Great food, excellent service, awesome prices on drinks, great bartenders. Love the spot and the owner Patrick is just a sweet irishman. You can tell he is very driven. Food there is decently priced and very impressive, very tastey, presentation is very classy, and well, tasty. I wish them luck.

While I've come to generally prefer Cafe Manila just up the street (more interesting selection), Fiesta still does a great fried tilapia--very juicy and tasty. As mentioned in the review, the lapaz bachoy is also an excellent cold weather soup/meal.

The Webmaster should figure out how to duplicate this thread and insert it into the jury duty thread, because Fiesta Grill is one of the great reasons to look forward to doing jury duty in Hudson County.

Nice review, but the actual "best bet" is to go with a friend or two, and order a combination meal each (rice or pancit along with two side dishes -- I almost always get sinigang (tamarind soup) and inihaw (grilled pork)) and get a short order of crispy pata (deep fried pig's knuckles, $5.95) or sisig (saut?ed pork belly served with a dash of lemon juice on a sizzling platter, $6.95) to share.

I'm totally unqualified to evaluate Filipino food, but I ate there a bunch while I was doing jury duty, and I thought it was great.

March 18, 2007
New Jersey
Filipino Fast Food to Linger Over
By KELLY FEENEY

Fiesta Grill in Jersey City may be a turo-turo (Filipino fast-food) restaurant, yet its home-cooked meals are good enough to be savored slowly.

Turo-turo comes from the Tagalog verb that means ?to point,? and that?s exactly what you do when ordering at the cafeteria-style counter: point to the dishes you want to try. Most of the food on the extensive menu is familiar Filipino fare, which has Chinese, Spanish and Malay influences.

The lumpia sariwa, a vegetable spring roll served with a peanut butter and garlic sauce, is a good starter. For a light lunch, try the pancit bihon, translucent rice noodles mixed with scallions, carrots and cabbage. The ginataang sitaw at kalabasa, or saut?ed string beans and squash in coconut milk, is a tangy accompaniment. The batchoy, a classic soup with pork and noodles, is a meal in itself.

But the best bet is to order a combination meal, which consists of rice or pancit along with two side dishes (options change daily but include meat, seafood and vegetable choices). The chicken apritada with potatoes, peppers and carrots is a straightforward choice, whereas the lechon kawali, crispy deep-fried pork belly served with a liver sauce, is for the more adventurous eater. The sweet-and-sour tilapia puts a fresh spin on a common sauce. Prices are inexpensive; the combination meal, for example, costs $3.95.

Ponciano Aguirre and Fely Empestan opened the first Fiesta Grill in 1998 on Newark Avenue, with 18 tables. A second and much larger Fiesta Grill opened in 2005 on West Side Avenue, across town; there is a banquet hall for 200 with a dance floor. Prices there are slightly higher, but free parking is available.

Fiesta Grill, 655 Newark Avenue, Jersey City; (201) 656-7060. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 819 West Side Avenue, Jersey City; (201) 433-9600. Open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Monday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/nyr ... onspecial2/18NJQbite.html

jerseyslogan - You haven't answered my complaint about the lame logo on the back.

Please can you get rid of it? I will buy some more if you do.

Robin.

The Ten Faulty Consensus Views about Sub-prime and Soft-Landing?and the Ten Ugly Truths about the Coming Economic and Financial Hard Landing

http://www.rgemonitor.com/blog/roubini/183694

PS: If you have time, take a look at the paper by Rosner (Point #4)... Scary (and we have stupidity, corruption and greed not just in that segment)!

Following up on my post of 3/15 re: The Bank of Mom and Dad

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/rea ... cov.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Welcome To Jersey City, here's your parking ticket!

I agree with Tris McCall (see his recent blog below) but if The Jersey City Museum and The Loews are being asked to hand over their "blood money" so should the artists who walked away with like 8 months of free rent because of the settlement or capitulation, call it whatever you want. -fedupjc

Wednesday, March 7, 2007
William Rodwell sent out a missive yesterday via e-mail. When the President-in-Exile of the 111 Tenants Association writes, I listen. This time around, Bill comes hard with a little art criticism, and a challenge. Some interesting excerpts:

World-renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaus recently made public his design for the 111 site. My initial reaction was that it?s a welcome change from the uninspired corporate detritus now littering the downtown landscape. However, upon reflection it?s 2nd rate Koolhaus. The design does not live up to the inspired architecture Mr. Koolhaus is noted for ? especially his design for the Seattle Library, a masterpiece of contemporary architecture. I urge Mr. Koolhaus to go back to the drawing board and give it another go.

Recently, Mayor Healy presented a check for $330,000 in settlement money to the Jersey City Museum. While both the Museum and the Loew?s Theater are worthy entities deserving of funding, accepting money from a source that evicted and brutalized the artist?s community at 111 is tantamount to accepting Blood Money. It reminds me of an incident in the aftermath of 9/11 when an arab prince gave Mayor Giuliani a check for 10 million dollars. A deluge of criticism erupted for accepting this kind of money from that kind of source. Mayor Giuliani returned the check. Memo to the Museum and the Loew?s: what are you waiting for??

A few comments from the peanut gallery (me). I cannot speak on the architectural merit ot the Seattle Library; to me, it looks like a big glass catcher?s mitt. However, when you?re standing in its shadow, it may well be awesome ? and the new designs for 111 First Street don?t seem awesome at all. Getting stuck with some Rem Koolhaas B-side would be a very Jersey City fate. If we?re going to drag this guy in here, we should demand that he put at least enough thought into our Downtown as he gave the Pacific Northwest.

Also, I really like ? and want to perpetuate ? the ?Koolhaus? spelling of the celeb-architect?s name. It makes him sound that much more like a cartoon character; a cross between Joe Cool and Milhouse from *The Simpsons*. Moreover, I move that from now on in, everybody should refer to the proposed tower at 111 as the Kool Haus. As in: ?hey, dude, stay in your uncool house if you want to. Me and my cool friends are moving to the Kool Haus.? Now *there?s* some marketing that?ll work on post-fraternity scumbags.

Bill calls the Jersey City Museum a worthy entity. I?m not a visual artist, so I can admit that I?m not sure they?ve earned that kind of respect. They?ve been in town long enough to know the history of the PAD and local development politics, but they often behave like complete newbies. (Or worse.) We can?t even get a clarifying statement out of these people. JC Museum: what is your explanation for taking money from the most notorious developer in town ? the man who took down the Arts Center and treated Jersey City artists like trash in the process? Let me be the first to echo the 111 Tenants Association President?s challenge. I think Bill is absolutely right to demand that the Museum return Lloyd Goldman?s dirty dolo. Organized boycotts are stupid, but I?ll tell you this: I will not be returning to the Museum until they tear up that check.

NOTE: This is from Mia Scanga's excellent email notice you can subscribe to by sending Mia an email:

talkingpolitics@comcast.net

NJTPA- The guys who spend our federal tax $$$ on roads/transit

Thursday, April 5th from 5PM to 7:30pm
JC City Hall-Council Chambers, 280 Grove Street

The NJTPA is developing a new Public Involvement Plan to enhance its efforts to give the people of northern and central New Jersey a voice in regional transportation planning and decision-making.

View the plan here or call 973-639-8400 to request a copy. Why is public input important to the NJTPA? Transportation planning is a complex undertaking on its own and as it relates to economic development, the environment and land use. The NJTPA needs input from a broad array of stakeholders and the public in order to make the best decisions for the region.

In 1999, HART stopped the $1.2 million Bergen Arches Highway Only Study to change the study to a review of all options, including lite rail, for that corridor. Six HART members, including myself, spoke up against the original study parameters at the Feb 1999 NJTPA meeting prior to the vote on the contract. You had to be there when the $$$ were being doled out. Not surprising to us, in 2003 when the study concluded, the consultants recommended a highway but then Governor McGreevey canned the idea knowing there was too much public opposition. The $200+ million project required fed financing and the feds had plenty of other un-opposed projects to fund. It was a good move and now lite rail is being considered for that corridor.

Come meet some of the members of the NJTPA and find out their vision for northern NJ. NJTPA defines their goals as: to treat the public as partners in defining and refining a vision for northern and central New Jersey that matches transportation services and facilities with the need for economic growth, environmental protection, growth management and improved quality of life.

To seek public input into decision-making about how to prioritize funding for transportation services and facilities.
Maintain both the letter and spirit of federal and state laws, regulations, and guidelines regarding public participation responsibilities of MPOs..... Promote greater opportunities for the public to access the NJTPA Board members.

BTW, the NJTPA funded the Downtown Circulation Study which is the subject of the current TV show....

Thanks to Geoff Elkind and HPNA for this update below:

CITY OF JERSEY CITY

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

PUBLIC NOTICE

Please be advised that the following items will be heard at the Regular Meeting of the Jersey City Historic Preservation Commission, scheduled for MONDAY, March 19, 2007 at 6:30 pm in the Conference Room of the Department of Housing, Economic Development, and Commerce on the 14th floor at 30 Montgomery Street, Jersey City, NJ. Parking is available on Christopher Columbus Drive.


1. Call to Order

1. Sunshine Announcement

3. Roll Call

4. Approval of Minutes

5. Correspondence

2. Announcements

7. Open Public Comment

8. Old Business:



Landmark Designation Application Review & Recommendation

Applicant: Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy

Address: 116-130 Summit Avenue

Block/Lot: 1917/6.A

Zone: R-1, Bergen Hill Historic District (Eligible)

For: Designation of Saint John?s Episcopal Church, constructed 1871 and subsequently altered 1894, 1914 and later, and Rectory, constructed 1867 and subsequently altered 1910, as an individual landmark site. Formal action may be taken.

Recommendation to Planning Board

Recommendation to City Council



9. Case:H07-069

Applicant:Charles Harrington, applicant for Vita & Becht, LLC, owners

Address: 256-258 Warren Street

Block/Lot: 102/72

Zone: Paulus Hook Historic District, Office / Residential Overlay

For:Certificate of Appropriateness for the demolition of a non-contributing, circa 1953, one story brick intrusion in the Paulus Hook Historic District.

10. Case:H07-070

Applicant:Charles Harrington, applicant for Vita & Becht, LLC, owners

Address: 120-124 York Street & 254-258 Warren Street

Block/Lot: 102/ T, V.1, V.2, 72, 73

Zone:Paulus Hook Historic District, Office/Residential Overlay

For:Certificate of Appropriateness for the new construction of 50 residential units, a minimum of 25 on-site parking spaces, and ground floor retail in an eleven story, 112 foot mixed-use building in the Paulus Hook Historic District.

Recommendation to the Zoning Board of Adjust

11. Case:H07-050

Applicant:Tawanda Jackson, applicant for A1 Property Management, owner

Address: 512B Jersey Avenue

Block/Lot: 273/D

Zone: Van Vorst Park Historic District

For:Certificate of Appropriateness for the installation of new signage or installation of a new awning at the ground floor storefront of a contributing, altered, circa 1900, transitional Queen Anne mixed use buildings in the Van Vorst Park Historic District.

12. Case: H07-034

Applicant:James Lindemon, RA for Louis DelForno, owner

Address: 133 Bright Street

Block/Lot: 341/L

Zone: Van Vorst Park Historic District

For:Certificate of Appropriateness for the demolition of a contributing, altered, circa 1865, two and one-half story Greek Revival Italianate Rowhouse in the Hamilton Park Historic District.

Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Agenda

March 19, 2007

Page2_____________________________________________________________________
13. Case: H07-035

Applicant: James Lindemon, RA for Kenneth Stevenson, owner

Address: 135 Bright Street

Block/Lot: 341/M

Zone: Van Vorst Park Historic District

For:Certificate of Appropriateness for the demolition of a contributing, altered, circa 1865, two and one-half story Greek Revival Italianate Rowhouse in the Hamilton Park Historic District.

14. Memorialization of Resolutions

15. Executive Session as needed, to discuss litigation, personnel or other matters.

16. Adjournment

Kenneth Kalmis, Chairman

I agree with you FAB. Although We ended up buying out our fixed rate mortgage with a home equity loan. I am not sure what the rates for home equity loans are now, but our rate dropped more than two points and we shaved off five years. We pay less now than we did for our 15 yr. The only catch is that you have to owe less than what your house is worth. So, I would imagine that people who bought when the prices were high would not qualify, but people who bought five or so years ago might be eligible.

Going the extra mile on roads

Jersey Journal -- March 16

Two crews, made up of four workers each, carry out pothole repairs in Jersey City. Mayor Jerramiah Healy put on the second crew after he took office.

"There were never two gangs before," said Department of Public Works Director John Yurchak. "Each (of four) areas in the city are hit twice to three times a week."

Yurchak didn't have at hand the number of potholes filled each year, but he said roughly $70,000 is spent annually on the hot asphalt used to do the fills.

The pot hole-filling operation received a running start 11/2 years ago when the city paid contractor J. Fletcher Creamer & Son $650,000 to do nothing but fill potholes around the city, said Municipal Engineer William Goble.

But not everyone is finding the roads smooth.

"All you have to do is ride up and down Roosevelt Avenue and Communipaw (Avenue)," said Deidre Wine. "I have stitches and I can't ride those blocks."

To report pot holes, call DPW at (201) 547-4432, officials said.

KEN THORBOURNE

====================================

A SINKING FEELING
Road caves in, swallows truck tire

Friday, March 16, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

At his "State of the City" address last month, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy bragged that his administration had "undertaken the largest city resurfacing project in the history of the city."

But don't tell that to the driver of a Festival Ice Cream truck that dropped into a sinkhole yesterday on Fourth Street, just west of Erie Street.

"I was having coffee and I heard a loud bang," said a neighbor across the street who rushed to the accident. "The truck was tipping over and almost fell on two cars that were parked there."

Witnesses said the only reason the truck didn't tip all the way over was a condenser on the bottom of the truck that got stuck in a section of road.

The incident, city officials explained, had nothing to do with the city's extensive road resurfacing campaign or its beefed-up pot hole repair operation; the sinkhole was caused by shoddy workmanship on the part of a private contractor, said Jennifer Morrill, spokeswoman for the city's Neighborhood Improvement District.

Several weeks ago, the contractor - Sean & Sons Excavating of Jersey City - was summoned to the street by a private homeowner to make a road cut to facilitate the emergency repair of a sewer line, Morrill said.

Two years ago, the Healy administration instituted rules that NID inspectors had be present when a cut is refilled with asphalt to make sure the work is done correctly, Morrill said. But this contractor did the work without calling the city, Morrill said.

The company will be fined $160, she said.

John Harris, owner of Sean & Sons, said yesterday he called NID when he back-filled the hole, but they never showed. However, officials from the city's Municipal Utilities Authority were present the entire time - and found no fault with what he did, Harris said. He added he knew nothing about being assessed a fine.

In the meantime, the road resurface campaign is going gangbusters, said Municipal Engineer William Goble.

In the past two years, the city has doubled its yearly spending on road resurfacing, he said. The year, the city plans to spend $4.9 million on road resurfacing - $3 million more than it spent in 2003, he said.

Vote on Embankment loan application fails

Friday, March 16, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

With Jersey City still pursuing legal options to wrest ownership of the Sixth Street Embankment from a private developer, the City Council voted 4-3 not to apply for a state loan to help buy the abandoned railroad turnaround.

Speaking for the majority, Ward A Councilman Michael Sottolano said at Wednesday's meeting that he saw no reason for the city to take on debt for a property it doesn't own.

Besides, he added, the legal pursuit of the embankment has dragged on for more than a year and its outcome is still unclear.

City Council President Mariano Vega countered that the vote was simply to apply for the $5 million loan and the council would have to vote again to accept it.

The city's legal challenge to the sale of the embankment to developer Steven Hyman could result in the opportunity to buy the property and this money would put the city in a better position to make the purchase if that time came, Vega said.

"Obviously, they (the council) don't understand what's at stake and the timeliness for acquisition," said Stephen Gucciardo, a member of the Embankment Preservation Coalition, disappointed by the final vote. "We absolutely question the will of this council."

The EPC identified the low-interest loan source for city officials and has raised $3.2 million from other government sources to buy the embankment.

Voting with Sottolano against the loan application were Peter Brennan, Viola Richardson, and Mary Spinello.

Siding with Vega and voting for the loan application were Steve Fulop and Willie Flood.

My final tip / opinion on this subject is that I would suggest everyone seek a LONG TERM FIXED mortgage rate. It might be a little higher right now, but in the long run you will know how much it will cost you, without any increases that could throw a spanner in the works!

Quote:

a) I hope you're right, and you could be right. There's always someone out there predicting the end of the world, and usually the world doesn't actually end.

b) On the other hand . . .

[quote]
Top investor sees U.S. property crash
Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:59PM EDT

By Elif Kaban

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Commodities investment guru Jim Rogers stepped into the U.S. subprime fray on Wednesday, predicting a real estate crash that would trigger defaults and spread contagion to emerging markets.

"You can't believe how bad it's going to get before it gets any better," the prominent U.S. fund manager told Reuters by telephone from New York....

...

Even in China, the world's fastest expanding economy, Rogers said stocks were overvalued and could go down 30-40 percent.

...

"This is the end of the liquidity party," said Rogers. "Some emerging markets will go down 80 percent, some will go down 50 percent. Some will most probably collapse."

The Soup Swap is being covered in the local press....

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/jerse ... 17402451922240.xml&coll=3

Sip a soup and schmooze Sunday at Barrow House
Friday, March 16, 2007
By COTTON DELO
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
The abrupt return of winter weather this weekend may make it the perfect time for the citizenry of Downtown Jersey City to channel the spirit of the season over bowls of hot soup.

The Great Jersey City Soup Swap will be held Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at the Barrow Mansion, 83 Wayne St.

Participants are advised to brew up four quarts of their favorite soup - to be distributed to other chefs in individual one-quart containers - and can arrive at 3 p.m. for a meet and greet.

Participants should also bring at least one nonperishable item - such as canned goods, cereal, peanut butter or tuna fish - to be donated to the food pantry of St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, which owns the Barrow Mansion next door.

The event is being organized by St. Matthew's parishioner Monyca White, 28, who read about soup swaps in Boston and Seattle and has promoted the gathering through the online forum Jersey City List (www.jclist.com).

White conceptualized the Soup Swap as a social networking event where attendees can sip wine and meet people in their neighborhood. No RSVP is required.

"I think the unfortunate thing about Jersey City is that so many of us work outside of Jersey City, so to some extent, you don't get to meet your neighbors," said White, who works as an attorney and has already brewed her batch of Thai green curry chicken soup for the occasion.

Though she claims to have no idea what the turnout will be, she plans to structure the swapping by having each participant pick a number and then take turns selecting a container of soup - or gumbo, chili, chowder or stew.

Even if someone draws a low number on their first try, that person is bound to draw high eventually and snag the most coveted concoctions.

"That's the excitement of it, if everyone's dying to try your soup," she said.




? 2007 The Jersey Journal
? 2007 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.

yo fedupjc!
I signed a petition that the Embankment group had out there a couple years back. I gave them nothing but my email address and I get the updates and alerts they send out, so i'm not all that clear on the the "required" membership your talking about.
I also talked to a friend tonight who said that she thinks she gave $10 for a membership a while back and although she gets messages that ask for donations she has never given additional cash and still gets their news.
I agree with your comments that being more open would be a big help, but comparing the embankment situation with the reservoir's goes only so far.
I am thrilled that the Reservoir Alliance has been successful. I love the place. I think that is one of the reasons that's the public has been so supportive. We have been able to spend the day there. Sit in the sun or the shade, enjoy the quiet, try your hand at a kayak, watch people fish and watch a bird fish too. The Embankment doesn't have that going for it now. You can't enjoy the place as a park yet. Which means there is not much for to excited about.
So something that the Reservoir project has had going for it, is that the City already owned the property! 1. people can "get it", if they visit.
When the city administration wakes up and gets the job done by purchasing the property, I expect that there will be a pretty great bash up there for everybody.

Corzine Signs First Major Tax Reform Bills

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Voters will be asked to merge towns, a new watchdog will investigate government spending, and corrupt officials will face mandatory jail and lose pensions under the first major property tax reform bills signed into law by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

Corzine on Thursday signed the key pieces of the Legislature's seven-month effort to cut America's highest property taxes, but not the plan to cut property taxes by 20 percent for most homeowners. He said he will sign that bill in the coming weeks.

The laws he signed will:

Create a 22-member commission to ask voters annually to merge municipalities to try to cut local government costs. New Jersey has 566 municipalities, the most per square mile of any state. The panel's first report is due within two years of it being created.

Impose mandatory prison and forfeiture of pension and retirement benefits for public workers and officials convicted of corruption crimes.

Impose new school spending restrictions, including new rules on travel reimbursements (Ed: I suggest everyone start calling these the "Epps Rules" ); barring districts from redoing administrator contracts without public notice; giving the state power to revoke an administrator's certification if accounting practices aren't followed; and requiring the state to approve contract buy-outs for administrators.

Create a state comptroller to ferret out wasteful spending that critics contend promote high property taxes. The comptroller will be nominated by the governor for a six-year term and confirmed by the Senate.

Critics contend the final bill was watered down, but Corzine praised it Thursday.

"It gives us a lot of authority to do the things we need to do,'' Corzine said.

The office will have broad authority to conduct financial audits of all state agencies, local governments and school boards, along with ability to monitor and halt large contracts.

The office will cost $9 million to create. The governor said his staff is gathering names of potential nominees, but no job offers have been made.

TM & ? 2007 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries.

They have a Yahoo Group here: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/jcpia/

I had assumed they were defunct since they haven't posted anything to the group in a year and have only 14 members.

Does anyone know more about them?


Quote:

Jeebus,
The whole point of the loan was that it would not ultimately put the city in debt. The loan would come from the State and
be repaid by grants from state and federal organizations who are more than willing to fund and sustain this worthy cause.
The city (that means us) would gain a huge asset in the Embankment, which would in turn generate continuing grants from a wide range of organizations, public and private.
Sure there would be maintenance issues for an Embankment park but the cost of these would be puny compared to the city services expended on multiple unit housing, which would probably be exempt from taxes for at least 20 years.
The city political machine has been robbing peter to pay paul for so long it has become its paranoid pathology to project creditors everywhere, and to see loansharks as benevolent benefactors.

Lipski is a joke!!!

I live in the St Johns condos and so does Lipski, he has never been to any of the meetings. We could use his help. There is alot of crime in this area and we could use a community leader. If he doesnt care enough to show up to his own bldg condo meetings, how can he care baout his district??

He should go!!

He is useless!!!!!!!!

I do NOT feel represented. however, I moved here after the election. I will surley vote Lipski out when the new election occurs.

They all suck!!!!

Except Fulop, and I'm not even in his district!!

I would highly recommended Hamilton Tree Company - 201 572-3055, ask for Bob. He did a great job for us in VVP last year by reducing the canopy of all the trees in the park and by removing a few dangerous ones. Good pricing, you just need to be able to work within his schedule.

To answer your question - of course not. Still, I think it's a bit presumptuous for you to assume that most of the people in JC would be in favor of the city going more into debt (and ultimately pay more taxes) to do what you want with the Embankment.

I contrast the general lack of citizen participation in JC (and NJ) politics with how most people in whole towns in NH and VT turn out for town meetings or show up to testify at state legislative hearings. I think that the difference is due to the long history of corruption in NJ where one is as likely to be ignored or even punished for expressing an opinion as listened to. By contrast, when there is a history of honest government responding to the people at the local level, there is a lot more participation.

Quote:

I've got a pretty big tree (giant weed really) in the backyard that's got some dead branches that look like they're one ice storm and/or windy day away from disaster...any recs much appreciated.

Is anyone familiar with Parents in Action?

Quote:

HAHAHA! For any decent cook it ain't rocket science, just following a recipe.