Should Hoboken be responsible for bigotry in the community?

Hoboken resident Matthew sent this message to city director of public safety Jon Tooke.

Being gay, he believes that the city should know about some apparent anti-gay sentiment that’s going around and something should be done about it.

Letter: Gays are harassed in Hoboken, NJ

“Dear Director Jon Tooke,

As you are well aware of, there is a large contingency of gay and lesbian citizens living in Hoboken, all of whom came to this town to live perfectly quiet lives in this historical and fun town.

Recently, several close friends, and myself, all on different dates, have been harassed and or followed for several blocks with anti gay slurs and profanity.

I have loosely mapped out that the majority of occurrences happen starting at 14th street, proceed down the entire length of Washington Street, loop around at the PATH and go up both River street and Pier A Park, stopping at Stevens Institute.

With our proximity to NYC, and their recent overwhelming increase in hate crime/anti gay attacks, combined with the fact that Hoboken has the largest bar per street ratio in the country, I do not think that this should be ignored.

Hoboken should show solidarity with NYC in their stance on bigotry, hate crimes and intolerance. Public safety is a prime concern in Hoboken, especially when bars let out and when people return from the city late at night (prime hours 1-3 am, and 4-6 am).

As a survivor of hate crimes and a gay man living in Hoboken, this subject can not be ignored.

Residents need to know that they can be safe at all hours walking on the streets of Hoboken.

Hoboken is known to be the home of many cultures, races, and ethnicities. To ignore the safety of a group that branches into all the communities of Hoboken would be irresponsible.

A public display of solidarity with NYC on this subject Would be a great start. A follow up should be a window sticker promoting tolerance, making a statement that bigotry and hatred are not welcome in Hoboken.

I have noticed that many business owners do not put up gay pride door stickers showing support because they are afraid of the communities response. This is a falsehood that needs to be erased. Ignorance, hatred, and bigotry should not be cultivated by fear, but fought with support and love in your community.

Please take what I have said to heart and address this issue of public safety.”

Do you think the city should be responsible for controlling societal behavior?

Or should government stay out of the way of individuals?

Technorati Tags: Anti-Gay, Bigotry, Gay, government, Hate Crime, Hoboken, LBGT, Lesbian, Letter to the Editor, New Jersey, NJ

Hoboken energy waste? Pier C Park lit up, but still closed

Several Hoboken411 readers mentioned to me – that while Pier C Park along the Hudson River waterfront has remained closed seven months since Hurricane Sandy – it’s brightly lit up each and every day! Wonder why?

Some might argue that it’s “so boats can see it at night,” but don’t you find that to be a bit excessive to have the whole thing entirely lit?

Blinking beacon lights along the perimeter of the pier should be enough, and would consume a lot less energy, and allow more life to be realized from the lamps on the pier.

But then again, this is Hoboken…

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Technorati Tags: Energy Waste, Hoboken, New Jersey, NJ, PHOTO OF THE DAY, photography, Pier C Park

Hoboken Salon Shuffle – Sole Salon moving to 1222 Washington

Taking the place of the doomed US1 Deli at 1222 Washington Street is not a new business, but just a long time hair salon – Sole Salon – which is relocating from just five doors down!

The old “bodega” (which went under because we heard the owner was addicted to scratch-offs!) is getting gutted completely. A brand-new sparkling salon will grace the neighborhood. This will be very welcome compared to the taped up windows which accumulate crazy fliers!

The updated salon hopes to open in late July or August of this year.

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Technorati Tags: 1222 Washington Street, hair salon, Hoboken, hoboken411.com, New Jersey, retail news, reviews, Sole Salon, US1 deli

Sandy affected almost all piers in Hoboken, NJ

Hurricane Sandy did more than knock out the power and flood basements in Hoboken. She also did a number on our (shoddily designed) waterfront. As you probably already know, Pier C Park was messed up (and still hasn’t reopened), and now even Pier A Park seems be sinking – and apparently needs millions of bucks to be borrowed on the city credit card to make right.

It even appears that bricks are sinking along the waterfront walkway in between the two parks mentioned above. Our dogs picked up on this, because we didn’t even notice the skimpy single strip of so-called “caution tape” that was hastily implemented around this area:

Uptown Piers in Hoboken damaged by Sandy, too

Pier 13 – the hotly contested outdoor beer garden and lunch truck spot is also undergoing extensive repairs at the moment. Contractors on scene have been working at fixing the plumbing and structural aspects not visible to the eye.

This along with the two other piers that were not used much by residents (other than a small dog run, and the Yankee Ferry owners, who re-located to Maxwell Place Pier) have also been deemed structurally unsound.

Will these repairs be enough to ensure many more decades of use? Or will we be in this position again soon after a couple strong t-storms or nor’easters?

Technorati Tags: collapse, Hoboken, Hurricane, maxwell place, New Jersey, NJ, Pier 13, pier a, Pier C, piers, Sandy, Shipyard, Uptown

Hoboken Bonus: Tourists love NYC views along waterfront

Continuing the Hoboken HDR Photo of the Day entry is a great view from uptown last week. You can say what you want about Hoboken good, bad or in-between. But one thing that will always be true is that tourists love NYC views visible when strolling along our waterfront (even if the parking boots and potholes get in the way!)

This particular shot is made special by the ominous clouds draping the metropolis. However, that didn’t stop this family from capturing the scene, just like I did. The skyline may be captured a million times a day, but it is not always easy to make one scene stand out above others.

Click on the image to see a larger version.

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Technorati Tags: HDR, HDR Hoboken, Hoboken, New Jersey, NJ, NYC, PHOTO OF THE DAY, photography, Skyline, tourists, Tourists Love NYC Views, View

Mod Cup Coffee graces Hoboken with tasty java!

Do you love coffee as much as we do here at Hoboken411? Well be prepared for a treat when you encounter the Mod Cup Coffee Truck!

The latest member of the brigade of mobile food vendors in Hoboken, Mod Cup “microbatch coffee roasters” are definitely worth checking out.

I spent some time with owner Travas and his partner Justin last week, and was amazed at their passion for the craft of coffee roasting and brewing. They take this art very seriously (in a fun way of course), and is way beyond what you’d expect. (See him describe Mod Cup in his own words after the break!)

For one, they will pummel you with facts about the whole coffee industry, how to achieve the best flavor, the differences in beans, the brewing process and much more. It’s completely worth paying them a visit to experience that first hand. Take my word for it, a pleasurable experience for sure. This cart will be around town during the warmer months – rain or shine, as it’s convertible with an umbrella-like awning that can be installed. Naturally it wasn’t necessary during the nice day I hung out with them.

Mod Cup is Hoboken’s first mobile coffee roaster!

Additionally, they bought a retro 1969 Citroen van, which is currently “in the shop,” getting retrofitted to become an actual mobile coffee roasting truck. Their goal, hopefully, is to get other local businesses to carry their hand-crafted selections of beans and roasts. Also available on their cart is “concentrated” brewed coffee, which you can take home and enjoy at a convenient time.

You can get slow-brewed coffee (either hot or iced), as well as espresso and even teas. They’ll gladly offer you samples before you order.

One thing the customers will need to be aware of though (and this might pose a challenge to the Mod Cup guys as well), is that this is NOT your usual cup of coffee, say from McDonald’s, a Hoboken diner, Dunkin’ Donuts or even Starbucks for that matter. This is sort of the way coffee was meant to be made and consumed.

The flavors are rich, deep and sophisticated. Upon first taste, one might even think something is wrong with it (especially if they normally drink crappy piss-water). I had an iced Americano – and it practically knocked me off my feet by the complexity. Not a drink you “chug” whatsoever. Small sips. The “finish” stays for a very long time. At first I was a bit worried because of my own Starbucks addiction, but by the time I finished later in the day, they had already won me over.

Good luck, Mod Cup!

Description: Mod Cup Microbatch Coffee Roasters.
Address: Varies (follow them for updates)
Online: modcup.com – Twitter

Click to read even more about Mod Cup!

Technorati Tags: coffee, coffee roasters, Coffee Truck, Espresso, fresh coffee, Hoboken, Lunch Truck, microbatch, mobile vendor, mod cup, New Jersey, NJ, Tea