papadage wrote:
The issue with that is he does not like to do simple alterations. If you just need pants or shirts tapered in a bit, you need additional options.

user1111 wrote:
Food was really good, very tasty, service was poor and unfriendly.

papadage wrote:
I'll agree with the above. I went with my girlfriend on Thursday. There was no wait, and we were seated at the long communal table, which is very awkward for shorter folk like us. I felt like a 5 year old at a grown ups table. It was loud, and we had to keep repeating ourselves.

We ordered the Vietnamese salad, the spring roll, the lobster, wings, and the soup dumplings. Everything was tasty, though the wings were a but dry and over sauced with the sticky sweetness. The plum margarita was tasty.

But, the crowding at the communal table and the noise made it awkward for us to actually enjoy it, and the raw concrete lower\ surface of the communal table left a stain on my girlfriend's office pants that was quite visible. It really should have been scrubbed and washed with acid to remove the concrete dust, or even better, finished smooth, like the tabletop.

We'll go again, but will not sit at that table again. If regular tables or the bar are not open, we'll go elsewhere.

TwoBootsJC wrote:
Dear Friends:

I?d like those of you reading this thread to better understand the underlying facts and the position of Downtown businesses on this issue. I apologize for the length, but there are many charges being made and they must be addressed.

1. Last year, twenty Downtown restaurants signed a letter to the Historic Downtown Special Improvement District (HDSID) asking that it end the sale of ?prepared foods? at the farmers? market. We asked that it convert the farmers? market back to its original form, namely a farmers? market offering local, farm-fresh produce and farm products. By doing this, our farmers? market would be similar those in New York City, which do not allow the sale of prepared foods, i.e. ready-to-go food served with plates and utensils for immediate consumption, and it would have stringent rules ensuring that the products sold are both local and healthful. Please go to grownyc.org.
2. The signatories to the letter did not single out food trucks but asked that all vending of prepared foods ? irrespective of platform - end.
3. The following twenty Downtown restaurants (in alphabetical order) have signed the letter: Barcade, Beechwood Caf?, Bon Chon Chicken, Broa, Cherry Pick, La Conguita, Downtown Yogurt, Dunkin Donuts, Grove Square Bistro, Gypsy Grill, Ibby?s, Left Bank Burger, The Little Sandwich Shop, McDonald?s, Orale, Park & Sixth, Raval, Subia?s, Subway, and Two Boots. Not all restaurants were approached, and thus this list should not be seen as exhaustive of our support.
4. The HDSID, which operates the Grove Plaza farmers? market, is an organization founded to improve business conditions for its members, i.e. for us. Accordingly, it is legally required to act ?loyally? to us. By operating a business that competes with its own members, the HDSID has been violating this duty.
5. We estimate that last year, the farmers? market diverted approximately $250,000 in sales from local brick-and-mortar restaurants to vendors at the farmers? market. These sales came directly out of the pockets of HDSID restaurants, many of which are small, mom-and-pop operations that can ill afford lost sales. The farmers? market was operated during our busiest dinnertime hours (many of us operate at a loss during the day) and at the most desirable location in Jersey City, literally cutting us off from our customers.
6. Last year, more than 66% of the vendors at the farmers? market came from outside of Jersey City, meaning that their businesses had almost no positive economic impact on Jersey City. These businesses did not hire Jersey City residents, pay Jersey City taxes, hire Jersey City contractors nor improve Jersey City properties. If you care about Jersey City?s development and fiscal health, this should matter to you.
7. Almost 100% of vendors at the farmers? market came from outside the HDSID. Incredibly, our own organization put them in direct competition with us, the very members to whom the HDSID owed a fiduciary duty of loyalty.
8. We restaurants pay high market-rate rents to have the privilege of being near or on Grove Street. On the other hand, the fees paid by farmers? market vendors are not market rate but highly subsidized by Jersey City. That?s because the space is free to the HDSID, which then charges vendors a nominal amount ? just enough to raise the money it thinks it needs. Unlike our landlords, the HDSID does not have to pay a mortgage or realize a return on investment. Thus, it can set the rent at an artificially low price. Or, to put it differently, does anyone think that if the plaza were owned privately, the owner would only rent it out for a farmers? market eight hours a week and leave it empty for pedestrians the rest of the time? Of course not. The plaza would be a building, just like the buildings we are in, and those spaces that the vendors now use would be store fronts with full-time leases at market rates like we pay. And, we?d have no quarrel with it because we?d be competing fairly, not with businesses receiving a public subsidy that we don?t.
9. We brick-and-mortar restaurants are always there for you and for Jersey City. Many people probably don?t realize that often, we lose money during the weekdays and late at night when there?s little or no foot traffic. But we are open. When the weather is cold, we?re still open. When a local charity, arts-group or civic organization needs a donation, we?re there. There are so many ways that we provide intangible (and material) benefits to the community. Alas, this cannot be said for the vendors at the farmers? market. Not because they are bad people. They simply don?t have the same obligations and relationship to the community.
10. None of the restaurants that have signed the letter are afraid of or against competition. All any objective person need do is take a look. Name any Downtown restaurant, and there are multiple competitors. As I think about Two Boots, the notion makes me laugh when I contemplate my next-door neighbor, Porta, or the myriad other pizzerias that have opened. As business people, we embrace and encourage competition because it makes us better and improves the Downtown. But competition must be fair and unsubsidized. It must come from business people who have to play by the same set of rules. And this unfair competition certainly must not come from our own business improvement district.

I know that a handful of you will stop patronizing Two Boots as a result of my outspoken position on this issue. That is your right, and I accept the risk. However, I wrote this letter with the confidence that most readers of JClist are fair minded and understand just how difficult running a restaurant is. The up-front costs are huge, the hours long, and the chance of financial success always in doubt. I can speak for all of the signers of the letter when I say that we love serving you, our customers, and hope that you will continue to support us. May restaurants continue to open and provide us all with delicious food and great places to gather and to eat!

Aaron Morrill
Owner, Two Boots Jersey City

tommyc_37 wrote:

And the Bistro/Coffee Shop megaplex is ridiculous. It has 2 stars on Yelp, but yet the place is always packed - what's up with that?

PremiumContent wrote:
I was in Two Boots last week and there weren't any seats available so they must not be doing that bad. I don't think Two Boots and Porta are comparable in any way.

7thstreeter wrote:
I love shopping here! Every time I'm in, the staff is upbeat, helpful, and knows their stuff.

Word has definitely become my go-to local place for gifts and especially cards. They have funny, charming, artistically astute cards for every occasion: new baby, birthday, Valentine's Day, friendship, wedding, you name it. AND the selection keeps changing. I think every time I've shopped for a birthday card, they've got new, clever designs to choose from.

user1111 wrote:
After too many seasons in which nothing has gone right for fans of live music in Hudson County, here?s some welcome relief for you, rocker: the re-jiggered The Dopeness (332 2nd St.) is the real deal. Not just a bar and restaurant where the owners are shoehorning in bands, but an honest-to-God rock spot with a dedicated performance area and a surprisingly decent sound system. Gorgeous it ain?t, and there remain a few procedural kinks for the staff to iron out. But why pick nits on a joyous occasion? The success of Saturday night?s reopening party means one thing and one thing only: at last, we?ve got a winner on our hands.




Yes, I am excited. Aren?t you excited? Does this take away some of the sting of the closure of the Lamp Post? It ought to. I liked the Lamp Post too, but if this works out and becomes what it promises to become, it?s going to be the best option for local shows in Downtown Jersey City since the closure of Uncle Joe?s. And go on and hang me for heresy as I insist that Uncle Joe?s was never any better than this.

On Saturday night The Dopeness was boisterous and crowded, which is nice, if not particularly important in the long run. What matters most is that the music was consistently good. A promised celebratory open bar didn?t materialize ? blame a hold-up with the license that The Dopeness insists it?ll resolve by the spring ? but the room was packed anyway. It was BYOB, and party people certainly did ?B? their own ?B?; should the license continue to be an issue, I bet folks will keep showing up. Lord knows there are more than enough places in town to drink and far too few to rock. Here?s the good omen for local music fans: a place isn?t going to build a foot-high elevated stage in its back room unless it intends to use it often. At worst, The Dopeness ought to provide a nifty complement to the reliable Lucky 7 Tavern ? maybe 100 feet down Second Street ? and preserve a tight little rock and roll neighborhood at the western fringe of Harsimus Cove. At best, we?ve just come up with our own homegrown version of Pianos or Trash Bar. When the space got really jammed (for JC locals Japanda), The Dopeness took on the communal feel of Death By Audio. A less-grungy Death By Audio, mind you.

I dug the carpeting on the floor of the stage and the white cake shop-style Christmas lights strung over the ceiling of the back room. I dug that the sets were kept to a reasonable length ? maybe 30 minutes each, which is more than enough time for a local band to get its point across. I liked the large rectangle cut out of the back wall of the stage, which probably wasn?t designed so that people waiting in line for the bathroom could take pictures of the drummer?s back, but boy is it going to be used like that. I liked the separation between the place to dance and the place to get food and/or drinks ? a distinction that I believe all serious clubs need to draw. I especially liked that the sound system included three monitors. That sounds like a simple thing to provide, but it has never been a given in Hudson County.

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On_The_3rd wrote:
I don't know if anybody here follows Mordi's Schnitzel Truck on Twitter, but they posted a week or so ago that the "word on the street" was that this spot is going to open up as a bar ? called "Pet Shop". Anyone have any knowledge of this?

Sommerman wrote:

My initial reaction to the words "luxury condos" is now ghost towers. These apartments might not even be marketed in the US. For all we know, there is a waiting list for these apartments.

DTNJC wrote:
Tips are not included with Uber X. With the current rate cuts, if customers don't tip most drivers are rating customer lower which makes it harder in the future to get a ride.
You will start to notice that your ride request and cancellations are more frequent with a lower rider rating.

7thstreeter wrote:
Nicole's on CC and Jersey Ave - delicious curry goat and curry fish takeout will transport you to the Caribbean in no time. We would've never ordered from this place if it weren't for Seamless. It's definitely a little rustic. But the food is always yummy and the service very friendly.

tern wrote:
Never mind all this navel gazing nonsense, what downtown bar is it that is closing?

Robin.

PremiumContent wrote:
Vegas Grill is the name of the place on Columbus. The A1 guys work at Stellas late night though.

craigslistdiva wrote:
There's the Indian food truck that makes them for $5 a pop. He's around in newport a lot but at grove street on Friday nights. I can vouch for his chicken 65 kaathi rolls! Amazing.

There's a place on Newark ave in little India called Bombay Talkies that does good rolls as well. Check them out.

Kathi roll company in the city (midtown or village area) is ok. There's a few in on macdoogal right now that are far better. But then again, you need to try them and see if they are compatible with what flavours you like.

hero69 wrote:
Quote:

MidwestTransplant wrote:
I had a great experience with Dr. Ken Moadel. Not the cheapest in town, but eye surgery is not something for which I would scrape the bottom of the barrel.

He has apparently performed LASIK on a bunch of Yankees players, if that is at all reassuring for you.

Link

doesn't lasik only last a few years and then you need it done again?

scrappe7 wrote:
I've tried using the pick up centers but it's not guaranteed to be held there. Communication with the drivers is questionable unless the sender immediately makes the request, which you can't do from Amazon.

It's a private residence so USPS only had access to a mail slot, no way to get them into the lobby without giving the mailman my house keys.

user1111 wrote:



http://imgick.nj.com/home/njo-media/p ... test-34e57ac45075fb80.jpg

Patrick McGovern | The Jersey Journal

A dedicated group of St. Peter?s Prep students decided this morning was an appropriate time to speak up.

However, the group of approximately 50 students did so without uttering a word.

Cheered on by a handful of faculty and staff members, the students staged a silent "die-in" demonstration to protest the police killing of a Staten Island man who was placed in an apparent choke hold by a police officer.

Students laid on the cold pavement holding signs saying "lie down, protest the injustice of Eric Garner's murder," "black lives matter," and "all lives matter." A grand jury's decision not to charge the officer involved in Garner's death has sparked similar "die-in" protests around the country.

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tommyc_37 wrote:
I went on the opening night for some free pizza. Some notes...

Pizza was really good! One notch below Razza but very, very good. Totally different vibe than Razza, much more of a bar scene, it appears.

Mostly not-so-great, not-so-unique beer, although had a couple of good ones from Lagunitas and Kane. Lots of Bud/Bud Light etc. Spoke to one of the partners (I think) who said they may roll out more craft options considering the JC crowd. With a huge 3-story bar like this, not having a lot of craft options would be a mistake I think. The people that would want to hang out here will generally support a robust craft beer list.

The decor is pretty cool, extremely spacious/cavernous/industrial. Community bench tables on the main floor, and also a massive bar area up front, with two TVs. Downstairs is The Monk Room, a cozy bar area with a few tables. On the rooftop are two bars, and an area that will be turned into a bocce court.

Looking forward to seeing the post-10pm bar crowd. I have heard that the one in Asbury can get a little "douchey", but hopefully this spot eschews that element.

Monroe wrote:
http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index ... narl_tr.html#incart_river