Rights International Group was established in 1996 by licensing professional Robert Hazaga in order to provide manufacturers in the United States, Canada, Japan, the European Union and other countries with the finest in art and design.

Robert Hazaga brought to his new company years of experience in the print, design, and home decor industries, fluency in Japanese, broad international travel and experience, and an extensive knowledge of art and design. His desire was to enable companies to use his expertise to locate quickly and easily the art, design and licensed properties they need to create beautiful new products that will sell well in their own and in the American marketplace.

*** Note: No longer located in Hoboken. Moved to Union City ***

Description - Art and design for manufacturers around the world.
Website - www.rightsinternational.com
Address - 500 Paterson Plank Road, Union City, NJ 07087
Telephone - 201-863-4500

1/31/2008 Menu Update:

Not sure if anyone noticed, but they’ve added additional options to the menu, and guess what? Even lowered prices on some items! Hooray!

Get Anthony David’s new menu here.

1/13/2008 Update:

They’re supposedly set to re-open TODAY.

Here’s what I found out was done:

• New floors throughout (including new kitchen tiles)
• Some new fixtures
• Complete cleanup of basement, including over 100lbs of concrete to seal sewer pipe area (helps prevent “critters”)

1/10/2008:

Here’s a little update from a reader, who noticed the sudden “closed for renovations” over at Anthony David’s.

“Anthony David’s closed suddenly last week for renovations and something is clearly underway. They claim they’d be reopened within a week but considering the wait for inspections it already looks unlikely. Also heard a rumor that the owner was trying to condo the building. Maybe they had to do some improvements to allow the condo deal to go through?”

Here’s a few pictures taken last night.

Get all the restaurant details, plus see a review from over a year ago as well, after the jump.

[Click to continue reading the rest….]

1/31/2008:

By T.G. Heins-

1/31/2008:

With two weeks left until Valentine’s Day 2008, I figured I’d bump up this article from last year. I still feel the same way.

1/19/2007:
I’ll probably catch some flack for this, but hey, I’ll admit it. I’m not too keen on “forced” holidays. I believe that if you really care about someone, you’ll show it in your own way, and on your own schedule. If you’re a real friend, lover, relative or sibling, you’ll be true all year round, and that is what I feel is more important than anything, not just a few days a year. You don’t have to give the best, most expensive, and elaborate gift to show someone you care. All that does is show that you’re a good gift-giver!

Now that time of the year is coming around that is somewhat stressful for many people. Valentine’s Day. Three and a half weeks from now some people get engaged, others break up because they didn’t get a fancy (fill in the blank: arrangement, dinner, romantic trip, jewelry). Many people in the workplace compare notes and brag to one another. Some kind of Olympic event of “who got the best/biggest/nicest”. Like a brain-washed “Synchronized gift-giving” event that validates your existence on earth. What is unique about doing the same thing everyone else is doing? Why do most people feel pressure and others don’t? I’ve seen instances where relationships get challenged due to some disappointing turn of events. People question their love for each other because of “failure to give the proper gift”. Crap, I say.

I can totally understand the social aspect of “fitting in” and just “doing it because” or “easier to get it over with, than catch shit from the S.O.”, but a true relationship should never be challenged by such instances. If it is, then I would presume it just wasn’t meant to be, and one should be happy it surfaced sooner rather than later. But the blatant commercialism of this “holiday” has reached epic proportions. Companies spend millions upon millions of dollars hiring the best ad execs to produce the most mild-melding commercials and print-ads that practically hypnotize most people into believing it is absolutely necessary. “You better get your girlfriend this (jewelry, car, trip) or else she’ll be riding away nude on a horse into the sunset with Brad Pitt”.

It’s a losing cause, though, because I’m sure most people will disagree with me, and that’s all fine and dandy. I would ask you: Is receiving a gift on a commercial holiday proof that someone cares about you? How do you know it’s sincere and not forced? Would you feel bad if you didn’t get anything? If so, why? Do some people just “want” so that they can “have”?

Regardless, I found some pertinent Valentines Day articles on associatedcontent.com, written by Jack Oceano. Both are related to Hoboken.

- This one is about Top Hoboken Florists, and
- This one is about Top Romantic Hoboken restaurants.

Whoever you are, and whatever you do, I hope those links can help!

Am I off-base with my viewpoint?

1/31/2008 Update:

Little did I know by publishing a status update of the La Scala fire that it would bring angry ex-tenants out of the woodwork to tell their stories of financial ruin.

Here’s what one owner of a 2BR/2Ba unit of that building had to say. A sucky story if you ask me!:

“First off the building insurance paid about $160K for $800K worth of damage so we have been assessed the difference which one owner (the original developer Moshe Hopstein) who owns 3-4 units (I think he gave 1 to a partner Asher Parness) 40% of the building hasn’t paid.

We did not receive the 160K until March 2007 nearly 9 months later. We have a court case against our insurance company Seneca and our lawyer is moving very slowly. The lawyer takes 33% plus expenses and the management company Realty Express LaBarbera hired North Jersey Public Adjusters without consulting us first will take 10% of any recovered amount (and of the 160K).

We hired an Architect James Mcneight to draw plans which he has already since he was the original architect when the building went condo and he took over 6 months to get us a permit after giving us lies that he brought plans to the building department when he did not. The contractor Harry Seymour seems ready to work but after getting a hard time from the architect and the town to get permits has not received any guidance from Hopstein/Parness who’s unit has the majority of damage. Also none of the owners and Realty Express seem to care about what is happening and try to push things along (except me) RELB continues to collect there monthly management fee. It has taken more than a month just to deiced on a paint color for the building and it hasn’t been picked yet. Meanwhile I paid the highest price in the building lost my roommate who was paying me rent (and after the assessment) will be lucky to break even while I continue to make my mortgage payments and had to move in with my girlfriend because I can’t afford another place to live.

Due to the many lies that things were going to be finished faster I did not walk away and give the place up in foreclosure (I wish I did). This entire incident has ruined and continues to ruin me financially.“

What a crappy story indeed!

[Click to continue reading the rest….]

1/31/2008:

How convenient.

The Mayor is now stepping up on the junky sidewalk mail that has plagued Hoboken residents forever with a “zero tolerance” policy. Why now, when you could have done this around election time, David?

First of all, not sure if city code is updated on this website, but it says this ordinance is 110-45, with “Muddy tires” being 110-44… either somethings wrong, or that site needs to be updated.

Secondly, what about the Hoboken Reporter? I’m sure that can be classified as an advertisement because 1) it’s free, 2) it’s not a subscription specifically requested by residents and 3) it’s jam-packed with advertisements, often on the bag itself! If they say the Reporter is OK because it contains “useful information,” then I recommend all future flier-creators add a helpful and relevant Hoboken tip to each of your fliers to enjoy this loophole as well.

From the city website:

Let’s stop those unwanted circulars.

Mayor David Roberts is launching a quality of life campaign by once again offering residents the “No Advertisements” decal in an effort to halt unwanted circulars that litter the community.

These decals display City ordinance number 110-44 which enforces penalties for unwanted circulars distributed in front of buildings.

I’d like to hear what any council person has to say about the garbage they left behind during the elections… Say something.. anything.

1/31/2008 Reminder:

Tonight, at the GoldHawk.

1/25/2008:

I personally have never heard of this band until yesterday, but many of you may have.

Good Night, States is playing at the Goldhawk next Thursday, January 31st at 8pm.

Take a listen to their latest album “Short Films on Self Control” below to see if this act may interest you! I checked out a few songs, and I enjoy their sound! What are your thoughts?

“Analog indie rock band Good Night, States hits the road at the end of January to offer a sneak peek at songs from their upcoming album, Short Films on Self-Control.

The music of Good Night, States is solidly grounded in thoughtful songwriting and supported by rock and roll’s staples—guitars, bass, drums—while beautifully shaped by lush vocal harmonies, analog synthesizers, vintage keyboards, and a few surprise instruments. The five band members, who live in both Pittsburgh and North Jersey, have infused love and longing into a heart-stirring new album Short Films on Self-Control.”

Hoboken411 Jukebox

Listen to all the Good Night, States tracks here!

1/31/2008 Update and Reminder:

A bump for the movie and pizza night, as well as news that an original cast member will be present!

Thomas Hanley, who played the boy with the pigeons on the roof with Marlon Brando, will attend the movie and speak afterwards. What a treat!

1/22/2008:

Next Saturday, February 2nd, 2008, Our Lady of Grace Church will be showing the acclaimed movie On The Waterfront.

As most of you probably already know, the movie was shot almost entirely on location, and used actual longshoremen as extras. Advance tickets available at OLG Rectory, 400 Willow Ave, Hoboken, NJ. For more information, please call 201-659-0369.

Who’d be the extras if the movie was re-shot in 2008? Realtors, construction workers, and machete-wielding nut-jobs?

1/30/2008:

Really into politics? Want to see your candidate kick ass?

Or what about if you’re not into politics, and just want to see “talking head” bloodshed?

Well here’s your chance, with this fun game “Kung Fu Election.”

Fight your way to election victory, the way all elections should be held: By physical strength! Although a few of the candidates have already dropped out, it still may be fun for some people. What’s comical are some of the candidates “special powers,” such as:

Hillary Clinton: Bill Clinton Attack
Barack Obama: Doves
Mitt Romney: Robotic Candidate Attack
John McCain: Air Strike

I found the controls to be a bit spotty in the beginning, but realized you need to use your “block” command a lot.

1/30/2008:

I was told The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office finally released the identity of the one person killed in yesterday morning’s fire at 1203 Washington Street: Seth Dembowitz. Dembowitz was a 28 year-old Bear Stearns Systems Analyst who worked in the Global Equities Division in their Brooklyn office. He graduated from Rutgers in 2001 with a finance degree.

The cause of death was reported to be smoke and soot inhalation, and thermal burns to the body.

As always, investigators have to treat all unattended fire deaths as “suspicious.”

Police are going to use dental to records to confirm that the badly burned body was Dembowitz. His family was notified of this tragic event.