I couldn't agree more rayvjr64. I cross Bergen at Sip every morning, and it's frightening. My boyfriend and I were just talking about how that is the most dangerous intersection we have ever seen. And Sip and Summit isn't much better. I can't say how many times I've pointed to the walk sign while a motorist makes a right turn without stopping right in front of me.

Jersey drivers just don't get it.

I finally got around to trying Sapthagiri last Friday. I can't wait to go back; it was such a nice experience.

The food is mostly South Indian, so similar to some of what I've had at Dosa Hut, Dosa House, and a few of the other counter-style S. Indian places on Newark Ave. The quality, however, seems better. The sambar, for instance, has tender edible okra (unlike the woodlike pieces at Dosa Hut). The prices are a couple dollars more, perhaps, but it's more than worth it for the presentation and atmosphere. We had two different servers who were both beyond helpful. Also, the menu at Sapthagiri explains what things are in English, which is quite useful for those not familiar with this cuisine. (My early experiences at Dosa Hut basically involved me pointing to things on the menu and hoping they would be yummy because nothing is explained or translated and the counter staff is busy and not interested in explanations).

My party of four shared a variety of foods: dosas, curries, chili fritters, and iddly, all of which we found delicious. The waiter brought us a complementary nann and pistachio ice-cream at the end.

I mentioned the Village Voice article to the waiter (who may have been the owner), and he said he was happy for the review but bothered by the title. I understand. I guess they are trying to be snarky or edgy, but it doesn't even make sense. Most of what I tasted included onions.

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I used to live on 5th and Brunswick--until about a year and a half ago--and I did find it to be terribly noisy between the condo construction, the general traffic on Newark, and especially the firehouse across the street. The construction is finished now, however.

The neighborhood was probably safe, but I didn't feel like neighbors ever said hi or introduced themselves and certainly no one looked out for each other. Now I live in the hilltop neighborhood up by Journal Square. As a single woman, I actually feel much safer. I also have a much shorter walk to the path and live on a quiet, lovely dead-end street. (I also have a much more square feet for my $)

I do miss being so close to WhiteStar and Madame Claudes, but it's not such a bad walk (down the hill).

It is the oldest building in Jersey City (there is a plaque outside), a 17th century Dutch stone house. The interior of the place is really nice, and I've found the bartenders to be friendly and the atmosphere very relaxed, although I've only gone around happy hour time. I noticed their I-Pod set-up (sometimes they let one of the regulars play her own music), but never thought much of it.

I've seen Mr. Dehere in there a couple times, and he always seemed really friendly and chatty with the patrons. I would not describe him as a Healy type. He's not a politician. He used to play in the NBA with the Clippers, and I think he still holds the scoring record at Seton Hall (hence the bravado?).

Yes, I know it's trespassing and therefore illegal, but has anyone actually climbed up on one of those things?

Or do you perhaps have a second hand account of someone getting up there?

If so, could you please describe the experience and perhaps specify which block you chose to summit.

Thanks JC List.

Saint Peter's College, Pope Lecture Hall
Thursday, November 12, 7:00 PM

Cultural historian James T. Fisher, Ph.D. of Fordham University will discuss his new book "On the Irish Waterfront: The Crusader, the Movie, and the Soul of the Port of New York."

Dr. Fisher will discuss the daily life of workers and other interesting players in the operation of the Jersey waterfront. After the presentation, there will be a book signing and refreshments.

Event is free and open to the public.

There was a mass today at Saint Peter's chapel for Mark (his mother, Mary, is an employee of St. Peter's). The family is expected to make an announcement of some sort at 3:00 PM.

Let us all keep the Dinardos in our prayers today.

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Hero69, coincidentally they did show Raiders of the Lost Ark! I believe it was this past winter (December '08). It played in a double feature with "Nightmare Before Christmas" (also in COLOR). I know they showed some Bond movies last season too, although I didn't make it.

I dig your idea about ethnic movie weekends. A Bollywood festival might go over well, with their proximity to little India.

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I saw "Spirited Away" at Loew's not too long ago -- foreign (Japanese), not particularly old (2001), and fairly artsy (according to my pedestrian standards). I don't think they're too boxed in. Make a recommendation!

+1 Showtime.

I've been going to shows at the Loews for 3 or 4 years, and it looks noticeably better almost every time I go. I'm pretty sure the folks running the place definitely understand the potential of the venue, unless by "potential" you mean playing current first-run movies. The programming is diverse and draws visitors from Manhattan who want to see real film projected on a legitimately big screen. I've noticed bigger and bigger lines (literally extending back through that alley and onto Magnolia) and more crowded houses, especially this year with the regular inclusion of the organ.

Congratulations to the Friends of the Loews on the grant.

For a third option, I would also recommend Pho Binh up on Bergen at McGinley Square. I stop in for pho, rice noodles with grilled shrimp, or summer rolls at least once a week. The hot and sour (don't think Chinese hot and sour) Chicken soup with Okra is another delicious choice. The menu is reasonable and consists of what I consider standard Vietnamese fare (closer to Nha Trang than Cafe Saigon.)

Frequented by soup eaters (my favorite are the men who come in and just order the "big bowl" before they even sit down), their pho beats Nha Trang, IMO.

Also, they deliver.

I can't believe I spent my time reading this thread today (must be really bored), but I have to reply really quick to defend the area a bit, from comments like the one below:

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OK, I actually live in the area, closer to the square in the Hilltop neighborhood, but still I walk or ride my bike to Saint Peter's everyday for work. I often run down Baldwin from my place past the Beacon and back on weekends, in afternoons, and in the morning. I think many of you are being a bit extreme in describing the area. It's not like everyone who doesn't live in the Beacon is some type of felon or trouble-maker. Many of my colleagues--professors and staff--live in this part of Jersey City. Many of us are quality people. A community of Jesuits also lives nearby. Sometimes I think of Saint Peter's as a bit of an oasis in this somewhat dirty city (much like Fordham in the Bronx) and perhaps the Beacon residents think of their place as an oasis as well. This doesn't, however, mean that the rest of the neighborhood is complete trash. I welcome the Beacon residents and I hope they don't think everyone outside the complex is super-ghetto and scary the way some posters here who do not live in the area imply.

Last fall I was over my friend's third floor apartment on Ogden in the Heights. We had finished dinner, and I was standing by the window, smoking a cigarette, when I heard a noise from below. I looked down and saw someone alongside my bicycle (it was locked to a metal fence outside the building). At first I thought it was another friend, locking his bike alongside mine. Then I saw my celeste green bicycle seat (which matches my handlebar tape and brake casings so nicely) get lifted from my bike and placed into this dude's bag. As he rode off I screamed "you bastard!" and went scrambling out of the apartment to chase him. One of my friends went with me as I hurriedly explained that some jerk-face just stole my seat. We got downstairs, and of course he was gone, but we started running up toward Central anyway. Since he was on a bike, it seemed there was little hope of ever seeing my seat again, yet I looked down Central to the left and saw his bright orange messenger bag thrown on the ground outside a Chinese restaurant. We ran inside the place and I recognized the culprit (he was wearing a floppy fishing-type hat). I pointed him out, and my friend shouted "give us the seat motherf*&#er!" in his best tough-guy voice. Initially I was nervous, as I am a total wuss (and a woman), but the guy turned out to be the most frightened, pathetic, diminutive creature ever to ride the streets of JC. He gave me the seat back immediately, and at this point I not only demanded an explanation (he said he once had his seat stolen), but launched into a schoolmarmy lecture about how he should be putting his talents to better use and how he was putting my safety at risk by tampering with my transportation. He seemed to start to feel worse and worse. He then confessed to stealing my back light as well (seriously, what $ could you get from one of these crappy little lights without the bracket?). After returning the light, he started offering me a bunch of other possibly stolen items from his sack (lights, a bottle cage, the wrench he used to steal my seat, etc.). The best part of the whole scene was the chorus of typical JC heights high school age kids who gathered around the drama. They were full of sarcastic oohs and aahs as I scolded this pathetic man.

So I guess I have seen with my own eyes that thievery in JC is indeed quite prevalent. Thankfully my thief was not very good with the whole fleeing the scene part . . . or he just had a really strong craving for some lo mein.

+ 1

Very well stated.

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Anyone tried Pizza Alla Gargiulo on Greene Street (at the end of Montgomery) near Exchange Place? I've heard it's delicious, thin-crust yumminess, but the tip came from a slightly nutty woman who is friends with the family. I haven't made the trek down there yet.

Sometimes people leave their job with cash, and the banks are already closed. This is especially true of food servers and bartenders. (I used to leave a waitressing gig with $100 to $200 in my pocket every night. Servers in NYC probably make a lot more.) But there are other professionals who this effects as well. A close friend of mine is a licensed massage therapist, and she showed up at my apartment one recent Friday with $600 cash in her purse from her day in the office.

My mother always told me: if you're carrying a lot of cash hide it in your bra or sock, and carry a $20 in your wallet as a decoy.

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Hi Hrmph. I have lived downtown (Brunswick), and now I live sort of at the back of Journal Square in what they call the Hilltop or Island neighborhood.

Although I enjoyed some aspects of downtown, I am so happy with my move. I am much closer to the path (a few blocks from the rear entrance on Summit) and have so much more space for the dollar. (I live in a huge 1 bedroom w/ office/den, hardwood floors, etc. for $975 in a historic 6 unit building). The neighborhood has a relaxed family feel, which I appreciate. Definitely nothing fratastic going on.

Street parking is not a big deal. I rarely have trouble finding a spot within a four or five block radius.

I do miss some of the restaurants and bars downtown, as that is pretty lacking in the Journal Square area, but it is actually a surprisingly easy stroll or bike ride down the hill to M. Claude's or Whitestar. (It's just the coming back home that can be a gut buster.)

How could I forget Taqueria? Seriously.

I lived in Tucson, AZ for two years (before coming back to NJ) and Taqueria's carnitas tacos are much like the ones I would buy from the taco trucks or taquerias down there. Always served with lots of chopped onion, cilantro, and lime; I never remember seeing sour cream or guac. That is not the style the Mexican folks were into down there, anyway. I grew to really love those yummy pork tacos (in addition to the Sonoran hotdogs - total guilty pleasure), so I was so happy to find them in JC, along with tasty tamales and sopes I've also sampled at Taqueria.

It's a no-frills place, so I guess I never stressed about service. Seems pretty standard for a counter-ordering set-up. + BYOB!

Taqueria is the only show in town (hence the name, which would require a second noun in the SW), for what they do. Love it or leave it.

P.S. They also accommodated a huge pick-up order for an election night party last November. Belated thanks Taqueria!

I've lived a few blocks away, off of Magnolia for about a year now. I really like the neighborhood (very friendly), and the amount of space you get for your $ up here (I used to live downtown). Hope you find your peace 'n quiet on the hilltop!

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Um, Summit and Mercer, where the incident occurred, is very near the Beacon. (Mercer is only a few streets down from Montgomery).
Unless you have a disability you probably don't need to take a shuttle to the square . . . although I'm sure it is quicker and safer than walking.

Saw the story and enjoyed it. If you've seen Hurley coach you'd know he's quite a character, and it's evident he has been an inspiration to many young men, helping them aspire to and obtain a college education.

I told my brother--a big HS basketball fan--about the segment, and with his typical cynicism he said something like, "Let me guess, Hurley's still going on about helping the kids of Jersey City? You know none of the starting five are from NJ this season."

I can't verify this statement, but I do know that the 3 big additions to the team this year--Collier, Williams, and Panky--transferred from high schools in the Bronx or Staten Island. Hurley's recruiting efforts have certainly been crossing rivers in recent years . . . not to say he doesn't have love for JC. Go Friars!

Hi newinnjjc, here's my take:

I live off Summit and Magnolia, near the JSQ path, but I walk or bicycle every day to work at Saint Peter's. Some of my colleagues (professors and staff) also live in the area and commute by foot. I don't find the walk to be scary or sketchy. My biggest fear is definitely being run over on my bicycle by a motorist (either on Summit or Baldwin). The latest I work is usually 8:00, but as a woman walking home by myself, I've never been bothered during these hours.

As for living in the neighborhood, I feel safer and more at home than when I lived downtown (it was the edge of downtown, granted). As others have stated, it's all about your neighbors, and I have been fortunate to meet some good people from very different backgrounds who have been welcoming, helpful, and just plain entertaining.

As others have warned, beware the negativity you read on JCList. I like to remind people that back in the day those who lived on Bergen Hill and in the big houses you still see on the Boulevard used to look down on the so-called dirty and crime-ridden Irish and Italian neighborhoods downtown. This city has been in flux for a long time -- downtown snobbery be damned!

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Never before JC-List have I noticed this renters vs. owners dynamic. I understand that property owners might feel more troubled by tagging in their area or especially on their buildings, but do you really think that those who rent apartments feel disenfranchised, inadequate, and angry? That is really weird to me. What if they rent a penthouse on the upper East side? Still disenfranchised? And thus still able to appreciate graffiti?

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Total irony, elvis-- I would agree.

I wonder too if this grovepath character actually lives in the neighborhood that he describes as "very quiet." From the fire-house alarms/ sirens, to the occasional street ruckus, to the seemingly constant construction projects, this wasn't my experience at all.

Also, I gotta back you up for not knowing what GP meant by the second "vintage shop" in the neighborhood. That's certainly not how I would describe that place on 3rd & Newark either.

I lived on 5th and Brunswick for about a year. I did plenty of walking home from the Path alone at night, and didn't experience any trouble; however at the same time I never felt especially safe or homey there. Kids do like to stand around on Brunswick and smoke blunts and the like, but none of them ever bothered me except to buy them beer. I think my own feeling of unease came more from not knowing any of my neighbors, which I think may be due to high turnover.

Now I live up by "big-bad journal square" (off Magnolia) and I gotta say as a single woman I actually feel much safer. Often people characterize downtown as safe and journal square as sketchy, but I think that's an oversimplification, and my experience has been the exact opposite. My neighbors, though their skin may not be the same hue as mine, seem to look out for each other and there is much more sense of community.

Not to say that Brunswick and 3rd is unsafe (and I suppose it is up-and-coming). I just didn't feel as safe living there, and I would certainly not describe the neighborhood as quiet.

My understanding was that if you lived in a building in JC with 5 or more units your rent was stabilized at a "cost of living increase."

The maximum cost of living increase is 4% or the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) whichever is less. In recent times the Cost of Living Increase has been less than 4%.

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Please someone correct me if I'm off-track.

I'm not on this site daily, so I missed this thread the first time around, but I perked up when I saw it today. I am employed at Saint Peter's College, and Campus Security sent out an official e-mail to all students, faculty, and staff in October repeating this rumor (ridiculous as it seems) and warning everyone to "be aware." If school agencies were warning their students, is jillanp really so naive to ask about it on JCLIST? It's not like she heard it from some crazy dude on the bus. As in my case she was shocked to receive this warning from a seemingly reliable source, and she thought this JC discussion board would be a good forum to find out if others had heard the same.

JCLIST can have such a nasty tone, seriously.

Jersey City is not a neighborhood, it's a city. In fact it's a city of 250,000 people, the 2nd largest in NJ, made up of many, many neighborhoods (some dirty and derelict, some ultra-fancy and even a bit sterile, as well as everything in between).

It's much harder to generalize about Jersey City than say Hoboken or Williamsburg or Bushwick.

But Moby was making a general point, and that's totally fine. Young people can't afford to live in downtown Manhattan too easily anymore, I'm sure . . . but they probably aren't moving into a condo in Newport or even a downtown JC brownstone either.

Can't wait for the "professional" management to take over and start booking some more self-sustaining entertainment. May be they can get some first-run stuff: can you imagine "Role Models" or "Saw V" on the fifty-foot screen? Now that would be off the hook! And when they get it up to the fire code, they can bring in the Dark Star Orchestra (or maybe even the Other Ones themselves) and Lipski can piss off the balcony onto our heads.


*Anyone notice the author of the NYT article: Helene Stapinski? She wrote the book Five Finger Discount, mostly about growing up in JC in the 70s and 80s.