I walked through there with my groceries maybe 30 minutes beforehand.

Late tonight, there were parents playing with their children, people out walking their dogs, a couple taking a stroll -- all the normal stuff.

I feel horrible for the guy. Being lost is never a good feeling, but to then be assaulted by a gang of teens in a seemingly safe area? That's horrendous!

I hope they catch the thugs and throw the book at them.

Between the breaking bottles, yelling adults, squealing children, blasting music and barking dogs, the Angel Luis Ramos Playground is still going strong tonight -- and it's after 11:30PM!

With rising energy costs, I understand that not everyone can afford air conditioning, and in many of the old buildings on my block (like mine), the window A/C units are not all that effective anyway.

I also comprehend that not every adult has a conventional work schedule.

But last week at this time, there were literally two dozen extremely young children out there when I walked past. And tonight it sounds like there are just as many (if not more).

With all of the drug dealing, alcohol consumption and blatant mischief going on around these kids in the park, someone should really think about their futures and send these tots to bed already.

The cops have driven by a few times to briefly blare their sirens at unoccupied double-parked cars, but no one is being ticketed and the police continue to turn a blind eye to all that's going on at the playground.

Another interesting tidbit: A Mister Softee ice cream truck is literally stopping at the playground as I type this. How do I know? Because I can hear the freakin' jingle! And midnight is just around the corner!

Have you tried Sen Hai Chinese Restaurant for veggie-friendly carry-out?

My younger brother likes getting grub from there and so does one of his buddies.

I've never had their food myself, but I noticed that they recently added some new vegetarian items when I checked out the revised take-out menu they left on my doorstep.

Besides your typical stir-fried dishes like Bean Curd With Broccoli or Sauteed String Beans, they now feature Vegetarian Duck, Vegetarian Sesame Chicken (or Beef) and Vegetarian General Tso's Chicken (or Beef).

They also offer brown rice with most of their entrees -- a nice 'n' healthy alternative to white rice or fried rice.

I just checked out their website and it looks like it hasn't been updated yet with their new dishes (or their new prices!). So you may want to give them a call for details or if you have any particular questions.

Earlier this week, I finally ventured into Skinner's Loft over on Newark Avenue for the very first time. I met my brother at the bar for a few drinks and some snacks.

Skinner's had 12 draft beers to choose from, and after enjoying a pint of Blue Moon Belgian-style white ale, I wasn't sure what I was in the mood for next.

Marie, the bartender, suggested I try La Chouffe and Stella Artois as she poured me samples of each into miniature glasses. It had been awhile since I had Stella Artois, but I had never tried La Chouffe (which ended up being quite good).

But then, when I said I was also thinking of grabbing something to eat at the bar, she mentioned a special they were having -- a "slider sampler" with 3 different kinds of mini-burgers, a trio of small beers and heaping pile of french fries all for 15 bucks.

That sounded fine by me, so I took the plunge.

The slider sampler featured a lamb burger with tzatziki (cucumber-yogurt-dill sauce), a turkey burger with a sort of remoulade and a beef burger with ketchup and pickles. All of the three-bite burgers were tasty, but I'd say the lamb one had to be my favorite.

The piping-hot portion of shoestring fries was generous. They tasted a-okay, especially when I added some ketchup for dipping.

The three-beer sampler hit the spot, and included Blue Moon, Anchor Steam and Smithwick's. Each was a nice compliment to the burgers, particularly the Smithwick's Irish red ale.

While I was chatting with Marie, the bartender, she admitted she wasn't a regular beer drinker herself, but she still made smart and helpful suggestions. She was friendly, efficient and personable.

When it comes to bars and restaurants in Downtown Jersey City, I am all about having a range of options. I am glad to see that Skinner's Loft has made its home here in 'hood and I see myself visiting the place again to drink or to dine.

One more idea for those out there seeking a liberal church:

You could try a Unitarian Universalist location.

Even the slogan right at the top of UUA.org's homepage says: "Representing Over 1000 Liberal Religious Congregations."

That said, I think their closest locations to Jersey City are in Manhattan or Brooklyn.

Or in New Jersey, they have locations in Essex County, Bergen County, etc.

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I don't regularly attend any sort of services myself, but years ago I knew a very liberal minister based in Virginia who was affiliated with the United Church of Christ.

While its congregations can vary greatly (in terms of beliefs, ethnic makeup, etc.), it's my understanding that one way to identify the congregations that are liberal is to see if they are part of UCC's God Is Still Speaking program or Open and Affirming (ONA) program.

The church that ECH mentions above, Judson Memorial Church, is located in the Greenwich Village and, according to its website, it has its roots in "free church, Baptist and United Church of Christ traditions."

It sounds like that also could be a good fit for you (if you're willing to head into Manhattan for church).

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Yes, JCase, the heavenly gum from The Journey was peppermint-flavored.

Not to get too far off topic, but something about the image you posted above reminded me of an new product that Dasani is marketing.

It's a trio of lip balms in three flavors: raspberry, lemon and PURE WATER!

Since when is PURE WATER a lip balm flavor!?!

For your viewing pleasure, an image of the product is below and its bizarre description can be found here (once you click and scroll down).

I've done some digging around The Journey's website as well as a little bit of Googling.

From what I can tell, this church has its roots in a conservative evangelical Christian tradition. But it embraces new technologies and has a modern look to its services.

The church provides all kinds of freebies at its gatherings (coffee, donuts, other foods, screenings of just-released movies, etc.).

And it also offers a free gift via its website -- a book by Andy Stanley.

Andy Stanley is the senior pastor of North Point Community Church, which Wikipedia says is an Atlanta-based megachurch.

What's kind of wild is North Point's official website looks more like a rock concert than a stereotypical church service. And each time you reload its homepage, a different image of Northpoint's rock concert-like services will reveal itself.

It's definitely not my cup of tea, but the images are still interesting to view nonetheless.

In any case, it's my impression that this church is NOT liberal, but you may want to dig deeper if you think it may be up your alley.

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I find this posse a tad bizarre...

I got a free pack of chewing gum and a postcard from them a few weeks ago when I was walking past Bryant Park.

I'm all for free snacks and gum, but it's strange getting a surprise treat on the street from a stranger who is promoting a church.

It felt like a mini-bribe to attend their services.

A number of years ago, I met a friend there for dinner.

What we had was pretty good -- camarones al ajillo (garlic shrimp), tostones (crispy fried green plantains) and chorizo (sausage) -- and yes, we weren't exactly eating health food that night.

Since then, I believe the place has been renovated and sold. It looks like there's now a new menu along with higher prices.

Given the fresher vibe and larger crowds I've observed while passing by the place, it very well may be better these days than when I ate there.

I agree with ianmac47's and tommyc_37's posts, and I'd give it a try.

Once you check it out, please post your feedback about your experience there if you can. I am curious to know what it's like these days.

Nice photo, Frank_M!

Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker.

For details, see posts #3 and #9 in this thread.

Yep -- St. Matthew's is definitely liberal (when compared to some of the churches out there).

They feature the Lutherans Concerned/North America logo prominently on their website.

I wasn't sure what that was, but I just clicked on it and read all about it.

It has to do with their "Reconciling in Christ" program, which is "a Christian ministry affirming God's love for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities since 1974."

More information can be found at LCNA.org.

Good luck to you!

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I just checked out StMatthewsJC.org, the website of St. Matthew's Church. From what I've read so far, they are inclusive and liberal. They're located next door to the Barrow Mansion at 83 Wayne Street in Downtown Jersey City. Their phone number is 201-432-9319.

Here's their mission statement:

"The mission of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church is to love, welcome, nurture, and serve all people by following the example of Jesus Christ.

The mission of St. Matthew's is to reach the people of downtown Jersey City with the life-transforming message of Jesus Christ and to integrate them into our growing family.

We are a community where people of diverse backgrounds and orientations develop friendships, worship God and grow spiritually. Our aim in spiritual growth is a more loving person, a more caring community, and a better world."

Here's their "affirmation of welcome" statement:

"Reconciling in Christ is a program for Lutheran communities of faith to answer the inclusive call of the gospel by welcoming gay and lesbian believers.

As a community of the people of God, we are called to minister to all people of our world, knowing that the world is often an unloving place. Our world is a place of alienation and brokenness. Christ calls us to reconciliation and wholeness. We are challenged by the Gospel to be agents of healing within our society.

We affirm with the apostle Paul that in Christ "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female" (Galatians 3:28). Christ has made us one. We acknowledge this reconciliation extends also to those whose affectional orientation is toward a person of the same gender.

Because gay and lesbian persons are often scorned by society and alienated from the Church, we wish to make known our caring and concern. It is for this purpose that we affirm the following:

- That gay and lesbian people share with all others the worth that comes from being unique individuals created by God

- That gay and lesbian people are welcome within the membership of this congregation upon making the same affirmation of faith that all other people make

- That as members of this congregation, gay and lesbian people are expected and encouraged to share in the sacramental and general life of this congregation."

Hope this helps!

Another interesting tidbit: The rector is Reverend Janet Broderick, actor Matthew Broderick's sister.

I hear that NYC residents Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker attend services from time to time.

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I'd start with Grace Church Van Vorst -- I've heard good things about it.

They're at 39 Erie Street in Downtown Jersey City. Their phone number is 201-659-2211.

I pulled this from their website:

"The community at Grace Church mirrors this diversity:

Performing and visual artists; professionals and tradespeople; straight and gay; Asian, Black, Latino, Indian, Filipino, and white successfully combine in a progressive, inclusive, urban congregation.

Creativity permeates all aspects of church life ? from innovative multi-media worship to the use of our landmark building as a center for recreation, education and performance.

Community, diversity and creativity are the hallmarks of parish life."

I just watched the Star Trek clip for kicks -- very amusing in a sophomoric kind of way.

I went back to Nicole's again yesterday -- which makes three times in less than one week! Which is a heck of a lot for someone who passed by that place for years and never ventured in.

But I wanted to try the Pepper Pot Chicken special for five bucks, and I couldn't wait a full week to do it. It was a good value. The sauce was a nice balance of mildly spicy and sweet. I had it with plantains, but they were out of rice and peas. So I opted for yellow rice instead which I enjoyed.

If I had to rank the dishes I've tried so far, they would be in this order:

1. Curry Turkey With Cabbage ($5.00)
2. Pepper Pot Chicken ($5.00)
3. Jerk Chicken ($6.50)

I don't see myself ordering the Jerk Chicken again because I thought the Curry Turkey With Cabbage and the Pepper Pot Chicken were better tasting and they are both $1.50 cheaper.

In an effort to not "overpost" about Nicole's, this should be my final one (at least for awhile!).

Thanks for the explanation, ansky.

I happened to notice it when I first moved here because I thought it was bizarre and rather ugly.

I'm glad to hear they're getting rid of it.

I was down in Newport yesterday it looked like a demolition company was doing some major work on that large rectangular structure with columns by the building's Washington Blvd. fa?ade.

Are they in the process of reinforcing it or are they simply removing it?

I'm not sure it serves any purpose other than being "decorative."

Here's an older photo of it that I just dug up after a bit of Googling -- it's on the bottom left:



It was a mess on the western side of the street. The automobiles heading northbound and southbound shared the northbound lanes with police directing traffic.

As a pedestrian, the only good part about it was that all of the traffic was forced to SLOW DOWN.

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I'm pretty sure that Queen Latifah still comes around from time to time since the management company she owns, Flavor Unit, is located in Downtown Jersey City.

A number of years ago, I worked for the parent company of her record label at the time. I had the pleasure of meeting her at a rather intimate dinner with my team in Manhattan (on the same night I met Stevie Wonder!).

She hung out at our table for a couple of hours and was really warm, affable and charming.

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Ugh. That sucks. As you may know from my JCList posts, I live on Wayne St. too.

Just out of curiosity, is your fire escape in the front of your building or in the back?

The good part of having one in the front is that it is visible from the street (for cops and neighbors to see), but it can also provide easy access for hoodlums as well as a quick getaway.

My building has its fire escape in the back, and I've never had a problem with break-ins here in over 7 years (knock on wood). Access to our backyard from the street and from other properties is rather difficult, though it bothers me that the fire escape is not visible from the street so prowlers wouldn't be spotted by cops and neighbors as easily.

Another big problem:

I'm not exactly sure how I would easily exit the rear yard in case of a fire! I'm guessing that firefighters would just cut through the high chain-link fences to get us safely away from the building, but maybe I'm being too optimistic? Yikes!

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LOL. I have no idea!

For those who aren't familiar with the guy, he's a Grammy Award-winning rapper and actor.

Those unfamiliar with him can read all about him on his Wikipedia page.

Enjoy!

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A couple of weeks ago, I was at Sushi Tango on Jersey Avenue catching up with Grace who happened to be bartending that night.

She was laughing about how one of her regular customers was recently there with Felipe Rose of the Village People.

But she didn't recognize him because he wasn't wearing his costume!

It's been awhile, but I've seen Ludacris walking with some friends toward the Paulus Hook area (at last check, he had a residence down that way).

And I saw Wyclef Jean of The Fugees over by Point Libert? a few years back.

I almost fell out of my chair when I was flipping through DirecTV channels (while I was out of town) and bumped into the show called "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" on the Food Network.

It's hosted by Guy Fieri, the energetic "celebrity chef" in those TGI Fridays commercials who also hosts "Guy's Big Bite" and won the Food Network's first "Next Food Network Star" contest.

So why was I surprised? Guy Fieri was standing at the corner of Grand Street and Jersey Avenue -- right in front of the Brownstone Diner!

He zipped inside, hung out with the owners and kitchen staff, made everything from pancakes to moussaka with the Brownstone posse, and then visited with quite a few customers while they were happily dining at their tables.

Brownstone Diner even has a video of the show's segment featured on their website.

* Click here to watch the video. *

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Her Cupcake Salon kiosk is on the second floor of the mall toward Sears and near Lenscrafters if you're interested in checking it out.

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Ah yes, that would be the CupCake Salon, by Tastebuds Presents Cyn-Ful Treasures.

I've looked, but I've never tasted her creations.

Maybe it's time for me to indulge in a Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese Icing?

Mmmm...

WOW -- I must've missed that!

All of that A-Ho-in' and P-Ho-in' and Po-Ho-in' and Ho-Ho-in' really cracked me up.

Thanks a bunch for sharing that thread.

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HA!

(With names like DUMBO and SOHO right across the water, that may actually catch on!)

Just curious... does the part of 07302 that's north of 14th Street have a name?

It's an area that's been growing with such newer developments as 700 Grove, The Cliffs and Zephyr Lofts. Plus, it has such older apartment complexes as Holland Gardens within its borders.

So I was wondering recently if the neighborhood has an historic name or if real estate agents were using a newly-created one for marketing purposes (like Holland North, Hoboken South, Newport West or whatever).

I haven't been staying on top of it all, but I'm guessing there will be a lot more development up that way eventually.