Category Archives: General

General

Bayonne Library to Hold Registration for Various Programs in the Children’s Room

CITY OF BAYONNE SEALMayor Mark A. Smith announced that the Bayonne Public Library will have registration for Parent/Toddler Time and Preschool Story Hour.  Registration for these programs will take place starting Monday, September 23, at 9:30 a.m., through Friday, September 27, or until these programs are filled, whichever comes first.  The library will start registration each day at 9:30 a.m.  All programs take place in the Children’s Room in the public library at 31st Street and Avenue C.  The Fall Session for these programs will begin on Tuesday, October 8, 2013.

Continue reading Bayonne Library to Hold Registration for Various Programs in the Children’s Room →

Best Picks of the Week, General

20th Annual Newport Liberty Half Marathon Sunday, September 22nd

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“Best Pick Marathon” for September-River View Observer

 Newport Town Square- 100 Town Square Place Jersey City, NJ 07310

Sunday, September 22, 2013- 8:30 a.m.

20th Anniversay Newport half marathon
Are you ready to compete in the 20th Annual Newport Liberty Half Marathon?

Jersey City’s popular half marathon championship marks its 20th year! Recreational and elite runners from around the country can compete for $3,000 in prize money on a USA Track & Field- certified course that interweaves with Hudson River Waterfront Walkway from Newport to Liberty State Park. The open-air race, sponsored this year by DirectEdge, has been called the most beautiful course in the Tri-State area, complete with spectacular views of Lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Verrazano Bridge.

Thousands will be on hand to  cheer them on from the sidelines. To date, over 2,400 participants have signed up, already outpacing last year’s numbers. Entered in this years race are a few noteworthy participants:

Continue reading 20th Annual Newport Liberty Half Marathon Sunday, September 22nd →

Education, General, Jersey City News

NEW CITY KIDS PRESENTS: CITY SAIL REGATTA 2013

CitySailRegatta2013September 2013 – Jersey City, NJ – Over 15,000 teens in Jersey City live within 5 miles of a world-class sailing community. Few of these teens ever set foot on a boat. In 2013 City Sail provided 28 of these teens with the sailing experience of a lifetime. During the six-week program, each teen received 12 hours of classroom instruction on sailing, 27 hours of on-the-water sailing instruction,and 17 hours of swimming. Beyond the regular programming, City Sail offered fved sailing-related field trips around the state and the top participants in the program went on a three-day trip into Long Island Sound. The entire City Sail experience was free for the 28 teens who participated in 2013, only requiring a commitment from them to attend for the entirety of the six weeks.

On September 17th, the City Sail Regatta will raise  funds for the 2014 City Sail teens through an exciting afternoon event. Local professionals and businesses  will sponsor  nine boats and experienced the joy of City Sail through an afternoon of sailing instruction on the Hudson River, followed by dinner at Liberty House Restaurant. Participants will  sail with teens from City Sail and raced against each other on a beautiful fall afternoon. The event raised over $14,000, sponsoring 14 places for next year’s City Sailors.

City Sail is New Jersey’s only free sailing school, providing at-risk teens with a unique chance to learn to sail, swim, and race sailboats. City Sail was founded in 2005 with a vision for opening the waterways of New Jersey to the kids who live there. Since then, the school has expanded to include 30 teens, 10 volunteer instructors, and partnerships with both Offshore and Halcyon sailing schools. City Sail is a program of New City Kids, a teen leadership development program in Jersey City. Find New City Kids
and City Sail online at www.newcitykids.org and facebook.com/newcitykids.

General

New Jersey Golf Foundation Golf Classic Raises Record Setting $218,000 to Benefit Youth Golf Programming Throughout Garden State

Primary Beneficiary is “Golf In Schools” Program that Impacts More than 110,000 Boys & Girls at 200+ Schools in New Jersey; Dean T. Criares Honored with Chairman’s Award

 PISCATAWAY, N.J., September 6, 2013…The New Jersey Golf Foundation (NJGF), the charitable arm of the New Jersey Section, PGA of America (NJPGA), today announced that the 7th Annual New Jersey Golf Foundation Golf Classic, the signature event on the Foundation’s calendar, raised more than $218,000 to support youth golf programming throughout the Garden State. The NJGF Golf Classic, which took place at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield Township, N.J., on Monday, August 5, 2013, hosted nearly 300 participants who came together in support of the Foundation’s breadth of programs. Additionally, Dean T. Criares, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Drew University and a partner at Sound Harbor Partners, was presented with The Chairman’s Award — given annually to an individual who works tirelessly behind the scenes to support the NJGF’s programs and initiatives. Continue reading New Jersey Golf Foundation Golf Classic Raises Record Setting $218,000 to Benefit Youth Golf Programming Throughout Garden State →

General

BAYONNE Blood Drive and Bone Marrow Registry Drive at 27th Street Bayonne Fire House On Monday, September 9

            Your help is needed!!!

           There will be a blood drive on Monday, September 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the City Hall Fire House, at 27th Street and Avenue C. The drive is co-sponsored by the Bayonne Fire Department and the Bayonne Police Department, and is taking place to respond to the critically low blood supply.  Area blood banks are short of all blood types, so all blood types are welcome in this drive.  Supplies of the following blood types are especially low: O negative, O positive, A negative, and B negative. Health officials  ask prospective blood donors to bring signed or photo identification and to know their Social Security numbers. Continue reading BAYONNE Blood Drive and Bone Marrow Registry Drive at 27th Street Bayonne Fire House On Monday, September 9 →

General, Our Community

Bayonne’s Third Ward Councilman Raymond W. Greaves Chosen as Bayonne’s Sicilian Clubs “Man of the Year”

Joe DeMarco, Chairman of the Bayonne  Sicilian Club  announced recently  that Bayonne  3rd Ward Councilman Ray Greaves will be this year’s  “Man of the Year”.

A Ceremony will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2013 at the elegant banquet hall, Ravello, located at 138 Eagle Rock Avenue, East Hanover, NJ 07936. Cocktail hour will begin at 6:30PM with a main course beginning at 7:30PM and a Venetian hour to follow.

Ray Greaves is a labor leader and Bayonne’s Third Ward Council Member. He serves as State Business Agent and Chairman of the New Jersey State Council of the Amalgamated Transit Union and Vice President to the New Jersey State AFL-CIO’s Executive Board and an affiliate to the Essex West-Hudson Labor Council. His previous leadership positions with the union included Recording Secretary, Legislative Director, Treasurer/Executive Officer of Division 819 Transit Employees Credit Union, and Shop Steward. He became a member of the Amalgamated Transit Union in 1985, when he went to work as a mechanic for NJ Transit. 

Bayonne Councilman Ray Greaves
Bayonne 3rd Ward Councilman Chosen as “Man of the Year.”

As a union leader, Greaves has fought for legislation favorable to working families at both the state and federal levels. He is proud of his role in passing anti-crime legislation that that increased the penalty for assaults on bus operators.

A former resident of Jersey City, Greaves attended Saint Nicholas Roman Catholic Grammar School and Dickinson High School. He received steward leadership and grievance procedure training at Rutgers University, and studied contract negotiations at the George Meany Labor College. While he was a credit union officer, he gained his knowledge of Credit Unions and finances through financial strategy courses sponsored by the Empire Corporate Federal Credit Union and NJ Credit Union League.

Greaves is a former Commissioner of Bayonne’s Zoning Board of Adjustment. He was elected Third Ward Council Member in 2010. As a City Council Member, he serves on the Board of School Estimate and the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority.

 

Continue reading Bayonne’s Third Ward Councilman Raymond W. Greaves Chosen as Bayonne’s Sicilian Clubs “Man of the Year” →

General, In the clubs

In the Clubs: Chic and Craft-y 5 West Supper Club in Hoboken Serves Craft Beers and Tasty Apps in Upsale Digs

5 WEST SUPER CLUB 2Our newest feature looks at the Club scene in Hudson County 

 

By Martin Ramone Delossantos

Photos by Martin Ramone Delossantos

5 WEST SUPER CLUB 1 Five West Supper Club is one of Hoboken’s most chic nightspots.  It is on Fifth and Madison Street exactly nine blocks down from Washington Street.  They have a free shuttle you can call for pick up, and ride home for one to fifteen people!

The club used to be known as BARNONE, and reopened as 5 WEST SUPPER CLUB in 2010.  The interior is tastefully decorated with dark, tri-colored, wood flooring, tall booths, a large dance space with a great sound system, and energetic lighting.

“The real bonus is the service,” General Manager Chris Lowther said.

Continue reading In the Clubs: Chic and Craft-y 5 West Supper Club in Hoboken Serves Craft Beers and Tasty Apps in Upsale Digs →

Dining, General

Some Like it Hot! Azúcar Cuban Cuisine and Cigars: Tasty Cuban Dishes and a Smokin’ Cigar Room

Restaurant Views

By Sally Deering

 

Azucar restaurant manager Lauren Vazquez
Lauren Vazquez, Manager Azu’car Restaurant

Inside Azucar restaurant Azúcar Cuban Cuisine & Cigars’ owner and Executive Chef Nick Vazquez was just a kid when his family moved to the states in 1960 and settled in Hudson. Vasquez attended local schools, but learned he had a passion for cooking while watching his mom create traditional Cuban dishes in the family kitchen. Years later, Vazquez rekindled his passion and in 1995 opened Azúcar, his first restaurant in Edgewater. He closed the business ten years later and opened Azúcar Cuban Cuisine & Cigars in Jersey City, where his mother’s recipes highlight the menu.

Azucar has a cigar room for their patrons
Azucar Cigar Room

Step inside Azúcar and it’s like a step back in time to a 1950s Cuban bistro where above the reception area a huge “Cuba” poster showing a Latina dressed in a 1950s cabaret costume catches your eye. Stroll to the right and you’re in the bar, an inviting, low-lit atmosphere with black tables and chairs upholstered in faux leopard. The room is cozy and cool especially with the large overhead fan that creates wafting breezes below. To the left, there are two dining rooms that seat 120 comfortably.

Continue reading Some Like it Hot! Azúcar Cuban Cuisine and Cigars: Tasty Cuban Dishes and a Smokin’ Cigar Room →

General, Our Community

Grants and Loans Available for Bayonne Businesses, Non-Profits Damaged by Sandy

             

CITY OF BAYONNE SEALMayor Mark A. Smith announced that grants and loans are available for qualified businesses and non-profit organizations that were damaged by Hurricane Sandy.  Mayor Smith said, “I urge businesses and non-profits that qualify for these programs to apply, so that they can continue to rebuild and recover from Hurricane Sandy.  The City of Bayonne would like everyone eligible in our community to benefit from these helpful grants and loans.”

            The first program is called Stronger NJ Business Grants.  This $260 million program is available to help small businesses and non-profits that were damaged by Hurricane Sandy.  Under this program, grants and forgivable loans of up to $50,000 per impacted location are available.  Businesses with multiple impacted locations may be eligible for an award of up to $250,000.  Eligible costs for reimbursement under this program may include: working capital (operating expenses), inventory, equipment, machinery, furnishings, and prospective construction. 

            To be eligible for a Stronger NJ Business Grant, a business must meet at least the following conditions: 1.) It must have been in existence on the date of Sandy in New Jersey, October 29, 2012. 2.) It must have at least one location in New Jersey and be registered to do business in New Jersey.  3.) The business must have less than $1 million in liquid assets.  4) It must be a small business with annual revenues of at least $25,000.  5) The business must have sustained a minimum of $5,000 in Sandy-related physical damage per location seeking assistance, which may include damage to real property or non-perishable, non-consumable inventory. 

            The second program is called Stronger NJ Business Loans.  This $100 million program is available to help small businesses and non-profits that were impacted by Sandy, as well as businesses looking to expand within storm-impacted communities.  Low-cost loans up to $5 million per eligible location, with 0% interest for the first 24 months and no principal payments for up to two years, are available for renovation, new construction, or equipment. Loans up to $500,000 are available to support working capital needs for eligible businesses.

            To be eligible, businesses within the nine most storm-impacted counties (Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union) must: 1) be a small business with annual revenues of at least $25,000; 2) evidence a minimum of $5,000 in physical damage to real property or non-perishable and non-consumable inventory, and/or 3) positively impact the economy of their community through either capital investment or the creation or retention of jobs. Continue reading Grants and Loans Available for Bayonne Businesses, Non-Profits Damaged by Sandy →

Dining, General

Ten Ingredients: At Casa Dante, Chef Freda Creates Italian Dishes a Traditional Grandmother Would Love

River View Observer: “Your Source for Fine and Casual Dining in Hudson County 

By Sally Deering

 chef freda croppedDuring the summer months, River View Observer likes to slip into the kitchen of some of Hudson’s best restaurants and shine a spotlight on the chefs who create the delicious dishes on their menus. This week, RO visited Casa Dante restaurant a few blocks north of Journal Square on Newark Avenue. Casa Dante opened 40 years ago and changed hands about 8 years ago just around the time Chef Gregg Freda came on board as Executive Chef.

Newark Ave. could use a little fixing-up, that’s for sure, and it appears the street outside Casa Dante will be going through some demo to put in new street lights, but that shouldn’t deter a visit to Casa Dante. Once you step inside the restaurant’s foyer, you are immediately transported to an extremely tranquil setting where a visitor can easily relax and enjoy the traditional Italian cuisine. Another good reason: Casa Dante has its own parking lot, a rarity in Jersey City.

Inside Casa Dante Restaurant in Jersey City Casa Dante’s menu includes Antipasto dishes like Mozzarella in Carrozza, mozzarella, parmigiano encrusted bread, lightly fried; served with a size of the house marinara sauce; Clams Oregnata, Little Neck clams baked with oregano-seasoned bread crumbs; and Fried Calamari, tender fresh calamari lightly fried and served with lemon and a choice of sweet or hot marinara.  Salads feature the Insalada di Avocado, avocado, hearts of palm, fresh mozzarella and diced tomatoes with lemon and olive oil dressing; and Crabmeat Salad, tangy arugula, colossal crabmeat and asparagus in garlic and lemon dressing. And the House Specialty, Seafood Salad ala Dante, chilled shrimp, scungilli, calamari, diced tomato, lemon, garlic and olive oil. There are Pasta, Chicken, Veal, Seafood and Steak entrees, all traditional Italian cuisine.  Chef Freda also creates daily specials, some with a flavorful twist.

Let’s meet Chef Freda!

RVO: Chef Freda, what is your background and how did you get interested in cooking?

CF:  I was born in Newark and raised in Verona. I’m the middle-child. My mother’s side of the family has always been into food. My grandfather Frank Panico was a butcher and had his own shop in Newark. My first job was in King Supermarket where I worked as a cashier while I was still in high school. I was always around food. Then my uncle Frank opened Panico’s restaurant and I started out as a cook, worked my way to sous chef and chef. That was in the 90s. Continue reading Ten Ingredients: At Casa Dante, Chef Freda Creates Italian Dishes a Traditional Grandmother Would Love →