Faith Under Pressure:A Marine’s Story of Miraculous Survival
River View Observer -New Book Pick for December
“AÂ book All Americans Should be Reading.” -River View Observer
While most of us sleep, they stand guard. While we drive to work, they search for roadside IED’s. While we raid the fridge for snacks, they hunt for terrorists. “They†are U.S. soldiers and Marines. The Department of Defense reports that nearly 4,800 American troops have been killed and more than 33,000 have been wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq since both operations started in 2001 and 2003 respectively. For many Americans, the casualties evoke a sense of fleeting sadness that often fades by the end of the evening news. But for the families of our troops, anxiety and fear are constant companions.
Connie McClellan is an intimate acquaintance of heart-stopping fear. She’s received alarming news three times since her son, Marine Lance Corporal John McClellan, deployed overseas. The first two messages came just days apart. Her son was shot two times—in the same arm—in a one week period while serving as a machine gunner in Afghanistan.
Continue reading Faith Under Pressure:A Marine’s Story of Miraculous Survival
Regis Philbin At Bayonne’s Ten East Restaurant
Regis Philbin, stage and screen star, game show host and popular host of “Live with Regis & Kelly,” visited his old friend Father Joe Orsini of Bayonne, New Jersey on Wednesday December 17. Regis and Father Joe Orsini had lunch at Bayonne’s newest restaurant, Ten East.
   
Pictured above with Ten East owners Patrick Franconeri (left) and Anthony Franconeri (second from left) are Regis Philibin and Father Joe Orsini, enjoying lunch together at Ten East Restaurant.
Baja Restaurant “A Piece of Mexico in Jersey City”
River View Observer’s says “if you live in Hudson County; you’re Lucky, there are two great Baja Restaurants to Enjoy”
If You Don’t Live In Hudson County-Baja is worth the trip the food is that good…
 By Evelyn Bonilla
Entering into “Baja” Mexican Restaurant 117 Montgomery Street, in Jersey City, NJ (201) 915-0062 is like stepping into a “hacienda” located in the heart of Mexico. Its décor is genuine as it is magnificent and its cuisine is “authentic and mouth-watering”.
The restaurant which is the second addition of its sister restaurant “Baja” located at 104 14th Street Hoboken (201) 653-0610 is double in size, designed with two levels and has extraordinary appeal.
Its menu is filled with offerings of the finest in Mexican food.
Baja’s history of providing quality food and atmosphere in the New Jersey area is evident over the past 15 years. Owners Mario Herrera, Felix Disla and Major Disla all strive to bring their talent and ingenuity into the creation of the newly designed Baja.
Owner Mario Herrera explains, “In researching our restaurant business we noticed that there weren’t any authentic Mexican restaurants in this area.” “We created these restaurants in order to provide the finest in Mexican food. Our food is prepared the minute it is ordered, I think for us that is the key to our success. We provide food that is freshly made.”
Let us know if you ever ate at the Baja tell us what you think- add  a comment to this post.
Read more restauarant reviews
Piaziolla Restaurant“a/”
Buon Appetito https://riverviewobserver.net?p=24 “a/”Â
Continue reading Baja Restaurant “A Piece of Mexico in Jersey City”
JERSEY CITY STUDENTS LIGHT THE WAY
HelpLight New Jersey Donates 575 Light Bulbs
www.helplightnj.com
Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, members of the Municipal Council, and HelpLight NJ recently delivered 575 light bulbs on Friday, December 12, 2008 to senior citizens residing at Berry Gardens Community Hall at 92 Danforth Avenue in Jersey City.
HelpLight New Jersey, an organization founded by high school students John Caddock and Matthew Erickson, initially began distributing light bulbs to local food pantries and senior centers.
Bayonne High School Academic Team Taking the Challenge
 The academic team from Bayonne High School will face the team from Elmwood Park Memorial High School in the first round competition of Cablevision’s The Challenge, airing December 20 and 21 at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m., exclusively on News 12 New Jersey and available on demand on Cablevision channel 612 through News 12 Interactive. Pictured during a break in taping are (l. to r.) Sal Iannaci (academic advisor), John Tokar, Matthew Stefanski, host Bryan Jenkins, Dean Urciuoli (team captain), Sean Feuer and Gabrielle Urciuoli (team alternate).
Guy Fieri of the Food Network picks Brownstone Diner and Pancake Factory of Jersey City to be in his new Book
 Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive -Ins and Dives New Book
Guy Fieri the popular and energetic host of FoodNetworks Diners, Drive- INS and Dives spent an afternoon last year finding out what Jersey City residents have known for years; that the food, especially the pancakes, at the Brownstone Diner and Pancake house (31 kinds of pancakes) are delicious, affordable and plentiful.
Fieri became so excited about how delicious the famous Brownstone Pancakes taste; that he decided to add the Brownstone to his new book, just for the pancakes.
Right there on page 30 of his book; Diners, Drive- INS and Dives, Fieri, describes the Brownstone this way:
“You can find an average pancake just about anywhere, but finding a real killer pancake is a whole other deal. This family –owned joint in Jersey City is doing it right -thirty – one ways.â€
Watch the Episode Here About The Brownstone Diner
Continue reading Guy Fieri of the Food Network picks Brownstone Diner and Pancake Factory of Jersey City to be in his new Book
We Can’t Let This Bank Fail
 New Jersey Food Bank Needs Your Help……
Economy Leaves Americans with Empty Plates
 More than 35 million Americans, including 12 million children, either live with or are on the verge of hunger. In New Jersey alone,estimated 250,000 new clients will be seeking sustenance this year from the state’s food banks. But recently, as requests for food assistance have risen, food donations are on the decline, leaving food bank shelves almost empty and hungry families waiting for something to eat.Â
The situation is dire, no more so than at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), the largest food bank in the state, where requests for food have gone up 30 percent, but donations are down by 25 percent. Warehouse shelves that are typically stocked with food are bare and supplies have gotten so low that, for the first time in its 25 year history, the food bank is developing a rationing mechanism.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vXH_aBJKcE4
As the state’s key distributor of food to local banks – serving more than 500,000 people a year and providing assistance to nearly 1,700 non-profits in the state – the stability of replenishment of the CFBNJ is essential to ensuring that individuals in need have access to food.
If everyone could just do a little, it would help those in need a lot. To help, people can:
Make a monetary contribution: Visit http://njfoodbank.org.
Donate food: Drop off a bag of food at your local food pantry.
Organize a food drive: We can help explain the logistics of starting a food drive. Just call 908-355-FOOD.
Help “Check Out Hunger:” Look for the “Check Out Hunger” coupons at your local supermarket and donate. No donation is too small!
One thing that people commonly confuse is the role of the food bank. The CFBNJ is similar to a wholesale distributor, as they provide food to more than 1,600 charities throughout the state, which then give food directly to the hungry (the food bank does not give food directly to individuals). The food bank also does not accept small amounts of food, such as a cart of groceries. They encourage those donations go directly to a local food pantry or soup kitchen. Rather, the food bank accepts large quantity food donations, such as a truck full of groceries, as well as monetary donations which they stretch to purchase food at wholesale prices, such as 300 lb. bags of rice, for example.
Where you can help in Hudson County
Santa Claus -Santa Claus Everywhere -Hoboken’s Santa Fest 2008
Hoboken New Jersey’s Annual Santa Fest and the River View Observer Was There…Were you? See our photo’s
Hoboken New Jersey, was the place to meet on Saturday December 13, 2008 if you like playing Santa Claus. Hundreds of people dressed like Santa, his trusty Elves and Reindeers arrived in the Mile Square City for the Annual Santa Fest.
Participants visit the city’s restaurants and Bars and Have a Happy- Happy Christmas.
  
Pictured above some of the participants party at the Mile Square Restaurant during this year’s Hoboken Santa Fest.
see more photo’s Continue reading Santa Claus -Santa Claus Everywhere -Hoboken’s Santa Fest 2008
Toys- Top Toys for the Holidays
(Family Features) Every year as the holidays approach, parents are faced with the dilemma of which toys to buy for their kids. With over 10,000 new toys to choose from, selecting the right toy for a child can be a daunting task. Â
That’s where Jim Silver and Chris Byrne come in. Silver, editor-in-chief at TimetoPlayMag.com, and Byrne, renowned toy and children’s lifestyle expert (aka The Toy Guy), each have over 25 years of experience in the toy and family entertainment industry and are known for accurately predicting each season’s hottest toys and trends.
