March 13th to march 27th 2014 river view observer

Volume 18, No. 3

March 13th - March 27th 2014 FREE PUBLICATION

riverviewobserver.net

201-349-4336

Pg. 2

Snowballs to Baseballs

Pg. 3

JC Comedy Festival

Pg. 6

On the cover

Pg. 17

Restaurant Views

Pg. 19

Stargazine

Pgs. 22 - 24 TURN YOUR UNWANTED JEWELRY INTO CASH Jewelry & Watch Repair

Hoboken Gold & Diamonds

115 Washington St., Hoboken

jersey city hosts golden gloves; young boxers duke for title

E

By Sally Deering

arly on in his amateur career Muhammad Ali won the title of Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion of the World with champs like Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Floyd Mayweather following in Ali’s footsteps.

The Golden Gloves was their training ground, the place where they learned to “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee”.

The Golden Gloves is still training future champs and its franchise, the NJ Golden Gloves

lock problems?

NEED A NEW LOCK? See Page 2

Bayonne Family Dental See our ad on page 12

continues to provide amateur boxers the opportunity to shine in the ring and take home the title. This year, Jersey City became the first city to host all NJ Golden Gloves tournaments on its turf, and the tournaments, which began on Saturday, March 1 will be held every Saturday at Dickinson and Ferris High Schools and Elementary Schools No. 7 and 17. The location for the championship bout on April 12 is still to be decided. cont’d pg. 6

LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER

Going from Snowballs to Baseballs

By Ricardo Kaulessar Many readers of this newspaper can relate to the sentiment that this especially brutal winter cannot end soon enough – and that baseball season cannot come fast enough.

Major league baseball players are already in the midst of spring training in warmer places while locally, boys and girls, young and old, are indoors (or even outdoors as the snow starts to clear away) with bat, ball and glove in hand getting in shape for games to come.

Meanwhile, fans are preparing to watch their favorite teams over the next

The Hoboken Nine Vintage Baseball Club Photo courtesy of the team Bergen County area that few months, whether it’s have a significant place from the bleacher seats at in baseball history. HoboYankee Stadium or in the ken as the site of the first living room staring at a recorded baseball game in plasma screen.

1846 and Jersey City as the And for some, it is an location of the legendary opportunity to remember the landmarks and individ- Jackie Robinson’s debut in Cont’d on page 4 uals from the Hudson/

624 Washington St Hoboken NJ 07030 www.hobokenlock.com

Mon-Fri 8am-5pm & Sat 9am-2pm Same Hoboken Location Since 1981 Ask For Us By Name Sales- Service -Repairs Residential-Commercial-Industrial

EMERGENCY SERVICE AVAILABLE

Serving All of North Jersey with 7 Fully Stocked Service Vehicles and 2 Locations WE SELL & PROFESSIONALLY INSTALL:

Medeco * Mul-T-Lock * Arrow * Schlage * Gardall * Baldwin * Emtek * Von Morris *Electronic Tracking System *Safes for Home or Office *Door Closers *Master Key Systems

*All Types of Locks and Keys *Metal Doors & Frames *Repair Sagging or Rubbing Doors

Page 2- March13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

Scan with your phone our QR-code at top of page to visit our website

LAUGH RIOT Jersey City Comedy Festival – 100 Comics in 7 Days

By Sally Deering There’s no doubt the snowstorms of 2014 left Jersey City streets ripped up pretty bad. How bad? I saw a woman park her Fiat in a pot-hole. (Rim-shot!)

Everybody could use a good laugh these days and Craig Mahoney of Jersey City, a stand-up comedian and artist has taken it upon himself to help Jersey City reclaim its sense of humor.

Starting Sunday, March 30th and running all week

through Saturday, April 5th, Dos Equis presents the Jersey City Comedy Festival featuring 100 comedians performing in clubs and other venues all about town. This marks the second year for the “weeklong, city-wide celebration of the art of comedy” and Hudsonites are invited to shed their winter blahs with a few belly laughs.

“The schedule is set: over 100 stand–up comedians and we’ve got four

sketch comedy groups and one improv comedy group,” Mahoney says.

“We’re going to have two art shows as part of the festival, too.”

Mahoney will open the festival at a new performance venue The Rogues Gallery on Palisade Avenue in the Heights section of Jersey City.

“That’s where we will start and finish the week,” Mahoney says. “And at LITM on Newark Avenue in Jersey City, there will be a group art show of artists who are also comics.”

Last year’s comedy festival featured 100 comics doing 18 shows over six nights at 14 venues; this year there will be 100

comics, 25 events, two after-parties, open mics and figure drawing.

“Roughly the same amount of comedians will be coming,” Mahoney says. “We mixed it up with live podcasts and a live book reading, a web video marathon and shows on the big screen with a Q&A afterward.”

For one performance, Mahoney and his friend Justin Murray will do a live commentary of the 1986 movie TRANSFORMERS.

Mahoney has made sure every show has a female comic performing, and with ticket prices averaging $15, Mahoney’s goal is to make sure all the comics get paid for performing, even if it’s just train fare.

“Most comics are coming across the river to be in the festival,” Mahoney says. “I don’t think the comics should have to worry about anything except showing up and being funny.”

If you go: Sun, Mar. 30 – Sat, April 5 JERSEY CITY COMEDY FESTIVAL Opening and Closing night at The Rogue’s Gallery 467 Palisade Ave Jersey City For schedule information, go to www.facebook.com/ JerseyCityComedyFestival

Page 3-March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

Going from Snowballs to Baseballs cont’d from page 2 a professional baseball game in 1946, and as the birthplace of those who got to the “big show” including Joe Borowski (Bayonne), Willie Banks (Jersey City) and Johnny Kucks (Hoboken).

Several aficionados of America’s pastime shared recently about how they await the start of another year where the worries are more about box scores than snowplows.

Prose for the pros It may be hard to believe but baseball and poetry can

Frank Messina.

Photo Credit: Dario Calmese.

be compatible.

Jersey City resident Frank Messina is proof of that as both a fan of the New York Mets since birth and as a writer of numerous poems about the game, a number of which fund their way into his 2009 book

“Full Count: The Book of Mets Poetry.”

He started off the interview with two haikus about his favorite activity: Spring Training – “Sun shines on diamond/two birds on a citrus limb/ball meets bat: a “crack!” and Ageless – “Grandpa opens gift/two tickets to the ballgame, a gray-haired child smiles.”

Messina then shared about his anticipation for when play starts next month.

“I’m looking forward to this season, especially after a torrential winter.

Page 4- March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

The great thing about being a Mets fan in 2014 is having little or no expectation,” Messina said. “You can simply enjoy the game of promising young players along with watching a few veterans such as David Wright and Bartolo Colon. The same goes for the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves. Promising teams, but simply in a time of flux.” He then added, “As for the Yankees, it’ll be a year of saluting Derek Jeter, as it should be.

Hopefully, that won’t be a distraction to the Yankees’ bigger mission: to win a championship.”

BasebALL the time If baseball is your vocation, then it isn’t just for the springtime but it is year-round. Raf Hernandez is testament to that credo as the owner of the Hudson Baseball Center, a baseball training facility in Union City where players of all ages can come to the center not just in the winter but

the other three seasons to work out and prepare.

Hernandez, a Brooklyn native who resides in Union City, has been involved in all facets of the game for over 20 years going back to his days as a star shortstop for Brooklyn Tech High School.

The longtime Yankee fan weighed in on the pros and cons of the upcoming season.

“There is the sentiment about what baseball symbolizes: it’s springtime, the winter is ending, and catchers and pitchers reporting to spring training. And for many fans, it gives them a fresh start,” Hernandez said. “But for me, it is a time when business starts to die off as it gets warmer, when people go outside to play. By the summertime, the center is pretty much dead.”

Hernandez continued, “Unfortunately, people prepare for the season like Cont’d on page 9

For directions or more information please call: 201-459-2070

2014 Honorees: Margaret Abrams Beth Achenbach Geraldine V. Calabrese Hon. Sandra Bolden Cunningham Teresita Diaz Karen Davis-Farage Ellen Felicetta Hon. Theresa V. Ferrara Hon. Pamela E. Gardner Nancy Garriga Catherine Hecht Debra Italiano Desha Jackson, Esq. Angela Maio Maggie Redden Beverly Savage Elsa Schwarz Marianne Wuillamey Willie Flood Youth

6:30 PM

Community Service Award Beyoncé Wilson

Hudson County Women’s History Month “Celebrating Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment”

Tuesday, March 25, 2014 Justice William Brennan Court House 583 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ Sponsored by the Honorable Thomas A. DeGise, Hudson County Executive, The Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders & the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/ Tourism Development.

Page 5- March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

Cont’d from cover “With a brand new boxing program and a progressive agenda to promote health and fitness, we couldn’t think of a better partner for the Golden Gloves than Jersey City,” Dan Doyle, President of the NJ Golden Gloves says. “With its great location and many outstanding amenities for visitors, Jersey City is the perfect place to host the tournament. Golden Gloves boxing has found a home in Jersey City, which has a rich history in boxing.”

Champion of the World For the NJ Golden Gloves, 300 New Jersey boxers have registered to compete for the New Jersey Championship Title and one championship hopeful is Tony “Show Time” Rivera, 22, of Jersey City, representing the Jersey City Recreation Department.

Rivera, who works nights as a security guard goes for a 5-mile run as part of his training as soon as he gets off work. He then sleeps until early evening and hits the gym for three hours. It’s a rigorous schedule,

but one that definitely pays off. Last year, Rivera won the Diamond Gloves at the NJ Golden Gloves and this year he wants to win the big title. On Mar 8, Rivera won his bout and on Sat, Mar. 15 he boxes in the semi-finals at Ferris High School his alma-mater.

“I would love to go to the Olympics, but my main goal is to become champion of the world and represent my city, Jersey City,” Rivera says, just back from the gym after a training session. “I look up to guys who trained in Jersey City

Page 6- March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

like Arturo Gatti and the ‘old school’ boxers like Mark Medal. They were champs.”

Jersey City’s Mark Medal Light Middle Weight Champ

Rivera owes a lot to his trainer Luis Cancino who pushes him to train hard.

He says: “I couldn’t do this without Luis. He believes

in me and pushes me. For every champ there’s a trainer who believes in him.

He has a great heart.”

Jersey City’s Tony “Show Time” Rivera

Boxing helps you mentally and physically, Rivera says.

He also says it has been a great outlet for him that keeps him focused on believing in himself and Con’td on page 7

Cont’d from page 6

setting goals.

“It pushes you to go after what you want,” Rivera says.

“It has kept me off the streets and helped me focus.”

Boxing keeps him close to family and friends who come to the bouts to cheer him on, all wearing Tony “Show Time” Rivera T-Shirts to show their support. Win or lose, after the bouts Rivera and his opponents are good friends, even after feeling the effects of their swift and mighty jabs and hooks. There may be sore muscles, but never sore feelings after a bout.

‘You feel bad of course, but it’s never personal, it’s just business,” Rivera says.

“At the end of the day, outside the ring I respect my opponent. He trained hard, too, and there’s a mutual respect. I

know he’s going through the same thing I’m going through.

Once the fight is over there’s nothing but love at the end of the day.”

TRAINING THE NEXT ALI Paul Dunleavy grew up in Jersey City and learned to box at the local PAL (Police Athletic League) when he was just 13. He boxed three times in the NJ Golden Gloves and for the past five years he’s been training boxers and NJ Golden Gloves competitors.

“Boxing changed my life,” Dunleavy says, “and it wasn’t about being a champ. It was the people I had been around.

The confidence I built. You walk into a gym and you’re dealing with guys from all over the world. You realize we’re all the same. It gives you experience with other people and other cultures.

Jose Rosario Director of NJGG, Paul Dunleavy, and Dan Doyle President NJGG at a Golden Gloves fund raiser I have nothing but good friends and great things happen to me from boxing.”

Dunleavy says you can take a kid who may have a drug problem and if you introduce him to boxing, you can wean him from a path of drug abuse to a life with purpose.

“A kid can have a drug problem because he has nothing going on,” Dunleavy says.

Page 4-March 13th -March 27th , 2014 River View Observer

“In the gym, they respect the rules and everybody in the gym and slowly that feeds into their personal life.”

You can’t just be a trainer, you have to be a friend, Dunleavy says.

“They want someone to hear them,” Dunleavy says.

“They want someone to believe in them.”

JERSEY CITY’S GOLDEN RING Jersey City has always been a big boxing town with several gyms for kids to learn the sport and recently, the city’s recreation department launched a youth boxing program. And as host to the NJ Golden Gloves, Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop sees the program and the Golden Gloves as a positive outlet for kids.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Jersey City to host all eight Golden Gloves matches, which not only provides a recreational outlet for our families, but also showcases the sport to our

youth,” Mayor Fulop says.

“As part of expanding our recreation department, this year we launched a youth boxing program which has nearly 100 registered participants.

Hosting the Golden Gloves is a chance for our youth to see the sport in action.”

IF YOU GO: NJ Golden Gloves General Admission: $15 and $20 for ringside seats.

Children under 12 can attend for free with the supervision of an adult.

All fights begin at 7 p.m.

For more info; www.njgoldengloves.com REMAINING SCHEDULE: March 15: Ferris High School, 35 Colgate St March 22: Dickinson High School, 2 Palisade Ave March 29: Middle School No. 7, 222 Laidlaw Ave

April 05:Dickinson High School, 2 Palisade Ave CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW: April 12: Location TO BE DETERMINED

You Gotta Have Heart IBEW Local 164 to Give Award to Bayonne Body Builder and Breast Cancer Survivor at Golden Gloves Novice Championship Bouts

By Sally Deering

A

t 29, Danielle Lenardo of Bayonne received news every woman dreads, she had breast cancer. After going through chemotherapy and beating the cancer, Lenardo hit the gym to strengthen her body, mind and spirit. She not only strengthened, she built some serious muscle.

In June 2013, Lenardo took her new muscular physique and competed in

the NPC (National Physique Committee) Championship Competition where she won First Place in Figure in all divisions.

In November, she won her Pro card in Figure with the NGA (National Gym Association).

On Fri, April 11 at 7 pm, the night before the NJ Golden Gloves’ Open Championship bouts, the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 164 will host

Danielle Lenardo its annual NJ Golden Gloves Novice Championships bouts. The

Page 8-February 10th-February 27th, 2014 River View Observer

champion ship is also a boxing charity event that raises money for the Project Grandma breast cancer fund. (The fund was named Project Grandma about 20 year ago by IBEW Local 164 because all women should live long enough to be a grandma!)

A highlight of this year’s event, organized by Golden Gloves trainers Tommy Ewaska and Paul Dunleavy and Local 164 business agent Keith Misciagna, will be when they honor Lenardo with the Heart of a Champion award.

“Every year we give the Heart of a Champion award,” Dunleavy says.

“Chuck Wepner of Bay onne, who fought Muham mad Ali got it one year.

This year, we decided to give it to a woman and who better than Danielle Lenardo. She had cancer and she’s 10 years passed that. She got her pro body-building license.

She’s an inspiration. ” A Pro Figure competitor, Lenardo, 41, trains at the Forum Fitness gym in Bayonne.

“Pro Figure Competition is when you go on stage and pose and you’re judged by symmetry, muscularity and stage presence,” Lenardo says.

Cont’d on page 9

You Gotta Have Heart Cont’d from page 8 Always into fitness, after she beat cancer Lenardo threw her heart and soul into training so she could be as healthy as possible. She works out at the gym six days a week, where she lifts weights and does kettle bell and sandbag training. She also works full-time teaching “Pre-k” in Jersey City.

Lenardo says lifting weights and becoming a body-builder was her way of fighting back after her cancer diagnosis and her refusal to feel like a victim.

“When I’m lifting heavy weight or my trainer is pushing me I feel strong and know if I want to do something and set my mind to it, I can,” Lenardo says.

“Whenever I leave the gym I always feel one-hundred percent stronger. I would recommend other women do it. Especially women who are in remission or recovery.

It’s so much better than sitting home and it’s a proven fact that exercise helps reduce the chance of recurrence.”

Lenardo doesn’t consider herself a power-lifter and says she’s more about endurance, although she can lift 195 pounds.

“When I train in the gym, some guys say to me, ‘I want to be you when I grow up’,” Lenardo laughs.

Being a body-builder excites her, Lenardo says, and she never asks ‘Why me?’ when referring to her bout with breast cancer. Instead, she believes the experience has made her a stronger person.

Meanwhile, she’s very excited and looking forward to receiving the Heart of a Champion award on April 11. The award is being custom-made by Sartonk of Union City.

“For them to honor me,

I hold it very close to my heart,” Lenardo says. “It truly is a mission in my life to raise awareness. I could have crawled under my covers or stand up and fight and I stood up and fought and I did it for my children and my husband. You come out of it a stronger person and with a different view of things you took for granted.

There is life after breast cancer.”

Founded in 1901, Local 164 remains dedicated to the IBEW’s objective to help make life better for its members and those around them. Originally established with exclusive jurisdiction in Hudson County, Local 164 was expanded to include Bergen County in 1928 and Essex County in June 2000.

At this year’s boxing charity event, there will be special guests, past Golden Gloves contenders and champs including Roy Mercer, Mark Medal, Vito Antuofurmo, Bobby Czyz, and Larry Barnes who will sign autographs and take pictures with guests and their children. Dunleavy says most boxers are gentlemen and givers.

“These guys who are supposed to be so animalistic are really compassionate people” Dunleavy says.

If you go: Fri, April 11, 7 pm (Bouts begin 8 pm) IBEW LOCAL 164 NJ GOLDEN GLOVES NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND CHARITY EVENT 65 West Century Road Paramus Tickets: General Admission $20 Ringside: $40; $100 For tickets call: Cassie at 201-265-7273, x213; or, Theresa at 201-265-1700 x246.

THE BOSS IS BACK

Author Jon ’Amore to Read from his Book at Tachair Bookshoppe in Jersey City

By River View Staff Author of THE BOSS ALWAYS SITS IN THE BACK – Jon D’Amore will read excerpts from his book on Thurs, Mar. 20 at 7 pm at Tachair Bookshoppe in Jersey City. The event is a milestone for D’Amore – it marks the 150th copy of his book to be sold at the neighborhood bookshop on Newark Avenue. Munchies

by RICA Brownies will be served, too.

“When Carol, Tachair’s owner, called in January 2013, to say she had sold the 53rd copy of THE BOSS, making it Tachair’s #1 bestselling title, it was fantastic because the book was only on their shelves for 4 months at that point,” D’Amore says. “A few months later, she called again to tell me I was being inducted into their Authors Hall of Fame for the sale of the 100th copy of THE BOSS. And now, even though the book sold very well nationally, to mark the occasion of the 150th copy sold in one independentlyowned bookstore in the county where I was born Cont’d on page 14

Going from Snowballs to Baseballs

cont’d from page 4 they’re cramming for an exam by coming in a month or two before when training should be done all-year.

There’s no off-season.”

Throwback to another age There was a time when baseball was known by two words.

Frank Stingone knows all about that period as someone who runs the Hoboken Nine Vintage Base Ball Club.

The team, in its third year of operation, specializes in playing base ball from April to October in compliance with 1864 rules that calls for no gloves, only balls and bats from the era, and classic uniforms.

Hoboken resident Stingone said the Mile Square City, while having few available ball fields, is a great place to play for the Hoboken Nine and for visiting teams because of its place in the history of the sport, especially the intersection of 11th and Washington Streets where a monument marks the home plate of the famed Elysian Fields that held the 1846 exhibition.

He then pointed out that the cold weather is having an impact on his teammates.

“They have been itching to get out and they are excited to start playing,” Stigone said. “They are getting sick of the snow.”

For more information about the Hoboken Nine Vintage Base Ball Club, http://hobokennine.jimdo. com/, the Hudson Baseball Center, http://hudsonbaseballcenter.com/ and Frank Messina, http://www.spokeface.com/.

Page 9-March 13th -March 27h, 2014 River View Observer

Page10-March 13th -March 27th , 2014 River View Observer

3AKHENA LH A=KA iG=G?C=E ZJMKLJ=LCHG CG RCLB = $HGKHEC@=LCHG -H=G ZJHF -C>AJLT 4=NCGOK Earn an extra 2% off your lowest rate when you qualify for a Consolidation Loan before March 31st!* Our Consolidation Loan combines all your high interest rate debts into one loan with one monthly payment that won’t change.

Take advantage of competitive, member-only rates, and you may save money on interest and cut down on your outstanding debts.

Put debt collectors on hold permanently. Stop by a Liberty Savings Service Center today, or call 201-659-3900 and select option 5.

FIVE CORNERS 666 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07306

GREENVILLE 1590 John F. Kennedy Blvd.

Jersey City, NJ 07305

NORTH HUDSON 108 48th Street Union City, NJ 07087

PHONE: 201.659.3900 | VISIT US ONLINE AT www.LSFCU.org

JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY.

*Loan eligibility and rates are determined by LSFCU and are based on the borrower’s credit worthiness.

Rates are subject to change without notice. Offer valid from January 1, 2014 through March 31, 2014.

Page 11-March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

Page-12 March 13th-March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

Page 13- March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

THE BOSS IS BACK Cont’d from page 9

Place your restaurant ad on this page call for information and rates 201-349-4336

and raised reaffirms my belief that I told a good story that people wanted to hear. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to the people from Hudson County who enjoyed reading THE BOSS and spoke so highly about it to others around the country and the world.”

On Wed, Mar. 19 at 7 pm, D’Amore will give a reading at the Ridgefield Library with RICA Brownies as refreshments that night, too.

“It’s worth coming just for the brownies,” D’Amore says.

If you go: Reading of THE BOSS ALWAYS SITS IN THE BACK by author Jon D’Amore

Page 14-March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

Thurs, Mar. 20, 7 pm Tachair Bookshoppe 260 Newark Ave Jersey City (862) 234-0822 Wed, Mar. 19, 7 pm Ridgefield Library 527 Morse Road Ridgefield (201) 941-0192 Like us on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/ Riverviewobserver

The Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre is thrilled to announce StageFest 2014 on March 21, 22 & 23, a 3 day festival of theater, music, & dance by artists from throughout the region.

For the 2nd year in a row, StageFest 2014 will feature over 20 hours of performances.

In addition to the performances, sponsor Leading Lady Costumes -- www. leadingladycostumes.net -- will be presenting a rare exhibit of historic costumes from the silver screen throughout the building.

To read more go to www.riverviewobserver.net

“Dialogue Between 6 Painters”

Pro Arts Jersey City is pleased to present the exhibition, Dialogue Between 6 Painters, Curated by Vince Salvati and Caridad Kennedy. The exhibition, located at CityLife, 125 1st Street, Jersey City, NJ will run from Saturday March 29 through Sunday April 13 with an opening reception on Thursday April 3, 7:30pm- 9:30pm. This exhibition is free and open to the public.

The CityLife gallery will be open on the weekends from March 29 through April 13 from 1pm - 6pm.

Dialogue Between 6 Painters is a group show of abstract painting by artists with very individual vocabulary but who speak the same language, that of paint. In communicating

thought, emotion and expression, the abstract artist imparts a truth, often unknown to even themselves, seeped in a tradition of liberation.

The freedom of abstraction allows the artist to convey an expression more clearly through a visual vocabulary unique to each artist. These paintings each have their own message that speaks a truth. The viewer is asked to listen for those truths, which are revealed through the language of painting from the whisper of a brush stroke to the shout of vibrant color. It is within this cacophony of painting that one can navigate the dreads and joys of these 6 artists.

Side by side they engage in a non-verbal dialogue

spoken through the language of painting.

Featured Pro Arts Members include: Caridad Kennedy, Abby Levine, Beatrice Mady, Vince Salvati, Mollie Thonneson, and Allan Walker.

If You Go: Curated by Vince Salvati and Caridad Kennedy March 29- April 13 Opening Reception: Thursday, April 3, 7:30pm- 9:30pm CityLife 125 1st Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302 Pro Arts Jersey City is an organization of professionals in the Visual Arts, mainly from Jersey City and the surrounding Metropolitan area who are working to promote the arts and to better communicate Jersey City’s identity as a growing arts center.

Please visit our website www. proartsjerseycity.org or call 201-736-7057. This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency for the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, adm

Page 15-March 13th-March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

Page 16-March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

restaurant Views Where Burgers Reign Supreme Left Bank Burger Bar Spotlights the Hearty Hamburger

By Sally Deering If you’re hungry and have a hankering for a really delicious hamburger, you might want to check out the Left Bank Burger Bar on the corner of Newark & Jersey Avenues in Jersey City. Manager Dan DeAlmeida and Executive Chef Joon Han have created a menu of mouthwatering hamburgers with ingredients that enhance the burgers so well, they take them to a new level.

Serious burger-lovers, you have a restaurant that caters to your taste-buds.

Left Bank Burger Bar has an open airy atmosphere with lots of windows framing ever-changing street scenes outside.

The décor is natural wood and brick. The bar is long with lots of chairs and drink choices.

Executive Chef Han explains the restaurant’s mission right on the menu: “At Left Bank we take pride in offering a great dining experience and quality grub to every guest. Our menu, like Jersey City, is a melting pot of cultural influences that can satisfy any palate. Using all natural, grass-fed hand-patted beef, our burgers will have you

coming back for more. Left Bank’s burgers, beers & shakes put the ‘Chill’ in Chilltown.”

DeAlmeida, who runs the business side of Left Bank Burger Bar believes consistency is key.

“Whether you come in 1 pm or 7 pm you want the same product every time,” DeAlmeida says.

Great food at a reasonable price, that’s important. I could charge $15 for any of the dishes on the menu, but why? I make it affordable on purpose. Rent is so high. The cost of living is high. People want to come in and not pay an ‘armand-a-leg’. In Jersey you shouldn’t pay New York prices.”

The Left Bank Burger Bar’s menu features

Snacks & Sides like Buffalo Hot Wings, Fried Mac & Cheese Pops, Pale Ale Battered Onion Rings, Fried Pickles, Left Bank Mac & Cheese, Butcher’s Chili, Bank Slaw, Chilltown Fries and Disco Fries. ($5-$8) Burgers include the Bankrupt with bank sauce, government cheese, raw onion & house-brined pickles; Exit 14B with American cheese, Taylor ham, runny egg & tomato on a jumbo English Muffin; Bartholdi with French onion confit, gruyere cheese & tomato; and the Mac Daddy with fried mac & cheese, butcher-cut smoked bacon & grilled tomato. ($7-$9) You can build your own burger, too, from a list of toppings.

You’ll need something to wash down all that delicious beef and the Left Bank Burger Bar offers a menu of Craft Beers that changes daily. Written on a blackboard above the bar, on a recent Wednesday the bartender was tapping Brooklyn Blast, South Hampton Double White, Lagunitas Pilsner, Batch 19, Troegs Nugget Nectar and Harpoon Stout – a yummy menu of choices for any beer lover.

Cont’d on page 18

Page 17--March 13th-March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

restaurant VIEWS Cont’d from page 17 “I have six beer lines to keep things interesting,” DeAlmeida says. “Every day there might be a new beer on tap.”

There’s a plan to expand the craft beer selection with more beers brewed in New Jersey, DeAlmeida says.

“Carton Brewing out of Atlantic Highlands, Cane Brewing out of Ocean Township – all these great places in Jersey are selling craft beers,” DeAlmeida says.

Everyone loves a Happy Hour and the Left Bank Burger Bar has one Monday through Friday from 5-8 pm where Drafts, House Wines and Martinis are just $5; and Well Drinks are $3 – now that’s a bargain.

Each week, Left Bank Burger Bar referees a Burger Battle. Last week the Big Easy, a chicken and sausage patty with pepper jack cheese, buttermilkfried creole shrimp topped with jambalaya sauce lost to the Knickerbocker, a house blend beef patty with in-house smoked pastrami, melted Swiss cheese and creamy Cole slaw.

DeAlmeida and Han plan to put the Burger Battle on the website so customers can offer their suggestions and vote for their favorites.

“We both come up with the idea of what to do each week,” DeAlmeida says.

“St Patrick’s Day is coming and we’re working on corned beef with Swiss and sauerkraut on a burger.”

If You Go: Left Bank Burger Bar 194 Newark Ave Jersey City (201) 630-4127

www.lbburgerbar.com Hours are Mon-Sun, 11 am to 11 pm for the kitchen; the bar stays open until 1-2 am.

Tell them you saw it in the River View Observer Page 18-March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

Coming April 5th River Walk Outdoor Market & Festival 10 am to 6pm -5 great bands featuring -A Touch of Sinatra On the Hudson Waterfront, WNY Port Imperail Blvd.

STARGAZINE

Aries March 21 - April 19

The beginning of March is a time to allow only positive thoughts to grow in your subconscious. Not unlike planting a garden these will be the seeds of future possibilities. So cultivate your mindset with constructive ideas. Powerful changes are approaching and they will be benevolent. The stars are in your favor.

Taurus -April 20 - May 20 In many ways the Taurus is patient but at times in love relationships they desire fast results.

Allow the Universe to select a partner and have faith in the process. 11th house astral energies suggest that true love is on the way. This happy result in your life arriving by your birthday is definitely worth the wait!

Gemini May 21 - June 20

Mercury and Jupiter, both direct in March herald in a time of great success for the Gemini native.

Gone is the feeling of blocked energies. In the past month it seemed that all your desires were frustrated. Now the veil has lifted and a sense of confidence has returned. This will be a great time for success.

Cancer June 21-July 22nd

A direct Jupiter indicates great strides for you personally. It’s position in the 12th house governing the subconscious begins a period of renewal. Issues that you have carried for life, maybe many past lives, now don’t have the same power to hurt you. You are free and see things with a new and positive perspective.

Go forth with confidence.

•ASTROLOGY •TAROT •HYPNOSIS Individual Parties Corporate Events Phone and SKYPE Consultation J Banta Lewis Astralcommunications@ aol.com 201.486.4555

Leo-July 23 - August 22 Focus will be on finances in this month. You have felt that no mater how hard you have worked money has slipped through your fingers. Loving the good life and enjoying the finer things added to the feeling that there are not enough dollars to go around.

Simple changes and a plan for organizing your finances return you to a position of power and financial success.

Virgo-August 23-September 22

Energy to the 3rd house may find you closing deals and creating partnerships in the month of March. Your business IQ is in top form. People trust your advice.

You will enjoy this luck in business until the end of the year.

Building blocks set into place now last a lifetime.

Libra – September 23 - October 22

A separation from someone special has had you somewhat down in spirits. Remember that emotions can transcend the barriers of time and space. These feelings will be sent back to you ten fold in a few months. Busy yourself but hold on to this truth, you are loved!

Scorpio -

October 23rd -November 21st A project that you have been putting off for months will come into view. This time the determination of Saturn will help with it’s completion. It could be focused on issues of death, taxes, and inheritance, all governed by Scorpio. Go forth with confidence and successful strides will be made.

Like us on

Facebook www.facebook. com/

riverviewobserver

March

2014

Advertisement New Kids A+ UWA Martial Arts, Karate and Jujitsu Program Sign-Ups Now!

J Banta Lewis

Sagittarius-

November 22 - December 21 Soon Saturn will be in your sign.

It is time to prepare without concern for it’s arrival. Pay all excess bills, Repair your personal life and change any undesirable habits. Saturn teaches us lessons but by cleaning up any weak areas now you are sure to be fine.

Make this a positive event.

Capricorn -

December 22 - January 19 Venus in your sign suggests that you beautify your surroundings.

Your home environment can be refurbished but your personal self could use a tune up as well.

A facial and a massage will boost your confidence and appearance.

The astral advice suggests it’s time to take care of you!! Work will still be there but with an improved personal image you will truly be dressing for success.

Aquarius-

The Aquarius native is talented and can achieve whatever they direct their minds toward. This is a time to focus on your goals and to push your talents to the limit.

The stars are in your favor. The astral advice suggests that you follow your dreams but also that you remember to dream big!!

Pisces-

Neptune, Sun, and the Moon in your sign may have emotions running high in the month of March. Remind yourself that with these aspects situations are not always as they seem! The astral advice suggests that you reduce stress and don’t react without thinking. Also, as this is your Solar Return, if you keep the positive energy flowing it will insure a great year.

Wright’s program is popular with the kids because it is FUN! And parents love to see their kids develop physical coordination, flexibility, selfdefense skills combined with mental confidence, respect, self-discipline, and self-motivation. Your kids will come back having done things they thought they could never do with the urge to explore their growing abilities further.

We help children cement a strong positive attitude early on which sets the stage for a success for their entire lives.

We teach the mental fundamentals of true martial arts, enabling kids to build core character qualities while practicing Karate in a safe, friendly and fun environment.

We Teach Traditional World UWA Martial Arts, Jujitsu and Karate Kick-Boxing for Kids. Real. Empowering.

Proven and Ranked #1 by the Alliance.

Have Fun! While earning your Belts at a World Class Bonded, Registered, Certified and Top Rated Team Wright the Empowering Champions Academy.

Wright’s UWA Martial Arts (3) Generations Jersey Strong!

Ask about Our New Teen and Adult Mixed Martial Arts and Women’s Kick-Boxing program. Get Fit! Get Strong! Compete! Get Proven Results!

We specialize in: Striking •Take Downs • Tap Out’s •Self-Defense Teen and Adult Fitness Catch Our Trial Month Special Only $49.95 Come Sign-Up Now! Free MMA Gloves with Sign Up. “Give Your Child and Self A Gift that Will Last A Lifetime” Call Now 201-437-1820 www.bayonnemma.com and www.uwa-martialarts.com or Google Austin Wright Sr. for Top Rated Credentials.

Read More Stargazine @www. riverviewobserver.net Page 19- March 13th-March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

Now’s the Time to Spring into DIY Action with Home Improvement Projects BPT) - It’s time to start dreaming of a spring home makeover. Sources of design inspiration, like Pinter

est, are plentiful and can help make your home decor and renovation projects easy and fun. In fact, now

For Sale

2 Sofas Wood End Table + Coffee Table

Kitchen Table(glass Top) +4 Chairs Excellent Condition $750 or Best Offer Please call 201-320-8786

is the season to gather ideas and get started.

Warm up to color A fresh coat of paint is an inexpensive way to transform a tired look into a vibrant vision. Choosing the perfect shade is often the most time consuming and nerve-wracking part of the process. Knowing this, paint manufacturers are coming to the rescue and providing many new tools to help give you the color confidence you need.

For example, pick up small-size paint samples, like Platinum Color Samples from Dutch Boy, tinted in your favorite shades and apply directly to the walls you’re interested in

Page 20- March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

painting. These color paint samples help you visualize how the entire space will look before investing time and money on a large painting project. Plus, the Dutch Boy color samples are available in Dutch Boy’s highest-quality interior paint so you can test its best paint and perfect color together.

Simple sampling Once you have a sample size of your perfect shade of paint, it’s time to test your hunch. Apply the sample paint on several walls. This will help you envision the color’s look in various light sources, both natural and artificial. Be sure to check the painted

wall at different times of the day - giving you a truer view of the end results. If you prefer, you can paint large white poster boards with your sample paint and move them around the room to verify your vision.

Size up your projects The fun doesn’t have to stop with the walls.

Dutch Boy Platinum color samples can also work for smaller interior projects because the sample contains a premium paint. Try stenciling your favorite inspirational sayings or words of wisdom on your living room or office area walls.

Visit us @ www.riverviewobserver.net for more Decor ideas

In Your Home

Decorating with light captures the fresh spirit of spring

(BPT) - There’s no debating the benefits of natural light for boosting mood.

After dark, short winter days, spring brings abundant sunshine, and you can put all that natural light to work in your home. Boost daylighting by lightening up window treatments to admit as much sunshine as possible, choose fresh paint colors that interplay well with the direction from which light enters a room, and consider adding skylights to rooms that demand drama or where adding a window isn’t practical.

A relatively low cost home improvement that can be accomplished by a professional in a day or two or over a single week

end, adding a skylight not only enhances home decor, it delivers energy-saving benefits as well. Skylights can help reduce dependence on artificial lighting saving money on electricity bills. And, if you choose an ENERGY STAR certified solar-powered, fresh-air skylight like those made

by Velux America and add remote-controlled, solarpowered blinds, you

can improve the skylight’s energy performance rating by as much as 45 percent while improving indoor air quality through the venting effect of open skylights (which close automatically in case of rain). Solar-powered skylights and blinds qualify for a 30 percent federal tax credit, as does the cost of installation.

Visit www.whyskylights. com to learn more.

Page 21-March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

New Port Imperial Real Estate Website Now Online By River View Staff Writer

A new Port Imperial real estate website, PortImperialRealEstate.com, has gone online.

Launched by Scott Selleck, a prominent Broker/Sales Associate affiliated with RE/ MAX Villa Realtors, the new

Home-Hunting-Free Consultation!

Get Pre-Approved before you you go home hunting you will have a much better chance on getting you offer accepted, we have programs as little as 3% down payment.

Mike Cruz (Mortgage Consultant) All American Mortgage Office:201-576-0700 Cell: 201-759-3821 mikec@allamericanmortgage.us www.MortgageHow.com

site is the ultimate resource to the real estate market in the Port Imperial and Edgewater area.

Aiming to provide prospective homebuyers, renters and sellers with comprehensive and up-to-date information on the Edgewater and Port Imperial real estate market, Broker Scott Selleck has just launched a new website, PortImperialRealEstate.com.

The site features extensive listings of properties for sale and for rent in the area as well as community information, local resources, and more.

“Whether you’re interested in rentals or Port Imperial condos for sale, you’ll find what you’re looking for here,” says Selleck. “This site has been designed to be a onestop resource for those looking for reliable information and the latest updates on the real estate market in the area.”

New Jersey’s Port Imperial and Edgewater area has become a popular option for those who want to stay within a reasonable commuting distance to New York City. “The demand for Port Imperial and

Page 22-March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer

Edgewater apartment rentals as well as homes and condos for sale has been increasing over the years,” adds Selleck, “and it’s no surprise considering the many advantages that come with living here, not the least of which is the convenient commute to NYC.” PortImperialRealEstate. com features listings helpfully arranged according to property type and also has a customizable home search tool. Those new to the area will appreciate the community and local resources guides and those who want to find out what the latest trends are will want to check out Selleck’s Google Plus page.

A full-time affiliate of New Jersey’s RE/MAX Villa Realtors and a part-time affiliate of New York’s Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Scott Selleck has been specializing in residential sales, rentals and relocation in both Bergen and Hudson counties for two decades.

He has built a reputation for being the go-to resource for real estate along the NJ Gold Coast.

For more information on Selleck’s services and to explore currently available rentals and properties for sale in the Port Imperial area, visit www.PortImperialRealEstate. com or get in touch with Scott Selleck directly.

Deadline For Tax Appeals is April 1st, 2014

Page 23- March 13th -March 27th, 2014 River View Observer