Hey, Hudson County. Are you ready for all this? So much happened this week in our beloved cities that it’s been hard to keep track. With sudden closures, highly-anticipated openings, and everything in between, you may want to start a list of all the new places you’ll have to try out. For one, Artichoke Basile’s Pizza is finally open in Hoboken. For another, Jersey City is getting a “healthier” alternative to a corner bodega. Keep reading to find out why The Houlihan’s in Weehawken closed, the latest update in the fight to keep food trucks in Jersey City on the streets, and what’s going on with that e-scooter DUI you keep hearing about. That and so much more, below:
Artichoke Basile’s Pizza Is Officially Open in Hoboken
{Photo credit: @artichokepizza}
It’s here, Hoboken! The day many of us have been waiting for. After all the anticipation, Artichoke Basile’s Pizza is officially open in the Mile Square. Now open at 96 Hudson Street, only a block away from the PATH, Artichoke officially opened its doors at the end of September. Known for big specialty slices and long lines that sometimes run around the corner, Artichoke commemorated the opening day on its Instagram by writing, “#NewJersey, [it’s] love at first sight.”
DOMODOMO Opening Its Second Location at Jersey City Urby on October 21st
{Photo courtesy of DOMODOMO}
Who’s ready for some Manhattan-style dining but right here, in Jersey City? DOMODOMO, New York’s original hand roll bar and Michelin Bib Gourmand-rated Japanese eatery is opening its second location at Jersey City Urby on October 21st.
Created in 2015 by brothers-in-law, executive chef Brian Kim and creative director and interior designer Jae Park, the duo are bringing Jersey City a culinary concept that combines Asian-inspired cuisine and a unique dining experience. The menu is DOMOKASE, fairly priced and omakase-inspired. Here you’ll find specially harvested seaweed, shrimp dumplings, squid ink pasta with cheddar dashi and yuzu tobiko, grilled octopus, and of course, house-made sauces.
DOMODOMO Kitchen also joins Brooklyn-based ice cream maker Ample Hills Creamery and Jersey City-based 9 Bar Café as retail partners at JC Urby. Located at 200 Greene Street, just a short distance from Exchange Place PATH Station, DOMODOMO Kitchen’s ambiance stays true to its New York location’s original minimalistic design, with signature wood molding patterns and expansive high ceilings around the sushi bar.
During the soft opening on October 21st, patrons can expect a pretty sweet deal: 20% off dinner service. DOMODOMO will also offer 15% off lunch service between the hours of 11:30AM-2:30PM.
Los Montones — a “Healthy” Bodega — Is Opening in Jersey City
{Photo credit: Google Maps}
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man, I really wish there was a healthy version of my go-to bodega”? Well, Jersey City is in luck. According to Patch, Los Montones is branding itself as a “healthy” bodega and is coming to JC at 432 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. Part of the Jersey City Healthy Corner Initiative, Los Montones seeks to give healthier food options to neighborhoods where access to healthy food is lacking. Los Montones will serve the Greenville and Bergen-Lafayette neighborhoods with fruits and vegetables, drinks {with no added sugar}, and whole-grain products.
“Successfully increasing healthy food access plays a vital role in the overall health and well-being of our neighborhoods and our city as a whole,” said Stacey Flanagan, director of the Department of Health + Human Services, in an official statement. “We are focused on making it easier for our residents to make good food choices. With healthier options, they can swap out the high-fat, high-sugar foods and avoid diet-related diseases while reaping the benefits of a healthier diet.”
At the grand opening, LM handed out Bodega Bucks, redeemable coupons for $3 worth of groceries. The ribbon-cutting ceremony also featured cooking demonstrations, nutrition and wellness education, and health screenings. Los Montones marks the third “healthy corner store” to crop up in Jersey City in recent months.
Hoboken Historical Museum Hosting Annual Hoboken House Tour
The Hoboken Historical Museum is hosting its Annual Hoboken House Tour on Sunday, October 20th. As usual, this year’s tour will feature some grand, classic homes, newer condos, and new additions: the neon sign studio at the south end of town and indoor gaming facility at 10th and Grand Street.
If you’re interested in taking the tour, check out Hoboken Historical Museum’s website for tickets. And if you are interested in volunteering for the event, HHM is still looking for volunteers for two shifts. Volunteers earn a free ticket to use during the other tour shift. If you’re interested, email volunteer@hobokenmuseum.org.
Jersey City Might Be Getting a Trader Joes
{Photo credit: @traderjoes}
Could Jersey City be following in the footsteps of Hoboken and be getting a Trader Joes? While there have been rumblings for a while that a Whole Foods could be coming to Jersey City, there are now rumors that Jersey City could be getting a TJ. While nothing has been confirmed by either Trader Joes or the developer, Jersey Digs reports that designs for the new Avalon Building at 444 Washington Boulevard in Jersey City include renderings of a storefront sign that reads “Trader Jays” in a font similar to TJ’s logo.
Of course, this is 100% speculation at this point, as a similar name and logo could just be a filler for the image renderings. Only time will tell!
Mango Mango Desserts Moving into Former Town House No. 620 Location
{Photo credit: Lara Cohn}
Signage at 620 Washington — the former home of boutique Town House No. 620 — shows that a new dessert place Mango Mango is planning to open soon. With another New Jersey location already established in Edison, Mango Mango’s posters say that they’re hiring and anyone interested should email hiringmangomango@hotmail.com. The dessert company is currently looking for people to fill the roles of the wait staff and kitchen staff.
Mango Mango first opened in 2013 and has several Manhattan stores. In more recent years, they have focused on franchising their dessert cafes to other areas. According to Jersey Digs, it looks like the Mile Square location will fit about 36 customers at a time and serve mango-themed desserts in traditional Hong Kong-style.
Multi-Alarm Fire in Jersey City Has Firefighters Working ‘Round the Clock
As of Friday, October 11th, Hudson County firefighters were hard at work battling a multi-alarm fire that burned inside several buildings. Calls for the fire, located on Wade Street, came into FD at around 4:25AM Friday morning and upon arrival, firefighters realized that the flames affected more than one building.
No one appeared to be hurt or trapped at the time of this news article. Firefighters called a 4-alarm asking for additional help from other firefighters. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Break-In at W Kodak Jewelers Rocks Mile Square
Mile Square residents were left shocked after W Kodak Jewelers in uptown Hoboken was the target of a break-in on October 5th. In an email with Hoboken Girl, a W Kodak team representative confirmed the break-in at 1123 Hudson Street and wrote, “We appreciate the rapid response from [the] Hoboken Police Department and their due diligence in investigating this matter. Our store is open for business during regular hours and we look forward to continuing to serve Hoboken as your local jeweler.”
Information is limited but the representative also confirmed that no one was present during the incident, so no one was harmed. “Only minor damage occurred,” the representative added.
Bobwhite Counter Coming to Jersey City
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Iv2OJlfqt/
Bobwhite Counter, an eatery based in the East Village of Manhattan, is expanding to Jersey City. With plans to move into the Paulus Hook neighborhood, inside the Portside Towers at 100 Warren Street, the eatery is known for its fried chicken. Signage recently went up at 100 Warren, announcing Bobwhite Counter is taking over the former Simple Sam’s Food and Wine location. Bobwhite Counter also officially confirmed the news on its Instagram account.
“Family! We have something to share with you… We’ll be expanding our reach and serving up chicken and handshakes soon in Jersey City! Are you ready???” the caption reads.
City Council Holding Public Community Meeting for Input on Hoboken Yards Redevelopment Plan
On Tuesday, October 15th, Hoboken City Council is holding a public community meeting to discuss the Hoboken Yards Redevelopment Plan. The meeting, which will take place at 7:00PM at the Multi-Service Center at 124 Grand Street, will focus on the Redevelopment Plan. With recent talk of a European-style market going into Lackawanna Station, it very well could be one of the items that make it into the Redevelopment Plan.
Man Driving E-Scooter Charged With First-Ever Hoboken Scooter DUI
Well, it’s happened, Hoboken. The first official DUI for a person driving a scooter while intoxicated in Hoboken has been issued. Nicholas Cutrone, 26, of Hoboken appeared visibly unsteady while unlocking and then operating a scooter near Newark Street and Park Avenue, according to Hudson County View. After being confronted by Mile Square police, Cutrone was charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, and refusal to submit to a breathalyzer.
Cutrone first failed an on-scene field sobriety test, conducted by Police Officer Edward Lepre. He was then placed under arrest; at police headquarters, Cutrone refused to provide breath samples.
Jersey City Public Schools Celebrates Annual Week of Respect Dedicated to Anti-Bullying
Last week, Jersey City Public Schools celebrated its annual Week of Respect, a five-day period dedicated to bullying and cyberbullying prevention. The event, which is sponsored by Mayor Steven Fulop, Municipal Council, Office of Cultural Affairs, and the public school district, is part of a larger nationwide National Bullying Prevention Month. The anti-bullying campaign, which also encompasses cyberbullying, seeks to bring attention and awareness to the ongoing issue of bullying.
Curry Up Now to Open in Hoboken Before New Years
Curry Up Now is an eatery specializing in Indian food that’s set to open in Hoboken. Formerly the site of Wok to Walk, 91 Washington Street is transforming into a new outpost of the California-based restaurant. Curry Up Now has expanded to New Jersey just this past year, with five franchise locations ready to soon open throughout the state. The eatery had pretty humble beginnings, as it started as a Cali food truck by Akash Kapoor and his wife Rana in 2009. The forthcoming Mile Square location marks the eatery’s second NJ outpost, with a Newark location opening soon after this one. While there is no confirmed opening date as of yet, sources say it’s likely that Curry Up Now will open in 2019, before the new year.
Jersey City Food Truck Fees Suspended Until End of Month
In the wake of Jersey City invoking new fees for food truck owners to park on certain roads in town, the fees have been officially suspended until the end of October. Additionally, York and Grand Streets have since been removed from the Food Vendor Park Zone approved area. These new food truck rules went into effect earlier this month, but have received backlash for unfair prices. As a result, vendors asked that the fees be suspended until the end of this year’s license period. {That would be April 30th, 2020 for the record.} As this is still unfolding, Hoboken Girl will continue to bring you updates.
Wake Up and Go Coffee Shop Coming to Hoboken/Jersey City Border
Need to wake up and get coffee? Wake Up and Go Coffee {aptly named!} is a new coffee shop coming to the Hoboken/Jersey City border. Signage for the shop recently went up outside the 1st-floor retail space on the corner of Marshall and 1st Street. As details become available, Hoboken Girl will be updating the story.
Manny’s District Lounge to Open Soon in Jersey City
More to come in Jersey City! Manny’s District Lounge is a new lounge coming to Exchange Place waterfront. Located at 210 Hudson Street in JC, a Mack Cali Harborside property, MDL looks to be opening soon, according to Jersey Digs. Sources confirm Manny’s will be a cocktail bar and lounge with a bar area, billiards, ping-pong table, and ample seating, and it appears it may open around mid-to-late October.
The Houlihan’s in Weehawken Suddenly Closes
The Houlihan’s at 1200 Harbor Boulevard in Weehawken has suddenly closed. A sign in their window states, “We made the difficult decision to close our Weehawken restaurant effective October 8th. We would like to offer a heartfelt thank-you to the community and our loyal guests for their support and patronage over the years. We hope to see you soon at another Houlihan’s Restaurant + Bar.”
While the closure is sudden, it may have been even more of a surprise to employees, as it appears that the location closed without giving its workers any notice. The reason? Things are still unclear but in response to a tweet asking why the sudden closure, the official Houlihan’s tweeted that it closed because of an ongoing dispute with its landlord.
Martha’s Restaurant Reopens After Renovations
{Photo credit: Facebook}
Martha’s Restaurant is finally open… again. After closing for renovations on August 24th, the eatery at 308 Pacific Avenue in Jersey City has opened its doors once more. Martha’s patrons will find breakfast and lunch options, as well as plenty of seafood dishes. Martha’s is currently taking online orders for delivery and can even be found on Delivery.com. Welcome back, Martha’s!
Hoboken City Clerk Offering Extended Hours for Voter Registration
Election Day is coming up on Tuesday, November 5th and the City of Hoboken wants you to vote. With the registration to vote deadline next Tuesday, October 15th, you can either register to vote online, via mail, or deliver the Voter Registration Application to either the Office of the Superintendent of Elections at 257 Cornelison Avenue in Jersey City {4th floor} or Hoboken City Clerk’s office in City Hall at 94 Washington Street.
You can find the application in English here and the application in Spanish here. You may vote by completing the Application for Vote by Mail Ballot and returning it to the Hudson County Clerk’s Office, but it must be done seven days prior to the election. The City Clerk’s office is extending its hours until 9:00PM on Friday, October 11th and Tuesday, October 15th to accommodate everyone who wants to register to vote.
Jersey City Girl Writes a Book About Being Bullied — Take That, Haters
They say to get over something, you have to turn it into literature. Well, that’s exactly what 10-year-old Gabrielle Henry did when she turned her story of being bullied from a young age into a book. Henry’s book 3 Years of Bullying was first published in 2018 and now in 2019, a second edition was published. The book, which is available on Amazon, follows Henry’s story from preschool to first grade as she was called “slow poked” and even physically pushed and shoved by her classmates.
“When I was bullied, it made me feel sad. I dealt with it by telling my mom or teacher,” Henry told Patch. “I want kids who read the book or hear me speak, I would hope they confront the bullies, or if they just tell someone about it, or ignore it.”
You go, Gabrielle!
Cathedral Arts Live Welcomes Celebrated Jazz Drummer and Band Leader Winard Harper
{Photo courtesy of Cathedral Arts Live}
In the mood for some jazz? Cathedral Arts Live is thrilled to welcome celebrated jazz drummer Winard Harper to the stage on October 18th. Harper, who has a devoted following in Jersey City, runs the “Meet the Artist” Series at Moore’s Lounge each Sunday and is a well-established virtuoso on the drum set and balafon, the West African equivalent of the marimba.
Tickets are $20 in advance at $25 at the door. Doors open at 7:00PM and you can purchase tickets on Cathedral Live’s website or Facebook. For more on Cathedral Art Live’s season, check out their website for a full talent lineup.
Pastrami House Delicatessen Sign Goes Up
{Photo credit: Lara Cohn}
It looks like the Pastrami House Delicatessen is one step closer to opening in the Mile Square, as new signage just went up at the future location, 832 Washington Street. Back in August, Hoboken Girl reported that the Kosher-style deli {with another location in Lincroft, NJ} was making its way to the former Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries Spot. The sign reads, “Nostalgic ‘old world’ delicatessen,” and brown paper is taped to the windows during construction. It shouldn’t be long now.
ITA Italian Kitchen Opening in McGinley Square
{Photo credit: Google Maps}
Coming soon to 682 Bergen Avenue in McGinley Square is ITA Italian Kitchen. The floor-level retail space was formerly the home of Wang Wang Chinese Restaurant, which has since closed. According to Jersey Digs, not much is known about the Italian restaurant other than what was offered on a temporary sign that recently went up. We know the Italian place will be called ITA Italian Kitchen and not much else. The entity appears to have no website or social media. All we know right now is that it’s coming soon.
Local Doorman Heralded For Act of True Heroism
{Photo credit: Devin Mahon}
Local concierge Thomas Rodriguez is being applauded for a heroic act as he pulled a woman in distress out of the cold Hudson River waters earlier this week. Near the side of Hudson Street Building, the woman had attempted to get to the pier from a rowboat when Rodriguez jumped to her aid. After Rodriguez pulled the unidentified woman out of the water, the Hudson Tea Buildings Condominium, for which Rodriguez does concierge for, honored him for his heroism and quick action, recognizing his with 18+ years of dedicated service.
Tribos Perri Perri Officially Opens Its Doors in Jersey City
{Photo credit: @tribos.jc}
A Portuguese-inspired restaurant called Tribos Perri Perri has officially opened its doors at 109 Columbus Drive, Jersey City. Located in the former ME Casa’s storefront, TPP soft-opened on September 22nd and has been serving Portuguese-inspired dishes like salads, pitas, and rice bowls ever since. TPP specializes in food made with African bird’s eye chili, according to Jersey City Upfront, and draws inspiration from cuisine a la Portugal, Mozambique, and Southern Asia.
Weeks after the soft-opening, TPP kicked off its grand opening this past Friday, offering specials and deals for their big opening weekend.
Annual Report Reveals New Jersey’s Most Expensive Zip Codes
What are the most expensive New Jersey zip codes to live in? According to a new report from RentCafe, New York {obviously,} holds the most expensive zip code nationally. But in New Jersey, Hoboken reigns supreme. The report claims that 07030 opens the ranking with an average rent of $3,531 after a 2.7 percent annual growth. For months now, Hoboken has led the state’s rental market with the highest prices.
The next two spots are taken by Jersey City: 07310 and 07302 with respective average rents of $3,297 and $3,291. Other NJ areas on the list include Edgewater, Weehawken, and Fort Lee. Weehawken had the highest annual increase of 3.9 percent.
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