Do you encounter reckless drivers in Hoboken?

A few days ago – a pedestrian was killed right outside Hoboken. The driver was arrested (various DWI charges), plus it was already a rainy morning on top of it. While that was apparently a blatant criminal act in bad weather, what about simple reckless drivers in Hoboken?

One Hoboken resident who is a parent with children – details a precarious vehicular situation he was in this past weekend that did NOT involve inclement weather or booze.

Letter: Focus on bad drivers instead of parking tickets

“This past Mother’s Day weekend, I was at the corner of 14th and Sinatra, ready to head west on 14th with my two and four year-old children. I looked both ways, reminding the kids the same, and as we took our first step into the crosswalk, a black sedan comes speeding up Sinatra, blowing right through the stop sign and turns left at what had to be 30 miles an hour. If not for such a bright, clear day, I might have taken more steps into the cross walk. And perhaps been hit, or worse, my kids.

This is not a parking lot stop sign, mind you, but a official one. The driver then sped to the front of the Zeni Nail Salon on 14th and Hudson.

I picked up my kids in each arm, and ran to the nail salon to confront this dangerous driver.

A fairly young guy, he seemed completely blasé about the fact that he blew through a stop sign in a heavily pedestrian area, and could have killed myself or either of my small children. He seemed to care NOT ONE BIT when confronted with a rattled parent at the danger he puts people in.

The rage at his self-important attitude also fueled my anger at the town for wasting an awful lot of manpower chasing down parking violators when they could make a whole lot more money giving out tickets to jerks like this who put residents in danger.

I’m not saying that late at night, when the streets are empty, you can’t do a slow roll through a stop sign if you are aware of your surroundings, but this was the middle of a Sunday with lots of people out enjoying the afternoon.

And just so he could make a nail appointment!

Why is it that the city has no desire to monitor some very dangerous corners? Basically every stop sign near Maxwell Place, the Shipyard and the Hudson Tea Buildings are a danger zone. Will the town be satisfied if some kid on a bike or a parent walking legally gets mowed down?

Just two weeks ago a mother and child were hit-and-run by a driver near the Brandt school.“

Agree or disagree?

Technorati Tags: DWI, Entitlement, hit and run, Hoboken, New Jersey, NJ, pedestrians, Reader Mail, Reckless drivers, stop signs, Texting

Redwing Zumbathon workout in Hoboken – Back again!

Hoboken Zumbathon for Redwings a success.

Care to donate to the Hoboken High School Class of 2014 AND get a good workout in the process? Well, then this is a no-brainer for you. And after last month’s successful turnout, they’re back again with two more sessions.

On May 22nd and June 5th from 7pm to 8:30pm – Zumba instructor Chanta Blue will be leading a “Zumbathon” over in the High School gymnasium.

“Are you ready to party yourself into shape for a good cause? That’s exactly what the Zumba® program is all about. It’s an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health.”

For more information or to register contact Christopher Munoz at (201) 978-2164 or Lorna Courtney-Martinez at (201) 966-6356 or e-mail Christopher.munoz@hoboken.k12.nj.us.

Cost for entry is $5 for students and $10 for each adult participant. Proceeds will benefit the HHS class of 2014.

Technorati Tags: high school, Hoboken, New Jersey, NJ, Zumbathon

Hoboken Pilsener Haus Maifest fun for spring

Maifest is to Spring, as Oktoberfest is to Fall (at least in Germany!) And during the month of May, Pilsener Haus & Biergarten (15th & Grand) is celebrating the arrival of the warm weather will all sorts events for adults and kids alike. See below for various Pilsener Haus Maifest activities!

Pilsener Haus Maifest food & event lineup in Hoboken

Pilsener Haus, “NJ’s most traditional biergarten,” observes Maifest with:

• Seasonal NJ Craft & Import Maibock beer selection! (View Pilsener Haus beer lists here.)

As well as an Authentic Maifest Menu. Enjoy an Austro-Hungarian feast all month by acclaimed Chef Thomas Ferlesch:

• Chilled Cucumber Soup – yogurt & dill
• Asparagus with Sauce Gribiche – caper, anchovy & parsley vinaigrette
• Schweinsbraten – roasted pork shoulder with kraut salad & pretzel dumplings
• Seafood Salad – shrimp, scallops, octopus, mussels, squid
• 1/2 Rosemary Roasted Free Range Chicken – barley pilaf, arugula salad
• Schweinshaxen – roasted pork shank with pickled salads (serves two – available Fri-Sat-Sun)

A lively roster of traditional music, jazz & rock:

• May 15 – Pilsener Haus Jazz & Blues Jam
• May 16 – Jason Green & Labor of Love
• May 17 – Alex Meixner Band Grammy-winning Polka king rocks the Haus!
• May 22 – Casey & The Dirty Water Dogs
• May 23 – Cecil Brooks III & Hot D.O.G. – soulful jazz
• May 29 – Raphael Cruz Quintet – afro-cuban jazz
• May 30 – Rainbow Fresh – classic rock

And lastly, don’t for get the kids!:

• Sunday May 19th, 12:30-3:30pm is “Family Fun Day” with Big Jeff & The Bouncy People

Enjoy Maifest!

Technorati Tags: 2013, Alex Meixner, beer, Beer Garden, Big Jeff, Bouncy People, Casey & The Dirty Water Dogs, Cecil Brooks III, Events, Hoboken, Jason Green, Maifest, May, Mayfest, New Jersey, NJ, Pilsener Haus, Pilsener Haus Beer Garden, Pilsener Haus Biergarten, Rainbow Fresh, Raphael Cruz

Hoboken Board of Ed meeting (and sidewalk biking offenders!)

For those of you who might not know – the Hoboken school system takes up over a third of your quarterly property tax bill (and growing). And with just over 2,000 students (less than 5% of the city population), you probably want to know how they’re wasting spending your money – especially when Hoboken consistently ranks near the bottom in the state. Head over to the Wallace School (11th & Clinton) tonight at 7pm to see all the Hoboken Board of Ed action.

Another reason you might want to attend – is to give Hoboken Board of Ed “President” Leon Gold a piece of your mind. Here we have a so-called “leader” of this educational organization, yet he is known to set very bad examples for children. Besides his well-known bad temper, he also frequently ignores city laws by riding his bicycle on the sidewalks. He’s not the only one, as many other “city officials” have been spotted doing the very same thing, including our Mayor Dawn Zimmer.

How he is qualified in this role of “authority” is beyond me. Any complaints? Contact Superintendent of Schools Mark Toback at mark.toback@hoboken.k12.nj.us to share your thoughts about his antics.

Technorati Tags: 2013, bicycles, Board of Ed, Hoboken, Leon Gold, May 14, Meeting, New Jersey, NJ, Property Taxes, Sidewalks

Wee Babe comes to 415 Washington Street in Hoboken, NJ

Coming soon to the previous L. Pini & Sons location at 415 Washington Street is Wee Babe – a one-stop shop for all your needs when it comes to your child!

After opening in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with much success, the owners are tapping into a rapidly expanding market here in Hoboken.

“Wee Babe is a small store with a big heart. We exist to educate parents about the gear that they need and use the most but understand the least, strollers, car seats, carriers and breast pumps. We are also an outlet for your everyday shopper that needs larger bottles, faster nipple flow, bigger bibs, tighter swaddles, unstained changing pad covers, fresh material for the bookshelf, new tunes or nightlights for the nursery or a birthday gift for their favorite 1-7 year old.”

Wee Babe: “Personalized and knowledgeable touch”

“Together the owners Beau and Selina have drawn upon their prior experiences, Selina’s 12 years in the baby industry and Beau’s previous career on Wall Street to bring about their vision of providing children and all the adults that surround them with the best products accompanied by the Wee Babe personalized and knowledgeable touch. Wee Babe is based on the following criteria:

• Wee have what your babe needs from the savviest stroller to the safest swaddle
• Wee only offer items that have satisfied the toughest customers – experienced moms and dads
• Wee will guide you through preparing for the arrival of your babe and all the fun filled days beyond

We hope you enjoy our products as much as we do, if you are unsatisfied in anyway, please let us know, we have tried many of the products ourselves in our own families (3 kids each) but we believe that all feedback is valuable. Please enjoy your web shopping experience or come visit us in the store.”

Description: Wee Babe – Select gear, gadgets and goodies for babes and beyond
Address: 415 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
Phone: 347-763-0041
Email: Hoboken@weebabe.com
Online: weebabe.com – Facebook – Twitter

Technorati Tags: 415 Washington Street, Babies, Children, clothes, Family, Hoboken, kids, New Jersey, NJ, Parenting Family, retail, Shopping, Strollers, Wee Babe, Wee Babe Hoboken

Correction: The start date is Thursday, June 6th. The city documents were incorrect. And new for 2013, is the farmers market starts an hour earlier – at 2pm.

This document from city hall was riddled with errors. It even listed Ian Sacs name.

Uptown Hoboken Farmers Market 2013 (Thursdays)

Good news for residents! Either uptown, midtown or downtown! The annual Uptown Hoboken Farmers Market starts up today – and will continue every Thursday from 3pm to 7:30pm until the Fall!

Located on Hudson St. between 13th & 14th.

What is so special about Jersey Fresh anyway?

The uptown Hoboken Farmers market features “Jersey Fresh” suppliers. Why should you care?

“What makes Jersey Fresh produce so special is the basic quality and freshness of the individual commodities. When a commodity is featured as Jersey Fresh, it is guaranteed to meet a certain quality standard for the size, shape and coloring of that commodity. Often times when produce is shipped to New Jersey from other states, it must be picked, harvested, etc. before it is at its peak of flavor and ripeness. This is done to allow for both time and shipping conditions of that item from another state or sometimes even another country. If the commodities were harvested at their tree or vine-ripened stages, they would become bruised or damaged during shipment and would not have the shelf life necessary to be sold.

A Jersey Fresh commodity is grown right here in New Jersey and because of the obvious geographic proximity to local distribution centers, the commodity can be picked/harvested at its peak tree or vine ripened stage and offered to retailers in a much shorter amount of time. Additionally, when commodities are picked at their peak of flavor and freshness, more of the very important vitamins and minerals each commodity offers is retained within the commodity.

New Jersey is proud of its agricultural background and with a program such as Jersey Fresh, we are helping to keep the farming tradition in New Jersey. With its 10,300 farms and 730,000 acres of farmland, even though New Jersey is a very densely populated state, the program is working to keep our state green and growing and the garden in the Garden State.”

Technorati Tags: 13th Street, 2013, Authentically Local, farmers market, Fruits, Hoboken, Hoboken Farms, Hudson Street, Jersey Fresh, Local, New Jersey, NJ, produce, Thursdays, Uptown, Vegetables