Volume 16, No. 7
July 16th - July 27th 2012 FREE PUBLICATION
riverviewobserver.net
201-349-4336
Pg. 2 On the Cover Pg. 6
Hudson County Personalities
Pg. 8
BHS Drama Presents “13” Tammy Blanchard
Pg. 13 “Union Square” Pg. 16
10 Ingredients
Lorraine Wuillamey
Pgs. 18 - 20 TURN YOUR UNWANTED JEWELRY INTO CASH Jewelry & Watch Repair
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Exhibits Give Kids Cool (and Educational) Summer Fun
F
By Sally Deering
un science seems to be the theme at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City which is like an amusement park of interactive exhibits for kids of all ages. Creatures that glow in the dark; bananas needing surgery and race cars fueled by solar energy are just a few of the exhibits the center’s educators have devised to show kids science can be fun. This summer kids can learn about things that go bump in the night when they explore “In the Dark”, the world of nocturnal creatures and the natural phenomena that exist with little or no light. “Got Power?” features solar race cars and solar hockey as a platform to understand energy conservation, and also invites kids to mount exercise bikes and spark up the energy to create a fireworks display. A big summer special is “Be a Surgeon” where kids don hospital scrubs in a sterile “operating room” to diagnose a banana with an acute affliction.
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“Operating on a banana is a live science demonstration,” says Elizabeth Romanau, Director of Communications at Liberty Science Center. “We choose volunteers in the audience and they’re introduced to ‘Hannah Banana’ who has come to the emergency room with a pain in her side. con’t pg. 2
on the cover . When the kids are doing surgery, they operate in a sterile field and learn why surgeons keep the operating room sterile. It’s real science, it’s interesting to kids and it teaches them something important. It has a lot of different levels.” Liberty Science Centers offers many live science demonstrations, Romanau says. There are one-on-one demonstrations and group activities where families have the opportunity to learn together. “Depending on the interests of your child, whether its geology or animals, you can spend hours exploring the topics,” Romanau says. In the Dark, a traveling exhibit by the Cincinnati Museum Center lets kids explore ecosystems they rarely get to see up-close like the deep, dark forest; the ocean floor; and even a typical backyard at night. There are walk-through dioramas, real
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By Sally Deering
specimens and even glow in the dark mushrooms. Kids learn about nocturnal animals like the scorpion and raccoon and are introduced to the importance of preserving fragile worlds that live in the dark. Got Power? is a fun exhibit that spotlights the ways you can conserve and save energy. To illustrate, the science center set up a huge racetrack with solar-powered racecars. There’s solar hockey, too, and exercise bikes where the energy kids expend pedaling sets off a fireworks display. Skyscraper! lets kids explore the planning, design, engineering and technology of skyscrapers. Kids can step out on a narrow steel beam and “walk the steel’ 18 feet above the gallery floor. (There are height and weight restrictions.) They can test how buildings react to high winds and see what happens when hurricanes blow. Young learners can don a hard hat and safety vest and
discover how an elevator works, create their own skyscraper design, build a neighborhood with colorful blocks, load wood chips with a real mini-excavator, and stack blocks using an electromagnetic mini-crane. In all, the Liberty Science Center offers more than 20 permanent and traveling exhibits and an array of 20-minute shows put on by science educators in the exhibition galleries held daily and with plenty of audience participation. These include Touch Tank; Cow Eye Dissection; The Power of Air; How Electricity is Made; and Be a Surgeon, where kids 5-12 don scrubs and help diagnose what’s causing the pain in Hanna Banana’s side – and then perform surgery. “We have a lot of science educators, some who are retired teachers,” Romanau says. “All the people who work here have backgrounds in science. I really love earth science and I’m the PR person. We all have a corner of science we love.” con’t pg. 3
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Liberty Science Center is also the only children’s museum in the world to have its own resident magician. That’s right. Internationally famous David Blaine, known for creating incredible illusions is working on his new underwater act at the Liberty Science Center. (But please don’t expect to see him there; he is extremely private about his work.) In fact, the president of the Liberty Science Center is a friend of Blaine’s. In the “You’ve Got David Blaine” video on AOL (www.aol.com/ video/youve-got-davidblaine/517278305/), Blaine talks about the “top secret” underwater act he’s working on. Blaine filmed part of the video inside the Liberty Science Center’s aquarium. In one scene, he smokes a cigar underwater. “When you come to a museum you get to see the best side of humanity,” Blaine says in the video. “As a kid my mother took me to museums, she took me to libraries to see interesting exhibitions or interesting people doing bizarre things and that was my education. I thought it was so exciting to have the opportunity to come to the Liberty Science Center to develop my underwater act and I’m building out this routine that’s never been done. For me it’s even more amazing to develop it here and young kids come and have great thoughts and add little gestures to what I’m trying to do which is still secret at this point. Putting science together with magic and endurance seems to make everything more interesting. For me
One of Liberty Science Center Exhibits: Rock Climbing Wall it takes away from just the illusion of it. When you’re doing things that are real but seem impossible that’s a different kind of magic. It’s more self-gratifying. Magic is such an amazing field to be in because it combines logic and math and science and being in a place like this, in a museum, where you get to interact with things and see things really inspires me to come up with new ideas.”
New ideas are always budding at the Liberty Science Center. This fall, there will be a new exhibit “Animation” about the science of animation and how animations are used. There will also be an Avatar exhibit with real props from the film. And recently, a partnership between the Liberty Science Center and Google was announced. The two will team up for a major international exhibition of
the Rubik’s Cube. On the 40th anniversary of the invention of the Rubik’s Cube (April 2014) the interactive Rubik’s Cube Exhibition, will open at the Liberty Science Center and feature a working Rubik’s Cube made from $2.5 million worth of diamonds; elaborate Cube artwork; Cube-solving robots; virtual reality simulations of Cubes that aren’t really there; a glowing 35-foot-tall Rubik’s Cube that can be manipulated by anyone with an Internet connection; and a tiny nanoscale Cube. “We look for things that are fun,” Romanau says. “Science should be approachable for a kid, fun for a kid.” If You Go: Liberty Science Center 222 Jersey City Boulevard Jersey City, NJ (201) 200-1000 www.lsc.org Hours: Mon-Sun, 9am-5pm
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Hudson County Personalities SAINT ANTHONY HIGH SCHOOL DEAN TO COMPETE IN NEW YORK CITY IRONMAN COMPETITION IN AUGUST 2012 TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL -River View Observer [Jersey City, NJ] - Teachers are known for giving selflessly in support of the youth they educate. Daniel Kelly, Dean of Juniors and Seniors at Saint Anthony High School in Jersey City, NJ, is no exception and has been training for the Ironman competition to be held in the New York City/ New Jersey metropolitan region on August 11, 2012. The 140.6-mile race will take place in parts of both New York City and New Jersey, making it the most metropolitan environment ever to host an Ironman. The course will include a 2.4-mile swim in the Hudson River; a 112-mile bike ride on the Palisades Parkway in Bergen and Rockland Counties; and a 26.2-mile run beginning in Fort Lee, NJ and finishing in Riverside Park in Manhattan. With the generous sponsorship support of Reebok, Sneaker Factory and Grove Street Bicycles, Mr. Kelly’s training has shifted into “overdrive” as he heads into the final month of preparation. During the past six months, Mr. Kelly has logged over 2,400 miles running, 3,600 miles biking and 72 miles swimming in the Cranford, NJ area. In an age when so many Catholic schools are struggling to survive, Saint Anthony High School often faces the same challenges but continues to find innovative approaches to not only surviving, but thriving. It inspires teachers like Mr. Kelly to do unprecedented things in support of inner city education. Quick facts about the school: In the last 18, years, EVERY student that has graduated from the school has been accepted to college. The class of 2012 received 6.1 million dollars in scholarships and/or aid packages. Of the school’s roughly 250 students, many come from families living below the poverty line. St. Anthony’s has to raise $1.5 million annually to keep tuition affordable. The school’s nationally recognized boys’ basketball program has won four National Championships, 27 State Parochial titles (the most in the nation) and seven undefeated seasons. Legendary coach Bob Hurley, Sr. has been devoted to the school for over 40 years Individuals and businesses are invited to make a pledge for Mr. Kelly’s Ironman efforts. He’s actually competing in Honor of the late Sr. Alan, a former and beloved school leader. Miracles happen every day at Saint Anthony High School. They have been for sixty years. If you are interested in pledging your support for education and for this valiant effort, e-mail: calamitos@stanthonyhighschool.org. Be a part of the miracle of Saint Anthony. Page 4 River View Observer
Did You Know?
•No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, and purple. •A shrimp’s heart is in its head • Abraham Lincoln’s dog, Fido, was also assassinated. • Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants. • Dolphins sleep with one eye open. • Hershey’s Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it’s kissing the conveyor belt.
Hudson Then...Again
by Maureen Wlodarczyk
Weehawken Sculptor, Karl Bitter
T
he July 4th holiday arrived last week with a blast of heat, blazing grills and fireworks lighting up the night skies with explosive rainbows of color as we marked the anniversary of our American independence. Tom Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence would no doubt be pleased to see that we continue to celebrate his work and the founding principles of our nation that are as relevant today as they were over two centuries ago when he put his pen to paper.
feel his spirit at his stately Virginia home, Monticello, and can enjoy the tranquility of the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin in Washington. Statues of Jefferson abound, including three that were the work of a Weehawken sculptor, Karl Bitter.
immigration station. Bitter began his new life like so many before and after him, with little money and the enduring immigrant dream of a better future. His artistic training helped him quickly find employment as a skilled laborer working for an architectural decorating firm during which time he crossed paths with noted architect Richard Morris Hunt who recognized Bitter’s talent and proved to
B
J
efferson’s life and legacy are preserved and remembered across our nation. He looks down on us from Mount Rushmore, we
itter was born in Austria in 1867 where, as a young man, he trained to be a sculptor at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. In 1889, he sailed alone for the U.S. on the S.S. Lahn out of Bremen, Germany, landing in Lower Manhattan and entering the country through the Castle Garden
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Bitter in his Weehawken Studio be a continuing source of encouragement to him.
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t the age of 22, when he was working at the Cont’d on page 6
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Hudson Then...Again Cont’d from page 5 - Weehawken Sculptor, Karl Bitters Bitter entered a competition seeking designs for massive bronze doors to be installed at Trinity Church in Manhattan. Young Bitter’s fellow employees reportedly mocked his bravado in submitting his design only to see him win the coveted assignment over many notable and more experienced sculptors of the day. He used his earnings from that project to launch his own studio and, within just ten years of his arrival from Austria, he was a successful, respected artisan and much in demand.
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n 1893, Bitter worked on the architectural sculpture for the Chicago World’s Fair and went on to serve as the director for sculpture at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo in 1901. Bitter established a residence and studio on the Boulevard in Weehawken in the late 1800s. Perched high on a cliff, the unusual dwelling was one of the largest in North Hudson and was surrounded by a tall stone wall adorned with cherubs and medallions. Bitter was the head of sculpture programs at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904 and was selected to serve as president of the National Sculpture Society.
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itter’s works can be found at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, the County Courthouse in Cleveland, the Wisconsin State Capitol, the University of Virginia, the University of Michigan, Cornell University, and include Page 6 River View Observer
away from the path of the oncoming car. She survived her injuries but Bitter did not, dying at New York Hospital the following morning at age 47.
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Bitter’s Statue of Thomas Jerferson many stately public fountains, among those the Pulitzer Fountain in New York City. In addition, Bitter was retained by some of America’s wealthiest families including the Vanderbilts. For the Vanderbilt estate, Biltmore, Bitter created magnificent figures of St. Louis the King and Joan of Arc, the Maid of New Orleans.
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n 1902, Bitter had a brush with death while riding in a coach when the horse was spooked and the driver lost control. Bitter and the coachman were not seriously injured but the newspapers described the coach as having been “kicked to pieces.” In April 1915, Bitter was not so lucky when he and his wife were struck by an automobile that jumped the curb and hit them as they were leaving the Metropolitan Opera House shortly before midnight. It was reported that Bitter pushed his wife
itter’s brilliant career was cut short and we can only imagine what his body of work would have been had he lived. Local newspapers said that Bitter took an “active interest” in the civic affairs in Weehawken. In 1906, one of those publications summed it up as follows:
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“ n these days when civic beauty is an attainment so greatly to be desired, the presence of a man of Mr. Bitter’s artistic ability in a community like Weehawken may do much to lend to the town artistic features that it would not otherwise possess.”
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ess than six months after Karl Bitter’s untimely death, his stunning home on the Boulevard was gutted by a fire that destroyed many valuable and irreplaceable works of art. Mrs. Bitter was not at the house at the time of the fire. Maureen Wlodarczyk is a fourth-generation-born Jersey City girl and the author of three books about life in Jersey City in the 1800s and early 1900s: Past-Forward: A Three-Decade and ThreeThousand-Mile Journey Home, Young & Wicked: The Death of a Wayward Girl and Canary in a Cage: The Smith-Bennett Murder Case. For info: www. past-forward.com.
Karl Bitters Studio Weehawken Palisades
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Did You Know?
• There are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball. • All polar bears are left handed. • Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep him cool. He changed it every 2 innings.
• One in every 4 Americans has appeared on television
Comedy of Errors Shakespeare Double Twin Trouble with a Looney Tunes Edge
1940’s Looney Tunes meets double twin trouble in Hudson Shakespeare Company’s production of “Comedy of Errors, above the twin merchants Antipholus’ (above left Michael Rehse, right Rich Wisneski) and below their servants Dromios (left Melissa Meli and right, Laura Mae Baker) 21st annual Shakespeare in the Parks series, the Hudson Shakespeare Company, concludes it presentation of “Comedy of Errors” with one performance on Monday July 23rd,at 7pm . The company takes the absurd farce from its ancient Greek setting to 1940’s New York with a Looney Tunes edge. “The show’s over the top and frenetic comic pace lends itself to a cartoon like setting.”, said Michael Hagins, the show’s director. “Chase scenes, exaggerated physical comedy, and pies in the face action pepper the play.” Jersey City’s Van Vorst Park Corner of Montgomery Street & Jersey Avenue
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The Readers’ Circle book group resumes Thursday, September 20 to discuss
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST by Ken Kesey. Check out our Fall list of books for some great summer reading:
September 20
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST Ken Kesey October 18 -CHILDREN OF MEN P.D. James November 15 -BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY Jay McInerney
The Readers’ Circle meets the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00pm in All Saints, 701 Washington Street, in Hoboken. The Readers’ Circle is a community event. All book lovers are welcome. Bring a friend. Free coffee and cake is served. For more info write readerscircle123@aol.com.
Bayonne High School Drama presents “13” the smash hit musical by Jason Robert Brown
July 27th & 28th at 7Pm and July 29th at 2:00 PM.
“13” is a grown-up story about growing up! When his parents get divorced and he’s forced to move from New York to a small town in Indiana, Evan Goldman just wants to make friends and survive the school year. Easier said than done. The star quarterback is threatening to ruin his life and his only friend, Patrice, won’t talk to him. The school freak sees an opportunity for blackmail and someone is spreading the nastiest rumors. With an unforgettable rock score from Tony Awardwinning composer Jason Robert Brown, 13 is a hilarious, high-energy musical for all ages about discovering that cool is where you find it, and sometimes where you least expect it. For ticket information go online to BHSDRAMASOCIETY.COM or call the BHS Box Office at 201-858-0071
Art Courting Decadence Exhibition at the Brennan Gallery, Jersey City, Now– July 27th, 2012
On July 9, the exhibition Courting Decadence, opened at the Brennan Courthouse Gallery, in the Justice William J. Brennan Courthouse. The hob’art co-operative gallery will present artwork in the mediums of painting, photography and mixed media. The exhibit will be open to the public from and a reception to meet the artists will be held on Friday, July 27 – 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm. William J. Brennan Courthouse 583 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07306 201.795. 6000 Page 8 River View Observer
(ARA )
Need a style lift? Begin with neutral flooring for ultimate design versatility
According to a
recent survey by Better Homes & Gardens magazine, consumers rank “style upgrades” as the most important component of their upcoming home improvement plans. If you want some great style ideas for your home, consider starting with the flooring. What is a fresh, new, and widely-popular neutral color within interior design circles? That would be grey. Quick-Step offers a variety of styles and options with grey undertones. Greytoned floors provide the ideal backdrop to let your style and favorite colors shine through, and they also transition well as interior design styles and trends change.
Grey is the new brown Grey is no longer viewed as a “trend” color in design circles, but is now viewed by professional designers as the “new neutral”.
“Grey is the new brown,” says Erinn Valencich, L.A.based interior designer and blogger for HGTV’s Design Happens. “I used a grey-based floor in my new design studio because it goes well under a myriad of other wood tones.
You don’t have to use grey-based furniture on top of it - grey looks great with all wood tones.” Another benefit to grey-based flooring, Valencich adds, is that it’s very forgiving.
PLACE YOUR HOME DECOR AD ON THIS PAGE AND OUR READERS SEE IT IN PRINT DIGITAL MOBILE 201.349.4336 Page 9 River View Observer
Take advantage of everything summer has to offer with our PayCheck Advance Loan. Whether you use the money to catch up on bills or to give yourself a much-deserved summer getaway, the LSFCU PayCheck Advance Loan may be the right source of extra cash. To help our members avoid having too much of their hard-earned money consumed by payday lending fees, LSFCU has created the PayCheck Advance Loan. It offers you:
Loans up to $1,000
// Rates of just 18%
Call 201.659.3900 and select option 5, or visit LSFCU.org to get started! DON’T FORGET – IT’S NEVER TOO SOON TO START PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR’S VACATION! Open an LSFCU Vacation Club account or increase your current payroll deduction to your existing account by a minimum deposit before 9/30/12 and Liberty Savings will make the initial $15 Deposit. Did you know that Liberty Savings can offer you a Vacation Loan at rates that will make your getaway an affordable reality. Receive 1% off your qualifying rate when you get an LSFCU Vacation loan before 9/30/12. Membership in Liberty Savings is open to people who live, work, worship, or attend school in Hudson County – as well as members of our Select Employer Groups.
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Monroe Theatrespace
720 Monroe Street Hoboken, NJ Performances July 17 through 20 at 7pm, July 21 at 2pm and 7pm Hoboken Children’s Theater’s new summer program, SummerStage Pro presents Les Miserables, student edition from July 17 - 21, directed by stars of the Broadway production, Lisa Capps, Don Brewer and Randy Glass. This marks the inaugural season of SummerStage Pro, a free program for teens and young adults from all over NJ and NYC. Spanning across economic and cultural backgrounds, SummerStage Pro is the next step for all young performers who want to pursue a career in theater. Hoboken Children’s Theater headed by Chase Leyner, has been a driving force in the artistic community in Hoboken for 10 years. As one of the resident theater companies at the Monroe Theatrespace, HCT produces more than a dozen productions each year with children ages 4 to 20. Ms. Capps, Mr. Brewer and Mr. Glass, shared their Broadway knowledge and expertise with the cast of 40 young adults, providing them with truly professional training. This production promises to be an incredible experience for both the performers and the audience. This program is solely funded by ticket sales and program ads, so please make this summer a success and ensure we can continue this program by attending a performance and purchasing an ad in our program and make the future of HCT’s SummerStage Pro a reality. For ticket and advertising information please call 646-339-8485 Les Miserables Tickets $20 available at www.hobokenchildrenstheater.com Page 11 River View Observer
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Hudson County Actress Tammy Blanchard and Mira Sorvino Star in “Union Square” Now Playing at Angelika Film Center NYC
Emmy winner (“Life With Judy Garland” ) and double Tony nominee (“Gypsy, How to Succeed,” Actress Tammy Blanchard co -stars with Academy Award Winner Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite )in a new film by acclaimed writer/ director Nancy Savoca (True Love, Dogfights, Household Saints). In “Union Square Blanchard plays Jenny, Sorvino’s reserved, estranged, young sister who has spent the last three years trying to distance her self from her tumultouous upbringing which includes her sister Lucy. Arriving from the Bronx on the verge of a nervous breakdown Lucy’s unexpected visit to Jenny’s Union
NEW BOOK “LET’S PLAY SHESS” EMPOWERS WOMEN TO CHANGE FROM PAWN TO QUEEN
Wendy Oliveras’ new book Let’s Play SHESS published by AuthorHouse inspires, teaches and motivates women to gain confidence and achieve success on a personal and professional level by playing chess. (Jersey City) Let’s Play SHESS encourages women of all ages and backgrounds to learn to play a fun game of chess and to transfer the acquired chess-playing skills into their real life plan and business development. Author Wendy Oliveras, a member of the United States Chess Federation (USCF), and Founder and CEO of Oliveras & Company, Inc., a legal search firm, wrote Let’s Play SHESS after her legal recruitment business was hit hard during the economic downturn in 2008; it was her chess skills that got her through those tough times. As a result of writing Let’s Play SHESS, Oliveras created SHESS Global Alliance, LLC. Author Wendy Oliveras, 49, is a resident of Jersey City and first learned to play chess when her dad taught her at age 14. She took her chess-playing skills and transferred them into all aspects of her life, including her educational and professional endeavors. Oliveras holds a Master’s degree with honors from The New School in New York City and is the President of the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO), Hudson County Chapter. Oliveras enjoys mentoring girls to believe in themselves; motivating women to start and manage their businesses; and inspiring them all to learn to play chess. Let’s Play SHESS teaches women to become SHESS players on their own battlefields, find the warrior inside themselves, make positive changes in their lives, set goals, and find the courage to face each day with confidence and strength. Let’s Play SHESS links the inherent lessons learned by playing chess and building successful strategies while transferring those chess-playing skills into all aspects of life. These skills include analyzing and solving problems with more logical clarity; strategic planning; pattern recognition; facing your fears; having confidence to make sound decisions; believing in yourself and achieving all of your personal and entrepreneurial aspirations. Let’s Play SHESS is now available and can be ordered directly from the publisher at www. authorhouse.com, and www.amazon.com, and www.B&N.com. Wendy Oliveras is available for appearances and interviews. She can be reached at (201) 344-1099 or email her at info@playshess.com. To purchase visit: www.authorhouse.com http://www.amazon.com; http://www.b&n.com OTHER WAYS TO GET THE BOOKFollow: http://www.twitter.com/LetsPlayShess Like: http://www.facebook.com/LetsPlayShess
Square apartment in New York City forces Jenny to face her past and reveal some secrets of her own. Union Square Stars: Mira Sorvino (Lucy), Tammy Blanchard (Jenny), Mike Doyle (Bill), Michael Rispoli (Nick), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Sara) and Patti LuPone (Lucia). For more information on Union Square or to find a theater near you, visit www.theunionsquaremovie.com Angelika Film Center, Mercer and Houston Streets, Greenwich Village. Running time: 1 hour 20 minutes Showtimes 11:00am - 1:00pm 3:00pm - 5:00pm...
Sorvino, Blanchard and Savoca on the set of “Union Square”
Tammy Blanchard and Mike Doyle in a scene from “Union Square.”
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NJ Playwright and Director “Brings his Vision” to the Theatre World
By Evelyn Bonilla The role of a director in the theater world is an interesting one, equipped with a script, theatre actors and a stage; the director can bring to life the very core of a story. Just ask New Jersey playwright and director M. Stefan Strozier. Strozier’s ability as a director showcases how he is able to take his audience into a tragedy and pull them out, which in turn leaves his audiences wanting more. Strozier who is also a playwright as well as a director has managed to create plays and productions that bring to the stage an interpretation of tragedies that makes the audience cry and cheer for its characters. In his play “Guns, Shackles & Winter Coats” he takes his audience on a journey that explores the mental and physical well-being of a soldier returning from war who is dealing with a post-traumatic stress disorder. The end result; is a look into what really happens to the human psyche when it is exposed to the horrors of war. In his play “The Green Game” he goes into the life of Senator Nick Albright’s fall from grace and how his own daughter, motivated by revenge, lures her father into a counterfeiting operation with con artists in Havana, Cuba. Strozier writes “The Green Game” in the style of a Greek tragedy and what results is an intense look at what the outcome of greed can truly be. Strozier has many other plays to his credit such as “The Whales” and “The Tragedy of Abraham Lincoln.” All of his plays have all performed to lengthy runs on Off-Off Broadway and Off-Broadway. They have also been featured in the Midtown International Theatre Festival as well as other festivals throughout the country. M. Stefan Strozier is also one of the first to write 4 to5 act plays about Mexican history, his play “La Revolucion” was showcased on Off Broadway and is just one of the first of a series of plays he is writing about Mexican history. Currently he is working on “The New World” which he is writing now and another in the future which will dwell into the life of Benito Suarez. In all Strozier has written about nine plays, directed seven and produced about twenty plays. In 2004, on his quest to bring to life his “work and vision” he created his own nonprofit theater company called “La Muse Venale Acting Troupe” (www.lamusevenale.org) which is based in New York City. As well as being a playwright, director and producer Strozier is also an accomplished author and book publisher. In 1996 Strozier founded World Audience Publishers (www.worldaudiencepublishers.com), an independent New York press which features and array of books from writers all over the world and all types of genres. Most recently Strozier is directing a musical entitled, “Honestly Abe” a musical written by the amazing playwright Robert L. Hecker. “Honestly Abe” takes you into Abraham Lincoln’s youthful days. To date, “Honestly Abe” is a New York Off-Broadway production which is currently running at the Actors Temple Theatre. Under Strozier’s direction “Honestly Abe” is now in its six month of production which is something that is unheard of in today’s Off Broadway world. When asked about his future goals, Strozier explained that he hopes to continue to create plays that will inspired his audience. In his words he feels it is important to “tell the right side of the story.” For us the audience as we continued to view Strozier’s “work and vision” we can be sure that his plays whether they are his or he is directing them, will invite us in, captivate us and teach us that there is more to life then what is presently revealed. If you’re interested in learning more about M. Stefan Strozier sign on to www.mstefanstrozier.org. For more information, about tickets to see “Honestly Abe” sign on to the Actors Temple Theatre website at www.actorstempletheatre.com. Page 14 River View Observer
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restaurant VIEWS -Ten Lorraine Wuillamey By Sally Deering
on her website (www. Lorrainestable.com.) Let’s meet Chef Lorraine Wuillamey!
Club where she turns a Victorian home in Rutherford into a 36-seat restaurant and serves a five-course tasting menu, hors d’oeuvres and cocktails Now, after 10 years as her own boss and working out of a kitchen she rents at the Weehawken Elks Club, Lorraine has customers throughout Hudson County who order her delicious signature dishes from the weekly menu she posts
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RVO: Chef Wuillamey, can you tell our readers where you were born and raised? LW: I was born and raised in Weehawken and after living other places in New Jersey, I moved back to Weehawken. It’s such an exciting place now with all the development going on along the riverfront! We now have an eclectic blend of restaurants, shops and parks where before it was all just abandoned warehouses. RVO: How did you become interested in cooking? LW: I guess I’ve always loved food and eating. As a child I remember always
Ingredients
of Lorraine’s Table being the last one at the table waiting for seconds or thirds while everybody else was rushing off to play and my dream job was becoming a waitress like my aunt. Really, though, it was my mother’s advice to “follow your passion”. After three years of college and not being able to pick a major, I did just that and went to The Culinary Institute of America. I consider myself very lucky to have a passion for what I do and I feel fulfilled at the end of the day. RVO: What made you want to become a chef and what restaurants did you work at previously? LW: Being the older sister of four brothers made me a natural leader and I always liked being in charge which suits you well being a chef. I worked at the River Café in Brooklyn under Chef David Burke where I learned a tremendous amount. He still inspires
me today. My first job out of school was with the very successful catering company, Over the Counter. I’ve also been the private chef to the Hess oil family. RVO: How would you describe your cooking style? LW: It’s always evolving. I cook what inspires me, whether it’s an ingredient I see in the market or an article I read about like the food of Thailand. On my weekly menu I try and give my customers a variety. I always offer a meat, chicken, fish, vegetarian/ vegan and a low-fat, lowcarb entrée and some may have Middle Eastern spices or Thai spices like lemongrass and kaffir lime. Other times I do allAmerican like meatloaf and mashed potatoes, so my customers kind of travel the globe through the dishes I create. Cont’d on Next Page 17
restaurant VIEWS
SONIC PULSE
AT LINDO LOUNGE
Ten Ingreditents
Con’t from page 16 Chef Lorraine Wuillamey Lorraine’s Table RVO: What is your philosophy when creating dishes? LW: First and foremost it has to taste good, have flavor. I also like to think about a classic dish and then put my own spin on it. Sometimes I just focus on one ingredient like summer corn and see where it goes from there. RVO: Can you share what your clients consider one of your best dishes? LW: The top three sellers from my delivery menu are the Stuffed Meatballs filled with Spinach, Mozzarella and Provolone; Crispy Maryland Crabcakes with Lemon Chive Remoulade and Summer Corn Succotash; and my Guinness and Brown Sugar Braised Beef Short Ribs. For my Supper Club Menus, I can go the distance. Once I made Spice Crusted Wild Boar with Caramelized Apple & Pear Cider Sauce and Creamy Onion Soubise. Some people were nervous about trying wild boar but once they did they really enjoyed it.
RVO: Do you have a quick recipe you can share for our busy readers? LW: My customers like my Sweet Potato Soup with Chipotle and Honey: Peel and cut up your sweet potatoes into large pieces. Saute a small onion in butter, add the sweet potatoes and enough water to just cover them; season with salt. Boil until very soft. Puree the sweet potatoes in a blender with the leftover water alternating with milk or cream until you have a soup like consistency. Blend in one canned chipotle pepper and honey to taste. You want it to have a nice balance of sweet and spicy. This soup may be served cold or hot and a spoon of lime sour cream is a nice garnish. RVO: How would you describe your cooking style? LW: I’m not sure I have a cooking style, but the one thing I love about food and about being a chef is that there is always something new to learn. I see chefs trying all kinds of things and it inspires me and gets me excited about food all over again.
RVO: Would you say all chefs are artists? LW: Yes, definitely! Just RVO: What would you like an artist uses a combisay is the most important nation of paints in their own aspect of catering? style to create their paintLW: Being on time and ings, chefs use ingredients being organized. Other in different combinations to than that, I believe it’s create their dishes. All our important to give my client thought, creativity and pasa stress-free day to enjoy sion is in that dish. What’s their guests and have a great on your plate is really a time. representation of who we are as chefs. Advertise your restaurant Lorraine’s Table LLC
on this page 201-349-4336
(201) 867-6949
www.Lorrainestable.com
Sonic Pulse touring across the Eastern US
JULY 21st UNION CITY which featuing members from Razormaze, Skull Hammer, Ravage and Vindicator the band is gearing up for the release of their debut album ‘Lager Than Life’. The band released their first single ‘Eye of The Beerholder’ from their album and are touring across the eastern US with Lich King in support of the upcoming release. Lindo Lounge 3603 Park Avenue, Union City
Hudson Restaurant Week returns for its 8th Summer July 23 -August 3
Mussels Marinara as prepared by Goodfellas Restaurnt in Bayonne one of this years restaurants participating in Hudson Retaurnat Week Featuring over 40 participating restaurants in Bayonne, Hoboken, Jersey City and Weehawken. Prixfixe lunches start at $13 and 3-course dinners start at $23. New restaurants participating this year are: O’Hara’s Downtown, Las Olas Sushi, Pilsener Haus, Skylark on the Hudson, VB3 and Bayonne’s Goodfellas. Regulars returning to the list include Amanda’s, 3Forty Grill, Madison, Edwards Steakhouse, Casa Dante, Zylo and more. For the entire list, restaurants specifics and menus Visit www.hudsonrestauantweek.com
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REAL ESTATE HINTS
“Owning a home is one big tax deduction; owning a vacation home can be two--or more.” A vacation home may be more affordable than you think. Did you know the interest paid for a second home’s mortgage is tax deductible? In fact, tapping the equity in your first home to put a down payment on a second home can actually give you three (total) mortgage-interest tax deductions. Interest paid on equity loans is tax deductible too! If you’re thinking about purchasing a second or vacation home, ask your tax professional to run the numbers for you. And be sure to check IRS regulations if you intend to rent out your second home for income. PLAY SMART For more information about purchasing vacation property, read our FREE online report, PLAY SMART: Savvy Tips On Buying A Vacation Home, by clicking here. We hope you’ll call us when the timing’s right for you to purchase a second home--and a new tax deduction!
Joseph D’Amato-Hudson Harbor Realty Corp. 201-963-3100 -3225 Kennedy Blvd. Jersey City, New Jersey 07306 jdamato@hhrealtycorp.com www.hhrealtycorp.com JA ROSE REALTY, INC 611 Broadway, Bayonne • 201-339-1000
Bayonne-BRAND NEW FOR RENT6 rooms, 3 bedrms, H/wood floors, kitchen- marble counter tops, all S/S appliances, includes refrigerator, dish washer, mircrowave, large open terrace
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