Home Events + NewsEvents The Art of Utility Shop Opens in Hoboken + Other News You Missed This Week

The Art of Utility Shop Opens in Hoboken + Other News You Missed This Week

by Steph
Attain Medspa
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Happy Sunday, everyone! This week has been nonstop with headlines about forthcoming {and recent!} changes to our New Jersey cities. From the city making strides in improving fair and affordable housing to an iconic singing competition show threatening to sue Hoboken, here are the headlines you may have missed this week {read up and then head over to the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival happening Sunday, September 30th}: 

New Ethical Fashion Store ‘The Art of Utility’ Opens in Hoboken

art of utility hoboken

{Photo credit: Instagram}

Snap Fitness JC

The Art of Utility is the latest shop to open its doors in Hoboken {in the space that Aaraa Accessories formerly occupied}. The ethical clothing store strives and challenges its consumers to think about sustainability and circularity when buying. Owners Jay and Carla are local Jersey City and Newark residents that have teamed up to open the storefront in our Mile Square which houses handmade pieces and unique finds — both having a background in fashion and creative. Hours are Monday-Friday, 2:00PM-8:00PM and 12:00PM-8:00PM on Saturdays and Sundays. The store is located on 6th and Grand Streets. Welcome to the neighborhood!

sojo spa

Hoboken Offers Fair Housing Survey in Hopes to Expand Fair Access

According to City Hall, affordable housing in Hoboken is one of the city’s top priorities, especially as the city kickstarts its recently-formed task force against homelessness. The city is encouraging residents to participate in the Hoboken Fair Housing Survey, which seeks to gather input about fair housing and housing choices. It is a crucial step in determining the city’s need for federal money in order to address the issues of housing and community development.

Hobbs Inc

Sinatra Idol Threatened With Lawsuit by ‘American Idol’

frank sinatra mural

Frank Sinatra may be associated with Hoboken but the term ‘idol’ is associated with something very different. The city of Hoboken’s official website recently reported that American Idol has threatened Frank Sinatra Idol, the Mile Square City’s version of a singing competition, with a lawsuit.

“Sinatra Idol is a Hoboken institution, and Sinatra Idol is not going anywhere,” Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla said. “We must preserve Sinatra Idol, but Hollywood will sue if we don’t change Sinatra Idol’s name. We discussed alternatives like ‘The Sinatra Voice’ or ‘The S Factor,’ but we thought it might be best for Hoboken to suggest new names for Sinatra Idol.”

yoga renew hoboken

Residents can currently vote to suggest a new name for the talent contest. Vote in the survey here.

Tony Boloney’s Debuts Vegan Margherita Pizza in Hoboken

vegan pizza hoboken tony boloneys

Vegans, rejoice! Hoboken pizza staple Tony Boloneys may be known for its unique and delicious of pizza but now they’re debuting a menu item that will make our dairy-free readers V happy {pun intended}. Vegan pizza is the newest thing to grace the menu, with not one but three completely new, completely sans meat options: King, which features Moroccan roasted cauliflower, red quinoa, hummus, chimichurri, and golden raisins, Kaleiente, which has kale, Mexican black hummus, avocado, and cilantro, and Yogi, which features coconut curry tikka masala, mushrooms, broccoli rabe, and cilantro chutney.

Hoboken Hosting Public Workshop to Improve Street Designs

On September 27, the city of Hoboken paired up with North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority to host a public workshop. The workshop sought to garner feedback from residents about the design of a Street Design Guide.

“Whether you’re walking, biking, driving, or riding the bus, we all use our streets in some way each day,” said Mayor Bhalla. “Strong community input will be essential to the development of an innovative Street Design Guide that will improve safety, accessibility, and quality of life for residents and visitors, regardless of how you choose to get around.”

Workshop participants had a chance to identify problems in Hoboken’s streets and brainstorm improvements about how to better handle those problem areas. The plan’s goal is to make the streets more useful and accommodating to all — children, senior citizens, people with disabilities alike.

 

Alba Boutique Expanding to Morristown

alba boutique morristown

{Photo credit: Instagram}

Five years after Alba Boutique was established, the upscale clothing store has announced it’s opening another sister shop in Morristown, NJ. The store made the announcement on its Instagram account. According to the store’s official IG, the upcoming Motown location will be at 166 South Street.

“Who’s shopping with us in Hoboken? You can also visit our Summit, Ridgewood, and UPCOMING Morristown locations! New fall arrivals are here and we’ve got everything you need to update your wardrobe,” the caption reads. Congrats to owner Jeanna on the success and expansion!

The Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church Issues Statement on Holy Innocents

holy innocents church hoboken

As Hoboken Girl previously reported, the Church of the Holy Innocents, located on Willow and 6th Streets, has been undergoing some recent renovations. In an effort to clarify what the plans are for the church, the rector of All Saints Episcopal Parish, which owns the building, has issued a statement.

“Holy Innocents is owned by All Saints Parish, and any restoration or future use will be determined and executed by the rector and vestry of All Saints. In 2015, a group of dedicated volunteers formed Friends of Holy Innocents as a way to generate some income, and they undertook a massive effort to clean out decades of storage and an accumulation of debris to make the building usable for modest purposes. The work of Friends of Holy Innocents, many of whom are members of All Saints, continues to take its direction and receive approval for events and projects from All Saints Parish.”

The rector continued, “Last spring, All Saints renewed its efforts to complete repair work on the north gable that was damaged in Hurricane Sandy. In addition, we have a list of necessary upgrades in order to bring the building up to code. It is this work for which we have received approval. We have neither the money nor the plans in place for a full restoration, although we are hopeful that, once the building can be used, we will hold events to raise awareness and generate funding for the restoration. There is no individual outside of All Saints Parish ‘taking over’ this project. We have some local friends who have volunteered to assist with fundraising, but, as yet, a long-term strategy has not been developed.”

If you’re looking for more information, you can log onto the website at AllSaintsHoboken.com.

Stevens Hosts ‘Send SilencePacking’ Exhibit on Mental Illness and Suicide

stevens mental health exhibit

{Photo credit: Instagram}

“Treatment is effective and can help.” That’s what a sign plucked in the Stevens Institute grounds read earlier this week. The sign — and the subsequent backpacks surrounding the sign, also displayed on the Stevens lawn — are part of a traveling art exhibit meant to bring awareness to mental illness and suicide. The exhibit, entitled ‘Send SilencePacking’ uses backpacks to depict the number of students lost to suicide each year.

“ICYMI: On Friday, Stevens welcomed a traveling exhibit called Send SilencePacking,” the official Stevens IG account wrote. “For more than a decade, the Send Silence Packing exhibit has traveled the country to end the silence that surrounds mental illness and suicide. The backpacks highlight the tragic number of college student suicides that occur across the country each year.”

The Instagram caption was bookended with a note about counseling and psychological services. Enrolled students can ask for help by calling 201.216.5177 or visiting the CAPS office on the 7th floor of the Howe Building.

Hazardous Materials Spill at 7th and Monroe Causes Street Closures in West Hoboken

street closures hoboken

PSE&G created a hazardous spill at 7th Street between Jackson and Monroe last week. According to Hoboken Patch, the Hoboken Fire Department said that the spill didn’t pose a threat to local residents and that “repairs were underway.” 8th Street and 7th Street and parts of Jackson Street remained closed as of Saturday night, September 29th.

Have a Question for PSE&G? Company Holding Public Appointments

If you have questions for your local PSE&G company, now’s the time to voice them. The company offered Hoboken residents access to a PSE&G representative, Richard Dwyer, on Tuesday, September 25 at 124 Grand Street to answer any questions or concerns about upgrades made to the electrical systems.

Hamilton Park Flyer Board Appears Torched  Jersey City Residents Suspect Vandalism

hamilton park scorching

{Photo credit: Imgur}

Have Jersey City vandals recently targeted Hamilton Park? Residents of Jersey City are crowdsourcing information on what could have happened to the flyer board in Hamilton Park, pictured above. Some seem to think it’s the work of vandalism. The center of the flyer board appears to have been set on fire, though it is unclear exactly what went down.

Hudson County Chamber of Commerce Honors 2018 Legends

The Hudson County Chamber of Commerce annually honors members of the community who “contribute immensely” to Hudson County and personify the motto “We Make It Happen.” This year’s honorees are Gregory Dell’Aquila, Managing Member, JDA Group, Alma DeMetropolis, Market President, NJ Leadership Team/Market Manager, JPMorgan Chase, Jersey City, Madeline Fiadini LoRe, President/Chairperson, MFL Cancer Foundation, and Bayonne Drs. Deval and Pragnesh Gadhvi, NJ Primary Care, Jersey City. All are invited to a celebratory reception at the Liberty Science Center on December 13, 2018 to honor these stand-out citizens. Congratulations to all!

Woman Assaults Mail Carrier in Jersey City, Attempts to Steal Packages

packages mail amazon

 

A Jersey City mail carrier was attacked near New and Rutgers Avenues on September 19 during her mail route. A woman accosted the Post Office worker then stole several packages from the carrier’s satchel before leaving the scene. The mail carrier called police, but not before confronting her attacker and winning back the packages.

The assailant was later identified as Kimberly Sanders. She was arrested and charged with robbery and 10 counts of bail-jumping. Sanders also has an extensive criminal record with 40 arrests under her belt.

WomenRising Holding Tampon Drive + Awarding Gala Sponsorship

hoboken girl helps women rising 2018

There is still time to participate in HobokenGirl Helps’ volunteer initiative in conjunction with WomenRising, a local shelter that serves Hudson County women and families. The drive seeks donations of tampons, pads, diapers, and wipes. You can drop off donations at any of the above-mentioned locations, European Wax Center, Massage Envy, Hudson Yoga Project etc. For more information, check out our full post on the drive. The drive spans until October 16. WomenRising is also keeping its sponsorship for its October 17th gala, which all proceeds go to the organization. Get your tickets here.

Work It Out Fitness Studios Changes Its Class Name from ‘Skinny’ to ‘Strong’

work it out hoboken

Women’s fitness studio Work it Out Gym {with two locations in Hoboken} has changed its popular class name, “Next Stop Skinny” to “Next Stop Strong”. According to WiO’s founder, Noël Fiorentinos, “It was really an inclusive move because we are an inclusive brand. The class was named 8 years ago, things change, we evolve. Next Stop Strong was a more accurate depiction of who we are and why we represent.” The fitness studio issued a statement on their Instagram and other social media platforms regarding the change {above}.

Hoboken Woman Arrested for Voter Mail Bribery Scheme

vote here

A Hoboken woman has been arrested after paying prospective voters $50 each to vote for a specific candidate by mail-in ballot. Lizaida Camis, 55, was charged with violating the Travel Act for tampering with official documents in the mail and using them to “aid in bribery.” The crime occurred back in 2013.

Camis was arrested last week and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

“Voting by mail is a tool that is intended to aid voters but instead has been rampantly abused by corrupt political campaigns,” Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla said. “Today’s official statement by the United States Attorney’s office proves what we’ve known for years  candidates and campaigns will do anything, including bribing voters, to illegally influence elections here in Hoboken.”

Parklets Installed Throughout Jersey City

parklets

{Photo credit: Instagram}

In an effort to enhance the pedestrian experience, Jersey City recently began the installation of “parklets” around the city. The move is similar to one currently unrolling in Montclair, NJ. The idea is to “take back the streets” from cars and transform the pedestrian-heavy cities into more pedestrian-friendly spaces. The citywide pilot program seeks to temporarily turn a parking space for cars into a space designed for pedestrians. Think seating, art, landscaping, lighting, and more. Mayor Steven Fulop announced that five parklets would be installed throughout the city this fall at myriad locations:
280 Grove Street, 271 Ocean Avenue, 360 Communipaw Avenue, 38 Congress Street, and 193 Mallory Avenue.

“This initiative aims to create an efficient use of space for our community, allowing our pedestrians to take advantage of the green space by relaxing and socializing near businesses, restaurants, and transportation hubs,” Mayor Fulop announced. “Through Vision Zero, we are one step closer to reimagining our streets for all of its users, reducing traffic fatalities on our streets, and will use the feedback from this pilot program to determine if the program will be expanded.”

Hoboken Parking Meter Changes Beginning October 1st

hoboken parking meter

Parking rules are a-changing in Hoboken. According to The City of Hoboken’s website, “On Monday, October 1st, the City of Hoboken will restart the rollout out of its visitor side metered parking zone expansion to convert the 4-hour “visitor sides” of permit zones {white sign with green text} into 4-hour metered parking zones.” For Hoboken residents, this creates more free parking spots {if the sign reads 4-hour parking}, however, visitors will still have to pay whether in a 2-hour or 4-hour spot which previously was free for up to four hours.

Confused about parking? Click here for our guide to parking in Hoboken.

Have any news tips? Email hello@hobokengirl.com to let us know — we appreciate it.

Have you joined our Facebook group yet? Request here to gain access to even more local tips, and connect with fellow Hudson County residents.

RMA

also appears in

0 comment