Happy Sunday, Hudson County! Luckily, the snow didn’t slow down things around Hudson County last week. 50 Cent made a surprise appearance at Birch Hoboken, the #MarchforOurLives takes place in Hoboken, legalized recreational marijuana may make its way to NJ, and Hoboken Girl’s Formalwear Drive for charity was a huge success {thanks to all who donated, came to support, and shopped}! All of this plus even more below — here are your top news stories of the week in Hoboken + Jersey City:
50 Cent Visits Birch Hoboken
Birch Hoboken, best known for over-the-top milkshakes and nightlife, can now add celebrity hot-spot to its repertoire. Last Monday, Birch was visited by none other than rapper 50 Cent. The artist was said to have ordered the Cookie Monster milkshake {not Birthday Cake, shockingly} and visited with local patrons during his brief visit. According to Birch’s owner, 50 Cent was super friendly and politely taking photos with fans upon request.
Hoboken Girl Helps Formalwear Sale Doubles Annual Funds Raised for Suits for Success
Our #HobokenGirlHelps formalwear sale was a hit — thanks to everyone who donated, volunteered, and spent the afternoon shopping on Saturday. We raised over double the amount of last year {$1200} and had over 1000 donated dresses and suits, as part of the sale, with all proceeds going to Suits for Success. Everything was $5 and under and we donated the rest to local charities in need 💚. Residents and out-of-towners alike came from all over to shop the annual community sale. The event was coordinated by HG Helps Coordinator Janine Repka and Hoboken Girl Founder Jennifer Tripucka, with over 15 volunteers helping out day-of. Thank you to everyone who came out!
Hoboken and Jersey City See Large Turnouts for March For Our Lives Sibling Rallies
Photo: Jen Giattino via Facebook
Over 15 towns throughout New Jersey hosted rallies for the growing #MarchForOurLives movement, as well as 800+ sibling marches coinciding with the Washington, D.C. event on March 24th. The Mile Square and JC were two such cities — with both communities’ leaders and residents gathering together to protest gun violence. The March For Our Lives mission was created by and led by students across the country who “will no longer risk their lives waiting for someone else to take action to stop the epidemic of mass school shootings that has become all too familiar.” This past Saturday, millions took to the streets to demand that their lives and safety become a priority.
According to the website’s mission statement, “School safety is not a political issue. There cannot be two sides to doing everything in our power to ensure the lives and futures of children who are at risk of dying when they should be learning, playing, and growing. The mission and focus of March For Our Lives is to demand that a comprehensive and effective bill be immediately brought before Congress to address these gun issues. No special interest group, no political agenda is more critical than timely passage of legislation to effectively address the gun violence issues that are rampant in our country.”
We’re proud of our communities for coming together to show their strength and solidarity for this movement.
Hoboken Smart City Group to Host Transforming Commerce Event
Calling all entrepreneurs, social innovators and change-makers. Hoboken Smart City Group is hosting Transforming Commerce: Advancing Social Impact Through Business on April 10th from 1:30 – 6:00PM. According to their website, attendees can look forward to connecting with corporate and nonprofit leaders, discovering how to deepen consumer engagement in more meaningful and authentic ways, be among the first to participate in a new paradigm in corporate giving, and more. The event will take place at the United Nations in NYC and will be followed by a reception. Registration can be completed online and admission is complimentary.
Viaggiatori Hoboken
Introducing Viaggiatori Hoboken – quite possibly one of Hoboken’s best kept secrets – at least in terms of culinary experiences. Advertised through Airbnb Experiences, visitors can purchase a 2.5 hour culinary tour through Hoboken. Guests meet at the Hoboken PATH Station and travel by foot to a well-known authentic Italian deli to try some Hoboken’s “finest” mutz, eat pizza at Dozzino, and end the night with cannolis from the Carlo’s Bakery. The cost of the tour is $35 and reservations can be made here. Definitely keep Viaggiatori in mind for the next time you have out-of-town visitors.
Property Tax Hike Felt in the Downtown Jersey City Housing Market
According to Jersey Digs, Jersey City’s property revaluation will have profound effects on Downtown properties. “Preliminary information suggests that taxes on properties in Downtown Jersey City’s neighborhoods are expected to increase by an average of 60%, and residents in Paulus Hook and Van Vorst Park are faced with 75% and 67% respective increases. On the flip side, neighborhoods such as Greenville, West Bergen, and The Heights are anticipating tax reductions of 40%, 32%, and 18% respectively.” While it is difficult to predict the future of Downtown’s market, some believe that home values could decrease due to significant tax hikes that are coming to many properties. Others have taken a more optimistic attitude citing the revaluation in Hoboken a few years ago that did not cause a downturn in price appreciation and demand in the townhomes.
Playa Bowls is Coming to Hoboken
Playa Bowls, also know as NJ’s original açai shop, is coming to Hoboken. Co-founder Rob Giuliani and his business partner Abby Taylor, have expressed their excitement about opening a shop in the Mile Square stating that they’ve received countless requests to open a store in the area for some time. Playa Bowls will serve blended fruit bowls, smoothies, oatmeal bowls, fresh juices, poke bowls. Stay tuned for further updates and the shop’s proposed location.
It’s Greek to Me Closed Permanently
It’s Greek to Me has permanently closed its Washington Street Restaurant. The restaurant offered traditional Greek cuisine along more contemporary Greek dishes and all menu items were made in in house daily. Luckily, Its Greek to Me has six other locations in NJ, so patrons will still be able to enjoy the famed gyros and tzatziki. {Editor’s note: And we’re definitely pouring one out for their Greek salad, which although was almost $20 was one of the best in town, IMHO.}
Baby Jesus Stolen in 1930s Returned to Hoboken Church
After 90 years apart, Our Lady of Grace Church is Hoboken was reunited with a baby Jesus statue stolen decade ago, writes NJ.com. The statue was sent via USPS from Crystal Springs, Florida with a tracking number, but no name or return address. After the package was inspected by the Hoboken Police, it was opened and the Jesus statue was found inside with a note attached. The note explained that the statue was stolen from the outside nativity display of the church in the early 1930s, when the sender’s mother was about 12 years old. The sender felt compelled to return the statue to its rightful owner. Our Lady of Grace plans to use the figure in its nativity set inside the building this Christmas.
Crema Open for Business in Jersey City
Crema, Jersey City’s newest cafe, is open for business, reports Jersey City Eats. Located at 695 Bergen Ave in McGinley Square, Crema is open from 7:00AM-7:00PM Monday – Friday and from 10:00AM-7:00PM on Saturdays and Sundays. Coffee, espresso-based drinks, pastries, toasts {think mozzarella + tomato, or nutella) and home-made Amish ice-cream round out the menu. As added bonuses, Crema has free wifi, a play space for kids, and plenty of tables making this the perfect meeting spot for all ages.
Governor Murphy Proposes Legalizing Marijuana in New Jersey
Last week, Governor Phil Murphy confirmed that he remains fully committed to legalizing recreational marijuana by the end of 2018. Should such legislation pass, here’s what we could expect: marijuana could be grown in homes, there could be hundreds of shops that sell it, only those licensed as producer-processors, retailers and transporters could be in the business, and marijuana would not be a substantial tax-generator for the state. While the governor does not yet have enough support in the state capital, two other NJ legislators have brought forth proposals making the marijuana discussion an inevitable part of the state’s future.
Ani Ramen Launches Late-Night Hours
Get ready ramen fans – Ani Ramen Jersey City has expanded its hours. From now on, patrons can enjoy the full Ani Ramen menu until 1:00AM Sunday – Thursday and until 2:00AM on Fridays and Saturdays. Be sure to check out the cocktail menu and shrimp buns {sighhh} no matter what time you go. And PS: Hoboken’s Ani Ramen is still coming soon — keep you posted on the location opening.
Hilton Hotel to Come to Hoboken’s Waterfront
Mayor Ravi Bhalla and other elected officials will host a press conference to announce plans for a new hotel along the Hoboken Waterfront on Tuesday. The proposed Hilton hotel would be located behind the city’s historic Post Office on Sinatra Drive and has been designed by NY’s Cooper Carry Associates. The proposed design states that the 20-story hotel will have 238 rooms, a restaurant and bar, plus a 6,000-square foot rooftop event space that would be utilized for banquets and weddings. The property will not feature any condominiums like the W Hotel. In addition to the hotel construction, the Post Office will undergo renovations that include the addition of an underground parking garage. At his time the City Council has voted 9-0 to adopt their Post Office Redevelopment Plan and 9-0 to refer the Redevelopment Plan to the Planning Board, who will review and make recommendations for the project.
Hoboken Girl Wellness Crawl COMING SOON!
Hoboken Girl’s Second Annual Wellness Crawl is scheduled for April 22nd from 11:00AM-4:00PM. Participants can look forward to health consultations, beauty services including facials, healthy foods and juices, mini-workouts from local studios, and more. Tickets are on sale here. We hope to see you there!
And that’s the latest Word on Washington Street news roundup for your Sunday. Hope you have a great one!
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