La Festa Italiana – The Tradition Lives On at Holy Rosary Church in Downtown Jersey City

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Tradition…a concept that is certainly not unique to the Italian and Italian American culture, but which is almost universally mentioned when telling the story of those who are of Italian heritage.  Nevertheless, one is tempted to wonder if the paesani who immigrated to the United States from Morrone del Sannio, Campobasso (Region of Molise), Italy, in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, and who settled in the ethnic enclave that would become a vibrant “Little Italy” in downtown Jersey City, could have foreseen that their grandchildren and great grandchildren would, more than a century later, still be carrying on one of their grandest traditions.  Probably not!  Yet, that is exactly what is happening, as the third and fourth generation members of the Maria S.S. Dell’Assunta Society, founded by their Morronese ancestors in 1902, are now preparing for the 98th annual Feast of the Assumption, at Holy Rosary Church in historic downtown Jersey City. 

La Festa Italiana, which now encompasses the feast of St. Rocco, in addition to the Assumption feast of old, includes both elements of the traditional Italian feast, combining spirituality with the typical Italian street festival.  The religious celebration begins with a Novena in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption (Thursday, August 6th, to Friday, August 14th, at 7:00 p.m., with a candlelight procession through the streets of downtown Jersey City on la vigilia di festa August 14th) and culminates in the Assumption Feast Day Mass, to be celebrated by Most Rev. Thomas A. Donato, Aux. Bishop of Newark and Regional Bishop for Hudson County (11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 15th), and the St. Rocco Feast Day Mass, to be celebrated by Most Rev. Dominic A. Marconi, Ret. Aux. Bishop of Newark (11:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 16th). 

The old-world style street festival will include deliziosi Italian food, full service bar, outdoor cafe, rides, games, and live entertainment.  A highlight for many is the wine and peaches stand, proudly called “A Taste of Campobasso”, which is still operated by the Society and staffed by the descendants of its original founders, including the popular “Wine Girls”, who will be happy to serve you some of the best wine and peaches around! 

YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN US!  On August 15th at 9:00 p.m., in front of the Campobasso wine stand, a special “toast” will be offered to honor all feast workers and Society members (including the memory of those who are no longer with us) who have worked hard to preserve Italian culture and the beautiful traditions that our ancestors carried with them from the old country.  Don’t forget to wear your feast shirts, as we gather together for this unique display of unity, love, and respect!  The festival will take place on 6th Street, between Brunswick and Monmouth Streets, in the Downtown section of Jersey City, and will run from Wednesday, August 12th, through Sunday, August 16th, 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m..  For more details, call 201-795-0120 Ext. 103, or Carmine Colasurdo at 201-966-7745.  Buona Festa a Tutti

River View Observer “Site Seeing” Personal Urns

RiverView Observer “Site Seeing” Interesting Posts from around the Web-An Idea Who’s Time Has Come? 

 Personal Vanity Urns

personal-urnsThat’s right …A company has produced an urn that  is  in the image of your loved one or favorite Celebrity.

New advances in reconstruction and 3D printing  have made it possible to have an urn made in the image of anyone from just a photograph.

Source BoingBoing

Joe Jackson Visits Ten East as he Promotes Tribute Film “Destination Fame

River View Observer Exclusive…Joe Jackson Patriach of the Jackson Family Visits Bayonne’s Ten East Restaurant

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Photo by steveamack.com

By Evelyn Bonilla

On the tail end of a New York City press event for his film “Destination Fame”, Joe Jackson found some time to meet with good friend Paul DeAngelo. The two join together to enjoy
some great cuisine at one of Bayonne’s most stylish restaurants “Ten East”. The restaurant owned by Patrick and Anthony Franconeri is a Hibachi Restaurant and Sake Lounge; it is located in Bayonne, and specializes in sushi, fusion and hibachi cuisine. Continue reading Joe Jackson Visits Ten East as he Promotes Tribute Film “Destination Fame

Desperate Housewives Shakespeare Style

merrypr01jpgThe Hudson Shakespeare Company closes out it’s 18th season of it’s Summer outdoor touring season with the ever crowd pleasing “The Merry Wives of Windsor”. The show will tour Hudson County on the following dates:

Monday, August 3, 7PM, Shipyard Park, 13th street behind Kings, Hoboken, NJ

Monday, August 10, 7PM, Sinatra Park, 411 Frank Sinatra Drive, Hoboken, NJ
Thursday, August 13, 8PM, Ellsworth Park, 23rd Street & Palisade Avenue, Union City, NJ
Monday, August 17, 7PM, Sinatra Park, 411 Frank Sinatra Drive, Hoboken, NJ
Thursday, August 20, 7PM, Van Vorst Park, Montogomery St & Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, NJ
(Rain Date Friday, August 21, 7PM)

The screw ball comedy closes out the theme of the “Mature Comedies” season preceded by last month’s “Troilus and Cressida and “The Winter’s Tale”. Continue reading Desperate Housewives Shakespeare Style

Good Times in Bad Times-July 09

When the Yellow Brick Road Hits a Speed-bump,these seven Hudsonities follow their hearts

By Sally Deering

Most folks weren’t around to witness The Great Depression of 1929 cover-photo-2-monya-mccarty-nurse2when the stock market crashed and people lost their savings, their jobs and sometimes their lives. But many of us do remember the Dotcom crash of 1987 that caused the stock market to nosedive and Internet entrepreneurs to lose their cybershirts. Well, here we are again, folks, rafting through the troubled waters of another photo-6-laura-schaffnit-of-another-mans-treasures-vintage-shop3recession in a yellow rubber dingy without a paddle.
Uncle Sam is up to his red, white and blues in I.O.U.’s. We owe a trillion and change to to China and according to CreditCard.com, every household in America has more than $8 grand in credit card debt with no end in sight. But Americans are a rugged bunch. When all we have are lemons in the fridge, we thumb our nose at the bad times and toast to better days with a swig of lemonade. 
It’s the American Way and it’s the Hudson way, too.

Continue reading Good Times in Bad Times-July 09

Hockey fans; Introducing, The Hoboken Rockets

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Roger Muller Jr. is the owner of Muller Insurance in Hoboken, New Jersey a successful insurance agency with 115 years of service in the Hudson County area with  licenses to sell insurance in 7 other states.  That’s what Muller does for a living.

His passion however; is Hockey, and he has taken that  passion for the game and created  one of the most successful teams in the metropolitian area-The Hoboken Rockets Continue reading Hockey fans; Introducing, The Hoboken Rockets

Jersey City Actor George Pogatsia To Star in New Drama Film “Without Seoul”

georgepogatsia_homeActor George Pogatsia is set to star in East Island Films new drama, Without Seoul. The action thriller follows Pogatsia as Alan Morrison, a former U.S. Navy pilot, as he seeks to save his Korean-born wife from a radical isolationist political movement called the Preservation.

— Writer and director Donald Dingerson chose Pogatsia from two-dozen actors he interviewed for the part.

Continue reading Jersey City Actor George Pogatsia To Star in New Drama Film “Without Seoul”

Hudson Restaurant Week is Back July 27th to August 7th, 2009

zylo_interior-goes-with-hudson-rest-week-storyHudson County Restaurant Week Returns for 5th Summer

River View Observer Best Pick for “Variety Dining this Summer”

With the summer finally warming up – Hudson Restaurant Week returns with vengeance from July 27-August 7. For the fifth summer, there are new cities involved like Bayonne, West New York and even Edgewater. Nine brand new restaurants are added to the list and some that had slipped away return to Hudson Restaurant Week providing diners with a variety of local selections and lots of great deals. For a complete list of participating restaurants and menus visit http://hudsonrestaurantweek.com

This Year there is much more diversity on the list including Ecuadorian food at DeCache in West New York, a Hibachi experience at Ten East in Bayonne, and some restaurants that are brand new to the area like the Zylo at the Hoboken W Hotel and Fire & Oak at the Westin in Jersey City. With so many choices you might need several nights to taste the very delicious meals being served this Restaurant Week. Continue reading Hudson Restaurant Week is Back July 27th to August 7th, 2009

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