Volume 17, No. 7
July 15th - July 31st 2013 FREE PUBLICATION
riverviewobserver.net
201-349-4336
Pg. 2 On the Cover
Pg. 5 Cynthia Harris Pg. 10 Home Decor Pg.16&17 Outdoor Dining Pg. 21 Ten Ingredients
Robots, Pirates and “Fuzzy Lemons“ ~ Fun (and Educational) Activities for Hudson's Kids this Summer
T
By Sally Deering
urn off the boob tube, unplug the Xbox and store the video games in the vegetable bin. It’s summer and that means enticing your “mini-me” off the couch and into the fresh air. There are lots of fun – and educational – things planned for kids in Hudson this summer: Secaucus has life-sized dinosaurs; Hoboken has robot workshops; and Jersey City invites kids to dig for fossils in Liberty State Park. That’s just a sampling; here’s a list. Enjoy!
Meet Dinosaur Troubadour!
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Thursday July 18, 11 am: FREE Field Station Dinosaurs at the Jersey City Free Public Library Bonetti Children’s Room 472 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City (201) 547-4519; www.jclibrary.org Dinosaur Troubadour will read dinosaur stories, play her guitar, sing dinosaur songs with the kids and lead them outside to meet a roaring, breathing 15-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Ewwwww Gross!
June 15 to September 2, 9am - 5pm: Kids $14.75; Adults $19.75 Grossology! At the Liberty Science Center 222 Jersey City Boulevard, Jersey City (201) 200-1000; www.lsc.org Sometimes it’s stinky, sometimes it’s crusty, and sometimes it’s slimy. Explore why the body produces mushy, oozy, crusty, scaly and stinky gunk at Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body. con’t pg. 2
on the cover . Based on the best-selling book, “Grossology”, this exhibition uses sophisticated animatronics and imaginative exhibits to tell the good, the yucky, and the downright ugly about runny noses, body odor, and much more. Kids can: • Become a dust particle and walk through a giant nose to learn about air filtering, air heating, olfaction and mucus production • Climb a “human skin” wall covered with warts, hairs, wounds and other objects. • Crawl and slide through a 30+ foot-long 3D model of the digestive system. • Play surgery and remove organ parts from a body without touching the sides of the patient. • Act as a kidney by using a virtual reality glove and blue-screen technology to grab waste elements and remove them from the blood stream.
Water, Water Everywhere! Sat, July 20, 10am-4pm: FREE City of Water Day presented by the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance Liberty State Park, Jersey City www.cityofwaterday.org/ about-city-of-water-day
..
By Sally Deering
The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance works to transform the NY/NJ Harbor and Waterways to make them cleaner and more accessible and a vibrant place to play, learn and work. To celebrate the waterways, the alliance will host a day of interesting things for the kids to do in Liberty State Park. • New Jersey Paleontological Society invites kids to be paleontologists for the day and investigate real fossils from prehistoric creatures. • Kids can take on the role of scientists with the Passaic River Institute and participate in interactive activities about ecology, water and sedimentation. T-shirts, water bottles and pens will be given to all visitors. • US Coast Guard Auxiliary will have activities for all ages. Kids will learn about the American Waterway Watch and boating safety, pollution information, marine radios, and federal boating regulations. • Friends of Liberty State Park will share information about their active gardening volunteer program. Kids can get a free temporary tattoo.
A Little Night Music! Tuesdays, July 23, 30; Aug 6, 13, 20, at 7 pm: FREE Free Outdoor Concerts for the Family Shipyard Park 13th St. & McFeeley Drive, Hoboken (201) 420-2207; www.hobokennj.org Hoboken’s Division of Cultural Affairs offers free concerts for kids and their families on the Hoboken waterfront. Sounds like fun! • July 23 – The Fuzzy Lemons Get ready to jump, wiggle, and shake with The Fuzzy Lemons, the juiciest family-friendly rock band on the scene! With laugh-out-loud lyrics & memorable melodies, every song tells a story & every show is full of fun. C0-Sponsored by Ben & Jerry’s. • July 30 – Erin Lee & the Up Past Bedtime Band Erin’s original songs about loose teeth, lost baseballs, & other assorted joys & challenges of childhood have earned her national attention as one of the freshest, funniest, & insightful performers for kids. . . and of course, their parents. • Aug 6 – Music Makes Me, an integrated, educational, music and movement program designed for kids. Artists perform interactive, educational songs. • Aug. 13 – Guitar Bar Jr. All Stars
Jul 9 & 11: My Gym Hoboken will offer a pre-show demonstration at 6:15 pm
July 23; Aug 6: Mimi’s Kids Yoga will offer pre-show yoga at 6:15pm. con’t pg. 3
• Aug. 20 – Music Together
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AHOY MATEY!
Singing in the Rain!
Sundays at 12 noon through September – Kids: $35; Adults $40 Kiddie Cruise’s Princess & Pirate Adventures Pier 78 www.kiddiecruise.com Kids and their families are invited to hop aboard the Queen of Hearts docked right across the Hudson on Pier 78 in NYC for a cruise on the Hudson where the kids can dress up like pirates and princesses and participate in arts & crafts, face painting, a magic show, balloon sculpting, and live music with sing-a-longs. A bagged lunch is also provided for all adults and kids and includes a sandwich, snack and a piece of fruit. There’s unlimited juice and other drinks, too.
Sats, July 20; Aug 17, 1-3 pm: FREE “The Magic Hat” and “Listen to the Rain” – Plays for Kids Elysian Park 10th & Hudson St, Hoboken Tempest Productions and the City of Hoboken present Storybook Theatre, where stories are brought to life through song, dance, poetry and drama. Storybook characters will invite kids to become an interactive part of the story. Parents are encouraged to pack a picnic. (Rain location: Yankee Ferry, 12th Street Pier, Hoboken) • Sat. July 20: “The Magic Hat”. Kids discover the rhyme, rhythm and magic of books as they follow the bouncing hat. • Sat. August 17 – “Listen to the Rain”. Kids can explore the beauty and mystery of the sounds of rain using found objects and percussion instruments.
Fore + Fore = Fun Open daily through Mon, Sept. 2, 12 noon – 9 pm: $3 per player Bayonne Mini Golf Course W. 24th St. between Broadway & Ave. “C”, Bayonne (201) 8586129; BayonneRec@aol.com Nine holes of mini-golf, picnic tables, and only $3 per player to go around the 9-hole course.
Mad Science Camp! July and August Workshops; (See website for full schedule) Half-Day Camps: $195; Full-Day Camps: $325 Mad Science of Union & Hudson Monroe Center 720 Monroe St, Hoboken (973) 542-8366; http://unionhudson.madscience.org Contact: Julie Serritella Mad Science camp offers a daily combination of in-class discovery and exploration, outdoor games and physical activities, and handson applications of scientific
principles. Kids will get to touch, see, hear, smell and taste what science is about. The camp’s counselors use simple, real world science techniques and campers create, build and assemble a variety of take-home projects while exploring how science affects the world around them. • July 22-26: Eureka! The Inventors’ Camp • July 29-Aug 2: NASA Space Academy • July 29-Aug 2: Survival: Predator or Prey? • Aug 5-9: Red Hot Robots (Additional Materials Fee $30)
T-Rex in Secaucus Tues-Sun, 10 am-6 pm (closed Mondays) through Sept. Kids: $35; Adults: $40 Field Station Dinosaurs 1 Dinosaur Way; Secaucus (855) 999-9010; www.fieldstationdinosaurs.com
Field Station Dinosaurs is set against the natural backdrop of the New Jersey Meadowlands and nestled at the base of a 150 million year-old rock formation. Walk along a 3/4 mile trail to see 32 life-sized dinosaurs and participate in fun activities, which are all included in the Day Pass admission.
Let Go My LEGOS! July 22-26, 1-4 pm. Fee: $250. Bricks 4 Kidz Monroe Center 720 Monroe Street 5th Floor, E-505, Hoboken (201) 747-7070; www.bricks4kidzhoboken.com Contact: Della Markferding The hottest selling LEGO brand, Mindstorms NXT 2.0, combines classic LEGO building with the world of Robotics using motors, sensors and software. Campers learn to design and program LEGO robots that can perform all kinds of tasks. This camp is fun and a challenging introduction to the world of Robotics for the advanced LEGO enthusiast 8 years-old and up.
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Steven M. Fulop Takes the Oath as Jersey City’s 49th Mayor
Photos by Steve Mack On July 1st, former Jersey City Ward E Councilman Steven M. Fulop took the Oath of Office to become Jersey City’s 49th and youngest Mayor. The outdoor ceremony performed in front of Jersey City’s, City Hall drew a crowd of family, friends and supporters that numbered over 3500 people. In attendance were Governor Chris Christie, Senator Bob Menendez ,Congressman Albiro Sires and many other political dignitaries from Hudson County and surrounding communities. To see more Inaugural photos visit us @ www.riverviewoberver.net
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History Detective Author and Historian Cynthia T. Harris Sees the Beauty – and Importance of Dusty Old Pictures and Faded Yearbooks By Sally Deering Imagine a collection of written documents that date back to 1629 before America was even a country, or a series of photos chronicling Jersey City life in the 40s and 50s? Then there’s the “Douglass Map of 1841� the first of a genre of maps of Jersey City depicting property owners and their land lots. Cynthia T. Harris manages these treasures housed in the New Jersey Room of the Jersey City
Cynthia T. Harris Manager of the New Jersey Room, Jersey City Free Public Library
Free Public Library on Jersey Avenue in Jersey City. The New Jersey Room holds some of the most important documents in the history of New Jersey and specifically Hudson County and Harris its very own history detective.
As Manager of the New Jersey Room, Harris oversees the cataloguing – and deciphering – of documents and photographs housed in the archives on the top floor. There, Harris and her staff of librarians – John Beekman and Daniel Klein, library assistants and volunteers assist visitors, especially those researching their family trees and searching for clues to events
that are extremely personal to their lives. “We had Rosie O’Donnell stop by because her great-grandfather died in Jersey City in 1903,� Harris says,� and (the TV show) ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ contacted us to come and film Rosie.� Then there was the time a woman called the New Jersey Room because she Cont’d on Page 6
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History Detective Cont’d from page 5 had been looking for her grandmother’s grave, but didn’t know exactly where her grandmother died. “We had her grandmother in our database,” Harris says. “When I told her she started to cry and said, ‘I was looking for 10 years for my grandmother.’ We have different databases for Hudson County obits, birth announcements, marriage announcements and high school graduations.” Harris is on a mission to collect every year book from every high school in Hudson. “We have 1, 160 yearbooks so far,” Harris says, “and of that 1160, there are photocopied versions because people don’t want
to give up their yearbooks. When St. Mary’s announced they were closing, I asked if we could archive their yearbooks and I’m only missing 4 from their entire run. We need ‘66, ‘67, ‘68 and ‘70.” Sometimes Harris helps people find missing pieces to their past as was the case of a woman whose uncle’s mother was murdered by his father when the family lived in Jersey City. He was a boy then and after it happened, no one told him the truth of what really happened. He never even knew where his mother was buried. “We had articles on microfilm on the murder,” Harris says. “She was buried in Jersey City in Harsimus Cemetery.” The woman, whose uncle’s mother was murdered,
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came to the New Jersey Room from her home in Pennsylvania to thank Harris personally for her help. “She thanked me for giving her uncle closure after 70 years,” Harris says. “Helping people put the puzzle pieces together; it’s a very heartwarming part of the job.” Harris has been at the New Jersey Room since 2001 and she still delights in some of the special treasures in the collection like books that date from 1629; and negatives of a group of photographs taken by Stan McNulty, Jersey City’s resident photographer in the 1940s. Probably the most important document in the New Jersey Room’s collection, Harris says, is the Douglass Map of 1841, the first of a genre of maps depicting the
demarcation of the Heights, Bergen-Lafayette and other sections of Jersey City. Jersey City history is a passion for Harris who was born in the Heights and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from St. Peter’s College in Jersey City and a Master’s Degree in Library Science from Rutgers School of Information and Library Science in New Brunswick. She poured her passion for history into the book she co-wrote with professional photographer Leon Yost also of Jersey City. “Changing Jersey City: A History in Photographs” is a beautifully illustrated book that tells the story of New Jersey’s second largest city in archival pictures and text. Harris and Yost worked on the book for 3 years, using many of the photos and writing the text based on documents from the New Jersey Room’s archives. “Once we had all the pictures, it took us about a year to do the digging on the history,” Harris says. “We had a picture of a boxing match at Paulus Hook and all I
had to do was go to the microfilm. It was a lot of research in the microfilm.” At the New Jersey Room, donations of historical materials continue to pour in. When Jersey City sold the Jersey City Medical Center, the city donated all of the blueprints of renovations to the hospital done through the years to the New Jersey Room. “It’s wonderful,” Harris says. “There’s so much to be done and so much to be organized.” The New Jersey Room Jersey City Free Public Library 472 Jersey Avenue Jersey City (201) 547-4503 www.jclibrary.org
“Changing Jersey City: A History in Photographs,” By Cynthia T. Harris and Leon Yost is available at www. amazon.com. ($29.99)
La Festa Italiana -Holy Rosary Church Celebrates 128 Years with a Bountiful Feast for Parishioners and Neighbors By Sally Deering
Everyone seems to be looking forward to cooler nights after the intense heatwave that took over Hudson these past couple of weeks and in August, there will be a great week of cool evenings when Holy Rosary Church presents its 110th annual La Festa Italiana honoring the veneration of Maria SS. Dell’Assunta & San Rocco.
Beginning, Wed, Aug. 14 and running through Sun, Aug. 18, from 5 pm to 11 pm, at Holy Rosary Church, (344 Sixth Street between Brunswick & Monmouth Streets,) parishioners, friends and neighbors are invited to attend La Festa Italiana and celebrate Holy Rosary Church’s 128 Years as the first Italian parish in New Jersey. There will be live entertainment on two stages and the feast will feature Holy Rosary’s “Famous Wine & Peaches,” Limoncello, scrumptious Italian foods, hourly and “Super” 50/50s, children’s activities and Caffe Italiano. This year’s entertainment features music for all generations, including: •Wed, Aug. 14: Everybody’s Everything •Thurs, Aug. 15: The Toga Party Band •Fri, Aug 16: Total Soul
•Sat, Aug. 17: Jersey Sound •Sun, Aug. 18: The Cameos Several special masses will be held during La Festa Italiana. On Thurs, Aug. 15 at 11 am, there will be an Assumption Feast Day Mass with a Street Procession to follow; and on Fri, Aug. 16, the St. Rocco Feast Day Mass will be held at 11 am, followed by the Street Procession. La Festa Italiana will also host the 4th annual All-Year Reunion Night on Sat, Aug 17 at the Holy Rosary Parish Center for parishioners who attended Ferris High School. Another highlight that happens toward the end of La Festa Italiana is the “Super” 50/50 drawing to be held on Sun, Aug. 18 at 11 pm. Last year’s
winner took home more than $9,200. Mark your calendars for 5-days of great music, delicious Italian food and the possibility of making a few extra dollars. La Festa Italiana is Holy Rosary Church’s special way of saying thanks to its parishioners and neighbors, and to celebrate 128 years of serving the spiritual needs of its devoted parish and community.
If you go: Wed, Aug 14th -Sun, 18th, 5 pm-11 pm La Festa Italiana Holy Rosary Church 344 Sixth Street (between Brunswick & Monmouth Sts.) Jersey City, (201) 795-0120 www.lafestaitalianajc.com Twitter: @lafestaitaliana Facebook: Lafestaitalianajc
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SIXTH ANNUAL CIT Y OF WATER DAY. - 2013 A Free Day of Entertainment , Education and Adventure for the Whole Family Celebrating the Potential of our Waterfront, Harbor and Rivers! On July 20th, 25,000+ people from the Tri-State region will float, sail, ferry, paddle, row, splash, canoe, and kayak their way to, Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ, Hoboken Boat House also at beautiful Governors Island in New York Bay, for the 3rd annual City of Water Day festival. Organizers are hoping as before, that the event will be the largest family waterfront event in the region. Additional events will also be hosted by Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance Partners at various ‘In Your Neighborhood’ venues all around the City. Listings of the additional locations can be found at http://www. waterfrontalliance.org Festival Highlights include: * Fun & free boat tours for thousands of participants on historic and educational
vessels. * Hundreds of kayakers, rowers, boaters and sailors converging on the island from launch points throughout the region. * Free public kayaking & rowing. * Fishing demonstrations * A special children’s fair section which also includes children’s, hands-on, waterfront activities & events * The ‘Waterfront Action Fair’ and advocacy workshops. * Car-free waterfront biking
* Delicious food* Live music by some of the region’s most exciting local bands. IF YOU GO: City of Waterday Liberty State Park July 20th 10:00am - 5:00pm Presented by the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance. To sign up for upcoming meetings about boating & paddling and other volunteer opportunities at: http://www. cityofwaterday.org, or contact Louis Kleinman - lkleinman@ waterfrontalliance.org http://www.cityofwaterday.org
Under New Agreement, HCCC Students will receive Transfer Credits from NJCU By Riverview Observer Staff On Thurs, July 18, Hudson County Community College and New Jersey City University signed a Reverse Transfer Articulation Agreement to help NJCU students who had studied at HCCC but did not graduate to attain their associate degrees. The signing took place at the HCCC Culinary Arts Conference Center. The “Reverse Transfer Articulation Agreement” between Hudson County Community College and New Jersey City University will assist New Jersey City University students who earned at least 30 credits towards an associate degree
while enrolled at Hudson County Community College, but did not complete sufficient credits to earn their associate degree, to transfer credits earned at NJCU to HCCC and complete the requirements for attaining their associate degrees. For more info, go to www.hccc.org.
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Hudson HAPPENINGS MIDSUMMER’S NIGH SCREAM Outdoor Festival benefit At the Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetry Saturday, July 20th, 2013 435 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302 1:00pm until 10:00pm Doors $10 Donation to benefit the Volunteer operated The Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery! An entire outdoor festival of events : Live Music and Live Magic ALL DAY!! Also, Meet the Bellewood Paranormal Investigative Team!! Walking tours throughout the day, including the mysterious Underground Crypts!! PLUS...A very special Tribute to the historic Cemetery’s ‘resident’ Circus Owner, The Frank Robbins Circus of Jersey City!!! This Event will be a Live Radio Broadcast by Friggin Fabulous Radio!! Food, drinks, beer, wine, arts & crafts, KID’s activities, vendors & tent exhibits. DON’T MISS THIS EVENT OF THE SUMMER!!!! Entertainment by Mother www.rockyourmother.com | Pyramada www.pyramada.com Pocketful www.pocketfulrialto.com Magician & Illusionist Society of Rutgers MIS www.CloseUpMagicianNJ.com | Rock-it Docket, The Money Shot, Ted Davis,Wesley’s Magic, Patchwork, Nick C & The OCD’s, Pilot Jones, Cinema Cinema, & more!
Movies -Bayonne Free Animated Movie, Rise of the Guardians, in Gregg-Bayonne County Park on Wednesday, July 21-7:30 PM Mayor Mark A. Smith announced that the County of
Hudson will present a free movie, Rise of the Guardians, Wednesday evening, July 17, at 7:30 p.m., in Stephen R. Gregg-Bayonne County Park. The film will be shown on the lower level of the park, west of the running track. Free popcorn and lemonade will be provided, courtesy
of Lizzmonade. The event is sponsored by County Executive Tom DeGise, the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and the Washington Park Association of Hudson County. The Historic Downtown Special Improvement District presents the Con Vivo Music
Series at Mercardo Park South East corner of Newark Ave. & Jersey Ave. Jersey City. Free Event Tuesday Aug. 6th 6:00pm-8:00pm Featuring chamber music under the direction of the artistic direction of Amelia Ames and Zach Herchen visit us on the web @ www.riverviewobserver.net
Creative Grove Under Seige Finally Friday July 26th 3:00pm until 9:00pm Grove and Newark Avenue Page 11-July 15th -July 31st, 2013 River View Observer
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Jersey City Filmmaker’s Short Film Screening at Long Island Film Expo Phalanx Video Productions announced this week that their short comedy film ‘Greg’s Guardian Angel’, directed by Jersey City resident Dan Kowalski, had a screening at this year’s Long Island Film Expo at the Bellmore Movie Theater in Bellmore, NY on Thursday, July 18th, and in addition to the 2013 Long Island Film Expo it has also been accepted into the 30th Annual Long Island Film Festival and the Diamond Film Festival. Both of these festivals are taking place later this summer. GGA was also part of the Paterson Falls Film Festival. “Greg’s Guardian Angel”
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is a comedic short film that tells the story of how a man’s life is forever changed by his guardian angel... because it gets ruined. It was co-produced in 2012 by Phalanx Video Productions and All Things Random Productions. The project was directed by
Dan Kowalski and written by Dan Conrad. It stars Greg Vorob as Greg and Elmer Santos as his incompetent Guardian Angel. More than half of the filming took place in Hudson County. The office scenes were filmed at Armas Realty in West New York and the restaurant scene was film at Durian’s Red Hand in Jersey City. The rest of the film was shot in Midland Park, NJ. Kowalski the main director at Phalanx Video Productions is also the founder and owner of the company. For more information visit these websites http://www. LongIslandFilm.com,www. PhalanxVideoProductions. com, www.DanKowalski. com, www.GregsGuardianAngel.com.
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Sound Healing Community Meditation with “ROGER ANSANELLI”
Meditations with crystal bowls and voice with the occasional use of other instruments like ocean drums and tuning forks. ROGER ANSANELLI July 31st (Every other Wednesday, starting on July 17, 2013) Elks Club, Hoboken, N.J. TIME: 9:00-10:00 pm ADMISSION: Open to the community, free of charge Note: Please bring something comfortable to sit or lie on. For more information please visit: www.rogeransanelli.com
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Former UFC and Pride Fighter Rolls at Austin Wright’s Bayonne MMA Headquarters
(Photo) From Left to Right; U.S.A Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductees Sensei Keith Price, Former UFC Fighter Emmanuel Yarborough, Sensei Timmy Prisk and Grand Master Austin Wright Sr. Recently, Former UFC and PRIDE Fighter Emmanuel Yarborough gave Empowering Lectures and Autograph Signings at Austin Wright’s Martial Art Academies, in Bayonne and Jersey City, New Jersey. Emmanuel Yarborough was also inducted into the U.S.A. Hall of Fame by NJ State Director and Hall of Fame Alumni Promoter Grand Master Austin Wright Sr. Austin Wright Sr. is a U.S.A Martial Arts Hall of Fame Promoter and Alumni who inducted Former UFC Fighter Emmanuel Yarborough. He is the Guinness Book of World Record, “Largest Athlete” standing 6’8 and almost 800 pounds. UWA Martial Arts Federation of America and the U.S National Martial Arts Team Alliance, partnered with Sidekick’s Talk Show Radio Host Shihan Allen Woodman and Co Host Sensei Timmy Prisk who were instrumental and on hand to interview with Wright in organizing this huge and successful event. At the Hall of Fame, Bayonne and Jersey City, New Jersey UWA Martial Arts Instructors and Associates were inducted for being one of the Top Rated Visionary Leaders and Champions in the Martial Arts Industry. The Induction Ceremony Dinner was held at the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame / Hall of Heroes in the
NJ. The Induction Ceremony was attended by Martial Art Leaders from various Disciplines of Traditional Judo, Jujutsu, Karate, Ju-Jitsu, Kick Boxing, Kung-Fu, TKD and MMA Fighters to include New York’s Original Guardian Angels, Curtis Sliwa, who wasn’t able to attend but had several representatives on hand to pass out awards. Movie Star Celebrities Shoaling Kung-Fu Expert Grand Master Eric Lee and Jeff Meed were special guest hosted by Austin Wright Sr. and Dr. Jim Thomas. Dr. Jim Thomas was the Master of Ceremonies at the Hall of Fame. At Austin Wright Sr.’s Academies they specialize in Traditional Martial Arts, IsshinRyu Karate, MMA Striking, Self- Defense and Ju-Jitsu Takedowns. For more information please call Mr. Wright at (201) 437-1820 or visit us at www. uwa-martialarts.com or www. bayonnemma.com. We have NEW Amateur MMA Combat Sports Training and Traditional Programs for the Entire Family! Our motto is “Family Safety First” while “Preparing Leaders for Unlimited Success. Also, Like Us on Facebook, Austin Wright Sr, UniversalWarriorArts, BayonneMMA and for a Variety of great UFC and MMA Fighters check out Timmy Prisk, who is presently a UWA IsshinRyu Karate Instructor.
restaurant VIEWS-Ten
Ingredients
At The Merchant, Owner and Chef Dave O’Brien Puts the Pub Back in Jersey City
By Sally Deering Since June 2002, The Merchant bar and restaurant on Grove Street has been the unofficial watering hole for city workers who come in to relax after a hard day at City Hall. In fact, it’s not unusual to see the mayor sit
down in the back with members of his staff. Just last week, Jersey City’s newlyelected Mayor Steve Fulop celebrated his election at The Merchant. Owners Dave O’Brien and his sister Anne-Marie share the responsibilities of running the neighborhood pub which features a beautiful bar and two large, red-bricked rooms for dining. They serve an American menu with regional twists, says O’Brien who also is Executive Chef. The brother and sister team hail
originally from Ireland and although the menu is considered American, there’s a nod here and there to their Irish roots. The Merchant offers Lunch & Dinner, Brunch and Late Night Menus with Appetizers, Salads, Sandwiches, Pastas and Entrees to choose from. There’s a House Specialty, too, The Gourmet Short Rib Burger with Horseradish, Chive, Cheddar, Bourbon-Bacon, Heirloom Tomato, Iceberg Lettuce and Beer-Fried
Onions on a Brioche Bun and served with Hand-Cut Fries. ($15) Other outstanding dishes
include the Fried Calamari appetizer ($10); the Cobb Salad ($11); Mac & Cheese ($10/$14); and the Char Grilled Angus Skirt Steak ($18). On a busy Friday, Dave O’Brien took time out of his busy schedule to share with Riverview Observer’s readers his “Ten Ingredients” for The Merchant’s success. Let’s meet Chef Dave O’Brien! RVO: Dave, how would you describe The Merchant’s menu? DO: It’s an American menu with regional twists. We just brought on a new burger --- a short rib chuck blend on a brioche bun that comes with bacon, horseradish, chive, cheese, beer-fried onions, Iceberg lettuce and Heirloom tomatoes, and served with hand-cut fries. We started it six weeks ago and it’s a huge hit. It’s like a gourmet burger. Cont’d on page 22
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restaurant VIEWS-Ten Chef Dave O’Brien of The Merchant RVO: How did you come up with the Gourmet Burger? DO: We’ve had the same burger on the menu for 8-10 years. I visited Upstate New York and had an incredible burger there. A lot of our customers are regulars and I try the food on them before I put it on the menu. I see what they like and don’t like. RVO: You and your sister Anne-Marie owned The Embankment restaurant in Jersey City. Why did you sell? DO: We had it for four and a half years. It was getting tiring and we wanted to concentrate on The Merchant and do what we’ve done best the past 11 years. RVO: How did you become a restaurateur? DO: I’ve done hospitality since I worked at my uncle’s hotel the Hilltop in Cork,
Ireland. It was a full hotel– 50 rooms -- and I worked in the kitchen a couple of summers. Since then, I’ve always worked in bars and hotels. My passion now is definitely the kitchen and the food. RVO: Did you train professionally to be a chef? DO: I’m self-taught. RVO: Are there any Irish dishes on The Merchant’s menu? DO: We don’t really advertise ourselves as an Irish place, but we do have an Irish Breakfast which is common in Ireland. It has Irish bacon, Irish sausage, Irish beans, (baked beans in a tomato sauce), and fried mushrooms. We serve it with bread soaked in bacon fat and then fried. It tastes absolutely delicious. It’s on our brunch menu under the section, “Hung-Over”. You have that and you’re ready
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Ingredients
for more beer. RVO: What is The Merchant’s signature dish? DO: The old signature dish was the Skirt Steak, which is still on the menu, and served with sautéed mushrooms and onions and fries. I’m trying to make the Gourmet Short Rib Burger our new signature dish. RVO: Anything else new at The Merchant? DO: We update our specials every day for our regulars and we’ve upgraded the furniture and TV, but the best thing about The Merchant is our consistency. We have staff members who have worked here since we opened. It’s like going to “CHEERS”; everybody knows your name. RVO: The Merchant is across from Jersey City Hall; have you served any mayors? DO: We’ve served four
Jersey City mayors during our 11 years here: Mayors Glenn Cunningham, Harvey Smith, Jerramiah Healy and Steve Fulop. \We stay on the sidelines and try to please everybody. The Merchant is a neutral zone politically. We congratulate whoever wins and console whoever loses. RVO: You have a lot of space at The Merchant do you host parties, too? DO: In Ireland and England, pubs are like a meeting place. Everything is run from the pub. I have a soccer team from here: the Jersey City FC (football
club); it’s an over-30s league. Everybody comes here and hangs out. This is our meeting place and then we go and play soccer. We have writers clubs, reading groups, softball teams. We even have a knitting club. Where are you going to get a soccer club and a knitting club meeting in the same place? If you go: The Merchant Bar & Restaurant 279 Grove St Jersey City (201) 200-0202 www.themerchantnj.com
Leasing Open at Laguna, Newport, Jersey City’s Newest Waterfront Property Luxury Building Marks First Development Adjacent to Newport Green Park; Already 40% Leased Jersey City, NJ (July 15, 2013) – Laguna, the newest high-end residential property in the Newport neighborhood of Jersey City, is now available for renting. Already 40 percent leased, the 19-story Hudson River-waterfront building features 158 one, two and threebedroom residences, ranging in size from 759 square feet to 2,015 square feet. The Laguna marks the first of the masterplanned community’s final phase of development, which will surround the neighborhood’s award-winning 4.25acre park, Newport Green. mresidents and visitors.”
“We broke the mold with the Laguna to create a product unique to existing offerings in Newport,” said Jamie LeFrak, principal at LeFrak. “We engaged a nationally-known design firm to add upscale finishes to every home and luxurious building amenities like a screening room and rooftop lounge. Paired with Laguna’s location next to the park, the building represents the 27year evolution of our vision to transform the Jersey City waterfront into a thriving neighborhood with open green spaces and sidewalks
site parking and direct access to 15 different fine-dining and fast-casual restaurants; shopping at boutique and name brand stores; a preschool and an award-winning private elementary school; a 154-berth marina and yacht club, and a wide range of outdoor experiences centered around Newport Green, the community’s 4.25-acre park.
full of residents and visitors.” Located at 45 Park Lane South, just steps from Newport Green and the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, Laguna offers iconic views of the Manhattan skyline, as well as a scenic perspective of Jersey City and Hoboken. Residences at Laguna feature oak wood flooring, floor-to-ceiling windows and in-unit Asko washer/ dryers. Under the award-winning expertise of the Stevens B. Jacobs Group and Andi Pepper Design, known for designing The Edge in Brooklyn and The Gansevoort Hotel in Manhattan, kitchens and baths at Laguna were outfitted with stainless steel Whirlpool
Newport Green features the only urban beach on the Hudson River; a 17,000-square-foot playground with state-ofthe-art play equipment and a splash pad; a 30,000-squarefoot turf field; a carousel and other amenities. For more information about Laguna visit www.lagunanj. com or email info@lagunaNJ. com. or call 201.626.5001
appliances, quartz countertops and custom ItalKraft cabinetry. Bathrooms were also designed with grey Basalt tiled floors, glass mosaic accent walls, and modern chrome fittings. Onsite amenities at Laguna include a resident’s rooftop lounge, screening room, fitness center and children’s playroom. The rooftop lounge features a fully-equipped kitchen, pool table, WiFi access and patio seating; while the screening room at Laguna boasts oversized leather recliners, a widescreen high-definition projector and a home theatre system with surround sound, digital cable and a DVD player. Residents of Newport enjoy 24-hour doorman services, on-
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