK Blvd.

Handrails are helpful on the Slope’s steep stairs.

White Mana Diner

Site of the former Tippys’ Charcoal Hearth

Artwork under the Grand St. overpass

48 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

The slopeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real estate has evolved from single-family homes to twoand three-family dwellings and multi-unit residences with a large rental population. The neighborhood has retained much of its character, with pocket parks and playgrounds; kids still play football and soccer on less-busy side streets. Living on the Western Slope can be a challenge; some streets are so steep the city has installed stairs with handrails to help pedestrians navigate. Extended families live on some of the dead-end streets, looking out for each other as they might have in earlier times.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;JCM

yoga shunya yogashunya.com

275 Grove Street, 3rd floor

201.610.9737

Manhattan Avenue walkway Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 â&#x20AC;˘

SHARP PENCILS A local factory makes the big time BY KATE ROUNDS PHOTOS BY TYLER RIBBLE

he General Pencil Company is pretty well-known around town for being one of the last factories standing: a shop that makes stuff instead of one that’s been made into condos or luxury lofts. That’s what caught the attention of This Built America, a new multimedia platform from AOL that explores companies that re-imagine American manufacturing. Fifty episodes are running for 50 weeks covering all 50 states. General Pencil was chosen to represent the entire state of New Jersey. “About a year ago a couple of folks at AOL were brainstorming big, pie-in-the-sky ideas, where money is no object,” says Sarah Chazan, deputy editorial director at AOL. “From that came the idea of focusing on folks around the country in

50 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

mid-range manufacturing that employ 50 to 500 people.” From a journalistic perspective, the idea was intriguing. Chazan says they wanted to offer a “rich, multimedia experience of long-form journalism online. It’s very hard to keep people interested in long form online.” Images and video appear as readers scroll through the story, which was written by Hoboken resident Laurie Petersen, editor in chief of AOL Jobs. Petersen invokes the nostalgia of the factory’s heyday with the company’s name in serif on the façade of the old brick structure on Fleet Street. From there she gives us a sense of the product itself, the look and scent of graphite and cedar that go into the making of one of the world’s humblest and most utilitarian products. Edward Weissenborn opened the Jersey City operation in 1889, and the company is still family-owned. But to stay in business and avoid becoming Pencil Rentals, the family knew it had to diversify. Jim Weissenborn was living in California

ARCHIVES AND ARTIFACTS JCM

ho art student w er, Katie, an ht g. ug tin da ke is ar H m sales. ing with and running ny. pany, was help m pa co m e co th e th ith w selling had grown up e thinking of inar on d uncles wer an ther to a sem er fa r th fa he er ith H w d t en w ie realized she di 90s, Kat In the early 19 sale. But Katie r er fo w ny po e pa m th e a co he saw how to packag rsen writes, “S eir Further, Pete ll. ed to create th se us to t ey an th w s ol not to e th g artists with of connectin des than two deca work.” ere for more ne th go s ng ki ha or ny w en compa Katie has be ts. business. The e tis th ar r in fo e s ec ol ni a making to to ils and also has nc it pe w 2 no icks, but turing No. d charcoal st from manufac an s ok el st bo a pa k lls e chal also se technique. It It’s always mad d ion on artistic at onsters create rm m fo e in ac es sp d an , provid ts bo e w to mak a aw the pets, ro , as well as ho hn on how to dr Lu ew th nist Mat by Pixar cartoo lor, etch, waterco flipbook. ut, carbon sk yo pla ar e sh ud d cl an in s ts as eraser Its art produc es ncils, as well ur pe at d fe re , lo om co l.c d neralpenci ge , draughting, an te si ch eb te w d mpany’s ts, tips, an eners. The co gallery; projec a ith w ” ity mun an “Artist Com . innovative atured artists fe d an ; of a loyal and lp he niques e th ith mirror Jersey thrives w igrants who The company m im em th many of work force, population. e rs ve City’s di

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

GENERAL PENCIL SAW THE POWER OF CONNECTING ARTISTS WITH THE TOOLS THEY USED TO CREATE THEIR WORK.

52 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

ARCHIVES AND ARTIFACTS JCM

M a d e in A mene rloicokaing for boomtowns

d be anuthat AOL ha l decline in m Chazan says ite the genera ing sp ak de , m at ill th st y untr that were es ss across the co ne si ni bu n, mea ng d thriving r conversatio he s facturing, ha on has se ” oduct to anot ord “pivot e from one pr things. The w ov m ly al ic et at athl companies th of years in going under. om fr ep ke e last couple th in er to d te vo e company il has pi he owner of th “T “General Penc . ys sa id, e sh pivot. They sa relevant,” order to stay ns behind the ai pbr su e t th ar e er nd hter w gher-e and his daug g by making hi in go ny pa m is co ‘Let’s keep th g what they ” s.’ continue doin ie to pl em ally th d le , enab family. “It’s re That, she says mpany in the co t it e ha th w ep ng ke and e rethinki wanted to do ,” ng companies ar ri tu at ac th uf e an m vant in m le re interesting to ep d ke an d g ecific thin e things an aking a very sp means to mak m as w il nc eral Pe she says. “Gen in time to .” ify rs ve di e comes just had to r product lin de oring has oa ol br C s s. il’ loring book General Penc co t ul dad in w trend adults are fin ing, and now tap into the ne th g d in ki l or tia ol C en intess n to do. long been a qu ress and is fu st s ve lie re ring ing that colo pe. sellers in Euro st be e ar s book , folks.—JCM ils nc pe colored Get out your

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

THE STUDIO JCM

IMAGES COURTESY OF CATHLEEN PARRA

54 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

Cathleen Parra

Eccentric portraiture and more

hleen Parra, er name is Cat s some platform although on en th d An affeine Parra. it’s s, she goes as C rd ya e whole nine if you want th a. rr Pa ie Thérèse Cathleen Mar r, and rapher, painte og ot She’s a ph ow titled exhibit in a sh illustrator. To y’s work da !” is all in a “Create Chaos show, y ill at West Ph for Parra. In th sing,” is “K o, ot her ph she exhibited a-dot a girl in a polk which shows ith two w on the floor dress playing e on d, both nake Barbie dolls, decapitated.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

THE STUDIO JCM

Got a problem with that? has You shouldn’t. This Jersey Cityite old. ear25-y a for pretty hefty art cred ons She studied photography at Pars and ign Des For ool Sch New The in Technology and is pursuing a BFA City ey Jers New photography at s University; she’s shown in numerou ures, lect n give s, show solo and p grou and won awards. , Though she was born in Paterson n. tow ida Flor ll sma a in up she grew rich Her family background weaves a tapestry. a Her grandmother, a lesbian, was who man tswo craf n rica Native Ame basmade jewelry, painted, and wove my and dess kets. “She was my god Parra inspiration to become an artist,” says. of “I knew I would make some kind out cut I’d visual medium. As a kid pictures from magazines, tape them to on paper, and pretend I was a pho editor.” Her memories and perceptions of k, childhood are reflected in her wor and toys uses es etim which som often depicts childhood’s more uncomfortable moments. She also rd, works in paper mache and cardboa cts. obje cled recy or d foun and uses

56 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

tury Parra is a young 21st cen e’s Sh studied Renaissance woman. cause she draws be literature, not only from the written art r he inspiration for just likes to word but because she interest in read. She also has an and would like y ph forensic photogra me-scene cri in eer to pursue a car al, she’s photography. A bisexu mmunity co involved in the LGBT ues. iss BT LG and interested in shift, ake “m r he of t ou She works ua l Sq re. live-in studio” in Journa self as a phomy “I basically think of eccentric do “I s. tographer,” she say ke ma o als I h ug tho portraiture, s, and on ati str illu ts, jec ob physical her own props. paintings.” She makes t where I made jec pro “I did a fairy tale sed off paper mache heads, ba the g tin rea rec s, on illustrati graphy.” oto ph h wit s on ati str illu s feel a Many Jersey City artist the river oss acr ing be el comfort lev ve is the art from what many belie d yet, Jersey An capital of the world. ity is an un mm City’s own art co is a wonderful re he “T w. dra increasing is very grassroots scene which rsey City is a “Je refreshing,” she says. ity. It’s so un mm co really interesting ople think pe at wh rk, Yo w close to Ne .” of as the mecca for art e over here. The But, she says, “I’m fin Ka te Rounds — .” ing art scene is fulfill

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

BUSINESSES MAKE JERSEY CITY WORK

How We

WORK BY KATE ROUNDS PHOTOS BY ALYSSA BREDIN

MICHELE JACOBSON

Certified Clinical Nutritionist (908) 770-5706 nutritionprescription.biz

ichele Jacobson is new to Jersey City and brings a perspective to her hometown as fresh and forwardlooking as her chosen profession. She decided to become a nutritionist about five years ago and moved to the Paulus Hook section of Jersey City in May. She and her family were living in Monmouth County, and when the three kids grew up they wanted to be closer to New York City, where Michele’s husband works. “We really fell in love with Paulus Hook,” she says. “The views blew us away. It has a small-town feel with diversity. The people are really friendly. You walk up and down the street and they say hello to us. The vibe of the place is really low key and welcoming.” Jacobson has written books and articles on nutrition and is active in the movement to propel GMO (genetically modified organism) labeling in the state of New Jersey. “I was really excited,” she says. “The day I moved to Jersey City, the city passed a resolution in support of GMO labeling. This was huge for me. I landed in the right place at the right time.” I ask her if a city government has any say in such an initiative.

58 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

“Jersey City seems to pass ceremonial resolutions,” she says. “I was asked to speak at a city council meeting in support of resolution Z56, a federal bill against the misuse of antibiotics in factory farm animals. Jersey City is very proactive in these public health issues.” Jacobson loves the farmers’ markets that are so popular in her new hometown. Last summer she set up a table at the one in Hamilton Park, which sells organic produce. She dispenses free advice about nutrition and gives out printed materials, such as recipes for meals that can help prevent colds and flu, and gluten-free cookie recipes. “I have always been into a healthy diet,” she says, “and I’ve always cooked from scratch, used locally sourced ingredients, and did things the long way even before it was in vogue.” She uses an individualized approach with each client, recommending foods, vitamins, supplements, and minerals. Photographer Alyssa Bredin and I met her in their apartment. She’s got a beautiful kitchen, fitting for someone who takes organic cooking so seriously. She is a card-carrying member of the Northeast Organic Farmers Association, and she made me a proud owner of her new book, GMOs: What’s Hidden in Our Food. It’s a good read but a little scary. They now live in a loft in the Wells Fargo building in Hamilton Park. “We fell in love with that, too,” she says.

HOW WE WORK JCM

JENNIFER ORTIZ, SELENA BACCHUS, AND GLORIA WALKER

NAFESSA COLLECTION Gloria Walker (201) 892-6889 nafessacollection.com

ou may have noticed that in this department of the magazine we always photograph people in settings that reflect their work. As you can see by Alyssa Bredin’s images, Gloria Walker’s business is both an art form and an act of generosity and kindness. The Nafessa Collection is a line of turbans designed for women who are suffering from the effects of chemotherapy. Many do not want to wear wigs, so this collection offers a stylish and practical way for women recovering from cancer to cover their heads and present a brave and empowered face to the world. Gloria, who has a degree in social work, is a student recruiter at St. Anthony High School in Jersey City. “As a little girl,” she says, “I wanted to do fashion. When I turned 30, I said let’s give it a shot and went after my dream and opened a consignment shop.” She also started a fashion club at St. Anthony. Though she developed a women’s apparel line with the encouragement of her mentor, she did not feel satisfied. Gloria’s family was involved in social services — See our story on Jerry Walker on page 26 — and the need to help

people was strong, but she wanted to combine her love for fashion with her compulsion to be a force for good in the community. “I wanted to help the population of women suffering from chemo,” she says. “They don’t want to wear a wig all the time, but they want to look glamorous while going through a tough time.” A friend from college asked Gloria to create a turban for a mutual friend who had been diagnosed with cancer. “It was a sign from God,” Gloria says. “As I was designing the turban, she passed away.” This gave Gloria even more resolve to pursue her life-enhancing dream. She creates the turbans from stretchy material, wool, and leather, which is the most popular. “Everything I see, I will try it,” she says. The terrycloth one is especially comfortable for women whose scalps are sensitive. The turbans start at $40. Alyssa and I spent a wonderful afternoon in Jerry Walker’s learning center on Communipaw, where we met Gloria and her two models, Jenifer Ortiz and Selena Bacchus. Gloria’s fashion savvy was on display as she created a perfect makeshift dress for Selena from a length of beautiful black fabric. Seeing the turbans on these two stunning models should give hope to the women who will buy them. Says Gloria, “They want to look fabulous while they are dealing with illness and be who they are.”—Kate Rounds

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

BY KATE ROUNDS PHOTOS BY VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ

How We

93 BRIGHT ST.

our fall/winter 2013 issue, we profiled Jorge Mastropietro’s Jersey City brownstone. He’s an architect, so we weren’t surprised to hear that he’d designed a new building. The four-unit condo property, at 93 Bright St., is notable for its green features. He refers to his company, Jorge Mastropietro Atelier, as a “microdeveloper,” often taking on the challenge of building on small lots. That was certainly true here. The elegant contemporary structure fits snugly between two others. “The 25-foot-wide lot produces four single-family residences with the inherent urban quality of narrow, linear space,” he says. He focused attention on the “exterior skin” of the project in relation to the surrounding historic neighborhood, “which,” he says, “accentuates the diverse urban fabric of Jersey City. The wood frame interior structures receive exterior skins of brick, glass, and cedar wood. The interior and exterior skins are separated by an internal air chamber, providing ther-

who work in Manhattan, rented there, and were looking for affordable options outside the city. Though all of them appreciate the green elements of the building, all acknowledged that it was the building itself that caught their attention.

Alex Pavia and Katie Hoffman mal and acoustic insulation. “I love the wide street, and it’s close to Liberty State Park,” Mastropietro says. “I love the neighborhood.” He had to meet all the standards for historic districts, including matching the window and brick color and keeping the height of the building to scale. One of the green aspects is taking advantage of how the windows reflect the sun, keeping the units cool in summer and warm in winter. The back of the building is made from wood siding, and all the tenants have access to garden space on the ground level.

The penthouse has skylights. A green roof garden brings beauty and insulation to the top floor. The penthouse residents can access it from their unit; every unit has high-efficiency appliances, walk-in closets, and bamboo floors. “The space inside is very open,” Mastropietro says. “But it’s very important to divide the public space from the private space, the social life and the private life of tenants.” Three out of four tenants wanted to be interviewed for this story. The demographics of the occupants is amazingly similar. They are all thirty-something married couples without kids

Unit Two Like a lot of young married couples, Alex Pavia and Katie Hoffman wanted to buy a home but could not afford the prices in New York, where they were living and renting. “Brooklyn and Queens were priced out, so it was a logical next step,” says Alex. “We liked the area. It’s a good investment and a bigger space. The new construction was definitely appealing. The design is beautiful, and it’s a reputable builder in South America and Jersey City.” They also appreciated the outdoor space, which is

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

HOW WE LIVE JCM hard to get in New York. “That’s what sealed the deal for us,” Alex says. “Each unit has access to the backyard or roof deck.” “The style is not cookie cooker and adds character and charm to the neighborhood,” Katie says. They’d looked at a number of places, including older buildings, but liked what they saw when they entered the unit at 93 Bright. “It was the openfloor concept,” Katie says. “You walk in and everything is open—the living room, dining room, and kitchen.” The unit has a total of 1,200 square feet. Katie says that the way these public areas are completely separate from their bedrooms, en-suite bathroom, and walk-in closet is great for entertaining. Though they both work in New York and often meet friends there, when it’s just the two of them, they like to stay in Jersey City. “It’s exciting to see all the new development, and there’s an up-and-coming bar scene,” Alex says. They recommend the outdoor space at Zeppelin Hall and Surf City. They also frequent Thirty Acres, Roman Nose,

Leanne Jacangelo and Bob Kirby Órale, Park and Sixth, and Sam’s A.M. They love art and describe their interior-design style as “modern contemporary.” The proximity to Liberty State Park is not only a plus but the park will always be part of their family lore; they got married at Liberty House in April 2013.

62 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

Unit Three Bob Kirby and Leanne Jacangelo lived in New York City’s Chelsea area before settling in Jersey City. They wanted to buy something and looked in Brooklyn but felt it was too far from their New Jersey families. “We fell in love with the

neighborhood,” Leanne says. “There’s a family, homey vibe with great restaurants and shops. It reminds me of West Chelsea with old brownstones in a walkable neighborhood near Van Vorst Park.” Though they loved growing up in the ’burbs, they wanted to “maintain an urban feel. We don’t see ourselves in the suburbs.” They both still work in New York and love the easy commute by PATH to Midtown. In fact, they like to hang around Jersey City on weekends, and their New York friends were pleasantly surprised by how easy Jersey City is to get to. Some of the places they frequent are Kanibal Home, Word bookstore, Beakman Lane Antiques, Razza, Thirty Acres, and Marco and Pepe’s. They also enjoy the area’s art scene. They’ve been to shows and studios, and love supporting the arts. They weren’t sure if they wanted to live in an old or new building, but character was important. “It’s new construction, but it has interesting character and design with modern interiors,” Leanne says. “I like the way it looks” Each unit has two bed-

rooms and two bathrooms. The master baths feature marble tile, while the smaller baths have ceramic floor tiles. Bob and Leanne have decorated their 1,200-squarefoot unit with a mix of new pieces and antiques. The top three units have a balcony off the master bedroom, and the first floor has a patio. “The building has great outdoor space, which we didn’t have in our previous location,” Leanne says. The top three units can access the backyard from stairways that have entrances in each unit. The backyard can also be accessed from the firstfloor patio.

HOW WE LIVE JCM

Unit Four Alex and Theresa Boras get a few perks by living on the top floor. The unit is 1,325 square feet, and they have access to the roof deck. “We feel happy and blessed to have this space,” says Theresa. “Jorge has a special eye for designing. We appreciate the extra touches he put into the building.” Specifically, their unit has two skylights over the island in the kitchen. “Light is a big thing for us,” she

Theresa and Alex Boras says. “We love the sun.” The lighting in the hallways is recessed instead of the usual overhead lighting. She describes the bamboo floors as “espresso. The apartment is chic and modern, but we feel very comfortable in it.” Furnishing the place is a work in progress. Theresa

can’t quite describe their style, but they do have a rustic antler chandelier and a modern bed in the bedroom. “Industrial modern,” she finally decides. “It’s a minimalist look, but with real people living in the space with photographs and pictures.” The roof deck is of course

a major selling point. They like to sit up there and have a glass of wine. “It’s very calming,” Theresa says. “It’s nice to have a space with flowers and plants.” Theresa is a runner and was thrilled to discover the huge expanse of Liberty State Park practically in her backyard. Her first run there was an eye opener. “I’m a three-mile girl,” she says, “but Liberty State Park is so pretty, I was enjoying it and ran six miles.” Friends had recommended Jersey City to these New Yorkers. “We fell in love with the town, the street, the brownstones, and the downtown,” Theresa says. “We were as surprised as anyone else.” They love the community feeling and have taken advantage of the farmers’ markets, jogs along the waterfront, the Hamilton Park Barbecue Festival, and events they discover on Instagram and other social media. We’re very excited to be first-time homeowners,” Theresa says. “Getting more involved in the community is on our to-do list.”—JCM

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

Tee Time! Come summer, the county golf course should be out of the rough

The course offers great views of the Pulaski Skyway and the Manhattan skyline.

The William A. Stickel Memorial Bridge can be seen in the distance.

64 â&#x20AC;˘ Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

EMERGING JCM

PHOTOS BY AL SULLIVAN

or the last five years, there’s been talk of a county golf course on the west side of Lincoln Park that would be accessible to regular folks like us. The Bayonne golf course and Liberty National in Jersey City are exquisite courses, but unless you’re Rory McIlroy or just a really rich duffer, you won’t be able to set cleats on these gorgeous greens.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

EMERGING JCM

Enter the Hudson County public course, slated to open sometime in summer 2015. The nine-hole, 60-acre course has spectacular views of the Pulaski Skyway and even Manhattan. It has three par 5 holes, three par 4 holes, and three par 3 holes. A temporary clubhouse is being built. Fore!—Kate Rounds

160 NEWARK AVENUE I JERSEY CITY I 201 435 2759

66 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

DATES JCM from page 45

Walk for LSP, folsp.org. Friends of Liberty State Park annual fundraising event from 10 – 11 a.m. along Liberty Walk. Also join in on the Hudson County Improvement Authority’s Run and family Earth Day Festival. New City Kids Annual Benefit Concert, 240 Fairmount Ave., new citykids.org/the dreamer, 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. “The Dreamer,” an original musical production to benefit New City Kids is the story of a young man facing the challenges and triumphs of family and inner-city life. Betrayed by his family and alone, he discovers he’s part of a bigger plan. Performed by the talented children and teens of the organization. DIY Chakra Healing & Opening Workshop. modernsage.com. Learn skills to work with your chakra system and auric layer for optimal health. Fee $10.

26 March for Babies. The March of Dimes Fundraiser at Liberty State Park to help fund lifesaving research and educational programs aimed at helping moms have stronger, healthy babies. Last year, the event had more than 650 people and raised over $150,000. Hudson County residents can sign up at marchforbabies.org and start a team with co-workers, family or friends.

28 INKubator!, Art House Productions, inkubator@arthouseproductions.org. 136 Magnolia Ave. in Journal Square (in the old Verizon building), from 7 – 9 p.m. An artistic collective of writers, directors, and actors hold monthly meetings to test viability of new work and cultivate networks for artistic advancement. Submission process required. Membership is free.

Put your experience to work:

VOLUNTEER to make a difference in your community today

MAY 2 Newport Annual 10k Race, 100 Newport Town Square Place, newport10k.com. Annual 10k race along the waterfront with $15,000 in cash prizes. Registration at 7 a.m.; race starts at 8:30 a.m.

RSVP Center of Essex and Hudson Counties A program for people ages 55 and over

For more information visit www.jfsmetrowest.org/rsvp or contact Alexandra Nagy at 201-526-9706 anagy@jfsmetrowest.org Sponsored by:

see page 68

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

DATES JCM from page 67

4 Historic Downtown Special Improvement District Farmer’s Market, jcdowntown.org.

4-30 Frogs Are Green, International Children’s Art Exhibition, City Hall Rotunda Gallery, 280 Grove St. cityofjerseycity.com/cultural affairs. Weekdays from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.; and weekends from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

6 Indiegrove After Hours with Freelancers Union, indiegrovejc.com. 6 – 8:30 p.m. “Earn more by branding yourself as an expert,” a discussion on why you should sell your expertise, rather than just your services. Determine your most marketable expertise and project your brand in your client communications. Groove on Grove Street, jcdowntown.org. Kick off the summer season at the Grove Street PATH plaza, live music 6 – 9 p.m. on various dates, from May through September.

9 Modern Sage’s Create Your Own Mandala Workshop, modernsage.com. Fee $12.

14-17 Art House’s STAGES! Youth Theater Company presents: “Wizard of Oz Jr.” 136 Magnolia Ave. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 7 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m. arthouse productions.org.

16 Jersey City Challenge Race, citychallenge race.com. Exchange Place, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Friends of Liberty State Park Spring Members Meeting, folsp.org. Picnic Pavilion at end of Conrad Drive, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Modern Sage’s Crystals for Kids Workshop, modernsage.com. 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Fee $5. Bring your child to learn about the power of crystals, geodes and fossils. Learned how they were formed, and how to put them to use. Kids love crystals!

17 Community Rhythm, Grassroots Community Space, 54 Coles St., (201) 500-5483, grassrootscommunityspace.com. 7-9 p.m. Family-friendly drum circle.

see page 82

68 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

POINT&

SHOOT

HONORS FOR VINYL LEGEND STAN KRAUSE

PHOTO BY STEPHEN MCMILLAN

Stan Krause, owner of Stan’s Square Records, was honored at City Hall on December 12, 2014, for his long-running business and his record company, Catamount Records, which has recorded groups such as the Persuasions. (See our story on him in the Fall/Winter 2013/14 issue of JC Mag.) At the ceremony, an acapella group on his label, The True Devines, performed in his honor. The store opened in 1965 on Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City before moving to its current location on Bergen Avenue in 1978. Stan’s is known for its vintage vinyl records by a who’s who of artists, including Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, and James Brown. — Stephen McMillian

SEND YOUR JERSEY CITY PHOTOS TO JCMAG@HUDSONREPORTER.COM. BE SURE TO WRITE “POINT & SHOOT” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

Frankly Speaking,

Boulevard Drinks HAS THE GREATEST HOT DOGS AROUND

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NEW JERSEY ROOM, JERSEY CITY FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY

BY STEPHEN MCMILLIAN

“T

heir hot dogs are tops!” “I can never eat just one,” “It beats eating franks from a street vendor or a hot dog truck,” and “the best hot dogs in the Tri-State area.” These are just some of the comments Jersey City folks have made about the irresistible, all-beef grilled hot dogs at Boulevard Drinks. Centrally located in Journal Square across from the PATH station, it has been in business since 1937. My family and I are longtime customers. When I was a kid, my mom bought hot dogs from there and snuck them into the

70 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

movies at both the Loews Theatre and the State Theater. We even bought raw packs of hot dogs to make at home. Once, when we brought them to a family event, many of our older relatives ate them all, leaving none for us kids. A key player in Jersey City’s history, Boulevard Drinks is to Jersey City what Nathan’s is to Coney Island. In the ever-changing landscape of Journal Square, this iconic canteen has outlasted other institutions such as the State Theater, Pathway and 5 Corners bakeries, Gino’s Restaurant, Universal and A&P supermarkets, Bickford’s Cafeteria, and Sound Machine.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

When time-honored Journal Square establishments were demolished for the construction of new properties, McDonald’s and the Three Little Guys from Italy pizza parlor moved across Kennedy Boulevard. But Boulevard Drinks is where it’s always been.

72 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

Last Man Standing Journal Square is exploding all around Boulevard Drinks. The Square has always played second fiddle to downtown and the waterfront, where glass-and-steel high-rises tout gorgeous river and skyline views, convenient transportation options, and Manhattan commerce and nightlife just minutes away. At the end of summer, ground was broken for the first of three towers, which will be part of the immense development project known as Journal Squared. Kennedy Lofts is a new residential building in the area, and the old Jersey Journal building is slated to become rental apartments. Across from it, a 60-story tower is planned. Changes to the iconic Loews Theatre, right next to Boulevard Drinks, should have a huge impact on hotdog sales. Much ink has been spilled on a controversy that pits folks who want to keep the Loews closely linked to the community with affordable programming against those who agree with Mayor Fulop that it should be managed by a large entity that can attract world-renowned artists. AEG Live, a talent-booking company, is poised to manage the theater, which will undergo a multimillion-dollar facelift.

Dogs and Drinks Boulevard Drinks opens at 8 a.m. You can smell the grilled dogs from the sidewalk out front, which got me wondering, who the heck eats hot dogs for breakfast? “Overnight shifts,” says owner John Bardis, who’s there bright and early on a Friday morning to open the place. The original owner sold it to John’s father, Speros, in 1962. Speros has retired but John oversees daily operations. As a kid, he worked with his dad to learn the business. John has an unusual pedigree for a hot-dog griller. He is a graduate of CIA, the Culinary Institute of America, but says the family business was a bigger draw than being top chef. Bardis has a lot of nostalgia for the 1980s. “The Square was busier then with movie theaters and stores,” he says. His father used to boast that they had so many onions to chop that all of Journal Square would be crying. Back then, they had seven employees; now they have three. Bardis also laments the fact that malls and online shopping have slammed the door on some Journal Square businesses. He’s not too wild about the digital age, either. Now customers sit on the stools, texting and emailing instead of “conversating.” Back in the day, his father would caution him not to talk too much to the customers because he “needed the stool for the next customer.” Bardis got “a lot of heat” in 2005 when he replaced the iconic pink flashing neon sign with a new one. “The old sign was falling apart, and we couldn’t get parts for it,” he says. They also replaced the vintage “juice pumps” from the 1940s with modern machines that hold and dispense the classic orange and pineapple juice that pairs well with hot dogs. And speaking of those dogs, Baris says they are custom-made by Sabrett and not available in supermarkets. His father bought the chili recipe when he bought the shop. John, his brother, and their father are the only ones who know the recipe.

A Dog’s Life Boulevard Drinks has been compared to New York’s Papaya Dogs, but many New Yorkers hop on the PATH and head to Journal Square. New Yorker Joshua Williams ventured to Jersey City one day to visit a relative in the 1990s. “On the way back to catch the PATH train I saw this hot-dog place and I was like, let me have one and then catch my train. Man, after finishing that first one, I had to have like two more, with chili and onions, and I have been coming back ever since to get my orange drink and some Boulevard Drinks hot dogs.” Bardis says he would like to expand operations when the new development in Journal Square is complete. But for now, he’s content with what many call “the golden hole-in-the-wall hot-dog joint.” “I feel great and honored,” Bardis says. “I see new people come every day as well as repeat customers.” Many of those repeat customers who were kids when they began going there are now bringing their kids and grandkids. “I believe it will be around forever,” he says. When I leave the shop, a woman enters and orders two hot dogs. I don’t think she’s on the night shift. I think she just loves hot dogs for breakfast.—JCM

PHOTOS BY KATE ROUNDS

OWNER JOHN BARDIS Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

PHOTOS BY TERRI SAULINO BISH

es, the word pizza is in the name, but this neighborhood eatery is way more than a pizza place. It has an extensive menu of Italian specialties, and feels like a cozy Italian ristorante. First, let’s talk about the hood. It’s on Jersey Avenue between Fifth and Sixth, which puts it in the charming community of Hamilton Park. The park itself is just a few blocks north, and the street is lined with brownstones and shade trees. Visit in the late fall, as we did, and their burnt umber leaves carpet the sidewalk. Family is the other word that comes to mind when I think of Rustique. The minute we walked in, we were greeted by owner Joe Rosiello’s wife, Kelly, and their little boy, Joe Junior. Joe Senior, who has owned the restaurant for three years, came out of the kitchen to join them for some really engaging family portraits. The restaurant is BYOB. Soon, the dining room filled with young couples who brought their own wine and beer. The first thing to come to the table was fresh warm bread. The accompanying dish of olive oil wasn’t the standard fare. It was infused with garlic, and you could smell the aroma as our waitress Simona approached the table. We of course had to try the specialty. Joe recommended we order one large pizza and divide it in half—the large ones are very, very large—with the signature Margherita on one side and on the other the prosciutto di Parma and arugula, which comes

74 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

DINING OUT JCM with mozzarella, roasted garlic oil, shaved parmesan, and no tomato sauce. The high temperatures of the brick-oven cooking method make for a crispy crust and crispier toppings that don’t go limp. You can’t beat a salad/pizza combo. We ordered a beautiful mesclun salad with field greens, tomatoes, kalamata olives, julienne carrots, red peppers, and provolone with house balsamic vinaigrette on the side. Of course, this would be enough for any sane person, but Joe surprised us with something else. I’m glad he did because Rustique is noted for its pasta dishes. This was an elegant combination of sausage, broccoli rabe, and farfalle. Other entrees featured eggplant, chicken, veal, shrimp, spaghetti, ravioli, and “Joey Mo’s Award Winning Mac ‘n’ Cheese.” The substantial menu also includes a range of appetizers, from their signature mussels to chicken wings and tenders and antipasto. Five salad choices include Caesar, Caprese, arugula, and portobello. If you’re in the neighborhood for lunch, you can select from a wide range of cold heroes, hot sandwiches, and pizza rolls.

Guess who? Joe and Joe, Jr.

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

DINING OUT JCM

OK, I didn’t forget dessert. Rustique offers only two options, and we ordered both—homemade Brooklyn cheesecake and homemade Tiramisu. They were both delectable, and that “homemade” isn’t just a gimmick. Kelly made the cheesecake herself. Which brings us full circle to this family-owned, family-friendly eatery that offers “comfort Italian cuisine.”— Kate Rounds Rustique Pizza 611 Jersey Ave. (201) 222-6886 or (201) 222-6883 rustiquepizza.com

76 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

EAT LOCAL. ENJOY WORLD CLASS FLAVORS.

(201) 798-1798 battellojc.com

(201) 222-8088 bertuccis.com

(201) 386-8898 confucius558.com

(201) 533-8888 komegashi.com

(201) 533-0111 raaz.us

(201) 626-6660 dorrians.com

(201) 963-0533 getcosi.com

(201) 963-4900 loradellas.com

(201) 626-6006

(201) 610-9610 fireandoak.com

DINE RIGHT HERE. RIGHT NOW. newportnj.com

DELENIO

357 Seventh St. (201) 798-9539/2233 deleniojc.com Delenio is a neighborhood Italian eatery in the Hamilton Park district, serving the best Italian cuisine and homemade Italian-American favorites using the freshest ingredients. If you are looking for delicious pizza, calzones, or pasta that evokes memories of grandma’s kitchen, Delenio is the place to go. Come enjoy your meal in a gorgeous renovated dining room or seasonal al fresco dining area. You can always take advantage of our fast delivery service. Catering is also available.

EDWARD’S STEAK HOUSE

CONFUCIUS ASIAN BISTRO

558 Washington Boulevard (201) 386-8898 confucius558.com Confucius Asian Bistro is a perfect mix of ambiance, excellence, friendly service, delicious food served with an attractive presentation, large portions, and affordability. Stop in for lunch and take advantage of the specials or for dinner to experience a tasty meal in a serene environment.

78 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

239 Marin Boulevard (201) 761-0000 edwardssteakhouse.com Edward’s Steak House offers steak, seafood, and other sumptuous fare with an elegant bistro flare. Tucked into a historic townhouse in downtown Jersey City, Edward’s is comfortably upscale. The menu includes all the classic steaks and chops—aged prime sirloin, porterhouse, filet mignon, and more. You’ll enjoy the atmosphere whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or stopping by for a steak sandwich at the bar.

GYPSY GRILL

187 Newark Ave. (201) 839-5115 gypsygrillny.com Gypsy Grill uses the finest, freshest ingredients to create delicious Middle Eastern dishes designed to

appeal to everyone from vegetarians to the most devout carnivores. Whether you take advantage of the summer outdoor dining or have your meal delivered, the mouth-watering culinary creations with unique European/Mediterranean flair at reasonable prices will make this a favorite dining choice. Catering is available, so be sure to call on Gypsy Grill for you next party.

HELEN’S PIZZA

183 Newark Avenue (201) 435-1507 helens-pizza.com Helen’s Pizza, a family owned restaurant, has been serving downtown Jersey City since 1968. Using only the finest ingredi-

ents they provide customers with the best tasting pizza, dinners, sandwiches, salads, and now a wide selection of homemade desserts. They have earned their reputation for the best pizza in town. Come taste the difference at Helen’s Pizza. Open seven days: Mon. – Sat. 11 a.m.11 p.m. Sun. 3-11 p.m.

HONSHU RESTAURANT

31 Montgomery Street second floor (201) 324-2788/0277 honshulounge.com When craving an exciting Japanese dish or looking for new cuisine with an enjoyable atmosphere, we have the answer— smoking appetizers, sizzling entrees,

fresh seafood, noodles, and sweet desserts. No matter your selection, rest assured we use the finest and freshest ingredients to bring out the unique taste of our superb menu items.

KOMEGASHI

103 Montgomery Street (201) 433-4567 komegashi.com Located in Jersey City’s financial district, Komegashi offers fresh, well-presented sushi along with traditional Japanese favorites and an extensive selection of fresh shellfish. Locals and visitors from around the world find this a perfect spot to dine in casual elegance. Open seven days.

HOBOKEN OB OK E

ADVERTISE WITH US 201 798 7800

Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 •

DINING OUT JCM

KOMEGASHI TOO

99 Town Square Place Newport Financial Center (201) 533-8888 komegashi.com Komegashi too offers an authentic Japanese dining experience with a spectacular view of the New York Skyline. The menu includes perfectly prepared sushi and sashimi, kaiseki, teriyaki, and tempura. Located on the river at Newport Financial Center, Komegashi too is open seven days.

281 Grove Street (201) 309-0571 morejc.com More offers a wide selection of Thai and Japanese offerings, and more. Whether you stop by for a meal or take one to go, the experience will be satisfying. more is located across the street from City Hall.

THE RESTAURANTS AT NEWPORT

J.C. Waterfront District newportnj.com Overlooking the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline is the most diverse dining destination on the New Jersey Gold Coast—The Restaurants at Newport. Located among the luxury apartments and office towers in the Newport section, The Restaurants at Newport include 12 fine establishments: Komegashi too, Dorrian’s, Raaz, Cosi, Confucius, Bertucci’s, Babo, Fire and Oak, Boca Grande Cantina, Michael Anthony’s, Skylark on the Hudson, and Loradella’s.

RITA & JOE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

142 Broadway (201) 451-3606 ritaandjoes.com. A Jersey City favorite, Rita and Joe’s is the next best thing to Mama’s Italian cooking. This family-run restaurant serves delectable homemade dishes served in the comfort of a cozy and intimate dining room. On- and off premises catering are available.

RUSTIQUE PIZZA

611 Jersey Avenue (201) 222-6886 rustiquepizza.com Welcome to Rustique Pizza! The Rosiello invites you to wake up your taste buds with our delicious food in the casual, friendly atmosphere of our dining room. If you’d rather enjoy your meal at home, we offer free delivery or the option of picking up your entrées or pizza. Our bread, dough, and mozzarella are made fresh daily in-house, ensuring satisfaction each time you dine with us.

80 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015

DINING OUT JCM

SAWADEE

137 Newark Avenue (201) 433-0888 sawadeejc.com Offering exceptional Thai cuisine, Sawadee is a dining experience that will please both the eye and palate! Enjoy lunch, dinner, or a refreshing cocktail in an inviting atmosphere. Sawadee is conveniently located just steps from the Grove Street PATH.

SHANGHAI BEST 97 Montgomery St. (201) 333-6661 shanghaibestjc.com

This Chinese restaurant offers a full menu of Chinese specialtiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; crispy noodles, fried rice cakes, dim sum, cold and hot appetizers, noodle soups, flat-rice noodles, and fried rice, as well as vegetarian dishes, lunch specials, chef specials, beverages, and Chinese desserts. Shanghai Best offers catering and free delivery and is available for parties.

SKINNERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LOFT 146 NEWARK AVENUE (201) 915-0600. SKINNERSLOFT.COM

A chic, loft-style eatery, Skinnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Loft features a warm, spacious interior with exposed brick walls, high ceilings, and total attention to detail. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a perfect spot to enjoy a cocktail and a fine meal.

SKY THAI

62 Morris Street skythaijc.com This new Jersey City eatery near Exchange Place serves traditional Thai cuisine in a warm and beautiful atmosphere. Enjoy a cocktail before dinner and get ready for an authentic Asian feast.

TORICOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

20 Erie St. (201) 432-9458 toricoicecream.com Torico Homemade Ice Cream is Jersey Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s destination for ice cream and desserts. While classic flavors are popular, Toricoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specialty is unique homemade flavors that reflect its founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love of the tropical tastes of Puerto Rico. Over the last 46 years, Toricoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s has become a local institution. It also offers ice cream social packages, custom ice-cream cakes, pies, pints, and mini-scoop samplers to take home.

only

these quadruplets were born and raised â&#x153;&#x201C;in:

31 Montgomery Street, 2 Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302

Â§ www.honshulounge.com

celebrate 629,043 spicy tuna tartar were served in 10 years

NEW LOCATION IS COMING SOON

Outside cafe, full bar, sake bar, & private room are available Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015 â&#x20AC;˘

DATES JCM from page 68

31 Cuban Festival, cityofjerseycity.com/ culturalaffairs. Exchange Place, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

JUNE 3 Indiegrove After Hours w/Freelancers Union, from 6 – 8:30 p.m. indiegrovejc.com. Proposed topic: “Negotiate the rates you deserve,” a discussion on setting the scope of the relationship and how to negotiate the rates you deserve plus tips and resources for your contracts.

4 City Without Walls Traveling Small Works Show. Starting June 4. City Hall Rotunda Gallery, 280 Grove St. Weekdays 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.; weekends: 11 a.m.– 4 p.m. Events are subject to change, for updates and information, call Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs (201) 547-6921.

5 JC Fridays. citywide, day-long, quarterly event promoting the arts, education and community interaction. Art, performances, music, film, and JC Fridays’ business discounts. Programs include art openings and exhibits, spoken word, music, dance, film/video screenings, theater and alternative performance. Free. For more information, go tojcfridays.com. Art House presents the opening of “Joe Velez: New Works” from 7 – 10 p.m., 136 Magnolia Ave., (201) 915-9911, arthouse productions.org.

13 Jersey City Egyptian Festival, Journal Square, 12–10 p.m., cityofjerseycity.com/culturalaffairs.

21 Community Rhythm, Grassroots Community Space, 54 Coles St., (201) 500-5483. grassroots communityspace.com. Family-friendly drum circle from 7 – 9 p.m.

82 • Jersey CITY Magazine ~ SPRING 2015